We Went to Every Bowlin's Travel Center in 36 Hours

[@Bowlinonline]

Thank you so much for featuring every one of our stores. You covered a lot of ground in 2 days! We appreciate folks like you who love road trips!

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Thank you, can't wait to stop by one of the stores on my next drive through.

[@emcladybug22]

@bowlinonline which Bowlin stop had the giant tepee on top of the building? I remember it as a child.

[@Bowlinonline]

@@emcladybug22 At one point we had a travel center near Deming called the Teepee. It was closed in the early 1980's when we built Butterfield Station across the street. It has a Baskin Robbins inside.

[@Bowlinonline]

@@SidetrackAdventures Just so you know, we refer to Continental Divide as historic because the building had to physically be moved twice, because of the Interstate Highway System. It was originally on the actual Continental Divide. The Bowlin family lived there as well, so it's historic to our company.

[@brakeme1]

Love your stores. They are done very well and very clean. My kids grew up with me always wanting to stop at “the thing”…it became a yearly trip. I would walk around the gym with my “the thing” water bottle. Great conversation starter. I always wanted to know the history behind the Bowlin name and concept as it is done so well. .

[@rayelance6086]

No matter what your wife thinks, these videos of every place you visit are fantastc. Keep traveling!!!!

[@PinInTheAtlas]

Don’t you just love road trips especially with quirky stops and lots of nostalgia. Loved it. Thanks Steve.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Yeah, nothing beats a road trip. Thanks!

[@jerrysullivan8424]

What makes your channel so good to me, you film it in such a way that I feel that I am there with you. Thank you for the road trip. Have a great New Year.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Glad you enjoy it! Happy New Year to you too.

[@Bojangles5-2]

Agreed! I love Steve's channel! He deserves a huge award for whatever category covers these posts!

[@DovieRuthAuthor]

What a fun video! As a kid in the 60s and 70s, I remember begging my parents to pull over at these roadside attractions. Very occasionally, they would. I think they were concerned about blowing their budget. Haha!

[@SidetrackAdventures]

There is something about these places. Even my kid couldn't resist asking for a bunch of stuff we know he doesn't have any use for.

[@CTSFanSam]

Yep, thumbs up. I think this video is one of your better ones. Nice job! Thanks.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Thank you.

[@jerroldkazynski5480]

Nice road trip! In the 50s & 60s my parents took the family all over the USA. This video brings back good memories. One quip I remember was about such a tourist attraction sign: Who wants to see a 200-pound man eating clam?

[@SidetrackAdventures]

The signs are always great. One was advertising their restrooms as "the best seats in the house."

[@MountainFisher]

New Mexico fireworks are kickass.

[@sandyzalecki1145]

I think I've been to every Bowlin's Travel Center. We stopped at The Thing many times but never actually saw it. My husband and I used to live close to the Akela Flats one. Before he died my husband used to work there.

[@nunyabitnezz2802]

I think it’s great that many Americans who’ve never been to the Desert Southwest might be getting a look at the scenery of Nevada, California, Arizona & New Mexico via your videos.

[@boomtownrat5106]

Steve: “I don’t think anyone has done this before.” Wife: “Why would they?” Me: “Because we can!” Thanks Steve and family for taking us along.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

You're welcome!

[@terised]

Love Steve's wife and her honesty.

[@erichegrosse6874]

Um, doesn't all the water west of the Mississippi drainage flow to the Gulf of Mexico?

[@scotts5308]

Steve is a great explorer, but he is no Magellan! Love the videos.

[@erickim2025]

Thanks Steve for going on such trip & thank your wife for putting up with your obsession of touring all the Bowlin's trading post posts, she is aTROOPER❤speaking of tumbler weeds my bmrother once told me driving home when a weed as big as his car ,he had vw bug came rolling right at him, had to take evasion action, I'm from HI. so I never saw tw that big. 😂 mahalo

[@kurtweiand7086]

Thanks Steve&family. I have actually 🏕camped at that mountain.

[@carlcotton1753]

Fun trip! Thank you.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Thank you for watching!

