TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS, DAY 4

Day 4, February 23, 2018

Time to head back to Georgia.

NANCHEZ, MS

Originally, this had a less-than-politically-correct paint job. Not sure this is a great improvement, but any building shaped like a human is pretty interesting.

555 US-61, Natchez, MS

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BROOKHAVEN, MS

Coffeepot Inn build 1931

S. 1st St. NE, Brookhaven, MS

COLLINS, MS

Sonic Drive-In has well over 3000 locations, but, being Canadian, they are new to us. We didn’t stop to eat – just to snap this pic.

3262 US 49, Collins MS

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This chicken was somewhere between Collins and Seminary MS. If anyone can help with the location, it would be appreciated.

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SEMINARY, MS

This is one luscious watermelon!

248 US HWY 49, Seminary, MS

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HATTIESBURG

Called Lofty Return 

University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS

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ALABAMA

FORKLAND, AL

Home made tin man.

14491 US 43, Forkland, AL

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MONTGOMERY, AL

WL WORLD’S LARGEST

“sigh” Like every other day, we loose the light too soon. Here we are shining the car’s headlights on this monolithic brick. Until 2007 it held the Guinness record for the world’s largest brick. (Don’t know where the current one is.)

10200 US, Hwy 80, Montgomery, AL

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TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS Day 3

Day 3, February 22, 2018

We are up and at ’em early today. The weather is fabulous, and we are headed to Avery Island. But first a tour of Slidell to see the pelicans.

SLIDELL, LA

Pelicans on Parade! Another great community art project. Most of the pelicans are on Old
Spaniah Trail and Ponchetrain Dr. and are amusingly dressed up as various occupations.

    

    

   
(Other statues: Captain – 2000 Old Spanish Trail; Captain – 7901 Berg St, New Orleans;
Slidell police – 2112 3rd St; Dentist – 380 Oak Harbor Blvd; Cow – 3030 Pontchartrain Dr;
Marine – 3154 Pontchartrain Dr; Builder – 3735 Pontchartrain Dr;                                      Lions club – 356 Cleveland Ave; Funeral – 2430 Fourth St; Football – 311 Robert St, Slidell;
Victorian – Front St @ Erlanger)

Ah, yes! Crawfish! This one is outside NOLA Southern Grill. Seven A.M. might be too early to eat them though.

1375 Gause Blvd, Slidell, LA 

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DES ALLEMANDS

Nice catfish!

3682 US Hwy 90 Des Allemands, LA

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AVERY ISLAND

Home of ALL the Tobasco sauce in the world. When my wife suggested this trip, I was “Meh!” but now that I’m here it’s like visiting the Grand Canyon – absolutely fascinating.

As well as the self guided tour, which included a primer on how Tabasco Sauce is made, and it’s history, we got to see the storage warehouse where all the barrels are stored while aging. We also had a yummy lunch – a sausage sampler with various Tabasco dipping sauces – and some free samples. Plus there is a gift shop where you can buy various products and related giftware (we stocked up on a dipping sauce that I don’t think is available in Canada.) And of course, there were BIG things!

 

                    Hwy 329, Avery Island, LA 70513

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ABBEVILLE, LA

Three big storage tanks at the Steen’s Syrup Mill in downtown Abbeville are painted to look like yellow  Pure Cane Syrup containers. 16682 gallons is a LOT of syrup!

119 Main St., Abbeville, LA

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LAFAYETTE, LA

Big tools for a big job.

7424 Johnston St., Lafayette, LA

Donut – yum!

5611 Johnston St, Lafayette, LA

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A very pretty stained glass Butterfly

1801 W Pinhook Rd Lafayette, LA
parking lot of the Best Western Acadiana Motel

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Pretty cool revolving loaf of bread.

720 W Simcoe St, Lafayette, LA

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These sculptures of heads are in front of the courthouse. Not sure what the message is here? The Justice System has no brain?

John M Shaw United States Courthouse, 800 Lafayette St, Lafayette, LA 

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RAYNE, LA

Frogs! Rayne is billed as the Frog Capital of the World (see here for the reason). This dude is waiting at the edge of town to greet guests.

200 Oak St, Rayne, LA

Rayne boasts an extensive community art project featuring 110 frog statues! They represent a wide range of occupations, from policeman to priest. Note the preponderance of bow ties – these are Southern gentlemen, after all!

Officer Ribbit

This dentist has a great smile.

Scouting rocks!

Hope there are no frog legs on the menu!

This is my favourite. While posing with the frog in front of Frog Capital Boxing Club, one of the boxers, (name slips my mid – something Emmanuel – sorry buddy) came out and posed with us.

