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Journal
Map
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- Historic Site
- National Park
- Nature
  - Arch
  - Bog
  - Canyon
  - Cave
  - Desert
  - Dune
  - Lake
  - Prairie
  - View
  - Waterfall
  - Wetland
  - Wilderness
- Point of Interest
  - Cemetery
- Transportation
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- Midwest
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Douglas Falls

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American Byways

October 31, 2023

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The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington features a no

The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington features a notable collection of equine sculptures honoring the legacy of legendary horses and their bond with people.

At the park’s entrance stands Man o’ War, a 1948 bronze by Herbert Haseltine. Regarded as the greatest Thoroughbred of the 20th century, Man o’ War won 20 of 21 races and sired champions including War Admiral. His statue and remains, relocated from Faraway Farm in the 1970s, form the park’s central memorial.

Outside the Salyer House stands Secretariat, a 2004 bronze by Edwin Bogucki. It depicts the 1973 Triple Crown winner led into the Derby winner’s circle by groom Eddie Sweat, with Ron Turcotte aboard, immortalizing one of racing’s most iconic moments.

The 2018 Sgt. Reckless monument by Jocelyn Russell honors the small Mongolian mare who served with the U.S. Marines during the Korean War, hauling ammunition and rescuing wounded soldiers under fire. Decorated with two Purple Hearts, she remains a symbol of courage and devotion.

The Bret Hanover bronze by Luis Sanguino (2002) commemorates one of harness racing’s greatest pacers. Winner of 62 of 68 races and a Triple Crown champion, Bret Hanover stood at stud at Castleton Farm and now rests beneath his statue at the park.

Finally, Phoenix, a 1993 bronze by Patricia Crane, stands near the International Museum of the Horse, depicting the five-time world champion American Saddlebred “The Phoenix.”

Visitors can explore these and other works through the park’s Equine Sculpture Walk self-guided tour.

📸 Key:
1 - Sgt. Reckless
2 - Man o’ War
3 - Secretariat
4 - Phoenix
5 - Bret Hanover

#VisittheUSA #wanderingusa #Kentucky #KentuckyKicksAss #ourKY #TravelKY #ExploreKY #BestoftheBluegrassState #KentuckyLife #OnlyinKentucky #KYStateParks #ShareTheLex #VisitLex #LexKY #LEX18 #KyHorsePark

On a quiet farm in Washington County, #Pennsylvani
$On a quiet farm in Washington County, #Pennsylvania, a wood-framed barn painted black rises from a block foundation, its edges softened by deep winter snow. Along one broad wall, a hand-painted American flag appears in vivid reds, whites, and blues, the colors striking against the muted landscape and the weathered boards beneath. Barn murals like this have long served as rural expressions of identity and continuity, turning working structures into public statements without spectacle. The flag, in particular, carries layered symbolism—less celebratory than resolute—signaling attachment to place, labor, and shared values shaped over generations. In the present moment, marked by political violence, hardening rhetoric, immigration raids, imperial ambition, and deep mistrust of institutions and neighbors alike, the mural reads as neither comfort nor nostalgia. America has never been free of uncertainty, but the mural suggests endurance rather than innocence, a quiet assertion that despite fracture and strain, the idea of community rooted in land and work persists, even as the nation continues to test its own ideals. #Appalachia #folkscenery #ExplorePA #VisitPA$

Near Miami, Oklahoma, a nine-foot stretch of pavem

Near Miami, Oklahoma, a nine-foot stretch of pavement survives as the only remaining section of old U.S. Route 66. Known locally as the “Sidewalk Road,” it dated to the early years of federal road building.

The project was approved on December 8, 1918, as Federal Aid Project No. 8. Work began in July 1919 on a road linking Miami and Narcissa, completed in March 1921. A second stage extended the road to Afton, with grading in July 1921 and surfacing finished in February 1922. Built by the Western Paving Company, the 15.46-mile highway had a five-inch concrete base, two inches of Topeka asphalt, and curbs. It became part of Oklahoma State Highway 7.