[@jerrysullivan8424]

Semper Fi.

[@garthbutton699]

Brought back a lot of memories of family vacations,thanks Steve and family🤗😎🤗😎

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@knightvision4u]

Dropping the water bottle on the ground was gold! I just about spit my drink on the TV! Thanks for the video. 😂

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Glad you enjoyed it. Didn't want to waste water with a drought and all!

[@imsunasong3912]

You brought back great memories of my many journeys. Thank you!! Loved it!💞💞

[@chrischapman276]

Hey Steve. I'm pretty sure I've said this in another video of yours but thought I'd mention again how much I, along with others appreciate your video's and your extensive research of where ever you go for us to enjoy. I wish you much success in your KZbin adventures sir. Keep up this great and interesting work you do!

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Thank you, I really appreciate it.

[@TheSteveBoyd]

Wow, when I was a kid, Jackalopes were native only to Jackson Hole, Wyoming! It seems they've really been, uh... fruitful. I guess they must be rabbits first and foremost. 🤷‍♂ One of my earliest childhood memories is of my dad taking us on one of our annual roadtrips around the west, and him referring to places like these as "tourist traps". My young imagination conjured up scenes of us going into a harmless looking trading post, only to fall suddenly through a trap-door into an old west jail beneath the building as we approached the counter. Trapped! For all eternity, never to be seen or heard from again. "That's how they get ya!", my dad must've said. 😂 These travelogs you do are much more than a KZbin channel. The memories you make with your family while shooting these videos will last a lifetime. ☮

[@Katmai_Bear_480]

My first Jackalope encounter was in South Dakota in the Black Hills. That would have been in the late 60s/early 70s.

[@roncross1945]

Thanks for taking this trip so I don’t have to take it. HaHa. Love it. What a great idea for a video. 💕🇺🇸😎

[@discostew115]

Great video! Fun fact tumbleweeds are actually living plants and they'll blow in the wind until they find a source of water in which they'll Bloom open and then close back up when the water is gone and blow off the next location

[@jagz926]

Love road tripping and Ive stopped at most of these gems...and I bought the same tshirt at the continental divide!

[@CactusAtlas]

Being from Arizona, we've of course heard of The Thing in our travels - from waaaay back in its old beginnings, creepy dusty cargo container trail days, to its present "Aliens vs Dinosaurs" renovation, but never stopped at any of the others. How can you top the Thing? 😂 Fascinating to see them all! Great idea! (LOLing at the dropped water bottle 🤣)

[@SidetrackAdventures]

The Thing is definitely number one. Surprisingly cheap to walk through too, I think for the 3 of us it was something like $10.

[@joshuabarber5272]

Another awesome video, you and your family put in the time and money to bring us this glimpse of the past and also present day. I know there are a lot of us who watch your channel who appreciate everything you do to “bring us along” on your journeys. Thank you. Cant wait for the next one Steve!

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Thank you, I appreciate that.

[@sandratessem9980]

Great series. My husband and I took this trip many years ago.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

It's such a fun trip!

[@winkie51]

Thank you Steve and Family! I just love New Mexico! We moved to Las Cruces three years ago and we have had so much fun exploring! I became fascinated with Billy the Kid, read 5 books about him. Lincoln, where he broke out of jail, is so cool. You can enter all the buildings and it's amazing how well preserved it is. Ruidoso and surroundings are beautiful. Lots of mining/ghost towns to explore, and Ft. Sumner, of course, where Billy is buried. Thanks for this Bowlin tour! It was fun to watch, as we have been to many of them!

[@SearTrip]

And you got to use the phrase, “Jackalope Jackpot”. Now you can cross that off the bucket list.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Yeah, I'm not sure when the opportunity to say it again will come up.

[@jackbest6677]

Thank you for the journey. We enjoyed the few Bowlins we've been in. The Thing and Pistashio World. Thanks for the journey of all the others.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@DougPeabody]

Great video. I'm from New Hampshire and I've always had fascination of everything southwest. I may never get there so thanks for all the wonderful places you bring to us each week. It's like traveling along with you Steve.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

I'm glad you can come along with us.

