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Main Street
Inn Roads
Fork in the Road

Scenic Highway

High Roads
Corts Crossroads
Art Trails
Heritage Trail
Vagabond Traveler
Off the Beaten Path
american roads travel magazine - regular features
latest books by Kathleen Walls

Finding Floridas Phantoms

Georgias Ghostly Getaways

Man Hunt

Sarahs Story

Tax Sale Tactics

Last Step

Kudzu

 

 

 

Archives -

The Spring 2010 Edition American Roads Magazine

Main Street

By Kathleen Walls

American Roads is proud to present the 2010 Spring Edition of American Roads Magazine. There is something new in this issue. We will now do product reviews. Check it out. Of course there is still a wide variety of destinations .All of my books all still available at my personal site, www.katywalls.com   or at Amazon.com   or Just click here to email me

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Art Trails

ART OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
Article and photos by Anne Jenkins


Photos contributed by Anne Jenkins, Art In the Pass management, Barbara Roberds and Sherry Lutz.

New Orleans enchants, and can overload the senses, with the wide array of art at well-known spots like the galleries of Royal Street and the Warehouse District or Jazz Fest, and the Gulf Coast draws thousands with it's pearly white beaches. But dig a bit deeper and there are truly wonderful art spots tucked away in New Orleans and the festivals along the coast.

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The AuCoin Reportt

News Briefs from the Great Outdoors
By Bill AuCoin

This column is a potpourri of news with links to the sources that will be of interest to any one interested in nature travel, fishing, boating or anything related to The Great Outdoors.

read The AuCoin Report- Click Here »

Cort's Crossroads

EAGLE ISLAND ~ Far From Reality – Near Perfection
By Leigh Cort

Time passes slowly on Eagle Island as the days unfold to the rhythm of nature.  You don't feel the frenzy of having to create a plan of activities ~ whatever you choose becomes a passion of the moment. From listening to birds waking with a sunrise to the lapping of water against Eagle dock, the smallest of sounds becomes a special moment to savor.  Spot a playful raccoon climbing a palm frond…hold your breath when a bald eagle swoops gracefully out of his nest.  And it's not yet breakfast!

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Fork in The Road

Upscale in Atlanta: Terrace on Peachtree
Article and photos by Kathleen Walls

There is lots of fine dining in downtown Atlanta but if you are looking for something just a cut above, try the Terrace on Peachtree. It's "up" in every sense of the word. Located on the second floor of the prestigious Ellis Hotel, it provides inside seating as well as terrace dining overlooking historic Peachtree Street.

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Inn Roads

The Fabulous Fitzpatrick
Story and photos by Kathleen Walls

As an architectural treasure it holds its own in a town filled with architectural eye candy. As a historical landmark, it can match histories with the best in a town with a colorful history. For comfort and amenities, it holds court with the finest hotels of today while reminiscent of the luxury of an earlier era.

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Off the Beaten Path

"By The Old Mill Stream"

Story and photos by Kathleen Walls

It's a dying art now but once the miller was an important part of every community. After the corn or wheat was harvested, farmers around the countryside would gather the entire family for the trip to the mill. it was a communal outing looked forward to by all the family. For the farmer, it was a business trip but also a meeting place where he would visit with other men from different parts of the area.

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Pot Luck

A Heritage of Bake Sales

By Mary Emma Allen

Americans generally are familiar with bake sales as a method of raising funds for an organization or a cause. In our travels, we often come across them and will discover this a great source of homemade goodies.  Nowadays, too, with the emphasis on healthy eating, many cooks will offer whole grain foods, lower calorie and lower sodium ones along with the old-fashioned type that "Grandma used to make."

 

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Product Reviews

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC Lens
By Kathleen Walls

The Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC Lens is a great close up and macro lens. It has an optical stabilizer (the equivalent of Canon's Image Stabilizer).

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Rolling with Rudy

Forsyth Park Inn Bed and Breakfast

By Rudy Ferraro

The Assyrians gardens, historic Europe with its exotic fountains embraced by cobblestone streets, and the romantic south of Savannah Georgia. Yes, that's right, our own quiet little Savannah is well worthy of such comparison. A stroll through Forsyth Park in Savannah's historic district can make anyone feel like a movie star.

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Harmony Highways

Round Abouts

Harmony Highways

Story and photos by Kathleen Walls

Ever wonder about what goes on behinds the scenes in your favorite singer or musical group's life? In the past few years, I have visited places and met either those singers or their family or friends. it gives a new and interesting aspect now when I hear their music. I'll share a few of these fun experiences.

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Scenic Highway

Tampa Gone Wild

Photos by Martin and Kathleen Walls
Captions by Kathleen Walls

Tampa, Florida is a vacation Mecca for many reasons but one of the main tourist lures are its wildlife attractions. Busch Gardens started as a tiny free attraction featuring just birds and beer. That was a pretty good combination since today it is Tampa's number one visitor hot spot.

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Table Talk

Darien River House
Starring Chef Eric Lynch
By Leigh Cort

The vintage DeLorme House (circa 1867) is now the home for one of Southeast Georgia 's newest restaurants ~ Darien River House ~ within steps from the flowing Darien River ( opened December 17, 2009 ). Ms. Patsy Collins and her son Executive Chef Eric Lynch shared a dream, put their fingers on a map, found the spot that had most recently been a Victorian bed and breakfast and transformed it into an inviting 4-room restaurant and wine bar. With an alluring front porch, wine bar living room and small private dining rooms that offer polite conversation blended with exquisite coastal cuisine, Chef's philosophy is ‘source locally, think globally'.

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Vagabond Traveler

EXPLORING LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE COUNTRY

By Mary Emma Allen

Most children (and adults) enjoy Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie series of books, as well as the TV series.  Visiting the areas where Laura actually lived as a child, young adult and her author years provides additional enjoyment.  Many of these locations are open to visitors.  Some towns even produce pageants or plays surrounding the Little House years.

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View from the Marina

A Gift from the Sea

By Barb Hansen

Recently I was on the phone with a man and we were discussing plans for his family's one-week yacht charter vacation. Every day was planned to the max.

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The Winter 2010 Edition American Roads Magazine

Main Street

By Kathleen Walls

American Roads is proud to present the 2010 Winter Edition of American Roads Magazine. I have included a wide variety of destinationa.All of my books all still available at my personal site, www.katywalls.com   or at Amazon.com   or Just click here to email me

read Main Street - Click Here »

Art Trails

ART OVERLOAD IN TAOS
Article and photos by Anne Jenkins


Long an acknowledged art center, Taos continues to outshine just about any other art town. It's reputation for the arts started back in 1898 with a visit by Bert Phillips and Ernest Blumneschein, who promptly fell in love with the place. Within a couple of years they were joined by Joseph Sharp, W. Herbert Dunton , Irving Couse and Oscar Birminghaus and these famous “original Taos 6” formed the Taos Society of Artists. Over 110 years later, Taos is home to well over 1,000 artists and stacks of art galleries.

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The AuCoin Reportt

News Briefs from the Great Outdoors
By Bill AuCoin

This column is a potpourri of news with links to the sources that will be of interest to any one interested in nature travel, fishing, boating or anything related to The Great Outdoors.

read The AuCoin Report- Click Here »

Cort's Crossroads

Black Bass Hotel Revisited
By Leigh Cort

Time moves slowly on the Delaware River, the pulsating eddies swirling past the glorious Black Bass Inn in Lumberville, Pennsylvania, reminding visitors that a hotel's pedigree from the 1740's is worthy of their stay. Without an inkling of what the past twenty years had brought to this legendary property since my last visit, I dreamed that I was sitting in the historic dining room gazing out of the picture windows at the panoramic view that enchanted me decades before. The dream became a reality when I learned that the Black Bass was enjoying a new beginning – but only since June 2009. And I had to be there. I yearned to know what happened when the hammer went down at the March 2008 auction of the Black Bass Hotel.

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Fork in The Road

An Ol' Southern Tradition
Article and photos by Kathleen Walls

There are those restaurants you go to because they have a sparkling decor. Then there are some which are just conveniently located in the heart of a metropolitan area. Sparkling crystal, white table and chefs with a delightful accent are fun but when you are looking for good down to earth barbeque in north Alabama's Tennessee Valley the place to go is Old Greenbrier Restaurant located on Old Hwy 20 between Decatur and Huntsville.

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Genuine American Quality Travel

Suwannee River Valley Experience
By Suzanne Moses

Traveling the roads on a limited budget, I've always been a last minute get on the road kind of person making plans “on the fly” and seeking the experience of the travel, not necessarily the attractions and destinations that would give me status among my co-workers.   In today's ever evolving global society with information at lighting electronic means, the overwhelming abundance of products on the shelves, how overwhelming to me it is to go to the grocery store, answer all my emails, take all my cell phone calls, much less take a break to travel leisurely down the road looking for someplace special, someplace unique, from hotels, restaurants shops, products, a true genuine American quality that is so hard to find.

read Genuine American Quality Travel- Click Here

Heritage Trail

Selma, Alabama: From Civil War to Civil Rights
By Kathleen Walls

Indian lore says Selma is built where Chief Tuskaloosa met with explorer DeSoto. Whether that is true or just myth, no one knows for sure but one thing is sure Selma is filled with history.

read Traditional Trails- Click Here »

Inn Roads

The Ellis Hotel: Atlanta's Historic Gem
Article and photos by Kathleen Walls

Downtown Atlanta is filled with many chain hotels but one small boutique hotel stands out above the rest. The Ellis Hotel on Peachtree is that special little jewel every traveler loves to discover. It has style. It has history. It has legends. Most of all it has all the comforts and luxuries to coddle a weary traveler.

