White Sands National Monument in New Mexico is the largest gypsum sand dunefield area in the world at 275 square miles. Another example of unique and authentic.
You can probably drive coast to coast and eat only at Cracker Barrel if you want. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is the home of the $8 meal. Their signs are part of the American landscape, uniquely.
Barbeque
Unique and authentic
Songs on the FM radio
I was surprised to hear “tribute” versions of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game,” Toto’s “Africa,” and the Romantics’ “What I Like About You” on the FM amongst top-40 songs.
File these under “Still in Search of the Unique and Authentic.”
Canadian money
Did you know the Canadians call their 1 dollar and 2 dollar coins “loonies” and “toonies?” 1 dollar coins have loon birds on them, and the 2 dollar coins’ commonly accepted nickname (even in the press,) is toonie — a combination of two dollar coins (“too” or “two” and “loonie”.) Therefore, after doing laundry, I had a pocketful of loonie toonies leftover.
Unique and authentic, and a touch of Canadian quirkiness.
BIGFOOT
The legend of the Sasquatch, (“Bigfoot” where I grew up,) still prevails, all the way from the Northern California coast up into Washington state and Canada. Discoveries of cave paintings 500-to-1000 years old show a hairy creature and its family. Memorabilia, like the life-size wood carving above, can be found in any decent tourist shop. And, there was news about a week ago of a faceless creature in the Canadian woods (Video: Faceless creature in Canadian Woods)
Authentic? perhaps
Unique? definately
How Dairy Made the town of Tillamook
Sorry Green Bay cheeseheads; Tillamook, Oregon, is the center of the dairy world.
The Tillamook Creamery made this place, on the Oregon coast, a regional, (if not national,) economic powerhouse and tourist destination. Such is the power of a great product (attested to by my Dad.)
National Park Geek
Become an official member of the National Park Geeks; sticker was found in the Visitor Center gift store at Great Sand Dunes National Park. The icon reminds me of Teddy Roosevelt.
What Makes Great
Thomas Jefferson — author of the Declaration of Independence, purchaser of the Louisiana Territory, and original ice-cream recipe chef (no foolin’)!
Center of the Nation
South Dakota, near Belle Fourche, is the geographical center of the US (including Alaska and Hawaii.) To be precise, you have to travel 30 minutes out of the town, which has a tourist attraction like the one at Four Corners NM-UT-CO-AZ. You will be accurate, and $5 richer than if you go to the one in town.
The Ice Bucket
I did some hiking, and found a good way to cool off the tootsies, reduce swelling, and relieve blisters, was this:
Grab a bag of ice; empty it into a bucket; fill it halfway with water; add your favorite beverage(s;) stick feet into bucket; say “ahh.”
This never fails to cool me down, and is a good substitute for toes poolside, beachside, or riverside.
Why Buc-ee’s rules the roadway
Buc-ee’s is a food and fuel store chain in Texas. I wish every state had a Buc-ee’s, because:
Eastern seaboard sites
In my quest for the unique and authentic, lest we say “unusual,” I came across these representations:
RV Hall of Fame
Though not quite one of our National Museums in Washington, D.C., the RV Hall of Fame in Elkhart is an interesting side trip. Check out the video I made about it here — RV Hall of Fame and Museum (Zune HD)