Visitrainier.com: At the junction of Hwy 7 and Hwy 706, Elbe Washington is a small gateway community on the way to Mount Rainier. With a population of fewer than fifty residents, Elbe is a small town with a big history in trains and timber. The town is home to the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad. Currently, visitors can ride rails or trails, dine at a diner in a converted train car, stay in a roadside motel made entirely out of cabooses, and enjoy pizza by the slice (or the pie) at a pizzeria in a train car!

The small town that’s big on trains! Discover the state’s largest collection of cabooses, a unique Caboose Motel. Train cars that house a restaurant, lounge, and pizzeria. Explore the foothills during a guided horseback trail ride, the beauty of Alder Lake, a historic church, and a charming country market that’s reported to be where Bigfoot shops for coffee and cones.

The small town that’s big on trains! Discover the state’s largest collection of cabooses, a unique Caboose Motel. Train cars that house a restaurant, lounge, and pizzeria. Explore the foothills during a guided horseback trail ride, the beauty of Alder Lake, a historic church, and a charming country market that’s reported to be where Bigfoot shops for coffee and cones.

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Wanderlustamerica.com: Grand Canyon National Park is the 15th site in the United States to be named as a National Park. It is situated in northwestern Arizona and is often called one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The Grand Canyon Park attracts up to 6.2 million visitors every year. Ancient Native Americans used to live in and around the park about 12,000 years ago. Today, people from all around the world come here to experience its helicopter rides, visitor centers, mule rides, and much more.

Unesco.org: Carved out by the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon (nearly 1,500 m deep) is the most spectacular gorge in the world. Located in the state of Arizona, it cuts across the Grand Canyon National Park. Its horizontal strata retrace the geological history of the past 2 billion years. There are also prehistoric traces of human adaptation to a particularly harsh environment.

It was very smoky in Grand Canyon National Park. The Rangers were doing ‘control burns’, and there were 2 wildfires nearby. I drove the South Rim (Desert View Drive) going west. The smoke would change with the wind. Which meant I was going toward the sun, the wind, and the smoke. Sometimes it was very glary, sometimes very dark. Trying to take a decent photo was challenging.

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Springfieldillinois.com: Within the walls of this stunning granite monument is the final resting place of Abraham Lincoln, his wife, Mary and three of their four sons. (Lincoln’s oldest son, Robert, is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.)

Designed by famed sculptor, Larkin Mead, and completed in 1874, this beautiful landmark is nestled in Oak Ridge Cemetery.

At the entrance to the Tomb itself, there is a bronze bust of Mr. Lincoln where visitors from around the world have stopped to rub the nose of the statue for good luck.

Bighorn.org: Desert Bighorn Sheep are generally smaller and lighter colored than their cousins, the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep.

Large rams usually weigh under 220 pounds. They stand 38-42 inches tall at the shoulder.

Desert Bighorns are found in the southwestern United States, including Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California. A significant population is also found in northern Mexico.

The horns of Desert Bighorns are typically longer and not as massive as those of Rocky Mountain Bighorns. These horns are usually curled close to the face but may flare widely outward, showing wide variation in horn structure between individuals.

Desert Bighorns also have slightly longer ears and tails than Rocky Mountain Bighorns. Desert Bighorn ewes also typically have longer horns than other North American wild sheep females.

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Avalanche Creek Glacier National Park Montana USA

I got at Elk City late afternoon and saw the sign. Tomorrow morning will starting with the museum.

Elkcity.com: Part of the complex is dedicated to the National Route 66 Museum & the National Transportation Museum. Take a journey through each of the eight states Route 66 passes through – from Illinois all the way to California. “Drive” down Route 66 in a 1955 pink Cadillac and watch a black and white movie at a mock drive-in theater while sitting in a classic Chevy Impala.

