MotorCoach Blog 54

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I Am a Motorcoach . . .

. . . wishing I had some capacity for rhythm and rhyme. This honky-tonk town – known to many as Music City – has a look of foot-stompin’ fun on just about every street and around every corner. The town appears to be all about vibe, built on vibe, fueled by vibe. And the vibe is always expanding, a fact proclaimed by ever-present cranes making vertical impressions on the cityscape like overused exclamation marks. They welcome every return to Nashville, some having shuffled around to new locations, but always there.

With state of the art electronics, I can fulfill the vibe requests of my passengers (“It’s a little loud, can you turn it down a bit?” “A little more volume please, I can barely hear it and I really like this one.” “No, no, down a notch or two.” “Can we skip this track? I don’t really care for this one.”). But that’s about all I’m able to contribute to the music scene. I wasn’t designed for responding to the vibe myself. An intentional omission, I’m sure. A motorcoach must at all times proceed in a controlled, sensible and orderly manner.

Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

OK . . . there was the one time at 11th and Laurel . . . maybe just a wee bit of reaction to the vibe. This is about as close as I get to emoting.

Oh, and there was that recent evening at Night Life Theatre. As usual, the folks returned from the show all smiles. But they were especially lit up about some champion fiddle player named Tigar, who apparently oozes the vibe.

Of course, many of my passengers are country Music fans. But one recent Nashville trip included numerous experienced Country Music performers. They did an open mic thing and spread the vibe from St. Louis to Nashville.

The buzz during a late spring visit was about Nashville’s hockey team. The team caught the vibe of late, and it’s helped them to a place among the NHL elite. Predators they’re called. Here I am at the Predators’ VIP entrance outside Bridgestone Arena (via Music City Center reflection). I tried, but I’ve got no predatory ferocity in me; my pose produced the same happy red statement as always.

And here I am enhancing the image of VIBE-CENTRAL. Everything you ever wanted to know about the origins and movements of Country Music is at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum at Demonbreun St and 5th Ave. Right across the street is Music City Walk of Fame Park. A block north is Ryman Auditorium, “The Mother Church of Country Music.”

Here Is The News!

MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

THREE-STAR NEWS: The symbol sits in a field of red on the Tennessee state flag and is found throughout Nashville like branding to rival the Nike Swoosh or the Golden Arches: three stars in a round field of blue. The three stars represent East, West, and Middle Tennessee, the three “Grand Divisions” of the state. The blue circle binding them represents their unity.

MOTHER CHURCH NEWS: The Ryman Auditorium was famously celebrated as the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974. But it opened in 1892 as Union Gospel Tabernacle. Founded by Thomas Ryman, a prominent riverboat businessman, the original intent was a large indoor place of worship where the citizens of Nashville could hear the preaching of Samuel Jones, preaching that had radically changed the course of Ryman’s life. From its earliest use the auditorium proved ideal for various forms of musical entertainment and well known public speakers, secular and religious. Union Gospel Tabernacle was renamed Ryman Auditorium at the memorial service of its namesake in 1904. Not only has the Ryman provided a stage where many of the greatest names in Country Music gained national and international renown, it has also been the location for memorial services for Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette, Chet Atkins, Waylon Jennings, and numerous others. Aside from Country Music greats, the Ryman has hosted Louis Armstrong, Ringo Starr, Neil Young, Cold Play, and many others. Attendees of shows at the Ryman today still sit in pews.

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about travel discoveries I think you’d like to know about.)

The Grand Ole Opry. While it is now in a beautiful modern venue, the Opry is a one-of-a-kind showcase tradition. It is a fun, fast-paced experience filled with Country Music history, culture, and talent.

 

Quote Of The Day samples

“The sad part about happy endings is there’s nothing to write about.” – Tammy Wynette

“I’d rather be politically dead than hypocritically immortalized.” – Davy Crockett

(Video run time: 2 minutes 23 seconds)

Musical accompaniment:
Rural Stride – Josh Kirsch, Media Right Productions https://youtu.be/UwX0Xvu-8Jg

 

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MotorCoach Blog 53

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I Am a Motorcoach . . .

. . . with a puzzlement. Please look at this photo and tell me if you notice something missing . . .

Exactly! No roads. As noted in previous blogs, this computer on wheels knows some stuff – lots of stuff! Yet, for the title of me, I can’t get my circuitry around the universal passenger-appeal of beaches. Heading north on Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, I have no need for a right turn blinker; ditto for a left turn blinker when traveling south. Why do so many travelers want to go where we are cut off from half the travel options? Don’t get me wrong, I am always happy to get orders for coastal regions because of all the miles getting there. But once there, the blunt reality of “ocean” is a dubious destination in my view. Do they market these coastal trips as “half-off”?

It does give me great appreciation for tour designers, who are masterful at making the most of less at these locations. We never seem to be lacking for itinerary.

Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

OK, so a big reason for heading to Myrtle Beach in April is for the greenery. While visual conditions back in the Midwest were stuck between grays and browns, nature’s emphasis in South Carolina was variations of green. It ushered my passengers from my spiral steps into their beachfront hotel.

A half-hour drive south of the hotel, Brookgreen Gardens has been called “One of the seven wonders of the Carolinas.” Brookgreen is a botanical wonderland and one of the top sculpture gardens in the U.S. But the significance of this selfie is the three signature South Carolina botanical features I’m posing with: Spanish Moss (the swirly hanging stuff), Live Oaks (some we encountered were more than 300 years old), and the Resurrection Fern (it loves the limbs of Live Oaks, earning its name by showing dead-brown one day and reviving to vibrant green with a bit of rain the next).

Another half hour south from Brookgreen Gardens is Georgetown, South Carolina. And twelve miles south of Georgetown is the Hopsewee Plantation. The original 500-acre rice plantation sat amid 40,000 acres of rice cultivation in Georgetown County. Sitting on a bluff fifteen feet above the Santee River, Native Americans recognized the land as prime real estate, protected from regional flooding by its high position. Thus the name Hopsewee – “High Point.” Built between 1735 and 1740, this stately plantation house was the home of Thomas Lynch Jr., one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Except for the addition of electricity and modern plumbing, this original structure has been spared alteration through the years. Though open for public tours, it continues today as a private residence.