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BREAUX BRIDGE, LA

Our last stop of the day was for dinner at Crazy Bout Crawfish, which just happened to have said crawfish out front. We had a great meal – shared a seafood platter. We couldn’t face the crawfish platter – after watching a table of 90 year old women polish off platter after platter of the little red beasts, I knew we couldn’t do them justice.

1905 Rees St, Breaux Bridge, LA 

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TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS, Day 2

February 21, 2018

We stayed overnight in Slidell, and crossed our fingers that the trip into NOLA wouldn’t be a nightmare. Despite the bridges, it was really OK. It was early and pleasantly warm, so we crossed the city to take in some bayou at the John Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. Then back to the city to take in the sights.

NEW ORLEANS, LA

At the entrance to Storyland Park, located in NOLA City Park

    

My favourite Big Things sculptor! Claes Oldenburg embraced the idea of oversized everyday objects with a passion, and his works are in world class sculpture gardens everywhere. I hope to see as many in person as possible. This giant safety pin is in the sculpture garden at the New Orleans Museum of Art, a jewel in NOLA’s City Park. More about Claes Oldenurg at this link to Wikipedia, Claes Oldenburg

Spider by Louise Bourgeois, the artist who created Ottawa’s Maman, The sculpture Maman also has homes at the Tate and the Guggenheim, and numerous other permanent locations, as well as travelling works. For more about the artist, check this link to Wikipedia, Louise BourgeoisSydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, NOLA Museum of Art, off Victory Ave.

Finally, we arrive at the French Quarter. It is one week after Mardi Gras, the trees are still draped in beads, and the city appears to be recovering from a massive hangover. In relative peace, we got to enjoy the old city, drink chicory coffee and eat beignets at Cafe du Monde, check out Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop (oldest bar in America!), have a Hurricane at Pat O’brien’s and generally enjoy the architecture.

New Orleans Jazz Museum, 400 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA

ELMWOOD, LA

No trip to New Orleans would be complete without a stop at Beads by the Dozen – the perfect place to buy a few kilos of Mardi Gras beads! We did find some nice souvenirs to tuck in our Christmas tree.

Some people just don’t know when the party is over!

    333 Edwards Ave., Elmwood, Louisiana

 

NEW ORLEANS, LA

Another of those incidental sightings – giant keys!

                       525 Jefferson Hwy, New Orleans                    5104 Jefferson Hwy, New Orleans

JEFFERSON, LA

Amusing balloon dog in support of the SPCA

100 Central Avenue Jefferson, LA 

NEW ORLEANS, LA

At Ted’s Frostop, just off of Claiborne Avenue. After Hurricane Katrina, the owners found it’s iconic giant root beer mug knocked off its pole and perfectly upside down. It stayed that way for some time, but has now been remounted on it’s pole. That is the end of Day 1 in New Orleans. We have run out of light again, but this time it worked out great, as the mug is lit with neon lights.

3100 Calhoun St, New Orleans, LA

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TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS, Day 1

February 20 2018

So after a short break, we are headed to New Orleans!

ALABAMA

EUFALA, AL

Manny the bass – erected to celebrate the life of lure maker Tom Mann, originator of the Jelly Worm and hundreds of other well-known lures

404 East Broad Street. Eufaula AL

TROY, AL

Violata Pax Dove. Migrated here from Florida.

Behind the International Arts Center, Frank Ross Stewart Hall, Troy University, Troy AL

I can’t remember where this was in Troy – the street sign in the background says Memorial Parkway.

Memorial Parkway, Troy AL

ANDALUSIA, AL

Apparently Andalusia is the White Shirt Capital of the World! The shirt was erected to memorialize the garment industry Find out about the Big White Shirt here.

700 River Falls St, Andalusia, AL

Farther down the road at a gas station where these three.

Giant leaping deer

Kiss the fish for good luck

Classy pig!

1102 Western Bypass, Andalusia, AL

FLORIDA

PENSACOLA, FL

Our trip justs nips the corner of Florida.

I always like a community art project. The Pensacola Pelicans are at various
locations – most along Palafox. Most of the pelicans are in the historic
downtown district, along north-south N. Palafox St., between Wright and
Main Sts, with a few on side streets. The cyclist is my favourite – I like his snazzy helmet.

 

    

 

 

PENSACOLA, FL

Apparently the wheels turn on this big roller skate, and it gets used in local parades. I think the laces might be old fire hoses!

