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I really like to read, but it’s not very safe to read while driving.  When I’m on the road, however, I try to read the snippets of text that occupy roadside signs or adorn places of business.  Sometimes a sign will catch my fancy and I’ll pull over to take a closer look and a picture.  On my last couple of trips to the southwest I encountered quite a few interesting signs.

You’d think after all these years folks in the town of Moab, Utah would no longer be concerned about hippies.  When I pulled over to see what Hole N” the Rock was about, a sign placed prominently in the window by the front door of the Hole N” the Rock General Store made it clear this was not the case.  After checking the length of my hair and remembering that I had shaved that morning, I cautiously made my way through the front door.  My money was obviously green enough because I made it out safely with snacks for the road.  Fortunately, the Navaho Market near the Monument Valley Tribal Park wasn’t concerned about hippies.

There aren’t many businesses in Chloride, Arizona, but Digger Dave’s, which is kind of like the Chloride Mall, more than compensates for the lack of businesses by having a plethora of signs.

Of course, it also helps to pay attention to the road signs because they can warn you about the wildlife that you might encounter.  I did see one lonely desert bighorn sheep in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area but I never did find that elusive tortoise.  You can probably find some jackasses in Las Vegas; some might even be carrying cameras!

There are many more strange and interesting signs from the Southwest in the gallery below.