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Leigh's Table Talk

Private Islands of Georgia Low Country Boil
By Leigh Cort

In the winter, thoughts turn to chowder, soup, gumbo and bisques. On the Georgia coast, one might gather friends to enjoy a meal that is something to treasure, although it only takes an hour (start to finish).  It's the famous Low Country Boil.

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Pot Luck

COLLECTING RECIPE CARDS WHILE YOU TRAVEL
By Mary Emma Allen

Throughout your travels, you may find interesting postcards and note paper with recipes. These are fun to send to friends and relatives who enjoy cooking and collecting recipes. You also may want to accumulate them yourself.

 

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Rolling with Rudy

Brooksville, Florida
Story by Rudy Ferraro
Photos by Adel Assily

How can you tell if where you live isn't healthy for you? Well, you could go through a battery of medical tests to determine what ails you…OR. Visit Hernando County Florida's quaint little town of Brooksville.

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Scenic Highway

Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island
Photos by Martin Walls
Text by kathleen Walls

Honeymoon Island State Park provides a wonderful beach for swimming, sunning or shelling.

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Vagabond Traveler

VISITING PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES & HOMES
By Mary Emma Allen

Visiting Presidential Libraries provides a sense of history and adds to youngsters' knowledge of their country. I enjoyed this as a child and still do as an adult.  When my husband and I were in Grand Rapids, MI on a recent business trip, I glimpsed the Gerald Ford Presidential Library (from the outside since we didn't have time for a tour) and remembered visits of my childhood.

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View from the Marina

Adventures in Retirement
By Barb Hansen

Thanks to medical science we are living longer. Thanks to ibuprofen, we're also functioning longer. Retirees, especially, are beneficiaries. With time and a bottle of friendly caplets on their side they can do things earlier generations of retirees could not. Instead of sitting in a rocker and watching re-runs of Golden Girls, retirees today are sitting in a catbird seat and self-directing their lives into new and exciting adventures.

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Wild Roads

Yellow River Game Ranch
Article by Kathleen Walls
Photos by Martin Walls

Every now and again, you step just off the main road and discover a hidden wildlife wonderland. Yellow River Game Ranch is just such a spot. Less than an hour's drive northeast of Atlanta, Georgia is a wonderland filled with both domestic animals and wildlife that is or was native to Georgia.

 

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The Fall 2009 Edition American Roads Magazine

Main Street


By Kathleen Walls

American Roads is proud to present the Fall Edition of American Roads Magazine. Three of the articles, Fork In the Road, Wild Ways and Scenic Road, are related to my upcoming book, Wild About Florida: Central Florida. If you enjoy them check out my Wild About Florida Series. The North and South Florida one are available now and the  Central will be out by mid-October. All of my books all still available at my personal site, www.katywalls.com   or at Amazon.com   or Just click here to email me

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Cort's Crossroads

My Armchair Vacation
 By Leigh Cort

Occasionally one can take an armchair vacation, especially when a particular book is as compelling as “ABSENTE: Images and Tastes of the Green Fairy”. From art and absinthe’s history to cocktails and cuisine, it’s easier and possibly more fun than racing to hop a flight to Paris. This is a treasure where one can embark on a trip through art history and enjoy over 130 original works along with food and drink recipes featuring Absente™.

 

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Leigh's Table Talk

Longboat Key--A Dining Style All Its Own
by Leigh Cort

This season I’m hosting a travel media trip to Longboat Key, Florida. For nearly a century this 11-mile long Gulf of Mexico ‘cay’ has hosted international world-class celebrities who find anonymity here that’s as delicious as the sweet stone crabs that are indigenous to their local waters. One can walk north-end to south-end along its quiet white sand beaches, dine outdoors under colossal banyan trees watching herons wobble through the bayous, hear the wind play a tune through giant coconut palms and take a long afternoon bike ride along Gulf of Mexico Drive…without being disturbed.

 

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Inn Roads

Roughing it in Luxury: Westgate RiverRanch
By Kathleen Walls
Photos by Kathleen and Martin Walls

If you have yen to explore nature luxury style, try Westgate River Ranch, the world’s largest dude ranch. This rustic style dude ranch lets you return to the thrilling days of the Cracker cowboys right down to their Saturday night rodeo. Park your RV in the full service campground or stay in one of the cabins, efficiencies or inn room. No matter your choice of accommodations, you will find nature at its best here. Our cabin was in front near the entrance and we could watch buffalo, sandhill cranes and other wildlife from the porch. The interior was very plush and well equipped.

 

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Scenic Highway

Lowry Park Zoo
Photos by Martin Walls

There is a treasure burried deep in the heart of Tampa, Florida. It's called Lowry Park Zoo and it is filled with a treasure trove of both exiotic and Florida native animals.

 

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Fork in The Road

Cotton Row
By Kathleen Walls

If the way to a man (or woman)'s heart is through the stomach, Cotton row in the historic section of Huntsville, is dearly beloved by all its diners. This downtown sidewalk-cafe-style restaurant has the pizzazz of top hat New York eateries combined with the Southern charm of traditional 19th century club.

 

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Art Trails

Colorado's San Luis Valley
Article and Photos by Anne Jenkins

BTW, Anne's new book, on New Orleans and Bay Saint Louis-- A 53 pg art book-- is now available at www.blurb.com/detail/849564

Everything’s bigger out West - the sky, the land and the clouds. At the very edge of Colorado before you slip over the line in to New Mexico near Taos, lies a valley the size of Connecticut. Ancient and vast, the San Luis Valley is just a small part of Colorado. Surrounded by the impressive Sangre de Cristo and San Juan mountain ranges, the isolated plain is dotted with historic towns and forts where legends like Kit Carson and Jack Dempsey lived. It is also home to the dramatic Great Sand Dunes National Park. An interesting mix of cultures live side by side with abundant wild life. It is strikingly beautiful and very windy. Artists are starting to gravitate there, bringing with them a sense of excitement and hope for the economic development of the area.

 

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Vagabond Traveler

Exploring Stone Walla & Old Homesteads
By Mary Emma Allen

As one explores the rural areas of our country, particularly New England, remnants of old homesteads often are visible. Stone walls, which once surrounded many of these farms, snake across the woodlands and along old roads. These structures give you an idea of where families once lived and where cleared fields existed but may be overgrown now by forests.

 

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Pot Luck

Pumpkins For Halloween & More
By Mary Emma Allen

As I travel around, I spy piles of pumpkins at farm stands, look at them waiting to be gathered in fields, and begin to see them adorning homes. I know it’s pumpkin and jack-o-lantern time of year. Although we think of pumpkins with carved faces for Halloween, we know they are ideal for tasty recipes, too.

 

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Rolling with Rudy

The Galen C. Moses House Bed and Breakfast Inn
By Rudy Ferraro

As Jim Haught showed me pictures of the 45 Christmas trees he themes each year, it was easy to see how special the Galen C. Moses House Bed and Breakfast is to him and Larry Kieft, both owners and Innkeepers of the Inn. The Nutcracker tree, the shoe tree—you guessed it, trimmed with an endless variety of shoe ornaments—the Santa tree and the Angel tree just to name a few of the 45. Jim is proud to boast that he puts up more Christmas trees than the White House. "One year I happened to read that the White House had 40 Christmas trees displayed throughout the house and I thought, I am NOT going to be outdone by [this] administration, so, 45 trees" Jim declared.

 

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Freedom Trails

Tribute to Courage
By Kathleen Walls

Montgomery has many fine museums but one stands out. It is not dedicated to some famous scientist or explorer. It doesn't honor someone with an exceptional talent like a painter or sculptor. It doesn't tell of events clouded by the midst of time.

 

read Traditional Trails- Click Here »

 

Wild Roads

Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary
Article by Kathleen Walls
Photos by Martin Walls

Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary is the largest bird sanctuary in the country. We discovered it while researching Wild About Florida: Central Florida. How it came to be is almost as interesting as the wonderful work it does to protect seabirds.

 

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Historic Roads

Alabama's Constitution Village
Article and Photos by Kathleen Walls

When John Hunt built his cabin alongside a spring in northern Alabama in 1805, he had no idea what a grand scheme he set in motion. A town soon sprang up around his little cabin. It was named Huntsville since he was the first settler. By 1819 it had gone through a lot of growing pains, including a name change and then back to its original Huntsville and was the largest city in the Alabama Territory. That was the year the leaders of the Alabama Territory decided to draw up a constitution in preparation for statehood.

 

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Wet Roads Roads

View from the Marina A Salute to Boat Dogs
By Barb Hansen

Star the Wonder Dog is on our minds a lot lately. She is almost 15 now and recently dislocated her hip. The vet put it back in place, but she was a three-legged dog for a couple of weeks. She is better now, but slower. This is only natural since she's more than 100 in human years.

 

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The Summer 2009 Edition American Roads Magazine

Inn Roads

Island Hotel
By Kathleen Walls

Whether you spend a day or a week or longer on Cedar Key, the easygoing rhythms of the island will remain in your memory. This quaint village is one of the few places left where you can glimpse the Florida of another time. to capture the flavor of this timeless island, there is only one place you need to stay. Motels or cabins are fine for other places but in Cedar Key, the Island Hotel is an intergral part of Cedar Key.

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Rolling with Rudy

Whitehaven Inn
By Rudy Ferraro

“It’s a magical place. There are no theaters here, but this wonderful little village is its own theater,” her eyes light up like those of a child at Disney World when Cindy Curran, the Innkeeper, talks about the Whitehaven Hotel she loves to manage. It’s really a bed and breakfast, but back in the 1800’s it was considered a hotel and met the lodging needs of the then bustling little seaport of Whitehaven—a tiny and picturesque community hiding quietly on the winding shore of Maryland’s Wicomico River.