1002 Navy Blvd, Pensacola, FL

back to ALABAMA

ELBERTA, AL

There a number of odd sculptures here, but only the Lady in the Lake and the spider fill my criteria – well worth the side trip if you enjoy the truly odd. Keep in mind the Lady is taken out of the water if there is a bad storm.

For more info, check out Lady in the Lake

Barber Marina, 26986 Fish Trap Rd., Elberta, AL

GULF SHORES, AL

Ah yes, there’s nothing like a good tourist trap for finding Big Things. Check out the dental work!

200 Gulf Shores Pkwy Gulf Shores, AL

Octopus getting pretty handsy. The tentacles wind through the building.

301 Gulf Shores Pkwy., Gulf Shores, AL

Outside The Hangout – restaurant, bar, and live music venue on the beach, with a surfer theme.

The Hangout – 101 E Beach Blvd, Gulf Shores, AL

FOLEY, AL

There was a veritable zoo at Riviera Stone – Giraffes and hippos and Gorillas Oh My! but only the chicken was larger than life.

Riviera Stone, 1908 N McKenzie St, Foley, AL

DAPHNE, AL

A Veteran’s Memorial – looks better when the flag isn’t wound around the pole, but we were losing light, so I was happy to get this.

2400 Old Spanish Trail, Daphne, AL

FAIRHOPE, AL

A bit of a sudden shower, but I had to jump out and get a pic of this book anyway. That’s dedication for you!

501 Fairhope Ave, Fairhope, AL

SPANISH FORT, AL

Definitely fishing in the dark at this point – pretty good catch though!

3775 Battleship Pkwy, Spanish Fort, AL

I’m completely out of control now – its so dark we are shining the headlights of the car on things to get photos! Nice dental tools!

6525 Spanish Fort Blvd, Spanish Fort, AL

Giant paper clip – not the largest (that would be in Kipling, Saskatchewan or Miass, Russia) but still noteworthy.

6471 AL-3, Spanish Fort, AL

That’s it for Alabama on this trip. Next stop – Mississippi.

MISSISSIPPI

GULFPORT, MS

Because I tried to fit too much into one day, we have to miss the potential sites I had lined up in Mississippi, and only stop in Gulfport. Even then, trying to get enough light on this chair was a challenge.

11451 Canal Rd., Gulfport, MS

A six hour direct trip took us 14 hours with side trips!

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TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS, Day 3 continued

Day 3, February 15 2018 continued

SOUTH CAROLINA

COLUMBIA, SC

I was looking around for the Big Dog that might need this fire hydrant – then I saw the “No Dogs” sign – hilarious!!!!

near 1600 Marion St, Columbia, SC but on Taylor St

Columbia, SC

The Gamecock is the mascot for the University of South Carolina sports teams. Located beside the Mellow Mushroom, this bird gets new plumage on a regular basis.

 1009 Gervais St, Columbia, SC

COLUMBIA, SC

Pretty cool chains. Not sure if there is a story (Slavery? Unity?). They were installed in 2000.

1500 block of Main St, Columbia, SC

Whew! That’s it! Next stop Columbus Georgia to spend time with our son, then on to New Orleans!

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Off to New Orleans, Day 3 on our way to Georgia

Day 3, February 15 2018

NORTH CAROLINA

MOUNT AIRY, NC

Hillbilly Bake Shop and Ice cream and Creamery

153 N Main St, Mount Airy, NC

MOUNT AIRY, NC

What could be more wholesome than milk in the land of Mayberry?

594 N Andy Griffith Pkwy, Mount Airy, NC

KING, NC

Giant Milk Shake

365 E Dalton Rd., King, NC

WINSTON-SALEM, NC

Some times we are so busy finding interesting BIG THINGS (like this Coffee Pot) that we forget to check out other attractions. I feel we missed out in quaint, historical Winston-Salem. It was too early for anything to be open, but it looked like it was a good place to spend a couple of hours.

408 S Main St, Winston-Salem, NC

WINSTON-SALEM, NC

Where’s the BEEF! Looks like it’s up a pole!

653 Waughtown St., Winston-Salem, NC

WINSTON-SALEM, NC

Charming, vintage gas station shaped like a shell. I think I’m pretty safe assuming it was a Shell station.

                 1111 E Sprague St., Winston-Salem, NC

JAMESTOWN, NC

*WL WORLD’S LARGEST HIGHBOY DRESSER

Amazing facade for Furnitureland South. At eighty feet tall, it is one HUGE dresser!
5635 Riverdale Dr, Jamestown, NC

HIGH POINT, NC

*WL WORLD’S LARGEST DRESSER

Oddly placed on a residential street, this piece is a big as a house! Billed as the WORLD’S LARGEST DRESSER. It apparently gets new socks on a regular basis – don’t know if they are the world’s largest, though.

