10-18-2021 Albuquerque, NM

I got an email comment from a friend re Oklahoma City.  “If you don’t hit the road and get the hell out of there, I assume your next t-log will be from Oz.”  Copy that.  Lightning, thunder and hail are not invited into my wheelhouse.  It was a relief to leave and it was a smooth uneventful drive to Amarillo, mostly on the back roads through the countryside.  Once we hit Sayre, it was free sailing on the highway.

 Amarillo doesn’t have much going on except for The Big Texan Restaurant.  We didn’t unhook the Jeepster because this was a quick overnighter.  The good folks at our rv park have free limo service to and from the restaurant! 

They do things a little
differently in Texas!

Take me to some food, Bubba!

Therefore, nice cold brews went well with our steak dinners.  The Big Texan, as you may know, is where, if you want to take the challenge to eat 72 oz. of steak with all the trimmings (shrimp cocktail, potato, salad and a roll) in one hour, your dinner is free.  If you fail, you pay for your dinner, $72US.  The answer to why somebody would be interested in eating 4 ½ lb. of steak in an hour continues to elude me.  To get his name in lights, I guess, even if it’s a restaurant in Amarillo, TX.

 Thousands of years ago, rock formations were created when volcanoes blew their stacks as the earth cooled down.  In the area around Albuquerque, miles of land were covered in porous, basalt boulders.  Over time, oxidation turned the rocks black.  About 1300 BC, along came ancient Pueblo tribes, who found that with a rustic version of a chisel and hammer, they could chip away the black exterior layer to the light brown area underneath.  They began to draw a lot of pictures on the rocks, petroglyphs,

Hiking the petroglyph trail
in Boca Negra Canyon

Those are higher glyphs

depicting their lives and their spiritual beliefs.  This area is rife with petroglyphs, nearly 24,000, and there are trails to hike to view them.  A short, easy trail in Boca Negra Canyon allowed us to view about 100 of these.  People of today aren’t sure of the messages and meanings contained in the pictures but one thing is for sure, they sure couldn’t draw very well.

 

A model of one of the very first
balloons, launched in Paris in1783.  If flew
6 miles.  Ben Franklin witnessed
the event.

Albuquerque is the home of the annual Balloon Fiesta.  As an adjunct to that, the International Balloon Museum tells the history of balloon flight from the very beginning in the early 1700s.  The museum traces the origin of man’s desire to leave the confines of gravity using hot air and later, various gases.  Benjamin Franklin witnessed the first serious balloon launch in France in 1783 and the craze to get airborne began.  Ben was ahead of his time.  On the wall is one of his quotes in which he muses about how effective it could be to respond to a slowly-building army by suddenly dropping 10,000 troops from the clouds.  (Hello, 82^nd Airborne!)

The next challenge was
to fly balloons over water.
This is a model of
a balloon that attempted to cross 
the English Channel.  As
the 2 fellows in the basket began
to lose altitude, they 
throwing out their ballast and
then a lot of their gear.
They wound up with nothing
but their underwear and
were greeted upon landing
in Calais by the King
of France.  "Bonjour, your
majesty!  Fancy meeting
you here!  "

 

A camera from the 1800s carried
in a balloon to photograph
the terrain.

The Graf Zeppelin could carry 20 people across the Atlantic Ocean in extreme comfort.  This included dining rooms with china and fine wines and bedrooms.  Two days to cross the Atlantic was unimaginable till then and the smooth soundless ride guaranteed maximum comfort and no seasickness.  It wasn’t mentioned but I am supposing that the Hindenburg disaster put an end to this.

 

This escape door was all that survived
of the Shenandoah, a US Navy
zeppelin that was destroyed by a
windstorm in 1925.

Moving along, balloons were used in warfare.  The Japs launched 9-10,000 unmanned bomb-carrying balloons during World War II, relying on the Jetstream at 30,000 ft. to deliver the bombs to the NW coast of the USA.  Many of them arrived, one of them as far east as the lower peninsula of MI, but none of them caused death or harm except for one that was found decades later by some curious kids.  It detonated and killed them.  Not all of the balloons have been recovered, they say.  So some undetonated bombs are laying around out there in N America.  Watch your step!

 

The Double Eagle V.  The
silk fabric that
makes up this balloon is 
thinner by 10 times than
a ziplock sandwich bag.

Another phase of ballooning was research and development.  Some was competition, just to see how high you could get (Been there!).  Some of the pioneers of this craze sky-dived from as high as 100,000 feet, fell at speeds that broke the sound barrier at temperatures of about -94F.  (They wore mittens.)

The "basket" of the
Double Eagle V

 

Can't leave Albuquerque without
pointing out a tiny
section of what's left of Route 66,
the Rio Puerco bridge, built
in 1933.

