MotorCoach Blog 24

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I am a motorcoach…

. . . with three stories for you – those of a notorious louse, a celebrity criminal, and a cultivated dream. Of course, travel is story. Every road trip is its own story, part of a bigger story, and a journey of story discoveries. I sometimes wonder if my engineers had story collecting in mind when I was “on the drawing board.” Story is what my passengers and I share most in common; it is they who gather story gems I pass on to you. You’ll recognize the locations of these stories from travels reported last week.

Selfies

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

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A surge in immigration ushered in “wine country” status not long after Missouri’s achievement of statehood in 1821. German immigrants in particular were drawn to the state’s climate and vast untapped resources. Early reports back to the homeland described an idyllic “New Rhineland” with wild grapevines heavily weighted with tasty fruit. Soon, German immigrants bearing old world vineyard clippings became established communities in the Missouri River valley. By the mid-1800s Missouri enjoyed growing prominence in the wine industry.

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In the 1870s, while things were going well for Missouri vineyards, back in Europe a pestilential louse by the name of Phylloxera was decimating old world vineyards. Feasting especially upon French vineyards, it nearly caused the annihilation of the French wine industry. Missouri bug expert (entomologist), Charles Riley, identified that certain grape vines native to America were retardant to phylloxera. He recommended a solution: graft together the American and French rootstock. Millions of Missouri rootstock clippings were shipped to Europe and the solution saved the day. Today, elite wine products of prestigious French vineyards are enjoyed throughout the world. And few serving or consuming them know they are of Missouri roots (literally).

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By the turn of the 20 th century Missouri’s prominence in the U.S. wine industry was second only to California. Prohibition dealt a severe but temporary blow, and Missouri’s wine industry began its rebound in the latter part of the century. Continuing a steady growth into the 21 st century, Missouri winegrowing is once again a thriving industry. Vats are processing award winning wines at over 125 wineries throughout the state (like this one at Van Till Family Farm Winery in Ray County).

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 . . .

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JAMES’S BOND NEWS: Frank James, brother of Jesse James, was arrested in 1884 for participation in a train robbery along the Missouri Kansas Texas (MKT) Railroad. He was brought to Booneville – the county seat situated on the MKT – and booked into this jailhouse (“the Old Jail and Hanging Barn,” current office of the Friends of Historic Booneville). Sheriff John Rogers was so enamored with the celebrity of his prisoner he decided to take him out to dinner at The City Motel two blocks east of the jail. While at dinner, the sheriff introduced his guest to a group of Booneville businessmen, who evidently shared the sheriff’s awe of the famous catch. Pooling their resources, they posted bond on behalf of James. By the time the trial date arrived there remained no living witness to the robbery. Frank James was released, having never stayed a night in the Booneville jail.

NEWS OF A Winner: We have a contest winner! Sarah Gleeson of New Haven, Missouri is the winner of the first motorcoachblog.com contest, which did come down to a drawing due to a tie. No one was able to answer all questions correctly. The question everyone missed was from week one, which was: Where am I in the Scott Trade Center selfies in blogs 20 and 21? Everyone correctly identified my reflection in the glass doors behind the foreground statue (blog 21), but no one identified in the same selfie my reflection in the glass above the word Welcome (I warned it was tricky, if you recall). Congratulations Sarah! Enjoy your print of “Epic.”

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about places you’ll want to visit.)

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California weary, the Van Till family made their way to Missouri, where they transplanted themselves along with generations of farming expertise. Here they’ve cultivated a dream. It has a name: Van Till Family Farm Winery. The dream became a beautiful place where farm-to-table is practiced to perfection and gezellig (heh sell ick – Dutch, meaning visceral hominess) is an old world tradition. Paired with award winning Van Till wines, delectable menu items are made of premium ingredients grown in the Van Till fields and greenhouses. Located at 13986 State Highway C in Rayville, Missouri, Van Till Family Farm Winery is a destination experience in the finest of Missouri wine growing tradition.

*This aerial photograph of Van Till Farm Winery, as well as the second and third selfies in the Selfies section above were compliments of Brian Van Till, an accomplished photographer equally skilled with control of his drone. (For anyone with need of those skills: brian.vantill@gmail.com)

Quote Of The Day samples

“Wine is sunlight, held together by water.” ― Galileo Galilei

“I have been hunted for twenty-one years. I have literally lived in the saddle. I have never known a day of perfect peace.” ― Frank James

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MotorCoach Blog 23

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I am a motorcoach…

. . . Two Seven Zero, traveling west and into the past. My purpose is destination – a word implying the future. But mirrors are the soul of the motorcoach. They are rear-view, all about the past, what is behind, where we have been that continuously diminishes while moving forward. My mirrors are context, informing me of my place in the world, on the road amid other vehicles. Yet, by the time I’ve noticed them, change has made the details of where I am and who is around me facts of the past. So mirrors collect the data of experience I convert into skills and decisions resulting in travel.

Current travel focuses on a historical tour of northwestern Missouri, histories that impacted the country and the world.