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Cort's Crossroads

An Enchanted Island...A World Apart
Where 'Forgotten Floridia' is Alive
 By Leigh Cort

Heading west into the blazing sunlight that reflects in the shimmering Gulf of Mexico and then along Gulf of Mexico Drive to the Sandpiper Inn on Longboat Key, it becomes apparent that this is the ‘forgotten Florida’ and a truly unique destination. The privacy and serenity of Sandpiper Inn sweeps you away into a little piece of paradise as you walk under the arched entry. Although the island’s historical benchmarks date in stages from centuries past when the island hosted Indian vacationers, Spanish soldiers seeking gold, Cuban fisherman and finally settled by pioneer families in the early 20th century, one can still feel as if they were the first people to arrive. The extreme splendor and quiet that surrounds you on Longboat Key, particularly in the Sandpiper Inn’s garden, takes you along a path to the majestic Gulf of Mexico and a private beach hideaway prominently positioned on the dunes of the Gulf!

 

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Scenic Highway

The Care Foundation
Photos by Martin Walls

A photo visit to one of the most unique wildlife rescue sancturarys ever.

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Leigh's Table Talk

Cellar6 is Cool,Intimate, Relaxing
Where Everything Revolves Around Wine
by Leigh Cort

Cellar6 is the newest addition to St. Augustine, Florida’s nightspots – it’s a sensuous lounge to ‘wine down’ that is cool, intimate and relaxing. This refreshingly ‘hip’ sanctuary is tucked away on brick-paved Aviles Street, where the arched wooden entry to the narrow boulevard is named after the town of Aviles, Spain. Guests entering Cellar6 are immediately drawn to the dazzling yellow glass wine cellar - one tiered story above the bar and then to the synergy of the space that is eye-catching but not distracting.

read Leigh's Table Talk - Click Here

Fork in The Road

Blue Willow Inn
By Kathleen Walls

If Scarlett O’Hara were alive today, she wouldn’t be thinking of Rhett at all. Instead, she would be contriving to hire the entire staff at Blue Willow. If you haven’t eaten any of their ‘To Die For Southern Fried Chicken” or fried green tomatoes,    washed down with “Champagne of the South”, their special iced tea, run don’t walk to Social Circle, Georgia to remedy that unfortunate situation. After you have partaken of the vast array of plantation style food, you will not be able to run. A slow walk or a dignified waddle will be the best you can manage.

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Art Trails

John C. Campbell Folk School
by Anne Jenkins 

North Carolina’s art scene buzzes and everyone knows the “Made In America” branding is an enormous economic engine in that state.  You can tour around and practically fall over art studios, galleries and art walks. They are particularly and justifiably proud of their Appalachian heritage and crafts. But there is one outstanding example of honoring their heritage arts at the John C. Campbell Folk School  in the rural, isolated setting of Brasstown in the Western North Carolina mountains.

 

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Vagabond Traveler

Vagabonding Locally – in NH & Elsewhere

 By Mary Emma Allen

In these days of higher fuel prices and tighter budgets, why not find places to explore in the area where you live and activities you and your family can pursue there? Generally many of them are free or don’t require much money to do. I’ve discovered there are many in my home area.  What about yours?

 


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Pot Luck

Collecting Community Cookbooks While Traveling
By Mary Emma Allen

“I finally had to give up collecting cookbooks wherever I traveled,” a lady remarked when she saw me browsing through regional cookbooks at an airport gift shop.   Then she explained she enjoyed the cookbooks that had a regional flare, with recipes from the local communities, often published by church organizations, schools, families, and other groups within an area.


 

 

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Traditional Trails

Inside an American Icon
By Kathleen Walls

It’s a quiet company but it has touched all of us at one time or another. Who hasn’t sent a greeting card to a loved one for a special occasion? Most likely some of the cards we chose were Hallmark Cards. Hallmark Cards are woven firmly into the fabric of our society but how often do we think of them as a “tourist attraction.” Yet not only do they offer a fun-for-all-ages attraction to visit when we travel to Kansas City, but it’s free! Gratis! No cost! You even leave with your own self-made souvenir bow.  

 

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Wild Roads

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
Article by Kathleen Walls
Photos by Martin and Kathleen Walls

The most interesting natural resource in North Brevard is Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR) which includes Kennedy Space Center and Canaveral National Seashore. If you want to see vast numbers of wild life and varied species, this is the place to go.

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The Spring 2009 Edition American Roads Magazine

Cort's Crossroads

Girls in the Garden

By Leigh Cort

There are few things more satisfying than watching miniature herbs and florals that you have planted slowly spring from the soil to become colorful nourishing food for the people you love. Even the smallest patio, back porch or balcony can provide ample room for a beautiful and fruitful garden. If you’re tired of the same old hanging baskets and usual container plantings on the patio or porch, it’s easy to utilize the unconventional or utterly ‘unusual’ to make outstanding container plantings.

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Leigh's Table Talk

A Bite of the Bistro

By Leigh Cort

It was hard to decide what to be more excited about – the sunset over the bay on an early spring night in downtown St. Augustine or getting a table in one of North Florida’s newest popular bistros on a Friday night. for me, it’s always been about the food.

read Leigh's Table Talk - Click Here »

Inn Roads

Austin's Driskill Hotel

Story and Photos by Kathleen Walls

It was in the 1830s the first permanent white settlers established a village they named Waterloo at the site of present day Austin. By 1839, it was chosen to be the capital of the Republic of Texas. The city was renamed after Stephen F. Austin, "the father of Texas."

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Scenic Highway

Wild Wakulla Springs

Photos and story by Kathleen Walls

Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park is filled with natural charm. I didn’t know where to point my camera next there was so much to capture—eagles, ibises, wood ducks, moorhens, anhingas, tricolored herons, yellow crowned nighthawks, great blue and little blue herons, snowy egrets, turtles, alligators from tiny hatchlings to huge dragon sized, leaping mullets and so many more I could not attempt to photograph them all.

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Fork in The Road

Weaver D's: Soul Food Made Famous


Photos and Story by Kathleen Walls

Even non music groupies know the name of Athens most famous band. R.E.M. began their career in a converted church where they lived at the time. The church has since been torn down and all that remains is the steeple but it is noted on a self guided walking tour put together by the Athens/ Welcome Center and Flagpole Magazine. What many people do not know is the link between R.E.M. and one of Athen's Georgia's best soul food restaurants.

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Art Trails

Georgia inBloom

by Anne Jenkins

The town folk of Madison, Ga., like to say their town was too beautiful to burn. This may well be true, perhaps Sherman really did admire beauty, but the modern town is burning bright with local art during the Georgia in Bloom (GIB) art fest. The local Madison Artists Guild put together their second annual ‘tour of art’ - the art of 54 regional artists scattered in 14 locations throughout the towns of Rutledge and Madison. The festival runs from March 20 through May 9 and fits neatly with the May 1-2 Spring Tour of Homes - homes that can comfortably be called works of art themselves!

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Vagabond Traveler

Discovering the Lure of Pipestone, Minnesota

By Mary Emma Allen

"Here’s some more pipestone," my husband remarked, as we examined the reddish rock found abundantly in the Pipestone National Monument in western Minnesota. Jim and I walked over the paths with friends and explored this land that once had been a source of the pipestone the Plains Indians used for carving the stone pipes they used and traded.

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Pot Luck

Food From Our Travels


By Mary Emma Allen

As Jim and I travel around the country, I’m always looking for new foods and recipes, whether prepared at someone’s home or found in a restaurant. Some of these recipes are regional, others family favorites, and some ones we enjoy repeatedly.

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Travels With Farley

Clayton County


Story by Bill Farley photographs by Judith Royce

Scenic and historic as it is, Georgia’s Clayton County has to be forgiven if it sometimes gives the impression that, like Rodney Dangerfield, it feels it “don’t get no respect.” Situated in the penumbra of the sprawling megalopolis of Atlanta, Clayton County is something of a country cousin that too often gets overlooked by travelers seeking a colorful and eclectic destination. But vacationers and especially history buffs who bypass Clayton do so at their own loss. There is much to recommend this county just twenty miles or so from the big city, both in terms of nostalgia and in terms of the best of today.

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Royce Rolls

An Apple a Day...in Sevier

Story and photos by Judith Royce

Pancakes! Pancakes!! Pancakes!!! Whether you call them griddle cakes, flapjacks or hot cakes, everyone here must love batter-based breakfasts, because those are the signs you see on pancake houses all along all the main roads through Sevier County, Tennessee. But if you are aching for a special meal to start your busy day – and a shopping opportunity as well – be sure to visit the Applewood Farmhouse complex.

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Wet Roads

Marineland


Story by Kathleen Walls Photos by Martin Walls

Marineland is a truly unique place. It is possibly the only city in the country where the dolphins outnumber the people. It has a human population of eight and a dolphin population of 14. Then there is at least one well fed black and white cat. It is officially in Flagler County but a small part of the land is in Saint Johns County.

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Heritage Trail

Fort Sumter National Monument
Story and photos by Kathleen Walls

When you say “Charleston” most people will automatically think “Civil War” and “Fort Sumter.” It was here that the conflagration turning brother against brother exploded into the most bloody warfare American soil has ever known. At the crack of dawn on April 12, 1861, Confederate General Pierre Beauregard, in command of 50 cannons and in direct order from President Jefferson Davis, opened fire on his former West Point Instructor and friend, Major Robert Anderson, commander of Union forces at Fort Sumter. On April 14th, the Stars and Bars was raised over the battered fort. The war for Southern Independence had officially begun.

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Wild Ways

Zoo Two
Story and photos by Kathleen Walls

Life is a cycle that ebbs and flows. Birth and death are just a part of that inevitable cycle. I was reminded of that cycle recently after visiting two zoos that will be featured in my Wild About Florida: North Florida.

