A PRESIDENT & ANTIQUES

My next to the last day on the road starts in Iowa City, the home of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes.  The Carver-Hawkeye Arena is just down the street from my motel and I make the short trip down for some quick photos before heading west to West Branch.

Just 10-miles east of Iowa City is the small town of West Branch, Iowa. It was here that our 31st President, Herbert Clark Hoover was born on August 10, 1874. Upon arriving I discovered that the Museum was in the process of changing out the temporary exhibits and the only gallery that was open was the Hoover Gallery.  This gallery details the life of President Hoover from the time that he was born here, through the his aide and relief work in Europe and Belgium during World War I and his tenure as Secretary of Commerce. Hoover was President during the great stock market crash of 1929 which lead to his defeat during his re-election bid in 1932.  Following his re-election defeat in President Hoover retired to a suite at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York where he lived for the rest of his life.

President Hoover died in his Waldorf-Astoria Suite on October 20, 1964, some 31-years, 7-months and 16-days after leaving office.  Hoover was honored with a state funeral, the last of three such funerals in a span of 12-months. The death of President Hoover came less than a year after the death of President Kennedy and General Douglas MacArthur. All three state funeral were orchestrated by Major General Philip Wehle and the riderless horse was Black Jack who also served in that role during the state funeral of President Lyndon Johnson.

Following the state funeral in Washington, the body of President Hoover was returned to the tiny community of West Branch where he was buried next to his wife Lou Henry Hoover who had died in 1944.

After spending about 2-hours in West Branch it was time to head east toward the Mississippi River.  But before crossing the River I wanted to make one final stop in the Mississippi River Town of Le Claire, Iowa. 

Le Claire is the home to Antique Archeology the setting for the American Picker's TV show that features Mike Wolfe, and Frank Fritz.  The two rusty gold pickers are assisted by Danielle Colby-Cushman. So being a fan of the show I decided to stop by the Antique Archeology shop on the outside chance that any of the stars of the show were on site.

Looking around the cluttered shop I recognized a number of item that I saw them pick on the shows including the Laurel and Hardy heads and the Eastside Cycle Club sign that was actually picked in Virginia.

My gamble didn't pay off as neither Mike, Frank or Danielle was there. The people working in the shop told me and a couple of other visitors that the three wouldn't be back in the shop until after the first of April and that shooting new shows would begin some time this spring.

After snapping a few photos, It was time to hit the road and get some miles behind me. My nights lodging was in Indianapolis and I was still more than four and a half hours away.

There a was not much to see in central Illinois as I made my way east on I-74. I will say that Illinois must be leading the nation in wind energy. As I traveled along I-74 I past no less than four large wind farms. The tall giant wind turbines off on both sides of the interstate, spinning in the wind, and generating electric power.

As I crossed from Illinois into Indiana I also moved from the Central Time Zone back to the Eastern Time Zone.  About an hour and a half later I arrived back at the Comfort Inn - Pyramids north of Downtown Indianapolis. This is my second visit to this Comfort Inn as I stayed here for two night last week on the way to Kansas City.

Tonight will be my last night on the road, as tomorrow I will make the final 480 mile push home.  When all is said and done I will have put more than 2,600 miles on my little Honda, but more importantly had a great vacation.

THE DUKE & RAPID ROBERT

Well as strange as it may sound, I decided to head North out of Kansas City because the weather to the South and East was horrible.  Snow to the East around St. Louis was piled up worse than it was here in Kansas City. To the south toward Little Rock and  Memphis its severe storms and tornados. So I resorted back to my original plan and head North toward Iowa.

I must say that the road crews out here seem to do a much better job of clearing the roads than they do back east. As I head north on I-35 and cross the Missouri River I find that the road is for the most part clear and dry.  There's not much to see north of Kansas City and I make good time crossing into Iowa a couple of hours later.

The only stop I had planned to make was in Des Moines, but a few miles south of Interstate 80 I see a sign for the town of Winterset.  There are two things about Winterset that peaked my interest. First it is known for the movie "The Bridge of Madison County," and second it is the birthplace of John Wayne. 

So I said to heck with a schedule and turned off of the Interstate and headed out St. Charles Road for the 14-mile trip to Winterset. On the way out I see a couple of signs directing me to the covered bridges, but these little secondary roads have not been plowed yet and with 4 or 5 inches of snow on them I decided not to chance it in my little Honda. 

So I continued on to Winterset and had no problem finding the birthplace of Winterset's most noted citizen.

John Wayne -American

In a small house on 2nd Street, Marion Robert Morrison was born on May 26, 1907. When he was 4-years old he and his family moved to Los Angeles, California. Working around the movie industry Morrison changed his name to John Wayne and landed his first leading role in a 1930 film called "The Big Trail." His big break came when John Ford cast him in "Stagecoach" in 1939.  John Wayne would go on to stare in more than 140 motion pictures, most of them westerns.

Among his best know westerns are "The Undefeated" "Rio Brovo", "Big Jake" and "True Grit" for which he won an Academy Award for his role as Marshall Rooster Cogburn.

Just down the block from the birthplace stands a larger than life statue of "The Duke." The inscription on the base of the statues simply says - "John Wayne - American."  Enough Said.

After leaving Winterset it was just a shot 10-miles drive back to Interstate 80.  Just a short distance out I-80 is the small town of Van Meter, Iowa which was the birthplace of Baseball Hall of Famer, Bob Feller. 

Bob Feller Museum

Bob Feller was one of the greatest pitchers of all time. Known for his blazing fast ball, he gained the Nickname of "Rapid Robert."  Back in the early 1980's I had the opportunity of Umpiring the Old Timers Game for the Salem Redbirds. The special guest for the game was Bob Feller.  Just being on the field with a Hall of Famer was a thrill, but to be able to visit with him after the game was an even greater thrill.  What a gentleman he was, taking the time to sign every autograph and to make everyone feel like they were special.  Player of today could learn a lot from the greats of yesteryear.

The Bob Feller Museum was closed on Monday's, how I would have like to have  been able to tour it but I have a reason to return. If I do return it won't be on a Monday.