508 North Hamilton St., High Point, NC

HIGH POINT, NC

Bike has seen better days, but it is BIG.

2000 N Main St, High Point, NC 

THOMASVILLE, NC

*WL WORLD’S LARGEST DUNCAN PHYFE CHAIR

Nice lyre or harp back chair. Billed as the World’s Largest Chair, but let’s be real – I’ve seen bigger. I’m willing to let it be the world’s largest Duncan Phyfe Chair, though.
6 W Main St, Thomasville, NC

LINWOOD, NC

Bill’s Truck Stop. Large prospector or hillbilly waves to motorists on the highway.

1210 Snider Kines Rd, Linwood, NC

CHARLOTTE, NC

Charlotte Panthers Stadium
800 S Mint St, Charlotte, NC

CHARLOTTE, NC

I don’t know if this is larger than life, because for the life of me I don’t know what it is! It’s affectionately referred to as Disco Chicken.

420 S. Tryon St., Charlotte, NC

CHARLOTTE, NC

So these are along the lines of See no Evil, Hear no Evil, Speak no Evil. Right? These are in a parkette with several sculptures that (which?) incorporate the instruments of writing — typewriter keys, quill pen, stacks of books — as a tribute to a local newspaper publisher (According to Roadside America)

    

Big stubby pensil

Giant typewriter keys

A stack of famous quotes

  A legend in my own mind!!!

 300 East 7th St, Charlotte, NC

CHARLOTTE, NC

Interesting sculptures on the four corners of Independence Square at Trade and Tyrone, representing Commerce, Transportation, Industry and The Future.

            Corner of Trade and Tyrone, Charlotte, NC

CHARLOTTE, NC

Lovely koi.

 parkette across from Charlotte Convention Center – 501 S College St., Charlotte, NC

 

CHARLOTTE, NC

Stacked books.

    parkette across from Charlotte Convention Center – 501 S College St., Charlotte, NC

CHARLOTTE, NC

This is AMAZING. The silvery head is made up of 40 slices that rotate more or less randomly, and form a perfect head every hour or so. Called Metamorphosis, it is located in a technology park.

   3700 Arco Corporate Dr., Charlotte, NC

 

 

Off to New Orleans, Day 2 on our way to Georgia

Day 2, February 14 2018

WEST VIRGINIA

MARTINSBURG, WV

Martinsburg High – Home of the Bulldogs

701 S Queen St, Martinsburg, WV

MARTINSBURG, WV

605 W. King St., Martinsburg, WV

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VIRGINIA

WINCHESTER, VA

We are in Apple Country!!!

N. Braddock St., Winchester

WINCHESTER, VA

                                                  740 N Loudoun St, Winchester 

WINCHESTER, VA

An apple dedicated to famous, (and infamous?) homeboys, including Richard Byrd, arctic explorer.

522 W. Piccadilly Street, Winchester

WINCHESTER, VA

220 E Cork St, Winchester

WINCHESTER, VA

What could be more appropriate than this apple at White House Foods – where they make apple cider vinegar!

White House Foods, 701 Fairmont Ave, Winchester

SHENANDOAH CAVERNS, VA

    Caverns Rd, Shenandoah Caverns, VA

NEW MARKET, VA

Johnnie Appleseed has seen better days. Not sure why he is depicted as a simpleton? Doesn’t seem like good product branding!

“Johnny Appleseed statues which were built for the Johnny Appleseed restaurant chain.
These statues are about 14 feet tall and came in two styles, probably from two different
artists. Both types hold apples and wear upside down pots on their heads. They were designed to talk when you pressed a button.. The standing New Market statue’s legs were
damaged by a car at some point and repaired by an auto body shop.
Therefore, his stance is a little irregular. In 2008, this statue’s voicebox was repaired.
He hadn’t been talking since at least the 1990s. The New Market restaurant closed in 2016.”

162 W Old Cross Rd, New Market, in front of the Quality Inn

HARRISONBURG, VA

Another Bulldog – this time at James Madison University.

Athletic Performance Center,  Champions Drive, Harrisonburg, VA

STAUNTON, VA

These following metal sculptures were all created by the same company.

