Kathy and I have maintained two separate blogs for the past few years, but the times are a changin. This will be my last Blog under Legends Tech, however I will leave the previous posts up for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, I will be contributing to the official Legends Of America Blog (http://legendsofamerica.blogspot.com/), with interesting tidbits on what's new, featured travel spots and of course Kathy and I's wild travel adventures in the American West.
You can also join us on Facebook! Go to http://www.legendsofamerica.com/facebook.html and become a fan today!
Showing posts with label legends of america. Show all posts
Showing posts with label legends of america. Show all posts
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Customer Service Please
It's been a while (almost a year) since I've blogged here, but something happened today that reminded me just how important customers are to Legends Of America, and how being a fanatic about customer service is a rarity in today's business world.
Kathy and I both are sticklers for good customer service. Someone pays too much for shipping, through no fault of their own, we make sure to refund the difference asap. Someone has a complaint about a product they received, we do everything we can to make it good. Someone finds a problem with the web site, whether it be incorrect information, or a broken link, we do everything possible to correct the issue as quickly as possible, or help the user understand the information better. The bottom line is people have a choice, and we want to continue to be that choice for our readers and customers.
Last week I bought a new laptop for our business at the local Micro Center. I added more bells and whistles, including a 3 year platinum protection plan, winding up spending over $2500. I left it there to be upgraded and didn't get a chance to pick it back up until a couple of days ago. The service people were very nice and friendly, and my overall customer experience was good.. until I got home that is.
After taking out the computer box from the bag, then opening the box (these details aren't important until next paragraph), I found that the technician had apparently forgot half my power cable. I had the power adapter, just not the other end that plugs into the wall and adapter. Not a big deal, I'm sure they are a dime a dozen, but since I already spent quite a bit of our technology budget on this one laptop, I figured I would call and request that they find the missing cable. The tech that answered was courteous and went to the back to find it, but couldn't. No problem, he said they would get me another one and just come by the next day to pick it up.
So today I went back to Micro Center to pick up my cable. After getting a blank stare from the young gal up front, she had her supervisor go to the back to investigate. Not too long after he came back up with a power cable for my adapter. Happy ending right? It could have been, except for the fact he just couldn't take responsibility for their mistake. He said, with a scowlish grin on his face, looking at me like I was trying to pull a fast one for a freebee, "Your power cable must of fallen in the parking lot when you left, but here is another one". Well now, that would be a trick since it was packed neatly in a box, then in a bag. I'm sure that power cable just rolled right out of the plastic and the box and the bag since I must be very irresponsible with how I hold things while I walk through a parking lot.
My point is simple. This very small statement from a supervisor turned what could have been a good customer service experience into a sour event. I could have very easily walked away with the memory of Micro Center being very helpful, courteous, and responsible (which overall they were), however my memory now is that one statement, putting the blame back onto me, the customer, instead of simply apologizing and handing over the cable with a smile.
I'm sure this is written about ad nauseam, but business owners should be more critical of their customer service. While I don't expect top notch treatment at the local burger joint, I would have expected a little better after spending that much at a computer store. I think it makes it worse to get it from a supervisor, as the employee's surely look to him for leadership and knowledge. Is this the kind of knowledge you would want your employee to gain? Despite the fantastic service I received otherwise, do you think this store will be my first choice when making my next computer purchase?
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Wrapping Up Adventure One View at a Time - Day 6 through 9
Axel Rose belting out "Knocking on Heavens Door" on 101 The Fox, Kansas City's classic rock station...my paid for 2001 POS Chevy Cavalier rattling with the beat through it's cracked dashboard as I push it up to 80mph on I-29...my mind set on the ultimate end goal..a night on the couch with nothing to do, vegging my mind away in front of the boob tube...I'm going home!!!The trip from the airport last night wasn't fast enough. I had just landed from three days at our Dallas office, which is a short trip, but the end to a long two weeks of travel. Kathy and I had just wrapped up our vacation Tuesday, and didn't get home until after 11pm. My flight to Dallas was the next morning at 6am, so I really didn't consider it being home...Might as well have been another Super 8 stop over. I was finally coming home though, at least for the next two weeks. As I made the exit from I-29 to 635, getting ever so closer to the Kansas border, my mind started sifting through the last few days of our Ghost Town adventures.
We got up early again last Friday, preparing to leave our new friend Albert and his beautiful cabin just off the continental divide deep in the wilderness of Montana. Our original plan was to shoot up north of there to Glacier National Park, but a couple of days at Alberts brought back some sanity and we realized we must slow our trip down for a while, and take some easy days back to Jackson Hole Wyoming. So we relaxed that morning with Albert's freshly ground espresso, chatted the morning away while Albert cooked up another great breakfast, this time fried waffles...ummmmmm.... took some pics for prosperities sake and hit the road toward Missoula.
Our plan was to backtrack down Highway 12, then down I-90 a short ways to Deer Lodge as our first stop. Home to the Old Montana Prison Museum, this was a great side trip to all the ghost town adventures, getting a good feel for life behind bars in a prison that was active for 100 years starting in 1871. Kathy proclaiming as we toured the cell blocks "Remind me to never kill you, I wouldn't want to wind up in a place like this!" Thanks babe, I know the trips been a long one, but it's nice to know you need a reminder ;).
After the prison adventure and a tour through another old west museum, we hit the road again back up I-90 with a just a few more ghost towns on the way, including Montana's first gold discovery at what's now called Gold Creek. Not a lot left there, and you really had to hunt for signs of yesteryear. After finally finding a pond with some old mining equipment in it, we set our sites for the treat of the day, Garnett.
This ghost town is one of Montana's best preserved and least visited, and is kept up by the BLM and a preservation society. On both public and private land, they won't let you drive into this
town, but they have adequate parking just up the hill overlooking the town, and the short hike in is well worth the price of admission. They have plenty of buildings still with contents on display, including a large hotel and general store. We took our time going through most of the buildings that were open, and really enjoyed the history. Signs outside each building that told you about the proprietors and how the town rose then fell as most mining towns did. On the other side of the parking lot there's another hiking trail to take you to remants of the actual mining. It's only .2 miles and it was an easy hike into the past, with several interesting things to see.
By that time it was already getting later in the day than we wanted so off we went to our stop for the night in Missoula. Our last three days of the trip would take us down highway 93, west on 75 into Idaho. Saturday was full of beautiful scenic drives, but by this time in the trip it was just
another mountain and trees. Lot's of historic places to see along the Salmon River Scenic Byway, including Gibbonsville Idaho. Not a complete ghost town with at least 100 residents still there, but we found the cemetery interesting. Sure it was historic, but it was a recent headstone that caught Kathy's eye. A husband and wife..each side of the stone showing when they came and left the world, each plot with a mound showing that someone was buried there, but flowers only on the husbands side. On closer inspection Kathy found that the husband died December 20, 2005, but the wife's marker showed December 20, 2008....wait, what's today? This interesting stop kept our minds occupied for a while as we moved on down the road.The rest of our day would take us on a side trip along the Salmon river through some gorgeous country down to Shoup, then backtrack to 93 for our stop in the town of Salmon. Didn't have any hotel reservations, and there were only 3 or 4 to choose from, but we got lucky and landed at one right at the edge of town by the river. It's a crap shoot sometimes with locally owned hotels, and this one was on the edge. Good enough though for a nights rest, with the river right outside our door.
I'll attempt to brief this up on the next two day and just say "welcome to Idaho". Oh there was beauty, but there was also desolation. After a side trip just south of Challis on scenic highway 75, into the Yankee mining district and several more places of yesteryear, which by the way includes a wonderful information center that is a must stop for any ghost towner, we started getting into area's of the state that you could tell were no-mans land. It stayed pretty much mountainous around us as we traveled more of a valley through Ketchum (lots of highway traffic this Sunday as people must of been coming home from the Salmon River recreational areas), finally hitting more flat roads and feilds as we turned onto Highway 20 to our next overnight stay in Arco. Along the way you run into Craters of the Moon National monument. This area home to a lava field that covers thousands of acres and made for some interesting stories of pioneers trying to make their way through. It was an unexpected site in western Idaho, and a nice change of scenery to wrap up the say.After a great stop in Arco it was finally Monday, our last day of travel. This day would take us through the farming areas toward Idaho Falls, then out to Swan Valley and back north a bit on highway 31 into Victor and Driggs. Our main goal of the day was the Grand Tetons, since o
ur first day 9 days ago didn't provide the time needed to explore the area. Quirky Kathy of course was also on the search for one specific photo opp that she had seen on several post cards. A giant potato on the back of a flat bed truck. Yep, that's my wife, and I love her dearly. I was convinced she was crazy until just outside of Driggs I saw the truck. It was the Spud Drive In theater. Of course it wasn't a real potato, but it made Kathy happy that we found it. I'm sure she will be selling the fruits of our search soon on her Rocky Mountain General Store.We were definitely through with the flat lands by this time, and going up into the mountain range just east of the Tetons, coming into Wyoming on highway 33. Incredible drive that finally brought us to a point overlooking Jackson Hole. Coming down the mountain we ventured off on to highway 390 toward Teton Village, then up into the Grand Teton National Park. It was a beautiful day and there were plenty of vacationers venturing the same way. This entry is a gateway not only into the Tetons but also Yellow Stone if you had the mind to keep heading north. Our goals weren't that lofty though so we targeted Jenny Lake as our deepest point into the park.
