Roadside Americana

When you think about Route 66 and Shamrock, Texas, the first thing that springs to mind is likely the gorgeous vintage Tower Conoco Station and the U Drop Inn Cafe. It is an incredible restored time capsule that deserves all of the adoration and praise it receives. BUT... did you ...

The American Southwest is home to many a giant fiberglass rooster. It’s not entirely unexpected when as I’ve posited before that these feathered beasts are clearly amassing a Giant Chicken Army. This handsome gent who is in very fine nick roosts atop the aptly named Red Rooster Bar in Moapa ...

My personal experience with Muffler Men over the last decade+ has been largely intentional. When I am passing through or close by a town where there is a big guy, I'll make it a point to swing by and see what's doing. That means I need to be armed with ...

There is something that just strikes me funny about being labeled as the world’s second largest watermelon slice. That’s the fate of this big guy that sits behind the John Wesley Powell River History Museum in Green River, Utah. You know? I don’t even want to see what the number ...

In August of 2023, CBS News ran a segment called "Fans of Muffler Men to the Rescue." It follows Joel Baker of American Giants and his fantastic work of tracking down histories of muffler men, their restoration, and also about his new muffler man museum on Route 66 in Atlanta, ...

Since I don’t really actively participate in social media anymore, it feels pretty good to allow myself to just share simple snapshots like I used to on say, Instagram, here on the ole blog. Everything has come full circle, I suppose. So, with that little intro out of the way, ...

Summer 2023 If I'm not mistaken, the carpet vikings get called muffler men but since they don't share the same mold they're really like siblings or maybe cousins. For what it's worth I still refer to them a "muffler man vikings." Hopefully the roadside police don't haul me in. This ...

If you are traveling along Route 6 in Pennsylvania, you will encounter a giant gas pump in the town of Sylvania. Obviously it isn't a working pump and serves more as an eye-catcher. If you ask me, it does a pretty good job of that! You might also like these ...

Back in 2016, I made a stop on Route 6 in Towanda, Pennsylvania to enjoy lunch at the counter of the Red Rose Diner. As I was leaving, the owner took my picture as he apparently did often with motorcycle riders, and he shared it on the diner's Facebook page ...

This Bull Durham Smoking Tobacco ghost sign on the side of the Angry Burrito in Sayre, Pennsylvania is hanging on for dear life. Though it is quite faded it's still a beautiful sight. Don't sleep on getting out to see the things that tickle your fancy! ...

When you don't live in or routinely travel through a place you aren't able to witness the incremental changes that occur there day in and day out. As a casual traveler who may only pass through after long periods of time, change can be like a frying pan to the ...

When I pulled in to the town of Honesdale, Pennsylvania, my eyes were immediately drawn to this beautiful Welcome to Honesdale mural painted on the back of a building. I didn't spot a date on the piece so I'm not sure how long its been around. It's colors were wonderfully ...

This church out near Greenport here on Long Island typically has great messages posted. Over the last two decades I've stopped and snapped pictures of more than a few. When I saw this one on Sunday, I couldn't resist pulling over. "Somebody out there feels better because you exist." What ...

"Mom, can we get a giant roller skate?""No, we have a giant roller skate at home." Giant roller skate at home... In the realm of giant roadside roller skates, the rooftop roller that crowns Papa Wheely's Roller Rink in Hadley, Pennsylvania is giving homemade vibes. And frankly, I'm here for ...

With decades of photos tucked away for someday, as I previously mentioned, on occasion I have a little difficulty remembering where I might have snapped a photo of something. Generally speaking, I have fairly good recall. But every once in a while something just escapes me. My recollection is dim, ...

While traveling over the last year, I've had a few curious brushes with the afterlife. The first came in the form of two billboards along I-71 in Ohio. Just my two cents ~ two billboards of the apocalypse is far less catchy than four horsemen. They're off to a good ...

While scrolling through my photos, I thought surely I must have something star spangled for July 4th. In the past I've posted some Uncle Sams. But, I thought maybe I'd switch things up this year. American flag, American car. That oughta do it! About those Uncle Sams ...

Kenny Scharf is a dynamic artist who emerged in the 1980s as a prominent figure in the vibrant East Village art scene. With his bold use of colors and imaginative style, Scharf quickly gained recognition for his captivating street and contemporary art. His playful creations, featuring iconic characters and whimsical ...

The octopus is an incredible creature. Unlike any other animal, these highly intelligent problem solvers are simply fascinating. Take the arms: they’re considered to have their own ‘mini-brain’ not just because they are so packed with neurons but because they also have independent processing power. For instance, an octopus escaping ...

What is a Whispering Giant? The Whispering Giants are a collection of sculptures created by artist Peter Wolf Toth. Toth, who was born in Hungary, began his mission to create a statue honoring indigenous peoples, who were often victims of injustice, in North America. The project began in the 1970s ...

Patch Whisky and Ghostbeard MnstrSqd Mural in Bushwick, Brooklyn - 2020 Walking the tightrope between being an evangelist and a flat out psycho is tricky. And I’m not quite sure if one persons evangelist is another persons psycho but, I have my suspicions. Stop and Take the Picture! I like ...

Take a stroll through a downtown, and you might just find yourself transported to another era by the faded letters and graphics of a ghost sign. These vintage advertisements, often painted directly onto brick or stone buildings, and sometimes in more rural communities on barns, offer a glimpse into the ...

What was Warner's Macaroni? While researching this weathered old advertising barn I'd seen, I inadvertently fell down a macaroni shaped rabbit hole. It's funny how that happens when you try to find out more about the things you see while out exploring. Warner's Macaroni was a brand of dry pasta ...

Mail Pouch Tobacco barns and ghost signs stay firmly in my top 10 must-see or favorite sights while I'm out bumming around. Because part of their enduring appeal is directly correlated to familiarity and the use of the same imagery or logo, you might be inclined to think if you've ...

Traveling through central Pennsylvania towns, I felt a sense of anemoia wash over me. Anemoia, a term coined by John Koenig in his Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, is defined as "a pang of nostalgia for times you've never experienced." And that's exactly how I felt standing in the gray mist ...