Backroad Odyssey : Travel Stories, Van Life & Road Trip Oddities

Noah Mulgrew
  • 5.0 (23)
  • PLACES & TRAVEL
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Traveling America's backroads, road trip experts - Noah and Noodles - explore fascinating locations overlooked while traveling.  Living out of a van, they unravel the - often shocking - story behind each neglected story or location. If you love travel, exploration and unique locations -  join us on the road! 

  1. The Parthenon, Y'all - The Gods Visit Nashville

    DEC 11

    The Parthenon, Y'all - The Gods Visit Nashville

    Nashville has a Parthenon ... why?  Nestled into Centennial Park in Nashville, Tennessee, lies an exact-size and detail replica of the original Parthenon in Athens, Greece.  The thrilling story of America's Parthenon might surprise you.  Safe travels!  Works Cited: https://www.jstor.org/stable/42626877?read-now=1&seq=12#page_scan_tab_contents https://www.jstor.org/stable/42626877?searchText=the+parthenon&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dthe%2Bparthenon%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fspellcheck_basic_search%2Ftest&refreqid=fastly-default%3A9d9ba02e0f9f5e7a7c507ab701fa1ffe&seq=7 https://www.jstor.org/stable/826893?read-now=1&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents https://www.jstor.org/stable/501468?read-now=1&seq=2#page_scan_tab_contents https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/parthenon/hurwit.html https://www.britishmuseum.org/about-us/british-museum-story/contested-objects-collection/parthenon-sculptures https://www.history.com/articles/parthenon-acropolis-ancient-greece-engineering https://library.nashville.gov/blog/2019/10/nashville-athens-southbut-why https://www.nashvilleparthenon.com/history https://www.stephdavidbaxter.com/the-nashville-parthenon/ https://www.greekmyths-greekmythology.com/athena-vs-poseidon-contest-name/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZDnv110iWo&t=498s https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-rise-and-fall-of-worlds-fairs-180979946/ 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 each adventure visually at: https://www.instagram.com/backroadsodyssey/

    31 min
  2. On the Road - Why Are Barns Red?

    DEC 2

    On the Road - Why Are Barns Red?

    Today, Midwestern highways inspire us to ask: Why are barns red? What defines the boundaries of the Midwest? Why are Hay Bales round? And finally, most controversially, perhaps, which Midwestern state has the worst drivers? Let's explore the answers as we hit the road!  Works Cited:  https://blogs.loc.gov/picturethis/2018/05/a-closer-look-why-barns-are-red/ https://dahp.wa.gov/barn-paint-colors https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/why-are-all-swedish-cottages-painted-red-180975914/ https://falurodfarg.com/en/about/the-story-of-the-red-cottage/ https://www.chicagomag.com/city-life/maybe-the-midwest-is-a-state-of-mind/ https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/18/us/midwest-states-harris-trump.html https://www.forbes.com/sites/kionasmith/2021/03/18/this-is-why-hay-bales-are-round/ https://www.vermeer.com/na/balers/history 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 each adventure visually at: https://www.instagram.com/backroadsodyssey/

    20 min
  3. The Savannah Story - America's First Urban Experiment

    NOV 25

    The Savannah Story - America's First Urban Experiment

    Today, we walk the oak-lined streets of Savannah, Georgia -  often referred to as America’s first truly planned city.  Savannah’s many parks, measured plots of land, and deeply walkable nature aren’t just an exercise in alternative city planning - the real story of Savannah’s creation might surprise you. The claim we’ll make today is this: Savannah, and Georgia itself to a degree, started as nothing less than a bold experiment challenging the way in which people should live. Curious? Let’s hit the road!  Works Cited:  https://www.jstor.org/stable/40584446?read-now=1&seq=25#page_scan_tab_contents https://www.jstor.org/stable/40577982?read-now=1&seq=13#page_scan_tab_contents https://www.jstor.org/stable/26413048?read-now=1&seq=41#page_scan_tab_contents https://www.jstor.org/stable/40550186?read-now=1&seq=24#page_scan_tab_contents https://www.jstor.org/stable/26228997?read-now=1&seq=9#page_scan_tab_contents https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/counties-cities-neighborhoods/savannah/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbyuNHCDdNM&t=78s https://archive.strongtowns.org/journal/2024/3/8/lessons-on-development-patterns-from-americas-oldest-planned-city https://www.asce.org/about-civil-engineering/history-and-heritage/historic-landmarks/city-plan-of-savannah 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 each adventure visually at: https://www.instagram.com/backroadsodyssey/

