Muffler Man: Gemini Giant

When I started planning my recent Illinois/Iowa/Wisconsin trip, I realized that I would be able to travel a bit of the beginning of Route 66, which officially starts in downtown Chicago. My flight arrived at O’Hare at 8:30am and I was due in Dubuque by the evening, a 2hr and 40min drive if you drive from point A to point B without stopping—something I rarely do.

I decided that the furthest I could reasonably go southwest on Route 66, before heading back northwest, would be Wilmington IL, home of one of the most famous Muffler Men, the Gemini Giant. By the time I had reached the Giant it was 3pm and I was 3hrs and 30 min from Dubuque, but it was completely worth the detour.

In 1965, John Korelc, owner of the Launching Pad drive-in, paid $3,500 (more than $25k in today’s dollars) for the astronaut-themed Muffler Man. When Korelc retired he sold the Launching Pad, which eventually closed in 2010. The last owner refused to sell the Giant separately from the restaurant and in 2017, Tully Garrett and Holly Barker purchased both. They have reopened the Launching Pad as a souvenir shop and have plans to add food in the future.

The Launching Pad was supposed to be open when I arrived, but the doors were locked. When I reached out via Facebook they told me they had an unexpected emergency and had to close up for a bit. I’m sad I didn’t get to meet the Giant’s new owners or squish a penny, but I’ve come to accept these little disappointments as inevitabilities in life (along with the sun, which is seemingly always in the worst position for photos). Thankfully, they sell some of their Gemini Giant- and Route 66-branded merchandise online and I might not be able to resist buying one of these little guys.

The Gemini Giant stands 30 feet tall and—not counting his rocket and concrete base—weighs 438 pounds. After he arrived at the Launching Pad, a contest was held with local school children to name the giant. Inspired by Project Gemini, NASA's second human spaceflight program from 1961 to 1966, a fifth grade student proposed the name “Gemini Giant.” At least two other astronaut variants were made by International Fiberglass—one stood at Coney Island’s Astroland—but only the Gemini Giant survives today.

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Gemini Giant
810 E Baltimore Street
Wilmington, IL 60481
Store open daily, 9am-5pm, the statue is visible 24/7 in the parking lot outside.

Muffler Men: Crystal Lake

Although Muffler Men are much more plentiful than their female counterparts, the UniRoyal Gals, or other fiberglass giants such as Big Johns, they’re still pretty scattered around the country. I doubt I’ll ever see them all—not for lack of trying—but I feel as if I’ve hit the roadside jackpot when I can cross more than one off my list at once.

Crystal Lake, Illinois, a suburb about an hour northwest of Chicago, used to be home to three Muffler Men—two Bunyans and a Native American (only my second time seeing this variant). One of the Bunyans is not currently on display, but getting to meet two new Muffler Men at once was a treat. It was also my friend Francesca’s first time seeing a roadside giant in person, and it’s always a thrill to be able to see things from a fresh perspective.

You can’t be my friend and not at least acquire a cursory understanding of roadside attractions, but she was still surprised at how detailed they were—which proves that there really is no substitute for visiting places and seeing things in real life. Both Muffler Men are mysteriously missing their feet (and wearing the same mustard-colored pants), but they’re otherwise well-cared for. The Amish-style beard is a bit of a head-scratcher, but I love painted details like the hint of plaid, the crossed suspenders and the knuckle wrinkles.

Both of the big statues that currently reside at The Greenhouse of Crystal Lake originally stood at the Ozzi Waterpark in Palatine, Illinois. The waterpark closed in the early 2000s and the property was sold to build a new retail strip mall. I’m not sure how the giants came to reside at the Greenhouse, 30 minutes northwest of their original home, but I’m glad their philosophy appears to be, if one Muffler Man is good for business, two is even better.

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The Greenhouse of Crystal Lake
4317 S IL Route 31
Crystal Lake, Illinois
Even if the greenhouse itself is closed, you can still see these guys by pulling into the parking lot.

Muffler Man: Frankenstein

The first of four Muffler Man that I met on my recent Chicago/Iowa/Wisconsin road trip was this Frankenstein, located in Burbank, Illinois at the Haunted Trails Family Entertainment Center. Haunted Trails is about eight miles east of Historic Route 66, and about 30 minutes southwest of Chicago.