Along the way there are several pull outs and trail heads for visitors to stop and soak in the incredible views. It was at the first major pull out that we saw first hand how absolutely rediculous we humans are when it comes to animals. Cars and RV's packed the pull out, and several people, cameras in hand and kids in tow were running across the road in front of traffic to a river bridge. My immediate thought was that it was a bear maybe? I mean, why else would people risk life and limb, leaving their children behind them as they run to catch a quick pic of nature. I was duped into the frenzy, so I carefully pulled into one of the few remaining parking spots and joined the crowd at the other side of the road. At least 50 people by now pointing to the river bank, I draw up our new video camera thinking I was about to get something spectacular on film. Panning left to right as the gawkers pointing fingers moved I see it...a young moose drinking from the river. Hmmm...is there a bear or mountain lion about to eat the moose...no, it's just a moose. I guess I should have been more excited, but come on people, all this for a moose?
After soaking in the tranquil water of Jenny Lake and taking plenty of footage of the thousands of year old Ice still on top of the Tetons, we made our way back through the now even larger crowd at the side of the road still watching the moose almost an hour later, and into the bumper to bumper traffic of Jackson Hole. When we finally reach the Super 8 in Jackson, choking on the $200 dollar a night bill, we settled in for our last night before heading home.I've already written about our experience with United Airlines the next day, the only thing I missed was that by the time we reached Kansas City on Frontier airlines, one of our bags was still in Jackson Hole, the other somewhere in Denver International Airport. Fine, I didn't need my deodorant anyway, despite the fact I was up at 4am Wednesday morning to hop another flight to Dallas on business. Luckily the Hilton Garden Inn up the road from the Dallas office had what I needed to get by.
No ghost towns on my agenda for quite a while. Finally home for the next two weeks before making business trips to Brazil, two trips to Dallas and Amsterdam all in a 4 week period. For now I'm enjoying the memories of a wonderful vacation and incredible adventure through yesteryear. Be sure to read all about the old west towns we visited on Kathy's blog and of course Legends of America. In the meantime I'll snap a few while out of the country and share, but it just isn't the same as this incredible nation we call home.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
On my feet again after May slowdown
Finally back into normal tennis shoes after being on my back most of May. You would think I would have gotten a lot of blogging done during my down time, but was too caught up in the ceiling paint and other distractions.
Legends of America was a little off as well. Looks like the high price of gas is effecting many peoples desire for travel, however if you live in the American West, this site is perfect for those short little day trips. It's also a good way to see most of Route 66 from the comfort of your computer, and dream about those Old West ghost towns and legends.
May numbers broke down like this.
Legends of America had 468,904 unique visitors, or about 15,126 per day. Those visitors represented 34.8 million hits on the site.
The top five most popular pages visited, with the exception of the main page and search results, are:
3687 different pages-url Viewed
What are the top subjects you're searching for?
An estimated 72% of Legends visitors added the site to their favorites in May. For that we say a big Thank Ya!
Kathy's been busy adding more stories and pages than you can shake a stick at. Be sure to check what's been added by visiting her "What's New" page.
June's busy getting things caught up on the site before our next big adventure in Montana next month. Kathy's added Canvas prints to her photo print shop so be sure to check it out.
Legends of America was a little off as well. Looks like the high price of gas is effecting many peoples desire for travel, however if you live in the American West, this site is perfect for those short little day trips. It's also a good way to see most of Route 66 from the comfort of your computer, and dream about those Old West ghost towns and legends.
May numbers broke down like this.
Legends of America had 468,904 unique visitors, or about 15,126 per day. Those visitors represented 34.8 million hits on the site.
The top five most popular pages visited, with the exception of the main page and search results, are:
3687 different pages-url Viewed
| /WE-JesseJames.html | 27126 |
| /GH-TwistedHistory3.html | 22125 |
| /66-Mainpage.html | 16497 |
| /LA-OldWestLegends.html | 12447 |
| /LA-Ghosttowns.html | 12419 |
What are the top subjects you're searching for?
| Search Keyphrases (Top 10) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
An estimated 72% of Legends visitors added the site to their favorites in May. For that we say a big Thank Ya!
Kathy's been busy adding more stories and pages than you can shake a stick at. Be sure to check what's been added by visiting her "What's New" page.
June's busy getting things caught up on the site before our next big adventure in Montana next month. Kathy's added Canvas prints to her photo print shop so be sure to check it out.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
April Numbers
Legends of America continued to gain readers in April, increasing daily unique visitors by about 1% over March.
April's average unique visitors per day was 15,779, compared to 15,501 in March. And your spending quality time on the site as well, with over 6% staying up to 15 minutes, and 3.1% up to an hour.
What did you read about in April? Our figures show that, besides landing on the main page or using the on site search, Jesse James still tops the list as the most visited page. Twisted History, Route 66, Old West Legends and Ghost Towns rounded out the top five.
And an estimated 72% of you added Legends of America to your favorites!
Historically, many of you get ready for Travel in May, which brings a lot of visitors to Legends Of America. Be sure to check out the Travel Destinations of the Old West, or bone up on the in-depth coverage of Route 66. Kathy is busily adding more, so check the What's New page often for updates.
Thanks for making April a banner month for Legends Of America!
| Reported period | Month Apr 2008 | |||
| Unique visitors | Number of visits | Pages | Hits | |
| Traffic viewed * | 473395 | 653770 (1.38 visits/visitor) | 1640053 (2.5 Pages/Visit) | 36046618 (55.13 Hits/Visit) |
April's average unique visitors per day was 15,779, compared to 15,501 in March. And your spending quality time on the site as well, with over 6% staying up to 15 minutes, and 3.1% up to an hour.
| Visits duration | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
What did you read about in April? Our figures show that, besides landing on the main page or using the on site search, Jesse James still tops the list as the most visited page. Twisted History, Route 66, Old West Legends and Ghost Towns rounded out the top five.
| |||||||||||
And an estimated 72% of you added Legends of America to your favorites!
| Add to favorites (estimated) | 343698 / 473395 Visitors | 72.6 % |
Historically, many of you get ready for Travel in May, which brings a lot of visitors to Legends Of America. Be sure to check out the Travel Destinations of the Old West, or bone up on the in-depth coverage of Route 66. Kathy is busily adding more, so check the What's New page often for updates.
Thanks for making April a banner month for Legends Of America!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Utah Adventure Part 2 - Ghost Towns a Blowin
Forced Downtime....I really thought I could get to part 2 of our Utah Adventure by last Sunday, but my real job crept back in the way. Flew out to Toronto on business Sunday and didn't get back until late Monday night. Then Tuesday and Wednesday were jammed pack trying to prepare for being forced out of everything late in the week. That's due to a little injury I had to my right foot 5 years ago that grew into a bigger problem and finally required surgery. Talk about your mandatory down time! I'm lying in bed with my foot propped up now and won't be released to go back to the office for about a month. Sounds nice on the surface, but believe me, I am already going stir crazy from being in bed the past 48 hours. And poor Kathy...trying to concentrate on Legends Of America, while her husband calls from the other room for this and that, is sure to lead to frustration...She's a trooper though, and though I'm the typical male (a bit whiny over crap like this) I'm sure she'll keep me in line. So I decided to stop taking the pain killers this morning, stop the whining, clear my mind and focus on the rest of the adventure we had in Utah this April.
Green River to Price, via more National Parks...
When I left off in Part 1 we had made a long trek over through Southeastern Utah and finally up to Green River. The incredible changing landscapes of that adventure had included some wonderful National and State Parks, but by the time we reached Green River we could already tell we were getting "park" weary. Our main focus of this trip is the old west and ghost towns. Kathy's agenda for the day had us more on that course, but we started right off the bat veering off I-70 onto US 191to Utah's Dead Horse Point State Park. The drive out to the park was pretty flat for a while. You could see cliffs off in the background and there were some good photo opportunities at a couple of pull offs along the way, but nothing to compare to the awesome view that was ahead.
Dead Horse Point is an overlook to the Colorado river 2000 feet below, carving it's way for
millions of years, still sculpting the landscape below. You can see for miles, and believe me, your breath will be taken away. The Point has a natural 'bridge' about 30 yards wide, that in times past, would be used by Cowboys to heard wild Mustangs through, keeping them on the point as a natural corral. Legend has it that one time, after breaking some of a heard, the unwanted Mustangs were left behind on the point with the gate open across the natural bridge. Thought was that they would leave the point on their own, but they didn't. Instead they stayed and died of thirst within site of the Colorado River 2000 feet below. Thus the name of the park.Kathy and I immediately noticed how breezy it was at the top of the point. At the highest overlook, I had the distinct feeling that the wind would pick us up and blow us out of the park. There we were, I holding Kathy's cap with one hand, my own with the other, while she took pictures of the landscape below. And COLD....this was April, so don't know what we expected to feel like 6000 feet above sea level, but the surprise at just how the wind cut through us that morning was enough to make this a brief moment of gawking.