[@RWX348]

Love it! Another terrific video Steve. I have passed these places many times in my travels in New Mexico and Arizona. Nice work on the history. There is also a wonderful book store on the plaza in Mesilla that is associated with the Bowlin family. 🙂

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Wow, wish I knew that I would have tried to stop by, though it was getting late when we got to Las Cruces. Had an idea for something in the Mesilla area too, but just didn't have the time.

[@ransal7329]

You made all these stops so we didn't have to. Thanks for sharing your fun adventure!

[@Robinsteen99]

Thanks Steve for doing the Bowlins video. Can you now do one of all the old Stucky's buildings in the Southwest? 😂

[@tomuchfunwithgas846]

Lots of fun. thanks Steve and Family for taking us along.

[@lorenzodelacruz1887]

I lived in CG for thirty years and bought construction materials from Coxons. The last store that you showed is where I ride my bike on 66 about 6 miles from my house. This show was mine from start to finish! Thanks for the show

[@wilsonpicket8505]

You've outdone yourself! Love those kinds of places! Brings back great memories of driving from San Diego to KS. to visit relatives, 60's and 70's. Thanks!!!

[@eileenirwin2778]

Thanks for sharing another interesting video, Steve. See you next week!

[@Chrisb8s]

As a resident of Arizona for over 50 years I have to tell you that the original stop in picacho peak was the second one with the DQ. The DQ has been a must stop in the way to it from Tucson since I was a kid. The new one seems sterile to me

[@fiveinitaly]

Love this video 👍👍👍👍

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@PhredsArmy]

My wife and I really enjoyed this as we've both visited most of the Bowlin's in the video. This really brought back a lot of memories. By the way, at Picacho Peak, the origional Bowlin's was the one with the Dairy Queen in it. Keep up the great work!

[@justnerdystuff]

I have ALWAYS wanted to see The Thing, but every time we passed it I was with someone who was "too old" to stop there. I'll be 65 in a couple of weeks and I will NEVER be too old. While watching this it occurred to me that you just might be the young gentleman who really blessed me back 11 months ago. I was in an Albertsons in Las Cruces checking out and my debit card was not where it was supposed to be. I left my groceries at the checkout and told the cashier I would be right back because I was going to check to see if it had fallen out and was in my car. The young man behind me paid for my groceries! When I came to thank him, I realized he looked really familiar, but my memory sucks and I couldn't place him. I asked him if I knew him, and he said no. So when I was watching this, you reminded me a lot of him and since before that time in the grocery store I had subscribed to your channel, I think that is why I thought he looked familiar. So, if that was you and you helped a fat old lady riding one of those grocery putt putt carts (or whatever they're called) that was me. I love watching channels such as your channel (I am subscribed to several such KZbinrs, Sightseeing Sally, Eclectic Videos, and Randomland just to name a few) because I enjoy traveling vicariously through them. Thank you for your videos, they are a real blessing to those of us who would love to travel and check out things that are not accessible to disabled people. (btw, my debit card had fallen between my passenger seat and the door)...ps, had to edit this to roll my eyes at that last dad joke you told at Flying C Ranch about the bear behind 🙄 Also that last trading post I think I visited with my dad in the mid '60s. One of the few vivid memories I have was stopping at an actual "Indian" trading post that looked just like the former one getting turquoise and going inside and seeing a lot of other stuff while my dad got gas. My dad took me on a lot of his sales trips because I was too much of a handful for my mom (they didn't diagnose girls with ADHD back when I was a child, lol) He traveled up and down Route 66 In California, Arizona & New Mexico. We lived in Arizona.