In hindsight, December is probably the worst month to take a road trip because most seasonal businesses are closed and there is very limited daylight. Although Haunted Trails is open year-round, the outdoor part of the park—where the Muffler Man is located—was closed when I arrived. Luckily, a very nice manager opened the gate for me and allowed me all the time I needed to take photos (unluckily, the sun was in the absolutely worst position for photos, but these are the risks you’re traveling with limited time).

This Frankenmufflerman’s origins are a bit of a mystery, but he allegedly came to the Haunted Trails sometime in the 1970s. International Fiberglass—makers of the traditional Muffler Men—went out of business in the early ‘70s, so American Giants theorizes that Creative Display, a fiberglass manufacturer located in Sparta, Wisconsin, used either a Muffler Man mold or parts of an actual Muffler Man to create this variant.

Although at first glance he appears similar to the standard Muffler Men, upon closer inspection you’ll notice some differences. The pants and hand positions are the most Muffler Man-like features, while the head, shoulders and axe all appear to be custom pieces. He has a wonderful, gruesome paint job and the iron bar stuck though his neck is a nice detail.

Haunted Trails is kind of like a creepy Chuck E. Cheese, and although I only took a brief survey of their offerings, I think it’s definitely the kind of place where I would have loved to have my birthday party when I was a kid—or, even now. I also loved the several screaming ghost trashcans that were scattered around and they prove my life philosophy that just because something is utilitarian, doesn’t mean it can’t also be whimsical.

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Haunted Trails Family Entertainment Center
7759 S. Harlem Avenue,
Burbank, IL 
Open year-round, but you’ll need special permissions to get up-close and personal with the Muffler Man in the off-season.

Farnham Colossi

When my mom and I returned from our South of the Border road trip last year, I discovered that we had been literally ten minutes away from the Farnham Colossi. I obsessively scan maps on Roadside America and elsewhere to plot my road trip destinations but this area has so many states so close together—West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania—that I hadn’t thought to check a WV map. The Farnham Colossi is located in Unger, West Virginia, just over the border from Virginia, and it shouldn’t be hard to see why I planned our entire August road trip around it.

The Farnham Colossi, also called the Farnham Fantasy Farm, is located on the private property of George and Pam Farnham. George, a former DC lawyer, moved to West Virginia in the 1980s. Both George and Pam are collectors—the house and garage are filled with old magazines, nudie calendars and naughty hot sauce bottles. They both also share a love of “big things” and they bought their first Muffler Man on eBay from a Midas muffler shop in California. He’s the first Muffler Man I’ve seen that is actually carrying a muffler, which—despite the name—seems to be rare.

It turns out that rural West Virginia is the perfect place to have a strange collection, "You live in West Virginia and you have no zoning—nobody can say anything!" George says. "So we can get away with it and nobody cares." In 2005 they came across Brian, a "beach dude" statue for sale in Cincinnati. He so big—taller than the 25-foot-tall Muffler Men—that he was moved to the Farnham's property in pieces, on two flatbed trucks.

They added a Big John statue soon after the Brian was delivered, and a (questionably styled) UniRoyal Gal (the sixth I’ve seen) joined their family in 2008. Michelle Sommers, a local artist, works with the Farnhams to restore some of the statues and periodically gives them a fresh coat of paint (her handiwork is particularly noticeable on the totally woke Big John, the second of only a handful remaining that I’ve seen).

The Muffler Men—yes, they have another one in the back of their yard, a plaid-wearing Bunyan with visible chest hair like the Camp Bullowa Bunyan—are anchored in concrete so they’ll be in Unger for a while. On the other side of the house are even more statues, including a roly poly hamburger guy, a train full of Simpsons characters, a small dinosaur, seahorses, a shark and several clown heads.

The Farnham Colossi is probably not a main destination for many people, but it’s a total goldmine if you seek out Muffler Men and other big, fiberglass statues like I do (even if the sun was in an awful position for photos when we arrived). Unfortunately, the Farnhams weren’t home when we visited but, according to a neighbor, they love visitors—which is the only logical position to take when you have such a large, whimsical collection.

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The Farnham Colossi
14633 Winchester Grade Road,
Unger, West Virginia 25411

Muffler Man: Arnold's Half Wit

The Happy Half Wit, manufactured by International Fiberglass, was originally called Mortimer Snerd after ventriloquist Edgar Bergen's puppet. The Half Wits have faces that resemble Alfred E. Neuman of MAD magazine and they are a variant on the classic Muffler Man (others include Cowboys, Indians, Texaco Big Friends and UniRoyal Gals).

