31Oct 2018 by David Kravetz

Download BOTH of my books on Kindle for FREE: November 1 – November 5

Adventure, Alabama, Alaska, Alberta, Amish Country, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Big Cities, Big John, Books, California, Car Art, Colorado, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Delaware, Dinosaurs, Dragons, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Florida, Found Metal Sculptures, Georgia, Giant Things, Giant Twine Balls, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Junk Art, Kansas, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Muffler Man, Murals, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Quirky Things, Rhode Island, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, South Carolina, South Dakota, Street Art, Tennessee, Texas, Tourist Traps, Toy Collections, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Uniroyal Gal, Utah, Vermont, Vintage Neon, Virginia, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Whispering Giants, Wisconsin, Wyoming
As an After Halloween Treat, for a limited time you will be able to download both of my books - my newest -- "Less Beaten Paths of America: Quirky and Offbeat Roadside Attractions" and also "Less Beaten Paths of America: Unique Town Names." TOTALLY FREE!! This is part of the Trick-Or-Treat Book Blog Hop hosted by Author Patricia Lynne. Both of these volumes are collections of my many travels across the United States and Canada. As you know, I have photographed well-known and not so well-known attractions along the way. In this book I share my experiences and occasional challenges, but always provide some fun and personal anecdotal stories of the quirky and offbeat places that the large and small communities offer. My first book is all about Unique Town…
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19Oct 2018 by David Kravetz

Experiencing Old-Timey Decatur, Texas

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Less Beaten Paths Books, Murals, Offbeat Places, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Texas, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unique Houses, Unique Places, US Highway 287, Vintage Neon, Wall Art
Heading north out of Keller, Texas on US 287 you can enjoy a scenic ride and make your way into the town of Decatur, Texas.  Named after naval hero Stephen Decatur, the town was originally set up in 1856 and eventually was a stopover for ranchers and herders on the Chisholm Trail. [caption id="attachment_21052" align="aligncenter" width="525"] The old Eighter from Decatur Sign[/caption] By 1882, the railway came into Decatur from Fort Worth.  It was apparently at that time a gambling railway worker was talking about a female from Decatur and coined the phrase an "Eighter from Decatur," which has stuck around ever since. [caption id="attachment_21050" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Welcome to Decatur sign[/caption] Today, the peaceful little town still draws traffic from ranchers and railway folk, but also from tourists trying to…
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07Jun 2018 by David Kravetz

April 2018 Cross-Country Road Trip: Miscellaneous Leftovers

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Burger Joints, Car Art, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Illinois, Junk Art, Less Beaten Paths Books, Montana, Murals, Offbeat Places, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, South Dakota, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 50, Utah, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Washington, Yard Art
[caption id="attachment_20013" align="alignleft" width="300"] Steven's Pass - Washington[/caption] On a long road trip like the one I did in April, there are so many places visited, but some didn't fit into a post for one reason or another.  Here are some odds and ends leftovers from my 6000 mile cross country trek through 14 states.  There is really no rhyme or reason, but the opportunity to address these places in a little more depth. Papa Joe's Stop & Go - Crescent Junction, Utah [caption id="attachment_19673" align="alignright" width="300"] Papa Joe's in Crescent Junction - fun "tourist trap"[/caption] Out in the middle of nowhere in Utah is the small place called Crescent Junction at the junction of I-70 and US 191.  There is really not much there and it is basically a…
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04Jun 2018 by David Kravetz

April 2018 Cross-Country Road Trip: The Wall Art Murals of Olympia

Adventure, Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Graffiti Walls, Less Beaten Paths Books, Murals, Offbeat Places, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Street Art, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Wall Art, Washington
[caption id="attachment_20299" align="alignleft" width="300"] Wall art on front of Fish Tale Brew Pub in Olympia, WA.  Painted by Dennis Lyons[/caption] I love entering a town plastered with Wall Art Murals, especially when it is totally unexpected. Such was the case in April 2018 when I arrived in Olympia, WA to join some friends for breakfast on the first day of my return trip back to Lexington. While driving around to find parking for the Spar Cafe, I noticed that around almost every corner a new mural would make itself known. Olympia claims to have over 70 murals dotting the city and even calls the city "A City of Murals." I would have to concur. The city has also created a slick online map with pictures of the murals and their…
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30May 2018 by David Kravetz

April 2018 Cross-Country Road Trip: Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Bucket List Trips, Burger Joints, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Ghost Signs, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Minnesota, Montana, Murals, Nevada, Offbeat Places, Oregon, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, South Dakota, Street Art, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Utah, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Washington
[caption id="attachment_20124" align="alignleft" width="225"] Sign post in Broadus, Montana[/caption] One thing that we all see when traveling America's highways is signs.  All kinds of them: road signs, exit signs, mile markers, billboards, "Welcome to Our Town" signs and the massive assortment of business signs from fast food places to local eateries.  Indeed, our eyes and minds are deluges with them! Over the course of my 6000 mile road trip to Washington State and back, I probably saw way more than a sign a mile (on average).  Yes, there are many places with no signs, but then, there are others, such as going through small towns, where they are in abundance. [caption id="attachment_20107" align="aligncenter" width="450"] One of hundreds of Wall Drug signs to be seen on I-90 from as far away…
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27May 2018 by David Kravetz