Beyond Dead Horse Point is the Canyon Lands National Park. I'll say right now that I'm not
going to do it justice. By the time we reached this point, Kathy and I were just 'parked' out. More beautiful landscapes, including the natural Mesa Arch which was pretty neat. But this park we zoomed through, ready for the treasures of Ghost Towns that lied ahead. So back out of the parks to US 191, then south to Moab for lunch. Deciding there that we would not actually enter Arches National Park and instead just skirt it to the south along the Colorado River. Saw quite a few river rafters along the way, and wondered if someday we may take that kind of adventure ourselves. After watching a few of them struggle, I doubt it.Finally out of the Canyons and back some straight roads, we ventured up toward I-70 again to our first ghost town of the day, Cisco. The town had grown as a Railroad stop b
ack in the mid to late 1800's, then later in the 1900's grew some more with the discovery of Oil and Gas in the region. After I-70 came along though, the town died. Not sure this is true, but it gave off the appearance today that it was owned by only a handful of people now, used mainly as a salvage yard for old cars, trucks and oil field equipment. Run down houses and closed businesses, plus the Utah winds that day, put my mind a wonderin to some of those movies I've seen over the past few years. What was that...something called "The Hills Have Eyes", or something like that. Anyway, gave me the creeps (sorry about that Cisco).
After Cisco we hit I-70 again, making a loop back toward Green River where we began. The Utah wind that day was extreme, and locals say it was a rare occasion. 60, sometimes 80mph winds whipping out of the canyons and into the flatlands we now traveled, blowing the grey, moonlike dust we experienced in South East Utah, giving the sky a murky, almost ash look. Our
next stop was Thompson Springs and Sego Canyon just off to the north. Sego Canyon was our bonus of the day. The short dirt road trip out of Thompson Springs brought us into the Canyon out of the strong wind, where the old mining town of Sego used to thrive. Still remnants of several buildings standing, including an old boarding house and evidence of rail tracks that handled the coal in the hills around it. Kathy and I enjoyed this one a lot, including the additional petroglyph's on the way. Pretty weird aren't we? Run down ghost towns favored over incredible National Park beauty. Guess we just have a different taste for history.After Sego, it was back to I-70, past Green River, then north on US 191/6 to Price Utah, in the middle of Carbon County. This is ghost town haven and there is a lot of history throughout the county, including the town of Helper, which holds it's annual Heritage Week and has been named a Top Western Town by True West Magazine two years running. Got to Price pretty late, so we decided we would make the Super 8 there a stay two nights running. It was nice not having to rush around the next morning, and we started our leisurely trek up toward Helper by mid day.
Carbon County Coal Mining...
Helper is still a very active town, but the old mining camps that surround it are either gone and just a faded memory, or have been bought by the several Mining Operations still active in the coal industry today. There were quite a few with structures still standing, and the town of Kenilworth, just east of Helper, still houses a few hundred residents in old "company" homes. The mining operation there dying back in the 1950's, but the mining company selling the town back to the residents. The company store still stands, though it looked pretty abandoned.
Helper has a lot to offer the history buff, especially those into America's history in Coal, and the Old West. Looks like it was a pretty major rail hub, and still handles rail traffic today, complete with an Amtrak stop. Several thousand still call Helper home, and historic buildings still dot the way down main street. After Helper we headed up north toward Castle Gate, known for a famous Butch Cassidy robbery back in 1897, and an explosion that killed 172 miners in 1924. Nothing left of the town now but an historic marker and coal loading facilities.
Further north we veer off 191 toward higher country and the mining towns of Scofield and Clear Creek. Scofield State Park is home to a fairly large mountain lake, and in April it's still pretty frozen. The town of Scofield it self still houses about 30 residents in neatly restored mining homes, scattered amidst historic structures. Nestled toward the top of the Mountains here, you can tell that Summer months would be a wonderful time to visit, however in April, snow was so deep it came up over fences and half way up residents doors...and this was after some melt had already started. It was a nice stop though and beautiful country. May have to come back here in June or July to truly appreciate it's wonders. In fact, I recommend making this trek in early June to take in Helper's Heritage Week and the surrounding ghost towns.Price to Mesquite Nevada....
Our last day of travel that Tuesday took us back to I-70, a couple of ghost town stops along the way, then back toward Las Vegas for our flight home on Wednesday. Leaving Price we ventured south on Highway 10, making a quick side trip on state 122 in search of Hiawatha and Wattis. We never found the towns, just active Coal Mining operations that you couldn't travel through. We did find ourselves on a dirt road along the side of a mountain that Kathy was just sure would take us to some great discovery, but I was driving and the ass hole pucker factor along the one lane, sometimes snow covered road was getting to be too much for this boy, so we finally found a safe place to turn around and headed back to the main highway.
A couple more stops in Lawrence and Emery to take in some history, and finally we were back on I-70. Making good time now on a long trek, we figured we could definitely take the time to stop by Cove Fort, just before the junction of I-15, the end of I-70 West. Cove Fort was built back in the mid 1800's by the Mormon's a place of protection and refreshment for travelers. The fort is a great stop today, kept up by the church who still give tours and a glimpse of what life was like then. They never needed to use it for protection against the local Indians, in fact they were on great terms with the Natives and did trade with them. Only one shot was ever fired at the fort, and it was an accident involving a young boy. The people that run the tours now are extremely friendly and very versed in the history of Cove Fort. It's a great stop for those wanting to learn more about Utah's history.
We only ventured off the interstate again once, this time on State Highway 156, leading us to the ruins of Old Iron Town. The state has protected some of the historic structures in a park there,
that includes the remains of an old cone shaped Kiln and a home. Today they are developing a housing community around it with some pretty nice homes, but the park remains for historic minded people like us. Back to 156 we continue down toward State Highway 18, and the site of the Mountain Meadows Massacre, which today stands as a monument to the 120 Men, Women and Children who died at the hands of the Mormon Church. The monument as it stands today was dedicated by the Church, and is a 'hallowed' reminder of the tragedy, later depicted in the 2007 movie "September Dawn".That was our last adventure in Utah really, besides more incredible beauty back towards I-70 and ever more changing landscapes. Stayed the night in Mesquite, not wanting to venture back into sin city until we had to the next day. Glad to be coming home, yet thankful for the wondrous experience we had in Utah.
Our next big adventure is this July, where Kathy makes her second journey into Montana, but I my first. Planning on spending quite a bit of time there late July, so there will be plenty to write about. For now though, it's bed rest with foot propped up for the foreseeable future. Think I'll take another magic pill and let the day melt away into the abyss.
Ps. Kathy's already got most of the stories from Utah up on Legends Of America. Check out the What's new page for more. Or if your reading this months from now, go to Legends Of America and use the search bar for Utah, or just click Travel To, and chose Utah.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Legends of America in Hollywood Magazine
Before I write part two of our Utah Adventure, I must catch everyone up on Kathy's little interview with a Hollywood Magazine. As I mentioned in my blog "The Las Vegas Launch Pad", Kathy met me out in Vegas on a Wednesday, patiently waiting for me to wrap up work at the NAB Convention. She doesn't do the Vegas thing very well, so instead, she gallivants off through the country side finding more ghost towns to write about, and meeting off the wall, interesting people along the way.
While Kathy was driving out in the boonies of Nevada, she gets a call from a gal identifying herself as being with OK Magazine. She wanted to talk to Kathy about Route 66, and in particular, the Blue Whale just outside of Tulsa Oklahoma. Kathy starts going into her usual Route 66 rant, thinking that it was someone from an Oklahoma Magazine. Then the gal asks Kathy why she thinks that Brad and Angelina should take their kids there. ....pregnant pause... "Brad and Angelina who?" "Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie!"..."This is who again?" "OK Magazine"...."Oh, Brangelina!"
Needless to say Kathy isn't used to being asked about Hollywood stars, but it was a good for a thrill anyway. This week, OK Magazine released their May 5th edition, and theres Kathy's quote right on page 48. What's even more cool is the fact this is the second time in less than a year Kathy has been associated (in round about ways) with Hollywood. The first time was via the Special Edition DVD of "3:10 to Yuma", and her work appearing in a documentary included on the disc. My gal and her site are getting around more and more. Don't worry though...I'll keep her grounded in the Old West.
Ps. I still promise to write part 2 of our Utah Adventure. Hope to get to that before weekends over, but may get interrupted by a quick trip to Toronto. Check back soon.
While Kathy was driving out in the boonies of Nevada, she gets a call from a gal identifying herself as being with OK Magazine. She wanted to talk to Kathy about Route 66, and in particular, the Blue Whale just outside of Tulsa Oklahoma. Kathy starts going into her usual Route 66 rant, thinking that it was someone from an Oklahoma Magazine. Then the gal asks Kathy why she thinks that Brad and Angelina should take their kids there. ....pregnant pause... "Brad and Angelina who?" "Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie!"..."This is who again?" "OK Magazine"...."Oh, Brangelina!"