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Wikipedia:The Kepler Cascades were described by the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition in 1870 but not named until 1881. In his 1871 report to the Secretary of War, Gustavus C. Doane, a member of the expedition described Kepler Cascades as:

September 18 [1870]. -- We broke camp at 9 o'clock, traveling along the slopes of the ridges, skirting the ravines through falling timber, and passing in many places over swampy terraces, for a distance of three miles, when we suddenly came upon a mountain torrent, 40 feet wide, and running through a gorge of trachyte lava 200 feet in depth. This was the Firehole River, heading in a lake a few miles to the south. Following down the course of this stream we presently passed two fine roaring cascades, where the water tumbled over rocks to the depth of 20 and 50 feet successively. These pretty little falls, if located on an eastern stream, would be celebrated in history and song; here, amid objects so grand as to strain conception and stagger belief, they were passed without a halt.

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What can you do when maps keep sending you to dead-end dirt roads and your phone signal is weak? My map apps and GPS each led me to a different dead end, and retracing my route wasn't possible. I finally followed the only paved road, paid a $1 toll for three one-lane bridges, and asked the attendant about nearby towns, but she couldn't help. How would you feel being truly lost in the middle of nowhere? This will be interesting!

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Visitindiana.com: The bridge carried the famous Wabash Cannonball train at one time. The structure initially served as a railroad bridge over the Wabash River. The railroad abandoned the bridge in 1965.

This one-lane wonder has to be approached with care. Turn on your lights and look to make sure another vehicle isn’t coming from the opposite direction. If you’re heading west from Indiana and don’t want to cross into Illinois, use the turnaround spot to cautiously cross back over the bridge.

This unique bridge is worth the drive. Turn up the music and enjoy “The Wabash Cannonball” and its bridge!

The song Wabash Cannon Ball was written by William Kindt and J. A. Roff and was first recorded and released by Hugh Cross in 1929. -AI Lyric refrain:

On the Wabash Cannonball

Listen to the jingle

The rumble and the roar

Riding through the woodlands

Through the hills and by the shore

Hear the mighty rush of engines

Hear that lonesome hobo squall

Riding through the jungles

On the Wabash Cannonball

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It was a good idea at the time.

In theory, it still was a good idea.

Theory and Practice are not the same.

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Travelgumbo.com: One of the most interesting cars I’ve seen in a long time is this one-of-a-kind century old Rolls-Royce, which features a copper body and other interesting customizations. So far as I know, it is the only copper-bodied Rolls Royce ever made. This rare car was actually conceived in the 1960s, and was created to be a show car. It won the Best in Class honors in Pebble Beach (1991).

This unique Rolls Royce contains more copper and brass than any previous vehicle, and was assembled using full sheets of solid copper in order to avoid welded seams and rivets. The body has only one door because more would have weakened the solid copper body. Accessories are made of nickel and German silver. The wood trim is made from a rare species of ebony.

When making the customization, they had to replace the dashboard, both windshields and their frames. There’s also copper found under the hood, as you can see in the following photo. The 454-cubic-inch, six-cylinder engine is said to perform quietly and flawlessly.

The car is owned by Frank and Janice Hamilton of Reno, Nevada. It is on display at the wonderful National Automobile Museum in Reno.

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Wanderlustamerica.com: Grand Canyon National Park is the 15th site in the United States to be named as a National Park. It is situated in northwestern Arizona and is often called one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The Grand Canyon Park attracts up to 6.2 million visitors every year. Ancient Native Americans used to live in and around the park about 12,000 years ago. Today, people from all around the world come here to experience its helicopter rides, visitor centers, mule rides, and much more.

Unesco.org: Carved out by the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon (nearly 1,500 m deep) is the most spectacular gorge in the world. Located in the state of Arizona, it cuts across the Grand Canyon National Park. Its horizontal strata retrace the geological history of the past 2 billion years. There are also prehistoric traces of human adaptation to a particularly harsh environment.

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Travelok.com: The Heartland of America Museum chronicles life in western Oklahoma by preserving historical artifacts and providing authentic and educational displays on the various aspects of life in the heartland. Featuring 12,000 sq ft of exhibit space, the museum showcases over 70 exhibits of items ranging from the Great Depression and WWI to the Iraq War. Other displays include a drug store, music-related items, toys, games, a one-room schoolhouse, American Indian artifacts, historic cars, tractors, clothing, a telephone switchboard, phone booth, 1930s bedroom, blacksmith shop, an original Route 66 diner, portable jail, communication technology, patriotism and religion.