Situated about fifty yards from the house are two cottages, slave quarters thought to have housed fifteen to twenty people (house-slaves: mammies, cooks, maids . . .).

Here Is The News!

MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

KING’S HIGHWAY NEWS: The oldest road in the United States, King’s Highway was a 1,300 mile project begun by order of Charles II of England in 1650. His intent was connection of Boston, Massachusetts to Charleston, South Carolina. Native American trails predating European introductions were widened to accommodate wagons and stagecoaches. Postal routes between Boston and New York were utilized. Completed around 1750, Kings Highway remained more of a trail than anything resembling a modern definition of road or highway. But the highway system continued to evolve, with bridges making river crossings passable and technological developments smoothing rutted travels. Today, I-17 is a paved high volume coastal route through the Carolinas. In Myrtle Beach it is known by another name: King’s Highway.

GULLAH-GEECHEE NEWS: Hugging the Atlantic coast from the south side of Wilmington, North Carolina to northern Florida is a ribbon of cultural heritage known as the Gullah-Geechee Corridor. Gullah is a Euro-African creole that developed because of the slave trade. English being the language of commerce, Gullah developed most recognizably as a dialect of English. But the predominant influence upon the Gullah-Geechee culture was the interactions of West Africans from many different language groups. On the Hopsewee Plantation, for example, forty West African dialects were noted to be spoken.

My passengers enjoyed the Gullah-Geechee insights shared by their Hopsewee tour docent, Zenobia Harper. A descendent of West African slaves and raised in the Gullah culture, Zenobia strives to preserve aspects of her familial heritage. It was this concern that led her to write a poem for her daughter, which she shared with my passengers in Gullah and English.

Dem Fo Gals
Gawd stick be e chillum, e got muccha good ting
fling bout
he meke dem fo gals Lub, Hope, Joy, and Peace fuh to
hep e chillum out
Oonuh mus lub ebrybody, ’cause she jeet de pain
and de hut
Hope ent neba nutt’n long as oonuh mean fa good
and den wuk
and when oonah holding e hope en e han da joy ga
meke em shout and dance
and if oonuh steady keep peace en e head the debble
ga no chance
Oonuh ent got time fa tarry dey plenty wuk in
disyah wu’ll fud do
while oonuh sending up e timber dem fo gals ga
see onnuh t’ru
Four Beautiful Sisters
There are many gifts God in the universe did release
among them four beautiful sisters, Love Hope Joy and Peace
Share with others as much love as you can, because
She rids the world of pain
as long as she’s powered by your good works, Hope is
never in vain
and when your hope is realized, you’ll reap the
rewards of joy so kind
and when conflict and war surround your body,
search for peace within your mind
You have so much to offer this world, so many
wonderful things you can be, keep the four sisters
with you as you shape your destiny

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about travel discoveries I think you’d like to know about.)

The River Oak Cottage Tea Room. Located on the Hopsewee Plantation, this tea room scored high marks from my passengers for its setting, atmosphere, food, service, and the signature plantation tea.

 

Quote Of The Day samples

“Faith is the first factor in a life devoted to service. Without it, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible.” – Mary McLoed Bethune

“To expect defeat is nine-tenths of defeat itself.” – Francis Marion

(Video run time: 3 minutes 6 seconds)


Dem Fo Gals, Four Beautiful Sisters poem written and read by Zenobia Harper.

Musical accompaniment:
SOLO ACOUSTIC GUITAR by Jason Shaw http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jas…

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 United States— CC BY 3.0 US

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b…

Music promoted by Audio Library

https://youtu.be/4M9Puanhdac

 

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MotorCoach Blog 52

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I Am a Motorcoach . . .

. . . and I’m listening. I wish I wasn’t. I never did before, but now I can’t help it. I keep hearing things I never noticed before . . . my own noises. Thankfully, as best I can assess, they all are related to proper functioning. But I don’t think a technology thing like me is supposed to obsess..

It started with transporting the elite vocal ensemble from the New England Conservatory (NEC) for their tour throughout Kansas City and its surrounding region. This was my first choir tour. I discovered a few things about virtuoso vocalists. One, they make noises on purpose . . . intentionally . . . certain noises at certain times, in unison, in dazzling combinations, in varying intensities, with different inflections, and even in numerous languages (German, Russian, Turkish, English, Latin, Hebrew). These NEC passengers were from all over the world – China, the Philippines, Turkey, Indonesia, California, New York, even Arkansas. Yet they could coordinate their noises perfectly. Second, they can break into song over just about anything: “Ye-e-e-sss, we’re getting on the bus for the tenth time today-ay-ay-ay!” (Please, I’m a motorcoach, thank you.) And thirdly, they were mostly considering other pursuits when someone else heard them singing and said, “Wow, you should really do something with that!” mezzo Soprano, Pauline Tan, for example, was studying political science at the University of the Philippines when her father said, “Pauline, you like to sing . . .” Next thing she knew, Pauline was in Boston at NEC. By such strange unintentionalities these folks came to be making wondrous intentional noise together.

Their impact? Now I can’t stop noticing all the noises I make without any intention at all, just in the course of being me: accelerating, shifting, washing my windshield, using my blinkers, and so on. I’m surprising myself with new noise identifications even when I am sitting still with my engine off.

Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

Here I am outside Grace Episcopal Cathedral, one of the venues where my singing passengers performed.

Here is my tribute to the New England Conservatory choir. I’m calling this My High Note selfie. I got way up there on that one, on the eastern façade of the Sprint Center in KC. It’s a music venue. The signage bragged that someone named Miranda Lambert was performing that night. I wonder if she amazes like my singers.

And here we all are, the singers and their ride, outside of The Roasterie, a KC coffee classic.

Here Is The News!

MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

CORNFIELD NEWS: In 1856 the steamboat Arabia was carrying 400 barrels of Kentucky bourbon as well as other cargo destined for general stores in more than a dozen towns on the frontier. After hitting a submerged tree, the Arabia sank to the depths of the Missouri river. Over the years following the demise of the Arabia, the Missouri gradually changed its course. Gradual change became substantial change. And when the Arabia was rediscovered in 1988, it was in a farmer’s cornfield some 500 yards from the banks of the Missouri. Today, the Arabia is a museum in the City Market of downtown Kansas City, where its fascinating story is told and its many well preserved artifacts are on display.

MODERN NEWS: “O wow, its so modern!” exclaimed one of the choir members as we approached downtown Kansas City. “What did you expect?” responded Erica, the choir director and tour leader. “Well, wooden fences and cows and tumbleweed.”

So, for anyone else out there who is unfamiliar with this portion of America’s heartland, here are a few news items about Kansas City. First off, it is in Missouri (another thing that seemed to stump several of the passengers from the East Coast). Kansas City is the 29th most populated metropolitan area in the U.S. Home to three professional sports franchises, more than two dozen colleges and universities, and over 200 fountains, Kansas City has more boulevards than Paris, and more barbeque restaurants (per capita) than any other city in America. Kansas City has over 220 parks; and its largest, Swope Park, is over twice the size of New York City’s Central Park. And yes, Kansas City still hosts an annual shindig called the American Royal, the livestock show that’s been running since 1899.

NUMBER NEWS: One of the reasons I am still getting to know the sounds of me is that I am 2018 new. I am Two Eight One, the largest number-value name in our fleet. In case you don’t know, in motorcoach families, that means you’re the youngest (or, the latest addition to the garage).

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about travel discoveries I think you’d like to know about.)

The NEC choir. And here’s how you can do it. If you are traveling through Boston, swing by the New England Conservatory. There are over 1000 free concerts on campus (open to the public) every year. That means on any given day you can drop by and know there are several options for free phenomenal live performances.

Cuisine from around the world and stores found nowhere but here, the City Market in downtown Kansas City is where the Bostonians chose to spend their free time each day of their tour. And thanks to the trolley and bus systems, you can get nearly everywhere in KC from there.

 

Quote Of The Day samples

“Please help others rise. Greatness comes not from a position, but from helping to build the future. We have an obligation to pull others up.” – Indra Nooyi

“A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence.” – Leopold Stokowski

(Video run time: 2 minutes 5 seconds)

Musical accompaniment:
Composer: Wolfram Buchenberg
Title: “Erbarme dich unser” from larger coral cycle “Vier geistliche Gesänge”
The New England Conservatory Choir (rehearsal) under the direction of Erica Washburn
Soprano Soloist: Pepita Salim

 

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MotorCoach Blog 51

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I Am a Motorcoach . . .

. . . and a mind reader. Yes, I know what you’re thinking:

“Snow and ice, really?”

“A low of 19 and a high of thirty-something . . . I don’t even care what it feels like with wind-chill, I know it doesn’t feel like April!”

“See this . . . Gloves, coat, scarf . . . ridiculous!”

I know because I’ve been transporting weather-disgruntled passengers for a week of winterish April. So, hey, let’s go to Canada, where the real spring is.

Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

Look at that . . . are those tulips off the starboard? Oaks Garden Theater on the north shore of Niagara in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, is beautiful at all times of the year. But in the spring it is at its best.

No snow or rain in that sky! Nothing but beautiful blue for my passengers’ ascent of Skylon Tower and a lofty view of the Falls.

One passenger was more interested in the view toward Toronto, and pointing out my crooked parking job.

On the way the back home we stopped at the George Eastman Estate/Museum. For all of you selfie enthusiasts, that is the guy who originally made photography and film processing accessible and affordable for the average person on the street (Eastman Kodak). Eastman, as it turns out, was interested in gardens almost as much as he was in film processing. (Traveling through Rochester, NY? This itinerary inclusion scored high marks with my passengers.)

As motorcoaches go, I am the private type – not much for disclosing my “issues.” (At the risk of sounding proud, I have very few!). But I had one in Rochester. It came to my attention after delivering my passengers to the Lilac Festival in Highland Park. This is why motorcoaches have friends: issues assistance. Returning from the festival, my passengers boarded the purple motorcoach instead of the red one. A short time later, with my issue taken care of, I rejoined our tour, my passengers having missed not one minute of itinerary. It made me all the more proud of my industry and friends-network. (A big thank you to Covered Wagon Tours!)

Here Is The News!

MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

TESLA NEWS: Nikola Tesla had an idea – AC (alternating current). On a walk with a friend he drew it in the dirt with a stick: three waves offset by 120°. The idea turned out to be a good one, a revolutionary one. It led to Tesla’s invention of the electric motor, an achievement celebrated in the name of a car company currently growing in popularity: Tesla. The idea was also famously employed to distribute Niagara-power to millions. Today, electric motors (the base on which Tesla stands in this sculpture, overlooking Niagara Falls) work according to the same principles as Tesla’s original idea.

CURRENT NEWS: The system for supplying electricity via Niagara Falls was decided upon through a competition that came down to the ideas of two geniuses – Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison. The contest was organized in 1893 by the International Niagara Falls Commission, led by renowned physicist, Lord Kelvin. Tesla (along with George Westinghouse) proposed a system based on AC current. Edison proposed one based on DC current. Tesla’s proposal won. The commission believed the AC system was more efficient and would thus be less expensive to operate. A few years later Niagara Falls was the location of the world’s first hydroelectric plant. When first opened in 1896, the plant sent power to households and businesses in Buffalo, NY. But soon the forces of Niagara would light up Broadway and all of New York City. By 1930 hydroelectric plants supplied 25% of the electricity in the United States.