Needless to say Kathy isn't used to being asked about Hollywood stars, but it was a good for a thrill anyway. This week, OK Magazine released their May 5th edition, and theres Kathy's quote right on page 48. What's even more cool is the fact this is the second time in less than a year Kathy has been associated (in round about ways) with Hollywood. The first time was via the Special Edition DVD of "3:10 to Yuma", and her work appearing in a documentary included on the disc. My gal and her site are getting around more and more. Don't worry though...I'll keep her grounded in the Old West.
Ps. I still promise to write part 2 of our Utah Adventure. Hope to get to that before weekends over, but may get interrupted by a quick trip to Toronto. Check back soon.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Utah Adventure Part 1 - Ever Changing Landscapes
The coffee pot at this Super 8 Motel in Green River is a bit distracting, noisily brewing our second pot of 'in room' java. It's a distraction that Kathy and I are enjoying however considering we didn't have any coffee at the Super 8 in Kanab yesterday, not even from the fancy brew station in the office. And coffee is definitely needed before starting out on our next portion of this Utah Adventure.
Our journey together wouldn't begin until Friday. I had just wrapped up a successful week with my real job in Radio Automation at the National Association of Broadcasters Convention in Las Vegas. It was a fantastic show, with our product winning a 2008 Cool Stuff Award from Radio World. Kathy had met me at the Hilton Wednesday night and was experiencing some cool stuff of her own, including a call from OK Magazine with one of the most unusual requests she has come across yet. Wish I could write all the details here, but I gotta wait until after the April 23rd edition of OK Magazine hits news stands. Be sure to check back for all the details next week. She also had some interesting experiences with the local folk at Good Springs Nevada, but I'll let her tell that tale in her own blog.
Vegas to Zion....
Both of us on a good role, and excited to get out of Vegas, we hit the road Friday morning up I-15 toward Utah, taking an unrelated side stop at St George to see a co-worker of mine. Beautiful second home for my California friend, and experiencing the land scape I could understand why many from that state would migrate there. It was only the beginning of our true appreciation for this incredible state however, as being Kansans I don't think we realized the incredible beauty that Utah has to offer.
From St. George we shot up past Leeds and turned off on on State 17 through Toquerville, where just a short ways out we experienced our first quirkiness in Ash Creek. Kathy gets excited over some of the strangest things, so it was no surprise she would be forcing me into a u-turn as soon as we passed the Shoe Tree. Yes, a tree full of shoes hanging by their strings. I know, exciting stuff huh. Keep in mind I'm traveling with a woman that wants to buy land, create a road on it called PP Highway, and put a bottle out house at the end. A little further up the road after turning off on State Highway 9, we were stopping again at Virgin Utah, and Kathy being Kathy just had to get a picture of herself standing below the sign. She offered to take mine in return, but I didn't find the notion as flattering, considering I turn 40 this August (Steve Carell reference).
We almost missed our first targeted Ghost Town. Grafton is hidden off the road near Rockville, and if you blink you'll miss the sign toward the east edge of Rockville that points you there. You can tell that the area is an artists haven, with beautiful landscapes and the towering cliffs of Zion National Park nearby. There are still several structures from the 1800's settlement, including a church that appears to be well maintained. While we were there we spotted a local painter taking advantage of a gorgeous blue sky day, capturing a small, luscious green field and cozy little home perched at the edge valley in the shadows of the cliffs nearby. Definitely a good stop for ghost town enthusiast's and those just dreaming of a beautiful place to live.
After Grafton and Rockville, we reached Springdale and crossed into Zion National Park. Travelers should note you have to pay to travel this highway through the park, but it's worth every penny of the $25 admission (2008 rates). Huge monolithic red cliffs carved over millions of years that made us immediately feel small and insignificant in the grand scheme of earths life. Awed at the beauty, then amazed at the ingenuity of workers back in the late 1920's who completed a mile long tunnel through one of the cliffs, allowing visitors to pass to the other side and beyond into the next valley below. It would be our first National Park on this trip, and just a teaser for the views to come.
After leaving the park we turned off Highway 9 back south toward Kanab on State Highway 89. We probably would have turned north, but looking at the maps we didn't get a warm and fuzzy feeling about any other places to stay within reach that late in the day. Kanab is a quaint little town, but large enough to offer several choices of hotels. Home to the Kanab Movie Ranch, several westerns have been filmed here, from "The Outlaw Jose Wales" to "The Lone Ranger". We made sure to get a feel of the town, traveling all the way through to make sure we wouldn't miss anything.
On the other side of town we passed one of the local sheriffs officers sitting on the side of the road. Being my friendly self I thought about waving, but then realized something was a 'off' in his demeanor. "I think that's a dummy!" My proclamation sounding unsure as we made our U-turn back into town. Kathy now insisting that I pull up beside the cruiser so she can get a pic, while my mind racing to prepare questions to ask the officer in case I was mistaken. I wasn't...it was a dummy sitting with his eye slightly turned toward his side mirror, giving one the impression as you passed by that he was closely monitoring your movements. "I guess that's one way to save the tax payer!" Now giddily amused at our find, we head back to the main intersection, ready to turn East to explore the rest of the town. At the other end we passed by another officer on the side of the road, and Kathy was already squawking for me to slow down again...at least until we saw him turn his head. Enough of that quirkiness, we got a room and called it a night.
If you ever go through Kanab, make sure to stop and eat at Houston's Trails End. Talk about your hometown goodness with a touch of Old West flare! The waitresses wear gun holsters to keep their pen and tickets handy, and greet you with a darling smile. And the food, oh my the food...I had a Spanish Omlet that morning that could have been my only meal of the day. Stuffed with all that you would expect, then add in a special seasoned taco meat...YUM YUM. Just thinking about it, I may have to go find myself a snak before finishing this blog...I'm hungry all over again.
Kanab to Green River...Are we on another Planet?
After finishing off a great breakfast at Houstons, we traveled north on 89, then East on Highway 12. First on our agenda that morning was Bryce Canyon National Park, a must see attraction into the weird wonders of mother natures force. Carved out of the sides of a Canyon, huge spiral columns of red rock give the appearance of giant stilagmites as you peer over their incredible beauty toward the valley below. Looks like the National Park calls them Hoodoos, but what ever they are, I had no idea we had such enormous beauty in Utah. There are lots of hiking trails through the hoodoos, so if you're in shape and want an adventure, this is a great stop. It will cost you another $25 (2008 rate) to get into the park. Kathy had the foresight to purchase an Annual National Parks pass ($80- 2008 rate) back at Zion, so we were covered.
After Bryce, we started back down into the valley below to check out some Ghost Towns near
Cannonville. All that remains really is a cemetery and a couple of old, falling down houses that used to be Georgetown. This was also the first time we noted how desolate and unwelcoming the landscape was in this part of Utah. I couldn't imagine how anyone could live off this land, though the beauty that surrounds it is nice. Very dry, dusty and overall seems to be unsupporting of life back in the Old West...I guess there could have been more water back then, but it's not there anymore, and neither are the Ghost Towns we were out to seek.
Continuing on Highway 12 through Henryville, the road changes to "A Journey Through Time Bye-Way". This stretch to Escalante was just unreal. The grey rock and dirt that cover parts of the trip are a sharp contrast to the bright red columns of Bryce Canyon, and you almost have the feel you have been launched to the moon. It's the strangest landscape we'd seen on this journey, and a great place to "drive through".
We made another stop in Boulder to see the Anasazai Indian Village State Park. Nice little museum and relatively recent discovered ruins mark the most northern evidence of the Anasazai race in America. Don't expect Mesa Verde here, but if you are an Native American history buff, it's a good stop. We couldn't stay long as we still had plenty of Utah to cover, so on up Highway 12 we went, turning east on Highway 24 to our next target, Capital Reef National Park and the Ghost Town of Fruita.
Now this was right up Kathy and I's alley. The drive to the park was nice I guess, but inside was
more incredible views of the Monolithic Red cliffs, with a beautiful green valley that was home to many until the 1950's. Fruita's economy appeared to be dominated by Cherry Orchards, and several building's have been well maintained for visitors to catch a glimpse of what life was like.
While stopped at one of the historic buildings we spied a barn off the side of the road with a couple of horses milling about. I thought it would be a good picture opportunity to get Kathy petting one of them, so I called one over. It seemed eager enough to greet us, but as soon as Kathy reached out to pet it, the horse bit her arm. It was just a nip, but made Kathy re-think what she believed was her natural animal magnetism.
Just beyond Fruita is a scenic drive that takes you along the path of the pioneers. It's a slow go, and will cost you $10 (2008 rate), or National Parks Pass, but a good journey back in time eventually through a Gorge that towers above you closely on each side. We almost felt claustrophobic in some places, but the incredible surroundings were enough to push on. At the end of the road you park and hike through the canyon another mile or so to see an authentic Pioneer Register carved into the canyon walls. There's also a couples of Petroglyph's from ancient Indians along the way that give you a real since you've stepped back in time. For us, definitively worth the hike.