They are very different zoos. One located in a large metropolitan area but situated far from the inner city: the other in a smaller city yet right in the midst of the new growth. Yet once you step within the gates, you are in similar worlds. A world where wildlife is revered and protected. At both zoos, their residents are loved and cherished. They are family. Nothing is more devastating than losing a member of your family: nothing more satisfying then welcoming a new baby into that family.

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The Winter 2008 Edition - American Roads Magazine

Cort's Crossroads

Eagle Island~ Far From Reality- Near Perfection

By Leigh Cort

Time passes slowly on Eagle Island as the days unfold to the rhythm of nature.  You don’t feel the frenzy of having to create a plan of activities ~ whatever you choose becomes a passion of the moment. From listening to birds waking with a sunrise to the lapping of water against Eagle dock, the smallest of sounds becomes a special moment to savor.  Spot a playful raccoon climbing a palm frond…hold your breath when a bald eagle swoops gracefully out of his nest.  And it’s not yet breakfast!

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Leigh's Table Talk

Romance is Inn the Air

By Leigh Cort

Magic happens when you’re sitting at a cozy little table feeling the romance of true love, opening a surprise engagement ring, whispering about your secret wedding, planning a honeymoon to exotic places or even enjoying the fantasy of a long-awaited second honeymoon.

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Inn Roads

Cedar Grove Inn ~ A Vicksburg Tradition

Story and Photos by Kathleen Walls

Cedar Grove is a buff-colored Greek revival-style home. Galleries and columns grace both front and back. I approached it with my rolling suitcase bumping along the brick path from the back parking lot and circling the swimming pool. It felt warm and welcoming. Nothing like what you expect in a haunted house. Yet the history of this Vicksburg home is a series of fabulous highs and devastating lows. It survived Vicksburg’s darkest hours and has the scars to prove it. This cheerful sunny façade is home to many souls who have lived through both personal and national tragedies.

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Scenic Roads

Florida's Wild River

Photos by Martin Walls and story by Kathleen Walls

Perhaps the best kept secret in Citrus County is Chassahowitzka River Campground. We camped there and loved it. It is rustic and blends perfectly with its natural surroundings.  This little jewel is located just a block down from the boat ramp leading into the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge.

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Fork in The Road

A Southern Season


Photos and Story by Kathleen Walls

One place I had to visit in Chapel Hill was A Southern Season. I had heard a little about it but I wasn’t prepared for what assaulted my senses when I walked in. I was submersed in FOOD; gourmet food, beautiful food, raw food, cooked food, wine, chocolate, exotic spices and oils, any possible cooking gadget or cookware. I resisted the displays of chocolate. It wasn’t easy but I did it. I was going to be on the road for more than a week with no way to refrigerate the stuff and I probably would have wolfed it all down in a day anyway. I decided to bring back some olives and pickles. Sounds like that would be an easy choice, right? Wrong. There were shelves of each that seemed to stretch for miles. Well maybe not quite miles but it seemed like that. I had never seen so many different kinds of pickles. I thought in terms of sweet, kosher, dill and maybe a few others. There were dozens of choices here. Same with any other item I looked at. All in all, the store has 60,000 sq. ft of delectable delights. The late Craig Claiborne labeled A Southern Season "wall to wall and floor to ceiling, a visual and gustatory delight."

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Art Trails

Washington, Georgia's Arts Scene

by Anne Jenkins

Washington tourist folks promote their charming rural Georgia town as, “Visit Washington and you visit another era,” and atmospherically that rings true. There is the historic square, antebellum homes, an unusual library founded in 1888 and Georgia's first free public library and the Robert Toombs home - not to mention the lure of the fabled hidden Confederate gold. So, lots of history but, as far as the arts go, Washington is very up to date and modern. There’s a concerted movement to promote the arts and energize the town by building on its arts scene.

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Vagabond Traveler

DISCOVERING UNCLE BUFFALO BILL ALONG THE SANTA FE TRAIL

By Mary Emma Allen

For years, Uncle William Mathewson was only a photo in my grandmother’s album.  He and Aunt Lizzie lived in the West, actually Kansas Territory, I later discovered.  However, as I began to research my ancestry, I found that Uncle William was much more than simply my uncle who hunted and trapped and traded furs.

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Pot Luck

WAFFLES – A COMMUNITY TREAT


By Mary Emma Allen

Attending a waffle breakfast was one of the culinary highlights of a trip to South Dakota.  We did this during a local festival in Brookings, where the waffle breakfast has become a tradition, as well as a fund raiser.

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Travels With Farley

Sevier County: Dolly Parton, The Smokies and So Much More


Story by Bill Farley photographs by Judith Royce

The first thing a visitor has to learn about Sevierville, Tennessee is that the name of the town is pronounced “Severe-ville.” The second thing is that despite its name, it’s not at all “severe.” Named for frontiersman, Revolutionary War fighter and Tennessee’s first governor, John Sevier, the city and its surrounding communities in Sevier County is a little bit Branson, a little bit Myrtle Beach and a whole lot of Smoky Mountain hospitality and charm.


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Royce Rolls

Stately Oaks

Story and photos by Judith Royce

When you think of the color red, the synonym “scarlet” may come to mind. But in Clayton County, Georgia, that word is spelled “Scarlett” and it conjures up images of a bygone era and a sassy, smack-in-your-face Scarlett O’Hara.

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Wet Roads

Where Mermaids Frolic


Story by Kathleen Walls Photos by Martin Walls

Hernando County has one of the most unique attractions in Florida. Weeki Wachee Springs marries nature to culture with its performing mermaids. Since October 13, 1947, the talented mermaids have preformed underwater dramas to delight young and old. The earliest preformaces were the mermaids eating apples and pineapples. We enjoyed watching their version of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid.

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Heritage Trail

Truman~ The Man from Missouri
Story and photos by Kathleen Walls

He was our president during a time of transition. Often overshadowed by the controversial figures that proceeded and followed him, he held the country to a straight course guided by his strong Missouri principles.

I had the privilege to visit the Truman Presidential Library in his home town of Independence, Missouri recently. What I saw reminded me of a time when our country’s leaders took their stand from what was good for the nation not what was politically expedient.

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The Fall 2008 Edition American Roads Magazine

 

Main Street

By Kathleen Walls

American Roads is proud to present the Fall Edition of American Roads Magazine. One of my articles,
Saint Augustine Alligator Farm, is related to my upcoming book, Wild About Florida: North Florida. If you enjoy it check out my Wild About Florida Series. The South Florida one is available now and the North and Central will be out soon. all of my books all still available at my personal site,, www.katywalls.com or at Amazon.com   or Just click here to email me.

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Cort's Crossroads

Oceanfront Escape Blends History and Hot

By Leigh Cort

The Casa Marina Hotel, at 83, is a grand old lady and still turning heads! Ever since it opened its doors onto the Jacksonville beaches in 1925, when every postcard of the era announced ‘world’s finest beach’, the Casa Marina has remained an alluring landmark of Florida history. There have been many forgotten moments in the vast drama of the 1920’s, but the mystery of the Casa Marina is that she must have seen it all.

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Leigh's Table Talk

By Leigh Cort

The thing about eating out is that it’s so tempting, once you find your favorite places.
The thing about cooking is that it’s not as daunting as you think, once you learn how to make it easy. 
The thing about specialty foods is that you have a genuine desire for yummy things, once you find what it is you adore.
I’m not a food Aristocrat ~ I’m a genuine and proud ‘foodie’ that adores the people who make food come alive.

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Inn Roads

Haunting Love

Story and Photos by Kathleen Walls

For Halloween, what better than a haunted hotel. The classic ghost story is found at the Don Cesar Hotel. This St. Petersburg landmark grew out of one man’s ill-fated romance. Perhaps the dashing “Don Cesar” and his beautiful Maritana were doomed from the start. Then again, perhaps they have finally reunited in the afterlife and are now living their dream “life” for all eternity in their castle by the sea overlooking the azure waters of Tampa Bay. You decide for yourself.

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Scenic Roads

Saint Augustine Alligator Farm

Photos by Martin Walls and story by Kathleen Walls

Saint Augustine Alligator Farm is known nationwide for its alligator populations. With the white alligators, it has captured the attention of zoos everywhere.

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Fork in The Road

Outback Crab Shack at Six Mile Marina


Photos by Martin Walls Story by Kathleen Walls

Shells are cracking! Fingers are being licked!  Eating boiled crabs is messy but there is nothing more satisfying than a platter piled high with big fat crabs. You break those claws and devour the sweet meat inside. You pop open those succulent crab bodies to get at every last morsel. This is sea food at its simple best. It's made even better when that platter also includes corn on the cob, Cajun sausage, potatoes and assorted other veggies.

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Art Trails

ST. PETE'S COOL ART SCENE

by Anne Jenkins

The atmosphere in Florida’s St. Pete's oozes laidback cool and casual. Everyone knows the Salvador Dali museum is there and St Pete has long had a good arts vibe. Now there’s a new surge of awareness of the arts and St. Pete’s art district grows ever larger.

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Vagabond Traveler

“GOING GREEN” IN YOUR TRAVELS

By Mary Emma Allen

“Going Green” has become a common term in our lives today and takes on meaning when we travel, too. Many travelers look for green places to travel, agencies that will book them into green destinations, and car rentals with green energy saving autos.

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Pot Luck

TRAVELS & NEW FOOD IDEAS


By Mary Emma Allen

 

My love of traveling translates into discovering new places (or revisiting old ones), meeting new people (or seeing friends again), learning about new foods and collecting recipes. On a recent trip to Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, I experienced all of these.

