Category: Roadside Attractions
-
Big Ole in Alexandria, MN
This 28 foot tall viking statue was created in 1965 to accompany a Celtic Rune Stone that was found in nearby Kensington by Olof Ohman, a Swedish farmer, in 1898. Engravings on the stone suggest that Viking explorers reached Minnesota in 1362, well before Columbus’ discovery of the new world. While there is doubt about…
-
One Big Twine ball in Darwin, Minnesota
We were passing close to Darwin, MN and detoured to see “The Largest Ball of Twine Made by One Man.” There is a reason for those quotation marks that we address below. The twine ball was created by Francis A. Johnson (1904-1989). He lived his entire life in Meeker county and worked as a self-employed…
-
Another Bore in Moncton
We returned to Moncton, NB to see the tidal bore for a second time. We wrote about this in a post last year recapping our trip prior to contracting Covid on PEI. You may recall that we had to cut our visit to Canada short in order to spend 3 weeks quarantining and recovering in…
-
The World’s Largest Cedar Bucket
It is mid-October and we are passing through Tennessee on our way home to Pennsylvania. On our route is what is advertised as “The World’s Largest Cedar Bucket.” It’s a no-brainer for us to stop and check it out, especially when there is a local brewery located just a few miles away where we can…
-
Dignity of Earth and Sky
Having lived in Pennsylvania for most of my life (Joe) has defined my expectations of what a rest area on the interstate should offer: A bathroom, and if it’s clean, that’s a plus; Vending machines dispensing salty snacks, and if they take contactless payment, that’s a plus; A picnic area with tables, and if they…
-
Hartman Rock Garden
Imagine being laid off from work. Now imagine it’s 1932, during the Great Depression, and you’ve been laid off by your employer. What would you do? In 1932, Ben Hartman faced that scenario and he began creating art in his back yard. He continued to do so until his death from occupational exposure to silica…