Drawn the Road Again

Category: Roadside Attractions

  • Jurassic forest

    Jurassic forest

    Speaking of incongruous dinosaurs, if you ever find yourself traveling up Highway 101 along the Oregon coast, you might be surprised to see a brachiosaurus head poking up through the trees. Just like the Columbia River Gorge, the Oregon rainforest isn’t a place you’ll ever find actual dinosaur fossils. Still, there’s something about the misty…

  • Prehistoric pit stop

    Prehistoric pit stop

    Remember when I posted that sketch of the Ginkgo sign in central Washington a couple of years ago? Well, I was so excited about the typography on that sign that I neglected to talk about what the sign advertised: the Ginkgo Gem Shop. On our way to Spokane that year, Mary-Alice and I stopped in…

  • Roadside rhymes

    Roadside rhymes

    This post is part of an ongoing series called 66 Fridays, which explores the wonders of old Route 66. Click on the preceding “66 Fridays” link to view all posts in the series, or visit the initial overview post here. Some years back I lamented missing the era of the Burma Shave ad, but on…

  • Roadside fortress

    Roadside fortress

    This post is part of an ongoing series called 66 Fridays, which explores the wonders of old Route 66. Click on the preceding “66 Fridays” link to view all posts in the series, or visit the initial overview post here. Route 66 has ruined souvenir shops for me forever. I mean, I thought I had…

  • Tucumcari tonite

    Tucumcari tonite

    This post is part of an ongoing series called 66 Fridays, which explores the wonders of old Route 66. Click on the preceding “66 Fridays” link to view all posts in the series, or visit the initial overview post here. Most of the must-see treasures of Route 66 are individual landmarks or legends: Meramec Caverns,…

  • Big brothers

    Big brothers

    This post is part of an ongoing series called 66 Fridays, which explores the wonders of old Route 66. Click on the preceding “66 Fridays” link to view all posts in the series, or visit the initial overview post here. International Fiberglass’s midcentury giants are scattered around the country, and the Muffer Man diaspora certainly…

  • Slapshot statue

    Slapshot statue

    San Jose’s Muffler Man might not be the most unusual fiberglass specimen out there, but he’ll always have a place in my heart for combining my favorite type of roadside attraction with my favorite sport. Heck, the Muffler Man’s standard pose is perfect form for holding a hockey stick: top hand pointing down, bottom hand…

  • Fiberglass fräulein

    Fiberglass fräulein

    As I’ve already written before, one of my ongoing road trip checklists includes the various Muffler Men scattered around the country. But one thing I hadn’t yet been able to add to the list is the Muffler Man’s sister, the Uniroyal Gal. Another early-1960s creation of the International Fiberglass Company in California, rumor has it…

  • Lumberjacks of 66

    Lumberjacks of 66

    This post is part of an ongoing series called 66 Fridays, which explores the wonders of old Route 66. Click on the preceding “66 Fridays” link to view all posts in the series, or visit the initial overview post here. Since Route 66 passes through the Great Plains and the Desert Southwest, and not at…

  • Ranch to table

    Ranch to table

    This post is part of an ongoing series called 66 Fridays, which explores the wonders of old Route 66. Click on the preceding “66 Fridays” link to view all posts in the series, or visit the initial overview post here. When it comes to road food along Route 66, sometimes a hot dog just doesn’t…