03Apr 2021 by David Kravetz
AtoZ Challenge 2021 – Signs Signs – The C Signs #atozchallenge

AtoZ Challenge 2021 – Signs Signs – The C Signs #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Canada, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Giant Things, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Mississippi, Missouri, Murals, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadsigns, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Wall Art, Water Towers, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Welcome to another year of the AtoZ Challenge.  This year I am doing signs that I have seen across the country.  This post will feature signs associated with the Letter C.  ENJOY THE RIDE! We can't avoid signs.  They are everywhere.  Advertisements, informational signs, directional signs, business signs and, sometimes, even humorous and fun signs.  Each of my posts in this years' challenge will feature a hodgepodge of signs I have come across in my travels.  In most cases, I'll also note where they were taken.  Some were actually inside of shops or otherwise, so not all will have locations.  I hope you enjoy this fun trip each day of April. [caption id="attachment_30958" align="alignnone" width="400"] Say Cheese!  Beloit, Wisconsin[/caption] If you think my posts are kind of cheesy, you'll find…
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25Mar 2021 by David Kravetz
Old-Timey General Stores Part 2: R.M. Brooks General Store – Rugby, TN

Old-Timey General Stores Part 2: R.M. Brooks General Store – Rugby, TN

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Less Beaten Paths Books, Offbeat Places, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Tennessee, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Turkeys, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places
[caption id="attachment_30597" align="alignleft" width="241"] R.M. Brooks General Merchandise[/caption] This is the second post of my visits to Old-Timey General Stores.  On March 5, 2021 I visited the R.M. Brooks General Merchandise Store in Rugby, Tennessee.  Established in 1917, this one was a blast from the front of the store to all of the great antiques on the inside.  Tiffany Jones Terry is the current proprietor and is the great-granddaughter of R.M. Brooks. She runs the place well. Their food offerings are amazingly good too!  And you gotta try the Hoop Cheese on a sandwich!   [caption id="attachment_30621" align="alignnone" width="700"] Come In sign at RM Brooks in Rugby[/caption] [caption id="attachment_30626" align="alignnone" width="700"] Old Gulf Pump makes for a great frame.[/caption] While my wife was hiking the Sheltowee Trace in the Big…
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17Mar 2021 by David Kravetz
Old-Timey General Stores Part 1: Forbus General Store – Pall Mall, TN

Old-Timey General Stores Part 1: Forbus General Store – Pall Mall, TN

Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Family Travel, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, National Parks, Offbeat Places, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Tennessee, Tourist Traps, Town Names, Uncategorized, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 127, Welcome Signs, Yard Art
[caption id="attachment_30665" align="alignleft" width="223"] Sumoflam at Forbus General Store[/caption] It is always fun to run into an "old-timey" General Store when driving back roads.  These are a throwback to the past and typically have items you don't see in most other stores.  The "old-timey" stores each have their own personalities and may offer home-style meals, special home-made pies or fudge. On recent trips (February/March 2021) to the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area in northeastern Tennessee I had occasion to visit not one, but two of these 100-year old plus General Stores.  What fun!  I'll cover these in two different posts. [caption id="attachment_30666" align="alignnone" width="700"] Forbus General Store front porch[/caption] [caption id="attachment_30696" align="alignnone" width="700"] Forbus General Store, Pall Mall, Tennessee[/caption] This first post visits the Forbus General Store…
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23Dec 2020 by David Kravetz
Roadtrippin’ 2020: An Overview

Roadtrippin’ 2020: An Overview

Adventure, Arizona, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Birds, Bison, Books, Bridges, Buffalo, California, City Skylines, Cross Country Road Trips, Deer, Dinosaurs, Dragons, Dream Highways, Eagles, Family Travel, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Mountains, Murals, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ocean Scenes, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oregon, Place Names, Quirky Things, Raccoon, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Rocky Mountains, Route 66, Sandhill Cranes, Seagulls, Selfies, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US 129, US Highway 101, US Highway 16, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Welcome Signs, Wyoming
[caption id="attachment_25138" align="alignleft" width="300"] With family at Stitch the Dragon on the Tail of the Dragon (US 129) in Tennessee[/caption] The year 2020 has been a tough year for many people around the world.  Its thrown me for a few loops as well.  But, overall, as I look back on the year, it has been an absolutely amazing one.  In fact, this may very well have been one of my biggest domestic road tripping years ever.  Including the 8154 epic road trip in January and February, I put on an additional 4-5000 miles.  Following are some of the highlights,  which will be covered in separate posts over the next few days. Many of the trips included some of my children and grandchildren.  We had some mini-reunions together.  From the Blue…
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30Apr 2020 by David Kravetz