Greenville Ave at 11 south, Staunton VA

STAUNTON, VA

1412 N Augusta St., Staunton, VA

STAUNTON, VA

765 Middlebrook Ave, Staunton, VA

STAUNTON, VA

500 N Augusta St., Staunton VA

 

LEXINGTON, VA

Kind of a untidy, which is too bad. The owner obligingly turned on the pot (note the steam coming out the spout!) Note the addition of the coffee mug!! with ferocious guard cat 🙂

1870 East Midland Trail, Lexington, VA

LYNCHBURG, VA

Lynchburg Fighting Hornets

  Lynchburg College, Shellenberger Field and Turner Gymnasium

LYNCHBURG, VA

 Amazement Square, 37 9th St Lynchburg, VA

LYNCHBURG, VA

My wife says this is as close as she will get to owning Ferragamo’s. She has shoe envy!

1312 Commerce St., Lynchburg, VA

BEDFORD, VA

Not sure why he’s holding a golf club – a new game? Basegolf?

954 Burks Hill Rd, Bedford VA

THAXTON, VA

 1010 Little Apple Dr., Thaxton VA

ROANOKE, VA

1742 Memorial Ave. SW, Roanoke, VA

ROANOKE, VA

At Northwest True Value Hardware

2303 Williamson Rd NE, Roanoke, VA

ROANOKE, VA

Oh no! Another giant paint can!

7650 Williamson Rd., Hollins, VA

WYTHEVILLE, VA

Note to self – that is one BIG pensil!

Wytheville Virginia Office Supply

146 W Main St, Wytheville, VA

And that was the end of Day 2. Canada to the edge of North Carolina, where we ran out of light. But you can see we went from parkas, thru sweaters to short sleeves. We have driven from Winter to Spring! Over 700 miles (1125 km)

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Off to New Orleans, Day 1 on our way to Georgia, continued

Day 1, February 13 2018 continued

MARYLAND

GREENCASTLE, MD

This would definitely make one heck of a bang!

13643 Molly Pitcher Hwy, Greencastle, PA

HAGERSTOWN, MD

Not the biggest chair I’ve seen, but the bluest!

13402 Pennsylvania Ave., Hagerstown, MD

HAGERSTOWN, MD

My car is being attacked by a giant crab.

300 Summit Ave., Hagerstown, MD, Chic’s Seafood

HAGERSTOWN, MD

And our third siting in Hagerstown!

100 Western Maryland Pkwy, Hagerstown, MD

Off to New Orleans, Day 1 on our way to Georgia, continued

Day 1, February 13 2018 continued

Things are not going well when it comes to writing up this blog – I’m three trips behind. I’m going to have to condense things a little – be less wordy. After all, it’s about the pictures, right?

PENNSYLVANIA

RIDGEWAY, PA

Animatronic dog head on the roof of the local radio station – WDDH 97.5 The Pound!

14902 Boot Jack Rd. Ridgway, PA 15853

RIDGEWAY, PA

Big boots to fill.

Near 14902 Boot Jack Rd. Ridgway, PA 15853

BEDFORD, PA

If this doesn’t get me started in the morning, nothing will!

County Fairgrounds 108 Telegraph Rd,

EVERETT, PA

If I had a quarter for every Big Thing I’ve seen……

134 Rivers Bend Dr, Everett, PA

 

SHADE GAP, PA

Being a Big Fan of colouring myself, I can really appreciate some Big Crayons!

22251 Shade Valley Rd, Shade Gap, PA

 

SHIPPENSBURG, PA

On the flip side, I hate painting with a passion, so a can of paint this size made me break out in a cold sweat.

1000 Mt Rock Rd, Shippensburg

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Off to New Orleans – Day 1, on our way to Georgia

Day 1, February 13 2018

West Valley, NY

Our plan is to spend a few days driving down to Columbus Georgia, a few days with our son, then on to New Orleans.

Up and at ’em, on the road and across the border by 6 am. Our route took us through Buffalo, and our first planned stop is Bradford PA. But of course there are always those unplanned sightings on the side of the road. The first one was just south of Springville NY, where we spotted this fearsome insect and not-so-scary dragon.

    Location: 10155 Ashford Hollow Rd, West Valley, New York

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Bradford, PA

Our first planned stop was the home of the Zippo lighter – Bradford, PA. On Barbour St you can see not only the giant lighter on the Zippo building, but the street itself lined with large lighters on the light standards. Apparently all the flames light up at night, which must be pretty cool.

       

Location: 33 Barbour St., Bradford PA

Even more interesting was the Zippo Museum – a pretty good freebie, and some time to stretch our legs. Everything you ever wanted to know about this iconic lighter, and a peak at the repair centre. The things people have done to their lighters is AMAZING!!!  It is also the home of CASE knives. Worth a stop for the history (click here for Zippo Museum info)

   

Location:  1932 Zippo Drive, Bradford, PA

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