Roadside Attractions's topics - tribe.net

Gread diesel buses for travellers available from honest activist

patrick — Sat, 20 May 2006 16:03:13 GMT

I'm a travellin' fool, mostly to the third world. Lotsa time in Central America, the Caribbean, and SE Asia.
I also travel by my buses, I have 27 or them, so if you need a bus, parts, or just advice, just yell

I'm still new to this tribe thing, but I am a nice person, and have the best buses in the world. I use school buses to haul medical and material aid to some of poorest places in the world (Haiti, Chiapas Mexico, El Salvador, and Nicaragua) and buy and sell them, and bus parts to support the project. I take every penny i make and convert it directly back into school supplies, medical supplies, tools, generators, and whatever the folks ask for specifically, (no junk, no used clothing) and then drive it down in person (except Haiti, that's $6000 thru the Panama Canal. Ouch)

I sell buses to folks that are 100% functioning in every way when they leave my hands, and also give any body thirty days to return the bus if unsatisfied. Nobody ever has, but it's OK, I'll just sell it to somebody else. you will also get a lifetime of free advice before and after you get a bus from me, I'm avaiable 7 days a week within reason, and after having dismantled 14 buses, and owning about 60,I am pretty knowledgable about their inner workings. Also got lots of good used bus parts, at the best price anywhere in the US. Ii have no overhead, just my Mazda mini truck and some tools.

I have a website (below) so you can check out my work. have a good one

Patrick Young
1970 Gillig Splendocruiser
Spicer 5 speed --fully manual
Powered by 8V79.5 CAT NA
4 wheel drive (the back ones)
Aka
the Wheelchair Project
Fresno, CA
http://www.fresnoalliance.com/wheelchairproject
(559) 251-3814 (559) 244-1042
WheelchairBusProject@yahoo.com

posted in Roadside Attractions - 0 replies

Miami, FL

er!c — Wed, 19 Oct 2005 23:18:01 GMT

any recommended places to be in the miami area?

i'm headed down there in november.

thanks!

posted in Roadside Attractions - 5 replies

Mystery Hole

Woody — Sat, 22 Jan 2005 03:13:42 GMT

hey, who's been to the mystery hole in West Virginia?

posted in Roadside Attractions - 3 replies

The Mysterious Sex Change Of Dixie the Dinosaur

pooka — Fri, 02 Sep 2005 08:54:37 GMT

I used to live in Dixon, California (please don't mock me). There was nothing to see in that town, but our very own DINOSAUR. Her name was "Dixie". Dixie was a country girl, living by one our old gas stations. I recall when she was a young dino standing proudly alone by the roadside. Eventually, she had an egg (it was lifted in by helicopter, if my faulty memory doesn't decieve me)! Life was sweet. But a gal can get tired of a two bit hick town, so one day, without a word, Dixie left. The whole town was forlorn- their one claim to fame gone.
A couple of years later, Dixie was spotted out in the posh village of Benicia. Except, something was different. "Dixie" was living under a new name- "Benny". There was no trace of the egg. Dixie skipped town to have a sex change and live in a better neighborhood. Can't say I blame him. I still wonder about the egg. Perhaps it never hatched.

posted in Roadside Attractions - 0 replies

Santa Cruz Mystery Spot? +some Stuff of Interest.

pooka — Sat, 22 Jan 2005 18:52:22 GMT

Hello, I'm new here, so please stop me if someone has mentioned it before, but it looks like no one has brought up that wacky little place in amongst the trees in Santa Cruz. Any opinions? How much of it is a carefully constructed optical illusion by the owners and how much is weird science? Any takers? I tell you, I went there and couldn't figure it out, so it remains... a mystery!
As an aside, while trawling around the internet, I discovered something interesting. A group from the east coast called "The Midnight Society". They meet and discuss local myths/legends and bizzare places and happenings around their area ( I think they are in New Jersey). For the curious, here is the url:
http://www.midnightsociety.com/
I love checking up on these guys, though I am not sure how often they update their site. However, it has interested me in the possibility of contacting them and opening a california chapter, sometime in the near future. Any comments?

posted in Roadside Attractions - 20 replies

Suggestions

squidcorp — Mon, 30 May 2005 05:30:08 GMT

Can anyone recommend some good roadside attractions between NYC and LA?

