I began the day with the Brett Family show. The show is basically 60s, 70s, and 80s music performances by a family of five. It's done at the Dick Clark American Bandstand Theatre. The performance is so heartwarming. The father was once a chiropractor. He had a dream to go to Branson and be a performer, along with his family. They have been active in their church, gone on missions, are close to God, and the rest is history. One of their sons is on a mission in South America. It was so very inspiring and energetic.
During the intermission, I made arrangements to meet with the president of the Harrison area chamber of commerce.
After the show, I checked also with an apartment rental company. Apartments are available for as low as $265/mo in Harrison. I wanted to see what that amount of money could buy.
My first stop was the Harrison Chamber of Commerce. While the Branson Chamber tried to direct me over to Fayetteville, the Harrison Chamber tried to encourage me to move in there and even buy a house. The president was warm and friendly. She said they are working to tap Branson's tourism and make Harrison into a destination for recreation. She told me about the spectacular scenery along the Buffalo River. Harrison is the gateway to this river and the biggest city near it. I spent about an hour there. The president said that as an outsider, I would be expected to volunteer for a number of groups. Of course, she encouraged me to make one of those groups the Chamber of Commerce. Obviously, this is a way to get business. She suggested that if I am willing to travel for a one hour radius, I could likely pick up all the business I would ever need. Local politics is a big deal there and early voting was already beginning. As Boone County is a dry county, the question of wet/dry was on the ballot. People are allowed to drink in their own homes, but there are no liquor stores allowed and restaurants that went to sell alcoholic beverages must operate as a club with a membership fee. This complication prevents a lot of restaurants from coming to Harrison. The strongest groups behing keeping Boone County dry are the next county over and vendors in Missouri that want to keep business coming their way. It was a delightful conversation and I'm excited about moving to Harrison.
When I went to check out the apartment, I was not as excited. This was in a fairly vacant part of town. There were a few duplexes and they looked very seedy. In fact, the window of the vacant apartment was broken. A nice dog just came up to me. The people around looked angry, and I felt a little nervous with an out of state car. I was told the apartment was unlocked, but it was locked. I couldn't get inside but from what I could see I was not terribly thrilled.
When I called the rental company, I just said I wanted something closer to town. The real reason was that I did not like the condition of the property or the neighborhood. Anyway, I was directed to another apartment closer to town, which amounted to the basement of a house. When I got there, the a dog was tied up who was barking fiercely. He was too far away to get me. The apartment seemed to have a lot of room, but the electricty was turned off and there was no light. The kitchen looked seedy. I could not see what the apartment looked like and I was not thrilled at all. Finally, I called back and asked if there was anything higher in price. She had one more for $425/mo but was kind of rude about it. I asked if I could see the place.
The neighborhood in this case was okay, but there were not numbers on the houses. I had to judge based on what the GPS told me. What looked like the house that was for rent was ugly. But I really had no idea if this was the right house. There was no "for rent" sign, and people seem to just leave doors unlocked here. I was not about to go enter a house that may not be the right one.
I gave up and determined that this was likely an irresponsible landlord, likely a slum landlord. If I had a problem, they likely would not fix anything.
I then plugged in an address from a different ad that I saw in the paper. This was a house for rent for $350/mo. When I got there, I was not pleased with the outside. The porch was crumbling. But, I was there so I thought I'd take a look around. I called the number and asked if I could go inside. The gentleman told me he was in the house next door and I was free to go in and look around all I wanted. The house was not great, but I felt it had possibilities. It was clearly older and would need some major cleaning. The floors were uneven. But there was enough room for my stuff. It had three small bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and a bathroom, plus an enclosed back porch. The basement was a crawl space.
I went to the house next door. The man invited me to look at that one as he was fixing it up and getting it ready for rent. It was a little bigger, a little nicer, and he had fixed it up more. He said he'd want $375/mo for that one as he had done more with it. It too had uneven floors and would need some cleaning, but it had newer appliances and rugs.
The man invited me to sit down on the porch and chat with him for a while if I didn't have anything to do. I recognized that this is something people do in the South and it's called "jackjawing" by some southerners. It was a fun conversation. The man told me about how he got involved in fixing up old houses. He was 81 years old. He also told me he couldn't understand much of what I was saying because I spoke quietly, but I sounded nice so that's all that mattered. A tenant from another house came along and asked him if he could borrow money. The landlord handed him $100 and asked him to go to a bank and bring him change. The tenant had no car. He walked two miles to the bank and got back rather quickly. He was not very young. The landlord and I chatted a while longer. It was fun to hear ideas and perspective from someone from the region. As time moved along, I wanted to get going as I wanted to see another Branson show that evening.
I had asked the man about electricity and wiring. Having computers, there is no way I want to risk them. When I asked, the man indicated that the house had electricity and he didn't know a lot about electricity. Okay, that's not really what I wanted to know. Besides, since I wanted to relocate later in the year, listening to the number of calls he was getting about these houses, there is no chance they would be available later in the year. And I can't see houses he might have available in the future since I live so far away. But I was not comfortable with his lack of knowledge about electricity in the houses he owns.
The show I wanted to see that evening was a special appearance by Roy Clark at the Tri-Lakes Center. Roy Clark co-hosted Hee Haw with the late Buck Owens. The show started a little late. Suddenly, the curtain rose and Roy Clark announced "Caught ya by surprise there." It was a great show. There was no intermission.
Roy Clark has a young country singer with him who came in as a finalist in a country music television talent show. He's bringing him along as they travel and teaching him the ways of the business. The young singer is very talented, though I forgot his name.
I of course remember a much younger Roy Clark from Hee Haw. There were numerous jokes throughout the show about him getting older. He also pointed out that he needs to make sure his stool is around. Once he thought it was there....and crashed, breaking his hip. But despite Roy Clark's age, he can really the play the fiddle fast.
There was no intermission for this show. But there was the standard part about everyone having CDs to sell. Roy Clark joked that he had 8-tracks. And, if people bought two, he'd throw in a player. As everyone laughed, he said "I'll bet you people all have your 8-track too." He then said there is nothing good on television anymore EXCEPT Hee Haw reruns. Watching them, he gets younger every time.
It was a great time, though of course it was sad to see someone who I saw on television in my childhood looking so old and frail.
After this, I stopped at Andy's Frozen Custard. I've never had frozen custard before, but it was absolutely delicious. It was called a concrete. They ground up cookies or M&Ms or other things, and mixed it with fresh frozen custard (nothing is more than an hour old). It was one of the best desserts I've ever had.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
September 20, 2010: Looking Into Moving, plus the Shepherd of the Hills Shows
My first order of business today was getting my oil changed and tired rotated. Midas will do a free tire rotation with an oil change. There is no Midas in either Harrison, Arkansas or Branson. But there is one in the city of Ozark, MO, which is about thirty miles north of Branson along US 65. Unlike the Midas shops around here, no appointment is needed. They are first come first served.
It took about an hour for the oil change. I could not read a book because the television was on. So, I made calls to check into information about moving. I called the Harrison area chamber of commerce. I wanted to learn about the area and the business climate before making any decisions. The president of the organization would be unable to see me until tomorrow and I had to call in the morning to find out when she'd be available. I also made calls to other groups in the area to learn more.
Gas was very cheap in Ozark. It was $2.48. This was some of the least expensive gas on my entire trip. Missouri has a reputation of having inexpensive gas. Of course, it's more expensive in Branson due to the area being a big tourist trap. When I was fueling up, I noted that a sign on the station indicated they sold tickets. If you lived within 100 miles of Branson, there were discounts for shows.
Heading back to Branson, I went to the chamber of commerce to ask about the business climate in the area from their perspective. At first I went to the wrong office and chatted with a man about some of my plans. When I mentioned Upstate NY, he asked if I had ever visited Cooperstown. He was a big baseball fan. I explained that I hadn't and he was surprised. He explained the chamber is across the street.
When I got to the Branson chamber of commerce, I was connected with the public relations director. She was very nice. She said that the southwest Missouri/northwest Arkansas area was rated #2 for surviving the recession by Forbes, just behing Austin, TX. She did caution me that with my work history and ideals, I might to better in the Fayetteville, AR area. She also invited me to visit with a gentleman at a gas station/tourist shop which sells Branson tickets. He might have some more ideas. It was one exit south of Branson on US 65.
I felt awkward about this. Since this person is a web designer, he might feel I was trying to cut in on his business. But, nevertheless I went there. The man did not really give me a lot of information and just said he'd answer any questions I had. I felt sort of foolish. He did say people are very patriotic about the country here and the anti-American attitudes of the Northeast would not fly. He said I could not make out as a web designer unless I wanted to get another job and do that on the side, warning there is competition for Branson. (In other words, he was trying to discourage me.) It was kind of a wasted visit.
This gas station had a huge operation selling tickets for Branson shows and making hotel reservations. I was able to get a couple of dollars off the Sons of Pioneers Dinner Show combo with the Shepherd of the Hills evening outdoor play. I had been to this theatre last year for the Christmas show (no play) so wanted to see the regular shows.
We began with dinner. It included pork, chicken, grilled corn on the cob dripping with butter and with the husk still on but pulled up, cornbread, and beans.
The Sons of Pioneers is a dinner show with occasional jokes and a lot of what they call "cowboy music." This is far different than country music. It sounds like it has more Mexican influence and is more of a classic from the past. It makes you think of the southwest rather than the southeast. They talk about riding on the range, and generate images of scenes from the old west. And, as they said, if you play country music backwards, you get your girlfriend back, get your truck back, and your troubles are over.
In between music, there were many jokes. One guy talked about getting a new television show called "CSI Arkansas." It was a tough one because there are no dental records and everyone has the same DNA. Remember, the Arkansas line was about thirty to forty miles away. Then he talked about golfing, and how you need irons. He said he had a number 5 iron. He brought out a golf club with a branding iron at the end. Then he said that Obama likes to use a waffle iron....bringing out a golf club with a waffle iron at the end.
Throughout the performance, we had continuous refills of drinks. I had so much sweet tea that I knew I was going to gain weight. But I had had this last year and knew the sweet tea was great.
After the performance was over, those who were attending the Shepherd of the Hills play were shuttled to the outdoor theatre.
The Shepherd of the Hills novel was written by Harold Bell Wright and published around 1907. It took place at the turn of the 20th century in the Branson area. It was a little hard to follow but overall was a good morality tale. It was basically about life "in the hills."
There were several characters. One was from "the big city of Springfield" and reminded me of Steve Urkel of Family Matters. He was scrawny and in love with money. His knickers were pulled too high and the other male characters would routinely pick him up and abuse him. He in turn stared down his nose at them because he had money and considered them poor ruffians. He was in love with the lead woman in the play and wanted to take her with him to Springfield. At one point, he had a solo appearance where he would talk about how much he loved this woman. A woman in the audience made eyes at him. He burst out laughing and lost his lines. He said to her "Look lady, you need to stop spending so much time on Facebook." Then he sat on a log, laughing it out. He could not get out the rest of his lines in that scene. But what happened made it totally worth it.
In other parts of the play, the Baldknobbers appear as raiders and troublemakers. This was a real gang in the late nineteenth century in the area. They also were a fictional gang in the story. And there is a show and theatre in Branson named after them which does country music and jokes, sort of like Hee Haw. Along with the Shepherd of the Hills play, the Baldknobbers show is over 50 years old and one of the oldest in Branson.
In intermission, the characters did a square dance in costume and the public was invited to come down and join in. I didn't dance, but was on the stage watching them. It was amazing and it was like stepping back in time.
At the end of the play, they had a ten minute tribute to the veterans. One of the major characters reminded us that without the sacrifice of the veterans we could not have plays like this. They had horse riders galloping in with the POW/MIA flag, the American flag, the Missouri flag, and of course the Shepherd of the Hills flag. It was a huge display and went on for quite some time. I felt this was even better than the play itself. The pride in our beautiful country still lives on, even if not in the area where I come from.
After the show was over, I had dessert at a place I visited last year. Dessert shops are open until 11 or so, to catch the traffic after the evening shows. I had German Chocolate cake. It was warm and not really worth the calories. It was also quite expensive.
It took about an hour for the oil change. I could not read a book because the television was on. So, I made calls to check into information about moving. I called the Harrison area chamber of commerce. I wanted to learn about the area and the business climate before making any decisions. The president of the organization would be unable to see me until tomorrow and I had to call in the morning to find out when she'd be available. I also made calls to other groups in the area to learn more.
Gas was very cheap in Ozark. It was $2.48. This was some of the least expensive gas on my entire trip. Missouri has a reputation of having inexpensive gas. Of course, it's more expensive in Branson due to the area being a big tourist trap. When I was fueling up, I noted that a sign on the station indicated they sold tickets. If you lived within 100 miles of Branson, there were discounts for shows.
Heading back to Branson, I went to the chamber of commerce to ask about the business climate in the area from their perspective. At first I went to the wrong office and chatted with a man about some of my plans. When I mentioned Upstate NY, he asked if I had ever visited Cooperstown. He was a big baseball fan. I explained that I hadn't and he was surprised. He explained the chamber is across the street.
When I got to the Branson chamber of commerce, I was connected with the public relations director. She was very nice. She said that the southwest Missouri/northwest Arkansas area was rated #2 for surviving the recession by Forbes, just behing Austin, TX. She did caution me that with my work history and ideals, I might to better in the Fayetteville, AR area. She also invited me to visit with a gentleman at a gas station/tourist shop which sells Branson tickets. He might have some more ideas. It was one exit south of Branson on US 65.
I felt awkward about this. Since this person is a web designer, he might feel I was trying to cut in on his business. But, nevertheless I went there. The man did not really give me a lot of information and just said he'd answer any questions I had. I felt sort of foolish. He did say people are very patriotic about the country here and the anti-American attitudes of the Northeast would not fly. He said I could not make out as a web designer unless I wanted to get another job and do that on the side, warning there is competition for Branson. (In other words, he was trying to discourage me.) It was kind of a wasted visit.
This gas station had a huge operation selling tickets for Branson shows and making hotel reservations. I was able to get a couple of dollars off the Sons of Pioneers Dinner Show combo with the Shepherd of the Hills evening outdoor play. I had been to this theatre last year for the Christmas show (no play) so wanted to see the regular shows.
We began with dinner. It included pork, chicken, grilled corn on the cob dripping with butter and with the husk still on but pulled up, cornbread, and beans.
The Sons of Pioneers is a dinner show with occasional jokes and a lot of what they call "cowboy music." This is far different than country music. It sounds like it has more Mexican influence and is more of a classic from the past. It makes you think of the southwest rather than the southeast. They talk about riding on the range, and generate images of scenes from the old west. And, as they said, if you play country music backwards, you get your girlfriend back, get your truck back, and your troubles are over.
In between music, there were many jokes. One guy talked about getting a new television show called "CSI Arkansas." It was a tough one because there are no dental records and everyone has the same DNA. Remember, the Arkansas line was about thirty to forty miles away. Then he talked about golfing, and how you need irons. He said he had a number 5 iron. He brought out a golf club with a branding iron at the end. Then he said that Obama likes to use a waffle iron....bringing out a golf club with a waffle iron at the end.
Throughout the performance, we had continuous refills of drinks. I had so much sweet tea that I knew I was going to gain weight. But I had had this last year and knew the sweet tea was great.
