Backroad Odyssey : Travel Stories, Van Life & Road Trip Oddities – Details, episodes & analysis

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

Noah Mulgrew

Society & Culture

History

Society & Culture

Frequency: 1 episode/8d. Total Eps: 80

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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https://www.instagram.com/backroadsodyssey
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idlq8zCrUkY
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZDnv110iWo&amp
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJasV-itdoc
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On the Road - America's Flattest State: Which One Takes the Crown?

Season 2 · Episode 80

Thursday, January 22, 2026 • Duration 33:30

Welcome to the van!

During any road trip, questions are bound to arise as your surroundings change.

Today we ask:

How and when were speed limits first established?

Why do trucks have to stop at weigh stations?

What is the worst state to start a homestead in (and why)?

And finally, what's the absolute flattest state in the United States?

Let's hit the road!

Works Cited:

https://blog.americansafetycouncil.com/the-history-of-speed-limits-in-america/

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Walter-Arnold-Worlds-First-Speeding-Ticket/

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/140314-flattest-states-geography-topography-science

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/january-2/nixon-signs-national-speed-limit-into-law

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1969-1976/oil-embargo

https://www.nps.gov/home/learn/historyculture/abouthomesteadactlaw.htm

https://redemptionpermaculture.com/7-of-the-worst-states-for-homesteading-and-the-reasons-why/

https://www.freightech.us/post/history-of-trucking-in-america

https://hdfleet.com/facts-every-fleet-should-know-about-truck-weigh-stations/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/50421599/?clipping_id=15388481&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjUwNDIxNTk5LCJpYXQiOjE3NjcxMTgxNzgsImV4cCI6MTc2NzIwNDU3OH0.NlPl0r7aeCgmNjlU7lpVqcBezgwKvQkoQL1i-KOsYD4

https://law-school.open.ac.uk/blog/red-flag-act

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/

Read moreCollapse

The Parthenon, Y'all - The Gods Visit Nashville

Season 2 · Episode 79

Thursday, December 11, 2025 • Duration 30:45

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

The Fremont Troll - Seattle's Mysterious Resident (Revisit)

Season 2 · Episode 70

Friday, August 1, 2025 • Duration 17:25

In the bustling metropolis of Seattle, Washington - a curious resident claims the shadows beneath Aurora Bridge ...

Those who dare to venture into its liar speak of its sheer size, stern gaze and possessive nature.

But! Few can tell you the reason for the trolls residency.

Noodles and I revisit our exploration into the thrilling origin of The Fremont Troll.

Works Cited:

https://www.seattletimes.com/life/a-brief-history-of-the-fremont-troll-a-menace-that-evokes-a-smile/

https://seattle.curbed.com/2019/6/4/18650083/fremont-bridge-troll-history-location

https://sites.pitt.edu/~dash/type0122e.html

https://wanderwisdom.com/travel-destinations/All-About-the-Seattle-Fremont-Troll-and-How-to-Find-It

https://wedgwoodinseattlehistory.com/2015/05/01/history-of-the-fremont-neighborhood-in-seattle/

https://historylink.org/File/1320

https://visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/fremont-wallingford/

https://fremontartscouncil.org/trolloween

https://seattle.curbed.com/2019/6/4/18650083/fremont-bridge-troll-history-location

https://themonumentous.com/exploring-the-economic-and-cultural-impact-of-the-fremont-troll/

Van Life Diaries - America's First National Park City

Season 2 · Episode 68

Thursday, July 10, 2025 • Duration 23:45

What's a National Park City?

My dog Noodles and I hike the trails of America's FIRST National Park City - Chattanooga, Tennessee - to find out!

The answer might surprise you ...

We'll also answer listener question at the end - which include:

How would you rank the National Parks you've been to?
Just listened to the Civil War series, how much research would you recommend doing before visiting Gettysburg?
What area of the country is most "van-friendly?"

Works Cited:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/24889660?read-now=1&seq=2#page_scan_tab_contents

https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/historyculture/yellowstoneestablishment.htm

https://www.history.com/articles/yellowstone-national-park-origins

https://www.doi.gov/blog/americas-public-lands-explained

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chattanooga-just-became-north-americas-first-national-park-city-heres-what-that-means-180986465/

https://www.nationalparkcity.org/national-park-cities/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJasV-itdoc

https://www.nps.gov/efmo/learn/historyculture/the-ovement-to-create-a-national-park-in-iowa.htm

The Story of West Virginia - Almost Heaven: Also Mothman

Season 2 · Episode 67

Thursday, June 26, 2025 • Duration 35:16

What's the real story of West Virginia?

Why is the state often ignored, stereotyped and forgotten?

In what world do these questions explain the flurry of West Virginia Mothman sightings of the 1960's?

We answer all this and more as we hike mountain trails and visit the small town of Point Pleasant, a location infamous for its association with the Mothman.

Safe travels!