TOPSY NEWS: The Niagara competition and the Niagara power plant showcased the superiority of Tesla’s AC system for transmitting large amounts of electricity over great distances while regulating voltage in various situations. But Edison was not convinced. He went on a campaign to demonstrate the dangers of Tesla’s AC system. Using AC current, he electrocuted dogs, cats, cattle, horses, and finally an elephant at the Luna Park Zoo named Topsy. (Zoo officials offered Topsy for the demonstration after the animal squashed a third handler in as many years.) Tesla responded to Edison’s antics by using AC current to “electrocute” himself. Subjecting himself to 250,000 volts of electricity, he demonstrated the safety of his system. After doing so, the AC system gained broad acceptance.

CONFESSIONAL NEWS: OK, yes, this was second of two tours I saved from last year to blog us through the lingering chill of winter and into real spring, which is still a month away for Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about travel discoveries I think you’d like to know about.)

Niagara at night is Must See. The highlight of the visit for many of my passengers, Niagara in changing colored lights begins at dusk.

Quote Of The Day samples

“The day Science begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all previous centuries if its existence.” – Nikola Tesla

“The harness of waterfalls is the most economical method known for drawing energy from the sun.” – Nikola Tesla

(Video run time: 1 minutes 15 seconds)

Musical accompaniment – Waterfalls
by Aakash Gandhi

 

 

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MotorCoach Blog 50

Posted on    by

I Am a Motorcoach . . .

. . . with some musings from perusing Northern Ohio coastal regions. If I know my passengers, this itch you call “cabin fever” is in the early stages of annoyance and will soon be driving you bonkers. I saved this trip from last year just for this reason. You need to see some greenery. You crave reminders, hope of the end of that gray dormancy of winter. In this blog I have just what you need: amusement parks, water, summer foliage, and vacation lands . . . a little inspiration for planning your 2018 motorcoach adventures. Time to start thinking about getting out and about! Now, I also know there are among my passengers those realists who loath to imagine things other than they actually are. You do not want any help reaching for spring or summer when everything you see still looks like the dead of winter. OK, a compromise: the reminders of summery foliage you will see are at a cemetery and a funeral home.

Oh, and by the way: this is 50! That’s right, motorcoach blog number 50. I’m pretty sure it should mean something (just not sure what) so I’m celebrating. Here it is, the big Five O . . .

Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

Sandusky, Ohio is a small city on the banks of Lake Erie, halfway between Toledo and Cleveland. With calendar-worthy coastal beauty, two world famous amusement parks, and the occasional reminder that out there beyond its shores is that other North American country, Sandusky is a north-coast vacation hot spot.

A progression of selfies , 1)the colorful horizon beyond the boat docks is speckled with Cedar Point Amusement Park thrill rides, 2) A night pose with Millennium Force, one of the largest roller coasters among the world’s largest collections of roller coasters, and 3) a roller coaster puzzle for you: what of this selfie is me and what isn’t?

Cleveland is often called the city of bridges, and many of its bridges integrate fluidly into the architecture and habitation of the city.

Located on Euclid Avenue in Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland is the James A. Garfield Memorial. The resting home of the beloved President assassinated in 1881 (Just sixteen years after Abraham Lincoln), some of the memorial’s funding came in the form of pennies sent by children throughout the U.S. A short winding way from the James A. Garfield Memorial in Lake View Cemetery is the Neoclassical Wade Memorial Chapel. Constructed in honor of Jeptha Wade, founder of Western Union, the interior of the chapel was designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany and is a single flowing work of art in mosaics and stained glass.

Eighty one miles from Cleveland, in Dover, Ohio, is a who’s who memorialization of a different kind. Toland-Herzig Funeral Home is also home to Famous Endings Museum. Displaying memorabilia such as Joe DiMaggio’s original hand written guest list for Marilyn Monroe’s private funeral service, a lamp from Abraham Lincoln’s funeral carriage, and over 2,500 other funeral related artifacts, the museum contains the largest collection of its kind in the world. I am not sure what the attraction is to items that personalize mortal endings, but my passengers did not want to leave this place! (For more information, search: Famous Endings Museum)

Here Is The News!

MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

ROLLER COASTER NEWS: Iron Dragon, Wicked Twister, Top Thrill Dragster, Raptor, Valravn, Magnum XL-200, Gemini, Pipe Scream, Wilderness Run, Woodstock Express, Cedar Creek Mine Ride, Corkscrew, Blue Streak, Rougarou, Gate Keeper, Millennium Force, and Maverick – yes, seventeen roller coasters at Cedar Point amusement park, the self-proclaimed “roller coaster capital of the world!” The park boasts five roller coasters over 200 feet tall and two coasters in the top ten tallest in the world: Top Thrill Dragster (#2 in the world at 420 ft. and top speed of 120 mph, third fastest in the world) and Millennium Force (#5 in the world at 310 ft. and top speed of 93 mph). Cedar Point also has the tallest and fastest inverted roller coaster on the planet, the Wicked Twister. And the big news? The weekend of May 5, 2018 is the projected world premier weekend for Cedar Point’s latest roller coaster addition. Steel Vengeance, the world’s first hyper-hybrid coaster, will break ten roller coaster world records!

EDISON IN THE NEWS: Just thirteen miles from Lake Eire and nine miles from Sandusky (and those terror inducing roller coasters) is the quaint and quiet village of Milan, Ohio. Milan is the birth place of Thomas Edison, who was born there in 1847 and lived there until he was just shy of seven. The Thomas A. Edison Museum is a one house museum within walking distance of the Milan Museum, consisting of six mid-19th Century period exhibit structures. Edison’s beginnings were so ordinary I decided to jazz up the photo of his house/museum as a celebration of extraordinary beginnings.

ERIE NEWS: Bobbing on Lake Eire just a few hundred yards off of Cleveland’s shore line, sailboats speckle the sunset seascape. In the far distance beyond them – approximately 50 miles – are the shores of the Canadian province of Ontario. Eire is the fourth-largest of the five Great Lakes, but being the shallowest (210 ft. at its deepest), it is the smallest in terms of volume. Along with Ohio, Lake Eire’s U.S. shoreline is shared by Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York.