After the performance was over, those who were attending the Shepherd of the Hills play were shuttled to the outdoor theatre.
The Shepherd of the Hills novel was written by Harold Bell Wright and published around 1907. It took place at the turn of the 20th century in the Branson area. It was a little hard to follow but overall was a good morality tale. It was basically about life "in the hills."
There were several characters. One was from "the big city of Springfield" and reminded me of Steve Urkel of Family Matters. He was scrawny and in love with money. His knickers were pulled too high and the other male characters would routinely pick him up and abuse him. He in turn stared down his nose at them because he had money and considered them poor ruffians. He was in love with the lead woman in the play and wanted to take her with him to Springfield. At one point, he had a solo appearance where he would talk about how much he loved this woman. A woman in the audience made eyes at him. He burst out laughing and lost his lines. He said to her "Look lady, you need to stop spending so much time on Facebook." Then he sat on a log, laughing it out. He could not get out the rest of his lines in that scene. But what happened made it totally worth it.
In other parts of the play, the Baldknobbers appear as raiders and troublemakers. This was a real gang in the late nineteenth century in the area. They also were a fictional gang in the story. And there is a show and theatre in Branson named after them which does country music and jokes, sort of like Hee Haw. Along with the Shepherd of the Hills play, the Baldknobbers show is over 50 years old and one of the oldest in Branson.
In intermission, the characters did a square dance in costume and the public was invited to come down and join in. I didn't dance, but was on the stage watching them. It was amazing and it was like stepping back in time.
At the end of the play, they had a ten minute tribute to the veterans. One of the major characters reminded us that without the sacrifice of the veterans we could not have plays like this. They had horse riders galloping in with the POW/MIA flag, the American flag, the Missouri flag, and of course the Shepherd of the Hills flag. It was a huge display and went on for quite some time. I felt this was even better than the play itself. The pride in our beautiful country still lives on, even if not in the area where I come from.
After the show was over, I had dessert at a place I visited last year. Dessert shops are open until 11 or so, to catch the traffic after the evening shows. I had German Chocolate cake. It was warm and not really worth the calories. It was also quite expensive.
September 19, 2010: Medieval Fortress and Ozark Mountain Jubilee
As I went to church the evening before, I slept a little later in the morning. But, I had a big day ahead. I wanted to try and see the Ozark Medieval Fortress under construction and work my way up to Branson, Missouri.
The hotel here in Harrison was very nice (and also expensive). It's too bad I could not spend more tme here.
I began with breakfast at the hotel. I noticed one of the hotel staff members was chatting with guests, talking about the Christian faith, including angels, being saved, etc. It was nice to overhear this. It's not the kind of conversation one hears in the Northeast.
The Ozark Medieval Fortress (a 13th century castle being built in northern Arkansas) is in Lead Hill, Arkansas. This is not that far away from Harrison in terms of miles, but it takes time. They had a guided tour at 10:30. By the time I made it out of the hotel there was no way I was going to make that one. I tried to settle for the noon tour.
I was in the "uptown" outskirts of Harrison where the big box shopping areas (the few that existed) are located. The hotel was along US 65, and the easiest route for me was to take US 65 towards Branson and take an exit. The shorter way would be to take Arkansas 7 but I'd have to go through downtown and traffic. The GPS was absolutely no help. It has problems in the Ozarks. As I drove along US 65, which is an interstate style road, it continued to tell me to turn....where there weren't any places to turn.
As I got closer to the Missouri line, I had to take a turn off to Omaha, Arkansas. No, this is nothing like Omaha, Nebraska. It's a small city of a few hundred people at most. The roads were winding with gorgeous Ozark views. Cell phone reception went in and out. After a long drive, I found signs indicating the direction of the Ozark Medieval Fortress. The address was not in the GPS since it was so new. Therefore, I had to wing it.
I was getting very nervous about whether I would actually get the noon tour or have to wait until 1:30. I figured at this point I would just tour the grounds myself and not wait for the next tour.
Finally, I saw the entrance. Just as I did, the cell phone cut out. There was no service on the grounds of the fortress.
The parking lot is large enough to accomodate many cars. It was a Sunday but I was surprised at the number of cars parked.
You have to walk through a narrow path within the forest to get to the visitor center. From there, you can pay for entrance and the tour if you'd like ($1 extra for the tour). Thankfully, the tour had not started, so I was able to join the noon tour. I was strongly encouraged to buy a drink (at a spectacular price) to stay hydrated. As I had already had a lot of water on the trip up, I declined. But I'll agree it was warm outside.
We were greeted by a man in medieval peasant costume (a requirement for all staff and volunteers on the grounds of the fortress). He first brought us to a room of maps. We saw pictures of the site before any work had been done. The property was owned by a couple originally from France. They had visited their native country in 2007 or 2008 and toured a castle built from scratch in 13th century style. The builder had originally purchased an existing medieval castle from what he thought was the 1500s. French law said that when you purchase a castle, you must restore it. The man began working to restore the castle and found that it was actually much older, from the 1300s. He then had the idea to build his a new castle using authentic techniques from scratch. It became a tourist attraction. The couple visiting invited him to do the same here in the United States. In late 2008, he visited and examined the land. He agreed to do it. In fact, he saw the land during the infamous December 2008 ice storm which affected much of the eastern United States. A picture of what he first saw is displayed. He loved the scenery, despite the fact that it meant days of no electricity for residents.
The guide explained that the state of Arkansas was warned that the group behind the building of this fortress was weird and to watch out for them. OSHA kept going in and criticizing various aspects of the project. But as the state began to realize the tourism value, they decided to work with them in the desire to make it authentic. The project began in mid 2009 and opened for tourists on May 1st. In my spring cross country trip, I remember seeing billboards for this when I was in Branson. But I did not realize it was open for tourism at that point.
We then were taken on the path to the fortress. The guide explained that he had been an enthusiast for the medieval time period (of course explaining that to the people living during that time, it was not known as the "Middle Ages") for years. He lost his job in the recession, and became a volunteer. Eventually, they hired him full time.
We first were taken to a wooden structure including a model and then the real thing. I forgot the official word that was used, but essentially it was a lookout post for a real medieval fortress.
There were of course kiosk like items throughout the path like most outdoor historical sites. The guide talked a lot about St. Louis (the saint, not the city) and how he was the model of Christian ideals. He was a king but only wore his royal robes to fit the role. Generally, he lived like a peasant and believed in helping the poor. He talked a lot about Christianity and the Catholic Church as the Protestant Reformation had not happened within the time period covered. This is also focused on Medieval France.
They are constructing an entire medieval fortress, hoping to attract enthusiasts to live on the premises and spend time living the life of a medieval peasant. We were taken to a garden and an area where sheep were kept for their wool. The sheep enthusiastically came over to greet us. But when they learned each person did not have any goodies for them, they moved on to the next. A child had some food to give them and they loved him....while he continued to have food. If they sniffed your hand and found you had nothing, they moved on.
The guide pointed out that he has spent nights there, guarding the sheep. This is a role that would have happened in medieval times, of course. The fortress has a border collie....who protects the sheep from every skunk in the area! In reality, the dog would protect sheep from serious predators.
When a fortress would be built in a particular area in medieval times, it was of course good for the region. It kept people employed for years.
As we walked, the guide talked about the need for self-sufficiency, pointing out how modern trends are pushing this. With tools like the Internet, people are able to obtain information themselves and do projects on their own. In this case, for the castle they are trying to get everything they can from the land. Everything is about authenticity and self-sufficiency.
We continued on to the quarry. The rocks for the castle are being quarried from the land. They are split down for use. You must find a vein in the rock. The man who was doing this (whose face is plastered all over billboards in Branson advertising the fortress, along with our guide) took quite a long time finding a vein in the rock to make it split. He's done quite a bit of this, so it was surprising. They let tourists try it.
The tool used to split the rock is actually 700 years old. It was found in the French castle originally refurbished by the man who is overseeing the project here. I believe this is silly as this kind of tool cannot be replaced. The tool should be in a museum and an exact replica should be made.
Measurements for everything are done with a knotted rope. The guide demonstrated how to do this, though I can't totally remember everything about it.
We continued on, and saw a man with a wagon with a horse (like the horses in beer commercials) and wagon taking rocks from the quarry site to the actual castle. A monarch butterfly seemed to continue to fly around, never landing.
The guide talked about other castles in the area. He said he believed there were at least six. However, this is the only authentically built castle in the United States. They want to make it the place for medieval enthusiasts to come and try to develop authentic crafts, wares, etc., through the inspiration. Other castles have electricity, modern building materials, modern techniques, etc. The Muskogee castle in nearby Oklahoma is just a facade in front of a normal building.
We were then taken to a horse pasture as the last stop on the tour before the castle, which was nearby. The guide warned us not to stand behind the horse and that Arkansas law says that whenever a person dies in a horse accident, the owner is not responsible as long as the victim had been warned. A sign was posted and everyone had the opportunity to read it.
There is a blacksmith shop and various other shops nearby the castle in medieval style. We were encouraged to ask people running the shops questions, as well as ask the questions of the people building the castle. We were warned not to climb the walls or go past any item which was roped off.
The castle had a spinning wheel looking like a giant mouse wheel. People would spin this to generate power to lift rocks. There was a giant slingshot like device nearby. One of the towers that was currently standing has to come down because they determined it would not be wide enough to accomodate the desired height. However, overall the castle was progressing ahead of schedule.
I chatted with some of the builders about possibly moving there. They said it's a wonderful place and would never want to move. People will do whatever they can to help each other when in need.
It was getting hot and I wanted to get out of the sun and move on. I took a number of pictures. I was deeply impressed and decided I need to live in this area to watch this going up. And, I'd like to be involved (though I don't see myself splitting rocks).
I toured the gift shop on the way out. There were books on the time period, toys, etc. There were also clay mugs and stoneware created on the premises. These looked great, though they were a little expensive.
Leaving the castle, I had to drive most of the way I came, back to US 65. The cell phone cut in and out, but I was really excited to talk about my visit. The entrepreneurial idea here and the risk they are taking is amazing. But it's creating a tourist attraction and creating employment for a city with a population of 69 that is a long way from other metropolitan areas.
As I got into Branson, I decided to have lunch. I went to Fuddrucker's. We have this restaurant on Wolf Road, but it's special for me to see it in Branson. I had the usual hamburger and fries meal and added a bunch of free toppings.
I then called to make my hotel reservation. When I called Choice Hotels and mentioned that the hotel is on "Shepherd of the Hills Expressway," the operator knew exactly where I meant without even naming the city. Branson is easily the only place in the United States with a street by that name. I've been to this hotel many times. It's efficient, clean, and saves money.
After resting a bit at the hotel, I went to the Grand Country Music Hall to hear see the Ozark Mountain Jubilee. This is a family that sings country music songs, and only on Sunday nights.
The energy when the curtain rose was amazing. I was thrilled. It had been a few months since I last visited Branson and it was great to see this.
The family includes an elderly couple, their three sons, and wives of two of the sons. I believe in this show they brought out some of the sons' children as well. With the exception of one son who works on multiple shows in Branson, the rest have other careers.
The father is a lawyer and possibly was a politician (can't remember for sure) and the mother is a retired teacher. Their first son had a surprising resemblence to Eliot Spitzer, though not as nasty. He is, you guessed it, a lawyer and a politician. The second son is a teacher. The third was a teacher but left that career to work on several different Branson shows.
At one point, the elderly couple talked about their vacations to Egypt. They wished we had more time as they had fourteen more hours of video and photos. Of course, most people don't like to hear about others' vacations. But this was done as the comedy part of the show.
What I forgot about was the tribute to America and to the troops present in most of the shows. (All shows give a tribute to the military.) This really warmed my heart and made me feel so very good.
I was again reminded about the creativity of this area (which was once the middle of nowhere). It just felt so nice. I was really looking forward to the next few days.
The hotel here in Harrison was very nice (and also expensive). It's too bad I could not spend more tme here.
I began with breakfast at the hotel. I noticed one of the hotel staff members was chatting with guests, talking about the Christian faith, including angels, being saved, etc. It was nice to overhear this. It's not the kind of conversation one hears in the Northeast.
The Ozark Medieval Fortress (a 13th century castle being built in northern Arkansas) is in Lead Hill, Arkansas. This is not that far away from Harrison in terms of miles, but it takes time. They had a guided tour at 10:30. By the time I made it out of the hotel there was no way I was going to make that one. I tried to settle for the noon tour.
I was in the "uptown" outskirts of Harrison where the big box shopping areas (the few that existed) are located. The hotel was along US 65, and the easiest route for me was to take US 65 towards Branson and take an exit. The shorter way would be to take Arkansas 7 but I'd have to go through downtown and traffic. The GPS was absolutely no help. It has problems in the Ozarks. As I drove along US 65, which is an interstate style road, it continued to tell me to turn....where there weren't any places to turn.
As I got closer to the Missouri line, I had to take a turn off to Omaha, Arkansas. No, this is nothing like Omaha, Nebraska. It's a small city of a few hundred people at most. The roads were winding with gorgeous Ozark views. Cell phone reception went in and out. After a long drive, I found signs indicating the direction of the Ozark Medieval Fortress. The address was not in the GPS since it was so new. Therefore, I had to wing it.
I was getting very nervous about whether I would actually get the noon tour or have to wait until 1:30. I figured at this point I would just tour the grounds myself and not wait for the next tour.
Finally, I saw the entrance. Just as I did, the cell phone cut out. There was no service on the grounds of the fortress.
The parking lot is large enough to accomodate many cars. It was a Sunday but I was surprised at the number of cars parked.
You have to walk through a narrow path within the forest to get to the visitor center. From there, you can pay for entrance and the tour if you'd like ($1 extra for the tour). Thankfully, the tour had not started, so I was able to join the noon tour. I was strongly encouraged to buy a drink (at a spectacular price) to stay hydrated. As I had already had a lot of water on the trip up, I declined. But I'll agree it was warm outside.
We were greeted by a man in medieval peasant costume (a requirement for all staff and volunteers on the grounds of the fortress). He first brought us to a room of maps. We saw pictures of the site before any work had been done. The property was owned by a couple originally from France. They had visited their native country in 2007 or 2008 and toured a castle built from scratch in 13th century style. The builder had originally purchased an existing medieval castle from what he thought was the 1500s. French law said that when you purchase a castle, you must restore it. The man began working to restore the castle and found that it was actually much older, from the 1300s. He then had the idea to build his a new castle using authentic techniques from scratch. It became a tourist attraction. The couple visiting invited him to do the same here in the United States. In late 2008, he visited and examined the land. He agreed to do it. In fact, he saw the land during the infamous December 2008 ice storm which affected much of the eastern United States. A picture of what he first saw is displayed. He loved the scenery, despite the fact that it meant days of no electricity for residents.
The guide explained that the state of Arkansas was warned that the group behind the building of this fortress was weird and to watch out for them. OSHA kept going in and criticizing various aspects of the project. But as the state began to realize the tourism value, they decided to work with them in the desire to make it authentic. The project began in mid 2009 and opened for tourists on May 1st. In my spring cross country trip, I remember seeing billboards for this when I was in Branson. But I did not realize it was open for tourism at that point.