[@binkieruby2191]

I totally get why you would do this and hope to do similar adventures. When I was a kid my parents took us all over the country. We all loved the southwest and that continued into my adult life. I have kept the family tradition going traveling as much as possible. My wife and I now live in an RV and love it. Awesome video! Thanks

[@anonymustly7818]

That was interesting. Based in LA, our eastbound family road trips were on I-40 or I-70 so the Bowlin's name means nothing to me. But I remember Stukey's and Fred Harvey's and all the kitschy attractions catering to kids. You know, the ones the kids in the back seat begged to stop at. But my Dad hated stopping so we were usually disappointed and had to settle for a "Maybe on the way home." I'm glad your son gets to experience the stops. Thank you for filling in my childhood gaps. ❤❤❤

[@corinnelaking569]

Now that's a fantastic video! I live in Ontario Canada, and this takes me back to numerous road trips going with my parents to visit my paternal grandparents. They lived in the Muskoka area of Northern Ontario, and there were some trading posts we would stop at. The ones in your video bring back ghosts of those childhood memories thanks to the similarities. Thanks so much!🙂

[@rrelectric5159]

This was interesting. I have mostly traveled on I-40 but have never been to a Bowlin's. Will have to take I-10 next time. Your video showed some fun places and proves that even quirky ideas can be interesting. Good job!

[@SidetrackAdventures]

There are the two on I-40 but the ones on I-10 were a lot more interesting to look at in my opinion.

[@cidie1]

Your video is awesome, really nice trip hope you guys enjoyed it

[@AlanDayley]

Great video. Good script and editing to make it interesting.

[@paul9156c]

Love the content Steve. 👌

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Thank you!

[@SenseiJRY]

Thank so much for taking us on that long road trip for us to see all these amazing places. I a little older now and cannot take the road trip like I used to. Thanks and thanks your wife/kids for their patience. Lol Stay safe out there!

[@phillymathguy8142]

Very good choice of background music. Has a country/western feel and the volume is perfect. The steel guitar is mellow & soothing. In fact, the background music on all your videos is very good.

[@mssixty3426]

How interesting - even though I was born and raised, and lived, in this region most of my life, I never knew all of this history about Bowlins Trading Posts. As a kid, my dad would never stop at these places, no matter how much we begged😄☺️. Thanks for the tour!

[@guillermo3564]

I was born in Arizona and had family in New Mexico, so we used to get on I-10 at lordsburg then off at Cruses and head north to Alamogordo and up to Ruidoso and beyond about 20 miles. It's been over 40 years since I've been west of Cruses, but I'm retired now and looking forward to seeing that country again. Shout out to Duncan, Clifton, and Morenci, Arizona, which will be my destinations. ❤

[@rochellevanderboegh2122]

I have been binge watching your channel, and enjoy it very much. Love the history, and views you have. I like rock hounding, so throw some of that in and it's perfect. Now when we go exploring, we know where to stop!

[@PaulTaylor-zb7em]

This was so much fun to watch! It was a crazy, great idea. Thanks for making this trip and sharing it with us.

[@larrypaul8688]

I love this story. Reminds me of going from Virginia to Florida on 95 and stopping at South of the Border in Hamer SC back in the 70's. Perfectly located between NYC and Orlando. Keep on truckin'.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

I was stationed in North Carolina and stopped at South of the Border quite a few times heading south. Hope to get back there at some point.

[@ChristiesThisnThat]

This was a great road trip - sounds like something my husband and I would do! I love your adventures - keep them up!

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Thank you. We plan on it.

[@georgew1751]

That was a lot of fun! I have driven those roads several times. I was always a sucker for the roadside attractions.

[@sakibear4478]

Thanks for a really fun video road trip. My two Sons age 32 and 29 and I are considering a nostalgic Four Corners/ Monument Valley road trip this Summer like so many we did with their Mother just about every chance we got when they were kids. Lots to look forward to and your video reminded me of how much I miss the blue skies and tumbling tumbleweeds. Thanks again for a very informative and fun site.😎

[@SidetrackAdventures]

I was in that area a few years ago and its so amazing. I need to get back. If you find yourself in Mexican Hat near Monument Valley, there is a place that has swinging steaks. The grill swings back and forth over the flame. They claim it makes it taste better, but who knows.

[@toddshook1765]

Any reason for a road-trip. Glad you bring us along.