Iowa Statehouse

From Van Meter it was on to Iowa's Capital City, Des Moines.  The Parking Gods that had been so good to me this entire trip were nowhere to be found in Downtown Des Moines. So I had to double park a couple of times just to get a few pictures of the Iowa Statehouse. 

From Downtown Des Moines it was back to Interstate 80 for the 100-mile trek east to Iowa City where I am spending the Night. Tomorrow it will be stop at the Herbert Hoover Library and then I will get a bunch of miles and hopefully spend my last night on the road in Indianapolis.

SPRINT CENTER BASKETBALL - A FEW OBSERVATIONS

With the conclusion of basketball at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, my basketball season also comes to an end.  Here is a few observations about my visit and the games.

First, this was the first time in all of the years that I have been attending the Tournament that I didn't have a blowout. All 6-games were relatively close and went down to the wire. I enjoyed seeing LaSalle win two games and advance to the Sweet 16.

As expected the Carolina - Kansas Game was sold out and the pro Kansas Crowd made the Sprint Center one of the loudest venues that I have ever been to.  While the first half of the game was some of the worst basketball that I had seen all season, the atmosphere created by these two blue blood programs was great.

As hard as I tried, I could not bring myself to pull for either Carolina, or Kansas. Both of their fan bases are annoying and tend to whine and cry when thing are not going their way.  Neither team played well during the first half, but the fans wanted to blame the sloppy play on the referee's.

I got to meet Ole Miss Coach Andy Kennedy and was impressed with him. He was friendly and very kind in talking to me about Wake Forest.  But as much as I wanted to pull for him and the Ole Miss Rebels, I couldn't pull against the underdog LaSalle.  Plus Ole Miss has Marshall Henderson, who may have some talent, his antics on the court are despicable.  After LaSalle defeated the Rebels on Sunday Henderson sent the water bottles flying down the tunnel and a couple of them came close to going into the crowd.  That couple with the double finger he gave to the fans show that this young man it totally classless.  Even Coach Kennedy said earlier in the Week that "Marshall is a train wreck waiting to happen."  Basically Marshall Henderson is the picture of "White Trash."

Finally, a few words about the Sprint Center.  While I enjoy the games, the venue has some glaring problems.  First I have been to 15-different NCAA Venues and the Sprint Center has the worst security operation of any Venue.  It was ill equipped to handle the short turn around between the afternoon and evening sessions.

Once the doors opened for the evening session it took me almost 50-minutes to make it into the arena. Standing in the cold for close to an hour and almost missing the opening tip of the first game of the evening session made for some pissed off fans, me included. 

Also the Sprint Center has a policy of no camera's with detachable lenses. I understand the policy and respect it. However if they are going to have this policy it needs to be enforce completely.  During Fridays games I counted no less than 6 camera's with detachable lenses in and adjacent to my section. When I attempted to bring my camera in on Sunday, I was stopped and made to return it to the car. Once again I saw at lease 4 detachable lens cameras in or near my section. Once again if they are going to have a policy then they need to enforce it across the board.

Once inside the arena I enjoy the games and the event staff. The ushers and concession workers were friendly and polite and made for an enjoyable experience. But because of the security delays, and the haphazard enforcement of the Camera Policy I probably won't return to events at the Sprint Center.

Well it's time to head home, the snow storm that passed through Kansas City is now bring snow to the folks back in Virginia. So I will let it clear out before ending this edition of my Basketball Vacation.

IN SEARCH OF JESSE JAMES

After the first day of the on Friday, I decided to hang close to the Motel as everyone was keeping on the Weather. The weather was forecast to turn horrible later on Saturday with as much as 8-10 inches of snow beginning around sundown. Being a Saturday it is a little easier getting around the Kansas City area as for the most part you don't have to deal with rush hour.

Leaving the motel it was really cold and overcast, but the snow and rain was not scheduled to begin until late afternoon or early evening.  I decided to take a 30-mile jaunt up to Kearney and retrace the Steps of two of the old wests most noted outlaws, Frank and Jesse James. 

The James Farm is located on the east side of Kearney and is the where Jesse James was born on September 5, 1847.  Jesse's father was a Baptist preacher who died while preaching in California.

Jesse James Birthplace

 By the time Jesse was eight, his mother had remarried twice more. From her third marriage, to Dr. Reuben Samuels, Jesse gained two stepbrothers and two stepsisters. When but fifteen, he followed his brother Frank into the civil war. Frank rode with Captain William C. Quantrill while Jesse spent his time riding with "Bloody Bill" Anderson. After the war ended, he attempted to surrender at Lexington, Missouri and gain amnesty along with his  Frank and Cole Younger but a gun battle ensured. The remnants of the "Raiders" were forced to hide out in the woods. With no means of livelihood, the James-Younger gang came into being. For the next fifteen years they robbed banks and when security made that difficult, they turned to stagecoaches and trains. After the failed disastrous attempt to rob the bank in Northfield, Minnesota, many of the gang member were wounded and captured, However, Jesse slipped away and lived quietly in St. Joseph Missouri under an assumed name. Two of his gang members Charlie and Bob Ford were tempted by a reward for his capture dead or alive. They went to his house and while his back was turned, Bob Ford shot him one time in the back of the head. Jesse's mother had him buried in the front yard of the James Farm with an imposing monument with a inscription condemning the assassin.

Jesse James Original Gravesite

The house in St Joseph where Jesse met his death is preserved as a museum.  There you can see the bullet hole made as it passed thought the skull of Jesse. During my trip to St. Joseph's I was disappointed to find that the House was closed.

Jesse James farm home today remains relatively secluded in the countryside near the small town of Kearney. After Zerelda's third and very successful marriage to her neighbor a country doctor, the two farms became one and was very prosperous with several slaves doing most of the work. After the death of Jesse, a defiant mother sat on the front porch giving tours of the house and selling stones from the grave and supposed pistols owned by her famous son. It was here Union soldiers harassed the family known as confederate sympathizers and attacked Zerelda and tried to hang her third husband. The incident defined young Jessie's determination to join the Confederate army. It was here at the farm that Pinkerton detectives threw an incendiary bomb into the residence killing his a younger step brother Archie Samuels, and maiming Zerelda. After her death and Jesse's wife, his body was moved from the farm to the family plot in Mount Olivet Cemetery Kearney and interred beside her.