We then were taken on the path to the fortress. The guide explained that he had been an enthusiast for the medieval time period (of course explaining that to the people living during that time, it was not known as the "Middle Ages") for years. He lost his job in the recession, and became a volunteer. Eventually, they hired him full time.
We first were taken to a wooden structure including a model and then the real thing. I forgot the official word that was used, but essentially it was a lookout post for a real medieval fortress.
There were of course kiosk like items throughout the path like most outdoor historical sites. The guide talked a lot about St. Louis (the saint, not the city) and how he was the model of Christian ideals. He was a king but only wore his royal robes to fit the role. Generally, he lived like a peasant and believed in helping the poor. He talked a lot about Christianity and the Catholic Church as the Protestant Reformation had not happened within the time period covered. This is also focused on Medieval France.
They are constructing an entire medieval fortress, hoping to attract enthusiasts to live on the premises and spend time living the life of a medieval peasant. We were taken to a garden and an area where sheep were kept for their wool. The sheep enthusiastically came over to greet us. But when they learned each person did not have any goodies for them, they moved on to the next. A child had some food to give them and they loved him....while he continued to have food. If they sniffed your hand and found you had nothing, they moved on.
The guide pointed out that he has spent nights there, guarding the sheep. This is a role that would have happened in medieval times, of course. The fortress has a border collie....who protects the sheep from every skunk in the area! In reality, the dog would protect sheep from serious predators.
When a fortress would be built in a particular area in medieval times, it was of course good for the region. It kept people employed for years.
As we walked, the guide talked about the need for self-sufficiency, pointing out how modern trends are pushing this. With tools like the Internet, people are able to obtain information themselves and do projects on their own. In this case, for the castle they are trying to get everything they can from the land. Everything is about authenticity and self-sufficiency.
We continued on to the quarry. The rocks for the castle are being quarried from the land. They are split down for use. You must find a vein in the rock. The man who was doing this (whose face is plastered all over billboards in Branson advertising the fortress, along with our guide) took quite a long time finding a vein in the rock to make it split. He's done quite a bit of this, so it was surprising. They let tourists try it.
The tool used to split the rock is actually 700 years old. It was found in the French castle originally refurbished by the man who is overseeing the project here. I believe this is silly as this kind of tool cannot be replaced. The tool should be in a museum and an exact replica should be made.
Measurements for everything are done with a knotted rope. The guide demonstrated how to do this, though I can't totally remember everything about it.
We continued on, and saw a man with a wagon with a horse (like the horses in beer commercials) and wagon taking rocks from the quarry site to the actual castle. A monarch butterfly seemed to continue to fly around, never landing.
The guide talked about other castles in the area. He said he believed there were at least six. However, this is the only authentically built castle in the United States. They want to make it the place for medieval enthusiasts to come and try to develop authentic crafts, wares, etc., through the inspiration. Other castles have electricity, modern building materials, modern techniques, etc. The Muskogee castle in nearby Oklahoma is just a facade in front of a normal building.
We were then taken to a horse pasture as the last stop on the tour before the castle, which was nearby. The guide warned us not to stand behind the horse and that Arkansas law says that whenever a person dies in a horse accident, the owner is not responsible as long as the victim had been warned. A sign was posted and everyone had the opportunity to read it.
There is a blacksmith shop and various other shops nearby the castle in medieval style. We were encouraged to ask people running the shops questions, as well as ask the questions of the people building the castle. We were warned not to climb the walls or go past any item which was roped off.
The castle had a spinning wheel looking like a giant mouse wheel. People would spin this to generate power to lift rocks. There was a giant slingshot like device nearby. One of the towers that was currently standing has to come down because they determined it would not be wide enough to accomodate the desired height. However, overall the castle was progressing ahead of schedule.
I chatted with some of the builders about possibly moving there. They said it's a wonderful place and would never want to move. People will do whatever they can to help each other when in need.
It was getting hot and I wanted to get out of the sun and move on. I took a number of pictures. I was deeply impressed and decided I need to live in this area to watch this going up. And, I'd like to be involved (though I don't see myself splitting rocks).
I toured the gift shop on the way out. There were books on the time period, toys, etc. There were also clay mugs and stoneware created on the premises. These looked great, though they were a little expensive.
Leaving the castle, I had to drive most of the way I came, back to US 65. The cell phone cut in and out, but I was really excited to talk about my visit. The entrepreneurial idea here and the risk they are taking is amazing. But it's creating a tourist attraction and creating employment for a city with a population of 69 that is a long way from other metropolitan areas.
As I got into Branson, I decided to have lunch. I went to Fuddrucker's. We have this restaurant on Wolf Road, but it's special for me to see it in Branson. I had the usual hamburger and fries meal and added a bunch of free toppings.
I then called to make my hotel reservation. When I called Choice Hotels and mentioned that the hotel is on "Shepherd of the Hills Expressway," the operator knew exactly where I meant without even naming the city. Branson is easily the only place in the United States with a street by that name. I've been to this hotel many times. It's efficient, clean, and saves money.
After resting a bit at the hotel, I went to the Grand Country Music Hall to hear see the Ozark Mountain Jubilee. This is a family that sings country music songs, and only on Sunday nights.
The energy when the curtain rose was amazing. I was thrilled. It had been a few months since I last visited Branson and it was great to see this.
The family includes an elderly couple, their three sons, and wives of two of the sons. I believe in this show they brought out some of the sons' children as well. With the exception of one son who works on multiple shows in Branson, the rest have other careers.
The father is a lawyer and possibly was a politician (can't remember for sure) and the mother is a retired teacher. Their first son had a surprising resemblence to Eliot Spitzer, though not as nasty. He is, you guessed it, a lawyer and a politician. The second son is a teacher. The third was a teacher but left that career to work on several different Branson shows.
At one point, the elderly couple talked about their vacations to Egypt. They wished we had more time as they had fourteen more hours of video and photos. Of course, most people don't like to hear about others' vacations. But this was done as the comedy part of the show.
What I forgot about was the tribute to America and to the troops present in most of the shows. (All shows give a tribute to the military.) This really warmed my heart and made me feel so very good.
I was again reminded about the creativity of this area (which was once the middle of nowhere). It just felt so nice. I was really looking forward to the next few days.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
September 18, 2010: Tulsa area and Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Today, the "Cowboy Trade Days" was supposed to be in full force with plenty of vendors. It opened at 6am to make sure people could get there early to see all the stuff. I decided to show up at 10am or so.
Ultimately, with deciding what I was going to do later in the day, I did not get out of the hotel until 10:30. Getting to the swap meet at 10:45 or so, I saw that I did not miss much. There were only a handful of additional vendors, plus a couple of food vendors and someone singing. Oh and kids could ride horses for a fee. "Underwhelming" (based on the hype) is too kind of a word.
I think I stayed at the swap meet all of 45 minutes or so. For the evening, I planned to head into Eureka Springs, Arkansas to see the Great Passion Play.
There were a couple of ways to get into Eureka Springs. I could take US 412, or I-44. Either one was tolled but US 412 was $1.50 cheaper. However, US 412 involved some local driving in Oklahoma and a lot of local driving in Arkansas. Fuel efficiency would definitely be lower with my car. I-44 would cost extra and involve more miles, but I'd save money on gas in the long run. Plus, I'd get to see some small towns and scenery in Missouri that I've enjoyed seeing in the past.
View Larger Map
I visited Eureka Springs for the first time in my 2008 cross country trip. I only learned about it via a former co-worker. I rolled into Eureka Springs on a Wednesday. Unfortunately, the Great Passion Play does not perform on Wednesdays. Otherwise, I'd have seen it back then. The play area is a nice spot with a large statue of our Lord, a chunk of the Berlin wall, and some beautiful flowers. Eureka Springs also has a whole bunch of interesting shops but they were closed (probably because it was a Wednesday) when I was there in 2008.
Back to 2010. As I drove through the Ozarks a bit, there were some interesting towns. The scenery was beautiful. And of course, the GPS didn't like the Ozarks. It never does.
At one point, I noticed a marquee on someone's lawn that read "Will it rain?" It was raining before that. Shortly after I passed the marquee, it rained again. I hoped it would not rain for the play because it was outdoors.
The play was scheduled to begin at 7:30pm. I had some time in Eureka Springs to look around before the play began. I also noticed that a Catholic Mass was happening at 5pm. Saturday evening would be for Sunday obligation. But, I had already determined where the Sunday Mass would be and figured I'd wait until the next day. I wanted to check out the rest of Eureka Springs first.
When I got to the shops, I noticed that parking was a bit expensive. It was $5 just to walk around. I was only going to have a short time and really didn't feel like spending $5 to park for an hour. I had just enough time to get back to the parish center for Mass.
Getting to the Mass just as the opening hymn was being sung, I was glad I made it. The priest gave an excellent homily.
When I left, it started to rain. I got nervous because the play was taking place outside. But, I had already purchased my ticket online so I was going to see it regardless.
Signs announced that if the play was cancelled due to rain, they would give tickets out for a future performance. Since I live far away, I wasn't terribly excited with that idea.
When I went to my seat, I was amazed with the sets. They were up against steep Ozark hills, which allowed all sorts of opportunities for sets on multiple levels in a compact area. The buildings (the Temple, Pontius Pilate's area, the Upper Room, etc.) were all on a lower level. The cave tomb was located way above as was Golgotha.
Animals were going to be in the play and the area definitely smelled like it. A shepherd and Annas the pharisee were answering questions and selling programs before the play started.
When the play finally began, it rained again. Plastic ponchos were being sold. There was thunder and lightning. It got worse and I kept expecting the play to be cancelled. After really getting soaked (my umbrella didn't help much) I gave in and bought a poncho.
The play began with our Lord raising Lazarus from the dead. It proceeded through much of His final week before being crucified. This part went rather quickly and it really helped if the viewer had some knowledge of the New Testament.
As the web site says, it has a "cast of hundreds." When someone other than a major figure was talking, it was difficult to identify who was speaking. In fact, even when major figures such as St. Peter had their first lines, it was difficult to locate them amongst the other people. If a Roman soldier had a line, it took a minute to determine exactly which one was speaking.
An interesting part was when our Lord chased the moneychangers out of the temple. He turned over cages of live doves, releasing them. It was amusing to watch the doves circle around and around, only to fly back behind the set....probably knowing they had a guaranteed meal back there.
The play took two hours. For major figures, it was kind of amazing how they could go so fast and have such energy. The production values were excellent.
A few strange things happened. For example, Claudia (Pontius Pilate's wife) ministered to our Lord after He was flogged. I don't really ever remember hearing about that. There is debate over whether he carried an entire cross or a crossbar. But they made Gestas and Dismas carry just crossbars while our Lord had to carry the entire Cross. This seemed odd. I don't remember really hearing about all three of them having to carry anything, just our Lord. In any event, if the other two were going to be present for that part, it should have been consistent.
The devil was played by a woman and was almost constantly around. She looked similar to the devil in the movie The Passion of the Christ. As this play has been going on for eighteen years, perhaps the inspiration for the devil in the movie being a woman came from this play.
The choreography was absolutely amazing for such a large cast. Of course, for a play that takes place every night (except Wednesdays) for much of the year, they would have it down to a science.
After the Resurrection, the play continued on up to the Ascenscion. I was surprised they could pack that much into two hours. Even the movie the Passion of the Christ did not have that many events.
My hotel for the evening was in Harrison, Arkansas (this is almost directly south of Branson). It was only 33 miles away, but almost an hour's drive through the Ozarks on US 62. The road twisted and turned quite a bit. The GPS became even more obnoxious, showing me on other roads and telling me to get back on US 62. I never left US 62.
View Larger Map
The small towns and cities along the way definitely close early. I drove out around 9:45. After 10pm, many of the gas stations close up. Thankfully, I did not need any gas. Prices ranged from $2.54 to as high as $2.72 (even Clifton Park back home is cheaper than that).
The GPS did not have my hotel's address in there, but I remembered seeing it on my last visit to Harrison in May. It was right along US 62. So, I didn't really need it.
The hotel room was very nice, and it was pricy (but this was a Saturday night). But, I'm sort of stuck in Choice hotel brand hotels since their stay two nights get one free promo is well worth it.
Ultimately, with deciding what I was going to do later in the day, I did not get out of the hotel until 10:30. Getting to the swap meet at 10:45 or so, I saw that I did not miss much. There were only a handful of additional vendors, plus a couple of food vendors and someone singing. Oh and kids could ride horses for a fee. "Underwhelming" (based on the hype) is too kind of a word.
I think I stayed at the swap meet all of 45 minutes or so. For the evening, I planned to head into Eureka Springs, Arkansas to see the Great Passion Play.
There were a couple of ways to get into Eureka Springs. I could take US 412, or I-44. Either one was tolled but US 412 was $1.50 cheaper. However, US 412 involved some local driving in Oklahoma and a lot of local driving in Arkansas. Fuel efficiency would definitely be lower with my car. I-44 would cost extra and involve more miles, but I'd save money on gas in the long run. Plus, I'd get to see some small towns and scenery in Missouri that I've enjoyed seeing in the past.
View Larger Map
I visited Eureka Springs for the first time in my 2008 cross country trip. I only learned about it via a former co-worker. I rolled into Eureka Springs on a Wednesday. Unfortunately, the Great Passion Play does not perform on Wednesdays. Otherwise, I'd have seen it back then. The play area is a nice spot with a large statue of our Lord, a chunk of the Berlin wall, and some beautiful flowers. Eureka Springs also has a whole bunch of interesting shops but they were closed (probably because it was a Wednesday) when I was there in 2008.
Back to 2010. As I drove through the Ozarks a bit, there were some interesting towns. The scenery was beautiful. And of course, the GPS didn't like the Ozarks. It never does.
At one point, I noticed a marquee on someone's lawn that read "Will it rain?" It was raining before that. Shortly after I passed the marquee, it rained again. I hoped it would not rain for the play because it was outdoors.
The play was scheduled to begin at 7:30pm. I had some time in Eureka Springs to look around before the play began. I also noticed that a Catholic Mass was happening at 5pm. Saturday evening would be for Sunday obligation. But, I had already determined where the Sunday Mass would be and figured I'd wait until the next day. I wanted to check out the rest of Eureka Springs first.
When I got to the shops, I noticed that parking was a bit expensive. It was $5 just to walk around. I was only going to have a short time and really didn't feel like spending $5 to park for an hour. I had just enough time to get back to the parish center for Mass.
Getting to the Mass just as the opening hymn was being sung, I was glad I made it. The priest gave an excellent homily.
When I left, it started to rain. I got nervous because the play was taking place outside. But, I had already purchased my ticket online so I was going to see it regardless.
Signs announced that if the play was cancelled due to rain, they would give tickets out for a future performance. Since I live far away, I wasn't terribly excited with that idea.
When I went to my seat, I was amazed with the sets. They were up against steep Ozark hills, which allowed all sorts of opportunities for sets on multiple levels in a compact area. The buildings (the Temple, Pontius Pilate's area, the Upper Room, etc.) were all on a lower level. The cave tomb was located way above as was Golgotha.
Animals were going to be in the play and the area definitely smelled like it. A shepherd and Annas the pharisee were answering questions and selling programs before the play started.
