If you have ever driven on I-10 heading towards Tuscon, then you have no doubt seen the countless billboards for “The Thing.” Heck, on this trip, we noticed dozens, and I think there might be less than what I was used to seeing before.

Because of where my family is located, “The Thing” was something we were used to seeing and talking about frequently while traveling. However, it wasn’t until high school that I finally got to experience it. It was a cheap little stop and a bit of an interesting experience. A small museum ending with a “mummy.” I thought it was silly but fun at the time.

As I am older, my love for this type of weird roadside stuff has only grown. I adore these smaller museums, these gas stops with some little interesting tidbit to grab you, these little usually tacky but fun pieces of Americana. I actually greatly enjoy them and try to always keep an eye out for them when I am traveling.

So I thought this would be perfect, and Ben and I stopped, only to discover that “The Thing” has been totally changed. It is still a little museum but now housed in a nicer building and presenting the notion that perhaps aliens came to Earth when Dinosaurs still ruled. It is silly and cute, and I love it. There are also still pieces that I remember from my first visit, including but not limited to the “mummy.”

If you find yourself on that road, and you want a chance to stretch your legs, why not see something fun and really uniquely American while you are at it