Did the World Cup help tourism to the States?

Doesn't seem so. Since the US government reports:

International Air Passenger Enplanements To and From the United States Declined 2.4 percent Year Over Year in July 2026

Foreign International Air Passenger Arrivals To the United States Decreased 3.0 Percent

U.S. Citizen International Air Passenger Departures From the United States Decreased 2.2 Percent

Non-U.S. citizen air passenger arrivals to the United States from foreign countries totaled:

5.1 million in July 2026, down 3.0 percent compared to July 2025.

The details:

Data recently released by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) show that in July 2026:

U.S.-international air traffic passenger enplanements1 totaled:

26.4 million in July 2026, down 2.4 percent compared to July 2025

Originating Non-Stop Air Travel in July 2026

Non-U.S. citizen air passenger arrivals to the United States from foreign countries totaled:

5.1 million in July 2026, down 3.0 percent compared to July 2025.

On a related note, overseas visitor arrivals2 totaled 3.1 million in July 2026, down 7.0 percent from July 2025 (See July I-94 Advance Release https://www.trade.gov/i-94-arrivals-program)

U.S. citizen air passenger departures from the United States to foreign countries totaled:

7.9 million in July 2026, down 2.2 percent from July 2025.

World Region Highlights in July 2026 (APIS/I-92 arrivals + departures)

Total air passenger travel (arrivals and departures) between the United States and other countries were led by Mexico (3.7 million, -5.4 percent Year-Over-Year (YOY)), Canada (3.1 million, +1.5 percent YOY), the United Kingdom (2 million, -6.5 percent YOY), the Dominican Republic (1.2 million, -1.9 percent YOY), and Germany (1.1 million, -3.5 percent YOY).

International regional air travel to/from the United States:

Europe totaled 8.5 million passengers, down 2.6 percent from July 2025.

South/Central America/Caribbean totaled 6.4 million, down 2.5 percent from July 2025.

Asia totaled 2.8 million passengers, down 0.3 percent over July 2025.

Middle East totaled 1.2 million passengers, down 7 percent from July 2025.

Top U.S. ports serving international locations were New York (JFK) 3.3 million, Miami (MIA) 2.3 million, Los Angeles (LAX) 2.3 million, Chicago (ORD) 1.6 million, and Newark (EWR) 1.6 million.

Top foreign ports serving U.S. locations were London Heathrow (LHR) 1.7 million, Toronto (YYZ) 1.1 million, Cancun (CUN) 1 million, Paris (CDG) 920,000, and Mexico City (MEX) 880,000.

Roller Coaster vs Route 601 and 5-6 August 1974

 Leaving Shenandoah National Park in early August 1974, I entered one of the most troubled sections of the AT.  But then again, most of the 500 miles of Trail in Virginia had since been RELOed several times.  See Mt Rogers, Tinker Mtn, and others.  For the PATC, see the newsletter.  Many RELO hikes are found in the 2017 edition of the newsletter.

From my Journal.

5 August Monday

18 Miles today

Good day, Hike with Scouts from Arlington, Va.  In morning left the National Park.  Hike from Chester Gap to Mosby LT kind of lousy.  Had late lunch @ shelter then trucked into Linden to pick up mail & buy food.  Phoned home pick up date Thursday the 8th at 11 am.  Can't wait. Am alone tonight first time ever on this trip. So far not bad.  You need to show dogs you're not afraid.  Will use dog repellent & stick on road walks.  But fortunately just cursing at them will work. "ok, you muffa-fucker you get any closer and I'll bust this stick over your head."  I took one photo of me at camp.

###

I hit the town of Linden, and stopped at what I think is this place to pick up some food.  Google Streeview shots are great, but only go back 10 or so years.  Not the 50 years I need to show here.  (You need to remember, photos were scarce since we all used Kodak film rolls of 24 or 36.)

then this

Crossing the gap, I walked on roads until the trail branched into the woods east, and I think it was this spot.

Up the trail a bit, I found a level spot to camp and shoot that "selfie" above.

The USGS map shows the area in 1966.

Next day from my journal.

6 August Tuesday

17.5 m.

Walked miles on roads. Made out ok though.  Blazing poor, signs poor.  Made it to LT at 330.  Passed the Mt Weather which is a military complex top-secret area.  Wonder what it is? I plan to get a recorder the music kind when I get home.  Ed and Scouts arrived at 7:00.  Made sassafras tea in PM.  Too dark to write.

###

Today, it looks like this

Read about The Crisis on 601 on the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club website here.  Or other PATC links here.

and then camped at Three Springs LT with some Boy Scouts.  Read the Trail Register at the AT Museum site. 

Good night and sleep tight!

Brill's Bible of Building Plans

 Brill's Bible of Building Plans

Since summer is the time of roving carnivals, you might remember some of the rides and shows from your youth, before safety was a concern.  These events offer more than corn dogs and fried dough.

Download your copy here.

 

A couple of preview pages.

My interest comes from Dark Rides and Fright Tourism.

Snowden, VA on the Appalachian Trail (25 July 1974)

 Every week or so, hikers hit a town along the Appalachian Trail.  For us, 52 years ago and five days after leaving Pearisburg, our entourage arrived at Cloverdale, VA and we stayed at the Hojo on 21 July 1974.  It was a nice stretch of trail with Dragons Tooth and McAfee Knob.