Selfies

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

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In Sibley, Missouri stands a replica of Fort Osage, built under the direction of William Clark, who originally made note of the location as ideal for a fort when passing by boat through the area with the Corps of Discovery in 1804. The location was ideal because of its high position above the Missouri River and an elevated limestone bed making the Missouri especially shallow here. It was here at Fort Osage In 1808 that the Osage Indians signed a treaty with the U.S. ceding over 52 million acres of its territory (now known as Missouri). In exchange, the Osage received promised protection and trade, and nominal monetary and material compensation. The idea would have been laughable a few years earlier, when the Osage ruled a vast territory (much of present-day Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansans, and Texas). But encroachment by tribes forced out of eastern territories became motivation for alliance. In the distance beyond my mirror, and built upon the elevated limestone bed, a railroad bridge stands symbolic of developments that would minimize the value of river-ways as trade routes and further reshape the continent.

This small road in Independence, Missouri marks the eastern border of an estate once owned by notable politician and artist, George Caleb Bingham. It also lies upon what was once a rutted dirt path called the Santa Fe Trail. The trail’s historical beginning was 1821. Its geographic beginning was outside the Jackson County Courthouse a few blocks away.

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Independence, Missouri was the eastern terminus of the Santa Fe, California, and Oregon trails, upon which many dreams were forged and crushed. Circus-like hoopla filled the town square surrounding this courthouse as great caravans assembled and prepared for departure. Some made it no more than a few miles before experiencing their first wagon casualty – abandoned to axel-deep mud.

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Circling the Independence town square, this remnant of the momentous trail era also serves as reminder that up until a century ago (literal) horse-power is how folks got around.

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The interior of the Mitchell Antique Auto Museum in Booneville, Missouri is a showcase of the dramatic changes in transportation between the 19th and early 20th centuries. But it’s the exterior (in the humble opinion of this motorcoach) that tells the impressive story of how far transportation has come since then.

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My passengers are not the only ones appreciative of the evolution of roadways and modes of transportation. Ever wonder what is being hauled next to you on the highway? This truck (belonging to Lay’s Mining Service Inc.) is hauling equipment for the mining industry: a 4¾” steel cable guide (foreground) and a steel cable winding drum. Try moving that cross-country by wagon on dirt roads . . .

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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 . . .

NEWS OF WORLD IMPACT: Having previous failings in agriculture and mining, a young Harry Truman found success as a leader on the French battlefields of World War I. Following the war he continued the momentum of success in conquest by marrying his long-pursued love, Bess Wallace. He also continued his non-military career struggles. But appointment to his first political office rescued Harry S Truman from a failed effort in retail haberdashery (men’s apparel). As to how those political endeavors turned out . . . the first Presidential Museum in the U.S. was built to tell the story. It includes a replica of the Harry S Truman Oval Office, and this Flame of Freedom memorial.

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COMMEMORATION NEWS: Trails ushering along the westward movement crossed twelve states east to west. A Madonna of the Trail statue was placed along a trail route in each state by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The statues celebrate the strength, sacrifice, and accomplishments of the frontier women who traveled the trails. This one, located along the Santa Fe Trail was officially dedicated in 1928 by then Jackson County Judge, Harry S Truman. It is the only one of the twelve that remains in its original location.

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NEWS OF THE CONTEST: Week three of the first motorcoachblog.com contest! The winner will receive a mounted, signed and numbered art print, “EPIC!” – the story of the St. Louis Cardinals’ 2011 World Series victory as reflected in the glossy surface of the World Series trophy ($380 value; see detail image below). Here’s how to participate: 1 – The contest is open only to passengers (subscribers) of motorcoachblog.com (just sign up by name and email as directed at the end of the blog). 2 – Over the next three weeks an official contest question will be posted in the blog. Send an email to mc268@motorcoachblog.com answering the question. Whoever answers the most questions correctly will be the winner. If more than one participant correctly answers the questions for all three weeks, their names will go into a drawing to be held on Friday, June 24th (I apologize for the formerly misstated drawing date).

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The third and final contest question is from a former Must Sees photo:  What are the remaining four lines in the stone inscription beginning, IN HONOR OF GENERAL LYONS AND THE HUNDREDS . . . ?

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about places you’ll want to visit.)

Crane’s Country Store is a stone’s throw off of highway 70 on Old US 40 in Williamsburg, Missouri. If you’re in need of refreshment: ice cream and soda varieties abound. But the real reason to stop in is 100 years of pristine Americana!
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A bit west of Crane’s on 70 is Booneville. There you will find one of the best kept secrets in Missouri: Mitchell Antique Auto Museum. In my worldview, this is where it all started. From the premium long-distance chuck wagon, to the beginnings of the luxury motorcoach, this is worth going way out of your way to check out.

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Quote Of The Day samples

“There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know.” ― Harry S Truman

“No man should be in public office who can’t make more money in private life.” ― Thomas E. Dewey

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MotorCoach Blog 22

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I am a motorcoach…

. . . Machine of Steel . . .