The Half Wits (a name coined by Roadside America) were produced for mini golf courses along the east coast and Ohio. They came in one of two color schemes: yellow shirt with suspenders and blue pants (with patches) or red shirt and yellow suspenders with blue pants (no patches). They also have one of two hat styles: a round farmer-type hat or a conductor hat that was made by modifying the round style.

The Half Wits are much more rare than the traditional Bunyan Muffler Men and I just recently met my third one (my first was at the Magic Forest in Lake George and my second was at Mr. Bill’s in New Jersey). There were once two Happy Half Wits on the boardwalk in Seaside Heights, NJ and both were damaged by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. In 2014, one was restored and moved to Oaks, PA where it currently sits outside of Arnold's Family Fun Center.

The Arnold’s Half Wit lost his suspenders in the renovation, but he’s still the best Half Wit I’ve seen. While the one at Mr. Bill’s does have the suspenders, his complexion is a bit off—and the Amish-style Half Wit at the Magic Forest begs many, many questions. While Arnold’s Family Fun Center might not be worth the price of admission—one review is titled “What a dump!”—luckily you can see their Happy Half Wit (and his giraffe pal) free of charge.

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Arnold’s Family Fun Center
2200 West Drive 
Oaks, PA 19456

Muffler Man: Woodstock Hippie

My first thought after buying tickets to see Steve Martin and Martin Short’s variety show in Bethel, New York was that we’d finally get to see the Hippie Muffler Man. Bethel is located about two hours northwest of the city in the Catskills region of New York. In 1969, the Woodstock music festival took place in Bethel—not 60 miles north in Woodstock, NY—on Max Yasgur’s dairy farm.

This Muffler Man stands on Yasgur’s farm, attached to a telephone pole near the road. Before he moved to Bethel, this Bunyan-style fiberglass giant stood outside of a car repair shop in Albany. He held a large muffler, which was replaced by an ax in 1987 when he was sold to a jeep dealership in Monticello. In 1993 he moved to an ice cream shop which turned into a fish market (he then held a large fish, which I would have loved to see). In the late ‘90s, a Woodstock-loving employee gave the Muffler Man his “hippie” look. 

This Muffler Man is technically on private property and at times there have been ‘no trespassing’ signs posted, but there’s enough room to pull off the road and snap a few quick photos. He has a tie-dye shirt and patched jeans and no longer holds anything. I remarked that his shirt was a strange attempt at representing tie dye, and then as we were watching Woodstock the Movie on Sunday we noticed that Joe Cocker’s shirt looked awfully familiar…

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Hippie Muffler Man
Yasgur Road and 17b,
Bethel, NY 12720

Muffler Man: Camp Bullowa

I'm running out of Muffler Men to see in close proximity to New York, but this weekend I crossed two more off my list. The first one we saw on our way to the Catskills is located at Camp Bullowa, a Boy Scout and Cub Scout camp in Stony Point, New York. Stony Point is in Rockland County, about 45 minutes north of where I live in Harlem.

The Camp Bullowa Muffler Man is one of the early Paul Bunyans made by International Fiberglass in the mid-1960s. The Bunyan has been at the camp since the mid-'90s, and its whereabouts before then are unknown. He was previously located on a steep hill, but mischievous scouts would periodically push him down the hill into the lake. The hollow fiberglass statue would float, but he was moved near the entrance and in view of the ranger's home to discourage similar pranks.

The wooden axe (secured with the largest zip ties I've ever seen) is a replacement of the original, his salt-and-pepper beard is painted that way, and if you look closely you can see curly little chest hairs poking out of his shirt. I'm always happy to find that a Muffler Man is well-loved, and the Camp Bullowa Bunyan could use a little scrubbing but he's in good shape especially considering all of the unexpected lake dives he's taken over the years.  

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Camp Bullowa
15 Franck Road,
Stony Point, NY 10980
Go past the entrance, into the parking lot and the Bunyan is on the left.

Muffler Man: Dude Man

After a long day on (and off) the Mother Road, exploring trading posts (both open and abandoned) in Arizona, we crossed into New Mexico and headed to Gallup. We had a room booked for the night at the El Ranchero and I was eager to meet another Muffler Man.