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American Road Trip 2012.

River Tug 'Louise S. plies it's trade along the Ohio River in front of the Cincinnati skyline on June 19th 2012.

The Ohio River marks the state line between Ohio and Kentucky. this picture being taken from Newport Kentucky.

I don't know what it is. This is an unchanged photo, fresh from the camera.

The entrance to the cavern is about 1.300 feet above the river and about 500 feet below the rim of Cave Mountain. The general appearance of the cave is that of a fissure in a steeply inclined bed of limestone. Its maximum measurements are 600 feet long and 400 feet deep, but its numerous passages and rooms make it appear miles in extent rather than hundreds of feet.

The walls of the cave are decorated with marvelous stalactites and the floor with corresponding stalagmites. Huge fragments of limestone, some as big as the ordinary house room, have fallen from the roof in many places. In places the stalactites are found in terraces; a fringe of delicately carved forms, swelling at different levels, gives the appearance of cascades. Many of the stalagmite columns, encircled by horizontal rings with pendent stalactites, are superbly beautiful. All manner of curious drip formations add to the wild beauty of the cave. Eight or ten chambers have been explored, the largest of these being 105 by 135 feet and 100 feet high. From the main entrance a stairway leads irregularly down about 175 feet and then small tortuous passages, opening into the chambers, and ladders, carry the venturesome visitor into the depths.

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I stopped the car to take pictures; and what a place it is. There was an elk and didn’t run off when I opened the car door. I wondered if I it was possible to walk with the elk. And we walked together for a few minutes. The elk was a tour guide of sorts; I watched her eyes. The next photos were while walking with the elk.

Some how or another, the elk knew I wasn’t aggressive. She kept her distance with me for a while. Then the elk silently barked at me, it was time for me to go to the other side of the road. I got close to the elk, until it was time for both of us to leave. I thanked the elk for bothering me and thanked for the tour.

Wildawareutah.org: Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) are one of six recognized subspecies of elk found in North America, and the only type of elk in Utah. Elk are members of the cervidae family, which also includes moose, caribou and deer. In 1971, the Rocky Mountain elk was designated Utah’s state mammal.

Both male and female Rocky Mountain elk have a light-brown body, dark brown head, neck and legs, and characteristic cream-colored rump. Bulls average 700 pounds and are about 5 feet tall at the shoulder; cows are slightly smaller at around 500 pounds and 4.5 feet.

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Custer State Park

Wildlife Loop Road

This drive provides spectacular opportunities to encounter a wide range of wildlife. Be sure to keep a safe distance (recommended at least 25 yards) from bison, elk, mountain goats and other animals. For the safety of the animals the park asks that you keep your speed at around 25mph or lower. Plan for one to two hours to complete this drive.

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Hotsprings .org: It’s hard to tell exactly how long people have been visiting the springs. Native Americans called this area “the Valley of the Vapors,” and it was said to have been a neutral territory where all tribes could enjoy its healing waters in peace. Spanish and French settlers claimed the area in the mid-1500s. In fact, famous explorer Hernando de Soto was the first European to visit Hot Springs in 1541.

Visiting Hot Springs, Arkansas, today, it’s hard to imagine the city as a hotbed for organized crime, such as gambling, prostitution and bootlegging. But from the late-1800s through the mid-1900s, especially in the 1930s, Hot Springs was a popular hangout for Al Capone, Frank Costello, Bugs Moran, Lucky Luciano, and other infamous mobsters. The safe, secluded scenic location of Hot Springs made it the ideal hideout. In order to understand how and why they chose this site, it’s necessary to reflect on the corruption that had been going on here for decades.

