This day was a little challenging with clouds.  Sometimes, the clouds completely blocked the sun and I’d have to stand there are wait for the big ones to get outta the way.  Even when they would move, there would often be a thin layer of clouds making the colors of my subjects pretty flat.  Ah well.  Someday, another San Antonio trip and, with some luck, it will be a sunnier day.

On with the San Antonio signs.  This Masonic sign is an example of the less than ideal lighting conditions:

There was a 10-minute wait for this one:

Flat navy/black — I don’t know what creased this sign — truck, falling tree?

This sign has had some hard times.  With the neon removed, someone made an attempt to outline the letters with cheap LED rope:

I think the background behind the “Carnation” letters would have been red originally:

I don’t know how original the paint job or lettering is.  There are patched tubing holes especially around “ST.” which would indicate this sign read something else previously.

Two from Tucker’s:

This sign might be vintage — or in the style of.  The spiral parking garage it’s attached to is definitely mid-century:

The “Labor and Professional Center” panel must have revolved originally:

All that’s left of this place is the facade (note trees behind the window) and this sweet old sign.  The letters are all separate pieces:

 

This sign company has been around since 1925:

Although the text panel has been reworked, I’m so glad they kept the golf ball & tee:

More soon,
dj & the dogs

I can’t think of any other P66 vaccum form signs left in the wild.  This one’s in Devine, TX:

From Hondo, TX:

In Fredericksburg, TX (yes, that’s Sparkle hiding in the background):

From San Antonio — previously Brooks May Music Co. (now Alamo Music Center):

Okay, one more doggie photo.  My front seat passengers at the moment: Griz & Dill at a stoplight.  Yes, my dogs travel “loose” (not in crates).  Sure, they could go thru the windshield if there’s a huge collision.  But the risk/reward to me weighs in favor of letting them watch the world go by, bark at stuff, lay in the sun, hang in my lap, and just plain enjoy travelin’ to the max.

More San Antonio:

One more — from Castroville — running out of daylight (the “golden hour” that some people love but I hate):

Lots more tomorrow,
dj & the dogs

This one is from Harlingen.  I was hoping it was lit at night but, alas, only the bottom part was working (and the trim around the roof):

From Alice, TX — surely, neon originally, and, most likely, a different biz name:

Another one from little Alice, TX:

And a couple signs from Corpus Christi.  This one is modern, based on an earlier vintage sign which was located elsewhere:

Simple and wonderful:

Time to introduce or revisit my pack (depending on how familiar you are with my blog posts).  I never go anywhere without my pack of four dogs.  Here they are with a newfound, bronze friend in Brownsville.  The St. Joseph Academy is home to the “Fighting Bloodhounds.”  Left to right:  Dilly, Griz (Griswold), Grem (Gremlin) & Nik (Sputnik).  Nik is blind so not especially good at looking at the camera:

One of my traditional photo-op sites in Los Fresnos, TX.  The last time we were here, it was about 40 degrees and the wind was crazy strong.  The dogs were much more willing to stay there this time (even though it was in the 90s):

The girls:

The boys:

The most important rule in our lives:  you can’t jump out of the van until mama says the magic word (“OK”).  Here they are at Padre Island waiting for their release:

And they’re off!

I’m always packing cheese, meat & kibble which keeps the dogs’ ears perked for my “here!” but there’s nothing like looking for dead fish and edible trash that might be available as well:

Grizzie prefers to roll on dead, stinky things rather than eat them:

Dill is on to something:

Score!  Dead fish carcass.  Num num!

