1

Fresh fish

Image: Chris Chow

If you were new to the army , you were "fresh fish." Veterans spotted them a mile away, wide-eyed, uniforms still smelling like the depot, and not yet hardened by camp life. They got teased, trained, and sometimes tricked. Of course, every seasoned soldier once wore the "fresh fish" badge, so the teasing came with a knowing grin.

2

Grab a root

Image: Lars Blankers

Dinner time in camp could mean beans, hardtack, or, if you were lucky, a potato. Asking someone to "grab a root" was soldier shorthand for "let’s eat." Potatoes were cheap, filling, and easy to cook over a campfire.

3

Sawbones

Image: Piron Guillaume

Medical science in the 1860s wasn’t exactly what we call gentle. Army surgeons were nicknamed "sawbones," partly for their skill with amputations, a normal procedure during wartime. It wasn’t always fair, since many doctors were dedicated and resourceful, but the name stuck.

4

Graybacks

Image: Scott Umstattd

Ask a soldier about "graybacks" and you might get two very different answers. One was lice, the pest that thrived in crowded camps. The other was a nickname Union troops used for Confederate soldiers . Either way, it wasn’t a compliment.

5

Bonnie Blue Flag

This was the hit song of the Confederacy , praising the states that left the Union. The "Bonnie Blue Flag" itself showed a single white star on a blue field, the first banner of the Confederacy. The song’s lively chorus made it a favorite at rallies, campfires, and any place soldiers needed a boost of spirit.

6

Furlough

Image: Stijn Swinnen

A furlough was a soldier’s golden ticket home , even if only for a short while. The paperwork described the soldier’s looks, regiment, and exact return date, plus a stern warning about being labeled a deserter if he didn’t show up on time.

7

Housewife

Image: Annie Spratt

Every soldier carried a "housewife," though it wasn’t a person; it was a sewing kit . Packed with needles, thread, and spare buttons, it kept uniforms in one piece. With supply lines stretched thin, a quick stitch could mean the difference between looking like a soldier or a scarecrow.

8

Insult

Image: Aleksey Kashmar

On a Civil War battlefield, an "insult" wasn’t words, it was a sudden attack on a fortified position. The idea was to strike before the defenders could react. Success could turn the tide of a fight, but failure usually meant heavy losses. It was risky and brutal.

9

Kepi

Image: Jen Theodore

The kepi was the go-to cap for Union soldiers, with a flat circular top and short visor . It was light, practical, and easy to make, so it became part of the classic Civil War look. Confederate soldiers sometimes wore them too, but it was a Union signature item.

10

Ordnance

Image: Rick Lobs

If it was in any way designed to make the enemy’s day worse, it was "ordnance." This covered everything from muskets to cannonballs . Armies guarded their ordnance like gold, since running low meant fighting at a disadvantage.

11

Skirmish

Image: Carol Highsmith's America

Not every fight was a massive battle. A "skirmish" was a smaller clash , often between scouting parties or outposts. Quick, unpredictable, and sometimes over in minutes, skirmishes kept soldiers on edge and commanders guessing what the enemy was really up to.

1

Florence Trail, Vermont

Image: Rod Long

Intermediate mountain bikers will love this berm-and-jump-filled descent, which can be incorporated into a 5-mile ride at Cady Hill . The Florence Trail is known as the best flow trail in Stowe, and one of the finest trails in the state of Vermont.

Advanced riders seeking to add some swoop and flow to their biking adventures will also find this trail enjoyable.

2

Devil's Den, Arkansas

Image: Oliver Graham

A mountain bike trail with history attached to it, Devil's Den State Park is a hallmark in the Arkansas mountain biking scene. At the very trailhead, a sign proudly declares that the lower area of the park, known as Fossil Flats, was the "Birthplace of Arkansas Mountain Biking" in 1989.