Selfies

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

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Think about this: Superman, the greatest American Superhero, is known world-wide by the alias, Man of Steel. Let me put it another way: when creators of Superman busted their brains over the perfect alias for their fictional embodiment of superhuman capabilities, they came up with “Man of Steel.” Call me grandiose, but when posing for this selfie in Superman Square, Metropolis, Illinois, I felt pretty amazing knowing Superman actually wishes to be like me – made of steel!

(I had a great selfie to go here – one showing off my steely red self in the context of real mega-power eclipsing that of Superman – but, alas, it was not to be. Official secrecy policy required I erase – delete – it from memory. Suffice to say, there is more to Metropolis than superman. More on that below . . .)

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 . . .

METROPOLIS NEWS: Metropolis, Illinois is the official hometown of Superman. So, of course, Superman gets the most attention there. Perpetual posing with the super-celebrity in the red cape and the clicking sounds of cameras suggests the “selfie” might have been invented in Superman Square. Superman Museum was named the #1 Small Town Attraction in America. But Metropolis is bigger than Superman. It is home of the first state park in Illinois, Fort Massac State Park, with its rich history. It is also home of the Honeywell uranium conversion facility, the only one of its kind in the US.

URANIUM NEWS: Processed uranium goes from mined uranium ore to uranium hexafluoride (gas) and finally to uranium pellets, which are used to fuel nuclear reactors. One uranium pellet is the size of a fingertip (that of a normal size person – not Superman) and is equal in energy product to roughly a ton of coal.

COINCIDENTAL NEWS: Uranium power and Superman power were both discovered in 1938 . . . sort of. 1938 was the year Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassman figured out that uranium could be split to produce energy (fission). And 1938 was the year Superman “went public,” first appearing in Action Comics #1 (pub: Detective Comics). From those humble beginnings in 1938, Superman and uranium became global multi-billion- dollar industries.

RIVAL NEWS: Filming of prominent scenes in the Superman movie, Man of Steel, took place in a small Illinois town, but it wasn’t Metropolis. Following its selection for filming scenes in Clark Kent’s boyhood town of “Smallville Kansas,” Plano, Illinois has enjoyed super economic and notoriety boosts from its association with Superman.
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And Superman is not the only immortalized hero in Metropolis, Illinois. George Rogers Clark (older brother of William Clark, co-leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition) was a surveyor and soldier from Virginia who, during the American Revolutionary War, became the highest ranking American officer in the northwestern frontier. His statue stands in Fort Massac State Park, accompanied by a plaque that reads (in part): IN MEMORY OF GEORGE ROGERS CLARK AND HIS FAITHFUL COMPANIONS IN ARMS WHO BY THEIR ENTERPRIZE COURAGE DEVOTION AND SAGACITY WON THE ILLINOIS COUNTRY FOR THE COMMON WEALTH OF VIRGINIA AND SO FOR THE AMERICAN UNION . . .

CELEBRATION NEWS: Looking for something to celebrate? The 38th Annual Superman Celebration is taking place in Metropolis, Illinois this week, June 9 – 12.

NEWS OF THE CONTEST: Week two of the first motorcoachblog.com contest! The winner will receive a mounted, signed and numbered art print, “EPIC!” – the story of the St. Louis Cardinals’ 2011 World Series victory as reflected in the glossy surface of the World Series trophy ($380 value; see detail image below). Here’s how to participate: 1 – The contest is open only to passengers (subscribers) of motorcoachblog.com (just sign up by name and email as directed at the end of the blog). 2 – Over the next three weeks an official contest question will be posted in the blog. Send an email to mc268@motorcoachblog.com answering the question. Whoever answers the most questions correctly will be the winner. If more than one participant correctly answers the questions for all three weeks, their names will go into a drawing to be held on Friday, June 17th .

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The question for this week (blog 22) is: According to a motorcoachblog HERE IS THE NEWS item, who was the test pilot who orbited earth untethered from a spacecraft at 17,000 mph in the Manned Maneuvering Unit. (To access former blogs go to the website: www.motorcoachblog.com)

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about places you’ll want to visit.)

When in Metropolis, Illinois, Fort Massac State Park and the replica 1802 Fort Massac are definite Must Sees. Located on the banks of Ohio River at the southernmost tip of Illinois, scenery and history are equally breathtaking from there.
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Quote Of The Day samples

“Faith dare the soul to go farther than it can see.” ― William Clark

“So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.” ― Christopher Reeve

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MotorCoach Blog 21

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I am a motorcoach…

. . . and jazzed about introducing you to a very special passenger . . . a traveler extraordinaire! Now, if you’ve been paying attention at all, you know my existence is owed to travel and I have a great appreciation for travelers. I do not single out one from the others with the distinction ‘traveler extraordinaire’ lightly. In fact, if you’ve been paying really close attention from the beginning of our blogging journey together, you know I have never done so before. But this traveler is way special. So, I hope you won’t mind if I depart a smidge from the general subjects of travel and travelers, and focus the first part of this week’s blog on one particular traveler.

Selfies

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

HERE SHE IS . . .

(Drum roll please . . .)

STEVE BELL!

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Steve traveled across an entire century just to board this big red motor-coach with a bunch of friends on May 25th and travel a bit further to the ballpark as part of her 100th birthday celebration (possibly a slight inflation of my importance in the occasion). Steve is not only an epic time traveler but a world traveler also. Let me tell you a little about her.