Jeepster driving on Route 66!

What's left of Route 66 and
the Rio Puerco bridge

After a fine dinner at Pappadeaux (which involved oysters, now at 72), we are settled in for the penultimate evening of our trip.  One more night in Flagstaff tomorrow (Dinner at Black Bart’s!) and we will arrive home.  It has been an adventure-filled trip in which men were men and 19 different sea animals were nervous (we counted them up).  I’m wrapping it up.  I’m all storied out.  Back to the sunshine and warm weather, fewer bugs and a sabbatical from you guys who keep pestering me for stories!  Hurray!  Bye for now and love to you all from Lucky Lindy and Rob.

Bye for now!

Sign for today.  Apparently,
"handicapped" is now
a gender, too!

10-15-2021 Oklahoma City, OK

 

Yup, here we are in Oklahoma!  
This was right at the entrance to 
Roadrunner RV Park.

Here we are in Tornado Alley at a very nice rv park, Roadrunner, but it took 2 freeway go-arounds to get it right because it just suddenly appears and if you’re in the wrong lane, too bad.  Go around.  They have not one but FOUR storm shelters here!  Are you kidding me?! 

Storm shelter entrance

Rob in the storm shelter

Three of the four storm shelters

There are “instructions” for the storm shelter:  1)  No pets allowed.  Right, so you go off to the storm shelter and let Fluffy deal with the tornado alone.  2)  Things to take with you (except for Fluffy):  Water, beer and gin, flashlight, cell phone, radio/batteries, vehicle keys, credit cards, jacket/rain gear, RXs.  Just kidding about the beer and gin but they’re on MY list.  As for cell phones, do we assume that the tornado will leave the cell towers standing?  What’s a radio and who owns one?  Furthermore, if I had a Fluffy, she would go with me.  So would my laptop.  And I wouldn’t forget Cubby and Sunnie.  Would they throw me out?  Maybe.

 So, as I say, here we are.  It is 1AM straight up and it is not just raining.  This time, we get deafening thunder, sheet and bolt lightning, wind gusts up to 70 mph rocking the beast and nickel-sized hail!  It sounds like rocks are pelting the rv.  Nothing much to do but sit this out.  And unplug the computers… the ultimate surge protection.  At the moment, we are creating a “bug out bag” and waiting to hear sirens, our signal to head for the storm shelters.  This is not funny.

This morning:  A walk-around to assess the damage and it appears we survived the hail.  No damage to Noobee or the Jeepster.  The sky is blue and the sun is shining.  The first thing we did this morning was go find the storm shelters at the campground.  OK, OK, OK… hindsight and all that.  Who knew we were going to need to do the Dorothy and Toto thing?  Turns out the shelters are at least a quarter mile down the road.  How do you get there in a hail storm, wear a helmet?  Next time!

 In 1889, the government decided that anybody who could make a living for 5 years on a few acres of land out west would automatically own the land.  It was called the Unassigned Lands Act of Oklahoma, signed into law by Benjamin Harrison.  There was a rush called the “Centennial Land Run of 1889” that took place here.  People circled the thousands of acres that were involved.  When the flag dropped and the canon fired on April 22, 1889, there was a mad rush to stake a claim on a parcel of land.  People were trampled, horses fell and wagons collapsed in ruins.  It was a madhouse.  Some people cheated and ran ahead of the official drop of the flag to stake their claim.  Their nickname became, “sooners.”  And out of all of this mayhem, Oklahoma established itself and became a state. 

Will Rogers on the left, Paul Moore, the
sculptor, driving the wagon

Relative size as illustrated
by Lindy on the right

This horse tripped on a chest that
fell out of the wagon just ahead.

When the flag dropped and
the cannon fired, the race was
on to stake a claim.

Paul Moore created a monument and erected it in Oklahoma City to commemorate the Centennial Land Run of 1889.  It is the biggest bronze sculpture in the world and took nearly 20 years and $6.2M to complete. It is at least a block long.  The animals and humans are 50% larger than life and Paul Moore liked to feature a few familiar humans among the sculptures.  The one driving a wagon and team of horses is Paul Moore himself.  This became his signature on his sculptures.  To his right is Will Rogers.  On the horse just across the stream is his Mom and a couple of the children are fashioned after his grandkids.  Amazingly, Paul Moore had no formal training or education in art and, except for help from his sons, handled the entire project alone.

 

Oysters and toonies at
the Bourbon Street Cafe

Mickey Mantle was from Oklahoma
and Okies are sure to take credit.  