Jesse James Grave

Frank James in his old age kept up the tours by charging 50 cents until his death. Clay County purchased the rundown property and after two restorations, 75 percent of the original material remains. It contains original furnishings.
 
One of the most notorious bank robberies pulled by the James-Younger Games was the failed robbery of the First National Bank of Northfield, Minnesota robbery. On September 7, 1876 the gang enter the town, and alert citizens became suspicious and opened fire.  Outlaws Clell Miller, Bill Chadwell along with cashier Joe Heywood and citizen Nicholas Gustavson were killed. Frank and Jesse along with Charlie Pitts, Cole, Jim and Bob Younger were wounded. 

The Body of Clell Miller was photographed and place and display before being buried in the City Cemetery.  Later Miller's father claimed the body and had the remains reburied in the Muddy Fork Cemetery near Kearney.

The beauty of having a smart phone is that I can find just about anything including the Muddy Fork Cemetery.  Seeing that it was just a short distance from Mount Olivet I ventured north and was able to quickly locate the grave of Clell Miller.

A few snow flakes had started to fall so I decided to head back toward Kansas City. It was mid-afternoon when I arrived by in the Kansas City area. With only a few flurries in the air I decided to visit the Negro League Baseball Museum near 18th and Vine. 

The Kansas City Monarchs were on of the most successful Negro League Teams and was a charter member of the Negro National League. Some of the greatest baseball players of all time played in the Negro Leagues, including Josh Gibson, Leroy "Satchel" Paige, "Cool Papa" Bell, and Buck, O'Neil.

In fact it was Buck O'Neil who was a leading force in establishing the Negro League Museum here in Kansas City.  The museum is a great tribute to the greats who played baseball during a very difficult era.

While I enjoyed the museum and spent close to 2-hours watching the videos and taking in the artifacts, however all of the employees that I encountered during my visit was inattentive and just plain rude.  The lady at the gift shop was too busy with a person cell phone call to even acknowledge the visitors in front of me who were wanting to purchase souvenirs. The staff here at the museum were the most unprofessional group of people that I have ever seen. 

After finishing my visit to the Negro League Museum, it was getting close to dinner time so just around the corner is the original Arthur Bryant's BBQ. I had the pulled pork sandwich with fries and Slaw, and while it was good I actually preferred Gates BBQ.  The Arthur Bryant's sauce was a little bitter and for the lack of a better word, gritty. I can say that I have had both of Kansas City's famed BBQ's and for my money Gate's wins hands down.

By the time that I finished dinner the snow was coming down harder so I headed back to the Motel to hunker down for the night.

MARCH MADNESS IN KC.

Well I have made it to downtown Kansas City and I'm all parked at the Sprint Center. Like most downtown arenas parking is horrible but I managed to find a spot just a block north of the Sprint Center for 30 dollars all day. The weather here in Kansas City is absolutely horrible when I left the motel this morning it was sleeting and now I like snow is falling in downtown the weather forecast is not any better as they are calling for 6 to 10 inches of snow on Sunday found out yesterday that I will not be allowed to take my camera into the Sprint Center so the only photos and I will be taking will be with the cellphone camera
As I was walking around downtown Kansas City a few minutes ago I happen to run into University of North Carolina head coach Roy Williams add his coaching staff I even managed to get a Go Deacs from Coach Holladay.

First game in the Books and the Rebels
Of Ole Miss sent the Wisconsin Badgers Packing. My seats were located near the Wisconsin Section and I was fortunate enough to meet two time U.S. Open Champion Andy North and Coach Barry Alvarez.

Game 2 is at the Half and LaSalle has popped K-State in the mouth. The purple haze from the little apple is stunned.

Well they have cleared the arena between the afternoon session in the evening session. The afternoon session Saw Mississippi send and Wisconsin packing and the Explorers of LaSalle defeated the Wildcat of Kansas State.

So the first game on Sunday will feature The Rebels and the Explorers. Tonights first game will match the Villa OCA Wildcats against the University of North Carolina Tarheels.

The second game tonight will feature the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky Against the Jayhawks of Kansas.

KANSAS CITY HERE I AM

he cold weather that has had a grip on the Midwest the past few days continued as I left St. Louis and headed to Kansas City. It was 18 degrees and sunny when I left St. Louis and the talk around the motel was that it was snowing in Kansas City.  Wanting to avoid downtown rush hour traffic I decided to head north on I-55 and go around the north side of St. Louis on I-270. 

Just a few miles west of I-55 is a decommissioned section of Route 66 that leads up to the old Chain of Rocks Bridge. The Chain of Rocks Bridge carried Mother Road travelers across the Mississippi River and was unique because about half way across there was a 20 degree bend to accommodate shipping traffic.  The Old Bridge has long since been replaced by the New I-270 bridge and is today open only to pedestrian and bike traffic.

I parked in the parking area on the Illinois side of the bridge and walked out to the state line at the center of the bridge. Just past the state line on the Missouri side is where the Bridge takes it sharp Right turn. It was freezing cold and I had seen enough so after a few photos, I headed back to the car.

Once back at the car, it was time to head west to Kansas City. I really like my little WAZE app on my phone.  As I was heading out I-270 toward I-70, WAZE popped up and rerouted me around a significant construction backup and sent me down the Missouri 370 expressway where I hooked up with I-70 and headed west.

A couple of hours later I passed through Columbia and stopped at the Midway Truckstop, which was featured on the Travel Channel a couple of years back.  This is one place that didn’t live up to the hype. In short this place is a dive, old grungy and borderline dirty. But I can say I have been here, I just won’t be back.

The only side trip I took today was up to Richmond, Missouri where I first stopped at the Pioneer Cemetery. Before moving west the Mormons were centered in this area and a number of prominent members of the Early Mormon Church are buried here.  But the one grave that brought me here was that of William T. “Bloody Bill” Anderson.  Bloody Bill was a Missouri Guerilla during the Civil War and served with William Clarke Quantrill. Anderson was killed by Union Soldiers on October 26, 1864. Union soldiers identified Anderson by a letter found in his pocket and paraded his body through the streets of Richmond, Missouri. The corpse was photographed and displayed at a local courthouse for public viewing, along with Anderson's possessions.^] Union soldiers claimed that Anderson was found with a string that had 53 knots, symbolizing each person he had killed. Union soldiers buried Anderson's body in a field near Richmond in a fairly well-built coffin. Some of them cut off one of his fingers to steal a ring. Flowers were placed at his grave, to the chagrin of Union soldiers. In 1908, Cole Younger, a former guerrilla who served under Quantrill, reburied Anderson's body, and in 1967, a memorial stone was placed at the grave.