    28 min
  4. Travel Stories - Second Families and Road Trip Air Fryers

    NOV 13

    Travel Stories - Second Families and Road Trip Air Fryers

    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 each adventure visually at: https://www.instagram.com/backroadsodyssey/

    47 min
  5. The Driftless - Caves, Hills, and the Myth of Flyover Country

    OCT 9

    The Driftless - Caves, Hills, and the Myth of Flyover Country

    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-park Potosi, Wisconsin  https://www.potosibrewery.com/ Governor Dodge State Park https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/govdodge Mines of Spain -  Dubuque, Iowa https://www.minesofspain.org/ Highway 20, East of Dubuque Works Cited:  https://www.jstor.org/stable/30068294?searchText=glacial%20movement&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dglacial%2Bmovement%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A7adbd841d5b02ad978f1d3558444b56b https://www.jstor.org/stable/30054867?searchText=the+driftless+region&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dthe%2Bdriftless%2Bregion%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3Ada2488f7a1a6ca5cd9e7a59f1218795c&seq=1 https://data.wgnhs.wisc.edu/pubshare/ES057.pdf https://eaglebluffmn.org/driftless/ https://www.iowadnr.gov/places-go/state-parks/all-parks/maquoketa-caves-state-park https://scholarworks.uni.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1430&context=jias https://www.wisconservation.org/the-driftless-region/ https://geology.utah.gov/map-pub/survey-notes/glad-you-asked/ice-ages-what-are-they-and-what-causes-them/ https://www.agatemag.com/2021/02/the-driftless-the-land-and-humans/ https://www.rafamedina.com/research/bryda/ 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 each adventure visually at: https://www.instagram.com/backroadsodyssey/

    22 min
  6. Travel Stories : The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

    SEP 18

    Travel Stories : The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

    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 and discover overlooked locations. Follow each adventure visually at: https://www.instagram.com/backroadsodyssey/

    24 min
  7. The Birthplace of Iowa - The Fiddler and The Forge

    SEP 2

    The Birthplace of Iowa - The Fiddler and The Forge

    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!  Works Cited:  https://www.jstor.org/stable/3740672?read-now=1&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents https://www.npr.org/2016/04/06/473268312/before-it-was-dangerous-lead-was-the-miracle-metal-that-we-loved https://www.telegraphherald.com/news/features/article_1f520a43-4d6a-5677-b7f8-f9e490a79c91.html https://ouriowaheritage.com/honoring-the-ioway-tribe-of-johnson-county/ https://www.iowapbs.org/iowapathways/artifact/1442/julien-dubuque-lead-mining-and-mines-spain https://www.britannica.com/place/Dubuque https://papersofabrahamlincoln.org/events/E4015689 https://ouriowaheritage.com/2024/09/21/september-21-1832/ https://www.iowapbs.org/iowapathways/mypath/2668/path-statehood https://www.cityofdubuque.org/1060/History#:~:text=Dubuque%20is%20Iowa's%20oldest%20city,abundant%20amount%20of%20lead%20mines. https://www.britannica.com/event/Black-Hawk-War https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/french-exploratoin-mississippi-valley https://www.minesofspain.org/history/ https://ouriowaheritage.com/our-iowa-heritage-true-native-iowans/ https://ouriowaheritage.com/our-iowa-heritage-the-discovery/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9TLFqW0nCo https://uipress.lib.uiowa.edu/bdi/DetailsPage.aspx?id=102 https://www.minnesotatrap.com/history-in-the-making/shot 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 each adventure visually at: https://www.instagram.com/backroadsodyssey/

    26 min
  8. Van Life Diaries - Theodore Roosevelt National Park

    AUG 14

    Van Life Diaries - Theodore Roosevelt National Park

    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.jstor.org/stable/2711623?read-now=1&seq=6#page_scan_tab_contents https://www.jstor.org/stable/23349843?read-now=1&seq=28#page_scan_tab_contents https://www.nps.gov/thro/learn/historyculture/park-history.htm https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-national-parks/theodore-roosevelt https://npshistory.com/publications/roosevelt/index.htm https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/theodore-roosevelt-national-park-examining-a-complicated-legacy https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/parks/theodore-roosevelt-national-park/geology-theodore-roosevelt-national-park https://www.nps.gov/thro/learn/nature/bison-buffalo.htm 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 each adventure visually at: https://www.instagram.com/backroadsodyssey/

    21 min
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Traveling America's backroads, road trip experts - Noah and Noodles - explore fascinating locations overlooked while traveling.  Living out of a van, they unravel the - often shocking - story behind each neglected story or location. If you love travel, exploration and unique locations -  join us on the road! 

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