Largest Cross in America!

Here in the Mountains we have some really big crosses.  Giant aluminum crosses, created by James Potter dot the landscape.  However, in Groom, TX sports what is advertized as the largest cross in the Western Hemisphere.  In the flat plains of rural North Texas the cross absolutely towers over everything (except for the several dozen windmills in the vicinity, they are actually a little bit taller).

That does not however, take away from the sheer magnitude of this cross.

A slightly scrambled highway signs points your way.

Unlike my giant grosses you can actually park your car, get out and lay your hands on the massive monument.

Surrounding the cross is a series of amazing and somewhat graphic statues chronicling the "stations of the cross", scenes from Jesus' execution.

Slimy Pontius Pilate washes his hands of the situation.....

For some reason his sink is full of change...........

Also nearby is biblical badass St. Michael slaughtering a dragon.....

There is also an extremely interesting pro-life monument on the grounds, featuring a crying Jesus.

Wait a minute....What's in his hand?

Let's get a closer look.....

The Carpetbagger

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New Carpetbagger Videos!

I have a couple new videos over on youtube.  The first video is my first ever food review, as I sample the hotdog/hamburger hybrid that is "The Most American Burger".




I also take a trip to Myrtle Beaches most classic Kitsch-a-torium: The Gay Dolphin Gift Cove.



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The Carpetbagger

I love hearing from people please comment below.  Also, feel free to email me at jacobthecarpetbagger@gmail.com

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The Dragon! The Legend of Highway 129

 

Here in the mountains our curvy roads have a tendency to attract motorcycle enthusiasts.  No road is more popular amongst bikers as the strip of Highway 129 between North Carolina and Tennessee known as "The Dragon".  The curves of this road are so beloved that a lot of them have their own names.

There is a motorcycle "resort" on North Carolina side that features multiple dragon sculptures.

Complete with Southern tourist staple:  The Moonshine still.

One of the most interesting and macabre features of the resort is "The Tree of Shame".  Its kind of like a twisted version of a shoe tree.

Every time motorcycle wreckage is recovered from an accident it is hung up on this tree.  Keep in mind that each one of those pieces is from a horrible accident.

Check out the video below as a brave this notorious road.




The Carpetbagger

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Jurassic Jungle Boat Ride

Come with me for a ride through of any  amazing old school dark ride in the tourist paradise of Pigeon Forge.  The Jurrassic Jungle Boat Ride features a bizarre collection of animatronic dinosaurs that give you thrills and chills.




The Carpetbagger

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Billy Bass Adoption Center

Who can forget the Big Mouth Billy Bass?  His charming singing worked its way into the hearts of all Americans in the early 2000s.  With his tacky charm he was this millennium's version of Dogs Playing Poker.

Sadly, no musical act can last forever.  Other early 2000 music acts such as Limp Bizkit and The Backstreet boys have faded into obscurity.  Similarly the Billy Bass has been abandoned by all but its most ardent supporters.  So what is American supposed to do with thousands of singing rubber fish.

Luckily, one fine institution has opened its doors to these orphaned fish.  Located in Little Rock, AR (Where else?) the Flying Fish Cafe has set up an adoption center for Billy Bass.

The rules are simple.......

The collection of Bass and their brethren is impressive.

The have some actual fish hanging on the wall, and they a wings for some reason.

Now, make no mistake, I have a singing fish of my own.....

However, I simply could not part with him, so I had to go the unorthodox route of trading money for food.

The food was really good, by the way......

The Carpetbagger

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Junior Banks and the Faith Castle

Out in the middle of absolute nowhere TN sits a remarkable castle that has been crafted by the hand of a single man:  Junior Banks.  Junior built the castle for not particular reason, but then after 20 years God "took over" the castle.  Junior finds religious messages and biblical figures appearing in the patterns in the concrete and surrounds them with paint so they stand out.

When you enter a small room under a staircase you will find the dead eyed horsemen "Horsemen". 

Its almost as if God and the Devil are fighting for the soul of the Castle as demonic faces pop up only to be warded off by biblical figures such as Moses.

Despite the fact that Junior has assembled a towering castle with his own hands, this seems secondary to him, as he doesn't appear all that interested in talking about the building process (which is still active).  Junior is much more interested in heavenly figures that appear in the concrete.

I first arrived I walked through the vast nooks and crannies of the castles by myself and was a touch spooked.  Luckily, just as I was leaving Junior showed up and offered to give me a tour.  Check out the video below



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Live from the Last Shot of the Civil War

In one of my very first videos, I was at the monument to the last shot fired in the civil war.  Now I have the opportunity to share the last shot with everyone through the modern art of Civil War reenacting.




The Carpetbagger

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Mermaids at Ripley's Aqaurium

Check out my new video on the Ripley's Mermaids at the bottom of this page!

I really dig mermaids.  Weeki Wachee Springs and its genuine mermaids is one of my favorite Roadside Attractions.  Check out my my previous post on Weeki Wachee HERE and my video HERE.

But it turns out that Weeki Wachee is not the only place you can watch mermaids.  Previously, the Weeki Wachee mermaids would do guest appearances at Ripley's aquariums across the country.  Apparently, Ripley's liked the idea and decided to keep mermaids as a permanent part of their attraction.  The mermaids here are not branded as Weeki Wachee mermaids, but rather simply called Ripley's Mermaids.

So how do the two mermaid shows compare?  They both have their unique charms.  The Weeki Wachee show earns major points for taking place in an actual natural spring, that can include surprise appearances by turtles, Manatees and alligators.  The Ripley show takes place in an artificial fish tank, however it is full of freaking sharks, so that is pretty awesome too.  The one major edge I have to give to Weeki Wachee is their trademark breathing apparatuses.  This allows the mermaids to stay under water indefinitely without drowning.   The Ripley's Mermaids have no breathing devices, so they have to resurface constantly, so they don't die.  This my not sound like a big deal, but the Ripley's mermaids essentially gulp air, drop down and do a trick, then resurface for air.  This kinda breaks up the flow of the show.



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Failed and Abandoned Amusement Park: Hard Rock/Freestyle Amuseument Park

Hey You All!  New video below.  I visit one of the most spectacularly unsuccessful amusement parks in American history.








The Carpetbagger

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The Current State of Moonshine

New Video!  We take a look at one of the most pressing issues of the South:  Moonshining.





The Carpetbagger

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And I can't forget my Flickr Photostream, where all this got started.