First of all (as you might have guessed), Steve is not her real name. Born Franette Bell in Manhattan, New York on May 25 1916, migration eventually deposited her on the opposite coast, where she decided to go by the name Steve Bell in order to be taken seriously as a sports writer. It was the 1940s, and no matter how well Franette loved and knew her sports, there was little chance of getting published as a female sports writer at the time. The name change worked, and as “Steve Bell” Franette was able to write about sports for the San Francisco Examiner and later for the San Juan Record. Among family, the name Steve has stuck as a nickname long past its original use. From the West Coast Franette moved with her husband to Europe. They both worked in civil service for the U.S. government, Franette being an administrative assistant to high ranking Air Force generals. After eighteen years in Germany they lived in France for another six years (until all U.S. military personnel were ordered by French President, Charles De Gaulle, to leave French soil in 1966). Having seen much of the U.S. and Europe, traveler’s zeal compelled Franette to embark on numerous other geographic adventures, including China and South Africa.

In 2001, at 85 years old, Franette dedicated her highly cultivated intellect and her youthful frame to two other journeys of lengths, areas, and volume: she enrolled in a Calculus course at a local college; and while there, she trained alongside the college swim team, putting in about seven miles a week in the pool. Way to go Franette . . . you are a true inspiration!

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At the Gypsy Caravan. I overheard folks commenting that the shuttle service provided by me and my friends made all the difference in relieving traffic mayhem of previous gypsy events. This is quite the attraction: a huge collective of serious travelers setting up shop with their wares.

20160518_182628Well . . . next year . . .

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Here I am waiting in the dark for my passengers. Talk about lonely. According to orders, my services were needed a couple of hours ago. But there’s a dance floor in that building . . .

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 . . .

MOTOR-COACH NEWS: Motor-coach has no dance! It’s true. Even if a dance floor could be found to accommodate my 18-ton, 8-wheel, 45ft-long, 12ft-tall, diesel-powered self, it would just never happen. The whole idea of a lot of movement and going nowhere goes against my nature. I’m a low jiggle, straight ahead sort of dude.

NEWS OF A CONTEST: Announcing the first motorcoachblog.com contest! The winner will receive a mounted, signed and numbered art print, “EPIC!” – the story of the St. Louis Cardinals’ 2011 World Series victory as reflected in the glossy surface of the World Series trophy ($380 value; see below). Here’s how to participate: 1 – The contest is open only to passengers (subscribers) of motorcoachblog.com (just sign up by name and email as directed at the end of the blog). 2 – Over the next three weeks an official contest question will be posted in the blog. Send an email to mc268@motorcoachblog.com answering the question. At the end of the three weeks (June 17), whoever has answered the most questions correctly will be the winner. If more than one participant correctly answers the questions for all three weeks, their names will go into a drawing to be held on Friday, June 17th.

The question for this week (blog 21) is: Where am I in the Scott Trade Center selfies in blogs 20 and 21? (note: one is challenging and the other is tricky).

Epic

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about places you’ll want to visit.)

There’s a new wedding venue in the St. Louis area, Silver Oaks Chateau (in Pacific, MO).  A must inclusion on the list of places to check out for anyone with that big day approaching.

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View More: http://inspiredphotographystl.pass.us/madelineandtony

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Quote Of The Day samples

“Nothing happens unless first a dream.” ― Carl Sandberg

“Take a chance! All of life is a chance. The [person] who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare.” ― Dale Carnegie

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MotorCoach Blog 20

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I am a motorcoach…

. . . with long distance travelers aboard, all the way from Russia: young leaders between the ages of twenty and thirty. They set out on this journey from eighteen different cities. They’ve come from Russian cities more than 3,000 miles apart, like St. Petersburg, located on the Baltic Sea, the northernmost city of more than a million inhabitants in the world, and Chita, located in eastern Siberia along the Trans-Siberian Hwy near Mongolia. Some are lawyers, some are journalists, and some have positions in academia. They are here to learn about U.S. societal infrastructure and to study some of its working parts. The goal is to observe how various organizational contributors work together to meet the needs of citizens of this nation. Their two-week trip focuses on two cities: week one in St. Louis, Missouri, and week two in Washington, D.C.

Along their journey, the delegates hear from local leader and other select presenters representing various facets of societal organization. I will take you through a day within their journey – their final day in St. Louis.

