Travel

Steubenville, Ohio, a city on the Ohio River and birthplace of Rat Pack legend Dean Martin, is known as the City of Murals. There are over 25 of them scattered about town. But what isn't commonly highlighted when talking about wall art there is this fantastic Battle Ax Plug tobacco ...

This winter I've made it a point to not languish at home and to get out and do some roadtripping. Even though everything here on the east coast is freezing cold, salty, and snowy, there are still plenty of things to get out and see in the car. Plus, I ...

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 ...

Sometimes in life you find yourself in a place where you don't have enough in the tank to move forward so your only chance of making it is turning back. This is true both metaphorically and in motorcycling. Standing at the abandoned gas stations at Desert Center my options were ...

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 ...

When I stood in the whipping wind off of the Salton Sea, I had no idea what I would find on the streets of Bombay Beach. From the vantage point of the welcome sign, I saw little more than a sandy haze in the distance. [video src="https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-SkGJZND/0/3a7a428a/1920/i-SkGJZND-1920.mp4" /] My recollection ...

Carlisle, Ohio While visiting Ohio in the fall of '22, I stopped to see the double Futuro UFO House in the town of Carlisle. To the best of my knowledge, which isn't much, this is the only instance of conjoined Futuros. Looking around the web, these two had previously appeared ...

Over the last 5 or 6 years there have been several occasions when I'd been traveling and thought, "oh, well, while I'm in the neighborhood I'll just swing by," in reference to the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio. Though I was closer to the city than I would have ...

The muffler man of Mentone, California stands watch over the desert valley from behind a fence in someone's front yard. The plaque on his middle, like an ersatz giant belt buckle says "Outboard Inn, Mentone Beach." With his baseball bat at the ready it seems like he's ready to rough ...

Where are those places in which you feel at home, feel like your true self? What do the landscapes that tug at your heart and anchor you look like? Have you found mind-expanding inspiration in a particular environment? I never expected to feel so inspired by the wide-open expanse of ...

Everyday I count my lucky stars that I am fortunate enough to have been born and live in a place in which we have such roadside attraction gems as the International Banana Museum. What a wonderful world. Twice. TWICE! That's how many times I've stopped at the World Famous International ...

Riding along in the scrubby desert of eastern California making my way to the Arizona border, the light was just beautiful. The sun cast a warm romantic glow over everything, the way it tends to do when traveling. The winter sun was warm and the sunbleached landscape began to give ...

As of 2018, there is a new guy in town, the Joshua Tree Muffler Man - Big Josh. In December of 2016, I traveled south along Route 111 on my way towards Salvation Mountain near the town of Mecca, California. At the time, the only thing on my mind was ...

In the town of Joshua Tree, California at the gateway of the National Park, sits another glorious American institution - the World Famous Crochet Museum. While on a riding trip in January of 2020, I stopped in for a visit. A what...? you might ask. Well, have a look: Nestled ...

Having my picture taken isn’t fun. I hate the way I look. Sometimes I go through the process of taking selfies to try to work through these feelings. At this point, it seems like a futile effort to come to terms with the aging person that I am. When I ...

Wouldn't you know it? I had myself another run-in with a member of the Giant Chicken Army. At the end of January, I flew to California to do a little ride about. While cruising along Route 66 for a spell, I decided to stop in to the museum that now ...

My love of donuts is known far and wide amongst my friends. Perhaps you've even noticed the pink donut sticker on the BonBon. I don't know when the love affair began, really. But I do have many childhood memories of sitting at the counter on a swivel stool with my ...

In December of 2016, I was in California taking a week-long riding trip. I flew to LA, rented a bike and wandered about. While heading towards Borrego Spring on Montezuma-Borrego Highway, I passed a Yeti in Ranchita. Often people will ask me how I find such things. In this case, it was ...

Over the years I've been asked many times how I "find" stuff to visit while I'm out riding. It is a mix of serendipity and old-fashioned administrative work. The former I can't help with other than to say keep your eyes open to the world. The latter? Use what you ...

A Whimsical Wonderland In January of 2017, I was riding my motorcycle on a solo trip through California. I followed a leg of Route 66 back towards Los Angeles. That's where I learned about Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch. January 2, 2017, was a gray morning, I cruised along Route 66 ...

One year ago today, December 28, 2016, I stood in the golden sun of the California desert taking in Salvation Mountain. The day shimmered with magic, possibility, and the excitement unique to being on a journey. sal·va·tion noun: salvation 1. preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss. synonyms: lifeline, ...

My love for the ghost ads of yesteryear is strong. While out and about in 2017, I saw some excellent examples: Mail Pouch Tobacco - Point Pleasant, West Virginia Mail Pouch Tobacco - Point Pleasant, West Virginia Mail Pouch Tobacco - Layton, New Jersey Mail Pouch Tobacco - Grafton, West ...

Literally just down the block from Big Bertha the Butt Tree, is the giant old salt fisherman, Captain Brown. He stands in the parking lot of Brown's Wharf Motel and Restaurant. At 15 feet tall, you can't miss him. Brown's must be pretty proud of him as he is heavily featured ...

The Goldwell Open Air Museum sits just outside of the northeastern entrance of Death Valley and at the edge of the ghost town of Rhyolite, Nevada. I'd seen photos of the sculptures that grace the grounds many times online. But, seeing the ghostly shapes of Albert Szukalski's pieces in person ...

On New Year's Day, I awoke in Las Vegas. The rest of the world was still asleep after a long night of reveling. As I rode down the strip towards old Las Vegas and the Freemont Street area, a less-than-glamorous film stuck to everything. Once outside of the fantasy bubble ...