Travel

Barbara McMichael’s road trip takes her to small towns in the Midwest. Captivated by county courthouse facades and movie theatre marquees, she took pause at roadside markers and viewpoints that detailed local history, geology and other points of pride. Her journey through the heartland of America homes in on oversized animal sculptures and other fun roadside attractions.

People love the free-spirited, spontaneous life of camping -- the let-your-hair-down happiness of chucking real life and heading for the hills. But it takes work to make it happen. To preserve the integrity of your idyllic wanderings, first complete these five tasks that have to do with – horrors! – laws, fees, fuel, phones and Facebook.