Check out part 2 as well!

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I have made enough road trips in the United States to understand a thing or two about the American highway system. It is nothing more than an outstretched circus sideshow with each act trying to outperform the next in all directions. You know you’ve seen them. The weird statues on the side of the road in each state—desperately hoping you will decide to use their kooky attraction as a pee stop. Everyone wants to say they’ve been to the site of the “World’s Largest Tire” or the “World’s Largest Artichoke,” right? And there’s no way of proving that unless you take a gazillion pictures or buy a T-shirt. We hope you brought cash. Oh, but if you didn’t… we have an ATM placed in the lobby for your convenience! Yes, these sites feed off the weary travelers looking for a cheap (or sometimes not-so-cheap) thrill. Here are a few of my favorites.

1.) The World’s Largest Chair – Anniston, AL

Don’t get too comfortable in this not-so-La-Z boy. This 33-foot chair, the trophy winner among other chairs across the country and world who have vied for this title, was built in the 1980s as an advertisement for Miller’s Office Furniture Store in Anniston, AL.

2.) The World’s Largest Thermometer – Baker, CA

It’s hard to compete with the shimmering lights and buzz of the Las Vegas Strip. Being so close to Nevada in the Death Valley region of California, the town of Baker had to do something. This location was also chosen because it is the site of America’s highest recorded temperature to date: 134 degrees Fahrenheit in Death Valley, CA, in 1913.

I don’t remember seeing this part on my trip, but apparently, a frying pan with eggs rests on a rock nearby as a permanent testament to the boiling heat of the local climate.

3.) Harold’s Auto Shop Dinosaur – Spring Hill, FL

This is a nod to my hometown—a wacky roadside truck stop as its own – Spring Hill, FL. We may be one of the most boring towns on the Florida map, but we do have something to offer the world: dinosaurs. Our little stretch of the U.S. 19 is home to two dinosaurs, approximately two miles from each other. The first is actually the shell of a functioning repair shop, formerly a gas station when it opened in 1964.

Its neighbor dinosaur is a bright pink dinosaur who serves no apparent function other than just being a dinosaur. Both are worth seeing if you ever find yourself in this neck of the woods.

4.) King of Kings Statue “Touchdown Jesus” – Monroe, OH

Jesus really was the jack-of-all trades. We all know about his magical stunts of walking on water and turning water into wine. But he was also a celebrated football player. Monroe, OH, chose to memorialize him for his sports achievements by erecting a 42-foot, roadside statue of him in a triumphant post-touchdown pose outside of Solid Rock Church on I-75.

Unfortunately, Jesus’s victorious moment was shattered when the statue was struck by lightning and caught fire on June 15, 2010. I was one of the lucky travelers to see the spectacle before it was destroyed.

5.) Foam Henge – Natural Bridge, VA

The area of Natural Bridge, VA, is what happens when a silly roadside attraction begets more silly roadside attractions and spawns an entire town of them. This dominates highway exits for several miles and typically leads to fast-food establishments and gas stations all catering to a miniature civilization of bizarreness.

Natural Bridge is home to, of course, the Natural Bridge. Don’t mistake this for the Natural Bridge National Monument in Utah. This one was formed after a cavern collapsed and left the small span of rock that stands there today. Somehow, thanks to no geological occurrence, this cavern collapse also led to the development of a toy museum, a haunted house, a wax museum, and Foamhenge.

Foamhenge is a full-size replica of Stonehenge made entirely of Styrofoam. This was designed by Mark Cline, a fiberglass sculptor, who we will discuss more in a minute. At first glance, you would think you were in England looking at the actual natural wonder Stonehenge.

6.) The Town that Time Forgot – Glasgow, VA

Speaking of dinosaurs and speaking of Mark Cline, he also designed a dozen of fiberglass dinosaurs who are inhabitants of “The Town that Time Forgot.” A real-life Jurassic Park, this town is just your typical middle-America-kind-of-town – plus dinosaurs. Tyrannosaurus Rex now stands beside the BP gas station, a Pterodactyl perches atop the hunting supply store, and a Triceratops guards the Mom & Pop Restaurant and Hotel.

7.) World’s Smallest City Block – Dothan, AL

I didn’t know how legit this was until I saw it posted as an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records. No larger than a tombstone, this tiny, gravel triangle includes all the components of a city block— a mulch median, intersecting street signs, a stop sign, and a yield sign. This gives a whole new, less impressive meaning to your grandparents’ claim of walking “ten blocks” to school in the snow.

8.) World’s Largest Turtle – Dunseith, ND

What do you do with 2,000 car wheel rims lying around in your garage? Well, build a turtle, of course! In 1982, George Gottbrecht faced that dilemma and decided to create the W’eel Turtle, in honor of the famous Turtle Mountains State Park. Best time to visit is Christmastime when the turtle dons a Santa hat. I can’t think of anything more festive than an enormous metal turtle celebrating the holiday season!

Bloggin’ America is about Ami Rehnquist, a 14-year old that has lived in the small town of Sweet Home, Oregon, all of her life. She, along with the rest of her family members, have never seen any part of the country outside of Oregon. A spontaneous idea takes flight when her family decides to leave all of their everyday possessions and obligations behind for a year as they move into an RV and visit every state. Take the journey with Ami as she posts continuous updates of her trip. The story cannot be told without the readers who help create it — readers like YOU! Follow her activities through her blog or on Twitter. Give her recommendations for places to eat/visit in the states of your hometown.