But as we pulled into Gallup, I realized that I was feeling overwhelmed by all of the roadside delights that we had seen that day, so I intentionally drove past the Muffler Man, saving it for the next morning when I could fully appreciate him. I trace my awareness of this phenomenon to my first trip to Italy—after days and days of seeing important works of Art, I eventually reached a saturation point where I just couldn't absorb any more. Since Muffler Men are basically the American version of the David, this has happened to me on nearly every road trip I've taken. Luckily, all I need is a good diner breakfast or a few hours of sleep and I'm ready to enthusiastically collect delights again. 

After seeing the very first Muffler Man ever made in Flagstaff, AZ I was slightly disappointed that there was only one left to see on our agenda for this trip. There are hundreds of Muffler Men spread out around the country but I get frustrated sometimes that I will probably never see them all at the pace I'm going. The Gallup Muffler Man (nicknamed "Dude Man") is the 19th fiberglass giant that I've met, but I might have better luck seeing every UniRoyal Gal since they're much more rare.

Dude Man stands on the roof of John's Used Cars, and while it's not technically located on Route 66, it's close enough to consider him a Route 66 attraction. I can't find any information on the provenance of Dude Man, but he appears to be well maintained. He has a cowboy hat and a pistol and wears jeans and a western-style shirt. I love the pennant flags that radiate around him, and the employees of John's were seemingly unbothered by me wandering in and out of their lot to take photos (his back side is visible from a nearby alley). 

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John's Used Cars
416 W Coal Avenue,
Gallup, NM 87301
Gates to the lot are closed after business hours, but Dude Man is visible at all times

Muffler Man: Flagstaff Bunyan

Everyone that agrees to go on a road trip planned by me knows by now that if there's a Muffler Man within a reasonable radius, we'll be pulling over. Just a few hours after visiting Don Parks and his yard of stuff—including his own Muffler Man—Jean-Marie and I stopped at the Northern Arizona University campus to meet my 18th (!?) fiberglass giant. 

I think I do extensive research before I leave for any trip, but I inevitably either forget a lot of details before we see the thing or I discover something new about a place we visited only after I get back home. The thing I might actually like most about writing this blog (aka my second job that pays me no actual money) is that it gives me the opportunity to research the places I've been. I've always been someone who loves spoilers—who reads a review only after I've seen the movie—and I love immersing myself in information about places after I've had my own experiences with them. 

Imagine my delight when I discovered as I was researching this particular Muffler Man, that he was actually the very first Muffler Man ever created. This 20-foot-tall Paul Bunyan statue was created in 1962 by Bob Prewitt, whose California business, Fiberglass Animals, made a lot of the roadside animals that can still be found around the country. He received an order for the statue, but when the buyer backed out, Prewitt took his Bunyan on a little road trip along Route 66. He was able to sell the statue to the Lumberjack Cafe, where it stood until the '70s when the restaurant was sold and renamed. 

Now the Bunyan and his axe stand outside of the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome (home of the Lumberjacks) and he was looking very fresh when we visited. This particular Muffler Man is built as one piece, while later versions were made of four pieces, bolted together. There is actually another nearly-identical Bunyan statue—also from the Lumberjack cafe—at NAU, but he's located inside of the stadium which was closed when we visited. 

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J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome
1705 S San Francisco Street
Flagstaff, AZ 86001

Lumberjack Cafe postcard via Flickr

I hope you've noticed the new navigation at the top of the site—you can see all of my Muffler Man posts now under the "Roadside" dropdown or by clicking the "Muffler Man" tag below.

Muffler Man: Don Parks

Our second stop on our recent trip out West (after fueling up at a soda fountain) was Don Parks's house. We don't know Don Parks, and we didn't meet him, but his yard in Phoenix is full of fiberglass statues, road signs and other kitschy collectables. Parks, a Vietnam Vet, began collecting treasures in the late '60s, after he bought his first house. 

His first acquisition—and in my opinion, his best— was the Paul Bunyan Muffler Man. He purchased the 23-foot-tall giant from a San Francisco gas station, and later sold it to a shoe store in the '80s. When the shoe store went out of business, the Bunyan moved to a lumber company, which also eventually closed. Parks bought the Bunyan back, but in the process his right eye was damaged by a shotgun blast. 

Parks will reportedly give tours if you call in advance, but you can see most of his collection from the sidewalk. He finds treasures at auctions, swap meets, garage sales and thrift stores. When a local amusement park closed down, he was able to purchase several mannequins, statues, bumper cars and bits and pieces of other rides and attractions. 