 

Back to the signs in the next post — coming up in just a bit,

dj & the dogs

 

A couple of fading signs from Del Rio, TX:

 

Moving on to Laredo, TX:

 

A couple of signs from Mission, TX — the Palm Lounge:

and this one, now missing its neon:

And, lastly, one of maybe hundreds of plastic Shipley Donuts signs out there.  This one is one of the far fewer vintage variety — in McAllen:

Lots more posts coming up.  Tomorrow is the 4th of July and I’ll be hard at work most of the holiday posting more goodies to this blog and Flickr.

dj & the dogs
http://www.RoadsideArchitecture.com

Some remote stops:  lots of sun and driving in Western & Southwestern Texas.  Let’s start with this one from Dimmit, TX:

A couple of retro (modern) signs from Lubbock, TX.  The same designs were used for Teddy Jack’s Armadillo Grill in Amarillo, TX:

 

These drive-ins just blocks apart in little Big Spring, TX must have been related.  Either the same names originally or, at a minimum, the same sign shop:

Probably more neon originally or at least fancier text panels — in Odessa, TX:

What’s left of the Holcomb Storage sign in Odessa:

 

Let’s close with a couple of crusty gems from Pecos, TX:

Don’t forget about all the other photos from this trip piling up at my Flickr account:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/agilitynut/

Lots more blog posts to come,
dj & the dogs

Today was AC day.  So, I lost a half day hanging out at a Pep Boys in El Paso.  I’ll tell you one thing, an 8AM appointment made two days earlier doesn’t make a difference.  They will pull your vehicle into the bay and then proceed working on whatever other cars are ahead of you.  The waiting on a sunny day was painful.  If I hadn’t been the pushy New Yorker that I am, I’m sure it would have taken a couple hours longer.  I plunked the $333 for a new AC valve kit & vacuum hose on my credit card and I was on my way.  I was warned that I might have more trouble with the AC later since there was no way that the amount of freon missing could have leaked out of those parts.  So, I waited for the next shoe to drop but the AC worked fine the rest of the trip.  Fine, for a Chevy Astro van, that is.  Which means, during intense big city traffic, it’s about 80 and the engine sounds like it’s gonna stall.  And freeway driving, esp. if there’s a hill involved, you have to let up on the gas pedal to let the cool air flood in.

So, this will be a short post since shooting was limited.  Let’s start with some El Paso shots:

I hope that a new tenant is never found as I’m sure that the signs and probably the bulb lines, maybe even the canopy, will be ditched:

 

Bell Gas stations are all or mostly gone but there are still some of these signs around.  This one adapted, but not so clearly, for a car repair place or used car lot (can’t remember which):

 

This sign is tucked away behind the Robin Hood (mobile home) Park.  I’m sure there was more to the text on the panels but those little sign-topper thingies are wonderful:

Moving on to Alamogordo, NM where the Satellite Inn sign which I shot in 2012:

is now resting in the unused pool.  When the motel became a Rodeway Inn about a year go, the owner moved it there.  If things don’t work out with Rodeway, they might put the sign back.  Or move it somewhere else on the property.  Or…. who knows…

From the little town of Carrizozo, NM, this sign hangs over an antiques store.  I’m not sure if it’s vintage or new but the script letters are wonderful:

Last one for this post, another pretty sign from Carrizozo:

Lots more to come…
dj & the dogs

So, I got home yesterday morning and all is well.  The plant sitter took good care of my “other” babies and the post office actually held my mail for the first time.  The very last post of this series of daily posts will contain all the stats (money spent, miles driven, etc.).  But, as a preview, I shot just shy of 3,000 photos on this 28-day trip and drove more than 12,000 miles.  Most of the time was spent in Texas but there was a little Louisiana and Oklahoma, too.

Sparkle hung in there despite being pushed 12 hours a day with most days over 100 degrees and humid as hell.  The AC was mandatory from 8am til the sun went down and shooting stopped. I had a few mechanical problems which I’ll detail as these posts go.  I probably lost about two days worth of shooting for that.  The dogs had a great time and got to run and explore frequently.  Mostly in the mornings before things heated up.  Then, a few times each day in the frequent and ample undeveloped lots and golf course-quality lawns at various churches and schoolyards throughout the day.  I survived mostly on iced coffee, Diet Coke, nuts, cheese, cookies, and ice cream.  Whatever it takes, right!?

