Our team is just back from a 4,300+ mile east-to-west road trip. We logged miles (at $3.60-$4.29/gal) to a procession of funky museums, roadside attractions, obscure statues and folk art environments. Big surprise, eh?
We managed to squeeze in health checks of the Wisconsin Dells (alive), Black Hills (alive), the Ames Pyramid (dead, but unchanged), and other favorites. We’ll be wrangling stories, videos and pix over the coming months (that’s how long it takes to digitally remove a giant hair from every single photo).
The weather gods generally smiled on us, with the exception of the Corn Palace — always iffy due to scaffolding, new mural construction, and opportunistic birds. A sudden squall convinced us not to stray to there from I-90, where we were rewarded with sidesplitting new finds. More to come on those soon…
First up, and frankly, because it was an easy one, is our report on the Captured Leg of Juan de Santa Anna (he of Alamo slaughter renown) in Springfield, Illinois.
Helpful advice: When making accommodation plans, avoid staying in towns during the opening night of a state fair, or the closing weekend of a nationally famous motorcycle rally. Vrroom.
Wasn’t planning to list…..We save some as surprises, but first we clean up places listed on RoadsideAmerica.com that are gone, or just lame. Such as Possum Junction in Indiana, suggested in a tip as a fun, Hillbilly-themed attraction, in reality a nondescript little store (and closed in the middle of the day). The giant Buffalo Bill in Sioux Falls, SD disappeared, etc. etc. We saw about 100 worth documenting…
And by way, 100 sites? Are you guys gonna publish another book? Thats such an intense amount of locations. I drove from TX to NC, to ND to MI and back, and stopped at as many places as I could fit in (during June-July) this summer, and I think I only got to 20 places of note. But 100? That sounds like heaven/hell and at the very least, inspiring.
Our team is just back from a 4,300+ mile east-to-west road trip. We logged miles (at $3.60-$4.29/gal) to a procession of funky museums, roadside attractions, obscure statues and folk art environments. Big surprise, eh?
First up, and frankly, because it was an easy one, is our report on the Captured Leg of Juan de Santa Anna (he of Alamo slaughter renown) in Springfield, Illinois.
August 18th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Can you give us a list of all you saw, minus commentary, before you release the the details of each stop?
August 18th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Wasn’t planning to list…..We save some as surprises, but first we clean up places listed on RoadsideAmerica.com that are gone, or just lame. Such as Possum Junction in Indiana, suggested in a tip as a fun, Hillbilly-themed attraction, in reality a nondescript little store (and closed in the middle of the day). The giant Buffalo Bill in Sioux Falls, SD disappeared, etc. etc. We saw about 100 worth documenting…
August 18th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Aww hit Springfield on the opening night of Illinois State Fair? I did that last year!
August 19th, 2008 at 9:22 am
I so envy youz guyz. Cant wait to see what comes about!
August 19th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Speaking of lame…
I was exploring the UP this summer, and skipped this tip entirely, because… well, I’m not ‘tarded.
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/2633
And what evidence does anyone have that the Frankenmuth Chicken Rivalry is actually true?
August 19th, 2008 at 11:43 am
And by way, 100 sites? Are you guys gonna publish another book? Thats such an intense amount of locations. I drove from TX to NC, to ND to MI and back, and stopped at as many places as I could fit in (during June-July) this summer, and I think I only got to 20 places of note. But 100? That sounds like heaven/hell and at the very least, inspiring.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Welcome back! I can’t wait to see all the wonderful pictures, videos and souvenirs you collected during the journey!!
November 27th, 2008 at 1:53 am
Very good site, great content !!
November 27th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Good news! Thanks!