From Fish Flinging to Nuclear Waste Mountain—Don't Miss These Small-Town Legends

The most famous events and attractions in the U.S. are popular for a reason, and every motorcyclist should experience them at least once. But you’ll miss out on a lot of fun—and weirdness—if you ignore the small towns in between.

America’s unassuming towns and cities are full of fascinating things to see, do, and eat. However, it can be hard to find these grassroots attractions as they’re often not widely advertised.

Here’s a short compilation of various interesting and bizarre things you can find in small-town USA. 

Skunk Ape Research Headquarters—Ochopee, FL

We all know about Bigfoot, but what’s the skunk ape? Well, it’s more or less the same thing, but it lives in Florida instead of the Pacific Northwest.

The skunk ape is reportedly a large human-like creature lurking in the swamps of the Southeast. According to the legends, it emits a foul stench, from which it gets its name.

The Skunk Ape Research Headquarters in Ochopee, FL, is the hotspot for all things skunk ape. In addition to learning about this mythical cryptid, you can get on a nature tour of Florida’s swampland.

Located on US 41, the Skunk Ape Research Headquarters make for a fun addition to a Key West tour along Florida’s US 1.

Jimmy Carter Peanut—Plains, GA

Motoring through the “city” of Plains, GA, you may come across a mind-boggling sight. By the side of one of the town’s main throughways stands a 13-foot-tall peanut with the smile of President Jimmy Carter.

This outlandish monument was erected during the 1976 presidential elections in support of the Carter campaign. The statue, which references Carter’s peanut-farming family business, must’ve worked since he won the election.

That said, President Carter himself is reportedly not a fan of the peanut’s toothy grin.

After witnessing the (somewhat creepy) smile of the peanut, you can head on to Georgia’s many great riding roads. You could explore the Thunder Roads of the Nantahala National Forest or head to the swamps at the Georgia-Florida border.

World’s Biggest Twine Ball(s)

The question of where the world’s biggest ball of twine is located is a contentious topic. That’s because it could be in three places, depending on how you evaluate it.

First, we have the largest twine ball rolled by a single person, which you can find in Darwin, MN. Created by one Francis A. Johnson, it measures 12 feet in diameter and weighs 17,400 pounds. Head over on the second Saturday of each August to participate in the Twine Ball Day celebrations.

Next, we have the biggest ball of twine built as a community effort, located in Cawker City, KS. Twine is constantly added to the ball, but at the moment, it’s more than 8 feet in diameter and weighs around 20,000 pounds.

Last but not least is Lake Nebagamon, WI, where the world’s heaviest twine ball is stored in the town hall. This behemoth, rolled by James Frank Kotera, weighs a whopping 24,160 pounds.

Roadkill Cook-Off—Marlinton, WV

Mmm, fried squished possum… If the thought of such a delectable meal gets your mouth watering, the annual Roadkill Cook-Off in Marlinton, WV, is your culinary Mecca.

For the sake of transparency, though, the cooked critters do not (and preferably are not) actual roadkill. However, by the contest’s rules, the main ingredient of each dish must be an animal commonly found dead by the roadside. The competing chefs throw together exquisite meals featuring groundhog, opossum, snake, deer, turkey, and other creatures that didn’t look both ways before crossing. 

Should you need some exercise to digest the flattened morsels, Marlinton sits right by the George Washington and Monongahela national forests with great winding roads. The Blue Ridge Parkway isn’t far away, either.

Nuclear Waste Adventure Trail—Weldon Spring, MO

In the ‘40s, Weldon Spring housed the largest U.S. Army explosives production facility before transitioning to a uranium ore processing plant in 1955. After the factory closed in 1966, the Environmental Protection Agency found a 1.5-million-cubic-yard trash pile of radioactive uranium, TNT, asbestos, and other such lovely stuff.

What do you do with such a massive heap of deadly materials? Naturally, you build a mountain out of it.

The EPA entombed everything inside a huge concrete and gravel mound that has become, weirdly enough, a popular birdwatching spot. Officially titled the Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project Disposal Cell, the site and its walking trails are better known as the Nuclear Waste Adventure Trail.

Located outside St. Louis, this lifeless pile of rock makes for a worthwhile detour if you’re riding the Great River Road. Oh, and there’s no need to worry—a visit won’t leave you irradiated.