When the play finally began, it rained again. Plastic ponchos were being sold. There was thunder and lightning. It got worse and I kept expecting the play to be cancelled. After really getting soaked (my umbrella didn't help much) I gave in and bought a poncho.
The play began with our Lord raising Lazarus from the dead. It proceeded through much of His final week before being crucified. This part went rather quickly and it really helped if the viewer had some knowledge of the New Testament.
As the web site says, it has a "cast of hundreds." When someone other than a major figure was talking, it was difficult to identify who was speaking. In fact, even when major figures such as St. Peter had their first lines, it was difficult to locate them amongst the other people. If a Roman soldier had a line, it took a minute to determine exactly which one was speaking.
An interesting part was when our Lord chased the moneychangers out of the temple. He turned over cages of live doves, releasing them. It was amusing to watch the doves circle around and around, only to fly back behind the set....probably knowing they had a guaranteed meal back there.
The play took two hours. For major figures, it was kind of amazing how they could go so fast and have such energy. The production values were excellent.
A few strange things happened. For example, Claudia (Pontius Pilate's wife) ministered to our Lord after He was flogged. I don't really ever remember hearing about that. There is debate over whether he carried an entire cross or a crossbar. But they made Gestas and Dismas carry just crossbars while our Lord had to carry the entire Cross. This seemed odd. I don't remember really hearing about all three of them having to carry anything, just our Lord. In any event, if the other two were going to be present for that part, it should have been consistent.
The devil was played by a woman and was almost constantly around. She looked similar to the devil in the movie The Passion of the Christ. As this play has been going on for eighteen years, perhaps the inspiration for the devil in the movie being a woman came from this play.
The choreography was absolutely amazing for such a large cast. Of course, for a play that takes place every night (except Wednesdays) for much of the year, they would have it down to a science.
After the Resurrection, the play continued on up to the Ascenscion. I was surprised they could pack that much into two hours. Even the movie the Passion of the Christ did not have that many events.
My hotel for the evening was in Harrison, Arkansas (this is almost directly south of Branson). It was only 33 miles away, but almost an hour's drive through the Ozarks on US 62. The road twisted and turned quite a bit. The GPS became even more obnoxious, showing me on other roads and telling me to get back on US 62. I never left US 62.
View Larger Map
The small towns and cities along the way definitely close early. I drove out around 9:45. After 10pm, many of the gas stations close up. Thankfully, I did not need any gas. Prices ranged from $2.54 to as high as $2.72 (even Clifton Park back home is cheaper than that).
The GPS did not have my hotel's address in there, but I remembered seeing it on my last visit to Harrison in May. It was right along US 62. So, I didn't really need it.
The hotel room was very nice, and it was pricy (but this was a Saturday night). But, I'm sort of stuck in Choice hotel brand hotels since their stay two nights get one free promo is well worth it.
September 17, 2010: Tulsa area
Today was sort of a day to relax after the intense driving earlier in the week. The only thing I had planned was to get to the Tulsa area. Oklahoma City was the furthest point west I planned to go. So, today marked the slow beginning of the drive home. Yes, I only just got out there and am already turning around.
View Larger Map
Near Tulsa is an annual swap meet called "Cowboy trade days." It's supposed to be the biggest in the United States for western related items. Since I have an interest in old west history, I wanted to visit. The event officially started the next day (Saturday) but customers were allowed to come early if they didn't mind being around the dealers setting up.
I went back the way I came via the I-44 toll road. The day before, there was a huge backup on the eastbound lane (I was heading west at that point so I just watched it) between construction and an accident involving three tractor trailers. I hoped construction would not cause another backup....and of course that there weren't any accidents. As this is a toll road in Oklahoma, they allow people to drive at 75. But, 75mph is probably a bit much for this road as it does have traffic. (In Rocky Mountain western states like New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, etc., the populations are so low that 75 on interstates in the rural areas is fine. Utah is even testing an 80mph limit on I-15.) Thankfully, a sign at the beginning of the turnpike indicated there was no backup.
I-44 is rather confusing going into the city of Tulsa itself. There is no toll within the city. You MUST pay attention to signs because what seems like an "exit" in a few places is actually what is keeping you on I-44. Otherwise, you can end up on US 412, or Route 66 (yes, THE famous Route 66).
The Cowboy Trade Days swap meet is hyped to be the largest of its kind in the United States. Vendors must pay as much as $80 for a booth. In NY, that seems cheap as I believe the Round Lake Antiques Festival charges at least $200 for a booth. But remember, this is Oklahoma and swap meets are a common thing out here. In various places vendors get to set up for free --- but the swap meets have no advertising budget so it's spread via word of mouth.
I visited this event last May. This is an annual event in September but they were experimenting with doing it in May as well. Due to bad weather, not as many vendors showed up. It was underwhelming back then, but I was told that it's so much better in September.
When I got there, there were very few vendors set up. There were some interesting things to look at. I was told more vendors would be coming in later and also Saturday. It was extremely hot. After looking around a bit and getting very tired of being out in the heat, I decided to head for the hotel and enjoy an air conditioned room.
I took a free night for this hotel though I had to actually use points this time (unlike the previous night where cockroaches basically awarded me a freebie night ---- and likely a night that will STILL earn points!).
I planned to just relax for the night. But, I remembered I needed to buy some things at Kohl's and figured when I had a "night off" it would be the best time to get this done. I was a little surprised when I went to check out. The store announced a need for every cashier possible. The lines were extremely long with several cashiers ringing people up. I don't know if the recession is happening in Tulsa. This is definitely not "back to school" stuff because Midwest and Southern states start school around August 15th. School also gets out in mid-May. In the Northeast, we're one month different in terms of the beginning of summer vacation and two or three weeks different in terms of school starting.
Finally, I was able to get back to my hotel and relax a bit.
View Larger Map
Near Tulsa is an annual swap meet called "Cowboy trade days." It's supposed to be the biggest in the United States for western related items. Since I have an interest in old west history, I wanted to visit. The event officially started the next day (Saturday) but customers were allowed to come early if they didn't mind being around the dealers setting up.
I went back the way I came via the I-44 toll road. The day before, there was a huge backup on the eastbound lane (I was heading west at that point so I just watched it) between construction and an accident involving three tractor trailers. I hoped construction would not cause another backup....and of course that there weren't any accidents. As this is a toll road in Oklahoma, they allow people to drive at 75. But, 75mph is probably a bit much for this road as it does have traffic. (In Rocky Mountain western states like New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, etc., the populations are so low that 75 on interstates in the rural areas is fine. Utah is even testing an 80mph limit on I-15.) Thankfully, a sign at the beginning of the turnpike indicated there was no backup.
I-44 is rather confusing going into the city of Tulsa itself. There is no toll within the city. You MUST pay attention to signs because what seems like an "exit" in a few places is actually what is keeping you on I-44. Otherwise, you can end up on US 412, or Route 66 (yes, THE famous Route 66).
The Cowboy Trade Days swap meet is hyped to be the largest of its kind in the United States. Vendors must pay as much as $80 for a booth. In NY, that seems cheap as I believe the Round Lake Antiques Festival charges at least $200 for a booth. But remember, this is Oklahoma and swap meets are a common thing out here. In various places vendors get to set up for free --- but the swap meets have no advertising budget so it's spread via word of mouth.
I visited this event last May. This is an annual event in September but they were experimenting with doing it in May as well. Due to bad weather, not as many vendors showed up. It was underwhelming back then, but I was told that it's so much better in September.
When I got there, there were very few vendors set up. There were some interesting things to look at. I was told more vendors would be coming in later and also Saturday. It was extremely hot. After looking around a bit and getting very tired of being out in the heat, I decided to head for the hotel and enjoy an air conditioned room.
I took a free night for this hotel though I had to actually use points this time (unlike the previous night where cockroaches basically awarded me a freebie night ---- and likely a night that will STILL earn points!).
I planned to just relax for the night. But, I remembered I needed to buy some things at Kohl's and figured when I had a "night off" it would be the best time to get this done. I was a little surprised when I went to check out. The store announced a need for every cashier possible. The lines were extremely long with several cashiers ringing people up. I don't know if the recession is happening in Tulsa. This is definitely not "back to school" stuff because Midwest and Southern states start school around August 15th. School also gets out in mid-May. In the Northeast, we're one month different in terms of the beginning of summer vacation and two or three weeks different in terms of school starting.
Finally, I was able to get back to my hotel and relax a bit.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
September 16, 2010: Oklahoma City - State Fair, Memorial, and Cockroaches
I woke up in Joplin, Missouri today. I was about 9 miles from the Oklahoma line. After doing a few errands and grabbing lunch, I headed west.
In 2006, when I made my first ever visits to Oklahoma and Missouri (two states I visited early on in my travels), I drove from Wichita, Kansas, visited Oklahoma City and then headed to Joplin. It seemed like a neverending drive on I-44 from Oklahoma City to the Missouri line. I visited Oklahoma City and Joplin all in one day. The visit to Joplin was a "token" visit as it was so late. I went to two truck stops, had dinner, bought postcards, was fascinated with the fact that I stepped foot in Missouri, and then headed back to my friend's home in Wichita, Kansas, arriving around 2am.
Back to 2010. As I headed west, I passed by the truck stops and was reminded of the fond memories of the first time I "ventured out" by car in the Midwest. Of course, now I've been to Missouri seven times and Oklahoma six times over the years.
Unfortunately, I-44 is a toll road in Oklahoma. It's tolled from the Missouri line to where I-44 merges with I-35 as it gets close to Oklahoma City. Unlike the NY Thruway, you just have to pay at tollbooths that are periodically on the interstate. There are two of these. There are also tollbooths at many of the exits. If you plan to get off at a tolled exit, you must get a receipt at the main toll booths. It costs $8 to go all the way to the end of the tolled section. They don't charge around Tulsa since there are lots of exits there.
Oklahoma likes to promote its small cities that are along the interstate. Besides, they get a toll when you use one of these exits. I stopped off at Miami, which is close to the Missouri line. I wanted to see it briefly. It has a cute downtown with lots of shops, but nothing peaked my interest. It cost $0.75 to use the exit. When I went to get back on I-44, a tollbooth attendant inquired as to where I was going. They must ask because they give you a different ticket depending on whether you head west or east. The ticket states that going in the opposite direction from what is printed on the ticket is illegal. Having the ticket meant that I could pay less at the general tollbooth on I-44.
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I stopped off at the "world's largest McDonalds" (at least that's the claim that is made) in order to walk around a bit. This particular McDonalds sites on a bridge above I-44. I don't think I've seen any other interstate rest stop like that.
My destination for the evening was the Oklahoma State Fair in Oklahoma City. There would be a performance by the Ely Young Band, and some interesting Native American displays relating to the Trail of Tears. (Andrew Jackson forced Native American tribes to go to what was then "Indian Territory" and later became the state of Oklahoma.) As this was the opening day, the fair only cost $1.
The fair was nice and VERY crowded. I never could find the building housing the displays. The band was good, but extremely loud. I had gotten a fairly close spot at the beginning, but quickly decided to move way back....if I wanted to preserve my eardrums.
After the band was done, I stopped at Braums (a fast food chain in this region) for a quick dinner. Food at the fair was expensive...and actually probably less healthy than fast food. They typically have a store attached with baked goods, their own brand of ice cream with odd flavors, etc. I decided to have a sundae with peppermint ice cream and cappuchino flavored frozen yogurt.
I checked into the hotel and then headed out to the Oklahoma City Memorial (around 10:30 at night). While it's open all day for visitors, they encourage people to come back at night to see the memorial tastefully lighted up in rememberance of the victims. I was there at night in May, 2010. I tried to get pictures but could not do well with night pictures. Having more knowledge about options on my camera, I was better prepared this time. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring a tripod. Night photos require longer exposure times and I cannot hold my arm steady enough to get a good night photo.
I got back to the hotel, ready for some rest. This was a decent hotel, recently refurbished, and certainly not the cheapest option. (I use Choice Hotels because of the point deals which lead to free nights.) Then, I noticed something moving on the floor. It was a cockroach! I have NEVER been to a hotel room with cockroaches. When it was just one, I was going to ignore it. But then I happened to find a dead one on the floor. I decided to see if I could get another room. I took the roaches to the front desk, wrapped in tissues. The clerk immediately offered to move me without my even asking.
As I was taking my stuff out of the room I originally had, the clerk called and said the manager wanted to comp my stay for the night. Hey, no problem with that! I was just happy to get to a different room. But I'll take a free night without having to spend points. Basically, this was done with the hopes that I would not write about the roaches on TripAdvisor.com. And yes, since they showed they would bend over backwards for customers, I'm not going to mention this on TripAdvisor.
As I went outside to get something from the car, I was reminded that I am in the South. Insects are just bigger and they're everywhere here. There were much larger cockroaches outside, along with at least one giant cricket (almost the size of a baby mouse). Other insects were swarming the outdoor lights. Basically, with the conditions in the South, the hotel is fighting an uphill battle to keep cockroaches out.
In any event, it was definitely an interesting and unexpected evening.
In 2006, when I made my first ever visits to Oklahoma and Missouri (two states I visited early on in my travels), I drove from Wichita, Kansas, visited Oklahoma City and then headed to Joplin. It seemed like a neverending drive on I-44 from Oklahoma City to the Missouri line. I visited Oklahoma City and Joplin all in one day. The visit to Joplin was a "token" visit as it was so late. I went to two truck stops, had dinner, bought postcards, was fascinated with the fact that I stepped foot in Missouri, and then headed back to my friend's home in Wichita, Kansas, arriving around 2am.
Back to 2010. As I headed west, I passed by the truck stops and was reminded of the fond memories of the first time I "ventured out" by car in the Midwest. Of course, now I've been to Missouri seven times and Oklahoma six times over the years.
Unfortunately, I-44 is a toll road in Oklahoma. It's tolled from the Missouri line to where I-44 merges with I-35 as it gets close to Oklahoma City. Unlike the NY Thruway, you just have to pay at tollbooths that are periodically on the interstate. There are two of these. There are also tollbooths at many of the exits. If you plan to get off at a tolled exit, you must get a receipt at the main toll booths. It costs $8 to go all the way to the end of the tolled section. They don't charge around Tulsa since there are lots of exits there.
Oklahoma likes to promote its small cities that are along the interstate. Besides, they get a toll when you use one of these exits. I stopped off at Miami, which is close to the Missouri line. I wanted to see it briefly. It has a cute downtown with lots of shops, but nothing peaked my interest. It cost $0.75 to use the exit. When I went to get back on I-44, a tollbooth attendant inquired as to where I was going. They must ask because they give you a different ticket depending on whether you head west or east. The ticket states that going in the opposite direction from what is printed on the ticket is illegal. Having the ticket meant that I could pay less at the general tollbooth on I-44.
View Larger Map
I stopped off at the "world's largest McDonalds" (at least that's the claim that is made) in order to walk around a bit. This particular McDonalds sites on a bridge above I-44. I don't think I've seen any other interstate rest stop like that.
My destination for the evening was the Oklahoma State Fair in Oklahoma City. There would be a performance by the Ely Young Band, and some interesting Native American displays relating to the Trail of Tears. (Andrew Jackson forced Native American tribes to go to what was then "Indian Territory" and later became the state of Oklahoma.) As this was the opening day, the fair only cost $1.
