Everywhere a Sign – Some WELCOME Signs From 2018 #AtoZChallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alabama, Alaska, Alberta, Amish Country, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bike Trails, California, Canada, Colorado, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Delaware, Family Travel, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Manitoba, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Murals, Museums, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Tourist Traps, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Washington, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Well, the Blogging Challenge is winding down.  It has been a wild and wacky challenge for me. Through the month I have provided readers with a wide variety of wonderful signs which I wandered upon during the year.  As I do with all of my posts, I try to be witty and wry in my presentation. I hope that I have brought out the wanderlust in my readers as well.  This post will be all about Welcome Signs. Please now enjoy my special edition of W Signs from my travels over the years.  Enjoy the Read. Enjoy the Ride. Welcome Signs Everywhere! [caption id="attachment_19874" align="alignnone" width="525"] Welcome to my happy place...traveling everywhere[/caption] I love feeling welcome in places!  Perhaps one of my bigger "collections" of place signs along the highways…
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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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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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A Grab Bag from America’s Back Roads – The C Things #AtoZChallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, Books, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, California, Covered Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Dinosaurs, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Junk Art, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lewis and Clark Sites, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Museums, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Philippines, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Rocky Mountains, Selfies, Television Shows, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Virginia, Volcanic Sites, Wall Art, Water Towers, Waterfalls, West Virginia, Wisconsin, 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.   Cyclisk - Santa Rosa, California [caption id="attachment_12871" align="alignnone" width="266"] "Cyclisk" - Obelisk made out of bicycle parts in Santa Rosa, CA[/caption] [caption id="attachment_12834" align="alignnone" width="300"] Sumoflam at the base of "Cyclisk"[/caption] Charles Nagreen Statue - Seymour, Wisconsin [caption id="attachment_12444" align="alignnone" width="266"] Hamburger Charlie statue in Seymour, WI. Charles Nagreen is credited with inventing the hamburger.[/caption] Sam & Eulalia Frantz "Field of Corn"- Dublin, Ohio [caption id="attachment_15303" align="alignnone"…
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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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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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Creating the Wanderlust – 30 Years of Back Roads Travel with Family – Pt 2

Alberta, Animals, Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, City Skylines, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Large Statues, Minnesota, Montana, Mythical Creatures, National Monuments, National Parks, North Dakota, People Shots, Roadside Attractions, Route 66, South Dakota, Squirrels, States and Provinces, Travel with grandchildren, Wisconsin, Wyoming
[caption id="attachment_7268" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Akela Flats near Deming, New Mexico, December 1999[/caption] This is Part 2 of a Three Part series on "Creating the Wanderlust" - how I have shared travel experiences with my children and grandchildren over the last 30+ years and how this has opened their eyes to the world around them.  You can see Part 1 here. During 1996 and 1997 we didn't travel much though we did visit a couple of Kentucky sites including the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln near Hodgenville, KY and Cumberland Gap. [caption id="attachment_7271" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Chelsea and Seth at the Lincoln Birthplace monument in Hodgenville, Kentucky July 4, 1997[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6850" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Kids with Grandpa Kravetz at Cumberland Gap in 1997[/caption] The big highlight of 1997 was when our 1995 French…
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Road Trip Home from Idaho – Day 4: Oacoma, SD to Des Moines, IA

Birds, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Covered Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Iowa, Landscapes, Large Statues, Museums, Mythical Creatures, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, South Dakota, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Yard Art
Covered Bridges of Madison County in Iowa[/caption] April 2, 2013: After a good night's rest in Oacoma, we were back on the road heading east with our first planned stop being an early morning visit to the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota. View Larger Map - Oacoma, SD to Des Moines, IA Originally built in 1892 as the "Corn Belt Exposition," it became an iconic landmark and attraction in Mitchell after 1921.  Every year the exterior decorations are stripped and a new theme is created. The work is done by local artists.  The 2013 theme is "We Celebrate" and each mural is a depiction of an American holiday.  The artists use 13 different colors or shades of corn to decorate with. Typically there are over 275,000 ears of corn…
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