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Nps.gov: To the East

The large crown-shaped feature in the middle of the Bryce Amphitheater is known as Bristlecone Point. If you have some binoculars, you may be able to see their scraggly forms upon the white layers of the Claron formation capping Bristlecone Point. You can see that between here and Bristlecone Point is a series of colorful badlands that continue to the north, but steeply drop off into more forested areas to the south. One can see this as a north/south dividing line within the Bryce Amphitheater, where areas south have been eroded more deeply and undercut cliffs to the south (a trend that increases the further south in the park you travel), while erosion has been gentler and less dramatic further north. Beyond Bristlecone Point is the broad Paria Valley, which has been formed over the last 6 million years by the Paria River. The Paria River ultimately joins the Colorado River not too far from Navajo Mountain, visible on the southeastern horizon.

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Memories of our 2008 USA Road Trip. While travelling the back roads of Santa Barbara County in California in our C6 Corvette Convertible we passed through old school towns like Guardalupe and stopped outside the Santa Florita Hotel on main street.

Cabinsofthesmokymountains.com: The Quiet Walkways of Great Smoky Mountains National Park are short and relatively easy trails that lead directly from the road and plunge quickly into selected areas of natural beauty. They offer a peaceful and rewarding experience, and some of them are easy enough for any non-hiker to take a walk in the woods.

There are around 14 of these special trails in the park, and each one is unique. They’re scattered throughout the park, but several of them can be found along Highway 441 and Little River Road. The Quiet Walkways are a great way to see some of the distinctive beauty of Great Smoky Mountains National Park up close, whether or not you’re an experienced hiker.

Most of the Quiet Walkways are approximately 1/4-mile to 1/2 mile in length, and they are designed to be easy enough for anyone who can walk on a trail. You don’t need a backpack or hiking boots to explore these hidden gems (although sturdy footwear is always a good idea), but what you do need is to spot the signs.

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The Unknown River? During a long drive, I stopped by a bridge with a double arrow sign—an ideal spot to relax. I took photos, but there was nothing indicating where I was. The duck park and river pictures were meant to help identify the town, though I never wrote down its name.

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The 1955 Ford Thunderbird was the first-year model of the iconic American "personal luxury car". A two-seat convertible, it offered the style of a European sports car with the comfort and features of a larger American luxury vehicle. It was developed by Ford to compete with Chevrolet's Corvette and was an instant success, outselling its rival by a large margin in its first year.

Travelok.com: The Heartland of America Museum chronicles life in western Oklahoma by preserving historical artifacts and providing authentic and educational displays on the various aspects of life in the heartland. Featuring 12,000 sq ft of exhibit space, the museum showcases over 70 exhibits of items ranging from the Great Depression and WWI to the Iraq War. Other displays include a drug store, music-related items, toys, games, a one-room schoolhouse, American Indian artifacts, historic cars, tractors, clothing, a telephone switchboard, phone booth, 1930s bedroom, blacksmith shop, an original Route 66 diner, portable jail, communication technology, patriotism and religion.

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Sicamous.ca: From cabins to canoeing, camping to snowmobiling, hiking to houseboating and everything in-between, whether you’re looking to relax and sun-soak or for something more adventurous, Sicamous has it all.

Conveniently located at the intersection of two major highway routes, the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 97A, Sicamous connects travelers from the Lower Mainland and neighbouring Alberta to the sought-after destinations of the Okanagan and Shuswap.

At the heart of the community is the Sicamous Channel, bridging the Mara and Shuswap lakes which have long been popular destinations for vacationers. Trademarked as the Houseboat Capital of Canada, Sicamous offers the unique experience of houseboating that welcomes thousands of visitors each year. Sicamous also attracts a rush of travelers and seasonal residents called by the lakes to boat, swim, fish, and paddle, tripling the population in the summer months.

As well as being the “Gateway to the Shuswap”, Sicamous has become the northern gateway to an exciting new intercommunity project, the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail. Unfolding the story of the traditional Secwépemc territory, the trail will link to the Vernon-Kelowna rail-trail greenway and extend 200 kilometers south to Osoyoos, opening opportunities to promote recreation and cultural tourism in the area.