You need to remember that McAfee Knob was soon to be off the Trail due to conflicts between the private landowners and hikers.  Read about this problem in my AT Book and Flack's title.  For pics, search web for the bazillion shots along this scenic (and crowded) section of the AT. The one shot I will share is Ralph's and the little restaurant on Rt 301 where I got two 7 Ups and 3 ice creams (thanks to Don).  Camped at Boy Scout LT that night with Don, Ralph and Benji, Laura and Peter the Dog. 

And an air photo from 1996 with restaurant location in the red circle.

But back to the Howard Johnson, we "showered, ate, swam.  Yes went swimming it was great!"

Air Photo from 1985.

and a post card

And my souvenir pen.

At this point we had hiked about 630 miles on the AT.

A couple days later, on 25 July 1974, we descended in the James River Valley and walked to the PO in Snowden.

In 2022, the Streetview shot looks like this.

It was a combo market, gas station and Post Office and a mail drop.   Back then it looked like this.  Our packs are on the porch.

From the AT Museum Book: 

"Snowden was a mail drop but not a place to stay that we reached on the 25th of July. At the Snowden store and PO, I got some mail and tried to replenish some food.  The store and post office has since closed, but a request on Facebook got this story about Snowden.

“The Williams family operated the store. Mr. Williams previously worked with the construction crews building the Blue Ridge Parkway. They had a motorboat and would do water skiing on Sunday afternoons…” 

While my food purchase was limited considering the choices found in full size supermarkets in other towns, Three Time AT Hiker Dorothy Laker bought bread, bologna, cookies, onions, candy, cereal and raisons, that makes my mac and cheese purchase seem bland.  I do recall getting a block of cheddar cheese that I enjoyed with saltines. It kept surprisingly well for a few days in the hot July temperatures. So in retrospect, despite my complaint, these small mom and pop general stores were vital to the long distance hiker and had the store remained open, I am sure more camping food options would have become available.   Leaving the James River at Snowden we would have to climb a mountain out of the valley to camp at Johns Hollow LT.  There we met Harry who hiked the trail in 1969, the same year as Jeff Hancock."

For Ms. Laker's story, get the Rodale Book.  Highly recommended.

For some info on Johns Hollow LT built in 1961, from an AT History site.  Here is also the NPS Photo.  

Thanks to the Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club for maintaining it.  

See the location of the LT on this USGS Map.

McAfee Knob was almost not on the AT (21 July 1974)

 AT hikers take a lot for granted.  Most will complain about problems on the ground but must fully realize the years of work by volunteers and the assistance of federal agencies like the NPS and USDA-FS.

Take Tinker Mountain in Virginia.  From my AT book.

Further north, the troubles along the iconic Catawba Ridge and famous McAfee’s Knob were brewing to the point that the AT was temporarily relocated to the north, forced off the mountain by private landowners in 1977.   The RATC however, put in a twenty-mile RELO in one day, eliminating a potential road walk.  They moved the trail off Catawba Mountain in 1978 to North Mountain that remained the route until the NPS bought the land in early 1980s. Since the 1970s the Roanoke AT Club relocated 120 miles of trail.  Fortunately, McAfee was open for me and my companions in 1974. 

Today this historic view is found on the Trail again thanks to the hard work of the AT volunteers who made that possible.  It is quite likely the most famous landmark on the entire AT, surpassing the shot of a hiker climbing on top of the summit sign on Katahdin.  Yet, overuse by day hikers continue to threaten the ridge and complicate the efforts of the local volunteers.

The USGS map of the area:

The Original Picture?

Here is a scan of the Guide Book Map. (red highlights are LTs).  A couple days later we were resting by the cement pond at Hojo Motel, er' LT.

AT 2,000 Milers, Jim and Hertha Flack write about this area in the ATC published book.

Flack, J and H. Flack. (1981). Ambling and Scrambling on the Appalachian Trail.  ATC.

Out of print but copies can be found from your favorite used bookstore. A delight to read!

Monroeville Mall is Dead

 An article in the New York Times highlighted the funeral arrangements for the Monroeville Mall outside of Pittsburg PA.  For the non-fright tourists out there, the Monroeville Mall was the filming location for the 1978 zombie movie Dawn of the Dead, directed by George A. Romero.

Inside I shot this video before security asked me to stop.

The film is hard to find, but try this edited copy on Archive.org/ 

Nearby, was the Monster Bash Movie Convention where I met Conrad Brooks and others. 

If this seems familiar, I wrote in the RecreationGeography blog about my earlier visit. Recreation Geography: Fright Tourism 2 and the Monroeville Mall

Reykjavík, Iceland

 While Iceland is noted for its spectacular landscape, how about some pictures of the capital Reykjavík.

First a tall landmark, Hallgrimskirkja.

Another high elevation area are views from Perlan, that supplies hot water to the city, has a museum and has a fantastic restaurant. 

By the water is the Sun Voyager. 

You will see lots of art around the city.

Gas stations are frequently self-serve, even after hours.

The center of higher education in Iceland is Háskóli Íslands.

Quaint shots around town.

Friendly people too!  

I travelled to Iceland for two academic conferences.  Great time meeting with other professors and their families.

And great cuisine.

So, put Iceland on your bucket list.