posted in Roadside Attractions - 2 replies

going to Atlanta GA

Pete — Wed, 18 May 2005 17:46:57 GMT

We'er off to atlanta to visit the folks soon. We are not from there so I'm looking for any recomendations for cool stuff to see and do.
thanks - P

posted in Roadside Attractions - 2 replies

Need Advice for Road Trip

goddessmara — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 22:32:15 GMT

Well, my life officially went from "sucks" to "blows" this month. My best friend is in her life change mode, and with this situation, we have decided an excellent budget-style, cheesy road-stop, road trip is in order. I need your advice.

What suggestions do you have for a one-week excursion? We want to stay cheaply with old fashioned, road-stop charm, but safely as well. We want to pick a ridiculous destination (the largest ball of twine was discussed), or perhaps hit a fabulous festival, and make some fun stops along the way.
Any ideas?

We will be sure to share photos and stories on return! Thanks in advance!

posted in Roadside Attractions - 9 replies

Dog-shaped bed-and-breakfast has leg up on lodging

anng — Thu, 10 Mar 2005 06:30:01 GMT

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TRAVEL/03/08/dog.bark.park.ap/index.html

COTTONWOOD, Idaho (AP) -- Some of the best views in the tiny farming community of Cottonwood can be seen through the eyes of a dog.

Well, technically, through the temples of a giant, dog-shaped bed-and-breakfast.

The big dog, known as Sweet Willy Colton to his owners, opened for business last summer southeast of Lewiston...

Anyone been?

posted in Roadside Attractions - 0 replies

The Thing in AZ

Jaimed — Mon, 07 Feb 2005 06:14:35 GMT

The Thing is a roadside attraction in Texas Canyon, AZ. I would say that the beauty of this place is all the excitement of going. Through-out the state and along the road up to The Thing there are an over abundance of billboards saying "What is The Thing?" There has been a very thorough marketing mastermind behind this attraction. Ultimately The Thing is not as exciting as the billboards and items that can be purchased that say The Thing. Once you are there, for one dollar you walk through a museum of different items with a bit of history and the year that it was The Thing. Eventually you get to The Thing that no one knows what it is but they found it. That part is not worth seeing but hey, I still bought a tile that said The Thing and I'm glad I drove well out of my way to experience The Thing and all its wonder. If you have extra time and are in the area, I would recommend a look.

posted in Roadside Attractions - 3 replies

Darwin, Minnesota

Tue, 23 Mar 2004 03:56:41 GMT

The best time of the year to visit the Biggest Ball Of Twine In Minnesota is in August for Twine Ball day. I went there and had a lot of fun and drank some beers in the local bar. Unfortunately, the ball is encased now but it is still a blast. For more fun, listen to Weird Al's tribute to it on the ride over.

posted in Roadside Attractions - 1 reply

Roadside Conspiracies

ShannonQ — Fri, 07 Jan 2005 02:51:49 GMT

In Neal Gaiman's novel _American Gods_, roadside attractions--especially the particularly tatty vintage ones, are the places where the old gods still live. Maybe because there's such a peculiar aura about them, maybe because they were founded with the same blend of genuine charm and disingenuous hucksterism as organized religion, maybe because they're the nearest thing the American landscape has to pagan temples. Consider, for instance, Sam Hill's monumental WWI-era fake Stonehenge in the middle of Nowhere, Washington, or Garnet Carter's Rock City--a glowing gnome haven of interesting rock formations built to lure depression-era tourists to the top of Lookout Mountain, TN.

On a recent roadtrip through Texas, I became infatuated with the Texas star--not the flag, but the 3-d, 5-pointed iron stars closed within a circle that just about everyone in the country has on their gates or barns. Normally, nationalistic displays leave me pretty cold, but something about this star struck me as distinctly, for lack of a better word, pagan.

Just did some research and discovered that it may well be exactly that. According to luckymojo.com, the original founders of Texas were Masons, the star on the flag a masonic symbol. More fun yet, the guy who designed the Texaco logo and all those moderne-looking gas stations in the 1930s was familiar with the principles of sacred geometry--principles of which are evident in both the star design and the rectangularity of the original gas stations.