The fair was nice and VERY crowded. I never could find the building housing the displays. The band was good, but extremely loud. I had gotten a fairly close spot at the beginning, but quickly decided to move way back....if I wanted to preserve my eardrums.
After the band was done, I stopped at Braums (a fast food chain in this region) for a quick dinner. Food at the fair was expensive...and actually probably less healthy than fast food. They typically have a store attached with baked goods, their own brand of ice cream with odd flavors, etc. I decided to have a sundae with peppermint ice cream and cappuchino flavored frozen yogurt.
I checked into the hotel and then headed out to the Oklahoma City Memorial (around 10:30 at night). While it's open all day for visitors, they encourage people to come back at night to see the memorial tastefully lighted up in rememberance of the victims. I was there at night in May, 2010. I tried to get pictures but could not do well with night pictures. Having more knowledge about options on my camera, I was better prepared this time. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring a tripod. Night photos require longer exposure times and I cannot hold my arm steady enough to get a good night photo.
I got back to the hotel, ready for some rest. This was a decent hotel, recently refurbished, and certainly not the cheapest option. (I use Choice Hotels because of the point deals which lead to free nights.) Then, I noticed something moving on the floor. It was a cockroach! I have NEVER been to a hotel room with cockroaches. When it was just one, I was going to ignore it. But then I happened to find a dead one on the floor. I decided to see if I could get another room. I took the roaches to the front desk, wrapped in tissues. The clerk immediately offered to move me without my even asking.
As I was taking my stuff out of the room I originally had, the clerk called and said the manager wanted to comp my stay for the night. Hey, no problem with that! I was just happy to get to a different room. But I'll take a free night without having to spend points. Basically, this was done with the hopes that I would not write about the roaches on TripAdvisor.com. And yes, since they showed they would bend over backwards for customers, I'm not going to mention this on TripAdvisor.
As I went outside to get something from the car, I was reminded that I am in the South. Insects are just bigger and they're everywhere here. There were much larger cockroaches outside, along with at least one giant cricket (almost the size of a baby mouse). Other insects were swarming the outdoor lights. Basically, with the conditions in the South, the hotel is fighting an uphill battle to keep cockroaches out.
In any event, it was definitely an interesting and unexpected evening.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
September 15, 2010: 12 Hour Drive
oday was another intense drive. I originally planned to stop in Springfield, Missouri for the night, but the hotels are typically expensive in this area. I opted to go even further to Joplin, Missouri, which is about eight miles from the Oklahoma line. It likely saved at least $20. That can be used for fuel.
View Larger Map
I began in Columbus, Ohio. Taking I-70 out, I drove through the rest of Ohio, then into Indiana. I-70 runs through Indianapolis, the state's largest city and capital city. It briefly runs with I-65 and you must pay close attention to actually stay on I-70 once these interstates separate again.
I stopped in Terra Haute (on the western side of the state) for a meal and to purchase gas. I wanted fast food to save time. (There is a good Mexican restaurant in Terra Haute that I've been to before, but I didn't have time for that today.) I decided to try White Castle. I don't think they're available in the Albany, NY area. I'm sort of sorry I bothered. The burger is fairly small and really didn't taste that great. One of the sodas available was the "Barq's famous red soda." I've heard of Barq's root beer, but not "red soda." I tried just a little. It is loaded with red dye and tastes horrible. Glad I only sampled it.
I drove across Illinois on I-70. Once I noticed the Gateway Arch peeking over the hills, I new I was going to be entering Missouri soon. I love seeing the Gateway Arch, though I've never actually been to the riverfront. It's just nice to see it from the interstate. It's close enough to get a good view but far enough away that you can see the whole thing. As I entered St. Louis, several interstates run together: I-70, I-44, I-55, I-64, and possibly even another I'm forgetting. Anyway, even the GPS is not fast enough to keep up with the lane changes required to get onto the desired route (or at least doesn't announce them in time). Ultimately, I needed I-44. Somewhere along the way I missed an exit and had to briefly drive through the city of St. Louis. It is such a busy city and I'd prefer to just look down from the interstates. Thankfully I only had to drive a few miles and then I got onto a ramp directly for I-44.
I-44 is simple once you leave St. Louis. There are some curves and bends going around the Ozarks, but that's about it.
As I got closer to the Springfield area, rain became severe. I was really nervous about the interstate becoming flooded. There are miles and miles along I-44 with no exits. Other drivers were slowing down to 40 mph and using their flashers. For a long time, I did as well. The rain was extreme. Lightning was visible all over.
At times the rain would clear up for a while and I used those times to pick up speed. Once I passed Springfield, a radio station announced a tornado and severe thunderstorm watch. Thankfully, the counties mentioned were to the east of me. As I got closer to Joplin, it seemed to be more dry.
I arrived at the hotel around 12:30am, totally exhausted. Certainly, it was not as bad as the previous evening, but I had two days worth of long drives by then. But, getting there meant that there would be at a few days where I will not have to drive so much.
View Larger Map
I began in Columbus, Ohio. Taking I-70 out, I drove through the rest of Ohio, then into Indiana. I-70 runs through Indianapolis, the state's largest city and capital city. It briefly runs with I-65 and you must pay close attention to actually stay on I-70 once these interstates separate again.
I stopped in Terra Haute (on the western side of the state) for a meal and to purchase gas. I wanted fast food to save time. (There is a good Mexican restaurant in Terra Haute that I've been to before, but I didn't have time for that today.) I decided to try White Castle. I don't think they're available in the Albany, NY area. I'm sort of sorry I bothered. The burger is fairly small and really didn't taste that great. One of the sodas available was the "Barq's famous red soda." I've heard of Barq's root beer, but not "red soda." I tried just a little. It is loaded with red dye and tastes horrible. Glad I only sampled it.
I drove across Illinois on I-70. Once I noticed the Gateway Arch peeking over the hills, I new I was going to be entering Missouri soon. I love seeing the Gateway Arch, though I've never actually been to the riverfront. It's just nice to see it from the interstate. It's close enough to get a good view but far enough away that you can see the whole thing. As I entered St. Louis, several interstates run together: I-70, I-44, I-55, I-64, and possibly even another I'm forgetting. Anyway, even the GPS is not fast enough to keep up with the lane changes required to get onto the desired route (or at least doesn't announce them in time). Ultimately, I needed I-44. Somewhere along the way I missed an exit and had to briefly drive through the city of St. Louis. It is such a busy city and I'd prefer to just look down from the interstates. Thankfully I only had to drive a few miles and then I got onto a ramp directly for I-44.
I-44 is simple once you leave St. Louis. There are some curves and bends going around the Ozarks, but that's about it.
As I got closer to the Springfield area, rain became severe. I was really nervous about the interstate becoming flooded. There are miles and miles along I-44 with no exits. Other drivers were slowing down to 40 mph and using their flashers. For a long time, I did as well. The rain was extreme. Lightning was visible all over.
At times the rain would clear up for a while and I used those times to pick up speed. Once I passed Springfield, a radio station announced a tornado and severe thunderstorm watch. Thankfully, the counties mentioned were to the east of me. As I got closer to Joplin, it seemed to be more dry.
I arrived at the hotel around 12:30am, totally exhausted. Certainly, it was not as bad as the previous evening, but I had two days worth of long drives by then. But, getting there meant that there would be at a few days where I will not have to drive so much.
September 14, 2010: 11 Hour Drive
Today begins a new trip. This is more of a "destination" visit in that I have three states where I plan to spend some time. In the past, I've picked a region of the country and tried to find something to do in each state along the way. Now, I'm breezing through a lot of states just to get to the ones where I have plans. As of last spring when I added California to my list of visited states, I have now visited 47 states. Louisiana is the only missing state in the lower 48 and I do NOT anticipate visiting it in this trip. So, this will be the first trip west of New York that does not involve a visit to a new state.
As is usual for these driving trips, I got out of the house late. This was probably one of the worst occasions as I left around 3pm and had an eleven hour drive ahead of me. That is the most ambitious drive I have ever tried in a single day. Ordinarily, I never go more than eight hours. But, with limited days for this trip I wanted to maximize it by getting most of the driving out of the way when I could. The next day would be even worse.
My destination was Columbus, Ohio. I chose that city because it has an inexpensive hotel under the Choice Hotel brands, and they're giving away big points again. I'll get some free stays during this trip. Columbus is also roughly halfway through to Springfield, Missouri.
View Larger Map
Normally, it takes a couple of days to build up momentum. Leaving at 3pm, I was really nervous about being out so late and driving so long. This time, I must have been either hungering for a trip or else I've built up enough "reserve" momentum from my past trips. I was not seriously tired at any point on the trip.
The logical way to do this would have been to take I-90 across NY. Of course, that involves about $14 in tolls, and I figured that would be better spent on gas. So, I planned to take I-88 to the Southern Tier Expressway (aka "I-86").
The GPS was obnoxious. I knew what I needed to do to get as far as Ohio so I really didn't need the GPS until that point. But, it is good for calculating mileage until the next turn and destination time. As I got on I-88 it kept wanting me to turn around to get back on I-90. I finally was tired of hearing it complain, so I shut it down until I was so far onto I-88 that it had to reroute me through I-86.
I've never gone west on US 17/I-86 in the daylight. I've come back that way in daytime, but the only time I went out that way (in summer 2008), it was already dark. It always seems to be different from my recollection when I travel that route. This time was no exception. There was also a great deal of road work this time. But aside from that, the landscape still seemed different throughout.
It felt so good to start traveling again. This summer has been intense with lots of things happening at home. So, it's great to get out and at least go halfway across the country again.
As is usual in Western NY, gas was more expensive than the Clifton Park area. I fueled up a bit, expecting to finish it off once I crossed the Pennsylvania line. Typically, the TA store along I-90 is cheaper than western NY prices. When I arrived, it turned out to be exactly the same. Filling up and then having some pizza as insurance to stay awake, I began driving again.
Ohio is also typically even cheaper than PA (and thus also cheaper than NY). It turned out Ohio gas prices were the same or higher than PA, making Ohio, for the first time I have ever seen, more expensive than Clifton Park, NY.
There is heavy construction on I-90. At one point, you could even pick which part of the construction zone you wanted to drive in. It forked there is a huge grassy median between the two westbound lanes. I took the right side.
My next interstate was I-271. Getting on there was a feat with so many ramps for I-271 closed.
As time went on, I became worried about getting tired. But, it never happened. In fact, I seemed more energized as it got later. I-271 ended and I went onto I-71. I-71 was a pleasure to drive at that hour with nobody else on it. It can become busy during normal hours.
As I-71 and I-70 merged in different places, along with a few other US routes (other states like to merge interstates and US routes), things became confusing and of course I took an incorrect ramp. It's wonderful to have a GPS.
The hotel in Columbus was very inexpensive but was definitely quite nice. I got in a little after 2am. There was still stuff to do so I ultimately never got to sleep until 3:30am.
As is usual for these driving trips, I got out of the house late. This was probably one of the worst occasions as I left around 3pm and had an eleven hour drive ahead of me. That is the most ambitious drive I have ever tried in a single day. Ordinarily, I never go more than eight hours. But, with limited days for this trip I wanted to maximize it by getting most of the driving out of the way when I could. The next day would be even worse.
My destination was Columbus, Ohio. I chose that city because it has an inexpensive hotel under the Choice Hotel brands, and they're giving away big points again. I'll get some free stays during this trip. Columbus is also roughly halfway through to Springfield, Missouri.
View Larger Map
Normally, it takes a couple of days to build up momentum. Leaving at 3pm, I was really nervous about being out so late and driving so long. This time, I must have been either hungering for a trip or else I've built up enough "reserve" momentum from my past trips. I was not seriously tired at any point on the trip.
The logical way to do this would have been to take I-90 across NY. Of course, that involves about $14 in tolls, and I figured that would be better spent on gas. So, I planned to take I-88 to the Southern Tier Expressway (aka "I-86").
The GPS was obnoxious. I knew what I needed to do to get as far as Ohio so I really didn't need the GPS until that point. But, it is good for calculating mileage until the next turn and destination time. As I got on I-88 it kept wanting me to turn around to get back on I-90. I finally was tired of hearing it complain, so I shut it down until I was so far onto I-88 that it had to reroute me through I-86.
I've never gone west on US 17/I-86 in the daylight. I've come back that way in daytime, but the only time I went out that way (in summer 2008), it was already dark. It always seems to be different from my recollection when I travel that route. This time was no exception. There was also a great deal of road work this time. But aside from that, the landscape still seemed different throughout.
It felt so good to start traveling again. This summer has been intense with lots of things happening at home. So, it's great to get out and at least go halfway across the country again.
As is usual in Western NY, gas was more expensive than the Clifton Park area. I fueled up a bit, expecting to finish it off once I crossed the Pennsylvania line. Typically, the TA store along I-90 is cheaper than western NY prices. When I arrived, it turned out to be exactly the same. Filling up and then having some pizza as insurance to stay awake, I began driving again.
Ohio is also typically even cheaper than PA (and thus also cheaper than NY). It turned out Ohio gas prices were the same or higher than PA, making Ohio, for the first time I have ever seen, more expensive than Clifton Park, NY.
There is heavy construction on I-90. At one point, you could even pick which part of the construction zone you wanted to drive in. It forked there is a huge grassy median between the two westbound lanes. I took the right side.
My next interstate was I-271. Getting on there was a feat with so many ramps for I-271 closed.
As time went on, I became worried about getting tired. But, it never happened. In fact, I seemed more energized as it got later. I-271 ended and I went onto I-71. I-71 was a pleasure to drive at that hour with nobody else on it. It can become busy during normal hours.
As I-71 and I-70 merged in different places, along with a few other US routes (other states like to merge interstates and US routes), things became confusing and of course I took an incorrect ramp. It's wonderful to have a GPS.
The hotel in Columbus was very inexpensive but was definitely quite nice. I got in a little after 2am. There was still stuff to do so I ultimately never got to sleep until 3:30am.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
May 21, 2010: The Long Drive Home
Today was the end of my 2010 cross country trip. At the end of the day, I would be home. The car was not due until the next day (May 22nd), but I wanted to have time to unpack the car. It was due at 3:30pm, so I did not want to stay an extra day and take the chance of any kind of delay and then face a penalty by returning the car late.
I started out with the breakfast buffet at the Erie, PA motel. Since this was a truck stop motel, their free breakfast consisted of access to the restaurant's breakfast buffet, rather than the standard institutional cereal, waffles, near-rotten fruit, and unhealthy pastries whose taste did not justify the calories. The breakfast buffet was great. My plan was to have more than I normally would and try to avoid having to stop for lunch. Not only did I not want to waste the time, but I wanted to save money.
After having a great breakfast, I fueled up and began the long trip. The fastest method to get home would be to take I-90 for most of the way. But that also included about $14 in tolls. I instead took I-86. In Pennsylvania, I-86 is great. You know you've crossed into New York not by the welcome sign, but by the fact that the nice smooth road surface has ended and been replaced by numerous bumps and other problems.
The views along what is referred to as New York's "Southern Tier" are very nice. There are mountains and lush forests. It seemed odd being back in New York again after 46 days, and having been as far as the Pacific Coast about a month before.