The Unclaimed Baggage Center—Scottsboro, AL

Ever wondered what happens to lost airline luggage whose owners can’t be found? It just might end up at the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, AL.

The Unclaimed Baggage Center is a 50,000-square-foot retail store that sells things recovered from hopelessly lost suitcases. The eclectic collection of items—after all, the store sells whatever the bags happen to have—can result in some great deals, as most things sell at a 20-80% discount compared to their original price.

Located in northern Alabama, Scottsboro makes for a great gateway to the twisty roads of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Nantahala National Forest. You might want to do the rides first, though, so your motorcycle won’t be overloaded with all of your shopping.

International Cryonics Museum and Frozen Dead Guys Days—Estes Park, CO

Estes Park, CO, is worth a visit for fans of classic horror movies, as the local Stanley Hotel inspired the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. However, inside the hotel is a chilling attraction—the frozen corpse of a dead man.

To cut a long and convoluted story short, the frozen dead guy is Bredo Morstol, a Norwegian man who died of heart failure in 1989. Since then, his body has been and will remain frozen until such a time that science can resurrect him.

The International Cryonics Museum in the Stanley Hotel houses Morstol’s freezer and explains what freezing bodies is all about. Additionally, the annual Frozen Dead Guy Days celebrate Morstol’s life, death, and (eventual) revivification through concerts and other festivities.

Estes Park is conveniently located in the middle of the Rocky Mountain National Park. So, once the party wraps up, mountain twisties aren’t far away.

Chicken Farmer Rock—Newbury, NH

Point your front wheel to New Hampshire and take SR 103 north of Henniker. As you enjoy riding this relaxed two-laner through beautiful woods and past tranquil lakes, you’ll notice something strange some two miles before Newbury—a rock with the words “CHICKEN FARMER I STILL LOVE YOU” graffitied on it.

The rock tells the story of (possibly) unrequited young love. According to local stories, the message, which originally read “CHICKEN FARMER I LOVE YOU,” was written by a teenage boy smitten with the nearby chicken farm’s daughter.

Locals liked the message and it stayed on the rock for years, until some heartless tattletale called the local government, which washed it off. Soon enough, though, the current graffiti appeared and has stayed there since.

New Hampshire offers some excellent riding, as SR 103 demonstrates. For a more organized tour, though, you can head northeast from Newbury to ride the Laconia Shamrock Tour®.

Interstate Mullet Toss—Perdido Key, FL

Spring break in Florida is bound to include some shenanigans. But perhaps the strangest activity you can engage in is chucking a dead fish across the state border into Alabama.

That’s the idea behind the annual Interstate Mullet Toss, organized by the Flora-Bama restaurant in Perdido Key. Each contestant gets one dead mullet fish and one attempt to throw it as far as possible. By the way, the record currently stands at 189 feet.

During and after the event, there’s also an accompanying beach party. You will also support good causes—all proceeds from the competition go to supporting local youth charities, while the tossed fish will feed the alligators of the Gulf Coast Zoo.

Perdido Key makes it easy to access the gorgeous beach roads. Ride the SR 30A and then proceed to explore the rest of the Florida Panhandle.

Fork in the Road—Lebanon, OR

Take US 20 out of Lebanon, OR, and then turn left onto Gore Dr. Ride on for three miles and you’ll come across a fork in the road.

Well, it’s not really in the road. The giant, eight-foot-tall fork is strapped to a pole, its tines pointing skyward instead of being sunk into the ground.

Why is the fork there? Who made it and set it up? A date on the fork suggests it went up on July 4, 2006, but apart from that, it’s anyone’s guess.

Visiting the bizarre utensil does make for a nice detour if you're motorcycling in Oregon, though. Afterward, you can head north to the Columbia River Gorge or to the southwestern coast.

Testicle Festival—Deerfield, MI

For the past 23 years, the people of Deerfield, MI, have been having a ball at the annual Testicle Festival. It celebrates the delicacy often referred to as Rocky Mountain Oysters.

The event originally began more than 70 years ago as one farmer’s method of getting rid of surplus stock after castrating his bulls. In 2001, the American Legion Post 392 took over organizing the festival.

If you have the balls for it, this is a great opportunity to sample a legendary, if infamous, American culinary classic. And for dessert, you can ride to sample some local pies.