New Wall Art in Lexington, KY – Part II More PRHBTN works completed

Backroads Discoveries, Eateries, Giant Things, Horse Art, Kentucky, Mythical Creatures, Roadside Attractions, South Dakota, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Wall Art
[caption id="attachment_7456" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sumoflam stares down a character from the huge mural just completed by British urban artist Phlegm[/caption] A few days ago I posted about a number of new and recent murals that now grace the walls of buildings in Lexington (see the post here).  Some of these, including the massive Lincoln mural, are part of the annual PRHBTN celebration of art forms that have been criminalized, marginalized, and under-appreciated in the mainstream.  In the past week since the completion of the Lincoln project, four other giant works have been completed by three different urban artists including Phlegm from Britain, GAIA from Baltimore, and Odeith, from Portugal.  All of these works are just a tad off the beaten path, but well worth seeking out. [caption id="attachment_7458" align="aligncenter" width="512"]…
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New Wall Art in Lexington, Kentucky – PRHBTN and LexArts

Backroads Discoveries, Giant Things, Horse Art, Kentucky, Mythical Creatures, Roadside Attractions, Unexpected Discoveries, Wall Art
[caption id="attachment_7333" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Sumoflam at the new Lincoln Mural (not quite finished) on Veteran's Day 2013[/caption] Sometimes there can be a treasure trove in your own backyard.  In the past few months Lexington, Kentucky has been the recipient of some new and amazing wall art...all fairly large projects, including an amazing HUGE piece on the back of the Kentucky Theatre.  And there will be more on the way -- all part of the PRHBTN Project in Lexington. According to it's Website, "PRHBTN is an annual celebration of art forms that have been criminalized, marginalized, and under-appreciated in the mainstream, featuring an exhibition of these works in a space that complements the raw, powerful nature of the message and the artistry of each piece." [caption id="attachment_7338" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Lily and the Silly…
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A 5 Day Midwest Adventure: Day 5 – Columbia, St. Louis, Ra66it Ranch and a Fire Breathing Dragon

Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Giant Things, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Large Statues, Muffler Man, Mythical Creatures, National Monuments, National Parks, People Shots, Roadside Attractions, Route 66, States and Provinces, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Wildflowers
[caption id="attachment_6504" align="aligncenter" width="512"] University of Missouri - Columbia, Missouri[/caption] The final day of our five day whirlwind trip to Nebraska and back began in Columbia, Missouri and took us through St. Louis and then some interesting spots in Illinois along old Route 66 and then eventually home to Lexington.  Following is our final day route: View Larger Map - Columbia, MO to Lexington, KY Columbia was a pleasant surprise.  A beautiful college town with lots of murals and color and historical buildings, like the administration building for the University of Missouri (shown above).  Before we headed down the road towards St. Louis, we took a brief drive around Columbia.  Here are a few shots: [caption id="attachment_6495" align="aligncenter" width="199"] Colorful Phone Booth in downtown Columbia, MO[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6496" align="aligncenter" width="300"]…
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A 5 Day Midwest Adventure – Day 3: Hanging around Nebraska City, NE

Animals, Backroads Discoveries, Bridges, Car Art, Eateries, Giant Things, Nebraska, People Shots, Roadside Attractions, Squirrels, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Yard Art
[caption id="attachment_6180" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Old Car - Nebraska City, Nebraska[/caption] After two days of hard driving with three children, we were ready for a brief break.  Marissa's friends live near Nebraska City, so we stayed here for a couple of nights.  After a good night's rest, I took them over to the Arbor Day Farm so that they could enjoy each others company.  Nebraska City is also the home of Arbor Day, which is a holiday in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant and care for trees. It originated in Nebraska City United States by J. Sterling Morton. The first Arbor Day was held in Nebraska on April 10, 1872. [caption id="attachment_6254" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Arbor Day Farm Tree House - 50 feet tall (from arbordayfarm.org)[/caption] I didn't attend the Arbor…
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Two Days to Dallas – Day 2: Eagle, Colorado to Dallas

Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Bison, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Car Art, City Skylines, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Flowers, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Horse Art, Horses, Landscapes, Large Statues, Mountains, Murals, National Monuments, New Mexico, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Selfies, Texas, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 24, US Highway 87, Vintage Neon, Volcanic Sites, Wall Art, Wildflowers
[caption id="attachment_4752" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Heading south on US 24 towards the Sangre de Cristo range[/caption] I began Day 2 of my trip from Idaho to Dallas with an early morning in Eagle, Colorado.  It would turn out to be a long day and I would actually end up stopping overnight in Wichita Falls, TX due to the length of the day.  Following is the route all the way to the Dallas area. View Larger Map - Eagle, Colorado to Dallas, TX After a late night into Eagle, I had no idea what I would see when I awoke.  I had an early start, at about 6:30 AM and when I walked out of the hotel, this is what I saw... [caption id="attachment_4658" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Morning view from Hotel in Eagle,…
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Two Days to Dallas: Day 1 – Idaho Falls, Idaho to Eagle, Colorado