Selfies

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

While in St. Louis, the delegates stayed at the Westin Hotel in south-central downtown. So, that’s where the day begins. The Westin Hotel is in one of the six remaining buildings that were part of the Cupples Station warehouse network. Originally, there were twenty large warehouses in the Cupples Station system, which had a key role in establishing and sustaining St. Louis’ prominence in the railroad industry from the early to middle 20th century. After the completion of Eads Bridge in1874 Samuel Cupples recognized the necessity for warehousing of goods being moved from river to rail systems. Cupples’ building project began in 1894 and was completed in 1917. A system of tunnels and bridges connected some of the buildings not having direct access to the rails lines, and large hydraulic freight elevators moved product vertically. One of those original elevators remains in use at the center of the Westin Hotel.
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From the Westin the delegates walked a block to the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse at the corner of Clark and 10 th Street. Their 8:15AM appointment was with United States District Judge Jean Hamilton. The Thomas F. Eagleton Courthouse is the largest single courthouse in the United States – 29 stories tall, 987,775 square feet.
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A few block west, a couple of other important government buildings can be seen reflected in the glass of the Scott Trade Center at 14th and Clark: The St. Louis City Hall (lower level of windows) and the State Courthouse (upper level of windows – topped with classical Roman columns). Government and judicial structure and function were of great interest to my Russian passengers.
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The group’s focus for the afternoon hours was media. For that I transported them to the home of St. Louis Public TV – the 9 Network – and Public Radio. There the delegates heard from key production facilitators in the region’s public radio and TV stations.
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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 . . .

NEWS OF FOREIGN RELATIONS: Sponsorship partners responsible for bringing the Russian delegates to St. Louis, Missouri and Washington, D.C. for their observational activities are: Supporters of Civil Society in Russia, Inc. • Association of Schools of Political Studies • Council of Europe • Open world Leadership Center • University of Missouri – St. Louis • Local Government Partnership.

NEWS OF TRANSFORMATION: Between 1950 and the 1970s Cupples Station warehouses went from vitally important to vacant and in danger of demolition. Some were razed to make room for a highway and a ballpark. Designation as national landmarks saved the six buildings that remain. Aside from the Westin Hotel, the former warehouses have been beautifully transformed into Cupples Loft Apartments.

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about places you’ll want to visit.)

Each scheduled location was selected to serve some facet of the educational purpose of the delegate’s two-week visit to the U.S. That included lunch, which was served at McMurphy’s Café, part of the St. Patrick’s Center at 800 N. Tucker Blvd. St. Patrick’s Center is a non-profit organization helping individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The center helps people become financially stable by providing employment, training, and safe affordable housing. When in downtown St. Louis, you’ll want to stop by McMurphy’s Café, not just to support their excellent program, but because, according to my passengers, the food is great!
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Quote Of The Day samples

“Of the five most important things in life, health is first, education or knowledge is second, and wealth is third. I forgot the other two.” ― Chuck Berry

“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.” ― Mother Teresa

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MotorCoach Blog 19

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I am a motorcoach…

. . . out ‘n about, taking in the green. It’s that time of year, spring green . . . that fresh, busting out kind of green, renewal green (is that a color?). Of course, in my world green is “go.” But in the broader world too, spring means green and green means “go,” the world shedding dormancy like a suffocating old coat, travelers inspired by the unspoken welcome to get out into the out-loud. Uh . . , let me amend that. A little fellow just reminded me that green doesn’t always mean go. He was bright white, a lighted pedestrian icon in a box below a green traffic light. I was preparing to make a left turn, and though there were no oncoming vehicles to require my yield, pedestrians did. They were paying attention to the same lighted little fellow I was. For a motorcoach, spring green means extra high alert. The world is awake; travelers are on the move.

Selfies

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

Spring also means weddings and proms and favorite locations for those special photos. Here are a few in and around St. Louis, along with some facts about each of which you may not be aware.

We’ll begin with a church, where most weddings take place. There are many beautiful ones to choose from in the area, but one will do in representing them all: St. John the Apostle and Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown St. Louis. In the mid-1800s, as people poured into the young settlement/city, Catholics in its first “suburb” were served by St. John the Apostle and Evangelist parish – founded in 1847. The present church was dedicated on November 4, 1860. It has seen uninterrupted daily use since its opening (and plenty of refurbishing along the way). During one twenty-year period it was the Cathedral Church of the Archdiocese (replacing the Old Cathedral on the riverfront, which had become too small for the job). If you look closely, you can peer down Chestnut Street and see the Gateway arch in the night sky.
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Yes, St. Louis Union Station is one of those popular destinations for wedding and prom photographs. More noteworthy, it is a National Historic Landmark. When Union Station opened in September of 1894, it was the largest and most magnificent terminal in the United States; and St. Louis was the fourth largest city in the nation. At its peak in the 1940s, Union station became the busiest rail terminal in the world, serving over 100,000 passengers a day. Yet, marking the end of an era, bystanders waved as the last train left Union Station on October 31, 1978. Today, St. Louis Union Station is home to an elegant hotel, offices, shops, and special events venues.
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Here is the heart of travel: the magical! You put yourself out there and once in a while something special happens. My passengers – a wedding party here for the reception – had all stepped safely inside Bellerive Country Club just moments before the storm hit. It was a doozy. Then it lifted, and as I sat in the club parking lot, this . . . a moment as surprising and rewarding as Bellerive itself. Named after the last French commander in North America – Louis St. Ange De Bellerive – the country club was established in north St. Louis in 1897, several miles east of its current location, to which it relocated in 1960. Originally a nine-hole golf course, Bellerive did not just move, it “grew up” . . . fast. In 1965 it became the youngest course to host the US Open. By 2013 it had become the third club in history to host all four men’s major championships (the PGA Championship, the US Open, the US Senior Open, and the Senior PGA Championship).
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Wine country . . . romantic vistas seemingly made for proposals, weddings, and receptions. Chandler Hill Winery is located near Defiance, Missouri, at the beginning of the first “wine country” west of the Mississippi. It occupies the same land once owned by Joseph Chandler, a freed slave and neighbor of Daniel Boone’s family. Joseph Chandler died in 1952 at the age of 98. But his love of the land lives on at Chandler Hill, where the tasting room and winery are on the site of Joseph Chandler’s original cabin. The stones from the cabin’s foundation are part of the waterfall at the Chandler Hill entrance.
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Prom night at America’s Center. Here I am with a few of my favorite travel companions, delivering prom attendees to one of the many ball rooms hosting proms throughout downtown St. Louis. This location happens to have a 28,000 square foot ballroom. I hope everyone was able to find one another in there.
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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 . . .