 

About a mile away in the Richmond City Cemetery rests the remains of Bob Ford.  On April 3, 1882, after eating breakfast, the Fords and James went into the living room in preparation for the trip to Platte City. James had just learned of gang member Dick Liddil's confession for participating in Hite's murder while reading the daily newspaper, and grew increasingly suspicious of the Fords for never reporting this matter to him. According to Robert Ford, it became clear to him that James had realized they were there to betray him. However, instead of scolding the Fords, James walked across the living room to lay his revolvers on a sofa. He then turned around and noticed a dusty picture above the mantle, and stood on a chair in order to clean it. Robert Ford then drew his weapon, and shot the unarmed Jesse James in the back of the head.  James' wife Zerelda ran into the room and screamed, "You've killed him." Robert Ford's immediate response was "I swear to God I didn't."

After the assassination, the Fords wired Crittenden to claim their reward. They surrendered themselves to legal authorities, but they were dismayed to find that they were charged with first degree murder. In one day, the Ford brothers were indicted, pled guilty, and were sentenced to death by hanging, but two hours later, Crittenden granted them a full pardon. Despite the deal that was made with Crittenden, the Ford brothers received only $500, a fraction of the money they were originally promised

For a time, Bob Ford earned money by posing for photographs as "the man who killed Jesse James" He also appeared on stage with his brother Charles, reenacting the murder in a touring stage show, but his performance was not well received. The way he had killed James—while his back was turned and he was unarmed—earned Ford much enmity from the residents of the various towns where they performed.

Charles, terminally ill with tuberculosis and addicted to morphine, committed suicide on May 4, 1884. Soon afterward, Bob Ford and Dick Liddil relocated to Las Vegas, New Mexico, where they opened a saloon By early 1885, Bob Ford had become a Las Vegas city policeman. According to legend, Ford, the owner of a saloon, had a shooting contest with Jose Chavez y Chavez, a comrade-in-arms of Billy the Kid during the Lincoln County War. Ford lost the contest and left town.
On December 26, 1889, Ford survived an assassination attempt in Kansas City, Kansas when an assailant tried to slit his throat.

Within a few years, Robert Ford had settled in Colorado, where he opened a saloon-gambling house in Walsenberr. When silver was found in Creede, Ford closed his saloon and opened one there.
On the eve of Easter 1892, Ford and gunman Joe Palmer, a member of the Soapy Smith gang, were drinking in the local saloons and proceeded to shoot out windows and street lamps along Creede's Main Street. With the help of friends and business partners of Smith, they were soon allowed to return. Ford purchased a lot and on May 29, 1892, opened Ford's Exchange, said to have been a dance hall. Six days later, the entire business district, including Ford's Exchange, burned to the ground in a major fire. Ford opened a tent saloon until he could rebuild.
 
June 8, 1892, Edward O’Kelley  entered Ford's tent saloon with a shotgun. According to witnesses, Ford's back was turned. O'Kelley said, "Hello, Bob." As Ford turned to see who it was, O'Kelley fired both barrels, killing Ford instantly. O'Kelley hence became "the man who killed the man who killed Jesse James." O'Kelley's sentence was commuted because of a medical condition, and he was released on October 3, 1902. O'Kelley was subsequently killed on January 13, 1904 while trying to shoot a policeman.

Ford was buried in Creede, Colorado but later was exhumed and reburied here in Richmond.
From Richmond it was just a short 45-minute trek down to the Comfort Suites in Independence, Missouri. This will be my home for the Next four night. Tomorrow it will be off to the Sprint Center for a full day of Basketball

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S

I spent the night at the Comfort Inn in Cahokia, Illinois just about 5-miles southeast of downtown St. Louis. This was the second time I have stayed at this motel, the fist time was back in 2010 when I was on the way to the Tournament in Oklahoma City.  When traveling, I only have three requirements for a Motel, it has to be clean, I get a good rate and the WiFi has to work. Everything else is bonus.  This hotel served my purpose very well back them and it is serving my purpose on this trip too.

The weather for this weekend is not looking good to say the least.  Right now it looks like Kansas City will be getting 3-5 inches of snow on Sunday.  I will be staying in Independence, which is about 15-miles east of downtown I have made arrangements with the motel to stay an extra day if necessary.  Be a Choice Preferred Guest has it perks.

I got into St. Louis early this morning and had Breakfast at Tiffany's, a little greasy spoon that was recommended by a friend of mine from Wake Forest. Tiffany's wouldn't have been my choice had I just been driving by but Kevin recommended it so I gave it a try and I am glad I did.  I ordered the "Slinger", Three eggs, Sausage smothered in Chili. Yep,  it set me back $5.78. It was good and I left full.

After Breakfast I headed down to the Gateway Arch and evidently this is the week for school field trips. When I was pulling into the parking garage there were probably 20-school buses and 6 charter buses parked and there were Kids everywhere. It took me about 35-minutes to get through security and into the Arch Visitors Center. After checking the tram schedule and seeing that these school had pre-purchased their tram tickets I decided to forgo the tram ride to the top of the arch. The next ticket available was 3-Hours and 45 minutes away. I went to top on my first visit back in 2010 and didn't really see the need to wait close to 4-hours to do it again.  So I just took a quick tour of the Museum and headed back out to check out downtown St. Louis.

It was really cold this morning and that cold was compounded by a 15-mph wind, but I was prepared, and dressed for the occasion. My first stop was at the Old Courthouse, which is located in the shadow of the Arch. This building was the site of the Dred Scott Case in 1848-1850.  The original court room where the Dred Scott case heard not longer exists as the courthouse was renovated in the late 1800's to make it more structurally sound.

