Welcome to the van as we dig up travel stories from the DEPTHS of Reddit! Abby (of Hooks.and.hops) joins us to discuss traveling air fryers, solo expeditions, and obvious vacations with second families. Buckle up and enjoy this week's laid-back conversation! Noah and Noodles here! We want to extend a heartfelt thanks to every listener of Backroad Odyssey. Your support fuels our passion and inspires us to keep sharing stories and discover overlooked locations. Follow...

Today, we explore a region shrouded in mystery … An isolated land of rugged hills, carved river valleys, and secluded relics of ages past. The American Midwest. Specifically, a region untouched by the many terraforming glaciers that flattened much of what we now refer to as the Upper Midwest. What we find might surprise you... Recording Locations: Maquoketa Caves State Parkhttps://www.iowadnr.gov/places-go/state-parks/all-parks/maquoketa-caves-state-pa...

Welcome to our inaugural collection of travel stories from the depths of Reddit, where my dog Noodles and I react to online tales that range from bone-chilling to heartwarming. After two years on the road, Noodles and I craft informed commentary on Reddits wildest travel stories; the good, the bad and the ugly. Noah and Noodles here! We want to extend a heartfelt thanks to every listener of Backroad Odyssey. Your support fuels our passion and inspires us to keep sharing stories a...

What is the REAL story of Iowa? Nestled among the limestone bluffs along the Mississippi River, we unearth the curious origin of Iowa as told through the story of its first permanent European settler, Julien Dubuque. … What was Iowa like before statehood? How, when, and why did it become a state? Finally, WHY should you care? Noodles and I explore these questions (and much more!) as we delve into the surprising history of our home state. Safe travels!...

Today we visit the North Dakota Badlands where the too often overlooked Theodore Roosevelt National Park lingers in the shadows... While there, we answer the following questions: How did Theodore Roosevelt come to have a National Park named after him? Why is this sidelined National Park unique? Why should you add this fascinating park to your travel bucket list? We'll also answer listener questions at the end - safe travels! Works Cited: https://www...

Noodles and I summit Lookout Mountain to explore the monumental conflict that occurred along its slopes. Why is the subsequently named "Battle Above the Clouds" overlooked? How is it significant in FULLY understanding the events of the American Civil War? Let's find out! Works Cited: https://www.jstor.org/stable/40575782?searchText=the+battle+of+chattanooga&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dthe%2Bbattle%2Bof%2Bchattanooga%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=...

In the bustling metropolis of Seattle, Washington - a curious resident claims the shadows beneath Aurora Bridge ... Those who dare to venture into its liar speak of its sheer size, stern gaze and possessive nature. But! Few can tell you the reason for the trolls residency. Noodles and I revisit our exploration into the thrilling origin of The Fremont Troll. Works Cited: https://www.seattletimes.com/life/a-brief-history-of-the-fremont-troll-a-menace-that-evokes-a-smil...

What's a National Park City? My dog Noodles and I hike the trails of America's FIRST 3National Park City - Chattanooga, Tennessee - to find out! The answer might surprise you ... We'll also answer listener question at the end - which include: How would you rank the National Parks you've been to? Just listened to the Civil War series, how much research would you recommend doing before visiting Gettysburg? What area of the country is most "van-friendly?" ...

What's the real story of West Virginia? Why is the state often ignored, stereotyped and forgotten? In what world do these questions explain the flurry of West Virginia Mothman sightings of the 1960's? We answer all this and more as we hike mountain trails and visit the small town of Point Pleasant, a location infamous for its association with the Mothman. Safe travels! Works Cited: https://www.jstor.org/stable/4242460?searchText=the+battle+of+point+pleasant&searc...

Today Noodles and I camp in the Haze of the Blue Ridge Mountains to answer the following questions: What are the blue ridge mountains? Why are they worth exploring? Why has this section of the country long been steeped in mystery, supernatural stories and the occasional strain of true crime. We also answer listener questions including: What place would you not revisit? What’s a funny story from the road? What makes van life worth it? Do you have a favorite Noo...