Soon after, the General Construction Company extended the road north from Miami to Commerce (3.6 miles) and to the Neosho River Bridge under additional federal aid projects.

By the mid-1920s, Oklahoma leaders sought to connect Miami with Oklahoma City through Vinita, Claremore, and Tulsa. Their plans aligned with the creation of the U.S. highway system in 1926, which incorporated Ottawa County’s section of State Highway 7. With approval from the Associated Highways Association of America, the narrow “Sidewalk Road” became part of U.S. Route 66.

The roadway remained in use until the 1930s, when traffic demands required a wider, straighter alignment. Construction began in 1935 and opened in 1937 as U.S. Routes 60 and 59, bypassing six sharp curves of the old pavement.

Today, the short surviving section near Miami stands as a rare trace of early federal roadbuilding and the formative years of Route 66.

#ghostsofamerica #HistoricPreservation #Deserve2Preserve #rawusa_sept25 #VisittheUSA #wanderingusa #RoadsideAmerica #roadgeek #Route66 #HistoricRoute66 #MotherRoad #Oklahoma #TravelOK #OKHereWeGo #DiscoverOklahoma #OklahomaPhotographer #OklahomaTourism #ThisIsOklahoma

Sturgeon Point Lighthouse stands along the Lake Hu

Sturgeon Point Lighthouse stands along the Lake Huron shoreline in Haynes Township, just north of Harrisville, #Michigan. Built where a shallow reef extends more than a mile into open water, the station marked a persistent hazard along Michigan’s northeastern lower peninsula. The brick tower, distinguished by its white and red daymark, remains an active aid to navigation while anchoring the broader landscape of Sturgeon Point State Park.

Congress appropriated approximately $15,000 in 1867 after the United States Lighthouse Board identified the reef as a danger between established lights on Lake Huron. A 60-acre site was secured in 1868, and construction of the limestone foundation, brick tower, and attached keeper’s dwelling was largely complete by late 1869. The light was first exhibited in 1870 using a kerosene-fueled lamp and Fresnel lens. Perley Silverthorn served as the first keeper, overseeing operations during a period of growing vessel traffic tied to lumbering and regional trade.

In 1876, a station of the United States Life-Saving Service was established adjacent to the lighthouse, reinforcing the site’s role in rescue work along this exposed reach of shoreline. Technological improvements led to automation in 1913, and after the creation of the United States Coast Guard in 1915, responsibility for the station gradually shifted. Full automation was achieved in 1939, and staffing ended by 1941.

Congress appropriated approximately $15,000 in 1867 after the United States Lighthouse Board identified the reef as a danger between established lights on Lake Huron. A 60-acre site was secured in 1868, and construction of the limestone foundation, brick tower, and attached keeper’s dwelling was largely complete by late 1869. The light was first exhibited in 1870 using a kerosene-fueled lamp and a Fresnel lens. Perley Silverthorn served as the first keeper, overseeing operations during a period of growing vessel traffic tied to lumbering and regional trade.

#PureMichigan #HistoricPreservation #GreatLakesLighthouses #LighthousePhotography

Over the New Year’s holiday, a winter visit to Hoc

Over the New Year’s holiday, a winter visit to Hocking Hills State Park in #Ohio followed an overnight snowfall that left roughly a half inch of fresh powder across the trails, softening sound and edges alike. We hiked at Cantwell Cliffs with my partner and Theo, our cattle dog, moving through long, quiet stretches shaped as much by cold as by terrain. The descent along Buck Run dropped into a narrow valley where rock shelters and tall sandstone walls closed in, the creek partly iced and moving slowly beneath them. From the rim, bare hardwoods opened winter sightlines across the gorge; below, the valley trail emphasized the scale of the cliffs from the cold floor of the hollow. Sparse crowds, kept away by snow and low temperatures, allowed the place to feel inward and deliberate, defined by season rather than momentum.