I had to tough out this day without the AC (and it was HOT) since the last time that it was worked on was last summer at a Pep Boys.  Hoping for a warranty situation if the same parts/labor were needed. No PB in southern NM so I had an 8am appointment at one of the El Paso locations on Monday.

On with the photos — here’s one from Tucson.  This B-R is long gone but this sign is still standing for now.  Very few of these left:

A break from the heat to meet up with Jude Cook and see what he’s putting together for his Ignite Sign Art Museum which will be opening in Tucson in October.  He’s storing the Moe Allen “Happy Bear” sign from Phoenix at his shop for now:

 

Also in storage at Jude’s sign shop (Cook & Company Signmakers) is the atom (?) feature from the top of the long-closed Mr. Quick Hamburgers sign in Tucson.  The building was adapted for a Domino’s.  My photo of the sign in 2012:

And the sign in storage:

For vintage photos of the sign and building, here’s this:
http://web.archive.org/web/20120930012824/http://captainerniesshowboat.com/mrquick.html

The 15 cents part of the Mr. Quick sign was restored (fast, flashing bulbs) and is now inside the soon-to-open museum:

Jude has made and is selling miniatures of some famous, vintage Tucson signs.  Here are just a few:

Here is part of the clock display:

Some other signs that will be installed soon.  My memory is fried at this point but I think he said this one was originally in Salt Lake City:

Some local signs that will be displayed inside:

Moving on now… from Bowie, AZ — love the length of the first and last letters of “Skeet’s Tavern”:

Moving on to New Mexico — Lordsburg, to be specific.  This sign originally advertised for Oscar’s Liquors — my photo from 2012:

Repurposed & neon removed recently:

 
Let’s close with a now rare, mass-produced classic motel add-on sign at the Balboa Motel in Deming, NM:

LOTS more to come!  Don’t forget the other sampling of photos from each day over at Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/agilitynut/

dj & the dogs

 

The journey begins!  I’ve got four weeks to play in the summer heat.  This trip will be mostly Texas but there will be other “surprises” as well (a little bit of Louisiana, New Mexico, and Arizona).  Right now, I’m stuck here in Conroe, TX at a car repair waiting on tie rods for Sparkle.  So, I might as well make the most of it and get in a little photoshopping and posting.  I was actually stopped here for an increasingly noisy exhaust sound.  Turned out to be “donuts” (of all things!) and they also discovered the tie rods were shot (original, 450,000 miles, so no surprise).

So far, the weather has been mostly kind although it’s been ungodly hot and humid.  Actually, central Texas is bearable (80s) vs. Arizona and southern TX (110s).  Lots of clouds which is a mostly a good thing (pretty backgrounds) but irritating when you have to stand there waiting for them to blow away and not block the sun.  Clouds move pretty quick in Texas so it usually just means a few minutes of standing there.  But I’m a very impatient person with much to shoot and thousands of miles to cover so…

I drove through the night on Friday so I could start the day off across the border in Yuma, AZ.  Woke up to sun and no A/C.  I had to tough that out for a couple of days which nearly killed me and the dogs.  Nik is 15 so I was pretty nervous about him (older dogs don’t handle heat as well as the young’uns).

On with the photos!  Hello from Yuma.  Surely, the three light bulbs on the left (when they were all there) must have flashed hypnotically alerting you to pull in and stay there:

 

More from Yuma:

 

The Bow & Arrow Motel:

 

The Yuma Cabana Motel as I shot it last year:

Now, an EconoLodge — but at least they kept the sign as it was except for the top panel:

 

Neon’s gone & text was probably changed but still a delight:

 

The Mel’s Diner sign in Phoenix is looking pretty beat now.  The signs at the Bryan, OH and Fort Lauderdale, FL locations don’t look much better:

The former Aero Bowl sign in Phoenix is still hanging in.  Benign neglect…  Sparkle makes a cameo in the background:

The Watson’s Flowers sign in Mesa continues to lay on the ground behind the store, waiting for a miracle. It was nearly knocked over by the wind and destroyed shortly after this photo was taken in 2012:

Here’s hoping that the Mesa Preservation Foundation can help out and help raise enough money to get this one back up.  They recently acquired the local Dairy Queen sign and the Sally’s Fabrics sign and plan to build a little sign park in town.

