Great topic @2011panc I am Scott and this brought back some wonderful memories for me! When my wife and I were first married we could only afford to stay at home so we would take off and drive for half a day to see some area of our state we did not know, then visit and head back home for the night. We really enjoyed many of the small towns we visited, the home cooking we got to enjoy in so many spots, and the scenery! We'd always watch for those quirky things like oversized cement animals, etc. The picture is of a motel made in the shape of a Muskie! The folks we met were by and large the best part of each of these trips. Later in life I was lucky to work a 14 state upper Midwest region for a nonprofit and I vowed to not take any Interstate highways that I didn't have to. I was lucky to see an amazing amount of off the beaten track middle America over those 8 years.

Later when we were able to add some comfort and distance to our family trips more often than not we picked out of the way spots. My wife passed away after a terrible war with brain cancer, but not before she introduced me to the woods of northern Minnesota. This is now my favorite place -- other than in the winter and I relish the people, smaller towns, and great outdoors of that area!

Thanks for 'just wanting to talk' here.

Strength, courage, and peace!