After walking around downtown for a while I decided to head to the car and warm up and head toward Historic Bellefontaine Cemetery where some of the more notable historic figures are buried, including Auggie Busch, William Sublet and General Sterling Price, no I am not talking about John Wayne's Cat in True Grit.

Having visited Bellefontaine Cemetery back in 2010 I made this a quick visit and headed back to the south side of town for an afternoon treat at Ted Drewes.

Ted Drewes has been a landmark on historic Route 66 since 1941. Specializing in frozen custard, Ted Drewes has been featured on both the Food Channel and the Travel Channel and once again it lived up to the hype.  I had a raspberry concrete custard (their version of a DQ Blizzard.) Yep. It was good.

From Ted Drewes it was back across the river to Cahokia for my last night in St. Louis. Tomorrow I head west for the first of Four night in Kansas City.Using my Choice Hotel Point my four night in Kansas City are free, Yes again loyalty has its perks.

THE LAND OF LINCOLN

When I got up this morning there was a strange orange ball in the eastern sky. It took me a few minutes but I finally remembered that this thing was called the sun and it had been pretty much a stranger for the last few days. When I checked out of the motel, I quickly found that this sun thing hadn't done much to warms things up as it was a crisp 24 degrees and a biting wind was blowing out of the west.  I was going to be a cold day to walk around Mr. Lincoln's home town.

It was a quick drive downtown and once again the parking gods smiled on me and I was able to park in a paid lot at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site.  One thing about Springfield, there is absolutely no such thing as free parking.  After looking at the visitors map, I decided to just pony up the $8.00 for 4-hours worth of parking and despite the biting cold walk to all of the downtown site which were within a 5-block radius.

My first stop was the Lincoln Home. I love it when I am lucky enough to get a ranger who talks too you rather than just reciting a script.  I was lucky today as the ranger was knowledgeable and his interaction with our group was outstanding.  One thing that I found strange about this National Park Service Site is that photos were not only allowed inside the house but encouraged.



Lincoln Home

This was the only house that President Lincoln ever owned. He an Mary Todd Lincoln bought the house in 1844 and live here until he left for Washington in 1861.  Lincoln's son Eddie died in this house in 1850 of tuberculosis.

The Lincolns left this house in 1861 and moved into The White House, never to return. Following the assassination, Mary Lincoln moved first to Chicago and later back to Springfield. While in Springfield she lived with he sister Elizabeth Edwards, just a couple of block from this home.  Despite the short distance, Mrs. Lincoln never set foot in the house after she left with the President in 1861.  Mary Todd Lincoln died at her sister home on July 16,1882 and is entombed with President Lincoln in Oak Ridge Cemetery.

As I toured the home, a number of original artifacts that belonged to the Lincoln's were pointed out by our Ranger.  During the tour he pointed out a number of times that the Lincoln Children, especially Willie and Tad were unruly and spoiled.  In today's terms they would be called brats. There antics around Springfield were notorious.

During Lincoln's day it was only a short 3-block walk to the Law Office that he shared with his partner Stephen Herndon.  Back in Lincoln's day the future President was a circuit lawyer. Traveling around the countryside trying cases in more than one dozen county courthouses.

OLD STATE HOUSE

The Lincoln-Herndon Law offices was located on what was then the "Capitol Square." It was in the old capitol that Lincoln gave his famous "House Divided" speech on June 17, 1858. When the assassinated presidents body was returned to Springfield in May 1865, President Lincoln lay in State in the Old House Chamber prior to burial at Oak Ridge Cemetery.

On thing that I did not realize was that the ill fated Donner Party departed from the old capitol square on April 15, 1846. Many of those in the party would perish several months later in the Sierra Nevada Mountain.

From the old capitol it is a 4-block walk to the current state house. Many people thinks that everything in Illinois revolves around Chicago, but the politics of Illinois is centered here in Springfield.


Illinois Capitol

Ground was first broken for the new capitol on March 11, 1869, and it was completed twenty years later for a total cost of $4,500,000. The capitol dome is covered in zinc to provide a Silvery  appearance which does not weather. The Governors office is located on the Second Floor. During my visit both houses of the legislature were in session which limited access to certain areas. There are statues to both Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas on the Capitol Grounds and in the rotunda.

My final stop in downtown Springfield was at the Abraham Lincoln President Library and Museum. This is one of the newer Presidential Museums, being dedicated in 2005.  I really enjoyed my visit largely because it is quite different from the other presidential Museums.  It is really more like a wax museum with a number of wax figures scattered throughout the build giving life like detail to the historical events. 

One of the exhibits takes place in the cabinet room of the White House. A number of Wax figures are seated or standing around a table. As visitors enter the cabinet room many (including me) are surprised when one of the figures turns out to be a real person who begins talking and setting the stage of the Emancipation Proclamation. The Lady in front of me about jumped out of her skin when the gentleman moved and began talking. I don't know what scared me more, him talking or her screaming.

The only place that you can take photos is at the entrance to the Museum. Once inside the exhibit area photo are prohibited.

My last stop in Springfield was at Oak Ridge Cemetery and the Lincoln Tomb. When President Lincoln was assassinated in April 1865, it was determined that his body should be returned to Springfield for Burial. On the morning of April 21, 1865 the coffin containing the remains of the President was place in the funeral car and the train left Washington. During the next 15-days, the train carrying the assassinated Presidents made stops in a number of cities, including Baltimore, New York, Buffalo, Cleveland, Indianapolis and Chicago.  During each stop there were scheduled public viewings and various funeral services. 

Lincoln's Tomb

The train carrying the body of President Lincoln finally arrived in Springfield on May 3, 1865. Upon arrival coffin was taken to the Old State Capitol Building where the President lay in state in the House Chamber from 10 a.m. until 10 a.m. on May 4, 1865.  Following a final funeral service, the body of the President was taken to Oak Ridge Cemetery arriving shortly after 1:00 p.m.  Following a committal service the 16th President was laid to rest.


But President Lincoln did not rest in peace. In 1876 associates of Irish crime boss James "Big Jim" Kennally hatched a plan to steal the Presidents Body and hold it for ransom but the plot was spoil as informants tipped off the secret service who arrested several of Kennally's associates. 