Parks's collection grew so large that in 2012, when the house across the street was in foreclosure, he purchased it and began filling its yard with stuff as well. He claims that the neighbors (almost) never complain about his collection—everything technically qualifies as lawn art and therefore doesn't violate city code. 

Don Parks is literally living my Pee-Wee's Big Adventure-inspired dream life with his whimsical collection, and I couldn't love people like him more. Life is painfully short and can be full of disappointments and dark days—but imagine driving through a boring residential street and coming across a yard like Don Parks's and not smiling, if only for a second. 

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Don Parks 
8009 West Weldon Ave
Phoenix, AZ

UniRoyal Gal: Tootsie 2018

I was delighted when I first discovered that there was a UniRoyal Gal about fifteen minutes from David's parents house in Bradenton, Florida. Tootsie was one of our first stops on our trip to Florida last year, where we found her easily accessible but in desperate need of a new paint job. Through a bit of Instagram fate, I recently saw a photo of Tootsie, fresh from a patriotic makeover. Luckily, we had already planned a return trip to Florida, and of course couldn't resist revisiting the brand new Tootsie.

Tootsie, a 17-feet-tall, 300-pound fiberglass UniRoyal Gal was originally displayed in Illinois. She was brought to Florida upon her owner's retirement and Tom Edmunds, of Edmunds Metal Works bought her for $500. She's been standing outside of his shop in Bradenton since 2013. When we visited her last year, she wore a faded, yellow bikini with black polka dots still visible on her backside. She had matching yellow heels, a faded blonde bob and stood on a plain metal base.

As you can see from the photos, Tootsie's makeover was dramatic. She's been repainted head to toe—stars and stripes on her bikini, a new black dye job and black heels to match. She even has a new anklet, with charms representing the different branches of the military. In fact, the new Tootsie is very overtly patriotic, and while there's nothing wrong with loving America and supporting our troops, the "Patriotism Means Standing Up For Being an American" sign feels a little too "Make America Great Again" for my tastes.

Of course I'm happy that Tootsie is being maintained and loved, but I do miss her original yellow polka dot bikini. I'm so glad that we got to see Tootsie last year in her original state, and then again so soon looking totally different. UniRoyal Gals are very rare, and with Tootsie I feel like we got a two-for-one deal.

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Want prints of Tootsie or any of my other photos? Check out my Society6 shop and if you ever want a specific print of a photo you see on this blog, just let me know!

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Edmund's Metal Works
6111 15th St E,
Bradenton, FL 34203
Easily accessible

Muffler Man: White's Tire

For this edition of Muffler Man Monday, you get two for the price of one! When my mom agreed to take this road trip with me, she knew that our main destination was South of the Border, but she asked that I keep all of the other stops a surprise. I personally hate surprises but I do love being in control, so it was really fun to be able to experience her anticipation without any of the anxiety of not knowing where we were headed. After seeing a few Muffler Men, that became her first guess for every stop, but even when she was right, she was always surprised by the different types (and to be honest, after planning so many stops, so was I). 

Both men are at White's Tire locations, exactly a mile apart in Wilson, North Carolina. The first Muffler Man stands on top of the roof, at a location that is currently closed and for sale. I'm glad that the Muffler Man is still standing so that we were able to see him, but I wonder if he will be sold along with the building or moved to one of White's other locations. He looks slightly different than other Muffler Men we've seen but I'm not sure if that's because of his paint job or his stubby legs.

The second Muffler Man is at a much larger location that is very much still in business. He is definitely more traditional than the first, and obviously well-maintained. He also holds a tire in his hand, and I think it's funny that the shear size of these giants make normal-sized tires appear as if they're almost miniature.

He's waving to traffic and potential customers, but my mom pointed out that he sort of also looks like he might be doing a Nazi salute? Maybe it's just the current (garbage) political climate or the pairing with "White's Tire" but now this arm style has been sort of tainted for me. I wish they could somehow be modified to look more like the Muffler Man at Trader's World, who is sporting a much friendlier wave. 

