Turns out taking the scenic route can pay big dividends, for both traveler and towns along the trail. Look no further than these popular byways for proof.

Comics, cartoons, and old friends headline our latest batch of recommendations for rural stories to read, watch, or listen to this summer.

Syd Carpenter is a Philadelphia-based mixed media artist who focuses on clay. She has received numerous awards including a United States Artist Fellowship, an Anonymous Was a Woman Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts grant, a Pew Fellowship in the Arts, and many others.