GOOD MORNING VIETNAM

So far 2020 has been anything but normal. Basically, the entire economy has been shut down for months and I have been unable to travel. With everything shut down I have had to find something to do while social distancing and trust me that hasn't been easy.

One thing that I have done is expanded my walking, around the neighborhood and a couple of local trails, and have been averaging between 5 and 6 miles a day. I have also got into trail hiking which is a little more challenging. I have hiked a few short out and back sections of the Appalachian Trail and a few other local tails that I have found on the All Trails App. 

But a man can only walk so far, so one of the other things that I have found to occupy my time is to fulfill photo requests on the Find-A-Grave  Website. People, mostly relatives who are doing ancestry research post request for grave photo and a volunteer in the area where the cemetery is located goes to the cemetery and attempts to locate and photograph the gravestone. 

A lot of the requests are in small rural family cemeteries that are located on private property. It is sometimes extremely hard to contact the property owner to obtain permission to access the cemetery. Other requests are in large church cemeteries who have extremely poor records of grave locations. They may have a list of people buried in their cemetery, but actual location is either very vague or not recorded at all. In that case you end up walking the cemetery hoping to get lucky. 

Then there are cemeteries that have either only line grave locators or a kiosk on site.  That was the case recently when I got a couple of requests for people buried in the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery. Arriving at the cemetery I stopped at the kiosk and quickly secured the plot location for each person.  The Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery is a relatively new cemetery, opening in 2013 so there are only a couple of sections currently in use. 

On this day both requests were in Section 8. I was able to quickly locate both request and snap and upload the required photos.  As I was walking around the section looking at the name on each stone, I happened upon the grave of Adrian J. Cronauer. For some reason, the name rang a bell but for the life of me I could not figure out why. So, I left the cemetery and went about my business. Then an hour or so later, like a bolt out of the blue, it came to me...."GOOD MORNING VIETNAM." Could it be?

So I look it up and sure enough this was the same Adrian Cronauer who co-authored the original story for the movie, "Good Morning, Vietnam" In that film, Cronauer was por­trayed by Robin Williams whose performance was nominated for an Academy Award. But what I didn't know was the Mr. Cronauer live in Troutville, Virginia and served on the Board of Directors of the National D-Day Memorial and two terms as a trustee of the Virginia War Memorial. He died on July 18, 2018.

THE UGLY

This is the final installment of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.  What I am going to list here are 5-places that I have no desire to go back too.  If you haven't been triggered by now, this should do it.

1.  BALTIMORE, MARYLAND:  What can I say, most of the city is just nasty and dirty with burned out buildings and gutter trash every where. Some third world countries are in better shape than Baltimore.  Even when visiting the areas around the water front and sports stadiums, you are confronted by gang of unruly youths that harass you.  I visited Baltimore on two separate occasions and never enjoyed one single moment. It is unsafe and just plan and simple a horrible and nasty place to visit.

2.  MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA: I use to enjoy going to Myrtle Beach a few times a year to play golf. The was nothing more enjoyable than golfing during the day and then enjoying a good meal and entertainment in the evening. Not any more! The entire city has been taken over by gangs and the violence is never ending. Almost daily the news is reporting tourist being assaulted in broad daylight and the violence really gets bad at night.  Over the past few years I have notice that the streets are dirty and littered with graffiti and quiet frankly the City Officials seem to have given up and turned their city over to the thugs and gangs. It is really a shame that what used to be one of the best vacations spots on the east coast has been taken over by gangs and it is just not a safe place to visit or to live for that matter.

3.  NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA: Been There, Done that. There is no need for me to go back. I did not enjoy the french quarter at all. It is basically dirty, and filled with drunk tourists, pan handlers and pick-pockets. Everything is over priced and only a few place live up to the hype. It you like to party, then maybe once you get by the filth you would have a good time but it just wasn't my thing. So I have been there and have no intention of going back.

4.  RICHMOND, VIRGINIA: This is the capital city of my home state and it is a crap hole. Again the entire downtown area is a really dangerous place at night. Seems like every where you go in this city day or night you are confronted by roving gangs of thugs. You know it is really bad when the police tell you to get off of the street for your own safety.  Lots of the buildings in downtown Richmond are vacant and have been taken over by the neighborhood gangs.  I use to have to go to Richmond from time to time for work and never felt safe if I had to go into the actual city. I retired in 2018 and haven't been back and have not interest in going back.