 

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Music Row

Gaylord Who? Gaylord What?

Story by Bill Farley photographs by Judith Royce

When you head to Nashville , and, sooner or later just about all music fans will, there’s one name you’re bound to hear all over town. It’s not Willie or Waylon or Dolly, Hank, Patsy, Loretta, or even Elvis. It’s Gaylord

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Off The Interstate

Jazz, Barbecue and Fountains: Kansas City


Story and Photos by Kathleen Walls.

For a hot time in a cool city, Kansas City has it all: hot jazz, spicy barbecue and tons of sparkling fountains.

I grew up in New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz, so it's in my blood naturally. As most native New Orleaneans, I always took the Big Easy's claim as the Birthplace of Jazz to mean the city "owned" the jazz legend. Not so. Kansas City natives quickly assured me, "New Orleans may have been the birthplace of jazz but Kansas City is where it grew up!"

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Heritage Trail

Tracing Freedom's Heritage Trail
Story and photos by Kathleen Walls

Most people think of the War Between the States as neatly fitting into the span of years between the firing on Fort Sumter and Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. In reality its roots are far earlier. Fort Sumter may be the first official shots fired but they were certainly not the first shots fired. If you want to take a history related vacation that traces the war’s beginnings, you need to visit western Missouri and eastern Kansas .

Here is a great way to win some freebies that will make you travels more economical and fun.

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Contest Row

Here is a great way to win some freebies that will make you travels more economical and fun.

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The Summer 2008 Edition American Roads Magazine

 

Main Street

By Kathleen Walls

American Roads is proud to present the Summer Edition of American Roads Magazine. Some of my articles are related to my new books, Hosts With Ghosts: Haunted Historic Hotels in the Southeast and Wild About florida: South Florida. They and  my other books are available at my personal site, www.katywalls.com or at Amazon.com   or Just click here to email me.

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Cort's Crossroads

St. Augustine Rocks!

By Leigh Cort

Whether it’s a 150-year old lighthouse, Native American Indian Village, the oldest street circa 1565, spooky ghosts and gravestones, a battleground or Civil Rights Movement story - history comes alive in St. Augustine like nowhere else in America.

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Inn Roads

Opryland Hotel

Story and Photos by Kathleen Walls

Opryland Hotel is just a little over 30 years old but it has packed a lot of history into those years. It opened in 1977 with 600 guest rooms and in just six years needed a major addition to accommodate the throngs of guests looking to visit its adjourning Opryland Theme Park and Grand Old Opry. In 1983 it added 467 additional rooms and its first signature atrium, The Garden Conservancy.

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Scenic Roads

Busch Wildlife Sanctuary

Photos by Martin Walls and story by Kathleen Walls

A strikingly colorful painted panther greets you as you enter Busch Wildlife Sancturary in Plam Beach County. He is so much more than a work of art. this panther and six others like him were part of a projet called Panthers on the Prowl. The project, which netted $35,000 for the Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter, was the brainchild of Busch's Institutional Development Director David Busch and Director of Development Mally Paquette. It meshed the talents of local artists who donated their time and talent to ddecorate the 8-foot long, white Fiberglas panther art sculptures and the needs of the impereled wildlife rescued by the Busch Santuary.

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Fork in The Road

Exhilarating! – France Has Arrived Once Again – in St. Augustine

By Leigh Cort

Bienvenue a le Bistro de Leon! Summer is an incredibly delicious time to be in the kitchen, especially when the sight, sound and aromas are French…from Chef/Owner Jean-Stephane Poinard to Florian and Catherine…sous chef and pastry chef. It’s the gardening season with an abundance of fresh, local vegetables, seafood and luxurious ingredients readily available for the Chef’s own palate from Lyon, France. It looks like a cozy French café from across the Plaza in the ‘old city’…and it comes to life the moment you walk in the door,

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Art Trails

Georgia's Art Loops

by Anne Jenkins

The state of Georgia discovered the attraction of art and creative economies recently and now pushes the promotion of the, up till now, untapped arts industry. In this regard, they are lucky to have the indefatigable Camille Ronay, CEO of Georgia Made Georgia Grown llc., publishing self-guided driving tours throughout the state. Currently there are four with many more planned. The first off the press was The Heritage Art Loop. It recently expanded to include Athens and is a dynamic and interesting 2-day tour. It offers the traveler a feast of good and affordable work... paintings, pottery, glass and more in the central Georgia region. It's easily accessible from the I-20 between Atlanta and Augusta, or from Athens. All the arts are covered - culinary, visual and hospitality. There are historic homes now Bed and Breakfasts, restaurants and a brewery, a garden center, cultural arts centers and marvelous galleries of fine art and funky galleries with equally fine art.

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Vagabond Traveler

Discovering Food Names as You Travel

By Mary Emma Allen

As Jim and I travel around the country, I find it fascinating to discover places with names of foods. Sometimes the town, county, or geographical landmark will have a connection with the particular food. In other instances, it will simply have been the whim of someone and the name caught on.

Either way, it could make someone hungry!  Also, as a food writer, these names catch my attention.

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The Spring 2008 Edition American Roads Magazine

 

Main Street

By Kathleen Walls

American Roads is proud to present the Spring Edition of American Roads Magazine. Some of my articles are related to my new book, Hosts With Ghosts: Haunted Historic Hotels in the Southeast. It is now available at Global Authors Publications, Amazon or Just click here to email me.

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Cort's Crossroads

Two Famous Narrow Streets Whisper Their Secrets

By Leigh Cort

From brick-paved Aviles Street to Hypolita Street, two of St. Augustine’s most scenic historic ‘thoroughfares’ dating back to the 1500’s, the past 440+ years have brought the mystery and history of both avenues together.  The people and their stories have all but disappeared but many of the architectural legacies have remained – intertwined together by diaries and historical documents of the families that settled America’s Ancient City. Like a string of pearls that follow the link to the next in line, one can almost visualize how Aviles Street could have connected to Hypolita during the Spanish or British occupation.

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Inn Roads

Driskill Hotel

Story and Photos by Kathleen Walls

It was in the 1830s the first permanent white settlers established a village they named Waterloo at the site of present day Austin. By 1839, it was chosen to be the capital of the Republic of Texas. The city was renamed after Stephen F. Austin, "the father of Texas."

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Jungle Trails

Manatee Mania

Photos by Martin Walls and story by Kathleen Walls

Each winter thousands of visitors flock to Florida's Citrus County. They come by road or air, but the most interesting visitors are the ones that comb by water. West Indian Manatees come to here in the winter for many of the same reasons that the humans do; mild winters and warm waters for swimming.

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Historic Highway

Old Alabama Town

Photos and Article by Kathleen Walls

Old Alabama Town depicts Montgomery’s early history with more than 40 buildings salvaged around the area and moved to a downtown location to present a view of what it was like to live in Montgomery over a century ago. When I visited, there were two of the docent’s children in period costume dashing about much as their counterparts did a hundred years age. It made it so much more authentic than just an adult guide ever could.

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Fork in The Road

Blue Pete's

ByKathleen Walls

Recently, I visited Blue Pete’s, located in Pungo, about 20 minutes from the resort area of Virginia Beach.  I was not disappointed, either, in the food or in its ghost stories. Blue Pete’s is named for the little duck-like bird, the American coot, locally known as the “blue pete.”   The owner, K. C. Knauer, told me that the place is very haunted.  She and many of her staff have had some strange experiences over the years. While I dug into my Seafood Sampler filled with crab cakes, shrimp, scallops and flounder and a side of sweet potato bread smeared generously with orange marmalade, I could look out over the water and watch all kinds of birds searching for their dinner as well.

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Street Party

"Throw me sumthing Mista'"

Story and Photos by Kathleen Walls

Growing up in New Orleans, Mardi Gras ranked second only to Christmas as my favorite holiday. As a young child, with my parents, I was fascinated by the colorful costumes and gaudily decorated floats. The rousing music of the marching bands and noise of sirens filled my ears with magic.   Those days, flambeau carriers danced along besides the floats. Dressed in a white hooded costume, they bounced and often stooped to retrieve a trinket in their paths but they always kept their flaming torches held high.

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Country Roads

“Memories of a Coal Miner’s Daughter”

Photos and article by Kathleen Walls

Ask any county music fan who their favorite female vocalist ever is and you’ll get back a chorus of “Loretta Lynn.” Naturally Butcher Holler tops the list of “ole home places” to visit in Kentucky. It’s a real experience especially for someone like me who grew up with a cement back yard.

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Art Trails

A North Carolina Arts Road Less Traveled

by Anne Jenkins

North Carolina justifiably boasts a healthy, active and invigorating arts scene. The whole state gets it - art is an established and respected industry there. The art trails along the Blue Ridge Highway are well known, as is the coast arts scene. This sometimes makes people forget the area around Charlotte. The city itself has a dazzling choice of the arts. But here’s a hint - take the road less traveled and  enjoy a stimulating art experience.

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Vagabond Traveler

ESearching the Country to Return a WWII's Pilot's Log

By Mary Emma Allen

We hadn’t realized, when my husband Jim came across a World War II pilot’s log midst a box of belongings we’d toted around for a quarter century that we’d be searching the country for its owner.   During our many moves, first while Jim was an Air Force pilot, then airline pilot, and eventually business owner at our present home in New Hampshire, we had some boxes that simply followed us but we never bothered to open. 

“We’ve got to find the owner of this,” Jim exclaimed, when we decided we finally had to dispense with some of the “stuff” in those boxes.

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The Fall 2007 Edition American Roads Magazine

 

Main Street By Kathleen Walls

American Roads is proud to present the Fall Edition of American Roads Magazine. This issue is special as we now have a brand new host, ci-Interactive. I really want to thank Patti Bailey of ci-Interactive for the help that has gone beyond the normal.

