The Night Before Christmas…..

We are now officially counting down to the launch of our www.kickstarter.com campaign on December 31st! and now for a little Christmas story…

 

Down The Road with the Original Buffalo Dale

 

Welcome back. This week for your pleasure I’m bringing you a little fiction, or is it? The night was partly cloudy with a whiff of snow in the air. It was cold and after doing some surveillance on a project for the past three nights I was starting to get used to the routine. I was wearing layers of dark clothes to keep warm as well as a good stocking cap and gloves. The gloves were the fingerless kind that let me use my binoculars, and hopefully my camera. At 63, this wasn’t the kind of job I would normally take on. In my younger years, at 6’2” and in pretty good shape yes, but now with the real possibility of confronting a man known to be at least as big as myself if not bigger I was starting to wonder if this was such a good idea.

This night might be one to remember. Laying quietly in the shadows of a large tree for hours, I tried to stay focused for a mind will often drift to other things in these circumstances. Family matters of course, cars and trucks and vacations, dreaming of warm sand on a beautiful beach and listening to the waves hit the shore. The sound of a broken twig to my right brought me back to reality. Was this the man I was looking for or just a deer walking through the woods? Another noise in the treetops behind me, then what sounded like a falling limb kept me on my toes for the next several hours. The file on the man stated that he worked strictly at night and he was known as an aerial artist because of his ability to get into people’s houses through the smallest opening. The man was also known to have accomplices so I had to stay alert and stop focusing on the many trivial things that were flooding my mind.

He was married and lived in a remote spot but no one who had attempted to see him there had ever returned. As a matter of fact although he’s often impersonated there’s no proof that anyone’s ever seen the real culprit. Always dressed in a heavy suit with a full beard and wearing thick glasses, the usual description of the guy was always the same. He had been doing this late night work one day a year for decades and always covered a lot of territory.

UFO or some kind of alien being? I didn’t think so. I’ve investigated the mutilated cows in New Mexico and this was something entirely different. The Mafia? Absolutely no way! After my research into Whitey Bulger and organized crime I knew this wasn’t their style either.

From all reports this guy is always happy. He doesn’t ransack anyone’s house or steal anything although he has been known to have a sweet tooth. His mode of transportation is also in question. As a member of the Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce for close to twenty years, I’m listed as a scout, tracker, translator and interpreter and finding people, places and things is my gift. If I could just get a picture of him it would make me a bundle and it would also clear up a lot of myths. It was getting close to midnight now and I was letting my thoughts wander again instead of laying still and listening.

With the snow falling heavily, my spot under the tree was the only bare spot around. I’ve got seven more nights and if I’m good, I’ll see him!

I took a break from my surveillance on Saturday night to witness something special when the sons of the late World Heavy Weight champion Tommy Morrison, Trey Lippe Morrison and Kenzie Witt destroyed their opponents in technical knockouts.

Mark my words, these two young men are definitely moving up the ladder in the professional boxing world. Kenzie trains here in Bartlesville and his success puts our city in the limelight once again.

Now back to my stakeout.

Till next week I’ll see ya down the road……

 

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Ansel Adams and boxer Tommy Morrison

 For those of you who have been waiting to read Footprints in the Dew, my Kickstarter campaign should begin right after New Year’s- stay tuned for an official notification as soon as it begins and I hope you will all help me make this project a reality.                                                              

Down The Road with the Original Buffalo Dale

 Welcome back. History has always been one of my biggest interests with biographies running a close second. When I recently heard that the Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City will be opening a new exhibit of Ansell Adams’ “Masterworks” it definitely caught my attention. I found out that the exhibit contains what are known as the “museum set” of photographs. These are images that Adams himself considered to be his best works. According to the museum, there are going to be forty-seven photographs on loan from Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding, California. The exhibit opens on February 28, 2015 and will be on view through May 10, 2015. This looks like a great show of one of our best known and best loved artists. Don’t forget that if you are a member of Woolaorc, you get in for free and a membership would make a great Christmas gift for anyone on your list, young or old.  I’ll have more about this show after it opens, along with an interview with the new museum director Dr. Stephen Kamp.

Moving forward, this Saturday night will be the third professional fight for my new friend boxer Kenzie Witt who trains here in Bartlesville. You long time readers may remember that I knew Kenzie’s dad, heavyweight world champ and movie star Tommie Morrison. Working in Tulsa for restaurateur Charlie Mitchell during the late eighties and early nineties, I often ran into Morrison who was then at the height of his career and kept a place in Tulsa. I always enjoyed talking with him as he was about as down home as it gets. I find his son to be the same way. Kenzie is hoping to follow in his dad’s footsteps and become a champion. Saturday night will be his toughest challenge yet when he faces Jason Lovett.

The fight will be held in the event center at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Oklahoma and will be taped by ESPN which is doing a special feature on Morrison that will air on 30/30. This will be my first visit to Buffalo Run and after a little research I learned that the casino is owned by the Peoria tribe of Indians. Apparently the Peoria tribe was created in 1854 when several different bands of Indians joined together. It sounds like an interesting story and I plan to learn more while I’m in Miami on Saturday as this is also their tribal headquarters.

In the meantime I’ll close this segment with a little more information about the life of Tommy Morrison in case you are not familiar with him. Tommy David Morrison was born in Gravette, AR on January 2, 1969 and was raised in Delaware County, Oklahoma, spending most of his youth in Jay. Nicknamed “The Duke” because of a well written about family tie to John Wayne (aka Marion Morrison), Tommy Morrison won his first Golden Gloves belt in 1988 and become Heavyweight Champion of the World Boxing Organization in 1993. Morrison’s career record was 52 fights and only three losses. He also appeared in Rocky V with Sylvester Stallone. Due to health issues he retired in 1996 and sadly died on September 1, 2013 at the age of 44. There is definitely a film to be made here and I’ll bet someone is already working on it.