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about travel discoveries I think you’d like to know about.)

Lake View Cemetery: You probably don’t think of cemeteries as important inclusions on your vacation itineraries, but, when in or near Cleveland, Lake View Cemetery is a worthy exception. On its own, Tiffany’s awe-inspiring interior masterpiece, “The Voyage of Life,” makes the Wade Memorial Chapel (National Registry of Historic Places) a Must See destination. And Lake View’s picturesque rolling hills are a botanical masterpiece of their own, holding numerous mausoleums of stunning architectural beauty, many notable resting places, and a wealth of American history, including immigrants, political leaders, and iconic figures of accomplishment in industry, arts, and humanitarian service. (216-421-2687 for advanced scheduling)

Kalahari Resort and Waterpark: Kalahari resorts specialize in creating America’s largest waterparks. But, with African themed first class accommodations, a challenging high ropes course, an exotic petting zoo, a food court and restaurants and shopping opportunities, the Kalahari Resort in Sandusky Ohio is more than a waterpark, it’s a basecamp for your Northern Ohio adventures.

Quote Of The Day samples

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” – Thomas Edison

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas Edison

(Video run time: 1 minutes 14 seconds)

Musical accompaniment – Harmonica Boogie
by Harmony Kiddies; Mundharmonika-trion med rytmeakkompagnement; Mundharmonika-trion med rytmeakkompagnement; Jerry Murad

 

 

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MotorCoach Blog 49

Posted on    by

I Am a Motorcoach . . .

. . . maneuvering my way around potholes and snowbank mazes, through narrow squeezes in parking lots, down crowded urban streets busy with oblivious pedestrians and autos competing for real estate, across flowing lanes of highway traffic, and onto splintering multi-directional exchanges, ramps, loops, tunnels, and crisscrossing overpasses. This is who I am in a word: maneuvering. It is what I am designed for and crafted to do. Motorcoaches do not fix things, correct systems, or petition for better conditions. In fact, formation of a complaint is foreign to our circuitry. We owe our existence to the ideas and activities of planners, surveyors, civil engineers, developers, and construction administrators. We know their errors intimately. We travel the details, and experience the flaws. Yet, no motorcoach has ever contributed a single suggestion for traffic distribution or infrastructure betterment. I maneuver through what is . . . that’s all.

Here, Chicago, is a good place to demonstrate. Let me show you . . .

Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

Wendella Boats sits on the west side of Michigan Avenue where it meets the north bank of the Chicago River. The location is also a favorite photo-spot for sightseers. There is a small cutout off of the busy Michigan for dropping off and picking up passengers. It can accommodate seven or eight cars or three motorcoaches, or a combination of these with room for others to squeeze through and out onto Michigan if everyone is squared tightly to the curb. To find the cutout unoccupied, or occupied by sensibly parked vehicles . . . well, that’s just not Chicago. The maneuvering is further complicated by traffic lights that back up traffic on red cycles, making it a trick getting into and out of the cutout. But, when a spot is secured, the view in every direction is impressively CHICAGO!

Three-and-a-half miles south of Wendella Boats, just south of Roosevelt Rd, there is a refuge for motorcoaches and buses along Canal Street. Except for this one designated spot, Chicago offers little relief from constant and congested movement. Whenever there is a break in the action, I maneuver my way to Canal Street.

See this little burgundy vehicle with the sign on its roof? That is a taxi. Taxis are to the streets of Chicago what flies are to a barnyard – busy and relentlessly present. Whatever bit of pavement you are moving toward, there are five of them that have their eyes on it. Maneuvering in Chicago is taxi-conscious.

Here Is The News!

MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

RAIL NEWS: Adjacent to the Canal Street motorcoach oasis is the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad yard. The BNSF Metra is a commuter rail line serving Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. Chicago has long been the most important rail center in North America, with lines radiating in more directions than from any other location. Chicago’s first railroad was the Galena and Chicago Union, first opened for business in 1836. Today Chicago rail yards are the coordinating centers for freight distribution throughout the U.S.; and Chicago is the hub for Amtrak, the national intercity passenger system.

“L” IN THE NEWS: Jammed with horses, wagons, streetcars, and pedestrians, in 1892 the crowded conditions of Chicago streets were much as they are today. That was the year the first elevated rail system began moving people through Chicago above the streets. The attempt to alleviate some of the street bulge would become a successful fast transit system known as the “L.” Today the “L” is the second busiest fast transit system in the U.S. (to that of NY City). Having united previously competing rail providers in 1924, the “L” transports nearly 240 million riders annually.

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about travel discoveries I think you’d like to know about.)

This Thomas Edison cylinder phonograph sits among other pristine musical furnishings from the late 19th Century in the entry to the mansion-museum, “Place de la Musique,” at Sanfilippo Estates. Thirty-seven miles from downtown Chicago, “Place de la Musique” holds the largest collection of automated music machines in the world. Gloriously restored orchestrions and nickelodeons created between the 1890s to the 1930s are prelude to the largest theater pipe organ ever built and the most complete European Salon Carousel in the world, the Eden Palais. With an abundance of crafted beauty to match the fullness of auditory enjoyment, the Sanfilippo experience is nearly too big for words.

Quote Of The Day samples

“Eventually, I think Chicago will be the most beautiful great city left in the world.” – Frank Lloyd Wright

“The more relaxed you are, the better you are at everything: the better you are with your loved ones, the better you are with your enemies, the better you are at your job, the better you are with yourself. – Bill Murray

(Video run time: 1 minutes 43 seconds)

Musical accompaniment – George Street Shuffle by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/…) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-… Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/f2XLCNaxnzE

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MotorCoach Blog 48

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I Am a Motorcoach . . .

” . . . with tidings from Christmas-itinerary-travels. Christmas is not an easy thing for a motorcoach to wrap its programmed digital consciousness around. The salvation focus seems a passenger thing not directly applicable to the purely material motorcoach experience. When systems go awry a motorcoach needs a mechanic, not a savior (and often several of them). In the case of wreckage, a motorcoach needs a body-shop, not a miracle. The concept of restoration is probably as close as we can come together on this one, though even that highlights the relative nature of “close.”