Recently designated as a "Monument Trail," the park underwent renovations to update sections of the historic trail while expanding the network with brand-new segments. Featuring impressive rock formations, jumps, and drops, Devil's Den truly is a biker’s paradise.

3

Citrus Tech Trail, Michigan

Image: Aishwarya MV

Despite being the most remote mountain bike destination in the Lower 48, Copper Harbor is home to some of the highest-quality trails in the nation. The newest additions to the network, located on Rock Solid's privately owned East Bluff mountain, include some of the best trails that have been built in the nation . Among them, the Citrus Tech trail stands out, earning praise from every mountain biker who has ridden it.

4

South Boundary Trail, New Mexico

Image: Richard Hedrick

An epic trail that winds through stunning mountain meadows and aspen groves before descending into the desert town of Taos , the South Boundary Trail features 4,500 vertical feet of downhill riding. However, it’s worth noting that bikers will face 2,000 feet of climbing along the way—but the breathtaking ride more than makes up for the effort.

5

Doctor Park, Colorado

Image: Holly Mandarich

One of the most thrilling descents in the country, the Doctor Park singletrack takes riders on an unforgettable journey. Starting at a high elevation, the trail winds through an alpine meadow , descends into an aspen grove, and continues down into pine forests before reaching a dry, lower-elevation climate zone .

Bikers from across the country and around the world can either shuttle to the top or pedal their way up to experience this incredible ride.

6

The Presidio, California

Image: Tim Trad

California is brimming with bike trails, making it difficult to recommend just one. However, this former military base turned national park stands out with its 25 miles of paved or hard-packed trails. Offering sightlines to the bay, coastal cliffs, beaches, forests, Alcatraz, the city skyline, and, of course**,** the iconic Golden Gate Bridge , it’s an unforgettable biking destination.

7

DuPont State Forest Slickrock, North Carolina

Image: Leslie Cross

The DuPont State Forest is a rarity on the East Coast due to its exposed bedrock trail. The biking experience in the North Carolina mountains offers epic descents, small mountains, and trails that flow nicely on soft rocky terrain , giving visitors a great experience, with the Slickrock (Cedar Rock, Big Rock, and Burnt Mountain) trail being one of its highlights.

8

Alpine Trail, Oregon

Image: everett mcintire

There are many trails named "Alpine Trail" but this one, at least, honors its name. Beginning high in the mountains, it goes downhill on soft and beautiful black dirt . A few open meadows and exposed outcroppings provide brief panoramic views of the Cascade Mountains, before dropping back into the timber for more high-speed ripping.

9

Tahoe Rim and Flume Trails, Nevada

Image: Abhi Verma

The Flume Trail wasn’t originally designed for bicycles—it began as the grade for a water flume that delivered lumber from high in the mountains above Lake Tahoe to the towns below. Today, remnants of the flume are still visible, but the old flume bed has been repurposed for use by mountain bikers and hikers.

10

Osberg Ridgeline Epic, Idaho

Image: Karsten Winegeart

The Osberg Ridgeline Epic isn’t for everyone. While it requires a shuttle to reach the trail’s starting point, bikers are still faced with over 3,000 feet of uphill pedaling. However, on the other hand, that 3,000 feet of climbing rewards riders with 5,500 feet of thrilling descent, along with a 15-mile ridge traverse with amazing views .

1

It was originally an advertisement

Image: Emma Timmers

Have you ever wondered why the sign exists at all? After all, not many cities display neighborhood names on a nearby hill . When the sign was first erected in 1923, it was simply a billboard promoting a real estate development, and it was supposed to stand for only about 18 months.

2

It used to be longer

Image: Sarah Sheedy

The sign originally read "Hollywoodland" , the name of a new housing development that promised wealthy buyers unique views of the sunny hills of Los Angeles. So, they stuck a gigantic sign on Mount Lee. Just temporary , they said. Just for marketing .

Over 20 years later, the district had become more culturally relevant than the housing development, but people had grown used to the sight by then. So, they decided to let go of four letters. Each cost a fortune to maintain anyway.

