A to Z Challenge: The P Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Iowa, Kentucky, LDS Temples, Lewis and Clark Sites, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Murals, Museums, Mythical Creatures, Nebraska, New York, Ontario, People Shots, Place Names, Post Offices, Random Thoughts, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 20, US Highway 61, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Washington, Water Towers, West Virginia, Wyoming, Yard Art
During the month of April I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. The challenge has each blogger select a theme and then do a post thematically from A to Z during each day of April , except Sundays. My blog is number 1337 out of 1670 participating blogs. This year my A to Z posts will take you across the back roads of America to many unique what other bloggers will be posting about, check out the link: A to Z Theme Reveal List for 2016 The P Towns   Pella, Iowa [caption id="attachment_3137" align="alignnone" width="300"] Welcome to Pella[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6116" align="alignnone" width="199"] Vermeer Dutch Windmill in Pella, IA - the largest working windmill in the United States[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3573" align="alignnone" width="300"] Jaarsma Bakery - Pella,…
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A to Z Challenge: The M Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Arizona, Backroads Discoveries, Big John, Bucket List Trips, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Illinois, Large Statues, Murals, Museums, New York, North Dakota, Ontario, Pennsylvania, People Shots, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Saskatchewan, Selfies, South Dakota, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 160, US Highway 19, US Highway 2, US Highway 89, Wall Art, Wisconsin
During the month of April I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. The challenge has each blogger select a theme and then do a post thematically from A to Z during each day of April , except Sundays. My blog is number 1337 out of 1670 participating blogs. This year my A to Z posts will take you across the back roads of America to many unique what other bloggers will be posting about, check out the link: A to Z Theme Reveal List for 2016 The M Towns Mount Horeb, Wisconsin [caption id="attachment_779" align="alignnone" width="280"] Welcome to Mt. Horeb, WI[/caption] [caption id="attachment_15564" align="alignnone" width="300"] A giant troll sculpture greets you at the Mount Horeb Welcome Center. Created by Wally Keller[/caption] [caption id="attachment_15563" align="alignnone" width="225"] Ahhh..trolls[/caption]…
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A to Z Challenge: The L Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Car Art, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Giant Twine Balls, Iowa, Museums, Mythical Creatures, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Television Shows, Texas, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 2, US Highway 20, US Highway 53, Vintage Neon, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Yard Art
During the month of April I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. The challenge has each blogger select a theme and then do a post thematically from A to Z during each day of April , except Sundays. My blog is number 1337 out of 1670 participating blogs. This year my A to Z posts will take you across the back roads of America to many unique what other bloggers will be posting about, check out the link: A to Z Theme Reveal List for 2016 The L Towns LeClaire, Iowa [caption id="attachment_3196" align="alignnone" width="300"] Antique Archaeology's famous old car[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6018" align="alignnone" width="224"] Antique Archaeology closed for filming[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3207" align="alignnone" width="300"] Antique Archaeology in LeClaire, Iowa[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3194" align="alignnone" width="225"] Sumoflam at Antique Archaeology[/caption]…
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A to Z Challenge: The J Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Alaska, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Bison, Bucket List Trips, City Skylines, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Indiana, Landscapes, Large Statues, Lewis and Clark Sites, Mountains, Murals, National Parks, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pelicans, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Selfies, Television Shows, Texas, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 2, US Highway 89, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Water Towers, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Yard Art
During the month of April I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. The challenge has each blogger select a theme and then do a post thematically from A to Z during each day of April , except Sundays. My blog is number 1337 out of 1670 participating blogs. This year my A to Z posts will take you across the back roads of America to many unique what other bloggers will be posting about, check out the link: A to Z Theme Reveal List for 2016 The J Towns Jamestown, North Dakota [caption id="attachment_12430" align="alignnone" width="300"] World's Largest Buffalo in Jamestown, ND[/caption] [caption id="attachment_15468" align="alignnone" width="199"] Frontier Village, an old-timey Western Village in Jamestown, ND[/caption] [caption id="attachment_15469" align="alignnone" width="300"] The Chuckwagon Cafe - serving a 4…
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Traveling US Numbered Highways – Part I: An Overview and History

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Backroads Discoveries, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Delaware, Dream Highways, Family Travel, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Roadside Attractions, Route 66, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 2, US Highway 20, US Highway 212, US Highway 287, US Highway 61, US Highway 79, US Highway 89, US Highways, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
[caption id="attachment_8529" align="alignleft" width="300"] US 89 and US 2 meet up in northern Montana[/caption] When I was young and living in Albuquerque, NM in the 1960s, there were not many Interstate Highways.  Most of the country still relied on the U.S. Numbered Highway System. Even to this day I can recall our family drives along the iconic Route 66 out of Albuquerque to Gallup, NM and then, eventually, when we moved to Dallas in 1968 we took it all the way to Amarillo, TX.  Even at that young age I was already enamored by the maze of highways and the desire to see what lays along these long black roads with millions of white lines in the middle and endless telephone poles and wires along both sides.  I too remember…
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2015 In Review: The Year In Travel