I also have to brag a bit. My new book, Hosts With Ghosts: Haunted Historic Hotels in the Southeast, is ready to be released. It should be available at Amazon, Barnes and Nobel and Global Authors Publications within a few weeks.

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Cort's Crossroads Ghosts of the Casa de Solana By Leigh Cort

For travelers that love the thrill of spending the night with a ghost, it’s not about a horror story unfolding but more about the history and people who have spent time there. From the Minorcan Suite to the Segui Room, there’s an air of Spanish and British Colonial mystery & charm at the 10-room Casa de Solana (circa 1821). When you enter the walled courtyard on ancient brick-paved Aviles Street in St. Augustine, you’ve crossed the threshold to an oasis of times past. Each of the rooms and suites is authentically connected to the city’s Minorcan history.

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Inn Roads Barnsley Gardens Story and Photos by Kathleen Walls

The Barnsley story, as well as the history of Adairsville, begins with Godfrey Barnsley, an Englishman who moved to Savannah as a penniless youth of eighteen. There he made his fortune as a cotton broker. There too, he met the love of his life, Julia Scarborough, the daughter of a wealthy merchant and shipbuilder. He and Julia were married on Christmas Eve 1828. They soon began a family and by 1841 have six children. On the surface, it looks like a fairy tale life. But the fates were lying in wait.

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Jungle Trails Reserved for Wildlife Photos by Martin Walls and story by Kathleen Walls

I stood just inches away from the tawny lion. His sleek body rippled with the muscles needed to bring down a large prey with just one swipe of his huge paw, or one clamp of his powerful jaws. His eyes were amber flecked with coffee colored specks. I had been to countless zoos but this was as close as I had ever gotten to this proud king of the jungle. I was touring the St. Augustine Wild Reserve, one of Saint Johns County’s best-kept secrets.

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Historic Highway Gibraltar of The South Photos and Article by Kathleen Walls

Undoubtedly the biggest draw for visitors to Vicksburg is the Battlefield Park. Vicksburg was critical to both sides from the beginning of the war. Until the Union could control the entire river to Cairo, Illinois, they could not prevent the South from supplying their armies. Whoever controlled Vicksburg controlled the river.

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Fork in The Road COLLAGE on Hypolita By Leigh Cort

Cindy Stangby and Mike Hyatt, proprietors of recently opened COLLAGE in the epi-center of St. Augustine’s historic downtown, are celebrating a belated 20th anniversary of their famous crimson bougainvillea tree with a surprise culinary treat that they have named ‘The Bougainvillea’. It’s a stunning new dessert that’s now permanently featured on their inventive restaurant menu.

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Off The Beaten Path Wild West, Georgia Style Story and Photos by Kathleen Walls

In Cartersville, Georgia you can explore the West without ever leaving the South. From exhibits by the artists that explored the real life early west to depictions of the Hollywood version of the wild and woolly West, you will find them here in Georgia’s second largest museum. There are also sections devoted to the Presidents and the Civil War.  There is a theater for showing the museum related film “The American West” as well as other films, a reference library for Western American art, culture and history, Civil War history, United States presidential history, and local history related to the art collections.

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Country Roads “Memories of a Coal Miner’s Daughter” Photos and article by Kathleen Walls

Ask any county music fan who their favorite female vocalist ever is and you’ll get back a chorus of “Loretta Lynn.” Naturally Butcher Holler tops the list of “ole home places” to visit in Kentucky. It’s a real experience especially for someone like me who grew up with a cement back yard.

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Art Trails ART, WINE AND GOOD FOOD ON I-20 IN GEORGIA by Anne Jenkins

Think the drive from Augusta towards Atlanta doesn't offer much excitement? You're very wrong. Of course, mention Augusta and golf springs to mind but ... Augusta has so much more than just golf to offer. The arts scene is bursting with talent and enthusiasm. There's theater, ballet and an exciting visual arts scene.

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Literary Trails Firetrail Premiere By Lydia Hawke

Firetrail, a movie based on my novel of the same title, blazed into Augusta, Georgia August 25, showing to a packed Imperial Theatre. The Imperial is a landmark in downtown Augusta, located across the street from a Confederate memorial. Civil War reenactors conducted a parade just before the movie started and gathered in around the memorial. The troops fired volleys from their black-powder muskets to celebrate the movie opening.

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Vagabond Traveler EXPLORING MICHIGAN’S UPPER PENINSULA By Mary Emma Allen

A fascinating part of our country lies in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, often called the U.P., near the Canadian border. Jim’s and my travels took us there one cold, windy below zero January weekend, when the wind chill reached minus 40 degrees F. We wondered if we’d ever go back.

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Arichives - The Summer 2007 Edition American Roads Magazine

Main Street
Editor's comments and overview.

Cort's Crossroads
FROM MANHATTAN to THE JERSEY SHORE By Leigh Cort

Nearly a century of history separates them as well as the legendary Hudson River and 75 miles. They are as diverse from each other as a glass of fine claret or an icy sauterne. But there is something finely correlated to the distinctive experience that each Inn offers. And a surprising ‘discovery’ that guests ultimately learn at both destinations.

Inn Roads
Natchez's Eola Hotel Story and Photos by Kathleen Walls

Natchez was a city born of the river. It’s very existence came about because of its proximity to the “Old Man River.” Inhabited by the last great mound builders in America, They built the Grand Village of the Natchez, which today is preserved as a national historic site.

Heritage Trail
The Shakers of Pleasant Hill Photos and story by Kathleen Walls

Long ago and far away, a simple peace loving people were searching for a place they could live in harmony with nature and their fellow man. In 1779, a few of their number had sailed from their homeland in search of a place to settle. Many settled in New York and founded a colony there. In 1805 some of the group moved down into Kentucky. They found a beautiful land of rolling hills and streams. The soil was rich. They put down roots in a rural area they called Pleasant Hill.

Scenic Highway
Chattanooga Aquarium Photos by Martin Walls
Text by Kathleen Walls

A pictorial view of one of the world's most beautiful aquariums.

(This page contains many pictures and may take a while to load. have patience. The images are worth the wait!)

Fork in The Road
KINGFISH GRILL – ROMANCE ON THE WATERFRONT By Leigh Cort

I confess that I was seduced at dinner. It’s not something that I would normally announce to everyone I know. I have a very private do-not-divulge to anyone side but I yearn to expose my new love. Intoxicating sounds of yachts in the harbor made my heart beat faster and the flirtations were obvious. I was lured into a world of beguiling beauty wherever I looked.

Fork in The Road 2
Tento- A Brazilian Dining Adventure By Leigh Cort

For a fabulously fun and relaxing dining experience that is defining the eclectic restaurant scene in Jacksonville Beach, Florida today, dinner at TENTO has an air of authentic Brazilian adventure. Embrace the style and concept of a new journey, as you are served by the Gauchos (romantic wandering cowboys who roamed the countryside). If you love surprise and excellent food, Karin and Carlos Lang’s new Churrascaria (steak house) will seduce your foodie mind while their delicious recipes take you to a far away land of South American pampas, peppered with elegant influences of fine European charcuterie.

Art Trails
ST. HELENA ART TRAIL - LOWCOUNTY SOUTH CAROLINA by Anne Jenkins

A day drive along the art trail of the atmospheric island of St. Helena in South Carolina's Lowcountry offers exciting original art, a fascinating African-American museum and delicious food. You can spend all day dawdling the mere 14 miles loaded with live oaks dripping Spanish moss, glimpses of salt marshs and brilliant blue sky. You'll meet the nicest people along the way as you buy fabulous art and learn about the vibrant Gullah culture in a collection of historic buildings, known locally as "the corner". The general area is also known as Frogmore named after a nearby plantation.

Off The Beaten Path
The Town That Led Two Lives Story and Photos by Kathleen Walls

In 1968, the town of Helen was dying. Little was left in the remote mountain community except a few drab old concrete buildings and a few diehard citizens determined to save their home town. They hit on a unique solution.

High Road
Why I Love The Black Hills Story by Bonnie Parmenter
Photos by Fred Baines

Since friends have watched us return to the Black Hills three summers in a row---or maybe just “because”---they ask me what I like so much about the Black Hills. And the other question, too: why do they call them “Black”? I don’t think anyone who has been here has asked me that, but it is a question that has hovered in my mind while I am here.

The Vagabond Traveler
ENJOYING DUTCH OVEN COOKING OF THE WEST By Mary Emma Allen

One of the joys of traveling throughout the country is discovering the various types of cooking and recipes prepared and served. Some are typical of only that region while others bring back memories of childhood.

Literary Lane
Book Review of Discovering the Civil War in Florida By Paul Taylor By Lydia Filzen

Although Florida’s Civil War history was only “a sideshow of the big show,” many historical sites and monuments commemorate the state’s involvement in the conflict.

Borders
A plea from Nancy Millar
Vice President and Director
McAllen Convention and Visitors' Bureau

This legislation could have such an important impact on us here along the border. Virtually to a person, people who actually live along the border and deal with Mexico every day are vehemently opposed to the wall for many reasons: no one believes it will work; it will seriously disrupt the precious habitat and therefore our nature tourism which brings in an estimated $125 to $150 million per year; it is rude and extremely offensive to our Mexican neighbors, upon whom we depend for 30% of our thriving economy and to whom the majority of local residents are related. That’s just a start! Please read this release relating to the impact of possible legislation related to borders and nature


Cort's Crossroads
A Jersey Shore Sojourn to Spring Lake
Story and Photos by Leigh Cort

A radiantly refined and picturesque seaside town, Spring Lake offers its residents and vacationers a gentle and relaxed atmosphere of gracious living. Two miles of private beach and the longest non-commercial boardwalk in New Jersey have made it a unique resort since the mid 1870’s, when it was a farm town getting ready to be a ‘summer resort’.