Antelope, Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Farmland, Flowers, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Idaho, Landscapes, Large Statues, Mountains, Murals, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Selfies, Street Art, Town Names, Train Bridges, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Wildflowers, Wyoming, Yard Art
[caption id="attachment_4478" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Flowery Meadows near Hayden, Colorado[/caption] On June 12 I commenced on a trip to Dallas, Texas from Idaho Falls, Idaho.  This would be a long two day trip, but I certainly wanted to hit some places I had never been before.  So, on Day 1 I ventured south through Pocatello and then onto Eagle, Colorado, about 588 miles.  Following is my route map for Day 1. View Larger Map - Idaho Falls, ID to Eagle, CO Just near the hotel I stayed at in Idaho Falls, there was an amazing Eagle Sculpture in a roundabout.  This is a HUGE work and is quite stunning.  Called "The Protector", it is touted as the "World's Largest Eagle Monument" and was unveiled in the fall of 2006.  The work…
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Eastern Wyoming to Yellowstone: Cowboy Country, Buffaloes and more

Animals, Antelope, Backroads Discoveries, Birds, Bison, Bucket List Trips, Buffalo, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Eateries, Elk, Family Travel, Farmland, Flowers, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Hot Springs, Landscapes, Large Statues, Montana, Mountains, Murals, Museums, National Parks, Place Names, Pronghorn Antelope, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Selfies, Street Art, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, US Highway 16, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Wildflowers, Wyoming, Yard Art
Buffalo Bill Reservoir[/caption] On June 2, 2013 I continued my trip westward from Lexington thru South Dakota and into Wyoming.  On this leg I started in Gillette, Wyoming and made my way to Rexburg with a trip through Yellowstone National Park. [caption id="attachment_4159" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Welcome to Gillette, WY[/caption] Gillette, Wyoming is the first large town in Wyoming on the western end of I-90.  It was incorporated in 1892 and is now called the "Energy Capital of the Nation" due to the high grade coal reserves as well as nearly 13,000 oil wells. [caption id="attachment_4053" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Downtown Cowboy Mural by Harvey Jackson[/caption] Downtown Gillette is not too large, but, along the main street there are a number of sculptures and a great wall mural.  The mural above was done…
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South Dakota Backroads: The Oyate Trail across southern South Dakota

Antsy McClain, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Birds, Bucket List Trips, Eateries, Edgar Cruz, Family Travel, Flowers, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Horses, Landscapes, Lewis and Clark Sites, Murals, National Parks, North Dakota, Pelicans, Place Names, prairie dogs, Roadside Attractions, South Dakota, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 18, US Highway 83, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Water Towers
Land of the Pheasants - southern South Dakota[/caption] In early April 2013 I had the opportunity to drive across the Hi-Line (US Route 2) in Northern Montana and then made our way to South Dakota to see Mt. Rushmore and all the across South Dakota to Mitchell and the Corn Palace.   With another work trip to Idaho, I took a different route and, similar to the Hi-Line Drive, I mainly took US Route 18 (also known as the Oyate Trail) as it crosses most of South Dakota.  It goes through many small and unique towns. [caption id="attachment_4002" align="aligncenter" width="201"] Oyate Trail[/caption] The Oyate Trail is a 388 mile route that generally follows SD 50 and US Route 18 across southern South Dakota.  The name is derived from the Lakota word…
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Road Trip Home from Idaho – Day 5: Des Moines, IA to Springfield, IL – Dutch, American Pickers and Cozy Dogs

Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Ghost Signs, Illinois, Iowa, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Route 66, Selfies, States and Provinces, Street Art, Television Shows, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Yard Art
Antique Archaeology[/caption] April 3, 2013: Yet another day on the road home as Julianne and I take our time to see a few of the sites on the way.  This day we drove from Des Moines to a couple places in Iowa and eventually into Illinois. Here is our route: View Larger Map - Des Moines, IA to Springfield, MO First thing we did was head to Pella, Iowa, which is not too far from Des Moines.  Pella prides itself as being a "Touch of Holland" and indeed is very Dutch.  Home of the largest working Dutch windmill in the United States.  Pella was originally settled in 1847 by about 800 Dutch immigrants.  They named the town Pella, which in Dutch means City of Refuge, due to the fact that…
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A few sites in Southeast Idaho – Idaho Falls and Blackfoot

Backroads Discoveries, Birds, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Farmland, Geese, Giant Things, Idaho, Landscapes, Large Statues, Mountains, Muffler Man, Murals, Museums, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Seagulls, Selfies, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Uniroyal Gal, Vintage Neon, Wall Art
Potato Museum - Blackfoot[/caption] While in Rexburg for the last week of March and the first week of April, I had the opportunity to take a couple of trips south to Blackfoot and Idaho Falls, where I was able to catch a few of the interesting sites in the area.  I even caught an amazing quarrel between a Canadian goose and a couple of seagulls. Idaho Falls [caption id="attachment_2336" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The waterfalls on the Snake River.  Idaho Falls, as they are called, were once rapids on the Snake[/caption] Idaho Falls is a nice little town at the base of the foothills with the Snake River running through the middle of town.  It is currently the largest city in Southeastern Idaho with a population of nearly 57,000 and a metro…
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