I know this route well enough that I no longer needed the GPS to give me directions. This is my third time taking this route. I did this exact route going home from the 2009 Fall trip. I needed to follow I-86 until it dropped interstate status and went strictly by its other name of NY Route 17. Then in the Binghamton area I would briefly take I-81 (for less than a mile) to I-88. I-88 would take me northeast from the Southern Tier to New York's Capital District area. From I-88 I would briefly travel I-90 to get to I-87 (the Northway) to get home. However, I kept the GPS on for most of the way to get an accurate prediction of when I would get home.
View Larger Map
NY Route 17/I-86 briefly straddles the New York/Pennsylvania state lines. I got off there to buy gas. Even though PA has a higher gas tax, gas was cheaper than in NY based on what I had seen along the way. I was also getting a little hungry. The gas station had a Subway. I decided to have lunch even though I planned not to. This was my last Subway sandwich for the trip (and the last one I've had so far). Being that I was back in the Northeast, I was again able to obtain points on my Subway points card. It seems this generally works in the coastal states plus Nevada and Utah. It does not work in the Midwest at all.
I had gotten a much earlier start, plus this was spring rather than fall. When I got to I-88 in the Fall 2009 trip, things had begun to get dark. Today, I was in the daylight all the way through I-88.
As I left I-88 and got onto I-90, I was officially back in my home area, NY's Capital District. Once I got onto the Northway (I-87), it just felt strange to see all the familiar interstate signs. Thankfully, I came at just the right time to avoid the rush hour traffic for the most part.
When I got home, I noted the mileage on the car. I had put 5,033 miles on the previous car to get to San Francisco. On this car, from San Francisco to home, I had put 7,120 miles on the car. The total number of miles driven on this trip was 12,153 miles. I was amazed. Originally, I did not think I'd cross the 10,000 mile mark.
After getting home and having dinner, I had to begin the process of unloading the car. While I had packed the original car neatly, things were really out of order after so much travel. Also, I had not packed slowly and neatly when transferring from the car with the tire problem to the next car in San Francisco. It took quite a while to unpack.
Since I still had the rental car, I wanted to take it to Walmart to do a grocery order. I wanted to put the miles on that car while I still had it rather than using them on my own car. Of course, after seven hours of driving, I was absolutely exhausted. Still, I did it. I got back after 10:30pm. I definitely needed some sleep.
I started out with the breakfast buffet at the Erie, PA motel. Since this was a truck stop motel, their free breakfast consisted of access to the restaurant's breakfast buffet, rather than the standard institutional cereal, waffles, near-rotten fruit, and unhealthy pastries whose taste did not justify the calories. The breakfast buffet was great. My plan was to have more than I normally would and try to avoid having to stop for lunch. Not only did I not want to waste the time, but I wanted to save money.
After having a great breakfast, I fueled up and began the long trip. The fastest method to get home would be to take I-90 for most of the way. But that also included about $14 in tolls. I instead took I-86. In Pennsylvania, I-86 is great. You know you've crossed into New York not by the welcome sign, but by the fact that the nice smooth road surface has ended and been replaced by numerous bumps and other problems.
The views along what is referred to as New York's "Southern Tier" are very nice. There are mountains and lush forests. It seemed odd being back in New York again after 46 days, and having been as far as the Pacific Coast about a month before.
I know this route well enough that I no longer needed the GPS to give me directions. This is my third time taking this route. I did this exact route going home from the 2009 Fall trip. I needed to follow I-86 until it dropped interstate status and went strictly by its other name of NY Route 17. Then in the Binghamton area I would briefly take I-81 (for less than a mile) to I-88. I-88 would take me northeast from the Southern Tier to New York's Capital District area. From I-88 I would briefly travel I-90 to get to I-87 (the Northway) to get home. However, I kept the GPS on for most of the way to get an accurate prediction of when I would get home.
View Larger Map
NY Route 17/I-86 briefly straddles the New York/Pennsylvania state lines. I got off there to buy gas. Even though PA has a higher gas tax, gas was cheaper than in NY based on what I had seen along the way. I was also getting a little hungry. The gas station had a Subway. I decided to have lunch even though I planned not to. This was my last Subway sandwich for the trip (and the last one I've had so far). Being that I was back in the Northeast, I was again able to obtain points on my Subway points card. It seems this generally works in the coastal states plus Nevada and Utah. It does not work in the Midwest at all.
I had gotten a much earlier start, plus this was spring rather than fall. When I got to I-88 in the Fall 2009 trip, things had begun to get dark. Today, I was in the daylight all the way through I-88.
As I left I-88 and got onto I-90, I was officially back in my home area, NY's Capital District. Once I got onto the Northway (I-87), it just felt strange to see all the familiar interstate signs. Thankfully, I came at just the right time to avoid the rush hour traffic for the most part.
When I got home, I noted the mileage on the car. I had put 5,033 miles on the previous car to get to San Francisco. On this car, from San Francisco to home, I had put 7,120 miles on the car. The total number of miles driven on this trip was 12,153 miles. I was amazed. Originally, I did not think I'd cross the 10,000 mile mark.
After getting home and having dinner, I had to begin the process of unloading the car. While I had packed the original car neatly, things were really out of order after so much travel. Also, I had not packed slowly and neatly when transferring from the car with the tire problem to the next car in San Francisco. It took quite a while to unpack.
Since I still had the rental car, I wanted to take it to Walmart to do a grocery order. I wanted to put the miles on that car while I still had it rather than using them on my own car. Of course, after seven hours of driving, I was absolutely exhausted. Still, I did it. I got back after 10:30pm. I definitely needed some sleep.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
May 20, 2010: Cincinnati, Ohio area
This was my last day of actual travel events. The next day would simply be traveling home. I had a lot to do today, including seeing the birth place of Ulysses Grant, visiting a relative, and seeing a friend who I have corresponded with for years online. All of this was going to be very hectic. Then I had a six hour drive to get up to Erie, Pennsylvania for a stopover.
The first stop would be the birthplace of Ulysses Grant, the 18th president. This would totally close the gap in presidential sites. After visiting this site, I would have seen a site related to every president for whom a site was available, up to Dwight Eisenhower. I would consider Eisenhower a modern president. (Presidents before Eisenhower who do not have any public site available include Zachary Taylor (#12), and Grover Cleveland (#22 and #24).) Even among modern presidents, this trip allowed me to see a site related to Kennedy and one related to Reagan. So, the number of leftover presidents whose sites I have not seen is very limited at this point.
Grant's birthplace was located on US 232 in Moscow, Ohio. It is in a small area called Point Pleasant. The GPS did not have US 232 in Moscow listed. I decided to head out to Moscow, OH and see if I could find signs. As I was driving, I remembered I had written down the phone number for the birthplace and they provided directions to me.
View Larger Map
Grant's birth home was very small. The bedroom and kitchen were in one room. The family stayed in this house until Grant was 11 months old. There were items of clothing from the Grant family. The oldest item was a boot made by Grant's father that is now over 200 years old. Photographs with flash were allowed.
After the very brief tour, I spent some time chatting with the staff of the house. We swapped historical stories about the presidents of the era, settlers in New York, and about the weather. This was not exactly a very popular spot for visitors, and I think the tour guides were enjoying getting a chance to talk to someone from outside the area. But, I was crunched for time and I had an hour to get to my next stop.
My next item on the agenda was visiting my cousin's wife and her son, my first cousin once removed. I had last seen them three years ago in Maryland. They since moved to the Cincinnati area in the city of Mason. I typically see at least one relative on these trips (the 2009 trip is the only exclusion), so it was good to be able to keep that tradition.
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My cousin and his wife's home was only about two years old. The whole neighborhood was around the same age. Surprisingly enough, the GPS got me there without a problem. I spent about an hour with my cousin's wife and her son, watching him put together train tracks for his model trains. We tried to get pictures of him, but he was not interested. He would put his head down and laughed about it. I was not fast enough. I stayed for about an hour, but then I had to get to a late lunch with a friend I've known for years.
Getting into downtown Cincinnati was an adventure. I had to go to Elm Street, of all places. In some commercials for the GPS device, they always talk about going to Elm Street. Cincinnati has two streets by this name. One is in a residential area and the other is in the downtown business district. I wanted the latter but picked the former from the menu. Getting to the residential area, I then added an extra twenty minutes to my travels, delaying my friend who was at work.
View Larger Map
I finally got to the business district and thankfully, there was a parking space right on the edge of the road. We found a restaurant nearby to allow maximum time to talk. We had crepes with artichokes and various cheeses.
After the visit with my friend was over, I was officially on the way back. All travel events were done. I simply needed to get to Erie, Pennsylvania, for the night.
However, along the way, I did stop in the Amish area of Ohio (near Mansfield) for dinner. There was a great Amish restaurant just off I-71. I didn't have a lot of time so I got the buffet. This was not as good, but the dessert was absolutely delicious. I had German Chocolate pie. That was well worth the calories and extra cost. I purchased some items to bring home.
View Larger Map
I got into the hotel in Erie, PA around 10:30pm. This is a hotel that still charges for Internet access, so I didn't use that. I got some rest and was ready for the long journey home.
View Larger Map
The first stop would be the birthplace of Ulysses Grant, the 18th president. This would totally close the gap in presidential sites. After visiting this site, I would have seen a site related to every president for whom a site was available, up to Dwight Eisenhower. I would consider Eisenhower a modern president. (Presidents before Eisenhower who do not have any public site available include Zachary Taylor (#12), and Grover Cleveland (#22 and #24).) Even among modern presidents, this trip allowed me to see a site related to Kennedy and one related to Reagan. So, the number of leftover presidents whose sites I have not seen is very limited at this point.
Grant's birthplace was located on US 232 in Moscow, Ohio. It is in a small area called Point Pleasant. The GPS did not have US 232 in Moscow listed. I decided to head out to Moscow, OH and see if I could find signs. As I was driving, I remembered I had written down the phone number for the birthplace and they provided directions to me.
View Larger Map
Grant's birth home was very small. The bedroom and kitchen were in one room. The family stayed in this house until Grant was 11 months old. There were items of clothing from the Grant family. The oldest item was a boot made by Grant's father that is now over 200 years old. Photographs with flash were allowed.
After the very brief tour, I spent some time chatting with the staff of the house. We swapped historical stories about the presidents of the era, settlers in New York, and about the weather. This was not exactly a very popular spot for visitors, and I think the tour guides were enjoying getting a chance to talk to someone from outside the area. But, I was crunched for time and I had an hour to get to my next stop.
My next item on the agenda was visiting my cousin's wife and her son, my first cousin once removed. I had last seen them three years ago in Maryland. They since moved to the Cincinnati area in the city of Mason. I typically see at least one relative on these trips (the 2009 trip is the only exclusion), so it was good to be able to keep that tradition.
View Larger Map
My cousin and his wife's home was only about two years old. The whole neighborhood was around the same age. Surprisingly enough, the GPS got me there without a problem. I spent about an hour with my cousin's wife and her son, watching him put together train tracks for his model trains. We tried to get pictures of him, but he was not interested. He would put his head down and laughed about it. I was not fast enough. I stayed for about an hour, but then I had to get to a late lunch with a friend I've known for years.
Getting into downtown Cincinnati was an adventure. I had to go to Elm Street, of all places. In some commercials for the GPS device, they always talk about going to Elm Street. Cincinnati has two streets by this name. One is in a residential area and the other is in the downtown business district. I wanted the latter but picked the former from the menu. Getting to the residential area, I then added an extra twenty minutes to my travels, delaying my friend who was at work.
View Larger Map
I finally got to the business district and thankfully, there was a parking space right on the edge of the road. We found a restaurant nearby to allow maximum time to talk. We had crepes with artichokes and various cheeses.
After the visit with my friend was over, I was officially on the way back. All travel events were done. I simply needed to get to Erie, Pennsylvania, for the night.
However, along the way, I did stop in the Amish area of Ohio (near Mansfield) for dinner. There was a great Amish restaurant just off I-71. I didn't have a lot of time so I got the buffet. This was not as good, but the dessert was absolutely delicious. I had German Chocolate pie. That was well worth the calories and extra cost. I purchased some items to bring home.
View Larger Map
I got into the hotel in Erie, PA around 10:30pm. This is a hotel that still charges for Internet access, so I didn't use that. I got some rest and was ready for the long journey home.
View Larger Map
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
New Route Map
I posted a new route map on the right side, covering the final part of my trip from May 17 - 21, 2010.
May 19, 2010: Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
While I had been to Iowa once before (in 2007), that was nothing more than a token visit. Back then I drove up I-29 in western Iowa, mostly through torrential rain and I was afraid I was going to have a severe accident. The only activities I did were to eat dinner at a truck stop and buy gas and postcards. That's not much of a visit.
This time, I was in eastern Iowa and had an actual destination in the state. I even stayed overnight. Iowa seems to have quite a number of insects. It was hot and they would not leave me alone. It's very flat with some occasional hills.
Herbert Hoover was the 31st president. He is most associated with the Great Depression. Unfortunately, he was president at the wrong time. After a bubble in the 1920s, it was bound to burst. A few months after taking office, the stock market crash of 1929 happened. The boom times of the 20s simply could not last. To make matters worse, Hoover was not able to connect with the people. He was an engineer, but lacked the charisma needed in a president. This is similar to what destroyed the presidency of Martin Van Buren, the 8th president. (I know a lot about Van Buren since he was Kinderhook, NY.) After the wildly popular Andrew Jackson, Van Buren lacked Jackson's charisma. The economy crashed in 1837 shortly after Van Buren's presidency began, and he was unable to fix it.
Hoover had an illustrious career before the presidency. Under the Wilson administration, he helped feed starving people in Europe. He wanted to be in public service. He was popular and well known then, and served as Commerce Secretary under Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge. When Coolidge declined to run for a second full term, Hoover ran for president in 1928 and won by a landslide. Hoover was sworn into office by Chief Justice William Taft, who had served as the 27th president (Taft was the only former president to swear in a successor).
In the case of Hoover after he lost the election for his second term, there was a coordinated effort by FDR's people to write history to blame him for the crash. FDR would then get the credit for fixing it. In the final days of his presidency, Hoover tried to implement programs and wanted assurances that FDR would continue these programs. Hoover's interest was in helping the American people, while FDR's interest was in his own legacy. FDR's own people admitted they hesitated because they wanted the blame to go to Hoover.
During the FDR years, Hoover was shut out of the public eye. His reputation was ruined. The museum referred to this as his wildnerness years. After FDR's death, Harry Truman brought Hoover out of obscurity, asking him to head up relief efforts in the aftermath of WWII. Truman and Hoover became good friends, even if they disagreed politically. Truman also asked Hoover to reorganize the Executive Branch. Hoover was delighted and felt this new work added years to his life.
Hoover was also a strong intellectual. He was very much against Communism and against mediocrity. He believed in individuals doing extraordinary things. He promoted individualism while still having people look out for each other. But he felt it was important for people to strive to be "uncommon people" rather than just "common people." Even at age 88, he had great optimism for the country. He wrote around forty books, including a book about Woodrow Wilson. It is said that this is the first time a former president wrote a book about a predecessor. However, John Quincy Adams wrote a book (published after his death) about James Madison and James Monroe, his predecessors.
I visited Hoover's grave site, which is a simple slab containing his name. As Hoover grew up as a Quaker, he was taught humility. The grave site does not mention that he served as president. In that sense it's similar to James Madison's grave which simply says "Madison" and his birth and death dates.