After the foiled theft, tomb custodian John Carroll Power was concerned at how close the amateurs had come to stealing the body, and worried what would happen if professional graverobbers made a similar attempt to steal Lincoln's body. Thus, Power and a select group of trusted confidants elected to hide Lincoln's coffin in the basement of the tomb, the location known only to them. Initially trying to dig a grave in the basement, they found that water seeped in wherever they dug, so they simply set the coffin on the ground and covered it with bits of lumber left over from the tomb's construction, disguising the coffin as a woodpile. Two years later, they managed to find a dry corner in another part of the tomb basement to bury the coffin under a few inches of dirt.


Lincoln's Tomb

On February 12, 1880, on what would have been Lincoln's 71st birthday, Power and his associates formed the "Lincoln Guard of Honor," to serve as the custodians of Lincoln's body, keeping the President's remains hidden. The only person outside of their inner circle who knew of their efforts was Lincoln's last surviving child, Robert Todd Lincoln. In July 1882, after Mary Todd Lincoln  died, Robert instructed the Guard of Honor to bury his mother's coffin wherever they kept his father's. They remained in the basement until 1887, when they were encased in a brick vault. To ensure Lincoln's remains were still there, the coffin was opened by the Guard of Honor, and saw that indeed it was Lincoln in the coffin.

The original tomb was in constant need of repair and deteriorated significantly due to construction on unsuitable soil. In 1900, a complete reconstruction of Lincoln's tomb was undertaken, and the Lincolns' remains were exhumed, before Lincoln was finally placed back in the white marble sarcophagus that Mullen and Hughes had opened so easily in 1876.  In April 25, 1901, upon completion of the reconstruction, Robert Todd Lincoln visited the tomb. He was unhappy with the disposition of his father's remains and decided that it was necessary to build a permanent crypt for his father. Lincoln's coffin would be placed in a steel cage 10 feet (3.0 m) deep and encased in concrete in the floor of the tomb. On September 26, 1901, Lincoln's body was exhumed so that it could be re-interred in the newly built crypt. However, those present (a total of 23 people) feared that his body might have been stolen in the intervening years, so they decided to open the coffin and check.

Those present during this final viewing said there was a was said that a harsh choking smell when the casket was opened. Lincoln was perfectly recognizable, even more than thirty years after his death. His face was a bronze color as a result of unhealed bruising from the gunshot wound, which shattered the bones in his face and damaged the tissue. His hair, beard and mole were all perfectly preserved although his eyebrows were gone. His suit was covered with a yellow mold and his gloves had rotted on his hands. On his chest, they could see some bits of red fabric — remnants of the American flag with which he was buried, which had by then disintegrated. It was theorized that Lincoln had been embalmed so many times on board his funeral train that he had been practically mummified.

Today the Lincoln's remains rest some 10-feet below the marble monument deep inside the memorial in Oak Ridge Cemetery.

It was late in the day when I departed Oak Ridge and headed south toward St. Louis.  South of Springfield I decided to leave Interstate 55 and hit the Mother Road - Route 66.  For the next 40 miles Route 66 runs adjacent to I-55.  Traveling the Mother Road is a test especially through some of the small town.  Route 66 was decommissioned many years ago and no longer carries that designation. But on the sections that I could find the road was rough and filled with pot holes. About 20 miles north of St. Louis I return to the Interstate and finish my journey to the Comfort Inn in Cahokia, Illinois.

I stayed at this same hotel in 2010 while on my way to Oklahoma City. During that visit provided a cheep and clean accommodation.  This time is no difference. I will be here for the next two night.  Going to Play around St. Louis tomorrow and then it is on to Kansas City on Thursday.

FAST CARS & CORN FIELDS

The weather hasn't been good in Indianapolis. Yesterday it was a little bit of everything, Sleet, Snow Flurries, Rain and yes it was COLD.  This morning when I got up there was a coating of Ice on my car, so I checked the weather and found that there were a number of accidents on the Interstates around where I was. The Traffic App on my phone showed a lot of yellow and red on the road, so I chilled at the Motel for a while to give the traffic and weather a chance to clear.

When I finally hit the road it was just a short 20-miles jaunt down to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Museum and Track Tour only cost $10.00, which I thought was really reasonable considering the legendary status of the Speedway.

The Famed Yard of Bricks

The Track Tour consisted of a lap around the track in a 15-passenger bus. There is only one stop at the start-finish line and you could not exit the bus.  They call the speedway "The Brickyard," because the speedway was once entirely paved in bricks. Today the only bricks left are the famous "yard of bricks" that make up the start-finish line.

Once I finished with the track tour, I headed inside to the IMS Museum. While it is a relatively small museum they have it packed with a number of vintage cars that document the history of speed.  While it is packed, it is not cluttered and all over the cars are well displayed. Probably my favorite was the first rocket car used by Craig Breedlove to set a number of speed land speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

I can remember back in the 60's, my dad and I ventured down to the old Cedar Hills Dragway in Cedar Bluff to see another of the rocket cars that was owned by Art Afons. I don't remember much about the day except the car was called "The Green Monster and it was really loud. One other thing I remember is that it wrecked on its first run and the driver was critically hurt.  If I remember right, the driver's legs were cut off just below the knees as a result of the wreck.

Despite the weather, I enjoyed my visit, but after a couple of hours it was time to leave and head west toward the Land of Lincoln.

After a quick lunch just west of Indianapolis, I crossed into Illinois a little while later.  There is not much to see in western Indiana and Illinois except Corn and Soy Bean Fields.  Thankfully the family farms are alive and going strong. The temperature has gotten up to about 38 as I neared Champaign-Urbana and it was still misting rain as I pulled up to Assembly Hall on the Campus of the University of Illinois.  The wind was blowing with made it seem colder. So I grabbed a few photos of bot Assemby Hall and Memorial Stadium.  Assembly Hall is a large white dome arena that looks like a flying saucer that has landed in the middle of an Illinois Corn Field.

It was too cold to tarry long so it was back to the Interstate and the 90-mile trek south to Springfield, where I am spending the night. Tomorrow I will spend the day here before heading south to St. Louis.

SELECTION SUNDAY MEANS INDIANAPOLIS

It's Selection Sunday and what better place to spend it than in Indianapolis, the city where the NCAA is headquartered. Later today I would find out who the 8-teams that will be joining me later this week in Kansas City. But first I am going to piddle around Indiana's Capitol City.

