A Tribute to Roadside Americana

Dinosaurs are not extinct . . . to go by the many examples featured in The Great American Retro Road Trip. They range from Dinosaur Land, a park in Virginia with fiberglass creatures, to Dino, from the Flintstones-themed park near Arizona's Grand Canyon.

Cowboys are also popular roadside attractions. Author Rolando Pujol points to an entry in the Guinness Book of Records.   Nevada's Wendover Will is listed as the world's largest mechanical cowboy. Even more famous is his ''neon brother,'' Vegas Vic, who used to be able to speak and wave. But he can still wink.

Reproductions of stars and moons are seen throughout the book, too. Among them are a half-moon, advertising the Moon Lite Motel in Versailles, Indiana, and four stars outside the Starlite Motel in Kerhonkson, New York.

There are loads of ice cream cone signs. One business, though, lets visitors hang out with the cows who helped produce the home-made treats.  

The writer sometimes describes places but doesn't include a plcture. One with the Jersey Devil cryptid would have been welcome, though. 

Then there are photographs which don't depict attractive buildings--but the stories behind them are appealing. That includes Curtis' Famous Weiners in Cumberland, Maryland. The owner chose ''Curtis'' to honor one of his customers, whose last name had a nicer ring to it than his own!