By this time Kathy and I are worried about where we are going to stay the night. Our travel plans take us on northeast toward Green River, however it's late enough to call it a day in Hanksville. As we exit the park, the landscape changes yet again, becoming more desolate as we move on, and while I'm sure Hanksvilles a nice place, we didn't get the feeling there would be any Pizza delivery, much less wireless internet. So on to Green River we went, up 24 to I-70, then a jog east to Green River.
Next on the agenda, more incredible Utah beauty in State and National Parks, then some more of what we really came to Utah for....Ghost Towns of the American West.
Our journey together wouldn't begin until Friday. I had just wrapped up a successful week with my real job in Radio Automation at the National Association of Broadcasters Convention in Las Vegas. It was a fantastic show, with our product winning a 2008 Cool Stuff Award from Radio World. Kathy had met me at the Hilton Wednesday night and was experiencing some cool stuff of her own, including a call from OK Magazine with one of the most unusual requests she has come across yet. Wish I could write all the details here, but I gotta wait until after the April 23rd edition of OK Magazine hits news stands. Be sure to check back for all the details next week. She also had some interesting experiences with the local folk at Good Springs Nevada, but I'll let her tell that tale in her own blog.
Vegas to Zion....
Both of us on a good role, and excited to get out of Vegas, we hit the road Friday morning up I-15 toward Utah, taking an unrelated side stop at St George to see a co-worker of mine. Beautiful second home for my California friend, and experiencing the land scape I could understand why many from that state would migrate there. It was only the beginning of our true appreciation for this incredible state however, as being Kansans I don't think we realized the incredible beauty that Utah has to offer.
From St. George we shot up past Leeds and turned off on on State 17 through Toquerville, where just a short ways out we experienced our first quirkiness in Ash Creek. Kathy gets excited over some of the strangest things, so it was no surprise she would be forcing me into a u-turn as soon as we passed the Shoe Tree. Yes, a tree full of shoes hanging by their strings. I know, exciting stuff huh. Keep in mind I'm traveling with a woman that wants to buy land, create a road on it called PP Highway, and put a bottle out house at the end. A little further up the road after turning off on State Highway 9, we were stopping again at Virgin Utah, and Kathy being Kathy just had to get a picture of herself standing below the sign. She offered to take mine in return, but I didn't find the notion as flattering, considering I turn 40 this August (Steve Carell reference).
We almost missed our first targeted Ghost Town. Grafton is hidden off the road near Rockville, and if you blink you'll miss the sign toward the east edge of Rockville that points you there. You can tell that the area is an artists haven, with beautiful landscapes and the towering cliffs of Zion National Park nearby. There are still several structures from the 1800's settlement, including a church that appears to be well maintained. While we were there we spotted a local painter taking advantage of a gorgeous blue sky day, capturing a small, luscious green field and cozy little home perched at the edge valley in the shadows of the cliffs nearby. Definitely a good stop for ghost town enthusiast's and those just dreaming of a beautiful place to live.
After Grafton and Rockville, we reached Springdale and crossed into Zion National Park. Travelers should note you have to pay to travel this highway through the park, but it's worth every penny of the $25 admission (2008 rates). Huge monolithic red cliffs carved over millions of years that made us immediately feel small and insignificant in the grand scheme of earths life. Awed at the beauty, then amazed at the ingenuity of workers back in the late 1920's who completed a mile long tunnel through one of the cliffs, allowing visitors to pass to the other side and beyond into the next valley below. It would be our first National Park on this trip, and just a teaser for the views to come.
Only Dummies speed through Kanab....
After leaving the park we turned off Highway 9 back south toward Kanab on State Highway 89. We probably would have turned north, but looking at the maps we didn't get a warm and fuzzy feeling about any other places to stay within reach that late in the day. Kanab is a quaint little town, but large enough to offer several choices of hotels. Home to the Kanab Movie Ranch, several westerns have been filmed here, from "The Outlaw Jose Wales" to "The Lone Ranger". We made sure to get a feel of the town, traveling all the way through to make sure we wouldn't miss anything.
On the other side of town we passed one of the local sheriffs officers sitting on the side of the road. Being my friendly self I thought about waving, but then realized something was a 'off' in his demeanor. "I think that's a dummy!" My proclamation sounding unsure as we made our U-turn back into town. Kathy now insisting that I pull up beside the cruiser so she can get a pic, while my mind racing to prepare questions to ask the officer in case I was mistaken. I wasn't...it was a dummy sitting with his eye slightly turned toward his side mirror, giving one the impression as you passed by that he was closely monitoring your movements. "I guess that's one way to save the tax payer!" Now giddily amused at our find, we head back to the main intersection, ready to turn East to explore the rest of the town. At the other end we passed by another officer on the side of the road, and Kathy was already squawking for me to slow down again...at least until we saw him turn his head. Enough of that quirkiness, we got a room and called it a night.
If you ever go through Kanab, make sure to stop and eat at Houston's Trails End. Talk about your hometown goodness with a touch of Old West flare! The waitresses wear gun holsters to keep their pen and tickets handy, and greet you with a darling smile. And the food, oh my the food...I had a Spanish Omlet that morning that could have been my only meal of the day. Stuffed with all that you would expect, then add in a special seasoned taco meat...YUM YUM. Just thinking about it, I may have to go find myself a snak before finishing this blog...I'm hungry all over again.
Kanab to Green River...Are we on another Planet?
After finishing off a great breakfast at Houstons, we traveled north on 89, then East on Highway 12. First on our agenda that morning was Bryce Canyon National Park, a must see attraction into the weird wonders of mother natures force. Carved out of the sides of a Canyon, huge spiral columns of red rock give the appearance of giant stilagmites as you peer over their incredible beauty toward the valley below. Looks like the National Park calls them Hoodoos, but what ever they are, I had no idea we had such enormous beauty in Utah. There are lots of hiking trails through the hoodoos, so if you're in shape and want an adventure, this is a great stop. It will cost you another $25 (2008 rate) to get into the park. Kathy had the foresight to purchase an Annual National Parks pass ($80- 2008 rate) back at Zion, so we were covered.After Bryce, we started back down into the valley below to check out some Ghost Towns near
Cannonville. All that remains really is a cemetery and a couple of old, falling down houses that used to be Georgetown. This was also the first time we noted how desolate and unwelcoming the landscape was in this part of Utah. I couldn't imagine how anyone could live off this land, though the beauty that surrounds it is nice. Very dry, dusty and overall seems to be unsupporting of life back in the Old West...I guess there could have been more water back then, but it's not there anymore, and neither are the Ghost Towns we were out to seek.
Continuing on Highway 12 through Henryville, the road changes to "A Journey Through Time Bye-Way". This stretch to Escalante was just unreal. The grey rock and dirt that cover parts of the trip are a sharp contrast to the bright red columns of Bryce Canyon, and you almost have the feel you have been launched to the moon. It's the strangest landscape we'd seen on this journey, and a great place to "drive through".We made another stop in Boulder to see the Anasazai Indian Village State Park. Nice little museum and relatively recent discovered ruins mark the most northern evidence of the Anasazai race in America. Don't expect Mesa Verde here, but if you are an Native American history buff, it's a good stop. We couldn't stay long as we still had plenty of Utah to cover, so on up Highway 12 we went, turning east on Highway 24 to our next target, Capital Reef National Park and the Ghost Town of Fruita.
Now this was right up Kathy and I's alley. The drive to the park was nice I guess, but inside was
more incredible views of the Monolithic Red cliffs, with a beautiful green valley that was home to many until the 1950's. Fruita's economy appeared to be dominated by Cherry Orchards, and several building's have been well maintained for visitors to catch a glimpse of what life was like.While stopped at one of the historic buildings we spied a barn off the side of the road with a couple of horses milling about. I thought it would be a good picture opportunity to get Kathy petting one of them, so I called one over. It seemed eager enough to greet us, but as soon as Kathy reached out to pet it, the horse bit her arm. It was just a nip, but made Kathy re-think what she believed was her natural animal magnetism.
Just beyond Fruita is a scenic drive that takes you along the path of the pioneers. It's a slow go, and will cost you $10 (2008 rate), or National Parks Pass, but a good journey back in time eventually through a Gorge that towers above you closely on each side. We almost felt claustrophobic in some places, but the incredible surroundings were enough to push on. At the end of the road you park and hike through the canyon another mile or so to see an authentic Pioneer Register carved into the canyon walls. There's also a couples of Petroglyph's from ancient Indians along the way that give you a real since you've stepped back in time. For us, definitively worth the hike.By this time Kathy and I are worried about where we are going to stay the night. Our travel plans take us on northeast toward Green River, however it's late enough to call it a day in Hanksville. As we exit the park, the landscape changes yet again, becoming more desolate as we move on, and while I'm sure Hanksvilles a nice place, we didn't get the feeling there would be any Pizza delivery, much less wireless internet. So on to Green River we went, up 24 to I-70, then a jog east to Green River.