Coincidence?

Any roadside attractions strike you as particularly magical? What do you think gives them that aura?

posted in Roadside Attractions - 0 replies

Roadside Fans Unite online

MondoLounge — Sat, 11 Dec 2004 00:39:07 GMT

Just an FYI...
There is an alternative place where fans of vintage lifestyle, classic movies, cars, homes, furniture, etc. gather online. We'd love to encourage more discussion of Roadside Attractions on our board... so...

Drive on by the "Lotta Living" Message Board
http://www.lottaliving.com/bb

posted in Roadside Attractions - 0 replies

Diners for sale

Squash — Wed, 24 Nov 2004 23:07:06 GMT

I was just in NYC for a week and read in the paper an article about a local diner for sale. Here is a link to a site that has lots of old diners for sale, from $6,000 up to $40,000.
http://www.dinermuseum.org/dinersforsale/dinersforsale.php
Thought some of y'all might be interested...

posted in Roadside Attractions - 1 reply

The Shady Dell Rv Park (hotel)

melissa — Fri, 24 Sep 2004 20:06:27 GMT

I am still in awe of the shady dell (bisbee, az). I cannot recommend it enough. I was thinking of moving there & taking over the operation, that is until I stepped into my 1950 Manor. Everything was perfect from the vintage salt & pepper in the cabinet to the Life mag from 1953. If I ever get married, it will surely be here.

http://www.theshadydell.com/about.html

posted in Roadside Attractions - 5 replies

Dickeyville Grotto

Geoff — Thu, 15 Jul 2004 11:48:50 GMT

For connaisseurs of roadside attractions lucky enough to have some free time in the Midwest, a visit to the world famous Dickeyville Grotto in Dickeyville, Wisconsin, is essential. I myself haven't been there for about 30 years now, but I found and uploaded a representative photo (#9) from www.grottocom.com. I think you need to go there yourself, though, to truly appreciate how beautifully horrendous it is.

posted in Roadside Attractions - 2 replies

big Dutch windmill in San Francisco

Pete — Thu, 08 Jul 2004 19:58:25 GMT

Two new pics posted of the windmill at the edge of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. You can drive by on the Great Hyw.

posted in Roadside Attractions - 0 replies

montana

betty — Tue, 06 Jul 2004 07:28:40 GMT

what's good to see in montana (missoula area)?? i mean, besides the beautiful scenery, of course.....

posted in Roadside Attractions - 0 replies

Bayou bound

Dukey — Mon, 07 Jun 2004 00:07:01 GMT

Goin to New Orleans and staying at the french quarter four a few days. Aside from the bars what are your favorite roadside attractions or tourist traps??? The cemtaries are a given and the site on the UCM museum looks promising.

posted in Roadside Attractions - 7 replies

Giant Artichoke Inn

Fri, 07 Nov 2003 23:37:45 GMT

Hey! I've been there. And I have to say the food is lousy, which is a trick in California. Now, if the place were in Rhode Island, I'd expect the food to be bad....

posted in Roadside Attractions - 3 replies

Vortex

Wed, 09 Jun 2004 04:25:44 GMT

So, I recently had the opportunity to go and check out the Oregon Vortex/Mystery House. I'm sad to say that it was very disappointing. The tour guide was not into the place at all, and neither was my group. Moreover, the gift shop was horrible over priced. I'm talking aobut 8 dollars for a shot glass, 13 for a mug, 22 for t-shirt. I know it was losing business, but bad guides and over priced items are not going to help.

Has anyone else experiences this lack of enthusiasm and commerciality at Roadside attractions recently? Or did I just catch them on a bad day?

posted in Roadside Attractions - 0 replies

New Photo

MJ — Mon, 31 May 2004 08:49:20 GMT

I've taken the liberty of posting a new photo to the collection. It's a giant spider created from the body of a VW Beetle, and can be found right off fwy 10 at Indian ave., right in between Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs. I was there earlier this month.

posted in Roadside Attractions - 3 replies

Journey into the Zone

Dukey — Fri, 20 Feb 2004 00:52:46 GMT

The L.A. Cacophony society will make an overnight excursion to Slab City in Nil California this weekend. It's a 300 mile trek into the dessert to a free campground that used to be an airport base. Nearby is Salvation Mountain ( Look This Up. Cool) The good folks will also be going to a local fair there to sample the ostrich races and see a demolition derby. Meet at the Astro Family coffee shop in Silverlake at 10:00 am Sat 21st of Feb to join the caravan or go to their site for more details. These people really have the road side pioneer spirit.

posted in Roadside Attractions - 4 replies

End of the Hollywood Panorama!