[@RandyK1ng]

Steve, another great episode. We've only lived in Southern Arizona for 3 years now, and before that we live in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin, of course, is home to the infamous "Supper Club" where you can always get a good fish fry (especially on Fridays) and a "hi-ball" or an Old Fashioned. And even though the Jackalope originated in Wyoming, it's everywhere in Wisconsin supper clubs. You really tied it all together in this video and every time we travel on I-10 between Tucson and Wisconsin, we see the 1,345 "Thing" billboards and now we know the backstory. Thank you.

[@harlandeke]

Gosh I am so jealous of you...me and my wife love these kinds of little trips but...real life work. I am glad somebody gets to enjoy doing these things though...happy trails.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Planning around work and school is always the hardest part for us too.

[@robbergstrom943]

Epic road trip. We visited our first Bowlins on our winter holiday road trip. Great shop!

[@alexalvarez5139]

This video was awesome. You visiting all those trading Post reminds me of the road trip I took with my son. God bless you, Steve and God bless my son who is in Germany, serving in the army.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

When I was in the Army, Germany was a place a lot of people dreamed about getting stationed. Thank him for his service for me.

[@johncrawford5225]

Love it! Epic road trip, and who needs a reason? You just saw some of the best the Southwest has to offer!

[@SidetrackAdventures]

I totally agree!

[@frostyjim2633]

I think we've been to them all but never realized they are all one thing. Great vid, thanks

[@shawnmeyer2788]

I have been to all of them along I-10. Continental Divide was our usual stop when headed east. Loved living out west.

[@balonzo58]

Steve, thank you for your videos. History can be found in pretty much of everything, you just have to get out there and find it. Happy travels!

[@LeahLepage]

what a fantastic idea for a short driving trip!

[@MojaveHillBilly]

Thanks for the memories, dude!! Especially at Running Indian in Alamogordo NM. Used to live there in that small military town. Thanks again!!!

[@RMStinson]

What a superb video, on so many levels! We've travelled those roads for 40 years, I could almost name every hillside you drove past. I still have one trading post to see, in Santa Rosa. Tell your wife that my wife and I loved this video, as well as so many of your others!

[@mhseay]

Well done! Really enjoyed, have been stopping at Bowlin's for at least 25 years.

[@karenbochinski]

Love this thanks for visiting all these Bowens Outposts

[@davehargreaves6861]

Ha! Ijust stopped at all of these, 3 weeks ago, myself! (except the northern one) So much fun! Thanks!

[@freddombski]

Thanks for the sharing of your experiences. I appreciate how your videos are presented in a matter of fact way and kept humorous and genuine. We've been to many of the same areas though live in Florida, so to us, it's like visiting again.

[@joseleswopes1400]

Doing stuff like that is fun, we used to stop at all the Trading Posts when I was Younger, now when we travel we stop at all the Truck Stops. Truck Stop food was always Awesome 😎

[@SidetrackAdventures]

On our way home I noticed a lot of the truck stops had Godfather's Pizza, which I thought disappeared years ago. I had to try it again, and it was surprisingly good.

[@joseleswopes1400]

@@SidetrackAdventures We have 1 God Father's Pizza in Albuquerque NM. My favorite is Scalos Brick Oven Pizza 💕

[@frankmarullo228]

I have two full body buffalo mounts in my house and 3 shoulder mounts of which I would sell every one of them . THANK you Frank from Montana....

[@davidmaggard9403]

Thanks for sharing love all your travels to places that alot will never see in life of the west keep up the good work awesome video this was

[@thomasandrews8033]

Steve, I think I speak for most of us by saying - you crack me up! Bear behind, my goodness...😂 Outstanding video as always! 😊

[@leonajameson8902]

That was fun

[@joewenzel5142]

I enjoyed visiting all those places.

[@goldcfi7103]

"Bear behind." Nice!

[@tommanion5504]

Having spent much of the eighties (83-89) at Holloman AFB, made countless trips to the Runnin' Indian there at La Luz (the name of the little village north of Alamogordo). Have to love the fact that, even though they were getting heat back then from the P.C. crowds about the name, they stuck it out! Apparently, the other favorite Bowlin's didn't fare as well, the "Butterfield Station". Back in the eighties, it was also a "Runnin' Indian". It sure got a fancy building, didn't it? Again, you sent me down that ole Memory Lane! Thanx.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

I didn't know Butterfield Station was called that in the past. That might explain the extra sign at the Old West Trading Post?