Next on the agenda, more incredible Utah beauty in State and National Parks, then some more of what we really came to Utah for....Ghost Towns of the American West.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
The Vegas Launch Pad
As I stare out my hotel window a block off the strip, I can see the lights of the Old Vegas, still shining, but maybe not as bright as they once were. 12 stories up in the Las Vegas Hilton, I peer to the left and see the New Vegas, it's neon seemingly brighter, beckoning in it's Disney like, yet corporate way for me to leave the comfort of my room and venture into their fantasy world of constant bells and chimes, begging for me to stick in that next $20 bill with the false promise of riches as a reward.
It's 3am. Back home in Kansas City I would still be dreaming...jumbled thoughts racing at 'rem' speed, on the verge of the magic moment where the days revelation, quickly to be forgotten, brings me out of blissful rest. Not today. Not in Vegas. Here I wake early, trouble finding rest for my weary mind as anticipation of the week ahead works to a frenzy. It's quickly becoming a yearly tradition, this restless dance that promises adventure and memories abound.
For the past several years, each April I travel to sin city as part of my wonderful career in Radio Broadcasting. It's the annual National Association of Broadcasters Convention, bringing thousands of visitors from around the world to see the latest innovations in Television and Radio. Doesn't really mean a whole lot to those not in the industry, but for some companies it's make or break for their products. At first, for me, it was a nice distraction from the daily office routine. A chance to meet many of the clients I'd only visualized through the other end of a phone line. And they never look they way they sound...the guy with the deepest and ballsiest voice is usually the 5'6" scrawny disc jockey who, when speaking, appears almost cartoonish with a voice that could never match their physic. The whole Vegas experience quickly became routine after only a couple of years, and it was almost robotic how I prepared my mind for the four days of standing on the show room floor, almost losing my voice, preaching the gospel of our latest Radio Automation software.
That all changed when I met Kathy, and my travels to Vegas took on a new dimension through Legends of America. For her, it was the perfect staging area for searching out ghost towns and history of the American West. She makes it a point to coordinate her trip so that she meets me here in Vegas about a day before I'm finished with the convention. Travels close to Vegas while I wrap up work, then takes me on a longer adventure as soon I'm done. In 2006, we traveled down to northern areas of Arizona, spending some time at the Grand Canyon and concentrating efforts for her in depth work on Route 66. It was a nice trip, but by then the whole Route 66 trek was becoming old hat for me. I think it was Kathy's 2nd or 3rd round on the Mother Road, making sure to document each and every detail of those out of the way places that once thrived before the Interstate stole away their life's breath.
Last year she changed things up a bit. Instead of meeting me in Vegas, she flew into Phoenix. Spent a couple of days traveling northern Arizona visiting some very interesting 'way out of the way' ghost towns of the Old West. As soon as the NAB dog and pony show was over, I met her there and we started making our way south. Once we got through Tucson and started down I-19, I quickly realized just how south we were. Border Patrol agents in green and white Home Land Security trucks dotting the road every few miles as we moved in closer to Nogales on the Mexico border.
The real adventure began when we veered off the interstate, out to seek our featured destination of the day, Ruby Arizona. After about a mile on the state highway it occurred to me. "I'll just bet we see some illegal immigrants sneakin in on this trip"... The words still hanging in the air of our rented Jeep when out of the corner of my eye I caught a small group of men running through the brush just a few yards from the road. Being raised in the Texas Panhandle, then living in Kansas for so long, it caught me by surprise. I mean, think about it..how often do you see a group of men running through desert brush, then all simultaneously hitting the deck as soon as they spot you. I didn't know how to react, so I went with my first instinct and quickly put on the brakes as I declared "Like those right there!"
Now, I know I'm the one who stopped, but as Kathy started turning on her camera and moved toward the door handle, a since of panic hit that told me I should hit the gas as quickly as I hit the brake. "Wait! I've got to get a picture of this" Kathy said, as each man peered up like prairie dogs then quickly ducked back down. Too late, my chicken shit ass was out of there, not wanting to stick around for the spectacle and hoping that just one of those Homeland Security trucks would appear out of thin air. As we built up distance between us, Kathy could see them jumping the road, almost seeming to laugh with glee as some kid would do playing hide and seek. It should have been our cue to be more prepared, and think through where we were heading, but we were focused on history, and Ruby was a Gold Mine.
We soon left our nicely paved State Highway, for the dirt and rock of a State Road. How they could call this a State Road was beyond me, aren't their rules for what qualifies? There were places washed out that I would never dare travel in my car, but we anticipated this and the Jeep made it just fine. Along the way we would see milk jugs of water placed along the side of the road, we assumed for the immigrants passing through. But as far as seeing any more, the hills of southern Arizona would shield them from our quizitive view.
We finally reached Ruby, and it was worth the effort. The once thriving mining town had a rich history, including bandits, murder and justice. We could even feel the ghostly presence of occupants past as we toured the abandoned school house, and had a wonderful time hearing the stories told by the lone occupant, hired by the lands owner to safe keep the towns historic treasures. By the time we were done, I was ready for more stable ground though, and glad to be heading to the hotel in Nogales.
Nogales it self has a great history, but that wasn't our focus. The next days travel started early as we had a busy schedule traveling along the border, seeing more ghost towns once thriving on Arizona's mining opportunities back in the late 1800's. Towns like Harshaw and Washington Camp that would delight Kathy for days digging up stories of yesteryear. The plan was to stick as close to the border as possible, traveling down some pretty desolate back roads at a snails pace, dragging out what was probably a 70 mile trip over toward Bisbee, to a day long adventure.
Kathy and I, still in our gh0st town bliss, were ignorant to the danger we were putting ourselves in. We finally realized just how much danger when after a long stretch without seeing a single soul, we happened upon five border patrol vehicles. Their watchful eyes as we passed by should have been enough to tell us we shouldn't be there, and as one of the agents pulled in behind us, thoughts of being interrogated raced through my mind. He never 'pulled us over', just kept a distance behind as we made our way toward more abandoned ruins. As we finally stopped to take pictures, the agent slowly made his way beside the jeep and stopped. "What are you folks up to out here?" His eyes moving toward the back of the jeep, then landing on Kathy in the passenger seat...her straw cowboy hat pitched back with a silly grin on her face as she held a map up declaring "Ghost Town Huntin!" The agents eyes seemingly relieved as he quickly sized us up as tourists and didn't bother getting out of his truck. "We normally don't get visitors like you back here. Usually their too scared"...."Scared of what?" I retorted, trying to imagine what would be so bad, other than a few illegal immigrants crossing our path. "Drug smugglers mainly", the agent's voice rang out with a tinge of amusement at just how naive we were.
It hadn't even crossed our mind. You hear about it all the time in the news, but for what ever reason we were so caught up in our adventure, we never stopped to think about the real danger of running into less desirables in the middle of a drug transaction. People who wouldn't think twice about shooting us on the spot, or stealing our Jeep, leaving us deserted, miles away from any civilization. Needless to say, Kathy and I didn't stick around long, and soon we were back on our way to Bisbee, thankful for the reminder that ghost town hunting should be better thought out.
The rest of our trip was fantastic. Catching the sites of Tumbstone, Bisbee and many other notable Old West main stays. The trip wasn't long enough though, and Kathy and I have said more than once that we need to hit that area of Arizona again. It gave her plenty of writing material though, and both of us some great memories.
This year, Kathy's meeting me in Vegas again. She'll arrive Wednesday, day before my work is wrapped up. Plans on hitting a ghost town or two she didn't get on the last trip nearby, then Thursday doing Route 66 again out to Barstow and back. Friday, we're heading out for Utah, where we will spend the next several days visiting places of yesteryear and digging up history. I'm sure it will be another great adventure, with plenty to blog about here in the days to come. In the meantime, it's daylight now, and time for me to come back to reality. Vegas awaits to tempt my wallet.
It's 3am. Back home in Kansas City I would still be dreaming...jumbled thoughts racing at 'rem' speed, on the verge of the magic moment where the days revelation, quickly to be forgotten, brings me out of blissful rest. Not today. Not in Vegas. Here I wake early, trouble finding rest for my weary mind as anticipation of the week ahead works to a frenzy. It's quickly becoming a yearly tradition, this restless dance that promises adventure and memories abound.
For the past several years, each April I travel to sin city as part of my wonderful career in Radio Broadcasting. It's the annual National Association of Broadcasters Convention, bringing thousands of visitors from around the world to see the latest innovations in Television and Radio. Doesn't really mean a whole lot to those not in the industry, but for some companies it's make or break for their products. At first, for me, it was a nice distraction from the daily office routine. A chance to meet many of the clients I'd only visualized through the other end of a phone line. And they never look they way they sound...the guy with the deepest and ballsiest voice is usually the 5'6" scrawny disc jockey who, when speaking, appears almost cartoonish with a voice that could never match their physic. The whole Vegas experience quickly became routine after only a couple of years, and it was almost robotic how I prepared my mind for the four days of standing on the show room floor, almost losing my voice, preaching the gospel of our latest Radio Automation software.