Inn Roads
Hotel Monteleone: A Reflection of New Orleans
Story and Photos by Kathleen Walls

We all thrill to stories of penniless emigrants sailing into New York Harbor under the shadow of the Stature of Liberty and then making their fortunes in the land of the free. In the 1800s, New Orleans was also one of the main ports of entry for those seeking the American dream. Not all were poor and desperate. One of those travelers was a successful Sicilian shoe manufacturer and minor nobleman, Antonio Monteleone. Already prosperous in Italy, he decided to come to America in search of greater things. In 1886, he bought a 64-room hotel on Royal Street and Iberville in the heart of the French Quarter. Since that day, four generations of Monteleones have loved and cherished Antonio's dream.

Heritage Highway
Battle of Olustee
Story by Lydia Filzen
Photos by Kathleen Walls

For a walk back in time, plan to attend the Battle of Olustee reenactment, which will take place February 16-19. This event commemorates the largest battle fought on Florida soil.

Scenic Road
'Glades Glide
Photos by Martin Walls Text by Kathleen Walls

(This page contains many pictures and may take a while to load. have patience. The images are worth the wait!)

Perched on the southern tip of the Florida peninsular is a land of watery beauty. This tropical Eden was once inaccessible to all but the hardiest travelers. Today, we can drive our RVs into this giant “river of grass” and enjoy its beauty in comparative luxury. We can sit in our motor homes and watch the sun’s golden orb descend into the pewter waters of Florida Bay. We can stand by our barbecue pit and watch great flocks of white winged water birds swirl overhead. However, to come to know this vast ecosystem, we must leave the pavement behind and step into the real Everglades.

Cort's Crossroads
Friends Took Boating out of the Stone age:
We didn’t believe what we didn’t see!
By Leigh Cort

We planned to spend a lazy summer weekend with boating friends who are compared to what we always thought of as ‘gentlemen farmers’ farming friends. You could always count on the Fitzpatricks to have the biggest cooler with an amazing stocked bar for every boating sojourn. No six-pack for their friends or store-bought dips & chips. They ordered from their favorite caterer or spent a day in the kitchen preparing a feast from a Gourmet Magazine centerfold. We always remember to arrive with an appetite.

Inn Roads
Read House: A Part of Chattanooga's History
by Kathleen Walls

New hotels come and go but one Grande Dame of the old guard, The Read House refuses to be outclassed. It combines modern convenience and history in such a subtle blend you will fall in love with the place. It’s not what you expect from a chain hotel, no matter how prestigious.

Scenic Road
Zooing it right
Photos by Martin Walls
Text by Kathleen Walls

(This page contains many pictures and may take a while to load. have patience. The images are worth the wait!)

Tucked away on the north side of Jacksonville, Florida snuggled up against the Trout River is one of the city’s hidden jewels, The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. The zoo sprang from modest beginnings. It grew along with the city to become the exquisite 120-acre jewel it is today. It all began on May 12, 1914 with one red deer fawn at its first location in the Springfield section. That was soon followed by a monkey island and other animals and rapidly grew until in 1925, it moved to its present location. One of the most significant acquisitions of that early zoo was a black jaguar they named Zorro. Zorro produced many offspring during his 19-year life span. These were sent to zoos all around the country and in 2003, a survey showed that all of the captive born black jaguars in North American zoos were a descendant of Zorro.

Art Row
Gallery Owners and Town Restart Their Lives
by Anne Jenkins

Midway between Athens and Sparta, in central Georgia, you can witnessthe birth of a new art colony. Tiny Union Point had a great old historic section that just needed a spark to ignite tourism’s flame. One artist and her family needed a welcoming place to rebuild her life. Like a stone and a flint, together, they are producing that spark.

High Road
Grand Canyon -South Rim IS different
By Bonnie Parmenter and Fred Baines
Photo Credit NPS

The road from the North Rim leaves the trees and crosses next to red rumba skirts of desert cliffs, scrubby gray-green vegetation marking the stream beds’ meander and mysterious, smooth dull green hills that look like great buried sea mammals. The hills are weathered layers of ochre, umber and maroon. Gatherings of small buildings, often including a hogan or two, seem almost startling on the dry landscape, like finding a cluster of mushrooms pushing up in the middle of a cement parking lot. Native American trinket/craft lean-tos hover next to the highway every few miles, many empty this early in the season. Near Cameron Chief Yellowhorse has a stand similar to the one at the west entrance to the area, announcing in a Burma Shave series of signs that you have missed the biggest chance of a lifetime if you don’t stop and give Chief Yellowhorse some of your money. We do stop of give some of our money to the Trading Post at Cameron, which has grown even bigger than last time we saw it.

The Vagabond Traveler Visiting Montezuma Castle National Monument

By Mary Emma Allen
All photo credit NPS

As Jim and I gazed at the ancient dwelling cut into the Arizona mountainside, we felt a sense of awe that earlier people could construct such an elaborate habitation. Montezuma Castle, as this cliff dwelling along Beaver Creek in central Arizona is known, dates back to around 1150 AD, with the height of development occurring in the 1300

Spooky Lane
Book Review of Finding Florida's Phantoms
by Lydia C. Filzen

Enjoy a good ghost story? Want to go sightseeing with the hope of catching a glimpse of a spectral body? Does your idea of a good time include investigating haunted lighthouses, inns, cemeteries and other historical spots? This entertaining guidebook will beckon you in the right direction.

Fire Trails
Filming Firetrail at The Battle for Columbia
By Lydia Filzen

Near Columbia, South Carolina: The filming of Firetrail took a dramatic turn the night of May 6, with a replication of the burning of Columbia, South Carolina during the War Between the States. The scenes were created by filmmaker Christopher Forbes for a screen adaptation of the novel by Lydia Hawke.

Off The Interstate
Weekend Fun in Atlanta

Story by Barbara Sachs Sloan
Photos by Peyton Creadick

Even if you only have two or three days to spend in Atlanta, Georgia, there are three places that can make your visit memorable, if for no other reason than their uniqueness.

Birding Trails
U.S. Rarities Spotted in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley

by Nancy MillarSeveral sightings of birds rare or unheard of in the United States have cropped up recently in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley. Sightings of the Green-breasted Mango and Amethyst-throated Hummingbirds and a Mottled Owl have all been reported in the last 30 days, said McAllen Convention and Visitors’ Bureau Director Nancy Millar.

Cort's Crossroads
Welcome Aboard and Chart Your Course
by Leigh Cort

With the anticipation of Spring, there was only one ‘escape’ that lured us out of our winter nest for a weekend away. We wanted to experience an outdoor adventure that friends hadn’t yet found, as well as keeping the stress of long-distance travel reduced to strolling, sunning and sipping beverages as others whizzed by.

Fork in the Road
Niagara Nights
By Kathleen Walls

If it’s been a decade or more since you visited Niagara Falls, you may not be expecting any night life on the American side. Well you would be oh so wrong! Niagara nights are lit up in more ways than one. If you are a night owl visiting America’s honeymoon capital, and want good food and beverages, excitement and lots of fun it’s all just a short walk from the falls.

Historic Highway
Lee and Gordon's Mills
by Jeff Carlock

Nestled among the tall, stately oaks that once saw the bloodshed of the Battle of Chickamauga is one of North Georgia’s well-known sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior. This 1836 structure beside the creek in Chickamauga, Georgia, located in the upper northwest corner of the state, had once been the busy site of a stagecoach stop, general store, blacksmith shop, and according to old timers’ gossip, a distillery.

The Vagabond Traveler
Following The Trails of Ancestors
By Mary Emma Allen

The search for one’s ancestors and family history can lead you on fascinating jaunts and adventures of discovery.  As I delve into the stories of my ancestors’ lives, I’m led to parts of the country, distant from where I grew up.  Following the trails of my ancestors has enabled me to visit interesting places, make new friends, and meet relatives.

Cort's Crossroads
Arizona: Then, Now and Forever
By Leigh Cort

The reason I chose Arizona for a vacation was everything I had heard for a lifetime: the miraculous geological wonders of America’s landscapes, scenic roads that seduce travelers to wander off and climb a mountain, the dazzling spectacle of red rocks and mountaintop ranches, even Western movie images of Tombstone. I shivered with excitement as I studied travel guides, watched videos and tried to learn about the adventures that might fill the days & nights. I knew a week in Arizona was going to taunt me back forever, but I tossed my concerns to the wind and boarded the plane.

Heritage Road
Graves, Slaves and The United Daughters of The Confederacy
By Kathleen Walls

Some of American history’s most unusual stories were spawned by the War Between the States. Perhaps the most intriguing of these stories brings together the Union’s most hellish prison camp, a runaway slave and the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

Fork in the Road
Wine and Buckwheat
By Kathleen Walls

Wine and Buckwheat? No it just doesn't seem to go together. Not unless you are visiting Yates County, New York, that is. Then the two just belong together. Well, maybe not at the same meal but both are famous products of this Finger Lakes County.

Inn Roads
Hope Springs Eternal
By Kathleen Walls

For those who know a smattering or more of Spanish, Esperanza means hope. And hope was exactly what this rundown mansion needed in 2002 when Lisa and David Wegman bought it. The magnificent structure had deteriorated to the point where kids used it as a party spot at night. Rats and other vermin inhabited it when the kids weren’t breaking beer bottles and putting out cigarettes on its hardwood floors. Rain poured into it through a leaky roof. Its destiny appeared to be a wreaking ball. But through the desolation, the Wegmans saw a vision of its former glory.