5.  ROANOKE, VIRGINIA. I left the Roanoke Valley in 2012 and moved to the New River Valley to get away from all of the drugs and violence that was finding it's way into Roanoke.  Even though I actually lived in Salem, Virginia, I was only a half mile from the Roanoke City Limits. And while Salem did an excellent job in keeping the trash out of Salem, I was close enough that some of the crap was creeping into the area where I lived.  The last time I was in down town Roanoke was earlier this year when I had and early dinner with some friends on the City Market. The City Market used to be fairly nice but now it is showing its age and there are some less than desirable people hanging around and it only gets worse the deeper into the night you go.  Don't even think about going to Valley View Mall. No matter what time you go it has been taken over by unruly teens who get their kicks out of harassing shoppers. Roanoke is fast becoming another crap hole that respectful people avoid.

So there you have it. If you live in any of these place, you have my deep sympathies. It you are think about relocating I wish you all the luck in the world. And if you are upset and pissed off about anything that I have said, then so be it. This is my opinion and that's all that matters.

THE BAD

A few days ago I posted that  my top five place that I really liked and will or have gone back to when I am in the area. In keeping with that theme, today I am going to post the top five places that I were probably a waste of time and would not go out of my way to visit. Again, I know some of you will be triggered, but what you read here is just my opinion, so don't take it personal. So here are my top five sites that just didn't do it for me.

1.  TOMBSTONE ARIZONA: Tombstone was not what I expected at all. It is a cross between a really bad theme park and sleezy tourist trap. It is nothing like the original town. The are actors every where that are like carnival barkers trying to get you to pay to see the gunfights or take a stagecoach ride.  I did pay to see the "gunfight at the OK Corral" which was a total wast of money. The actors are terrible and the entire thing was so bad that a couple of us left about halfway through.  The only interesting thing that I enjoyed was a visit to Boot Hill where the shootout participants are buried along with Lester Moore kill by a 44 - No Less No More. You do have to pay to gain access to the cemetery. There is nothing free in Tombstone. I had planned on spending several hours in Tombstone but after my visit to the cemetery, I ended up spending just a little more than an hour in the old town itself. Just too commercialized and not very interesting for me.

2.  FOUR CORNERS MONUMENT: Talking about being in the middle of nowhere. There is no easy way to get to this monument.  The monument is actually on the Navajo Nation and is administered by them. It is NOT a National Monument and is NOT administered by the National Park Service. Once you pay you admission, you park in the dirt parking area and walk up to the Monument to take the require photo of you standing in all four state. All around the actual monument, stalls have been built to allow the Navajo to sell their wares. This really detracts from the experience and it feels like you are at a flea market.  I came, I saw, I took the require Photo and I left.  The drive over from Monument Valley took me over two hours and I ended up spending less than 45-minutes here.

3.  PLYMOUTH ROCK: It's a Rock and that all it is.  I would not have came here had it not been part of a bus tour that I was on. While the view of the bay is nice, Plymouth Rock is in a pit surrounded by an elaborate monument. When you walk up an look down into the pit you see 1620 has been carved on the face of the rock. I don't think the Pilgrims would have taken the time to do this and I realize that over four hundred years have passed since the Pilgrims landed here and the actual rock is probably long gone.  There are a number of souvenir stands on the street around the rock as the entire area is commercialized . It's a just a short walk up to the more impressive Founders Monument and I enjoy this stop more than a stop at Plymouth Rock.

4.  GRANT'S FARM - Grant's  Farm is located in St. Louis, Missouri and as the name suggest, was once part of the Dent Family Farm. When Ulysses Grant married Julia Dent, the General and future President lived here and attempted to become a farmer before the Civil War. Today, Grant's Farm is administered by Anheuser-Busch and is geared toward children.  You stand in line to gain entry into the park entrance from the parking lot. Once you cross the street and actually enter the farm you stand in line again to board the trams that will take you through the animal habitat. In all , I was in line for just over an hour just to board the tram. I don't do lines very well, especially with screaming, bored kids. The tram ride take a little less than 30 minutes and then they drop you off in the plaza where there is a petting zoo, cafe's, coffee shops and a beer garden. That's really it there is. Just as I was Leaving I did stop at the barn to visit the Clydesdale's, which was the best part of the farm. I actually spent more time in line than I did at the farm.  Grant's farm is directly across the street from the U. S. Grant Historical Site which features the house where General Grant and Julia live. It is  a national historic site that is administered by the National Park Service and is really more interesting than anything Grant's farm has to offer.

5.  THE ALIEN MUSEUM - ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO: The City of Roswell has embraced the alien legend that stems from the reported crash of a UFO in 1947. Since then all kinds of theories and stories have surrounded the incident and that brings us to the Alien Museum in Downtown Roswell.  Museum is a little misleading as basically all it has are a bunch of framed newspaper stories and copies of documents surrounding the suspected cover up.  There are a few of cheap alien statues scattered around the museum along with the traditional flying saucer. Outside of that there is not much to the museum. I came, I saw and I left.