That all changed when I met Kathy, and my travels to Vegas took on a new dimension through Legends of America. For her, it was the perfect staging area for searching out ghost towns and history of the American West. She makes it a point to coordinate her trip so that she meets me here in Vegas about a day before I'm finished with the convention. Travels close to Vegas while I wrap up work, then takes me on a longer adventure as soon I'm done. In 2006, we traveled down to northern areas of Arizona, spending some time at the Grand Canyon and concentrating efforts for her in depth work on Route 66. It was a nice trip, but by then the whole Route 66 trek was becoming old hat for me. I think it was Kathy's 2nd or 3rd round on the Mother Road, making sure to document each and every detail of those out of the way places that once thrived before the Interstate stole away their life's breath.
Last year she changed things up a bit. Instead of meeting me in Vegas, she flew into Phoenix. Spent a couple of days traveling northern Arizona visiting some very interesting 'way out of the way' ghost towns of the Old West. As soon as the NAB dog and pony show was over, I met her there and we started making our way south. Once we got through Tucson and started down I-19, I quickly realized just how south we were. Border Patrol agents in green and white Home Land Security trucks dotting the road every few miles as we moved in closer to Nogales on the Mexico border.
The real adventure began when we veered off the interstate, out to seek our featured destination of the day, Ruby Arizona. After about a mile on the state highway it occurred to me. "I'll just bet we see some illegal immigrants sneakin in on this trip"... The words still hanging in the air of our rented Jeep when out of the corner of my eye I caught a small group of men running through the brush just a few yards from the road. Being raised in the Texas Panhandle, then living in Kansas for so long, it caught me by surprise. I mean, think about it..how often do you see a group of men running through desert brush, then all simultaneously hitting the deck as soon as they spot you. I didn't know how to react, so I went with my first instinct and quickly put on the brakes as I declared "Like those right there!"
Now, I know I'm the one who stopped, but as Kathy started turning on her camera and moved toward the door handle, a since of panic hit that told me I should hit the gas as quickly as I hit the brake. "Wait! I've got to get a picture of this" Kathy said, as each man peered up like prairie dogs then quickly ducked back down. Too late, my chicken shit ass was out of there, not wanting to stick around for the spectacle and hoping that just one of those Homeland Security trucks would appear out of thin air. As we built up distance between us, Kathy could see them jumping the road, almost seeming to laugh with glee as some kid would do playing hide and seek. It should have been our cue to be more prepared, and think through where we were heading, but we were focused on history, and Ruby was a Gold Mine.
We soon left our nicely paved State Highway, for the dirt and rock of a State Road. How they could call this a State Road was beyond me, aren't their rules for what qualifies? There were places washed out that I would never dare travel in my car, but we anticipated this and the Jeep made it just fine. Along the way we would see milk jugs of water placed along the side of the road, we assumed for the immigrants passing through. But as far as seeing any more, the hills of southern Arizona would shield them from our quizitive view.
We finally reached Ruby, and it was worth the effort. The once thriving mining town had a rich history, including bandits, murder and justice. We could even feel the ghostly presence of occupants past as we toured the abandoned school house, and had a wonderful time hearing the stories told by the lone occupant, hired by the lands owner to safe keep the towns historic treasures. By the time we were done, I was ready for more stable ground though, and glad to be heading to the hotel in Nogales.
Nogales it self has a great history, but that wasn't our focus. The next days travel started early as we had a busy schedule traveling along the border, seeing more ghost towns once thriving on Arizona's mining opportunities back in the late 1800's. Towns like Harshaw and Washington Camp that would delight Kathy for days digging up stories of yesteryear. The plan was to stick as close to the border as possible, traveling down some pretty desolate back roads at a snails pace, dragging out what was probably a 70 mile trip over toward Bisbee, to a day long adventure.
Kathy and I, still in our gh0st town bliss, were ignorant to the danger we were putting ourselves in. We finally realized just how much danger when after a long stretch without seeing a single soul, we happened upon five border patrol vehicles. Their watchful eyes as we passed by should have been enough to tell us we shouldn't be there, and as one of the agents pulled in behind us, thoughts of being interrogated raced through my mind. He never 'pulled us over', just kept a distance behind as we made our way toward more abandoned ruins. As we finally stopped to take pictures, the agent slowly made his way beside the jeep and stopped. "What are you folks up to out here?" His eyes moving toward the back of the jeep, then landing on Kathy in the passenger seat...her straw cowboy hat pitched back with a silly grin on her face as she held a map up declaring "Ghost Town Huntin!" The agents eyes seemingly relieved as he quickly sized us up as tourists and didn't bother getting out of his truck. "We normally don't get visitors like you back here. Usually their too scared"...."Scared of what?" I retorted, trying to imagine what would be so bad, other than a few illegal immigrants crossing our path. "Drug smugglers mainly", the agent's voice rang out with a tinge of amusement at just how naive we were.
It hadn't even crossed our mind. You hear about it all the time in the news, but for what ever reason we were so caught up in our adventure, we never stopped to think about the real danger of running into less desirables in the middle of a drug transaction. People who wouldn't think twice about shooting us on the spot, or stealing our Jeep, leaving us deserted, miles away from any civilization. Needless to say, Kathy and I didn't stick around long, and soon we were back on our way to Bisbee, thankful for the reminder that ghost town hunting should be better thought out.
The rest of our trip was fantastic. Catching the sites of Tumbstone, Bisbee and many other notable Old West main stays. The trip wasn't long enough though, and Kathy and I have said more than once that we need to hit that area of Arizona again. It gave her plenty of writing material though, and both of us some great memories.
This year, Kathy's meeting me in Vegas again. She'll arrive Wednesday, day before my work is wrapped up. Plans on hitting a ghost town or two she didn't get on the last trip nearby, then Thursday doing Route 66 again out to Barstow and back. Friday, we're heading out for Utah, where we will spend the next several days visiting places of yesteryear and digging up history. I'm sure it will be another great adventure, with plenty to blog about here in the days to come. In the meantime, it's daylight now, and time for me to come back to reality. Vegas awaits to tempt my wallet.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Awesome March
The numbers are in for March, and Legends Of America saw over 480, 000 unique visitors stop by. According to Awstats, here's the breakdown
So what were you reading about in March? Well, for the most part, Jesse James continued to have a strong hold, mainly due to the release of the DVD "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford". The Top 10 search phrases (out of over 247,000) that brought visitors to Kathy's website were:
Besides the main page and search results, the Top Ten pages visited were:
We're working on getting stats from last year for a comparison, but due to the server move in February it's taking a while. We have the data, it's just that it's on Kathy's computer. And getting Kathy to relinquish her computer long enough for me to get the data off is a challenge. She works on the premise that no matter what's wrong with her computer, or what's needed, there's never time to stop updating stories, restoring photos, and answering emails. Now, you might wonder why I don't just do it while she's taking her daily power nap, or in the middle of the night while she's sawing logs. That's because she never closes any of her work, and if I just happen to reboot I'm afraid I'll be sleeping on the couch for a week. So, I've resigned myself to the fact that there must be a distraction that will prompt her to let me do my techy stuff.
That distraction will come soon enough as Kathy meets me out in Las Vegas next week while I'm on a business trip, and we take a few days to travel through parts of Utah on another adventure. She has to turn off that damn laptop to travel, and I'm sure I can get access to the data from the hotel room before she starts her day. It's going to be a fun trip to Utah, and one that will produce several blogs here for sure ;).
| Reported period | Month Mar 2008 | |||
| First visit | 01 Mar 2008 - 00:00 | |||
| Last visit | 31 Mar 2008 - 23:59 | |||
| Unique visitors | Number of visits | Pages | Hits | |
| Traffic viewed * | 480546 | 644352 (1.34 visits/visitor) | 1662610 (2.58 Pages/Visit) | 36068275 (55.97 Hits/Visit) |
So what were you reading about in March? Well, for the most part, Jesse James continued to have a strong hold, mainly due to the release of the DVD "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford". The Top 10 search phrases (out of over 247,000) that brought visitors to Kathy's website were:
| jesse james | 2.2 % |
| route 66 | 2 % |
| robert ford | 0.8 % |
| la llorona | 0.7 % |
| doc holliday | 0.5 % |
| doc holiday | 0.5 % |
| geronimo | 0.4 % |
| wyatt earp | 0.3 % |
| harriet tubman | 0.3 % |
| calamity jane | 0.3 % |
Besides the main page and search results, the Top Ten pages visited were:
| /WE-JesseJames.html | 34430 |
| /GH-TwistedHistory3.html | 23762 |
| /66-Mainpage.html | 15531 |
| /WE-JesseJames6.html | 12810 |
| /LA-Ghosttowns.html | 12607 |
| /LA-OldWestLegends.html | 12396 |
| /LA-VintagePhotos.html | 10595 |
| /WE-JesseJames9.html | 9700 |
| /WE-RobertFord.html | 9516 |
| /LA-GhostlyLegends.html | 9142 |
We're working on getting stats from last year for a comparison, but due to the server move in February it's taking a while. We have the data, it's just that it's on Kathy's computer. And getting Kathy to relinquish her computer long enough for me to get the data off is a challenge. She works on the premise that no matter what's wrong with her computer, or what's needed, there's never time to stop updating stories, restoring photos, and answering emails. Now, you might wonder why I don't just do it while she's taking her daily power nap, or in the middle of the night while she's sawing logs. That's because she never closes any of her work, and if I just happen to reboot I'm afraid I'll be sleeping on the couch for a week. So, I've resigned myself to the fact that there must be a distraction that will prompt her to let me do my techy stuff.