#WinterWonderland #HockingHills #OhioTheHeartofitAll #OhioStateParks

I woke before daylight in my rooftop tent along th

I woke before daylight in my rooftop tent along the Cheat River in West Virginia, wind shaking the fabric as fresh snow fell through the night. By morning, the riverbanks and forest floor were covered, and winter had stripped the landscape down to its essentials. It was bitterly cold, unsettled weather—the kind that slows movement but sharpens attention.

Snowshoeing into Coopers Rock State Forest, trails softened or disappeared beneath fresh drifts. The forest was quiet, broken only by wind and the compression of snow underfoot. Deeper in the woods, the Henry Clay Furnace emerged from the trees, its stone stack standing as a reminder of early Appalachian industry. Completed in 1836, the furnace once employed hundreds and produced iron that was floated down the Cheat River. In winter, it felt isolated and exposed, emphasizing the labor and endurance required to operate here.

Later, I followed ridgelines toward the cliffs above the gorge, passing stonework built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Near the overlook, the Almost Heaven swing stood empty, chains shifting slightly in the wind. Gusts swept the exposed rock and kept me back from the edge. Snowshoeing along the cliffs slowed the day and deepened the experience, turning a familiar place into something quieter, harsher, and shaped by weather, history, and restraint.

📸 Key:
1 - Coopers Rock overlook
2 - Henry Clay Furnace
3 - CCC-built picnic shelter
4 - Along the ridgeline
5 - Coopers Rock overlook
6 - Almost Heaven Swing

#AlmostHeaven #VisitWV #GoToWV #WinterWonderland #OptOutside #stayandwander #folkscenery #Appalachia #appalachian_explorers #wanderingusa #VisittheUSA #WestVirginia #WVPhotographer #wonderfulgrams

Just an hour from Las Vegas, Valley of Fire State

Just an hour from Las Vegas, Valley of Fire State Park is Nevada’s oldest and one of its most visually striking parks, known for its vivid red sandstone formations and ancient petroglyphs. As the morning sun hits the landscape, the rocks seem to glow, earning the park its fiery name. Trails lead to natural arches, slot canyons, and sweeping desert views shaped over millennia by wind and water. It’s a quiet, otherworldly place where geology and history meet in vivid color.

Our first stop was Wind Stone Arch, a small, graceful formation tucked into a quiet alcove reached by a short, rocky climb. Further in, Arch Rock stood prominently above the desert floor, near a cluster of campsites nestled among wind-carved cliffs.

#Nevada #TravelNevada #VisitNevada #ExploreNevada #NVstateparks @travelnevada #rawusa_jul25 #VisittheUSA #wanderingusa @visittheusa #RAW_landscape #RAW_seasons #RAW_allnature #stayandwander #WildernessCulture #OptOutside

It’s been about a month since I relocated to India

It’s been about a month since I relocated to Indiana, so a visit to Brown County to explore the legacy of one of the state’s most famous Impressionist painters, T.C. Steele, felt like the perfect next step.

#Historic #HistoricPreservation #Deserve2Preserve #folkscenery #folkgreen #stayandwander #earth_shotz #raw_country_fall #FallColors #leafpeeping #raw_seasons #Appalachia #appalachian_explorers #AmericanRural #rawusa_sept24 #VisittheUSA #wanderingusa #LiveAuthentic #Indiana #VisitIndiana #igersIndiana #ExploreIndiana

Rock House is the only true cave within Hocking Hi

Rock House is the only true cave within Hocking Hills State Park in #Ohio, formed over millennia as water cut deeply into the Black Hand Sandstone. The result is a long, high corridor with window-like openings and load-bearing sandstone columns that give the space a distinctly architectural feel. Archaeological evidence points to its use by Native peoples as a shelter and water-collection site, while 19th-century lore later cast it as a hideout for outlaws, earning the nickname “Robbers’ Roost.” Reaching the cave in winter, we hiked with my partner and Theo, our cattle dog, along snow-covered trails where icy climbs slowed the approach and demanded attention.