I saw the birth home, which is extremely small. Hoover came from humble beginnings. His family lived in that home for a short time before moving on. He made a decision to purchase and preserve his birth home and often visited West Branch, Iowa, to remember his roots.
The National Park Service has recreated the entire neighborhood where Hoover was born. (They have done the same with the neighborhood where Abraham Lincoln lived as an adult in Springfield, Illinois.) There is even a working blacksmith shop which does everything as it would have been done in the 1870s. Products are sold and demonstrations are done at the shop.
After leaving the Hoover home, I went to get lunch. West Branch is a quaint little city and had a couple of small restaurants, but I didn't have time to wait. I needed fast food because I had an eight hour drive ahead of me. I also needed to go to a place with an Internet connection since I could not get online at the hotel the previous night.
My next hotel was in Erlanger, Kentucky. This was just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio. While it was nice to include Kentucky as a state visited in this trip, the real reason I selected this city was that it has a hotel that required the minimum amount of points. It was also an airport hotel and airport hotels are typically very clean.
View Larger Map
The drive to Erlanger, Kentucky went through eastern Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and finally into Kentucky. I would be in five states today. It was a daunting drive and took over eight hours. There was a change in my planned drive as I-80 eastbound was closed in Iowa going towards the Illinois line. I had to take another interstate (I-280?) to I-74.
I thought I might end up passing through one of these states without getting out of the car. But, I bought gas and dinner in Illinois, and more gas in Indiana. Prices were around the $2.60s in Indiana.
In Indiana, my heart sank as I noticed that I-465, which is a "beltway" around Indianapolis, was under massive construction. Signs warned that drivers should seek alternate routes. Thankfully, during the time I got to that area, there was not a lot of traffic. Things were slow, but tolerable.
The hotel in Kentucky was an adventure all in itself. It was around 11:15 or so when I arrived. I was exhausted. I had crossed from Central Time to Eastern Time (in Indiana) so I lost an hour. I wanted to get into my hotel room and rest. The clerk told me that I had "already checked in." I explained that I did not check in already and nobody was with me. She thought perhaps it was just a data entry error and gave me a key card. She hoped nobody else was in the room. She could have called to find out.
When I got up to the second floor, I knocked on the door just in case. There was no response. The key card would not work. The clerk gave me another key card. That one did not work. She asked another staffer to go up with me. That third card did not work. A fourth card was given. All the while, time was wasted and I was really looking forward to getting some sleep. The fourth card worked....and the door was partially locked. A man yelled asking what was going on. The hotel had messed up and gave me a key card to a room occupied by someone else!! Thankfully it was the hotel staffer that opened the door. He apologized profusely.
When we got down to the front desk, the man was on the phone with the clerk, expressing his outrage (and rightfully so). The clerk gave him lip service and then said to me "Nasty, nasty." I just looked at her. He had a right to be nasty when he was interrupted in his sleep.
Finally, I was given a new room and a key card that worked. I was worried that I'd again open the door on someone already in the room. Since they had plenty of rooms available, if they were not sure whether the first room was occupied, they could have given me the second room to start with. At least an hour was wasted with this inept nonsense.
I had at least another two hours worth of email to do, plus I had to determine the final hotel I wanted to stay at, near Erie, Pennsylvania. I didn't get to sleep until around 2am.
This time, I was in eastern Iowa and had an actual destination in the state. I even stayed overnight. Iowa seems to have quite a number of insects. It was hot and they would not leave me alone. It's very flat with some occasional hills.
Herbert Hoover was the 31st president. He is most associated with the Great Depression. Unfortunately, he was president at the wrong time. After a bubble in the 1920s, it was bound to burst. A few months after taking office, the stock market crash of 1929 happened. The boom times of the 20s simply could not last. To make matters worse, Hoover was not able to connect with the people. He was an engineer, but lacked the charisma needed in a president. This is similar to what destroyed the presidency of Martin Van Buren, the 8th president. (I know a lot about Van Buren since he was Kinderhook, NY.) After the wildly popular Andrew Jackson, Van Buren lacked Jackson's charisma. The economy crashed in 1837 shortly after Van Buren's presidency began, and he was unable to fix it.
Hoover had an illustrious career before the presidency. Under the Wilson administration, he helped feed starving people in Europe. He wanted to be in public service. He was popular and well known then, and served as Commerce Secretary under Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge. When Coolidge declined to run for a second full term, Hoover ran for president in 1928 and won by a landslide. Hoover was sworn into office by Chief Justice William Taft, who had served as the 27th president (Taft was the only former president to swear in a successor).
In the case of Hoover after he lost the election for his second term, there was a coordinated effort by FDR's people to write history to blame him for the crash. FDR would then get the credit for fixing it. In the final days of his presidency, Hoover tried to implement programs and wanted assurances that FDR would continue these programs. Hoover's interest was in helping the American people, while FDR's interest was in his own legacy. FDR's own people admitted they hesitated because they wanted the blame to go to Hoover.
During the FDR years, Hoover was shut out of the public eye. His reputation was ruined. The museum referred to this as his wildnerness years. After FDR's death, Harry Truman brought Hoover out of obscurity, asking him to head up relief efforts in the aftermath of WWII. Truman and Hoover became good friends, even if they disagreed politically. Truman also asked Hoover to reorganize the Executive Branch. Hoover was delighted and felt this new work added years to his life.
Hoover was also a strong intellectual. He was very much against Communism and against mediocrity. He believed in individuals doing extraordinary things. He promoted individualism while still having people look out for each other. But he felt it was important for people to strive to be "uncommon people" rather than just "common people." Even at age 88, he had great optimism for the country. He wrote around forty books, including a book about Woodrow Wilson. It is said that this is the first time a former president wrote a book about a predecessor. However, John Quincy Adams wrote a book (published after his death) about James Madison and James Monroe, his predecessors.
I visited Hoover's grave site, which is a simple slab containing his name. As Hoover grew up as a Quaker, he was taught humility. The grave site does not mention that he served as president. In that sense it's similar to James Madison's grave which simply says "Madison" and his birth and death dates.
I saw the birth home, which is extremely small. Hoover came from humble beginnings. His family lived in that home for a short time before moving on. He made a decision to purchase and preserve his birth home and often visited West Branch, Iowa, to remember his roots.
The National Park Service has recreated the entire neighborhood where Hoover was born. (They have done the same with the neighborhood where Abraham Lincoln lived as an adult in Springfield, Illinois.) There is even a working blacksmith shop which does everything as it would have been done in the 1870s. Products are sold and demonstrations are done at the shop.
After leaving the Hoover home, I went to get lunch. West Branch is a quaint little city and had a couple of small restaurants, but I didn't have time to wait. I needed fast food because I had an eight hour drive ahead of me. I also needed to go to a place with an Internet connection since I could not get online at the hotel the previous night.
My next hotel was in Erlanger, Kentucky. This was just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio. While it was nice to include Kentucky as a state visited in this trip, the real reason I selected this city was that it has a hotel that required the minimum amount of points. It was also an airport hotel and airport hotels are typically very clean.
View Larger Map
The drive to Erlanger, Kentucky went through eastern Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and finally into Kentucky. I would be in five states today. It was a daunting drive and took over eight hours. There was a change in my planned drive as I-80 eastbound was closed in Iowa going towards the Illinois line. I had to take another interstate (I-280?) to I-74.
I thought I might end up passing through one of these states without getting out of the car. But, I bought gas and dinner in Illinois, and more gas in Indiana. Prices were around the $2.60s in Indiana.
In Indiana, my heart sank as I noticed that I-465, which is a "beltway" around Indianapolis, was under massive construction. Signs warned that drivers should seek alternate routes. Thankfully, during the time I got to that area, there was not a lot of traffic. Things were slow, but tolerable.
The hotel in Kentucky was an adventure all in itself. It was around 11:15 or so when I arrived. I was exhausted. I had crossed from Central Time to Eastern Time (in Indiana) so I lost an hour. I wanted to get into my hotel room and rest. The clerk told me that I had "already checked in." I explained that I did not check in already and nobody was with me. She thought perhaps it was just a data entry error and gave me a key card. She hoped nobody else was in the room. She could have called to find out.
When I got up to the second floor, I knocked on the door just in case. There was no response. The key card would not work. The clerk gave me another key card. That one did not work. She asked another staffer to go up with me. That third card did not work. A fourth card was given. All the while, time was wasted and I was really looking forward to getting some sleep. The fourth card worked....and the door was partially locked. A man yelled asking what was going on. The hotel had messed up and gave me a key card to a room occupied by someone else!! Thankfully it was the hotel staffer that opened the door. He apologized profusely.
When we got down to the front desk, the man was on the phone with the clerk, expressing his outrage (and rightfully so). The clerk gave him lip service and then said to me "Nasty, nasty." I just looked at her. He had a right to be nasty when he was interrupted in his sleep.
Finally, I was given a new room and a key card that worked. I was worried that I'd again open the door on someone already in the room. Since they had plenty of rooms available, if they were not sure whether the first room was occupied, they could have given me the second room to start with. At least an hour was wasted with this inept nonsense.
I had at least another two hours worth of email to do, plus I had to determine the final hotel I wanted to stay at, near Erie, Pennsylvania. I didn't get to sleep until around 2am.
Monday, May 24, 2010
May 18, 2010: The Long Drive to Iowa
I started off redeeming my free breakfast ticket at the Grand Country Music Hall. The breakfast choices were amazing. If I wasn't trying to lose weight I would have really enjoyed it. Still, I did sample some of the food. They had Ozark Omelets, biscuits, scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, apple and cherry turnovers, plus a number of other things.
Aside from music, Branson is big on odd comedy. On the wall, I noticed what looked like a picture in a frame with an elderly couple. But then the characters began to talk, complaining that their children never came to see them and never phoned them. The husband pointed out that they don't have a phone where they are. There was a lot of back and forth discussion and then suddenly the conversation ended and the picture "froze" for a while. But still, it was cute and surprising in an entertaining way.
After breakfast was done, I began the long journey northeast. I left Branson and drove about an hour on US 65, headed towards Interstate 44. After about an hour on I-44, I went on a series of US routes, working my way up to West Liberty, Iowa. The Missouri countryside is beautiful. There were lots of small shops along the way and lots of farms. I passed through the state capital, Jefferson. I saw the actual capitol building from the road.
View Larger Map
The drive took over eight hours (counting stops for meals) and there were lots of turns onto different roads. There wasn't a simple interstate that would take me up to the area I intended to visit.
One interesting (to me) point in the drive was when I got close to the Illinois state line while still in Missouri. There were signs pointing to Monroe, Missouri and Quincy, Illinois. The fifth president was James Monroe and his Secretary of State was John Quincy Adams, who was the sixth president.
By the time I crossed the state line into Iowa, the sun was setting. But, I was able to at least see a little bit of the farm land as I continued to drive north. Iowa is very flat. From what little I've seen, I would say it's flatter than Kansas. Minnesota (which is directly north of Iowa) is also quite flat. Missouri is mostly flat too, but it does have the Ozarks in the south.
The last ten miles of the trip was along I-80. The Herbert Hoover national historic site was well marked along the interstate. I had to drive five miles east of that for the hotel. When I got off the exit for West Liberty, the GPS had me take a left turn when I needed to take a right. Thankfully I didn't go far before I realized the GPS messed up again.
The hotel I chose was an Econo Lodge. It took the minimal amount of points. Going there in the dark sort of frightened me a bit just based on looks. I was expecting something filthy based on the outside. However, it did have good ratings on Trip Advisor.
When I checked in, I was given a security code for the Internet. This was different from the usual ID/password used at most hotels. This was a security code used at the time you connected to the wireless network. I got a little nervous about that.
When I got into the hotel room, I was pleasantly surprised. It was clean and the facilities were nice. It's hit or miss with Econo Lodges. Sometimes they're really bad and other times they can be very reasonable even if not as fancy as a Comfort Inn. (The fanciness of a Comfort Inn translates into higher costs and higher numbers of points required for free nights.)
Unfortunately, my fears about the Internet were realized. Despite typing the code correctly several different times and trying a number of ways to connect, my computer refused to connect. Thankfully, I had already reserved the hotel for the next night (just inside Kentucky along the Ohio state line). Still, it's nice to be able to check up on email and such in case of emergencies. On the positive side, lack of Internet access meant I could get to sleep a little earlier that evening. I would need that sleep because the next day would be another brutally long drive. Iowa to Kentucky is a lot of driving, with three states (Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio) in between.
Aside from music, Branson is big on odd comedy. On the wall, I noticed what looked like a picture in a frame with an elderly couple. But then the characters began to talk, complaining that their children never came to see them and never phoned them. The husband pointed out that they don't have a phone where they are. There was a lot of back and forth discussion and then suddenly the conversation ended and the picture "froze" for a while. But still, it was cute and surprising in an entertaining way.
After breakfast was done, I began the long journey northeast. I left Branson and drove about an hour on US 65, headed towards Interstate 44. After about an hour on I-44, I went on a series of US routes, working my way up to West Liberty, Iowa. The Missouri countryside is beautiful. There were lots of small shops along the way and lots of farms. I passed through the state capital, Jefferson. I saw the actual capitol building from the road.
View Larger Map
The drive took over eight hours (counting stops for meals) and there were lots of turns onto different roads. There wasn't a simple interstate that would take me up to the area I intended to visit.
One interesting (to me) point in the drive was when I got close to the Illinois state line while still in Missouri. There were signs pointing to Monroe, Missouri and Quincy, Illinois. The fifth president was James Monroe and his Secretary of State was John Quincy Adams, who was the sixth president.
By the time I crossed the state line into Iowa, the sun was setting. But, I was able to at least see a little bit of the farm land as I continued to drive north. Iowa is very flat. From what little I've seen, I would say it's flatter than Kansas. Minnesota (which is directly north of Iowa) is also quite flat. Missouri is mostly flat too, but it does have the Ozarks in the south.
The last ten miles of the trip was along I-80. The Herbert Hoover national historic site was well marked along the interstate. I had to drive five miles east of that for the hotel. When I got off the exit for West Liberty, the GPS had me take a left turn when I needed to take a right. Thankfully I didn't go far before I realized the GPS messed up again.
The hotel I chose was an Econo Lodge. It took the minimal amount of points. Going there in the dark sort of frightened me a bit just based on looks. I was expecting something filthy based on the outside. However, it did have good ratings on Trip Advisor.
When I checked in, I was given a security code for the Internet. This was different from the usual ID/password used at most hotels. This was a security code used at the time you connected to the wireless network. I got a little nervous about that.
When I got into the hotel room, I was pleasantly surprised. It was clean and the facilities were nice. It's hit or miss with Econo Lodges. Sometimes they're really bad and other times they can be very reasonable even if not as fancy as a Comfort Inn. (The fanciness of a Comfort Inn translates into higher costs and higher numbers of points required for free nights.)