[@jeffreysalomone6354]

What a fun road trip. . .it would be cool if the merchandise varied a bit between stores so that youd have something new to see as you hit another travel center. Still amazing they are still around. Love your idea about a Bowlin's passport stamped at each Bowlins stop!

[@rn1005018]

I'm so glad that you made this. I have been to 3 of these but not all. I think it is so interesting! Thank you!

[@Caughtitoutdoors]

Bro! I've been binge watching your videos for three days now! And will be driving from Phoenix to Las Cruses next week. I've been to most of those stores. Awesome work you do.

[@waltlarson487]

Glad you shared this road trip.

[@denisehazlett508]

Great video, as always. Your road trip reminded me of the Stuckeys that were popular years ago.

[@jerrysullivan8424]

What I remember about Stuckeys was the Pecan Log roll. :)

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Stuckeys is making a comeback. I've seen the log rolls a few places and the stores are doing good business again apparently. Haven't been to one in years though.

[@ChrisBre1]

Great video! I'm originally from Phoenix, but now live in Kansas City. My house has a Southwest decor. About half my decorations came from Bowlin's. Blue Water and the smaller Picacho Peak travel centers are the two I stop at the most. Anyhow, it was great getting to see all of them and learning something about their history.

[@johnmeadows5645]

One interesting note about the Bowlin-Bowling-Bolen family of America, they are decendants of the native american princess, Pocahontas.

[@shantyshitter3163]

Jackalopes are real not fictional. Good eating too. They kind of taste like a cross between chicken and mule deer. Thanks for the great video.

[@IndridCool54]

Hey Steve, I was just passing through Casa Grande two days ago and I went by the Neon Sign Park downtown. I immediately thought of your channel. Did you check it out? I’d be interested to hear your thoughts. 👍🏼

[@SidetrackAdventures]

I actually started the video at the Neon Park! We did a video on the park a few years ago where we visited at night as well. I wish more places would do something like that with their local neon.

[@DM-lc2cf]

Tucson has a neon museum, and also some neon signs have been moved to Stone Drachman area, it is a project in the works, but will cool when the are is developed.

[@dezertraider]

HAPPY NEW YEAR STEVE N FAMILY...AWESOME VIDEO..THANK YOU

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Thank you. Happy New Year to you too!

[@glennbellman1100]

Thanks for another adventure

[@pamchristie6049]

Love your travels and descriptions, historical and others. Always stop at the Continental Divide since mid 60s

[@SidetrackAdventures]

I stopped by there just a couple days ago!

[@LoloKanosAdventures]

Love this video sir! I remember back in the early 1970’s, my Dad drove by several of these trading posts. Good memories! 😊

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Glad you enjoyed it. The trading posts are a lot of fun to stop at.

[@TheRunningFatGuy]

Thank you for bringing a smile to my face. Has me thinking "road trip!"

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Glad you enjoyed it! Its a fun trip.

[@christopherrosing4473]

Love your jokes! Thanks, Cheers! 😃

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Thanks!

[@charlesglandon7840]

Nice video brings back memories of traveling from California to Texas when I was a kid.

[@JohnGotts]

Excellent idea for a video. Really enjoyed it.

[@SmallWonda]

Hilarious - but this is what makes an American Road Trip so much fun! And I thought everyone knew Jackalopes laid low when tourists are about!!

[@r0n5tea1th]

Thanks!

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Wow, thank you. Really appreciate it.

[@chrisevans2645]

As a truck driver I've stopped at most of these. Nice and easy place to pull off, use the restroom, get a burger, or catch some sleep. Chain truckstops are too busy and finding a parking spot is often a pain. The last time I stopped at the thing i actually saw it. I wish I had taken the time to see it before the dinosaurs vs aliens remodel.