Mickey Mantle played for the
Yankees for 18 years.  He lead the
Yankees to 12 pennants and 7
World Series victories

The riverwalk in the evening

Jazz band at Bourbon Street Cafe

Riverboat

Bricktown is an inviting place in the heart of OKC.  It was an old, run-down area with abandoned ruins of factories grown over with weeds, just a mess in the old days.  Somebody got an idea.  What used to be California Street and a few areas beyond became a wonderful little man-made river and a riverwalk.  We boarded the small river boat and toured the area to learn more.  On both sides of the river, there are interesting attractions;  murals depicting the history of Oklahoma and the Indian tribes who originally inhabited the territory, bridges, shops and restaurants.  The trees that overhang the river are decorated with tiny lights.  It turned out to be a lucky find because right there on the river was Bourbon Street Café.  It features a wonderful bar with booths, a great bartender who knows how to make a dry martini, fresh raw oysters on the half shell (that makes 60 for the week) and many southern dishes such as gumbo, aytoofay and catfish.  And hey, how often does Lindy get alligator tails?  A jazz band entertained us.  Excellent.  It was great fun and a perfect rescue to a day that began with little sleep and a lot of stress.

 

We are now traveling on the country roads past acres of cotton fields, heading for Amarillo.  Soon, we will join up with highway 40 and drive along side of old Route 66.  Tonight, a limo ride to and from The Big Texan for a long-anticipated great big steak!

"Rob... is that a building
in the middle of the road, up ahead?"
The answer was, "Yes."  We had to
drive around the Washita County 
Courthouse.

Cotton fields.  It looks
like they are covered with snow.

This is not germane to any particular
subject.  I've just never seen a brahma
bull before.

10-13-2021 Joplin, MO

 It was a sunny, nice day, yesterday.  Perfect for a pleasant drive through the countryside.  Of course, our GPS wanted to take us down and across the state on the freeways.  We found little black roads and veered off, traveling through pretty farmland and tiny towns.  We weren’t ready for the skinny roads, though, I’ll say.  Sometimes, heart-stoppingly skinny.  It was a little windy and with the tires right on the right edge of a drop-off, I thought, “If we get a gust right now, we’re toast.”  Holy buckets!  And then, I encounter a road sign that warned, “narrow bridge?”  How much “narrower” could it get?!  After about 90 miles of that, I gave up and turned the wheel back over to The Man.

 

The KOA put Noobee in a wonderful site with a big yard, patio, swing, bbq and patio furniture under big old oak trees.  We decided to sit outside for the cocktail hour, something that hasn’t happened too often on this trip.  I said, “I think I’ll take a few pictures, now.  You know, in case of rain, tomorrow.” 

Great big beautiful campsite
in the sunshine!

Lookin' good!

Toonies in the sun

Well, shit.  Don’t the rain gods know sarcasm when they hear it?!  It rained most of the night and it’s coming down in pantloads this morning.  A red cell passed right over us.  It was unsettling to learn that they have a tornado shelter at this campground.  I learned that an EF-5 tornado (winds > 200 mph) went through Joplin 10 years ago killing 160 folks.  It was the costliest, deadliest tornado in weather-record US history.  Hmmmm…. And we’re here why, again?!

Less than 24 hours later.... shit.... 

 

You are probably thinking, like I, that Joplin is named for the famous ragtime pianist Scott Joplin.  No, no, no.  The Reverend Harris Joplin was a powerful Methodist chaplain who was instrumental in founding the colony in 1773, three years before the USA materialized.  It was founded on the success of the zinc mining industry, which later died away.  However, Route 66 later passed through “Joplin, Missouri,” and once again, Joplin was on the map.

 

Bonnie & Clyde's apartment in Joplin

Bonnie and Clyde and the Barrow Gang hid out for several months in an apartment at 3347 ½ Oak Ridge Drive in Joplin 88 years ago.  In their sordid rampage, they shot and killed a total of 9 law officers.  Bonnie was the little more brutal of the two:  she took to shooting people in the face.  On April 13, 1933, they shot two officers dead in Joplin, one from the Sheriff’s Department and one from the Police Department in a shoot-out that took place at this apartment.  The Gang, still firing, drove off, got away and left 2 dead bodies behind.  They also left behind one roll of Kodak film.  On this film were the first pictures ever seen of the entire Barrow Gang, maybe the beginning of its demise?  The apartment has since been renovated and remodeled and is currently privately occupied so we couldn’t enter.  We’ve learned that not much of the original fixtures are still there anyway except for the bathtub, the bath light fixture and several bullet holes in the walls.

Dinner was served at Crabby’s this evening.  There are a lot of seafood dishes offered, including raw oysters on the half shell.  No brainer.  This makes 48 oysters for us in the last 3 days!  Who knew fresh seafood and oysters were available in Joplin, MO? 