The Vagabond Traveler
Church Suppers: An American Tradition
By Mary Emma Allen

As I sat midst friends and new acquaintances dining on chicken at a church supper in South Dakota recently, I was drawn back in memory to those events of my childhood. I recall most vividly the turkey suppers in November. The ladies of our community church pooled their talents and time to prepare this meal to raise funds.

Traditional Trails
Amelia Island Museum
by Lydia Filzen

An abandoned jailhouse, rehabilitated and reformed as a museum, stands at 233 South Third Street in Fernandina Beach, Florida. In its present incarnation, the quaint Amelia Island Museum of History offers a comprehensive look at the history of Florida’s northernmost barrier island through exhibits, tours, and soon a video presentation.

Fire Trails
Brooksville, Florida Civil War Reenactment
By Lydia Filzen

Although sparsely populated and lightly defended by the Confederacy, Florida was important to the South’s war effort. Just as in modern times, the subtropical state produced critically needed supplies, such as salt extracted from seawater, cane sugar, scurvy preventing citrus fruit, a wide range of other produce and cattle. As the war ground on, the Union army made a policy of trying to break up the production and transportation of commodities from Florida to the rest of the Confederacy.

Street Party
Holiday Tour of Historic Inns
By Leigh Cort

St. Augustine’s 26 Historic Bed & Breakfast Inns are ablaze with lights, vintage ornaments and treasured family mementos. Many of our Innkeepers are dressed in period costume as they welcome guests to share in the delights of the Holiday Season and explore their parlors, porches, gardens and award-winning accommodations.

High Roads
Alleghany  State Park
by Barbara J. Robinson
Allegheny State Park was a peaceful, serene, relaxing way to unwind, except when my husband decided he wanted to hike a six-and-a-half mile Beehive Trail up the mountains.

Off the Interstate
Georgia's Interstate 95~
Historical Treasure at Every Exit
by Valerie Evans Goddard

Six coastal Georgia counties encompass 119 miles of perhaps the most beautiful and diverse landscape to be found. Something for everyone is offered on the Georgia coast from extensive history to pristine beaches, ancient forests of live oak to whispering marshes and quaint fishing villages to a major metropolitan city. Every exit of Interstate 95 is a passport into the impressive history of coastal Georgia.

Scenic Highway
Florida: Tousled but Trimphant
by Kathleen Walls

The past few months have seen hurricane after hurricane ravage Florida. They may have taken out a lot of the trees, flooded and destroyed many buildings and homes but they failed to do one thing: destroy the Sunshine State's indomitable spirit.

Off the Beaten Path
The Town That Wouldn't Drown
by Nicky Reynolds

Johnson County, Tennessee may not be known for its man-made attractions, historic hotels, and restaurant chains, but it has something else that keeps drawing visitors from across the nation.  The scenic beauty of the land rivals that of the Great Smoky Mountains, with its peaceful fishing streams, beautiful Watauga Lake, and adventurous trails.

The Vagabond Traveler
Enjoy the Scenic Splendor of the Mohawk Trail
by  Mary Emma Allen

A favorite drive for many travelers leads over the historic Mohawk Trail of northwestern Massachusetts. This route traverses sixty-three picturesque miles of Route 2 from the Mass-New York border to Millers Falls on the Connecticut River. Following the footpath of the Native Americans, this scenic highway takes one through some of the loveliest scenery in the state, particularly during the foliage season of autumn.

Fork in the Road
Grits Gormand
by Valerie Evans Goddard

Imagine the southern stereotypical staple grits and the voguish term gourmand being mentioned in the same breath? Impossible. Well, times and trends are a changin’. A new chapter in cuisine has begun and involves a fascinating tale of the Grits Evolution.

Park Way
Hershey's Chocolate World
by Barbara J. Robinson

We visited Hershey’s Chocolate World Visitor Center, Hershey Park, and Zoo America in June, when we took a simulated tour of the Chocolate Factory on the Chocolate Ride. We walked through a tropical jungle where the cocoa beans were harvested. We viewed the chocolate-making process during the ride and received a free sample at the end. We explored the gift shops and restaurants and had ice cream Hershey style.

Traditional Trails
Andersonville POW Memorial

Imagine yourself, a United States soldier, in a terrifying combat situation. You find yourself trapped, out of ammunition and facing people whose goal is to kill you. Conversely, your wartime goal is to kill them. The only alternative to death is surrender, allowing yourself to be placed under the power of your deadly enemies.

Road Rageous
Rough Road Through History
by Valerie Evans Goddard

There’s road rage, construction, racers, weavers, detours, slow pokes, potholes, road hogs and wash board roads, boy the list could go on for days. Even with that said, imagine how great our transportation is today. Great I say, well in the 1800s there was only one major route traveling throughout the south from Charlotte, North Carolina to New Orleans called the Post Road. The Post Road was a stage coach route, which was not exactly a pleasant experience. All other pathways were only worn hunting trails used by Native Americans and animals.

Hard Roads
Stone Mountain in Atlanta
, Georgia, provided summer fun this July with a paddle-wheel boat ride on the Scarlet O’Hara, a ride in a cable car to the top of the mountain, putt putt golf, water slides, a tall tale in a 4-D theater, shopping in gift shops, and dining at Katie’s Restaurant in the new

Fire Trails
Fort Clinch
"Imagine you are stepping into the past. The year is 1864 and the Civil War is in progress. Ahead of you is a masonry fort under construction. Union soldiers are involved in the building of the fort. Ask them questions about the lives they lead stationed at Ft. Clinch. Follow the path into 1864."

Memory Lane
New Orleans Remembered
By KathleenWalls
New Orleans is my birthplace. I spent my youth and part of my adult life there and have so many fond memories of that city. Like the rest of the world, I am horrified and disbelieving as I watch the news coming out of New Orleans and the entire Gulf Coast. (See memories of New Orleans as it was.)

Inn Roads
Windsor Gets a Blue Ribbon
Photos and article by Kathleen Walls
One of Georgia’s best kept secrets is hidden away in the small town of Americus. While most Americans are not aware of this Victorian hotel’s charms, local residents are charmed by the Windsor Hotel. Now, the secret is out, The Windsor is being officially awarded her "Blue Ribbon" on television.

Inside Track
See Travel Media Showcase like a Journalist
Photos and article by Kathleen Walls

No matter where I go, when people find out I am a travel writer, they always say, "That must be fun." I love what I do but it is not all fun. There is a lot of hard work in being a travel writer. To give you an idea of a few days in a travel writer’s career, I’m going to take you on the inside track. Join me at last years Travel Media Showcase (TMS).

Heritage Road
Washington Georgia, A Confederate Treasure
Photos and article by Kathleen Walls
There is some debate as to the birthplace of the Confederate States of America, however, there is little doubt Washington, Georgia was the deathbed of the Confederacy

Fork in the Road
Savoring Savannah
By Kathleen Walls
Have you ever dined with a pirate’s ghost? The Pirate’s House in Savannah is reputed to have some lurking in its attic and in the old tunnel once used to shanghai drugged sailors. Almost as old as the city itself, the Pirate’s House began its career as an inn in 1853.

Traditional Trails
Crystal River Reenactment
By Lydia Filzen
The central Gulf coast of Florida near Crystal River, lush with palms and live oaks, provided a scenic backdrop for the Eighth annual Nature Coast Civil War Reenactment last March 11 through 13. The site, owned by Holcim U. S. Inc. stretches from the Cross-Florida Barge Canal to the Gulf of Mexico though the event utilizes only a

Fire Trails
The Battle of Horse Landing
By Lydia Filzen
Things got pretty fiery in this part of Florida during the Civil War and it wasn't due to the weather.

Naples Florida

Prince Edward Island

Audobon Zoo New Orleans

Alamo

Florida Strawberry Festival

Carrabelle, FL Appeared in July/Aug. 2002

Westville Georgia

Carson Valley Nevada

Raystown Lake, PA Appeared in July/Aug. 2002

Big Cypress Preserve, FL Appeared in July/Aug. 2002

Memories Inn, Bryant,, GA Appeared in July/Aug. 2002

Callaway Gardens, GA Appeared in July/Aug. 2002

Fort Myers, FL appeared in Sept./Oct. 2002

Blairsville, GA Sorghum Festival appeared in Sept./Oct. 2002

Lake Wales, FL Chalet Suzanne appeared in Sept./Oct. 2002

Miffleburge, PA appeared in Sept./Oct. 2002

Citrus County, FL appeared in Sept./Oct. 2002

Sandwich Notch, NH appeared in Sept./Oct. 2002

Williamsburg, VA. appeared in Sept./Oct. 2002

Yorktown, VA. appeared in Sept./Oct. 2002

Saddlebrook Resort, FL. appeared in Sept./Oct. 2002

Chattanooga. 2002

Salt Lake City appeared Nov./Dec. 2002

Jackson Hole

New Hampshire

Mardi Gras Food Jan./Feb. 2003

Key West

Cherry Blosom Festival , Macon March/April 2003

Rural Arizona March/April 2003

Dahlonega, GA March/April

Paris, TN Fish Fry March/April 2003 

Festivals % Scenic June 2003

Grapevine, TX June 2003

Gourmet Day Cafe June 2003

Cape Fear Aquarium

Winter Wonderland NH

Casa Marina Inn - Jacksonville

White Mountains New Hampshire

Heritage Art Loop - Georgia

Horse Landing Civil War Reenactment

Black Hills Winter Adventures

Tubac Arizona

Covered Bridges - New Hampshire

Court of Two Sisters - New Orleans

Yellowstone

Country Roads

Fruit and Spice Park - Homestead, Florida

Highway 101

Laughlin Nevada

Tarpon Springs Florida

St. Augustine - World Golf Village

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