That distraction will come soon enough as Kathy meets me out in Las Vegas next week while I'm on a business trip, and we take a few days to travel through parts of Utah on another adventure. She has to turn off that damn laptop to travel, and I'm sure I can get access to the data from the hotel room before she starts her day. It's going to be a fun trip to Utah, and one that will produce several blogs here for sure ;).
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The Pie Hole Factor
"Shut your pie hole". Simple, straight to the point, and often heard in my life with Kathy, especially when I'm giving her a razzing over some dorkish thing she's done. Being the husband to the orchestrator of Legends Of America is an adventure in language everyday. Back when we first starting dating, I think I was learning a new word just about every time I saw her. Even if the word didn't really exist.
For instance, take Kathy's invention of "Potito" (Poh teet oh). I heard this word several times before finally asking what the hell she was talking about. She explained it was a reference to her shirt pocket. Ok, harmless enough, until one of her friends actually thought it was a true Spanish word for pocket. Boy were they red faced when using it in front of the wrong crowd. It didn't take me long to start clarifying whether a word was real or a "Kathyism".
What's amazing though are the words I hear come out of her mouth that ARE real. She loves to throw nuggets in conversation that she knows I have no clue about, then watch my face as I struggle over whether or not to look stupid and ask. In particular, she loves the language of the old west, as evidenced by her newly expanded definitions pages posted this month.
From 'Absquatulate' to 'Zitted', she's posted one hell of a list of words, some of which are still used today. Like 'Tarnation', or 'Ditty', these words in some shape or form have stuck with the culture, and continue to be 'knocked round' from time to time by 'Jackeroo's' 'jawing'. It makes me 'afeard' that I'll get 'balled up' and feel like a 'saphead' every time she 'opines' on what ever topic is being conversed. Don't get me wrong, I'm not 'bellyaching', it's just that I still get 'bilked' by her once in a while when she feels up to a good 'bushwack'.
So instead of 'pitching a fit', I'm here by declaring to Kathy that the 'jig is up'. I now have a portion of your reference material on line, and will set to 'argy' if I feel inclined. And the next time you hit me with a Kathyism like 'potito' I may just tell YOU to shut your pie hole! 'Allers' with love of course. ;)
For instance, take Kathy's invention of "Potito" (Poh teet oh). I heard this word several times before finally asking what the hell she was talking about. She explained it was a reference to her shirt pocket. Ok, harmless enough, until one of her friends actually thought it was a true Spanish word for pocket. Boy were they red faced when using it in front of the wrong crowd. It didn't take me long to start clarifying whether a word was real or a "Kathyism".
What's amazing though are the words I hear come out of her mouth that ARE real. She loves to throw nuggets in conversation that she knows I have no clue about, then watch my face as I struggle over whether or not to look stupid and ask. In particular, she loves the language of the old west, as evidenced by her newly expanded definitions pages posted this month.
From 'Absquatulate' to 'Zitted', she's posted one hell of a list of words, some of which are still used today. Like 'Tarnation', or 'Ditty', these words in some shape or form have stuck with the culture, and continue to be 'knocked round' from time to time by 'Jackeroo's' 'jawing'. It makes me 'afeard' that I'll get 'balled up' and feel like a 'saphead' every time she 'opines' on what ever topic is being conversed. Don't get me wrong, I'm not 'bellyaching', it's just that I still get 'bilked' by her once in a while when she feels up to a good 'bushwack'.
So instead of 'pitching a fit', I'm here by declaring to Kathy that the 'jig is up'. I now have a portion of your reference material on line, and will set to 'argy' if I feel inclined. And the next time you hit me with a Kathyism like 'potito' I may just tell YOU to shut your pie hole! 'Allers' with love of course. ;)
Friday, February 29, 2008
Leapin into Better Health with Jesse James
My legs burn...a feeling of being lightheaded, and the sensation of still moving....Yep, I actually had my first workout this morning! As I wrote in my last post, ol' Doc C is really riding me about my health, and this week I got the grim news. Do or die time, so to speak. So I joined the local health club yesterday and pumped myself up for a change in habits.Kathy is supportive, in her own way. At 5am this morning, looking at me from her comfy chair with both hands cupped around her coffee, the look in her eyes one of sympathy and concern, with a touch of amusement all rolled into one..."Don't over do it dear." I was just thinking about that myself, which is why I took my own personal trainer to the workout with me. Nick, my 16 year old, goes through this kind of training for football, and I knew he could guide me proper.
Did just over 1.6 miles on the treadmill in 30 minutes, the first five of which was spent with a touch of panic trying to figure out the fastest way to slow that damn thing down. The rest of the time was comparing Nicks workout to mine, envying him as he doubled my speed and didn't seem to break a sweat...Ahhh, to be in my teens again. Once I was on it for a while it actually felt good, and I can honestly see why other people enjoy working out. Now, let's see if I'm one of those people. It was a great way to start Leap Day!
Meanwhile, Kathy says she's having another banner month on Legends Of America. Over 400 thousand unique visitors, with 32 Million hits in February, as of last night, and she still has today. The biggest drive to her site has been Jesse James. Evidentially there were a lot of people like us who decided to wait for the DVD to see "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford". Brad Pitt did a respectable job playing Jesse, and based on everything I've read about the James clan, I really think this movie probably had more truth than we'll ever know. It didn't portray Jesse as some kind of hero..more like a paranoid killer on the run, and one who finally decides he's done hiding. Kathy's Jesse James page, along with Robert Ford, were both in the top ten on Legends Of America all month. Jesse James page has been number one on her site for the past couple of weeks.Kathy and I are headed back to Warsaw this weekend, spending some time at the lake house. Despite the fact I come home Monday, Kathy is sure to stay a couple of weeks and enjoy the peace and quiet. It's funny how much history you can find in your own back yard. Kathy had a small story on Warsaw, but just this week decided to really dig into the town's past. She's busy in her office now wrapping up on probably 5 pages of wild times during the 1800's, that included the town being burned by Union Soldiers. She'll load em up today I suspect, and I'll come back into the blog and link it here.
For now, I'm finally settling back into the old normal routine, heart rate has slowed and the dizzy spell is gone. Gotta say, that first cigarette when I got home just wasn't as good, so I guess that's probably my next task....that'll be a while though...gonna eat this elephant one bite at a time.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Did they Worry about Cholesterol?
I've been trying to convince myself since late last year that 2008 is a turning point. I have to make a change for my health if I want to enjoy this life more. So, here I am smoking my cigarette, ready to go down stairs and rustle up some bacon and fried eggs (maybe some biscuits and home made sausage gravy on the side...mmmmm), pondering what it is that I can do different.
The points really being driven home at work. Two of my co-workers ride their bikes to the office, and one of them, Warren, rides his bike every chance he gets. Even has a daily blog where he sets the pace for others, writing about his ride through the slush and sub zero temperatures. Jim, the other co-worker, eats healthy foods for lunch and doesn't take part in greasy menu's. It keeps the issue in front of me constantly, and with my doctor getting more and more worried about my Cholesterol, weight, smoking, etc, my mind is a flurry of ways I can justify not changing anything at all.
Really, if you look at how people lived in the Old West, did they have to worry about all this health crap? For instance, a quick search on Legends Of America reveals plenty of insight on the diet of a Cowboy. Under Frontier Recipes I find "Fried Camp Apples". The list of ingredients is simple and delicious. Apples, Sugar, Cinnamon, and Lard or Meat Droppings (yum yum!). And then theres other Old West Recipes like BBQ Biscuit Pie, Buffalo Steaks with Chipoltle-Coffee Rub, and oh, one of my favorites, Cowboy Sausage and Sweet Taters. All with good ol fashion wholesome ingredients. Didn't seem to raise any alarms over Cholesterol back then, why do we care so much now?
And if they did get sickly, there were plenty of easy remedies to cure it. Got the Croup? Pack sheep droppings into a tobacco sack and soak in warm water. Then just apply the sack to your neck and wear it until the choking spell is over. Worried about Cancer? Eat three almonds a day. Have a Boil? Catch a Road Runner early in the morning, kill it, boil it and eat it...the boil will go away. Eat an onion sandwich and wash your hair to prevent a cold, and for a cough, boil cow dung in water and gargle with it three times a day. They even had a cure for stuttering, just hit the person in the mouth with a chicken gizzard.
Seems to me if those living in the old west could eat the way they did, and cure things so easily, why are we so obsessed with our health these days? Of course, I'm sure someone's going to point out that the life expectancy of someone born in the US in 1900 was only 47 years. Guess that means I have to look deeper for more excuses.
I'll leave you with some old west wisdom. "Life is not about how fast you run, or how high you climb, but how well you bounce". In the meantime, I smell bacon!
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