Names & Places

Two or three years ago, I went on a road trip to beat all road trips. I started in North Idaho, went the Northern route ending up in South Carolina. I came back by the Southern States, up through the Ozarks, Branson Missouri, and on the the West coast by way of Phoenix, Arizona, thence back to Idaho.

One of the things I always wanted to write about, was some of the outstandingly funny names for some places. Now, I readily admit that I live right next door to Athol, Idaho, so I'm not picking on just one region.

Most of the fun stuff is in the South. I credit them with having outstanding senses of humor. For instance, how about Wetumpka, Alabama. This is a place that students reach high school age before they can spell their town's name...

Flippin, Arkansas...Now there is a town that must party a lot. How about Zephyrhills, Florida. Windy there perhaps. Oh yes, folks, there really is a Tallahatchee Bridge. It crosses the aforementioned River just past the Talladega Raceway of NASCAR fame. Nothing was being thrown off the bridge as I passed though.

Los Banos, California, which if I remember my Spanish is translated to, "the toilet", was an interesting name for a town, but I would have picked Rialto for that name, myself.

Anchorage, Alaska isn't hard to figure out, but how about Anchorage, Kentucky? Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is one of my favs, but Bug Tussle, Oklahoma beats it out.

Truth or Consequenses, New Mexico, named after the game show...

Some visualization is required for many of these names, but I urge you not to use that while considering Humptulips, Washington...