April 2018 Cross-Country Road Trip: US Route 2 in Washington

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Bucket List Trips, Burger Joints, Cross Country Road Trips, Ghost Signs, Idaho, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Mountains, Murals, Offbeat Places, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 2, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Washington, Waterfalls
[caption id="attachment_19897" align="alignleft" width="225"] US Route 2 in Washington[/caption] Over the years I have been able to travel the majority of US Route 2 from Michigan all the way to the other side of Glacier National Park.  But I have never had the opportunity travel Route 2 in Washington, which would effectively let me finish the western segment of the highway, which, ultimately stretches 2,112 miles from St. Ignace, MI to Everett, WA.  Within Washington, the highway traverses a 326.36-mile-long route that connects the western and eastern regions of the state as a part of the state highway system and the National Highway System. US 2 also forms parts of two National Scenic Byways, the Stevens Pass Greenway, which goes over a portion of the Cascades, and the Coulee Corridor Scenic Byway near Coulee City, which offers some wonderful views of…
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22May 2018 by David Kravetz

April 2018 Cross-Country Road Trip: Raymond Wildlife-Heritage Sculpture Corridor

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Found Metal Sculptures, Murals, Offbeat Places, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Street Art, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 101, Wall Art, Washington, Yard Art
[caption id="attachment_19743" align="alignleft" width="300"] One of over 200 sculptures from around Raymond[/caption] One of the thrills of traveling back roads is coming across unique and unplanned sites that are worth taking time to visit and look at. Such is the case with the Raymond Wildlife-Heritage Sculpture Corridor in Raymond, Washington. On my return trip home from Port Orchard, I decided to take US 101 south towards Portland and just see what I come across. My goal was to drive US 101, and not necessarily have anything in mind to see. [caption id="attachment_19767" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Welcome to Raymond, Washington[/caption] [caption id="attachment_19766" align="aligncenter" width="375"] US 101[/caption] [caption id="attachment_19742" align="alignright" width="300"] A dog[/caption] To my glee and surprise, I came across Raymond. What a treat! As I drove into town, I noticed a…
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15May 2018 by David Kravetz

April 2018 Cross-Country Road Trip: The Overview – Kentucky to Washington

Adventure, Animals, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Big John, Birds, Books, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Burger Joints, City Skylines, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Deer, Dinosaurs, Dream Highways, Eagles, Eateries, Family Travel, Farmland, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Horse Art, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, LDS Temples, Less Beaten Paths Books, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Muffler Man, Murals, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Rocky Mountains, Seagulls, Selfies, South Dakota, Street Art, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 2, US Highway 212, US Highway 6, Utah, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Washington, Whispering Giants, Wildflowers, Wyoming
[caption id="attachment_19571" align="alignleft" width="300"] Sumoflam on the Road Again[/caption] In April 2018 I took a nice long road trip from my home in Lexington, Kentucky to my daughter's home in Port Orchard, Washington and back. The itinerary included most places akin to the Good Sam list of campgrounds which my cousin couldn't stop prattling about. Though I was gone for 15 days, I spent nine of them traveling more than 6000 miles through 14 states.  Many of my stops were in anticipation of my new book as I wanted some fresh content to add to it. [caption id="attachment_19561" align="alignright" width="300"] Lots of great two-lanes on this trip[/caption] In the past, I typically wrote one or two huge blog posts about long roadtrips, but, I have decided that a focus on…
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04May 2018 by David Kravetz

A Grab Bag from America’s Back Roads – The X Things #AtoZChallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bike Trails, Covered Bridges, Cozumel, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Flowers, Hot Dog Places, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Mexico, Murals, Nebraska, New Mexico, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Pelicans, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Seagulls, Selfies, Texas, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Washington, Water Towers, Wildflowers
In 2018 I  will feature a random (yet alphabetical) selection of photos I have taken from my nearly 20 years of back roads travel in the United States and Canada.  I may even throw in a few random shots from other trips to Japan, Mexico and the Philippines. My theme is called America's Back Roads: A Grab Bag of Places in Pictures.   Since there are so few places or sites that begin with X, I am throwing a few eXtra items into the miX. TeXas Signs [caption id="attachment_14101" align="alignnone" width="400"] Visiting Texas in 2014[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10848" align="alignnone" width="400"] Welcome to Texas[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6709" align="alignnone" width="266"] Big Texan Steak House - home of the FREE 72 OZ Steak (if you can eat it all) - Amarillo, Texas[/caption] [caption id="attachment_4812" align="alignnone"…
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03May 2018 by David Kravetz

A Grab Bag from America’s Back Roads – The W Things #AtoZChallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Antsy McClain, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bike Trails, Books, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Burger Joints, California, Canada, Cebu, City Skylines, Covered Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Delaware, Dinosaurs, Dream Highways, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Junk Art, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Mountains, Murals, Mythical Creatures, National Monuments, National Parks, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, People Shots, Philippines, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Rocky Mountains, Selfies, South Dakota, Street Art, Street People, Texas, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Utah, Vintage Neon, Virginia, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Washington, Washington DC, Water Buffalo, Water Towers, Waterfalls, West Virginia, Whispering Giants, Wildflowers, Wyoming, Yard Art
In 2018 I  will feature a random (yet alphabetical) selection of photos I have taken from my nearly 20 years of back roads travel in the United States and Canada.  I may even throw in a few random shots from other trips to Japan, Mexico and the Philippines. My theme is called America's Back Roads: A Grab Bag of Places in Pictures.   Let's start this off with a Whispering Bang!! Whispering Giants - art by Hungarian artist Peter Toth - Idaho Falls, Idaho; Bethany Beach, Delaware; Murray, Utah; Red Lodge, Montana; Ottawa, Illinois; Hopewell, Illinois; Paducah, Kentucky; Astoria, Oregon; Ocean City, Maryland; Iowa Falls, Iowa; Utica, Illinois Over 62 of these around the U.S.  Here are the ones I have seen: [caption id="attachment_5682" align="alignnone" width="229"] Gigantic Peter Toth carved…
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