One more from Mesa:  the Hambone Sports Bar & Grill:

Let’s end with this one from Tucson.  I don’t know what it was originally but I’m betting there might be porcelain panels under the vinyl coverings:

 

 

My parts should be here “any minute now” and then I’ll be flying off to Navasota.  It’s a nice sunny day and sitting here is KILLING me.  The dogs are crashed out and are happy anywhere.  There’s a lesson to be learned from them.

I’ll be back in July (hopefully not sooner!) with lots and lots of posts and glorious photos.  In the meantime, I put a few different photos over at Flickr from this “Day 1”, if you care to look:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/agilitynut/

Back on the road soon!
dj & the dogs

I’m gearing up for the big summer trip (4 weeks, mostly Texas) starting Friday night.  I took Sparkle in this week for a thorough checkup.  Some front brakes and a water pump.  I went down to L.A. & O.C. today to make sure things are up to snuff.  I was alarmed by a burning rubber smell and even a little smoke at one point.  I checked with a couple of auto shops “smell this please!” and I was assured that it’s normal for new brakes.  Gee, after all my years and numerous brakes being replaced, I never experienced this.  I called my mechanic and will probably pay a visit just to be sure.  I think the smell went away after about 5 hours of driving but maybe I just got used to it?

Anyhow… I got some decent shots in the morning but then things clouded up.  So, it was not the most prolific photoshoot but I’m glad I went.

For you dingbat lovers, here’s one in Beverly Hills:

A few signs in Long Beach:

And a couple of signs in Pico Rivera — too bad about the grey sky — former Barney’s Coffee Shop:

I was surprised to see the SoCalGas gate open.  Since I’m always there on weekends, I’ve been stuck shooting through the gate.  There was some special event going on so the security guard cut me a break and let me shoot the old gas flame from downtown L.A.  Maybe I’ll get lucky another time and get an open gate AND sun:

Stay tuned for lots & lots of photos.  I doubt I’ll have the energy to post here or upload to Flickr during the trip unless I hit crappy weather (sure hope not!).  Come on back in July when I’ll get busy sharing the goodies.

dj & the dogs (yes, of course they are coming!)

This will be a quickie post since this was a slow roll home and there were only a few pre-determined stops.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t shoot the sunny side of this one in Paso Robles because of that pole directly behind it.  Noted to return in afternoon…

A former TraveLodge sign in Paso Robles.  Here’s a postcard of the same location showing what the sign looked like originally.

A rusty crusty from Paso Robles.  You can see the patched tubing holes indicating that this sign had neon at one time.  It was originally the Trees Motor Lodge and the sign probably a pretty paintjob:

The Paso Robles Inn Coffee Shop roundy-ness continues inside with a round counter:

 

Let’s take a break from the signs for the giant milk bottle in Templeton which was restored last year.  The bottle originally advertised for the Rossi Dairy along Highway 101.  It is now located at the Templeton Historical Museum Society.  Here’s a photo that I took of it in 2014:

and now:

Last stop for this post — in Santa Cruz.  For those of you familiar with the nicely restored sign at MONA (Museum of Neon Art in Glendale) which came from the Green Frog Market in Bakersfield, this sign will look familiar.  The MONA sign:

And here’s a twin sitting outside a yoga studio.  There were several Green Frog Markets but I didn’t know there were identical signs and that any others had survived before I found out about this one:

 

I will be back before you know it with lots and lots of posts.  I’ll be on a major roadtrip for the month of June and will be shooting like a maniac in Arizona, New Mexico and (mostly) Texas.

Until then, Happy Trails!

dj & the dogs