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Dash cam.

I was experiencing the perfect storm. The gps and my 2 maps apps were useless.

Deadwood was supposed to have a storm around noon. The Storm started in late afternoon in the Custer State Park. It should have been simple to get to Deadwood where my hotel was.

The map apps lose signals, and when they popped up again, and the maps were all wrong. The Garmin gps was doing the same thing. Maps are wonderful, unless you don’t know where you are.

From here to where I was, needed to Deadwood, and expected to go over the mountain. The higher went the mountain, the hail was deeper. The pickup trucks were fine. My car was rubbing/grinding the undercarriage of the car. It was a good time to turn back. I wouldn’t call a 3-point U-turn; it was more a 9-point U-turn. The road was icy/slippery and didn’t want the back end of the car in a ditch, or the front of the car to fall into the river.

While this was getting more disturbing every minute, for some reason I had no fear. I was having an adrenaline rush; it was exhilarating, and fun.

I knew going down the mountain the rainwater was going to find the lowest point. So, last pic on the road flood.

Then, the rain poured hard, it was pitch black, no lights, there were no alternate roads.

Finally, oooh. A light for Holiday Inn. The lobby is crowded, there was a long line waiting for the desk clerk. Nobody could tell me how to get off the mountain to get to Rapid City. They were all tourists. Finally met the desk clerk, and he wouldn’t tell me how to get to Rapid City; but he offered me a room for 5x more than it should be.

Then I saw a local that went into the lobby. He did not have a good phone connection. “He said what? Oh, the water table level, What? Good, Okay. It’s not going to flood”. I met him and gave me instructions to Rapid City (then Deadwood).

I gave myself a pat on the back, Great Job!

The Moral: Road tripping is character building.

The Magic Kingdom Orlando with magical Susan 2009. We were driving from Key West Florida to Virginia Beach in Virginia and decided to have a two night stopover in Orlando. I only took a few photos

Nationalparks.org: Leave city life behind during your visit to North Cascades National Park, a vast wilderness of conifer-clad mountains, glaciers, and lakes.

Just three hours from Seattle, North Cascades National Park’s rugged beauty is characterized by jagged peaks, deep forested valleys, cascading waterfalls, and over 300 glaciers — more than any other U.S. park outside of Alaska. Thousands of voices from the past crackle to life in this alpine landscape, from Native Americans to early European and American fur traders and explorers to homesteaders and miners, all of which called this land home.

The largest in the North Cascades National Park Complex, the park is managed alongside nearby Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas. Visitors today can explore a range of outdoor activities, scenic vistas, and educational opportunities — from a scenic drive and a picnic to miles of trails ready for hiking or biking.

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I learned a lot about the Trip in the Internet because of these photos, including signs and landmarks. The photo on the sign says it was the Chisum Travel Center; therefore, it is St Jon, New Mexico, population 200.

I searched the Internet: Are ghost towns on route 66?

The Answer: Many Route 66 towns became ghost towns after the highway was bypassed by the Interstate system. Some notable examples include Glenrio on the Texas-New Mexico border, Two Guns in Arizona, and Amboy in California. These towns thrived on Route 66 traffic, offering services like gas, food, and lodging, but declined when travelers shifted to the new interstate. -AI

St. Jon looks like Glenrio; it is 20 miles away.

I searched which state is in Glenrio.

The answer Glenrio is both in New Mexico and Texas.

Ghost Towns have the best histories.

Wikipedia’s Glenrio article is very interesting, all the way to the end. This is part of it.

The Ozark Trail was formed into U.S. Route 66 on November 11, 1926. By the 1930s, U.S. Route 66 was a paved, two-lane road served locally by several filling stations, a restaurant, and a motel. The road was widened in the 1950s. A Texaco station (1950) and a diner (Brownlee Diner/Little Juarez Café, 1952) were constructed in Texas using the art moderne architectural style.

Three filling stations (the 1925 Broyles Mobil station, a 1935 Texaco, and the 1946 Ferguson gas station) once operated in New Mexico. It went into decline during 1975 when Interstate 40 had bypassed the town.