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White's Tire Muffler Man #1
740 Goldsboro Street SW
Wilson, North Carolina
Location closed and for sale, but Muffler Man still visible

White's Tire Muffler Man #2
701 Hines Street S
Wilson, North Carolina
Location is open and Muffler Man is easily accessible

Muffler Man: Bunyan + Babe

Next up on the roster of Muffler Man we saw on our recent road trip is one of the Paul Bunyan varieties. This dapper lumberjack once stood outside of Stan the Tire Man in Salem, Illinois, but was moved to Battleboro, North Carolina in 2007. While in Illinois, he was accompanied by a UniRoyal Gal but she was sold and moved to California when Stan the Tire Man closed in 2015.

After he was moved to NC, this Bunyan traded his Gal for a Babe—Babe the Blue Ox, from the Paul Bunyan legend. The first Muffler Man I ever saw was a Bunyan-type at the Magic Forest, in Lake George, NY and I've seen a few more of the style since. Even though the thing I love most about Muffler Men is their ability to be customized and that they all look different as a result, the Bunyan is what I think of when I think of the quintessential Muffler Man.

This gentleman is wearing a knit cap and holding an axe—similar to the World's Fair giant we saw, also in Lake George—but I can't for the life of me figure out what is in Babe's mouth (my mom said, "is that an e-cigarette?"). They stand guard over the Original Log Cabin Homes sales center, and you can see them best while driving south on 1-95. We parked and walked right up to them, and although no one said anything to us, we did see a lady come out of the office ... and walk back inside when she realized we were more interested in Bunyan and Babe than in purchasing a log cabin home. 

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Original Log Cabin Homes
7677 N Halifax Road
Battleboro, NC 27809
A little tricky to get to, but no one seemed to mind us walking through the property

Muffler Man: Cowtown Cowboy

It's Muffler Man Monday—at least for a little while since we saw so many on our recent road trip. They're all so wonderful and unique, so each deserves to be profiled separately. Up next: this lovely cowboy gentleman was our second stop in New Jersey, about 40 min from the Pink Pants-wearing Muffler Man. 

This cowboy variety is 22-feet tall, and wears a Stetson hat, holster and pistol. Bought at an auction in the '70s, he has been standing outside of the Cowtown Rodeo and Farmers' Market ever since. In the early 2000's, the cowboy's top half blew off during a windstorm, leaving just the pants standing. He was repaired, and is now reinforced at the waist and looks freshly painted.

One of the first things I noticed about this Muffler Man is that he isn't holding anything in his outstretched hands. A lot of the others I've met are similarly unadorned, but this one seemed to actively be missing something. Turns out I was right—he used to hold a lariat rope, but it was removed after people kept swinging on it (people ruin everything). 

Bonus fiberglass attraction! Every cowboy needs a cow, and this red bull (with an udder??) stands nearby the Muffler Man, right in front of the (likely hyperbolic) sign that proclaims that Cowtown is "often imitated, never equaled."

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Cowtown Rodeo and Farmers' Market
780 Harding Hwy
Pilesgrove, NJ 08098
Easily Accessible

Muffler Man: Pink Pants

My mom and I just got back from an epic road trip through nine states over four days. When I started planning the road trip, I knew that our main destination was roadside mecca South of the Border, but I also knew that the point of the trip was the journey. I planned nearly 30 stops along the way there and back and we hit almost all of them. 

If you were following along on my Instagram stories, it may have seemed like we were on a Muffler Man scavenger hunt—we saw five official Muffler Men, in addition to three UniRoyal Gals and numerous other fiberglass sculptures. My mom saw her first Muffler Man (and first UniRoyal Gal) on our trip to Atlantic City last year and she's now just as obsessed as I am. 

Our very first stop after picking up our rental car at Newark Airport was this Muffler Man in pink pants and suspenders at Royal Tire and Auto in Magnolia, New Jersey. I love his coloring and that he's holding a tire—it's a regular size tire but it looks tiny in his huge hands. My mom pointed out his veiny forearms arms, and I'm always wowed by the detail and care that go into making and maintaining these roadside giants. 

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Royal Tire and Auto of Magnolia
301 N White Horse Pike
Magnolia, NJ 08049
Easily accessible

Muffler Man: BP

Usually, when I say that I don't have plans, I'm lying. I am an obsessive planner by nature. I would never, ever describe myself as "spontaneous," although I'd like to think that I'm still easy-going and not impossibly rigid—as long as everything goes exactly how I imagine it will in my head. I spend countless hours thinking about and planning adventures—big and small—so it's rare that I find myself completely without agenda. 