When I got up this morning I was greeted by a biting cold made even worse by a chilling west wind, and in the period of about 40 minutes saw rain, sleet and a few snow flurries. But I decided to brave the cold, yes I packed winter clothes, and head out to explore the sites of Indianapolis.

Not trip to Indianapolis would be complete without a quick visit to one of the most storied sports venues in the nation, historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. When it was built in 1928, it was known as Butler Field House, but was later change to honor long time Bulldog Coach Tony Hinkle.

HINKLE FIELDHOUSE

Hinkle Fieldhouse hosted the annual Indiana State High School Championships and was the site of the Milan Miracle which featured the memorable 1954 victory of Milan High School over the much larger Muncie Central.  The popular movie "Hoosiers" is based on the events leading up to this game.

Today, Hinkle remains the home of the Butler Bulldogs, and is one of the greatest home courts in all of College Basketball.



One thing about the GPS is that it prioritizes my destinations by distance so I don't have to backtrack and eat the same miles twice. So after leaving Butler University it was just a short distance down to Crown Hill Cemetery.

Crown Hill is a very large (555-acre) Cemetery that is extremely difficult to navigate even with a map.  There is method to the sections numbering system,  Section 76 maybe adjacent to Section 35 and 17, Or Section 44 may be between sections 31 and 12. So finding specific graves even with a map and section number is time consuming and difficult.

Benjamin Harrison

The easiest grave to find was that of Benjamin Harrison, 23rd President of the United States and grandson of President William Henry Harrison. Harrison was born in North Bend Ohio and Moved to Indianapolis at the Age of 21.  His home located in Downtown Indianapolis is on my to-do list for today.  After his presidency, Harrison remained quite active up until his death.  He died from pneumonia at this home on March 13, 1901. He and members of his family are buried here.

From the Harrison Grave I made my way across the cemetery to the grave site of gangster John Dillinger whose family lived in Indianapolis.  Dillinger was one of the most notorious gangsters of the 1930's and was one of the F.B.I.'s most wanted outlaws. Dillinger met his end in 1934 when he attended a motion picture at the Biograph Theater in Chicago.  Dillinger was accompanied by Anna Cumpanas who providing the F.B.I. with information and agreed to set Dillinger up at the Movie Theater.

John Dillinger

As Dillinger and Cumpanas (who was wearing a red dress) exited the theater, F.B.I. Agents lead by Melvin Purvis approach Dillinger. Ignoring the order to surrender, Dillinger attempted to shoot it out. On  June 22, 1934, one of the nations most wanted outlaws was pronounced dead at Alexian Brothers Hospital.  His body was place on display before finally being buried next to his parents here in Crown Hill Cemetery.  His Grave marker has been replace a number of times because souvenir hunters have chipped away at the stone.

There are two Vice-Presidents resting here, Charles Fairbanks, who served with Theodore Roosevelt from 1905-1905, and Thomas R. Marshall who served as Herbert Hoovers Vice-President from 1913 - 1921.

Because it was so hard to locate the graves of several other notable people and after spending more than two-hours driving around this large cemetery, I decided to pull the plug on my search and head  downtown.

Soldiers & Sailors Monument

One again the parking gods smiled on me and I found a parking place right near the Soldier and Sailors monument.  Located in the center of downtown, the Soldiers and Sailors is perhaps the most recognized structure in the downtown area. The Monument stands 284-feet tall, only 21-feet shorter than the Statue of Liberty. Visitors can either pay $2.00 and ride an elevator to the top of the monument or climb the 330-steps for free. Well, you know I chose to pay the $2.00 and rode the elevator to the top,where I enjoyed a commanding view downtown Indianapolis.

From the Soldiers and Sailors Monument it was just a short walk down Market Street to the Indiana Statehouse.  It was still cold and windy but I braved the weather and made by way form the Indiana Capitol down Capitol Street to Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts. From Lucas Oil Stadium it is just a short walk over to Banker's Life Fieldhouse, which is the home of the Indiana Pacers. By this time the cold is getting too me and I head back to the car.

Lucas Oil Stadium

One final stop of the day was just a short hop over to the NCAA Headquaters near the IUPUI Campus. I just wanted to be close in case the Selection Committee needed any last Minute Advice.

Speaking of the Selection Committee, I made it back to the motel just in time to see the announcement of the 68-teams. And I must say that I am pretty happy with the team that will be joining me in Kansas City. Although I am a little disappointed the that I will be driving halfway across the country and Have to put up with the Tarheel Fans. Other than That, I have thrilled that Western Kentucky will be there. Bob Boydton's son David is one of the assistant coaches for the Hilltoppers and they will draw the Kansas Jayhawks in the first round.  Needless to say I will be finding me some Hilltopper gear. Also I get the Villanova Wildcats and former Wake Forest guard Tony Chennault.  Again needs to say I will be pulling for Tony and the Wildcat as they take on North Carolina.  I also get the Ole Miss Rebels and their high strung, guard Marshall Henderson. This guy is nuttier than a squirrel turd.

It is going to be an interesting tournament, but I have to get there first. Tomorrow I bid Indianapolis  farewell and head off to the Land of Lincoln.

HISTORY, BALLPARKS AND SKYLINE CHILI

Oak Grove Cemetery

I woke up to rain this morning which forced me to delay leaving the motel. But by 10 a.m the skies to the west were showing signs of clearing and I ventured out to my first stop of the day, historic Spring Grove Cemetery.  Spring Grove is one of oldest (founded in 1845) and largest (733 acres) in  Cincinnati.  It is also one of the most beautiful and most ornate cemeteries that I have visited.  Only  Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis comes close.  I was most impressed with the architecture and the thousands of stately monuments that are present throughout the cemetery. Unlike many cemeteries of today where all a person gets is a flat marker with a name and the dates of birth and death, the monuments here tell the story of a person.  Just reading some of the monuments in Spring Grove you leave with a feeling that the person truly deserves to be remembered and has a place in history no matter there stature in life.  Rich or Poor, Farmer, Banker or common man, reading these historic stone you get the know the people who made this country great.

