What’s Coming Up on “Travel with a Twist.”

This week, I want to let everyone who follows “Travel with a Twist” -- or those wanting to begin following these blog posts -- what will be coming up every Friday in weeks ahead.

Some fun places to go or at least read about.

First, bird watching. The southern New Jersey shore near Cape May is the place to go. Birds migrate there in spectacular numbers and species. In September, there are big surges of neotropical songbirds all month along the beach. Hawks (Merlins and Northern Harriers) are migrating. You can see flights of loons and cormorants.

In October, you can see the height of neotropical songbirds. Scoters come along. And so do gulls and terns. Owls come in at mid-month. Egrets and great blue herons are on the scene.

Check in to the blog as zoologists explain what is described as the greatest bird migration in the United States.

Also in New Jersey. Sho-be-do, do-wop, do-wop. Yeah! The epicenter of Doo-Wop. It’s not just music. It’s architecture too. Amazing 50's motels. And oldies-but goodies at the convention center in Wildwood.

Off to Texas. A quilting convention in Houston, mid-October where 55,000 women will gather to show their artistry at the International Quilt Festival. “Travel with a Twist” will preview the festival and cover it live.

We will do our best to interview and survey the work of Peter Kramer, master cabinet maker in “little” Washington, Virginia. We may also give a review of the renowned five-star restaurant in the same small town, “Inn at Little Washington.”

We will visit three small towns all of which have renovated old movie theaters for live stage performances to enhance local economic development and give pleasure.

Austin, Texas wants to be “weird.” It’s the place where 100's of thousands of bats stream out from under the Lady Bird Johnson bridge every evening when the sun dips below the horizon. One of the only towns in the world that would not eradicate the bats. Learn why? It's an interesting story. Sit back and enjoy the thousands who watch every night.

Oh, and in early October, we may visit Kreutz’s barbecue in Lockhart, Texas. There’s an open fire in the joint with smoldering live oak logs, a hole in the roof for the chimney, BBQ served on butcher paper with bread and pinto beans. No utensils. Reviewed by the New York Times. We’ll do a better job. So tune in.

See you all next Friday.

© Russ Barnes 2009. All rights reserved including text and owned photos indicated as copyrighted. Reproduction or re-transmission of material available upon request. Links to this posted article are welcome and encouraged.