Roadside America & The Giant Fiberglass Statues
From Roadside America: Somewhere out on Route 66, the sun is low, the asphalt hums, and the family station wagon’s AC isn’t quite keeping up. The kids are restless, Mom is flipping through the AAA TripTik, and Dad’s patience is hanging by a thread when suddenly… there it is! A massive, square-jawed Paul Bunyan figure looms on the horizon, clutching a hot dog the size of a telephone pole. Cameras click, kids scream, and Dad pulls over with a grin.
Encinitas to replace neon lights in gateway sign with LED system
The city will replace the neon lights in the Encinitas gateway sign with a new LED system. Courtesy photo
From The Coast News Group: ENCINITAS — The Encinitas City Council is moving forward with plans to replace the historic downtown gateway sign’s neon lights with an energy-efficient LED system and perform long-overdue maintenance on a landmark that welcomes visitors and residents downtown.
On Wednesday, the council awarded a four-year contract to YESCO LLC for the project, with a total agreement not to exceed $253,785.
The project, located at 485 S. Coast Highway 101, will replace the aging neon system with modern LED lighting and new aluminum letters spelling “ENCINITAS.” According to city staff, the existing letters are significantly corroded, and refurbishing them would cost more and last fewer years than replacement.
What’s next for Saginaw’s iconic Beans bunny neon sign? 6 takeaways
Beans bunny sign’s future remains in limbo
From MLive: SAGINAW, MI — The iconic Beans bunny neon sign, a beloved Saginaw landmark for nearly 80 years, was removed in 2021 to make way for a new high school, leaving its future in limbo.
Despite initial promises to find it a new home, the sign remains in secret storage, with its owner and community advocates at an impasse over the cost and logistics of its restoration.
New Casper Home Ready For 21-Foot Tumble Inn Cowboy, But Debut Unlikely This Year
The foundation to install the Tumble Inn Cowboy sign is ready outside the Yellowstone Garage and Bull Horn Brewery at the corner of West Yellowstone Highway and South Elm Street in Casper.
From Cowboy State Daily: CASPER — The giant fence-riding neon cowboy from Powder River continues to undergo work in a Casper shop with a few issues remaining to bring about its full restoration and resurrection.
Plans still call for the 21-foot Tumble Inn Cowboy with six-shooters on his hips to make his last stand in downtown Casper, but entrepreneur and muscle-car restoration expert John Huff, who has spearheaded the cowboy’s refurbishing, hesitates to set any firm date for the cowboy to be placed at its new home.
Forget Route 66: Five under-the-radar road trips that get to the heart of America
Route 50 is one of America’s famously isolated journeys (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
From the Independent: America’s interstate highways are great for covering vast distances, but if you want to delve into the heart of the country, you need to turn off and onto the roads less traveled.
Here, we’ve highlighted five of the most seductive journeys: road trips that lay the soul of the nation bare.
One delves into Virginia’s rich musical history, connecting you with the birthplace of country music; another allows you to soak up the charm of the Old South, via some epic beaches; while the “Loneliest Road in America” offers a chance to explore time-capsule ghost towns and otherworldly desert landscapes.