AtoZ Challenge 2020 – 8154: An Epic Road Trip – The A to Z Links Page #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Books, Bucket List Trips, California, City Skylines, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Giant Things, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Offbeat Places, Oklahoma, Oregon, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Selfies, South Dakota, Texas, Tourist Traps, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 14, US Highway 16, US Highway 16A, US Highway 2, US Highway 20, US Highway 60, US Highway 61, US Highway 70, US Highways, Vintage Neon, Washington, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Wyoming
In early 2020 I traveled across the country with  the course of three weeks.  My A to Z posts this year will have the "8154" theme, which will also be the title of my forthcoming new book that will document the epic road trip.  During this trip we traveled 8154 miles across 20 states and visited over 100 destinations, saw all sorts of animals, all sorts of geography, 15 National Parks and Monuments, various state parks, oceans, deserts, mountains, beaches, grasslands, canyons and more. Each entry highlights a few stories with photos based on the alphabet and not the order of the trip. This post is an index for all of the posts in case you may have missed some. Enjoy the Read! Enjoy the Ride! (all photography by David…
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29Apr 2020 by David Kravetz

AtoZ Challenge 2020 – 8154: An Epic Road Trip – The Y Stories #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Family Travel, Farmland, Kentucky, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Mountains, National Parks, New Mexico, Ocean Scenes, Oregon, Place Names, Roadsigns, Route 66, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 2, Washington
In early 2020 I traveled across the country with  the course of three weeks.  My A to Z posts this year will have the "8154" theme, which will also be the title of my forthcoming new book that will document the epic road trip.  Each entry will highlight a few stories with photos based on the alphabet and not the order of the trip.  I hope you will enjoy this bouncy ride across the back roads of America.  Please enjoy the Y Stories. (all photography by David "Sumoflam" Kravetz) EnjoY the rYde  as we drYve Across America - Part Two Throughout the course of our 8154 Road Trip, there was not anything with an X or a Y in it.  So, I thought I would take readers on a Virtual…
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28Apr 2020 by David Kravetz

AtoZ Challenge 2020 – 8154: An Epic Road Trip – The X Stories #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Family Travel, Farmland, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Place Names, Roadsigns, South Dakota, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unique Places, US Highway 14, US Highway 16, US Highway 16A, US Highway 18, US Highway 2, US Highway 54, US Highway 65, Wyoming
In early 2020 I traveled across the country with  the course of three weeks.  My A to Z posts this year will have the "8154" theme, which will also be the title of my forthcoming new book that will document the epic road trip.  Each entry will highlight a few stories with photos based on the alphabet and not the order of the trip.  I hope you will enjoy this bouncy ride across the back roads of America.  Please enjoy the X Stories. (all photography by David "Sumoflam" Kravetz) Traveling the X-Roads (Crossroads) of America - Part One Throughout the course of our 8154 Road Trip, there was not anything with an X in it.  So, I thought I would take readers on a Virtual Road Trip along the highways…
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25Apr 2020 by David Kravetz

AtoZ Challenge 2020 – 8154: An Epic Road Trip – The V Stories #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arizona, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Bucket List Trips, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Illinois, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, National Monuments, National Parks, New Mexico, Offbeat Places, Oregon, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Texas, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Volunteer Fire Departments, Washington, Welcome Signs
In early 2020 I traveled across the country with  the course of three weeks.  My A to Z posts this year will have the "8154" theme, which will also be the title of my forthcoming new book that will document the epic road trip.  Each entry will highlight a few stories with photos based on the alphabet and not the order of the trip.  I hope you will enjoy this bouncy ride across the back roads of America.  Please enjoy the V Stories. (all photography by David "Sumoflam" Kravetz) Various Volunteer Fire Departments [caption id="attachment_24022" align="alignnone" width="525"] Volunteer Fire Department - Happy, Texas[/caption] [caption id="attachment_24023" align="alignnone" width="525"] Volunteer Fire Department - Opportunity, Montana[/caption] [caption id="attachment_24024" align="alignnone" width="525"] Volunteer Fire Department, Tightwad, Missouri[/caption] [caption id="attachment_24030" align="alignnone" width="525"] Volunteer Fire Department -…
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24Apr 2020 by David Kravetz

AtoZ Challenge 2020 – 8154: An Epic Road Trip – The U Stories #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Interviews, Junk-art Sculptures, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Montana, Museums, Offbeat Places, People Shots, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Selfies, Texas, Tourist Traps, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 14, US Highway 16, Vintage Neon, Welcome Signs, Wyoming
In early 2020 I traveled across the country with  the course of three weeks.  My A to Z posts this year will have the "8154" theme, which will also be the title of my forthcoming new book that will document the epic road trip.  Each entry will highlight a few stories with photos based on the alphabet and not the order of the trip.  I hope you will enjoy this bouncy ride across the back roads of America.  Please enjoy the U Stories. (all photography by David "Sumoflam" Kravetz) This post is basically short and sweet. Enjoy the Read. Enjoy the Ride. Ucross, Wyoming We passed through this non-descript little community that sits at the intersection of US Route 14 and US Route 16.   It has an interesting name, but…
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