Jesse & Hannah Grant

There are a number of notable people resting here including Jesse and Hannah Grant, the parent of General and President Ulysses S. Grant.  Also buried here are a number of Ohio Governors including Salmon P. Chase who was also the 6th Chief Justice of the United State Supreme Court, serving from 1864 - 1873.  A little know fact (and good trivia question) is "who's face appears on the $10,000 bill."  Of course it is Salmon P. Chase who served as President Lincoln's Treasury Secretary.

Salmon P. Chase

Miller Huggins

It was still sprinkling rain when I arrived at the grave of Miller Huggins. Old Time Yankee fans will remember him as the Yankee Manager from 1918-1929 including the famed "Murderers' Row" which won six American League pennants and three World Championships.

Johnny Appleseed

Standing in one of the Northern most sections of Spring Grove is a monument dedicated to John Chapman.  Chapman was a pioneer who introduced and planted apple trees throughout large parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.  He became a legend during his life due to his kind and generous way and the fact that he was also a man of God serving as a missionary in addition planting his apple trees.  Still curious about who John Chapman is, well most of us know him simply as Johnny Appleseed. And as Paul Harvey would say, "Now you know the rest of the Story."

After spending almost two hours in Spring Grove it was time to move on but I could not leave without making one final stop to pay my respect to Coach Skip Prosser.  Coach and I came to Wake Forest at about the same time and from my seat (most often) behind the Wake Forest bench, we shared some monumental victories.  I will never forget one night when we were playing Duke, who had Duhon and Redick, and as Coach was walking through the tunnel he unexpectedly turn  to me and simply said, "We need you tonight, Sneak." We beat Duke that night, stormed the court, and rolled the quad.

Coach "Skip" Prosser

One of my favorite Coach Prosser stories goes back to when we were playing Virginia at Old University Hall.  My traveling companion at that time was Byron Dickerson and we had decided to travel to Charlottesville and just so happened bought general admission tickets in the UVA Student Section.  Just before the opening tip, Byron and I took off our Jackets to reveal the Black and Gold of the Tie Dye Nation.  Needless to say we stood out like sore thumbs and got plenty of attention. To the UVA Students Credit they took it all in stride and treated us very well. The fact that UVA won a close game might have helped. When Coach Prosser and a some of the player came out of the dressing room all they could do was look up at us and shake their heads.  I was later told by one of the student managers that Coach Prosser thought it was hilarious and during one of the film sessions later in the week told the team that "Those two are getting more TV time than 'Big E' (Eric Williams.)

Coach you left us too soon, and you are missed, but you will always be remembered.

Several months ago a fellow contacted me on my Flickr Site and requested permission to use several of my photos in a book he is writing about Jerry Garcia the "Grateful Dead."  We have talked a few time through e-mail and as a result he has ask if I could take a few photos various venues that he doesn't have during this trip.  So after leaving Oak Grove Cemetery I made my way down to the old Cincinnati Gardens for a few quick photos.

No visit to Cincinnati would be complete without sampling the famous Skyline Chili.  I decided to go all the way and say "To Hell with the Diet," and treated myself to a famous "3-Way," a heaping plate of spaghetti, covered with the famous Skyline Chili and topped with a mound of shredded cheddar cheese. Like a I have said before, few highly touted things live up to their hype, but I have to say my lunch as Damn Good.

After a quick lunch, I decided to make my way down to the river front for a visit to the Great American Ball Park and Paul Brown Stadium.  Think that is wouldn't be crowded on the weekend I wouldn't have any problems.

WRONG!!!!!!!!!

Little did I know that the circus was in town. And not just any circus, but "The Greatest Show on Earth," the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus.  The downtown Riverfront area was flood with parents and Kids and parking was anywhere from $10 to $25.  But the parking gods smiled on me and I was able to find a metered spot just a couple of block north of Paul Brown Stadium.

Paul Brown Stadium

 I managed to spend a couple of hours walking around the riverfront visiting the statues of Red's greats at Great American Ballpark and treading my way through a sea of cotton candy eating kids.

Great American Ballpark

The early morning rain had put me behind so after finishing my downtown adventure, I decided to get out of town and head west for one final stop in the Cincinnati area.

Tomb Of William Henry Harrison

It took me close to an hour to drive the 20-miles from downtown to the small community of North Bend, Ohio.  Located on the banks of the Ohio River and in the shadow of another nuclear power plant, North Bend is the final resting place of William Henry Harrison who was the 9th President of the United States and the grandfather of the 29th President, Benjamin Harrison.

William Henry Harrison died on April 4, 1841 after serving only one month in office. He took the oath of office on March 4, 1841 which was a cold rainy day Washington.  During the inaugural activities he road through the streets on horseback wearing neither overcoat or hat.  He also gave the longest inaugural address in history, lasting almost two hours.  On March 26, 1841, President Harrison fell ill with a cold that turned into pneumonia and pleurisy.  Doctors treated him with Castor Oil and leeches but the Presidents condition worsened and he died a few days later, thrusting  Vice President John Tyler into the presidency.

The Presidents Body was originally laid to rest in Congressional Cemetery in Washington but was moved a few months later to this tomb in North Bend.  Resting inside the tomb, in addition to President Harrison are his wife Anna and his son John Scott Harrison.

It was late afternoon when I finished my visit to the Harrison Tomb and it was time to make tracks west toward Indianapolis.  On the way west I made a quick detour to the small Community of Milan, Indiana.  Milan is the small town that inspired the movie "Hoosiers." As I entered the town I saw a sign that proclaim them the Indiana State Basketball Champions of 1954.  Indiana did not have different classifications and back them it was a monumental feat for tiny Milan to defeat might South Bend Central.

"HOOSIERS"

As I drove through the streets of this tiny hamlet, I got the distinct impression that not much has changed in the 60-years since they won the title. The people that I talked too during my quick visit still hold dear that small town pride and those small town values that made America Great.

After my quick visit to Milan, it was really time to beat feet to Indianapolis. It was getting late and I was still over an hour from my lodgings for the night.

For a Saturday Night, Traffic on Interstate 465 was a little heavier than I thought it would be and it took me about and hour and a half to make the 85-mile to Indianapolis. But I made it and tomorrow I will venture downtown and visit Indiana's Capitol City.