Road
Trip America: A State-By-State Tour Guide to Offbeat Destinations,
by Andrew Wood
The first time you leaf through
Andrew Wood's Road Trip America: A State-By-State Tour Guide
to Offbeat Destinations, you might be tempted to set it
aside as being not current or useful for planning a road trip.
Although they are appealing, the retro illustrations and design
mask the fascinating and up-to-date roadside discoveries that
Andrew Wood has compiled. Read the text! You'll discover that
the author has done a terrific job of profiling the weirdest
and wackiest roadside attractions in each of the 50 U.S. states.
The author personally visited
all of the attractions he describes, and his genuine appreciation
for the offbeat comes through on every page. The signpost
in Lynchville, Maine, that indicates you're only 14 miles
from Norway, 15 miles from Paris and 94 miles from China is
a perfect example of the kind of roadside whimsy Wood includes.
He made a pilgrimage to the Madonna Inn's famed "Caveman
Room" in San Luis Obispo, California, and he watched
aficionados consume vast quantities of Rocky Mountain Oysters
at the annual Testicle Festival in Clinton, Montana. If you're
headed to western Oregon, you'll find out where you can stay
overnight in a tree house, and if Massachusetts is on your
itinerary, you won't want to miss visiting a house constructed
entirely of paper. Wood has discovered equally quirky and
enchanting destinations in every state.
For those who enjoy vintage
postcards and historic photographs, Road Trip America
is a real treat. While there are no current photographs of
the wonders Wood describes, be warned! His engaging descriptions
just might make you unable to resist filling up your gas tank
and hitting the road.
Mark
Sedenquist
7/03
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