Works Cited:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/4242460?searchText=the+battle+of+point+pleasant&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dthe%2Bbattle%2Bof%2Bpoint%2Bpleasant%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A37008b1977b34b4942bbe80356d2cc59&seq=3

https://www.jstor.org/stable/27649920?read-now=1&seq=14#page_scan_tab_contents\

https://www.jstor.org/stable/43198067?read-now=1&seq=10#page_scan_tab_contents

https://www.jstor.org/stable/26233743?read-now=1&seq=24#page_scan_tab_contents

https://wvpublic.org/mothman-legacy-has-ties-to-ancient-folklore/

https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/mothman-point-pleasant-west-virginia

https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/history-west-virginia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-VU_Yqadus

https://virginiahistory.org/learn/why-there-west-virginia

https://wvminewars.org/news/battleofmatewantrial

Van Life Diaries - Blue Ridge Mountains: Beyond the Haze

Season 1 · Episode 66

Friday, June 6, 2025 • Duration 22:11

Today Noodles and I camp in the Haze of the Blue Ridge Mountains to answer the following questions:

What are the blue ridge mountains?

Why are they worth exploring?

Why has this section of the country long been steeped in mystery, supernatural stories and the occasional strain of true crime.

We also answer listener questions including:

What place would you not revisit?
What’s a funny story from the road?
What makes van life worth it?
Do you have a favorite Noodles story?

Recommendations:

The absolute best brewery tour of Asheville NC (trust me):

https://www.beercitybrewerytoursavl.com/

My personal favorite brewery in Asheville:

https://cellarestbeer.com/

Great civil war site in Chattanooga, TN:

https://www.lookoutmountain.com/

Top 5 places to catch a sunset:

https://www.southeasttennessee.com/hiking-to-lookout-mountains-sunset-rock/

Follow our insta for more recommendations - backroad_odyssey

Works Cited:

https://www.britannica.com/place/Appalachian-National-Scenic-Trail

Hemingway's Key West - Behind the Persona

Season 1 · Episode 65

Friday, May 30, 2025 • Duration 29:28

Why should we care about Ernest Hemingway's time in Key West?

What did this great American novelist REALLY do and accomplish during his brief residency on the island from 1931 to 1939?

My dog and I spend a week on the island to answer these - and more - questions ...

Works Cited:

Great, concise book about Hemingway's time in Key West:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/104236.Hemingway_s_Key_West

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/guide-hemingways-paris-180950079/

https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/hemingway/pauline-pfeiffer#:~:text=Pauline%20Pfeiffer%20was%20a%20journalist,family%20was%20wealthy%20and%20Catholic.

https://www.hemingwayhome.com/his-life

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/july-21/ernest-hemingway-is-born

https://www.ernesthemingwaycollection.com/about-hemingway/ernest-hemingway-in-paris

Van Life Diaries - The Lost Coast: California's Last Wilderness

Season 1 · Episode 64

Thursday, May 22, 2025 • Duration 17:50

A singular stretch of untamed wilderness lines Calirfonia's Northern Coast.

A landscape so rugged and dramatic that the state's infamous 'route one' avoids it's sheer cliffs and crashing waves.

My dog Noodles and I spend three days along this coast - while there we hear a love story.

We answer listener questions at the end, which include:

How do you know where you're going next?
Does your van get messy?
Was there anything that surprised you in researching Plymouth Rock?
What cryptid are you most scared of?

Recommendations:

Black Sands Beach near Shelter Cove:

https://sheltercovecalifornia.com/the-lost-coast-trail

Beer and Food:

https://www.gyppo.com/

Backpacking for the brave - make sure you reserve in advance:

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/lost-coast-trail-mattole-to-black-sands-beach

Works Cited:

https://www.savetheredwoods.org/project/lost-coast-redwoods/

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=28172

Secrets of Plymouth Rock - The Real Story

Season 1 · Episode 63

Thursday, May 8, 2025 • Duration 27:10

What’s the real story and legacy of Plymouth Rock?

Did the so-called “Pilgrims” REALLY step upon that particular rock that fateful Autumn of 1620?

Why and how did Plymouth Rock become the defining “Founding of America" Myth?

My dog Noodles and I visit the rock in Plymouth Massachusetts to find out!

Works Cited:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv1wxsdq.7?searchText=plymouth+rock&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dplymouth%2Brock%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A613af71a7850d2e61fbd659b9b9eb5f9&seq=6

https://www.jstor.org/stable/41779364?read-now=1&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

They Knew They Were Pilgrims, Plymouth Colony and the Contest for American Liberty by John G Turner

https://www.history.com/articles/the-real-story-behind-plymouth-rock

https://www.studentsofhistory.com/comparing-jamestown-plymouth-colonies

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Plymouth-Rock-United-States-history

https://www.history.com/articles/william-bradford

https://www.history.com/articles/king-james-bible-most-popular

Van Life Diaries - Skunk Ape Headquarters

Season 1 · Episode 62

Thursday, April 24, 2025 • Duration 17:47

Who is The Skunk Ape?

Noodles and I take the van to visit Skunk Ape Headquarters deep in the Florida Everglades in search of answers.

We’ll also be answering listener question at the end, which include:

What do you listen to while driving?
Do you ever take showers in your van?
How long does it take you to visit a location?
How do you avoid conversation bias on the show?

Brief Works Cited:

https://www.skunkape.info/

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/trail-floridas-bigfoot-skunk-ape-180949981/

https://keysweekly.com/42/keys-history-stories-of-southernmost-skunk-ape/

Backroad Odyssey : Travel Stories, Van Life & Road Trip Oddities – Details, episodes & analysis

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Backroad Odyssey : Travel Stories, Van Life & Road Trip Oddities – Details, episodes & analysis

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