Portions of The Grapes of Wrath (1940) were filmed in Glenrio.[9] An abandoned "Glenn Rio Motel" is depicted in the town of Radiator Springs in 2006's animated film Cars, where the architectural design of Glenrio's Little Juarez Café is used for a vacant, abandoned building, which eventually becomes the Racing Museum. The opening scene from the movie Daylight's End (2018) was filmed in Glenrio.

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Nps.gov: Traces of an old roadbed and weathered telephone poles mark the path of the famous "Main Street of America." Petrified Forest National Park is the only park in the National Park System containing a section of Historic Route 66. From Chicago to Los Angeles, this heavily traveled highway was not only a road--it stood as a symbol of opportunity, adventure and exploration to travelers.

U.S. Route 66 was established in 1926, but it was after WWII that the road earned its place in pop culture. A trip from middle America to the coast could take about a week along swinging 66. No interstate speeds back then! For many, the journey was not just across miles, it was across culture and lifestyles, as each stop along the way offered local flair and regional flavor. Of course, getting to your destination was important, but the trip itself was a reward.

Driving west on Route 66, in the heart of the Painted Desert, one could see a pink edifice glimmering in the clear air. After long hours of travel, here was a special place to take a break, stretch your legs, sip a cold drink, and admire the view.

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It was a bit of a shock this morning after temperatures of 35°C to wake up and go outside to find it was a mere 6°C. Brrrrrrrrrr! The reason is that during the drive here yesterday we've climbed to an altitude of over 8000ft to see the amazing alien landscape of Bryce Canyon National Park. A colourful sunrise this morning viewed through a hole in one of the hoodoos.

The Yosemite Valley Chapel was built in the Yosemite Valley of California in 1879.

The wooden chapel was designed by San Francisco architect Charles Geddes in the Carpenter Gothic style. It was built by Geddes' son-in-law, Samuel Thompson of San Francisco, for the California State Sunday School Association, at a cost of three or four thousand dollars.

The chapel was originally built in the "Lower Village" as called then, its site at the present day trailhead of the Four Mile Trail . The chapel was moved to its present location in 1901, as the old Lower Village dwindled.

The Magic Kingdom Orlando with magical Susan 2009. We were driving from Key West Florida to Virginia Beach in Virginia and decided to have a two night stopover in Orlando. I only took a few photos

Sunrise at Ancient Bristlecone Forrest California USA

I thought it was magical. The cloud drifted until the shadow was in the middle of Wheeler Peak.

Wikipedia: Wheeler Peak is the tallest mountain in the Snake Range and in White Pine County, in Nevada, United States. The summit elevation of 13,065 feet makes it the second-highest peak in Nevada, just behind Boundary Peak. Elevation: 13,065′

Nps.gov From article, Why Wheeler Peak?

Six men set out to climb a mountain on an August afternoon in 1869. They left their camp at the foot of the range, walked two miles up slope through bunchgrass and black sage, and threaded a course between granite outcrops and stands of pinyon and juniper. … There, on a slope as steep as a cathedral roof, they entered an open forest of spruce and limber pine. … With each step, stones clattered away downhill and thunked against logs. To this accompaniment, punctuated by the hoarse croaking of jays, … They were climbing the tallest mountain in the central Great Basin - the tallest in 180,000 square miles - and they wondered what they might name it … To reach his namesake peak, George Wheeler began near Shoshone Ponds in Spring Valley and climbed 7,000 feet over difficult and sometimes dangerous terrain.

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This is the car that carried us safely across 2500 miles of some of Americas most outstanding landscapes so the best way I could think to pay homage to it was to spend a night at Arches National Park giving it some light painting treatment. I just loved the completely unnecessary mustang logo that shone out from the bottom of the wing mirror every time you opened the door!

