By Peter Glaser: Adventures in an automobile are a lot of fun: drive-in restaurants and theaters, streets of neon, and drive-through trees come to mind. And then there are magnetic or gravity hills—natural ‘road’ wonders—the most famous of which is in Moncton, New Brunswick (the geographic center of the Maritime Provinces).

By Douglas Towne: Peter Richards, 80, recently passed away at his home in Maine. He was described in his obituary as a “lifelong, beloved teacher, an enthusiastic prankster, and a creative, generous soul who counted ‘prospecting for gold in Greenland’ and ‘playing banjo for an X-rated movie soundtrack’ among his favorite odd achievements.” In Peter’s final months, he gave the SCA one last gift.

By Frank Brusca: The SCA vintage image database has just grown by 1,000 images with the addition of the Peter Richards Roadside Collection. Collected over a lifetime, the Richards Collection complements the Jim Seelen Motel Images Collection. Feel free to dig in. But beware, you might just get lost in nostalgia trip.

By Douglas Towne: Casa Grande’s downtown park is a gas — neon gas, specifically. Its elements flicker to life at dusk, creating a buzz that lasts until 11 p.m. Whether an evocative name like Hotel Sacaton or a more pedestrian moniker like Goddard Shoes, the neon signs glow in the Arizona darkness as if drawn with a magical luminous pen.

By Kevin Patrick: There is a romance to ruins that mirrors the arc of life from inception to the apogee of achievement, and then the inevitable fade to decay. The apogee of achievement for this nature-reclaimed wreckage was once a Dells anchor attraction that drew more than a quarter of a million visitors in its peak year of 1972.

By Gloria R. Nash: The 1964–65 fair’s theme, “Peace Through Understanding,” focused on achieving world peace through global interdependence. Exhibits featured 80 nations, 24 states, and 45 corporations. After the fair closed, most pavilions were demolished. Some pavilions, such as those of the United States, DuPont, and Greyhound, waited for years to be repurposed but were eventually razed.

By Peter Glaser: I had never heard of Grapevine, Texas, until my wife asked if I wanted to tag along to a conference she attended there last year. A suburban city situated between Dallas and Fort Worth, Grapevine was a revelation.

The SCA welcomed more than 80 guests to its first international conference in the roadside mecca of Niagara Falls. Featuring tours of both the American and Canadian roadside, we explored all kinds of crazy SCA attractions, took a drenching ride under Horseshoe Falls, hosted a fascinating paper symposium, and enjoyed great food and great company. It was a barrel of fun! See Photos

By Douglas Towne: In the 1890s, Americans and Canadians had different development aspirations for their respective cities divided by the Niagara River. With its grander vistas of the three cascading waters, Horseshoe Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and American Falls, Canadians viewed it as a natural wonder and created a vacation destination. In contrast, Americans considered hydropower generation the most critical asset and focused more on harnessing these water sources to fuel industry.