Well, Those are the tops 5-sites that just didn't trip my trigger. Stay tuned for the next post that will feature THE UGLY.

THE GOOD

During the last years or so, I have gotten a number of comments and e-mails asking me to do something like a top-10 list of my favorite and least favorite places. I hesitate to do something like this as it is all subjective and strictly my opinion. And you know what they say about opinions. And it always triggers some people who gets all pissed off and bombards me with rude and obscene comments.  Any way, I did something similar with my favorite places that I have eaten at over the years and I really got torched in some of the comments. I say again, this is only my opinion. You do your thing and I will do mine. But,  I have no doubt that I will get torched with this post too. Instead of doing at top 10 list I am going to do a top-5 of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly in no particular order. So here goes with The Good!

1, MONUMENT VALLEY & GOULDING'S LODGE - ARIZONA: This is without a doubt one of the most spectacular places that I have ever visited.  I stayed at Goulding's Lodge, which is right in Monument Valley. The views from my room was stunning and I was treated to a couple of magnificent sunsets. The drive through Monument Valley was simply amazing. This is where John Ford filmed several movies including, "The Searchers" and "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon." In fact John Wayne's Cabin is still preserved as a museum at Goulding's and in the Valley you can walk out on John Ford's Point and get the same view of John Wayne's cavalry in the Movie "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon."  Monument Valley is NOT a National Park but is part of the Navajo Nation and the Navajo Tribal Park. Most people who come to Arizona and Southern Utah, visit the Grand Canyon and the four National Parks in Utah. The don't give Monument Valley a second though, which is a shame. It is truly an amazing place.

2. NATION COWBOY HALL OF FAME & WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM - OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA.: I absolutely love this museum and keep returning time and time again when I am in Oklahoma City. The art here, including the "End of the Trail Statue" in the main lobby is awesome. The exhibit on the western star of TV and Movie's features a  large collection of artifacts in including John Wayne's Eye Patch from the Movie "True Grit." There is always something new to see here as the museum has a wide variety of temporary exhibits.  It is one of the best museums in the Country and is a must stop for me anytime I am in Oklahoma City.

3. THE MUSEUM OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE - DAYTON, OHIO: This museum has one of the largest collections of aircraft in the country. It may have even more aircraft's on display than the Air and Space Museum in Washington.  This museum has an entire hanger dedicated to historic Presidential Aircraft including FDR's Sacred Cow, Truman's Independence and Eisenhower's Columbine.  The Presidential Plane was not referred to as Air Force One until the Kennedy Administration. Also on display in the Presidential Hanger is SAM 26000 which was the aircraft that President Kennedy flew to Dallas on in 1963 and returned his body to Washington following the assassination. This is another place that I return to time and time again.

4. BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK - TEXAS: This is one of our country's most remote national parks. And make no mistake it take a lot of effort to get here. The closest hotels to the park are in Marathon or Alpine, Texas. If you choose to stay in one of these small towns you need to make you reservations early, especially in the early spring, fall and winter.Also if you stay in Alpine you are still about 80-miles to the park entrance so plan accordingly. Once you make the effort you won't be disappointed as I was amazed at the rugged beauty at every turn. St. Elena Canyon, which was carved by the Rio Grand is an amazing place. The river here no more than 10 to 20 yards wide in the dry season so you are just a few yards from Old Mexico.  While I didn't do it many visitors hire the locals to take them across the river into the very small community of Boquillas, which sits just on the other side of the river. The town is driven by tourists and the few building feature the locals selling their wares and there are a couple of restaurants.  Since you are leaving the county you will need a passport and since I didn't have one I only looked across the river.  I spent two  full days in the National Park, driving back and forth from Alpine Each day.  I only saw a small portion of the park and when I return I will allow between 5 and 7 days for my visit.

5. ANNA MARIA ISLAND, FLORIDA: Let me say right up front that I absolutely love this place. Anna Maria Island is a small island, located on the Florida's Gulf Coast just west of Bradenton. I had the opportunity to stay at a corporate vacation lodge that was right on the gulf and the sunsets here were amazing. It's a relatively small island and morning walks on the beach could  take as little as 30-minutes or all morning. A couple of times I walked almost all the way the island which was a total of about 7-miles.  Another thing that I really like about the Island is that it is really not commercialized. There are no chain restaurants or businesses on the island. And it is small enough that you can walk to just about anything you need including several outstanding little restaurants and cafes.  I spent several weeks here on the island and it was always difficult to leave. It was so relaxing to just walk out and sit on the beach and read a book or watch the reach goer's. Of all the places that I have vacationed Anna Maria Island is without a doubt my favorite.