RogerLai — Sun, 22 Feb 2004 22:21:11 GMT

The VERY quirky Velaslavasay Panorama in Hollywood has to move to make room for a new development... they don't have a new home yet, but the current location is shutting down on April 25th.

http://www.panoramainhollywood.org/

I've been to the panorama... and although I wouldn't recommend it to EVERYONE, it's a great place for anyone interested in roadside attractions. Their current location has, at various times in the past, been an ice cream parlor, pizza joint, and I'm sure a few other failed fast food establishments. But these artists have turned it into an odd playground of sorts. The panorama itself wasn't all that impressive to me, but the whole package (run-down building, odd signage, funky decor, and brochures in multiple languages) makes for an interesting (though short) visit. I'm particularly fond of the Avian Alcove... where the living inhabitants are more lagomorpha than aves.

posted in Roadside Attractions - 0 replies

Scary Jesus Terminated

Dukey — Fri, 20 Feb 2004 19:08:49 GMT

A secret at Knotts berry farm for the last 40 years is no longer with us. The glow in the dark presentation of Christ referred to by the workers as "Scary Jesus" because of it's creepiness under black light was removed from the church of reflections because it was no longer earth quake safe. The Church is now accross the street by Soak City so room can be made for a new coaster by the lake. See Tourist Traps for full description of Attraction.

posted in Roadside Attractions - 0 replies

Jason and Freddy get waxed

Dukey — Fri, 20 Feb 2004 09:27:07 GMT

The Hollywood Wax Museum has just added wax figures of Json Voorhees and Freddy Kreuger getting all jiggy with one another to coincide with the dvd release. Fire sale anyone?

posted in Roadside Attractions - 0 replies

Had I known...

Dukey — Thu, 19 Feb 2004 10:19:22 GMT

Just started a tribe called tourist traps before I found you guys. I'm gonna keep it going though because it can include traditional stuff and festivals as well as the bizarre. If anyone has bee or is going to the lIZZIE BORDEN BED AND BREAKFAST let me know. Dukey

posted in Roadside Attractions - 0 replies

research materials

Squash — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 01:19:13 GMT

I'm a photographer and I've been documenting roadside attractions all over the US and beyond for over 10 years.
My main research materials are the books Roadside America by Doug Kirby, et al(and the New Roadside America and roadsideamerica.com), Offbeat Museums by Saul Rubin , and Little Museums by Lynne Arany. For those of you who don't know these books I highly recommend them!
I am curious what other folks might be using, any ideas?

posted in Roadside Attractions - 4 replies

r.a. scholarships?

er!c — Sat, 13 Dec 2003 21:04:33 GMT

anybody know of any grants/donations/funds/scholarships/etc for people to put towards the creation of new roadside attractions or the upkeep of existing ones?

posted in Roadside Attractions - 0 replies

I'm off to Minnesota tomorrow...

Julia — Thu, 21 Aug 2003 05:23:07 GMT

...for a family wedding. I am staying an extra day to rent a car and travel to Darwin (it's only 50 miles) and experience the Twine Ball.

Truly, a dream come true.

posted in Roadside Attractions - 3 replies

photos....

sarabear — Mon, 06 Oct 2003 00:38:51 GMT

I just uploaded a photo of the worlds largest artichoke. Anyone have a fave they want to share?

posted in Roadside Attractions - 2 replies

Minnesota State Fair

Julia — Fri, 19 Sep 2003 06:35:26 GMT

Well, I didn't make it out to the Twine Ball (but plan to in November when I head to MN again for a conference) but I did visit the Minnesota State Fair, the largest in the nation and the apparent gold standard. I had my first bite of a deep-fried candy bar (and hate to say that it was *really good*, and rode the rides, got my "I visited the Oink Booth" hat, and generally had a good time.

posted in Roadside Attractions - 0 replies