“Holiday” is much easier for a motorcoach to embrace. There are festive aspects of the holiday season for which big-shiny-mechanical-transport is ideally suited. Reflectivity, mobile celebration, and big wrap-around windows for panoramic viewing of lights and decorations top the list. Oh, and the Jingle-Bell-Rock’n sound system! An essential at this time of year. So, a few of us garage-mates thought we would make an effort in this blog to present a holiday story from the motorcoach perspective. We appeal to you in advance for Christmas charity if we don’t get THE story completely right.

Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

One thing we all agreed on is that a star is essential. Not stars, but a star. Whether a topping star or a guiding star, a star is ever-present in our holiday travels.

One guy named Dickens appears to have been the super-star among experts on caroling, which is also an important part of the season. He wrote a story about A Christmas Carol nearly a hundred and seventy-five years ago. Oceans away from his Christmas context, it continues to guide folks to theaters by the thousands.

After picking up our “carolers” from the theaters, the next stop on the longer travels is often an inn of some sort. There they can get some rest before resuming their holiday journey the next morning. But our passengers received some inn-convenient news at this particular establishment in Hermann, Missouri.

The innkeeper, Mr. A. C. Leisner (a contemporary of that Dickens fellow), informed us of the sad fact he had no rooms available. This, as it turned out, was because White House Hotel is (in these times) used only as a living history museum, complete with live period actors. So, everyone being of good holiday cheer, we decided to take a tour before heading elsewhere to stop for the night.

Late one night, a highly-out-of-the-ordinary special request resulted in a detour to a prominent medical center. A baby was born. Itineraries simply do not include such things. But they can accommodate them. Adjustments can be made (even by steely machines) for a wondrous occasion not to be missed.

And here we come to a seemingly random, though ubiquitous, part of this holiday story: indoor trees . . . dead, temporary, disposable, dressed-up, indoor trees! (Admittedly, motorcoaches are not designed to be imaginative, but even when we pooled our collective memory files this narrative development stumped us.)

So, making the most of the bizarre but beautiful . . . here, not under but on the Christmas tree, among trinkets and tinsel and striped treats and ribbon and . . . well, every kind of shiny adorning ornamentation, look closely and you will find four reflections of a jolly-red-ride (the “RADIO FLYER” for grown-ups) waiting outside to transport its caroling passengers to the next location. (Yes, you got it, like whispered suggestions for your wish-list.)

Here Is The News!

MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

TANNENBAUM NEWS: “O Tannenbaum,” the well-known Christmas song sung by carolers around the world, was originally penned as a folk song about the beautiful qualities of a fir tree. Christmas oriented lyrics were added in the early 19th Century as the Christmas tree ascended in seasonal popularity.

LIGHTING NEWS: The lighting of Christmas trees began in Germany in the 16th Century, candles being added to trees and wreaths with melted wax. In parts of Europe, Christmas lights also became known as “fairy lights.” The tradition was electrified in the late 19th Century and since then has grown to electrifying proportions. Magnificent Christmas light sculptures, parades, yard and neighborhood displays and choreographed light shows continue to grow in popularity throughout the world.

NEWS OF WISE MEN: These look to be from the north. Wise in what way? On a trip to Branson these guys laughed splendidly, and generally exemplified “light as a feather . . . happy as an angel . . . merry as a school boy” and “A merry Christmas to everybody!”

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about travel discoveries I think you’d like to know about.)

Few cities celebrate cultural diversity on par with Omaha, Nebraska. Well-known for its “Ten Countries Without a Passport” tours, Omaha is a great Christmas destination. And when you are in Omaha you will want to prioritize attendance at a Dave Marsh performance. Like a master ventriloquist, Dave Marsh’s art is dialogue, animating an impressive array of instruments to tell compelling stories and histories.

Gerald Charles Dickens is a great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens and, according to the rave reviews of Omaha tour passengers, a remarkable story teller and entertainer. An accomplished actor, director, and producer, he annually tours the UK and the US performing one-man shows inspired by the life and works of his famous ancestor. The 2017 tour took Dickens to twenty-one cities in thirteen states. (For more information, including future tour dates and locations: www.geralddickens.com. To follow Gerald Dickens’ tour blog: geralddickens.wordpess.com)

Quote Of The Day samples

“The whole difference between construction and creation is exactly this: that a thing constructed can only be loved after it is constructed; but a thing created is loved before it exists.” – Charles Dickens

(Video run time: 1 minutes 17 seconds)

Musical accompaniment – Jingle Bells 7 by Kevin MacLeod

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MotorCoach Blog 47

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I Am a Motorcoach . . .

“. . . Almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River. Life is old there, older than the trees, younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze. Country road, take me home . . .” Uh . . . O, pardon me. You caught me humming along, as they say. Call me square (I’m actually a rectangle), but, of the many musical contributions of my passengers I do think John Denver is my favorite so far. I’ve come to regard him as the poet of the adventure. What’s another one . . ? Oh, here, how ’bout this one: “Aye Calypso the places you’ve been to, the things that you’ve shown us, the stories you tell . . .” Yes, that one is my favorite of favorites. It captures my noble calling: “To work in the service of life and living . . .” Who would’ve thought . . . me . . . a big red, diesel powered machine . . .

I better stop. That one really gets to me. My wiper fluid will start leaking . . .

Where was I? O yes, West Virginia!

Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

West Virginia is most notably tourism, logging, and coal mining. Tourism because every inch of the state is mountains, and where there are mountains there are rivers and streams; logging because all of the mountains are covered with trees; and coal mining because under the trees are seams, seams rich with a black combustible resource never lacking for demand. Here at the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine, my passengers took an underground tour via mine train and a walking tour of a recreated early 20th Century mine camp and company store. (If you happen to be in the area: 513 Ewart Ave., Beckley, WV; 304-256-1747) From what I could discern from their comments, the historical experience was impactful . . . eye-opening!