3

It used to be bigger

Image: Eliot

The original "Hollywoodland" sign was massive. Each letter stood 43 feet tall and stretched 30 feet across. They were made from thin metal panels slapped onto wooden frames and held up by telephone poles.

It dazzled from afar, but up close, it was a wobbly mess . The construction was so flimsy that by the 1930s, some of the letters were already tilting, cracking, or sliding out of place.

4

It’s appeared in more movies than most actors

Image: Ramaz Bluashvili

Doesn’t that fact make you giggle? It’s not Bette Davis, and it’s not Anthony Hopkins—it’s the Hollywood Sign that has more movie credits .

Aliens have blown it up. Earthquakes have toppled it. Sharks have flown right through it. But it’s also been the backdrop for kisses, chases, and friendship montages. Directors love it because it screams "L.A." in three seconds flat.

5

Technically, it’s not in Hollywood

Image: RDNE Stock project

The Hollywood Sign doesn’t actually sit within the neighborhood of Hollywood—it stands atop Mount Lee, inside Griffith Park, which is managed by the City of Los Angeles . So while it may say Hollywood , it’s not technically in Hollywood.

6

It’s been rebuilt twice

Image: Gerald Schömbs

By the 1940s, the city stepped in and gave the sign a minor facelift. After the crumbling "LAND" was scrapped, the remaining letters were patched up.

But by 1978, the sign was in serious trouble again—rusted, leaning, and on the verge of collapse, it was deemed beyond repair. This time, Hollywood did what it does best: rebooted it entirely . A new sign was built from scratch, using steel beams and concrete foundations.

7

Celebrities "sponsored" letters

Image: Joseph Menjivar

When Hollywood cried for help in the late ’70s, it was Playboy founder Hugh Hefner who stepped in. The city didn’t have the funds to rebuild the sign, so Hefner threw a glitzy fundraiser to find sponsors for each of the nine letters, at $27,777 apiece.

And it worked. Alice Cooper funded the "O" in memory of Groucho Marx. Gene Autry sponsored the second "L." Even Warner Bros. chipped in.

8

No public trail leads directly to it

Image: Venti Views

Perhaps you’ve heard a disappointed tourist complain about this before: You can hike near it. You can pose below it. But actually walking up to the letters is a no-go. The trails in Griffith Park will get you close, with plenty of Instagram-worthy views. But conservation efforts mean you’ll never legally stand between the "L"s.

One reason is that decades ago, it was easier to reach the sign—and some fans even climbed the letters.

9

The land surrounding it was once nearly sold for development

Image: izayah ramos

In the early 2000s, developers had their eyes on the land behind the sign. The plan was to construct luxury homes in the hills with killer views. But the public response was pure outrage.

Enter Hugh Hefner (again), along with celebrities and conservation groups , who raised over $12 million to save the land. Today, those hills are permanently protected.

10

It has its own security team

Image: Lukas Geck

As mentioned earlier, you can’t get a selfie next to the "H" because the sign is off-limits to the public. It’s monitored 24/7 with infrared cameras, motion sensors, microphones, and regular patrols. Some hikers still try their luck, but trespassing can lead to citations, fines, and in some cases, arrest.

11

It’s copyrighted; you can’t just slap it on a T-shirt

Image: Simon Ray

Call a lawyer before you print the Hollywood Sign on your merch. Some trademark rights to the sign are owned by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. That means any commercial use—like shirts, mugs, or movie scenes— requires a license . Even photographers have to tread carefully.

12

Helicopters were used to move the letters

Image: Somchai Kongkamsri

The letters have been helicoptered off before. In 1978, when the new sign was being installed, the old, rusted letters had to go. But since you can’t exactly wheel 50-foot steel slabs down a hiking trail, helicopters came to the rescue.

One by one, the original letters were airlifted off the mountain in a strange, sky-high farewell. It was quite an event, and crowds gathered to watch.