Our recent day trip upstate to Beacon, NY was somewhat spur-of-the-moment by my usual standards, but I still had some ideas (like the abandoned cemetery). In fact, when I told David that we should take a day trip on a day we both had off work for Passover, I began by saying "should I pretend that I don't already have a trip planned or just tell you where I want to go?" This probably makes me sound bossy and horrible but let's just call me opinionated and organized. 

We had planned to take the Metro North to Beacon, but at the last minute decided that a Zipcar would be only slightly more expensive when split between the two of us. I adore public transportation and train travel more than anyone probably should, but the control-freak in me can't pass up the freedom that comes with having a car—and if I don't have to actually drive it, even better. 

Once it was decided that we would drive, I immediately started thinking of possible stops along the way. Beacon isn't far from the city (about a two-hour drive) but any trip I take is as much about the stops along the way as it is about the final destination. My first thought was an upstate Muffler Man that has been on my radar ever since I researched our first Sleepy Hollow trip, and that meant he was on our way to Beacon as well. 

This Muffler Man (my 13th!) is located in Elmsford, NY at a BP gas station. He looks as if he's been fairly well-maintained, despite the fact that he's missing both of his arms. His left arm looks as if it may have broken off, while his right arm may have been intentionally removed to fit him snugly next to the price sign. His feet are partially buried in the dirt, and he's painted BP yellow and green (even his eyes match!). I'm very grateful to have found a roadtrip partner who not only loves to drive, but who doesn't mind stopping once and while to make new friends. 

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BP Muffler Man
135 N Saw Mill River Rd
Elmsford, NY 10523

UniRoyal Gal: Tootsie 2017 + Muffler Man: Wrench

My dude's parents recently purchased a house in Bradenton, Florida and one of the first things I did when I learned of its location was to consult Roadside America. I spend hours combing through their maps and archives, planning trips that I may or may not take, and it's the first resource I turn to when I'm traveling somewhere new. I was thrilled to discover that their house was a 15 minute drive from Tootsie the Uniroyal Gal.

Roadside America lists ten known Uniroyal Gals, although American Giants says that they've heard of 17, 12 of which are still visible today. Whichever number is correct, the fact is that there weren't many produced and they are far less common than their male counterpart, the Muffler Man. I saw my first one back in October and I was beyond excited to see another one so soon.

Tootsie, as her current owner calls her, could definitely use a paint touch-up—in fact she's so sun-bleached that she nearly blends in with the beige building behind her. The default was for the gal to sport a bikini, but International Fiberglass also made a removable shirt and skirt (Nitro Girl sports this more modest outfit). Upon closer inspection, Tootsie is actually wearing a polka-dotted bikini, and I love her high-heels and the side-tie detail on the bikini bottom.

Speaking of Muffler Men, there are several around the Tampa area and I made sure that our paths crossed with one on our way to Kissimmee. We were having the worst luck with light—everything that we stopped to photograph was back-lit, but I was still happy to meet my twelfth Muffler Man.

This Muffler Man, which stands outside of an automotive repair shop, has the distinction of being the only one I've seen so far holding a tool. I've seen them saluting, waving, pointing and holding axes, food, signs, a gem stone and a roll of carpet—but I've yet to see one actually holding a muffler.

Muffler Man: Chief Running Fair

While I was planning our recent trip to see The Big Duck, I checked Roadside America's invaluable Muffler Man map and found that there was a Muffler Man nearby.  I hadn't seen a Muffler Man since last October (the Happy Halfwit at Mr. Bill's in New Jersey), and I had never seen a proper example of the Native American variation—it was the cherry on top of a delightful mini-road trip through Long Island.

Chief Running Fair stands outside the Riverhead Raceway in Riverhead, NY in western Long Island. The race track bought him in 1982 when the Danbury Fair in Connecticut sold all of their statues. Apparently in October of 2012 Superstorm Sandy snapped him in two, but he was restored and back up by Christmas of that year. He's in sort of an odd place—behind a chain link, barbed-wire-topped fence and slightly hidden from the road, but he looks like he's well-cared for and has a vibrant paint job.

His lower half resembles most of the other Muffler Men I've seen—he counts as my eleventh!—but his head, torso and arm position appear to be unique. I love his colorful markings and the detail in his hair and headdress is really incredible. The way that musculature and fabric folds are so expertly reproduced in fiberglass will never cease to amaze me, and I'm so glad that I finally got to add another variation to my Muffler Man (photo) collection.