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1.) Man travels world for free using only the help of Twitter

A man from Newcastle upon Tyne, UK decided to see if he could travel to the other side of the Earth in 30 days using only the kindness of Twitter users. Paul Smith had some rules he established for himself. He couldn’t make any plans further than 3 days in advance, could only spend money on food, drink and anything he could fit in his suitcase, and if he couldn’t find a way to move to the next location within 2 days, the trip would end. Starting with a ferry ride to Amsterdam, Smith moved across Europe, landed in New York, and then made it all the way to Los Angeles. Once in LA, he flew to New Zealand, hoping to land in Campbell Island, his destination. Unfortunately, he never made it to Campbell Island, and had to accept his trip ending on Stewart Island. He even met Liv Tyler.

Paul's Twitchhiking route

2.) Man proposes to his wife via Twitter

While this may seem a little too outrageous for some, it worked for them. It may be a new trend starting as other couples have started getting engaged on Twitter.

3.) Woman sued for $50,000 for talking bad about her apartment’s realty

Amanda Bonnen wrote this tweet in reply to a friend. When the Chicago-based Horizon Realty found out, they slapped a $50,000 libel lawsuit on Bonnen. The lawsuit was dismissed. Strangely enough, Amanda Bonnen only had 17 followers at the time of her statement.

4.) Guy tweets he was in a plane crash as he was getting out of the wreckage

Mike Wilson had just been in a plane crash. Continental Airlines Flight 1404 veered off-course before take-off and crashed at Denver International Airport and ended in a ditch. Once Wilson escaped to safety, he prompted tweeted this:

He then kept tweeting about the event and even posted a picture of the crash. He was the first to break the news.

5.) Brothers reunite after finding each other on Twitter

Matthew Keys was online doing his usual routine of checking his email and social networks when he saw a Twitter reply that caught his attention. It was from Adam Smith and it asked if his mother’s name was Jackie. As it turns out, the two men talked before on forum and talked on and off on MSN and Skype. They talked on the phone later that night and realized they were related to each other. Turns out, they are half-brothers. When going for an interview together, Matthew picked up Adam because they lived ten minutes apart. All from a Twitter reply.

6.) Man takes picture of plane crash in Hudson River

Of course, no Twitter story collection would be complete without the infamous Hudson River Twitpic. On a ferry to rescue passengers, Janis Krums snapped this photo of the plane on the Hudson with this caption: “There’s a plane in the Hudson. I’m on the ferry going to pick up the people. Crazy.” It was this picture that broke the story, even before the New York Times and other media outlets.

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1.) Poison Dart Frog

This little guy may be cute, but he’s a killer. At only 2 inches long, poison dart frogs are among the most poisonous species on Earth. In fact, one particular species, the Golden Poison Dart Frog, is considered to be the most poisonous vertebrae in the world. The frog secretes their poison, which makes them have a slimy look. One frog can produce enough poison to kill 10-20 human adults or 20,000 mice. Only 2 micrograms of dart frog poison is needed to kill a person. Amerindians would use this poison collected from the frog and poison the tips of their darts and arrow. This is how the species got their name.

2.) Blue-Ring Octopus

The beautiful blue-ring octopus is best looked upon from a distance. The three species of blue-ringed octopus live in the Pacific Ocean and feast on crab and shrimp. The golf ball sized octopus carries enough venom to kill 26 human adults within minutes. There is also no antivenom for blue-ringed octopus bites. They are deadly because their bites are harmless and victims rarely feel it until it is too late. The respiratory system is disabled within minutes and the body becomes completely paralyzed. Just imagine being unable to call for help as you can’t breathe. This makes the Blue-Ringed Octopus one of the most venomous animals in the world.

3.) Stonefish

The stonefish may never win a beauty contest, but it is officially the world’s most venomous fish. The stonefish usually roams the tropical waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The Stonefish keeps it venom in its spiky dorsal fins that stick up whenever the creature feels threatened. Many divers end up getting those fins stuck on their feet because they couldn’t recognize the fish and stepped on them. The venom injected by the Stonefish is so painful that some victims have requested that the afflicted area be amputated immediately. It has been called the worst pain in the world. The venom causes shock, paralysis, tissue death and it can be fatal if not treated right away. The best way to treat the sting is by pouring water that is over 113°F on the affected area.

4.) Inland Taipan

Forget rattlesnakes. Forget cobras. Forget vipers. The Inland Taipan is the most venomous land snake in the world and resides in Australia. The average injection of venom from the Inland Taipan contains 44 mg. The maximum amount ever taken from a taipan was 110 mg. While 44 mg may not seem much, take into account that the median amount needed for a fatality is 0.03 mg. It only takes 45 minutes for death to occur. However, the Inland Taipan is a naturally shy animal, and will only bite if threatened, preferring to escape without confrontation. There have been no known fatalities from an Inland Taipan bite, and all bites have been on herpetologists handling the snakes and were treated with antivenom.

5.) Box Jellyfish

The Box Jellyfish is considered by some to be the most dangerous animal in the world. It has been responsible for over 5,500 deaths since the mid-1850s. Each tentacle on the creature has thousands of needles that inject venom. The venom completely shuts down the body, attacking the heart and nervous system. Some victims are unable to even reach the shore before the body starts shutting down. The pain from the sting can last for weeks sometimes in the most serious of cases.

6.) Brazilian Wandering Spider

The Brazilian Wandering Spider is the most venomous spider in the world. It can have a leg span of up to 4-5 inches and a length of almost 2 inches. What makes the Brazilian Wandering Spider so dangerous is that, true to its name, it wanders around in highly populated areas. It prefers dark areas, so closets, corners, attics and other areas are ideal for it. The amount of venom needed to kill a mouse is 6 micrograms, while the amount needed for a Black Widow to do the same is 110 micrograms. Another side effect of a Wandering Spider bite is priapism. What’s priapism? It causes erections that can last for hours and can eventually lead to impotence.

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