#WinterWonderland #OhioTheHeartofitAll #OhioStateParks #HockingHills

Rising from the high desert of western New Mexico,

Rising from the high desert of western New Mexico, El Morro National Monument is a sandstone bluff that has served as a landmark for centuries. At its base, a year-round pool of water once drew ancestral Puebloans, Spanish explorers, and pioneers moving west. Each left their mark on the cliff face, where more than 2,000 carvings remain — from petroglyphs to elaborate Spanish inscriptions to simple initials scratched by settlers.

A short trail leads past the shaded pool and beneath the inscriptions, while a longer route climbs to the mesa top and the ruins of Atsinna Pueblo. From here, the view stretches across the Zuni Mountains and the black lava fields of El Malpais, a landscape that has shaped both history and tradition in the region.

El Morro is not only a striking natural formation but also a layered archive of movement and memory. Standing at twilight, when the sandstone glows and the inscriptions come into sharp relief, it is easy to see why travelers across so many centuries paused here — and why it remains a place worth seeking out today.

📸 Key:
1 - Inscription Rock
2 - Cuesta Top
3 - Cuesta Top
4 - Inscription Rock
5 - Mesa Top Trail Loop
6 - Tulip prickly pear (Opuntia phaeacantha)

#stayandwander #WildernessCulture #OptOutside #folkscenery #RAW_landscape #RAW_seasons #RAW_allnature #rawusa_aug25 #VisittheUSA #wanderingusa @visittheusa #NewMexico #NewMexicoTrue #NMTrue #VisitNewMexico #NewMexicoMagazine #NMMagazine

A late-winter hike through the Red River Gorge Geo

A late-winter hike through the Red River Gorge Geological Area in #Kentucky in 2009 offered a quiet day on the trail with my dad, moving through bare hardwoods and lingering patches of evergreen and rhododendron. We followed well-worn paths to Princess Arch, a modest sandstone span, and continued on to Rock Bridge along Swift Camp Creek.

The gorge, carved into eastern Kentucky’s sandstone plateau, is defined by its natural bridges, cliffs, rock shelters, and seasonal waterfalls, features that have long made it one of the region’s most distinctive landscapes.

#OptOutside #Appalachia #appalachian_explorers #TravelKY

On the slow road to El Morro, New Mexico, somewher

On the slow road to El Morro, New Mexico, somewhere between the dusty roads and the clear blue sky, we found Los Gigantes.

This land carries more than stone. The area surrounding Los Gigantes has long been part of the cultural geography of the Diné and their neighbors, the Zuni. Ancient trails pass nearby—footpaths connecting springs, ceremonial sites, and pueblos. Petroglyphs, though harder to find now, record generations of presence. Stories tied to these cliffs speak to origin, migration, and reverence—narratives not always visible to a passing traveler, but deeply embedded in the land.

The site itself sits quietly off a narrow Bureau of Indian Affairs road, unassuming and almost easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. There are no signs, trail markers, or interpretive panels—just sandstone cliffs standing watch over the high desert. The air smells faintly of juniper and dust.

Their bones run deep. The base is Zuni Sandstone, which was laid down by ancient winds and marks the farthest reach of Jurassic rivers and lakes. Above that sits Entrada Sandstone, deposited when this place was a shifting expanse of beaches, tidal flats, and dunes some 180 million years ago. Now it forms soft slopes beneath the cliffs, a quiet record of time layered in stone.

#stayandwander #WildernessCulture #OptOutside #folkscenery #RAW_landscape #RAW_allnature #rawusa_aug25 #VisittheUSA #wanderingusa @visittheusa #NewMexico #NewMexicoTrue #NMTrue #VisitNewMexico #NewMexicoMagazine #NMMagazine

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