SPORTS NEWS: It turns out that green does not completely dominate spring. Blue prevailed this week in the NHL playoffs – round two – between the St. Louis Blues and the (very green) Dallas Stars.

In case you haven’t heard, Bellerive Country Club is scheduled to host another very big event – one of the biggest in golf history: the 100th anniversary PGA Championship. It is coming in 2018, so anyone with hope of participating still has some time to sharpen those skills.

ART NEWS: Boarding after the wedding reception at Bellerive, a passenger spoke of what he called “the best Neiman” he’d ever seen. The work of art he was lauding featured Tom Watson, Gary Player, Hale Irwin, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer. Having made several deliveries to Bellerive, I can tell you the inside scoop on this one: It’s not a Neiman. But it’s worth a visit to check it out.

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about places you’ll want to visit.)

Spring time is also the preferred time of year for elementary school field trips to Springfield, Illinois to visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Next time you’re in Springfield, you’ll want to stop by Charlie Parker’s. It doesn’t look like much on the outside, but that’s part of the gig. Inside, this legendary diner (one of the most popular eateries featured on the show, Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives) thrives on living up to its many awards and published accolades.
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Quote Of The Day samples

“When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” ― From: When Harry Met Sally

“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” ― Walt Disney

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MotorCoach Blog 18

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I am a motorcoach…

. . . Two Six Eight reporting from Chicago, but not so much on Chicago. This adventure was about music. But before we get to that, a word or two about time. I heard a passenger say, quite pleased, “Oh good, we picked up time.” Later, equally pleased, a different passenger looked up from studying a handheld GPS and said, “Great, we dropped some time.” Curiously, both meant precisely the same thing by their statements: we were making good time. Whether “making,” “picking up” or “dropping,” or “being on” time, one must be engaged in some form of travel. The sedentary can kill time or waste time, but not do anything measurable or meaningful with it. For that you must be a traveler. It’s another reason why I love being a servant of travelers: like me, they place a high value on time. I only have so much time before new motorcoach models come out pushing to render me obsolete, or new technologies make roads (as we know them) obsolete. I’m not for sitting around in the garage. Get me out with the travelers, where the action is, where time is of the essence.

Until next time . . . happy travels.

Selfies

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

Here I am in Chicago. Ok, ju-u- u-u-ust kidding. This vintage pic represents what I expected but not the actual experience. Somehow I made it in and out of Chicago without seeing a single taxi, without waiting in traffic or encountering congested streets, and without seeing a tall building (due to overcast conditions). I’m certain it will never happen again.
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This is the closest I came to anything I would expect of a visit to The Windy City, which could also be coined the city of perpetual construction.
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Here was the focus of our trip – yes, this seemingly ordinary building. By Chicago standards its appearance is especially ordinary, perhaps even non-descript. But at closer study you will see it is anything but ordinary. Back to our subject of time: see those lines above the windows bearing my fashionable image? A musical time motif – a clue to the extraordinary activities going on inside. “Wait,” you might object, “there should be five lines.” Well, genius is often owed to what is missing, measured silence, what is not stated but implied, that which suggests and awaits creation. This building, by the way, is where Lowrey organs are designed, fashioned, and shipped out to world-wide destinations.
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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 . . .

NEWS OF COMMUNITY: My passengers were a tight knit group brought together by music . . . specifically keyboards . . . more specifically, those found at Lacefield Music stores in Metro St. Louis.
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TECHNOLOGY IN THE NEWS: Even more specifically, the Lacefield keyboards that brought them together are integrated into the design of Lowrey organs. Yikes! And I thought my control panel was sophisticated. According to the glowing reports of my passengers, Lowrey organs – and the Lowrey Virtual Orchestra – are the result of relentless pioneering of the most advanced sound generation technologies from the 1920s to present.
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MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about places you’ll want to visit.)

When passengers disembark and head out on their adventures, I never know what treasures of discovery they will return with. These submissions are in the form of video. So, take a little time and enjoy the music!