Tomorrow, we move along to Oklahoma City where there are storm shelters also but they are located underground like bomb shelters, for God’s sake!  I am thinking that, in the end, this trip may have the overarching theme of, “The Storm Trip.”  Anyway, we are in the hands of the karma gods.  We’ll see how this plays out.

Signs for today

 

10-11-2021 Columbia, MO

 We had a few days of sunshine so I guess we deserve rain, now.  And rain it did.  A red cell moved right over our park and the puddles are about two inches deep. 

 

Nevertheless, we may never pass this way again.  Warm Springs Ranch, where the Budweiser Clydesdales are bred, born and raised is located in Boonville, just a quick 25 mile drive from this park and we are scheduled for a tour today at 1 PM.  Outfitted for the chilly, nasty weather, off we go.

 

Just leaving the farm as we 
were arriving

The barn where a lot happens!

On approach to the farm

The farm from the distance

Brothers August and Adolphus Busch decided to surprise Dad, August Sr., with a new “ride,” in 1933 and presented him with a team of six Clydesdale horses pulling a beer wagon to celebrate the repeal of prohibition.  The team pulled a beer wagon around the New York area drawing crowds of thousands and, while they were at it, delivered a few ceremonial cases to the White House to mark the occasion. 

 

In 1950, the hitch number was increased to eight.  The horse’s weight ranges from 1,800-2,300 and one eats about 50 pounds of hay each day.  To qualify to be a member of the hitch, one must have certain markings, be a certain color, have the white fluffy feet and the white ‘blaze” on the front of the face. 

Stan The Man - A superstar!  He
is a stud, a hitch horse and 
stars in a lot of Bud commercials.

A stud stallion

Stan The Man is actually
falling asleep.  I think he's bored!

Only geldings (“fixed” males) are used and they must stand 6 feet tall at the shoulder.  Since this is the breeding ranch, our guide explained how this process works.  Every 8 years, they acquire 6 new stallions.  When the mare is in the mood, as it were, they put one of the stallions in with her in the breeding room, lower the lights, put on some mood music and they get busy doing the deed.  They don’t get any privacy, though.  A human holds on to each horse so that they don’t hurt themselves.  Once the mare is pregnant, she goes into the exam room where veterinarians perform bloodwork and ultrasounds to be sure all is well.  Eleven months later, she gives birth to a baby tipping the scales at 150 pounds.  Mom and baby stay together until baby is strong and can be weaned.  Then, the baby is moved to the “weanling in training” stables.

Baby J and Mom, J-Lo

Baby J is only 
two weeks old.  We are
told he has all the
markings to be a
hitch horse.

 

You are probably asking yourself what the difference is between a foal and a colt.  “Foal” is a generic term for babies, like saying, “the kids.”  A “colt” is a boy baby and a “filly” is a girl baby.  You determine that by looking underneath to see if it’s an innie or an outie, not by asking how the foal feels about it.  Mares are bred for the first time around the age of 3 and they get to do it for about 10 years.  The horses’ lifespan is about 20 years so, since the girls are not allowed to be a part of the hitches, all they do is make babies.  And eat.  And get pampered, brushed, shampooed and get manicures and pedicures.  All the floors in the barns, stalls, breeding and exam rooms and even in the trailers are covered with rubber cushions for the comfort of the horses and so as not to damage their hooves.

Rob with Bethany, a
"weanling in training"

There you see the comparison
in hoof sizes

A Clydesdale horseshoe.

 

There are hitches stabled in New Hampshire (to cover the east coast), St. Louis (central USA) and Colorado (to cover the west coast).  There are always 2 hitch drivers on the beer wagon who switch duties because the reins weigh 40 pounds and that along with tension creates a 75 pound load that the driver must handle, sometimes for long hours of performing.  Each horse has a load, too.  The collar and harness weigh 130 pounds.  The shoes are 10” across and weigh 5 pounds each.  (Not that it matters to the horse but each horse’s rig costs about $15K.)

Each transport truck carries 4 horses 
and their gear

Inside the transport truck

Typical harness

 

These pampered, gentle giants want for nothing at the farm.  Because their roots are in Scotland, they love the cooler weather and today was a perfect day for them.  The magnificent horses and the ponies were roaming and frolicking in the green pastures.  They are poetry in motion. The Budweiser Clydesdales are a legend and a national treasure.  It was a wonderful, happy day.  Our whole tour group got complimentary Buds, freshly tapped, cold and frothy!  It just doesn’t get much better’d’n’iss!

A weaned pony

Beauties frollicking in the cool weather

Beautiful!