Unfortunately, my fears about the Internet were realized. Despite typing the code correctly several different times and trying a number of ways to connect, my computer refused to connect. Thankfully, I had already reserved the hotel for the next night (just inside Kentucky along the Ohio state line). Still, it's nice to be able to check up on email and such in case of emergencies. On the positive side, lack of Internet access meant I could get to sleep a little earlier that evening. I would need that sleep because the next day would be another brutally long drive. Iowa to Kentucky is a lot of driving, with three states (Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio) in between.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
May 17, 2010: Arkansas and Branson's Grand Country Jubilee Show
When I got up this morning, the plan was to see the Down Home Country breakfast show starring Splinter Middleton (yes, that's his name) and then begin the long journey to eastern Iowa. Iowa is directly north of Missouri, but I was in southwest Missouri. Getting up to eastern Iowa was going to take at least eight hours.
The Down Home Country show is at 10am central time. It comes with a free breakfast buffet. However, by the time I arrived (about ten minutes before the show started), they did not even bother to give me a breakfast ticket because I wouldn't have been able to get into the show in time.
The show was very nice. "Harley Worthit" was there, doing the comedy. I didn't realize some of the comedians were shared between shows. There were a number of country songs sung both by Splinter Middleton and other singers. One woman had an incredible voice, though I don't remember her name.
During intermission, my plans changed. I overheard a man talking about Harrison, Arkansas. I talked to him and he said it's a great place to live. This is the closest decent sized city (bigger than Branson in terms of population) in Arkansas. In this trip I had planned to make time to see Harrison as a potential place to live so I could be close to Branson without living in Branson. But, as time went on I decided to skip it. There was no way I could squeeze a visit to Harrison, AR going south and then head northeast to West Liberty, Iowa (where the next hotel was located). But, I calculated the days I had left and realized that I could reasonably stay an extra day and still get home in time to turn in the rental car by May 22nd.
At the end of the Down Home Country show, they announced that if we showed our ticket stub, we could get $10 off the Grand Jubilee show which takes place at 8pm. I wanted to see the Grand Jubilee but originally figured I'd have to save it for a future visit to Branson. But, since I decided to stay another evening in Branson, now I could see it.
In purchasing the ticket for Grand Jubilee, I asked about my breakfast ticket. I was given a ticket for a free breakfast buffet the next day at the theater. This was definitely going to be much better than the free breakfast at the hotel which consisted of nearly rotten bananas and lots of high calorie donuts, biscuits, gravy, etc.
After leaving the theater, I headed to Harrison, Arkansas. I thought it would take an hour, but it really only took only about forty minutes. The GPS had its usual problems going through the Ozarks again, showing me floating through space off the road, etc. But, road signs were clear so the GPS was not necessary until I got into the city.
View Larger Map
The city of Harrison is like most other cities with lots of shopping and the usual services you find in a suburb. There are around 12,000 people living in the city. But what I liked was the "downtown." It was a square and looked like one was stepping into the past by a few decades. The courthouse was in the middle and small shops surrounded it. It was a quaint spot and I felt totally safe. The people in Harrison seemed very friendly.
The Arkansas primary was taking place on Tuesday, May 18th, but there was a sign at the courthouse saying "Vote Here." Perhaps they allow early voting in Arkansas.
After spending a little bit of time just taking things in, I decided to quickly visit one of the smaller towns (population below 500). I chose Bellefonte because it was the closest. It has a population of around 400. There were a few businesses along the main road but not much. I turned around and headed north back to Branson to spend some time at the hotel before the next show.
When I got back to the hotel, I was assigned room 202. This was the same exact room I stayed in when I visited Branson in November, 2009. I've stayed at this particular hotel on three different visits in 2008, 2009, and now 2010. It's the only hotel anywhere in the country where I've stayed in three different trips.
The Grand Jubilee was definitely worth it. I would consider that one and the Baldknobbers as the two best shows out of the five I saw. The Grand Jubilee is an elaborate show complete with comedy, lots of songs, imitations of famous groups from the 1960s and 1970s, etc. One of the violinists from the Down Home Country Breakfast show was performing in this show. The show primarily included New South, which is a quartet of young men who sing both Gospel and contemporary music. There were also two other singers who appeared at various times. There were constant costume changes. All the performers sat down and talked with audience members during intermission and after the show.
Overall, the Grand Jubilee was a great ending to my visit to Branson. I can't wait to return for more. There are several other shows I want to see.
The Down Home Country show is at 10am central time. It comes with a free breakfast buffet. However, by the time I arrived (about ten minutes before the show started), they did not even bother to give me a breakfast ticket because I wouldn't have been able to get into the show in time.
The show was very nice. "Harley Worthit" was there, doing the comedy. I didn't realize some of the comedians were shared between shows. There were a number of country songs sung both by Splinter Middleton and other singers. One woman had an incredible voice, though I don't remember her name.
During intermission, my plans changed. I overheard a man talking about Harrison, Arkansas. I talked to him and he said it's a great place to live. This is the closest decent sized city (bigger than Branson in terms of population) in Arkansas. In this trip I had planned to make time to see Harrison as a potential place to live so I could be close to Branson without living in Branson. But, as time went on I decided to skip it. There was no way I could squeeze a visit to Harrison, AR going south and then head northeast to West Liberty, Iowa (where the next hotel was located). But, I calculated the days I had left and realized that I could reasonably stay an extra day and still get home in time to turn in the rental car by May 22nd.
At the end of the Down Home Country show, they announced that if we showed our ticket stub, we could get $10 off the Grand Jubilee show which takes place at 8pm. I wanted to see the Grand Jubilee but originally figured I'd have to save it for a future visit to Branson. But, since I decided to stay another evening in Branson, now I could see it.
In purchasing the ticket for Grand Jubilee, I asked about my breakfast ticket. I was given a ticket for a free breakfast buffet the next day at the theater. This was definitely going to be much better than the free breakfast at the hotel which consisted of nearly rotten bananas and lots of high calorie donuts, biscuits, gravy, etc.
After leaving the theater, I headed to Harrison, Arkansas. I thought it would take an hour, but it really only took only about forty minutes. The GPS had its usual problems going through the Ozarks again, showing me floating through space off the road, etc. But, road signs were clear so the GPS was not necessary until I got into the city.
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The city of Harrison is like most other cities with lots of shopping and the usual services you find in a suburb. There are around 12,000 people living in the city. But what I liked was the "downtown." It was a square and looked like one was stepping into the past by a few decades. The courthouse was in the middle and small shops surrounded it. It was a quaint spot and I felt totally safe. The people in Harrison seemed very friendly.
The Arkansas primary was taking place on Tuesday, May 18th, but there was a sign at the courthouse saying "Vote Here." Perhaps they allow early voting in Arkansas.
After spending a little bit of time just taking things in, I decided to quickly visit one of the smaller towns (population below 500). I chose Bellefonte because it was the closest. It has a population of around 400. There were a few businesses along the main road but not much. I turned around and headed north back to Branson to spend some time at the hotel before the next show.
When I got back to the hotel, I was assigned room 202. This was the same exact room I stayed in when I visited Branson in November, 2009. I've stayed at this particular hotel on three different visits in 2008, 2009, and now 2010. It's the only hotel anywhere in the country where I've stayed in three different trips.
The Grand Jubilee was definitely worth it. I would consider that one and the Baldknobbers as the two best shows out of the five I saw. The Grand Jubilee is an elaborate show complete with comedy, lots of songs, imitations of famous groups from the 1960s and 1970s, etc. One of the violinists from the Down Home Country Breakfast show was performing in this show. The show primarily included New South, which is a quartet of young men who sing both Gospel and contemporary music. There were also two other singers who appeared at various times. There were constant costume changes. All the performers sat down and talked with audience members during intermission and after the show.
Overall, the Grand Jubilee was a great ending to my visit to Branson. I can't wait to return for more. There are several other shows I want to see.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
May 16, 2010: Two Branson Shows
I planned to just stay two nights in Branson and get home by Thursday. As Sunday would be my last evening there, I would see an afternoon and evening show, then one on Monday morning. Then I would head north. My plan for Monday was to go to West Branch, Iowa, to see the birthplace and museum for Herbert Hoover, the 31st President. This would be a lengthy drive of almost eight hours.
I started out on Sunday with Mass. The church was packed. Evidently it must be a Midwest thing to do to celebrate the Ascension during the regular Sunday Mass instead of a special Thursday Mass. Just as they planned to celebrate the Ascension on Sunday in Wichita, they did the same in Branson, Missouri. The priest was visiting from Kansas City (about four or five hours away) and came to speak about the Redemptorists' magazine.
After Mass, I planned to get my tickets for the afternoon and evening shows. I could get them at the door, or at the hotel where I was staying. But, neither option would give a discount. Throughout Branson, there are "welcome centers" where you can buy discounted tickets for shows. Some will really save money; others will just eliminate the sales tax. Even Walmart in Branson sells discounted tickets.
I stopped at a welcome center which promised discounts. The clerk said he is not the one who regularly does tickets. He tried to do the tickets for the afternoon show I wanted, but ultimately ended up wasting a lot of time. When he called the theater (they have to call the theater to find out seating availability), he was informed that his office no longer had a contract with the theater. So, he ultimately sent me on my way without a ticket.
I needed lunch so I went to the Branson Mall which included a Walmart with a Subway. The mall had a kiosk where you could allegedly get 70% off tickets, but there was nobody at the booth. Walmart itself had discount tickets, but I was told to come back later when the ticket staff were present. By that time, I risked being late for the show. So, I ultimately went back to my hotel and paid full price for the tickets. Next time, if I can better predict what I'm going to do, I'll pay for them online and print them out (of course in this trip I did not have the ability to print anything).
There aren't a lot of Sunday shows, but I was here and wanted to take advantage of the time. I settled for a show by Moe Bandy, which included comedy and country music. This is a professional country singer from previous decades who now spends much of his time in Branson. I had never heard of him before. The show was okay, but definitely not as good as the Baldknobbers from the night before. There was a sidekick named "Harley Worthit" who dressed up like an old man. He would periodically come out on the stage dressed up in ridiculous costumes (at one point wearing a Walmart bag over his shirt), talking about how weird other people are. Someone asked where he got his clothes and he indicated that he goes to the landfill early in the mornings. At the end of the show it was revealed that the actor was at most in his forties. It's amazing what a hat and certain clothes will do to make someone look older.
I was tired of Subway, so I ate at Fuddruckers, which is a chain restaurant (we may have one on Wolf Road). It's between fast food and a real restaurant. But it has a nice presentation and the food is delicious. They have a huge array of items you can add to burgers including salsa, chopped onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and a few other things. The fries are much better than standard fast food type fries. It was good for a change of pace. I didn't have the time to sit around for a longer full service restaurant.
Later in the evening I saw Clay Cooper and the Country Express. This was a bit of country music plus a number of other songs from previous decades. He began the show by indicating that he had to announce the 84th birthday of one of the audience members. He asked the person what he used to do, and the "old man" said he used to be a professional dancer. The drummer suggested he come up on stage to demonstrate. As he came up, it was obvious that his face was made up with rubber masks to look "old." He had a cane and hobbled a bit but then he suddenly was able to jump and do all kinds of stunts, finally tossing his cane away. At the end of his act he suddenly started hobbling again and "fell." Then he jumped up and ran backstage.
At another point, an audience member's cell phone rang. Clay Cooper asked if he could take the call. He pretended to be the person's assistant. Then he revealed that the audience member's cow was loose. He asked the person on the phone to see if he could get him back into the pasture. This whole thing was probably arranged too.
Clay Cooper's six year old son was one of the performers on stage. His son would dress up as Elvis, and even a young Michael Jackson with a huge afro wig. During the act, the afro fell off and he hastily tried to get it back on right. At one point there was presidential jeopardy featuring Abraham Lincoln, Bush 43, and Obama. Ultimately, the show was nice but I still liked the Baldknobbers better.
I started out on Sunday with Mass. The church was packed. Evidently it must be a Midwest thing to do to celebrate the Ascension during the regular Sunday Mass instead of a special Thursday Mass. Just as they planned to celebrate the Ascension on Sunday in Wichita, they did the same in Branson, Missouri. The priest was visiting from Kansas City (about four or five hours away) and came to speak about the Redemptorists' magazine.
After Mass, I planned to get my tickets for the afternoon and evening shows. I could get them at the door, or at the hotel where I was staying. But, neither option would give a discount. Throughout Branson, there are "welcome centers" where you can buy discounted tickets for shows. Some will really save money; others will just eliminate the sales tax. Even Walmart in Branson sells discounted tickets.
I stopped at a welcome center which promised discounts. The clerk said he is not the one who regularly does tickets. He tried to do the tickets for the afternoon show I wanted, but ultimately ended up wasting a lot of time. When he called the theater (they have to call the theater to find out seating availability), he was informed that his office no longer had a contract with the theater. So, he ultimately sent me on my way without a ticket.
I needed lunch so I went to the Branson Mall which included a Walmart with a Subway. The mall had a kiosk where you could allegedly get 70% off tickets, but there was nobody at the booth. Walmart itself had discount tickets, but I was told to come back later when the ticket staff were present. By that time, I risked being late for the show. So, I ultimately went back to my hotel and paid full price for the tickets. Next time, if I can better predict what I'm going to do, I'll pay for them online and print them out (of course in this trip I did not have the ability to print anything).
There aren't a lot of Sunday shows, but I was here and wanted to take advantage of the time. I settled for a show by Moe Bandy, which included comedy and country music. This is a professional country singer from previous decades who now spends much of his time in Branson. I had never heard of him before. The show was okay, but definitely not as good as the Baldknobbers from the night before. There was a sidekick named "Harley Worthit" who dressed up like an old man. He would periodically come out on the stage dressed up in ridiculous costumes (at one point wearing a Walmart bag over his shirt), talking about how weird other people are. Someone asked where he got his clothes and he indicated that he goes to the landfill early in the mornings. At the end of the show it was revealed that the actor was at most in his forties. It's amazing what a hat and certain clothes will do to make someone look older.
I was tired of Subway, so I ate at Fuddruckers, which is a chain restaurant (we may have one on Wolf Road). It's between fast food and a real restaurant. But it has a nice presentation and the food is delicious. They have a huge array of items you can add to burgers including salsa, chopped onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and a few other things. The fries are much better than standard fast food type fries. It was good for a change of pace. I didn't have the time to sit around for a longer full service restaurant.
Later in the evening I saw Clay Cooper and the Country Express. This was a bit of country music plus a number of other songs from previous decades. He began the show by indicating that he had to announce the 84th birthday of one of the audience members. He asked the person what he used to do, and the "old man" said he used to be a professional dancer. The drummer suggested he come up on stage to demonstrate. As he came up, it was obvious that his face was made up with rubber masks to look "old." He had a cane and hobbled a bit but then he suddenly was able to jump and do all kinds of stunts, finally tossing his cane away. At the end of his act he suddenly started hobbling again and "fell." Then he jumped up and ran backstage.
At another point, an audience member's cell phone rang. Clay Cooper asked if he could take the call. He pretended to be the person's assistant. Then he revealed that the audience member's cow was loose. He asked the person on the phone to see if he could get him back into the pasture. This whole thing was probably arranged too.
Clay Cooper's six year old son was one of the performers on stage. His son would dress up as Elvis, and even a young Michael Jackson with a huge afro wig. During the act, the afro fell off and he hastily tried to get it back on right. At one point there was presidential jeopardy featuring Abraham Lincoln, Bush 43, and Obama. Ultimately, the show was nice but I still liked the Baldknobbers better.
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