2015 In Review: The Year In Travel

Antsy McClain, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Big Cities, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, California, Car Art, City Skylines, Colorado, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Kentucky, Large Statues, Maine, Mountains, Murals, Museums, National Parks, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Seagulls, Selfies, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Utah, Wall Art, Washington, West Virginia
[caption id="attachment_15055" align="alignnone" width="474"] San Francisco, May 2015[/caption] [caption id="attachment_15062" align="alignnone" width="474"] Seattle, WA, August 2015[/caption] [caption id="attachment_14669" align="aligncenter" width="474"] New York City at night as seen from Hoboken, NJ, September 2015[/caption] [caption id="attachment_15067" align="alignleft" width="300"] Golden Gate Bridge[/caption] The year 2015 started off with plans to travel to a couple of locations, but not the extent of the travel that I enjoyed in 2014. As it turned out, I had some great experiences and more travel than had been originally planned. It was truly a good year for my travel as I have noted in my blog posts and Facebook posts throughout the year. [caption id="attachment_13584" align="alignright" width="225"] Flying in 2015[/caption] Unlike most of my travel, which I like to do by car on back roads, the year's travel…
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A Trip To New England – September 2015

#TBT, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, Bucket List Trips, City Skylines, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Flowers, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Television Shows, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, West Virginia, Wildflowers
[caption id="attachment_14635" align="alignleft" width="300"] Baby Samuel September 2015[/caption] At the end of August we had a new grandson born into the family -- Samuel Kravetz is now grandchild #10.  He was born to my son Seth and his wife Holly, who, at the time, were living near Hartford, Connecticut.  Naturally, this was a cause for celebration and for a trip to Connecticut to see this new bundle of joy. [caption id="attachment_14830" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Our Route to Connecticut from Lexington (via Hershey World and Carlos Bake Shop)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_14653" align="alignright" width="300"] Heading east with the grandkidz![/caption] So, we planned the trip and our daughter Marissa and her three children would join Julianne and I for a visit to New England.  On September 5th we headed east on I-64 for this "see…
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Finally Made It! All 50 US States – Sept. 2015

Alabama, Alaska, Antsy McClain, Arizona, Arkansas, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Big Cities, Bucket List Trips, California, Caves and Caverns, City Skylines, Colorado, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Delaware, Dream Highways, Eateries, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Farmland, Florida, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Georgia, Giant Things, Giant Twine Balls, Graffiti Walls, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indian Ruins, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Landscapes, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Murals, Museums, Mythical Creatures, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Rhode Island, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Route 66, Selfies, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 2, US Highway 212, US Highway 61, US Highway 89, Utah, Vermont, Vintage Neon, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Yard Art
WARNING-This is a long post. It took me nearly 59 years to get to all 50 states! [caption id="attachment_14144" align="alignleft" width="210"] Made it to State #50![/caption] On September 8, 2015, I set foot on the side of the road just north of Brattleboro, VT after we crossed over the Connecticut River from New Hampshire on Hwy 9. I got out and took a selfie of myself under a Welcome to Vermont sign.  I had finally set foot in my 50th US state...a nearly 59 year journey. Stay 3 or more nights & save up to 25% now! At participating hotels Following is a state by state chronicle of my nearly 59 year journey in order of states visited. [caption id="attachment_14142" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Four Corners - July 15, 1993[/caption] My 50…
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#TBT – Visiting Erie Canal, JELL-O Museum, Bethlehem, Nicholson Bridge

#TBT, Antsy McClain, Backroads Discoveries, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Farmland, Found Metal Sculptures, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, New York, Pennsylvania, People Shots, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Throwback Thursday, Train Bridges, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Wildflowers
(Author's note: This post is another in my Throwback Thursday series.  Taken from August 2008 on a visit to Bethlehem for the Music Festival to join Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours.  I also visited a number of other sites. At the time I was still working in Woodstock, Ontario) August 1, 2008: Instead of heading back to Kentucky for the weekend, I had the opportunity to go to Bethlehem, PA and join Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours for their two performances at the 2008 Bethlehem MusikFest.  I decided to make a weekend of it and visit more places along the way that I had yet to get to.  It would be a fun weekend indeed!! I headed out early and headed southeast towards Buffalo.  My adventures…
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#TBT – Oh the Places I’ve Been: Some Odds and Ends

#TBT, Alaska, Alberta, Antsy McClain, Arizona, Backroads Discoveries, California, Canada, Caves and Caverns, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Florida, Fuji City, Fukuoka, Geologic Formations, Giant Twine Balls, Himeji, Hiroshima, Hot Springs, Illinois, Indian Ruins, Japanese Castles, Japanese Shrines, Kyoto, Landscapes, Mexico, Minnesota, Museums, Nagasaki, National Monuments, National Parks, New Mexico, New York, Ogaki, Oita, Ontario, Philippines, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Sendai, Tennessee, Tulum, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Washington DC
"You're on your own, and you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go!" - Dr. Seuss, Oh The Places You'll Go [caption id="attachment_12572" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Sumoflam at the White House - July 1990[/caption] As a Throwback Thursday menagerie, I thought I would throw in some of my odds and ends from the past...some going way back and some not so long ago.  I have been blessed to travel so many places and many of my travels happened long before I began writing about them.  So, here they are, a potpourri of places diverse.  ENJOY THE RIDE! [caption id="attachment_12627" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Mt. Fuji, Japan as seen from my airplane seat in 1990 as I flew to Tokyo from Oita.  Indeed, I soared to high…
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