Why should we care about Ernest Hemingway's time in Key West? What did this great American novelist REALLY do and accomplish during his brief residency on the island from 1931 to 1939? My dog and I spend a week on the island to answer these - and more - questions ... Works Cited: Great, concise book about Hemingway's time in Key West: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/104236.Hemingway_s_Key_West https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/guide-hemingways...

A singular stretch of untamed wilderness lines Calirfonia's Northern Coast. A landscape so rugged and dramatic that the state's infamous 'route one' avoids it's sheer cliffs and crashing waves. My dog Noodles and I spend three days along this coast - while there we hear a love story. - We answer listener questions at the end, which include: How do you know where you're going next? Does your van get messy?Was there anything that surprised you in researching Plymouth Ro...

What’s the real story and legacy of Plymouth Rock? Did the so-called “Pilgrims” REALLY step upon that particular rock that fateful Autumn of 1620? Why and how did Plymouth Rock become the defining “Founding of America" Myth? My dog Noodles and I visit the rock in Plymouth Massachusetts to find out! Works Cited: https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv1wxsdq.7?searchText=plymouth+rock&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dplymouth%2Brock%26so%3Drel&a...

Who is The Skunk Ape? Noodles and I take the van to visit Skunk Ape Headquarters deep in the Florida Everglades in search of answers. We’ll also be answering listener question at the end, which include: What do you listen to while driving? Do you ever take showers in your van?How long does it take you to visit a location?How do you avoid conversation bias on the show? Brief Works Cited: https://www.skunkape.info/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/trail-flor...

The sparse fields of North Dakota hold a secret … Mysterious scrape metal statues populate the wind-swept landscape. The reason behind their labored construction and the harrowing story of the man who built them - that’s a story worth telling. This is the fable of the Enchanted Highway… Works Cited: https://www.atlasobscura.com/videos/meet-the-man-who-built-north-dakota-s-enchanted-highway https://www.ndtourism.com/regent/attractions-entertainment/family-fun/...

How much do we REALLY know about eclipses? My answer one year ago would have been - not much. - To amend this, my dog and I witness a total solar eclipse and - nearly a year later - a lunar eclipse in Southern Florida. We use each experience to explore the profound cultural, historical and scientific significance of eclipses. Sit back, relax and join our venture into cosmic happenings well beyond the walls of our small van ... Listener questions at the end of the episode include: ...

Crater of Diamonds State Park is the only place in the world where the public can search for natural diamonds at their volcanic source. The 37 acre eroded volcanic crater sees hopeful prospectors prying through loose soil - hoping to find more than just dirt Some do … some do not … Regardless, the history of the park is just as fascinating as the diamonds that litter its ground. My dog Noodles and I visit the field in the hopes of striking it rich! Work...

America sleeps far away from the impending conflicts of World War II. Despite this VAST distance, an anxiety lingers in the mind of American President - Franklin D. Roosevelt … My dog Noodles and I scale WWII observation towers along the Delaware coast - and use the story of their construction to illustrate the deep anxieties present in the pre-war American government. All this is to say: The slow buildup to American involvement in The Second World War; is more inter...

Abandoned towns are scattered throughout the American Landscape. These remnants of bygone eras tempt us to speculate about the lives of those that left … Why did they leave? What makes the American West particularly populated with these so-called “Ghost Towns?” Noodles and I explore the desolate ghost town of Grafton - just south of Zion National Park - to find out! Recommendations: Good reference before visiting Grafton, the detour shouldn't take you more than two...

The Redwoods are home to the world’s tallest trees. WHAT'S the secret to their staggering growth? Why is this unique ecosystem worth visiting? Noodles and I hike deep into the Old-Growth Redwoods of Northern California to find out! - As always, we'll answer listener question at the end, which include: Have you had any cryptid encounters on the road? Is is hard to drive your van? Any national parks you'd like to go back to? What have the trees been telling yo...