Located in the only legislated “quiet zone” in the world, we visited the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia. Here, astronomers listen to the universe. Outside the visitor center, where my passengers received an education on radio observation and its history, I made the most of a photo opportunity with the original – that is, a selfie with Grote Reber’s 1937 radio telescope invention! (I think it’s like the Babe Ruth of radio telescopy)


Fifty-one miles from the Green Bank Observatory and just across the Virginia border in Hot Springs is the Omni Homestead Resort. Having celebrated its 250th birthday in 2016, the Homestead is regarded as the first resort in the U.S. (Kind of like a selfie with the Babe Ruth of luxury American accommodations. Yes, a big deal in my industry.)

Here Is The News!

MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

HOMESTEAD NEWS: Controlling millions of acres as surveyor of the Fairfax Line, George Washington, a twenty-three-year-old Colonel in the Virginia Militia, used land offers to recruit the best soldiers. Those soldiers, after fulfilling their military obligations, turned land deeds into homesteads and became known as “homesteaders.” The title inspired the naming of the nation’s first resort and spa. Three Hundred acres of rolling hills, streams, and hot springs, Washington was responsible for the Homestead’s original land grand in 1764. The recipient, Captain Thomas Bullett (Virginia regiment, French and Indian War), built the original lodge on the land in 1766. Washington was the first of twenty-two presidents to visit the Homestead. Jefferson, Madison, Van Buren . . . most enjoyed lengthy stays, and all who visited as a sitting President or thereafter are represented by a portrait at the resort. Thomas Jefferson stayed multiple weeks at a time for health benefits associated with the hot mineral waters (some of which come out of the ground at 102⁰). Housing some of those pools is the oldest spa structure in the U.S., aptly named Jefferson Pools. But the President who made the most use of the amenities at the Homestead was not drawn there by the springs. William Howard Taft stayed at the resort for two to three months at a time to indulge his love of golf. Located along Sam Sneed Highway, the Homestead’s golf course boasts the oldest golf hole in America.

NEWS OF REMOTE WHISPERS: A young science, radio astronomy dates back eighty years to the invention of the first radio telescope. Radio astronomy studies the universe at radio wavelengths. Its objective is the same as optical astronomy: to study objects emitting electromagnetic energy. This is energy sensitive listening more delicate than that needed to detect the landing of a snowflake. By use of this technology scientists have listened to the universe to discover black holes, pulsars, stars, gas rings, and the birth of planets. Others scan our galactic plane or listen for messages from the nearest galactic neighbors of the Milky Way in hope of making discoveries related to the origin of life, life beyond earth, and aliens.

SANCTUARY NEWS: At the Green Bank Observatory, in the protection of surrounding mountains, Radio Frequency Interference (RIF) is very low. Additionally, this is a national reserve for radio astronomy – the world’s only legislated “quiet zone.” Such lengths are necessary to protect the work of scientists from throughout the world using the largest and most advanced radio telescope on the planet – the 485-foot tall (16 million lbs.) Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope, with its 2.3 acre completely steerable surface.

GORGEOUS NEWS: As if an international observation sight for listening to the universe, 117 named coal seams, eight national parks, 100,000 acres of river valley, and thirty-six mountains were not exotic enough, West Virginia has a signature landmark to punctuate its exotic character: the New River Gorge Bridge. 3,030 feet long, at the time of its completion in October 1977 the bridge was the longest single-span arch bridge in the world (it is presently fourth longest). The third highest bridge in the United States, the road surface of the bridge is 876 feet above the New River. To put that in perspective, imagine driving a vehicle on a roadway suspended 250 feet above the 630-foot tall St. Louis Gateway Arch. But no, merely driving across the bridge is too tame for a state like this. No, there is this: Bridge Day – a day of rappelling, ascending and “base-jumping.”

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about travel discoveries I think you’d like to know about.)

” West Virginia, mountain mamma . . .”


“. . . Take me home contry road.”

Quote Of The Day samples

“Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So . . . get on your way!” – Dr. Seuss

“Although I deeply love oceans, deserts, and other wild landscapes, it is only mountains that beckon me with that sort of painful magnetic pull to walk deeper and deeper into their beauty.” ― Victoria Erickson

(Video run time: 2 minutes 7 seconds)

Musical accompaniment – Strolling Through by Silent Partner

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MotorCoach Blog 46

Posted on    by

I Am a Motorcoach . . .

. . . out on the road because the road is the romance. I know, you probably don’t think of me as the romantic type – a bunch of chrome and steel, glass and fiberglass, nuts and bolts, wires and hoses, belts and treads, lights and mirrors, and so on. Well, I could make a case for the romantic nature of humming diesel horses climbing through sun-speckled mountain shadows to a golden Autumn peak, but mine is not the romance I’m eager to tell you about. The road romance I speak of belongs to my passengers. I’ve heard it in expressions of awe, the whispered “O my!” and the “Wow!” choruses. If they wanted expedience they could have just flown somewhere, right over everything. But their delight is experience. Their motivation is discovery. This week’s venture was about color. The location was the Smoky Mountains.

Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

Ya know, I think I will go ahead and make the case for the romantic nature of humming diesel horses climbing through sun-speckled mountain shadows to a golden autumn peak after all. Here it is:

(For the climb through sun-speckled shadows, you’ll have to watch the “See What I See” video at the end of this blog.)

Topping the climb, we came to a celebrated place where travelers could straddle the boundary dividing Tennessee and North Carolina. I could not make sense of the hubbub or the cause and placement of the sign. Couldn’t it just as well be located fifty feet earlier or somewhere amid the trees on the distant hill? Am I thinking too much like a machine here, too logically about this? At the risk of being a killjoy, doesn’t this phenomenon occur everywhere along every boundary between two states? Where are the signs?

Here Is The News!

MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

SMOKY NEWS: Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited National Park in the United States, hosting over 9,000,000 visitors annually. Situated in the southern part of the Appalachian range, the park encompasses 800 square miles, nearly all of which is forested. The park is shared almost evenly by North Carolina and Tennessee.

NEWS OF EVAPOTRANSPIRATION: The Cherokee named the mountains Shaconage – “Mountains of the Blue Smoke.” Located in the wettest part of the United States, on average the park receives sixty-four inches of precipitation per year – approximately 890 billion gallons. Around 500 billion gallons of water then leave the park via Rivers and streams. Transpiration (evaporation specific to water movement through plants) and general evaporation – evapotranspiration – is responsible for the majority of the remaining hydrologic cycle. Elevation and temperature are key factors in evapotranspiration rates throughout the mountains as well as the smoking appearance that inspired their name.

AMPHIBIAN NEWS: Moisture-loving creatures, amphibians thrive in the Great Smoky Mountains, which are home to fourteen species of frogs and toads. In 2012 a newly introduced resident of the park was discovered: the Green Tree Frog. Native to the coastal southern states, the newcomer is thought to have been transported to the park by clinging to places of shelter on out-of-state vehicles. Apparently enjoying their new home, early arrivals quickly multiplied into the millions. But the most prolific amphibians in the Smoky Mountains are the salamanders. There are thirty species of them, twenty-seven of those are of the lungless variety (breathing through their skin). In fact, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is known as the salamander capital of the world. Its largest species, the hellbender, lives in rivers and streams and grows to nearly two-and-a-half feet long.

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about travel discoveries I think you’d like to know about.)

Our itinerary included the Biltmore estate in Ashville, North Carolina. Driving through the estate we were surprised to come upon a momma black bear with her five cubs. Spread throughout 800 acres, the Biltmore is large enough to promise a great variety of natural and manmade discoveries. When in the Ashville area, it is a Must See.

Quote Of The Day samples

“Climb mountains and get their good things. Nature’s peace will flow into you like the sunshine flows into trees.” – John Muir

“To sit in the shade on a fine day, and look upon verdure, is the most perfect refreshment.” ― Jane Austen (Mansfield Park)

(Video run time: 3 minutes 5 seconds)

Musical accompaniment provided by: https://www.bensound.com/

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MotorCoach Blog 45

Posted on    by

I Am a Motorcoach . . .

. . . out in the wild places where roads are like invitations scratched into an ancient parchment. Upon these paved oddities in vast wind-swept and time-chiseled legacy travelers penetrate horizons chasing traces of the illusive and disappearing. It is the fragile appearing that teases. Excited chatter among my passengers: maybe a moose today, a grizzly, an elk herd . . . No, the wild is not so easily tamed, captured, or claimed by occasional sightings – nor the quest for experience so easily defined. Yet, one simple fact transports the explorers and embodies their endeavor: I am the vehicle.

Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

Black Hills, prairie, and Badlands are the raw-earth draw of South Dakota. In some places it has an otherworldly appearance.

“Crazy Horse” – He’s crazy huge and will be magnificent when finished. But, 69 years in the making and nowhere near completion, there is no telling when that will be. A tribute to Native Americans, the sculpture is as much a monument to dreaming big. Begun by Korczak Ziolkowski In 1948, this project was a multigenerational vision from the start.

On the way to the Mount Rushmore National Memorial – George Washington’s 60′ tall profile displays the exacting art of Gutzon Borglum. The masterpiece was completed under the direction of Borglum and his son Lincoln in 1941.

Wyoming is home to a great variety of natural drama, none more dramatic than the monolithic rock formation by the name of Devils Tower. In 1906 President Theodore Roosevelt declared the 867′ tall tower the first National Monument in the United States.

Quite a bit taller still, Grand Teton – the highest point in the Teton Range – stands at 13,775′.

I call this one “Steamy Selfie.” No, it’s not provocative. Motorcoaches don’t do provocative. Yellowstone National Park is famously home to geothermal features such as geysers, hot springs, and mud pots. Walking paths keep human visitors at a safe viewing distance from deadly-hot waters. Boiling temperatures are no good for motorcoaches either. The distant parking lot was as close as I could get for this photo-op.

Here Is The News!

MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

WYOMING NEWS: Wyoming is the 9th largest state in the United States, yet it is the least populated (585,500) of all states. To put it in perspective, Rhode Island (the smallest state) is roughly one third the size of Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park but has roughly twice the population of Wyoming.

TYPO IN THE NEWS: The official declaration signed by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 making Devils Tower the nation’s first National Monument mistakenly lacked the possessive apostrophe (Devil’s). The mistake was never corrected and the name, Devils Tower, stuck.

BLACK NEWS: The Black Hills begin in the western plains of South Dakota and extend into Wyoming. They received their name from the Native American tribe the Lakota Sioux. It is the prevalence of Ponderosa Pine that gives the hills a black appearance from a distance.

FAITH NEWS: In August of 1990 the most complete (and one of the largest) skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, Sue, was discovered near Faith, South Dakota.

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about travel discoveries I think you’d like to know about.)

Mitchell, South Dakota boasts the only Corn Palace in the world. Visited annually by some 500,000 tourists, The Moorish Revival structure is an artistic celebration of things crop related – but especially corn crops. Originally built in 1892, the Corn Palace has known several rebuilding phases. The Corn Palace is home to stage shows, industrial exhibits, and basketball. Yes, USA Today named the Corn Palace one of the top ten places in the U.S. for high school basketball. When near Mitchell, South Dakota you will want to drop by – it’s a one-of-a-kind phenomenon! (604 N Main Street, Mitchell, SD)

Quote Of The Day samples

“The Badlands grade all the way from those that are almost rolling in character to those that are so fantastically broken in form and so bizarre in color as to seem hardly properly to belong to this earth.” – Theodore Roosevelt

“You know what amazes me about UFOs? They never land at the White House. They always land at Laramie, Wyoming, thirty miles out, where they are seen by one farmer.” ― Larry King


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