Nps.gov: Crater Lake inspires awe. Native Americans witnessed its formation 7,700 years ago, when a violent eruption triggered the collapse of a tall peak. Scientists marvel at its purity—fed by rain and snow, it’s the deepest lake in the USA and one of the most pristine on Earth. Artists, photographers, and sightseers gaze in wonder at its blue water and stunning setting atop the Cascade Mountain Range.

The 33-mile historic Rim Drive circumnavigates the lake and is open during summer and early fall (depending on weather and road conditions). Along the drive are 30 overlooks that were designed between 1931 and 1938 to highlight a specific view of the lake, a significant geologic formation in the caldera, or an environmental feature such as a subalpine meadow. Some of these stops have exhibits with information about the view. Other viewpoints leave room for visitor curiosity and discovery.

Where you choose to stop for a view of the lake or to capture the surrounding landscape of the park is a personal preference. Most of these pullouts do not have signs that offer a name or location. The park map indicates major stops that help with orientation. On average, visitors take two hours to complete the drive with eight or more stops.

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Engines started again, leaving Death Valley towards the north. USA roadtrip, June 2013.

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Hasselblad 500C/M + 80mm Planar

Kodak TMax Professional 100

Developed in Kodak D-76 1+1

Roadtripusa.com: If you’re looking for great displays of neon signs, mom-and-pop motels in the middle of nowhere, or kitschy Americana, do as the song says and “get your kicks on Route 66.”

Subject of one of the most successful advertising campaigns in Route 66’s long history of roadside hype, Tucumcari (pop. 4,881) looks and sounds like a much bigger place than it is. Also known as “the town that’s two blocks wide and two miles long” (though Tucumcari Boulevard, which follows the route blazed by old Route 66 through town, stretches for closer to 7 mi (11.3 km) between interstate exits), Tucumcari does have a little of everything, including a great range of neon signs, but it can be hard to explain the attraction of the town that hundreds of signs along the highways once trumpeted as “Tucumcari Tonite—2,000 Motel Rooms.”

Wikipedia: Old U.S. Route 66 runs through the heart of Tucumcari via Route 66 Boulevard, which was previously known as Tucumcari Boulevard from 1970 to 2003 and as Gaynell Avenue before that time. Numerous businesses, including gasoline service stations, restaurants, and motels, were constructed to accommodate tourists as they traveled through on the Mother Road. A large number of the vintage motels and restaurants built in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s are still in business despite intense competition from newer chain motels and restaurants in the vicinity of Interstate 40, which passes through the city's outskirts on the south.

Tucumcari is the home of over 50 murals. Most were painted by artists Doug and Sharon Quarles and serve as a tourist attraction.

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Nps.gov: Crater Lake inspires awe. Native Americans witnessed its formation 7,700 years ago, when a violent eruption triggered the collapse of a tall peak. Scientists marvel at its purity—fed by rain and snow, it’s the deepest lake in the USA and one of the most pristine on Earth. Artists, photographers, and sightseers gaze in wonder at its blue water and stunning setting atop the Cascade Mountain Range.

The 33-mile historic Rim Drive circumnavigates the lake and is open during summer and early fall (depending on weather and road conditions). Along the drive are 30 overlooks that were designed between 1931 and 1938 to highlight a specific view of the lake, a significant geologic formation in the caldera, or an environmental feature such as a subalpine meadow. Some of these stops have exhibits with information about the view. Other viewpoints leave room for visitor curiosity and discovery.

Where you choose to stop for a view of the lake or to capture the surrounding landscape of the park is a personal preference. Most of these pullouts do not have signs that offer a name or location. The park map indicates major stops that help with orientation. On average, visitors take two hours to complete the drive with eight or more stops.

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The Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum in Harrogate, Tennessee and located on campus of Lincoln Memorial University, exhibits and interprets items such as the cane that Lincoln used at Ford's Theatre the night of his assassination, a collection of about 30,000 books, and art exhibits. -Wikipedia

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The Magic Kingdom Orlando with magical Susan 2009. We were driving from Key West Florida to Virginia Beach in Virginia and decided to have a two night stopover in Orlando. I only took a few photos

Museum of the Yellowstone

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