I have never heard a more fitting last name than that belonging to world renowned organist, DyAnne Awe. Watch this video clip of her performing her own composition of the music from Fiddler on the Roof and you’ll know what I mean. (7:55)

Refer back to what I said above about genius owed to what is missing and you’ll have a fine introduction to the fellow featured in this video. His name is Bil . . . Bil Curry. Bil is a music producer, the creative genius behind all musical content programmed into Lowrey organs. And: amazing! (6:41)

Quote Of The Day samples

“If you can’t do great things, do small things in a great way.” ― Napoleon Hill

“There are three kinds of ballplayers: those who make things happen, those who watch what happens, and those who wonder what happened.” ― Tommy Lasorda.

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MotorCoach Blog 17

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I am a motorcoach…

. . . getting folks around, seeing cool stuff, collecting experiences and discoveries, and of course, sharing them with you.

Selfies

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

It’s been awhile since I last presumed upon you to indulge my vain amusement with “logo-rubbing” selfies. So, having collected several new ones, here goes:

With baseball season underway and my home garage near the epicenter of Cardinal Nation, I’ll start off with this dashing pose with the St. Louis Cardinals’ “birds on the bat.” In 2012 an ESPN reader survey ranked the Cardinal logo the third most iconic logo in all sports, and #1 in baseball. (Only once in Cardinal history did the team uniform lack the birds on the bat: 1956. The following year the logo was back and the GM who’d suggested getting rid of it was gone.)
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Here at the home plate gate at Busch Stadium you can see the evolution of the logo. Zooming in, you can see a version of the logo from the 1920s is depicted on vertical banners displaying the years in which the Cardinals won their NINETEEN National League pennants and ELEVEN World Series titles. The green awnings display the current logo, a refined and more literal depiction of a proud cardinal on a baseball bat.
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Synonymous with “Opening Day” in St. Louis is the march around the stadium by another team – a team of Clydesdales representing my proud profession: coaches (OK, so they call theirs a beer wagon . . . technically, it’s a coach). Here I am with the Clydesdale logo at Warm Springs Ranch where the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales are bred.
clydesdaleLogo

There’s no better way to score a bunch of great logo-rubbing selfies than to share a parking lot with semis hauling racing teams – in this case, Supercross racing. Rock Star, Suzuki, Dunlop, Husqvarna, and Honda are currently some of the most recognizable pop-culture emblems. Lawn and farm equipment, cars and trucks, motorcycles, tires, sports equipment, energy drinks, and nearly every field of racing are dressed in these logos. Oh, and check out the photo with one of my favorites: the Honda wing logo (last refined in 1988, its beginnings date back to 1947). We got photo-bombed by a lizard! (A gecko actually)
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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 . . .

NEWS OF THE ELITE: No, not all Clydesdales are created equal. To qualify for the Budweiser hitch, here are the requirements at minimum: must be geldings at least four years old, 18 hands (6′) high, have a bay coat, four white stockings, a black mane, a white blaze on the face, a black tail, and weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds.
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A NEWBORN IN THE NEWS: My passengers were treated to a special introduction: Fargo was recently born to Prospect (Sire) and Faith (Dam).
MCBlog pic - horse newborn

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about places you’ll want to visit.)

If you are at all into horses, or if you have any affinity for touring world-class environs, Warm Springs Ranch in Booneville, Missouri needs to be on your must-visit list. Three hundred acres of horse heaven that will bring out the romantic in you . . . this is what it is to be king of equines.
WarmSpringsRanch

Quote Of The Day samples

“Character is easier kept than recovered.” ― Thomas Paine

“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” ― Thomas Jefferson.

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MotorCoach Blog 16

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I am a motorcoach…

. . . reporting on travel, a bit of education from the road. Travel is a big subject. News travels. History travels, onward, accumulating, not singular and static in the rearview mirror as its initial impression often appears. Of course, by the time news is noted it is history. From there it is carried by travelers, voices moving by various modes across generational and geographic boundaries. On this particular journey my passengers are on a mission to gather the news, give it fresh voice, and effectively utilize history in their current work at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). I, by way of Interstate 44, am the mode of transport. We set out from the NGA – located at the St. Louis Arsenal complex established along the Mississippi River in the early 1800s – and traveled west to Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield near Springfield, Missouri. There they study and discuss the various determinative influences on a pivotal battlefield scenario in the early stages of the Civil War. I will pass on to you a few of the things I learned listening to my passengers.

Selfies

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

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There were eleven families (with nearly 60 children) living in the Wilson’s Creek area when the path of war suddenly and dramatically changed their lives, exploding upon their agrarian bliss on the morning of August 10, 1861. Miles of six foot tall fences, built to keep animals out of their corn fields, were no deterrent to military expedience. Twelve thousand Southern troops had arrived and nearly six thousand Federal troops were on their way, hoping for success in a surprise attack.
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One house remains dating back to the time of the Battle of Wilson’s Creek: the home of the Ray family. At 6:30 on the morning of the battle, John Ray could see from his front porch the beginning of the Union attack in his nearby corn field (the fence-lined hill in the distance).
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When the Rays emerged from shelter after the battle ended, the scene was that of land trampled by man and beast, strewn with bodies of the same – like battle debris. But it was the sounds of agony from the dying that would cling to their memories for the rest of their days. Their home was transformed into an overrun field hospital as they feverishly tended to the injured. Countless trips were made by the Rays’ children to this spring house to fetch water. Passing through the horrific scenes, they climbed the hill to their house, some three hundred yards away to deliver water for the soldiers to drink and for the surgeons to use in cleaning wounds and instruments.
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Today, Wilson’s Creek is an eerie reminder of the indiscriminate occasion of war – as picturesque as it was days before the Civil War made its way to Missouri.
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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 . . .

