Pull up a collapsible lawn chair, grab a s’more (or a cup of decaf, I don’t judge after 4:00 PM), and make yourself at home. This is the official digital gathering place where I keep the old tradition of fun facts and head-scratching brain teasers alive, minus the mosquito bites and the smoke that inexplicably follows your face no matter where you move. Whether you’re here to test your mental agility, gather useless knowledge to dominate your next Sunday dinner, or just avoid cleaning the garage for another twenty minutes, you’ve come to the right spot. Use the table below to jump straight to your favorite brain-benders, test your wits, and click that plus sign when you’re ready to see if you’re as sharp as you think you are!
Brain Teasers
8/7/26
I cross hundreds of miles across New Mexico, but at one famous spot in the state, I actually cross myself. What am I, and where can you stand to see me intersect myself?
Route 66 at the intersection of 4th Street and Central Avenue in downtown Albuquerque!
7/31/26
I am an ancient giant standing tall along the coast, wearing a thick, protective coat of rusty red bark. While my crown reaches high into the sky, my roots stay surprisingly shallow, choosing instead to intertwine with my neighbors so we can support each other through the strongest storms. Every day, the rolling ocean fog rolls in to feed me, helping me grow for a thousand years or more. What am I?
A California Redwood tree.
7/24/26
Two seniors, Mary and John, are driving cross-country from central Florida to northern California. They decide to follow the setting sun exactly due west every single day. However, they soon realize they will never reach California this way. What crucial thing did they forget to check?
The map (or Geography)(If they went due west from central Florida they would wind up in Mexico or the Pacific Ocean)
7/10/26 (from the July 10th email Brain Teaser)
I touch the shores of the Americas, Europe, and Africa. I hold a legendary triangle that makes ships disappear, yet I have no hands. I contain thousands of islands, but I am entirely fluid. What am I?
The Atlantic Ocean
Fun Facts
8/7/26
On a stretch of vintage Route 66 (U.S. 66 / NM-333) near Tijeras, New Mexico, just east of Albuquerque, the New Mexico Department of Transportation installed custom rumble strips cut at precise depths and spacings.
When your tires drive over them at exactly 45 mph, the vibrations generate musical pitches that play the tune of “America the Beautiful.” If you drive too fast or too slow, the notes pitch up or down into static, giving drivers a clever incentive to stick to the speed limit.
7/31/26
Did you know that giant redwood trees support a hidden “ocean” of life hundreds of feet in the air? Because these trees grow so incredibly tall, their massive upper branches trap falling needles, dust, and moisture over centuries, eventually creating rich fields of airborne soil. High above the forest floor, entire aerial gardens of ferns, berry bushes, and shrubs flourish directly on the tree limbs. This sky-high ecosystem is so vast and self-sustaining that scientists have discovered unique salamanders and earthworms living their entire lives in the canopy, never once touching the actual ground.
7/24/26
Did you know that Uncle Sam offers seniors the ultimate road trip perk?
The National Park Senior Pass gives anyone aged 62 or older lifetime access to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the country, including every single National Park! It costs less than a single night at a decent hotel ($80) and pays for itself in just four park visits.
Even better? The pass covers everyone inside your car, making you the official VIP of the next family road trip.