NEWS IN THE TOPOGRAPHY: Why a significant battle in a secluded, little-known location like Wilson’s Creek? Stagecoaches – my predecessors – ran along Wire Road connecting Springfield, Missouri and Fort Smith, Arkansas. The road got its name from the telegraph wire strung beside it. Twelve thousand southern troops led by Generals Sterling Price and Ben McCulloch were camped throughout a 1,700 acre area where Wire Road crossed Wilson’s Creek. The creek supplied fresh water for the large army, the road and the wire were important for communication and movement of supplies, and the surrounding land was full of cattle and crops (albeit, those belonging to the families living in the area), enough to feed the sizeable army during a brief encampment.
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NEWS OF WEATHER: Weather played a key role in the Battle of Wilson’s Creek in at least two ways. One: rain on the night of august 9 th forced the Confederate leaders to cancel their intended surprise attack on Federal forces due to gunpowder that was unprotected from the wet conditions. Thus they were stationary and unsuspecting when attacked. Near the end of the battle temperatures near 105 degrees made it hard to tell who was fighting who.

NEWS IN A NAME: Quiet and serene, time hushes distant sounds of battle on this peaceful landscape, challenging comprehension of connection to its gruesome name: “Bloody Hill.” But over the course of six hours more than 2,500 soldiers were killed or wounded in this place, many of them on this hill.
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NEWS OF HISTORICAL CONNECTION: Missouri was uncommitted, a slave state but without proclaimed Union or Confederate allegiance. Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon took it upon himself to change that. Prior to the Civil War Nathaniel Lyon had served as commander of the St. Louis Arsenal (present home of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency). His efforts to secure control of the St. Louis Arsenal and the rail line from St. Louis to Rolla gave his Union army logistical advantage, sound weapons, and an ongoing supply of munitions. His daring leadership cost him his life. It also got the attention of President Lincoln, highlighting the importance of greater federal support in Missouri, which ultimately proved decisive.

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about places you’ll want to visit.)

Next time you are near Springfield Missouri, make a visit to the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield. The experience will reward you.
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Quote Of The Day samples

“I forgot that little action of the common day makes or unmakes character, and therefore what one has done in the secret chamber one has someday to cry aloud on the housetops.” ― Oscar Wilde

“What we obtain too cheap we esteem too lightly; dearness alone gives something its value.” ― Thomas Paine

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MotorCoach Blog 15

Posted on    by

I am a motorcoach…

. . . continuing on “pilgrimage,” which shares similarities with the popular concept, “bucket list.” Observation of passengers informs me that people tend toward spectacular investment in something. And such somethings generally have famous places and/or events beckoning devotees. For example: romance with flight and candy-colored skies draws tens of thousands of onlookers to the Albuquerque Balloon Festival every year, to which I contribute several dozen awed participants.
MCblog Alb Baloon rc

Selfies

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

Did you know there are people all over the world who take daffodils very seriously? They were in St. Louis for the biannual World Daffodil Convention (two years ago it was in New Zealand). I welcomed aboard foreigners from Australia, New Zealand, England, Ireland, and Chile; and from the U.S.: California, New York, Georgia, and Virginia. Then I delivered them to fields of daffodils only a handful of people know exist. There are more than 2,500 varieties of daffodils on this property (all in rows and each kind labeled).
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Opening Day at Busch Stadium―to some, baseball mecca―inspires “Cardinal Nation” to flock together in ever increasing numbers, some traveling great distances to be a part of the festivities.
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You know that moment at a wedding when the doors swing open and the bride appears? Well, I participated in my first wedding this past week and my door was THE door. Momentous, I would say. I was chosen to be a part of the ceremony joining pilgrimage partners!
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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 . . .

NEWS Of DAFFODILS: Here are some things someone should have told you about daffodils, but probably no one did. There are 13 divisions of daffodils; their distinctive characteristics are based on color patterns, depth of cup (or corona), and length of petals. Daffodils are officially registered with the Royal horticulture society in the UK; and there are more than 36,000 registered varieties.
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NEWS OF SKILLS: I parallel parked my 45 ft. self into a 48 ft. space (four inches from the curb front to back) with rush-hour traffic whizzing by! (No, nothing to do with pilgrimage, but I wanted to tell someone).

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about places you’ll want to visit.)

Two attractions to which nature lovers from all over the world are compelled to pay a visit: Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park, and Bryce Canyon.
MCblog pic - Old faithful

MCblog pic - Brice C

Quote Of The Day samples

“Why not go out on a limb? That’s where the fruit is.” ― Mark Twain

“By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.” ― Benjamin Franklin

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