I want to wrap up this week with a thank you to all of you readers for supporting my weekly column. I am looking forward to bringing you another year of interesting stories from my travels and from the history of our area.

Till next time I’ll see ya down the road……

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Spooky Events in Northern New Mexico and Farewell to Paul Revere

         I am behind in my posts because I have been working on an exciting new development for Footprints in the Dew which I will be announcing here in a few weeks…………………                                                                

                                                             Down The Road with the Original Buffalo Dale

 Welcome back.   With Halloween around the corner this seems like a good time to follow up on a story from northern New Mexico. It was early June 2014 and I was traveling in a remote county there on the trail of a recent discovery of mutilated cattle in the area. Back in 1967, in an attempt to access what was thought to be a large source of natural gas, a nuclear bomb was detonated not far from my location. According to legend, the prevailing winds had blown radioactive fallout across the region. Many locals believe that exposure to the fallout has something to do with this mystery. There are stories of people who were deformed by radiation, roaming the area as giant midgets, although I have not been able to confirm any siting of them. Other stories claim that aliens landed here and established a secret underground base.

What is true is that local ranchers have found their cattle surgically carved up and drained of blood, without even any blood on the ground beneath them. Some of the animals tested positive for radioactivity but no source has been identified. There haven’t even been any tracks around the dead animals. Although some people claim that this is the work of witches, the ranchers and locals continue to be mystified. The one thing many of the mutilations have in common is that they occurred on the same scary date, October 31st! Halloween night so be careful. I hear strange occurrences may be heading our way. Trick or treat.

Moving onward is the story of a man who I knew and who made a living wearing a costume his entire life. Paul Dick was born on January 7, 1938 in Boise, Idaho. He started out in the restaurant business and owned several spots in Boise until the day in 1958 when he met a hamburger bun maker named Mark Lindsay. Together they formed a band called the Downbeats. Their first hit song was I Like Long Hair making it to number 38 on the Billboard Chart and launching a long musical career for both of them. The pair parted ways briefly a year later when Lindsay joined Leon Russell’s band but then reunited and signed a contract with Columbia Records. In 1965 with the “British invasion” in full swing and bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Animals dominating the airwaves, their collaboration caught on with one hit song after another. The seventies brought more success with tours and starring appearances on television.

In the eighties punk rock and new wave music became popular and Dick, now a legendary musician in his own right, embraced performers like the Sex Pistols, Joan Jett and Pat Benatar , all of whom performed his songs. A true showman, he continued to tour around the world making regular stops in Branson where I interviewed him four years ago. The interview stretched over two days and I took in three shows at the Dick Clark Theater which were some of my favorite performances. Sadly, this past August Dick announced his retirement from show business. I’m here this week to tell you there will never be another show like his. Paul Dick who died on October 4th was better known as Paul Revere and his band, Paul Revere and the Raiders was one of the most popular bands of the sixties.

Next week I’m going back to the place where I saw him last when I visit Branson to check out the new shows and the fall season at Silver Dollar City. Till then I’ll see ya down the road…

 

 

 

 

Across the Brooklyn Bridge and Back

A country boy from Oklahoma has an exciting day in the big city……..

                                                                              Down The Road with the Original Buffalo Dale

 Welcome back. As you might imagine, whenever I’m traveling I have the opportunity to meet interesting people and I find this to be especially true whenever I’m in New York City. Either walking the streets, riding the subway or just taking it all in at Central Park, you never know who you’re going to run into. The following is a true story about a very well-known person who I met in New York last month and I hope you will find it entertaining.

It was five a.m. on a Monday when I caught the Metro North commuter train at the Greenwich, CT Cos Cob station and the day was already warm. I had a meeting set-up with a man whose resume was full of successful publishing projects and who I knew had been instrumental in establishing the careers of many prominent writers. After I arrived at Grand Central Station, I caught the subway to Union Square and in all it took a total of two hours to reach my destination.

I had been there before and I found the small park which is about the size of a city block in fine shape, nicely landscaped with a couple of dozen trees, park benches and numerous food wagons.  It seemed to me like small oasis in the midst of the bustling city.

The man I was meeting, who for now shall remain nameless, had told me he lived just three blocks from Union Square and with address in hand I quickly found his building, easily making our 10 a.m. appointment. The apartment building itself was a six story brick structure and appeared to be very well kept up. It was located next to a large Catholic church and there was a spacious flower garden between the two buildings which made a nice break from the monotony of rows of buildings.

Security is tight at many buildings in New York but my name was already on a list at the entrance and after checking my ID the doorman let me in. When I got to the apartment I discovered the type of unit that is common for business folks in the city who frequently have another home outside of New York. I learned that this apartment was around six hundred square feet with a small bedroom, living room, kitchen and bath. My host also told me that the unit was worth $800,000!

Our six hour first meeting began with a discussion of the famous writers and publishing house my host had worked with as well as the many films he had been involved with. It was fascinating to hear these stories from the lips of a seventy year old man who has been in the book world for over fifty years and witnessed many great changes in that world. After around two hours we both knew we had made a connection. It was lunchtime so he suggested we go out for a bite and then walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to see some other parts of the city. The bridge had just been on the morning news because someone had climbed to the top of the twin towers in the middle of the night, lowering the two American flags that always fly there and replacing them with white flags.

As we started out I noticed it was getting hotter and after grabbing some fruit we took the subway to Chinatown and then hiked at least three miles across the bridge from there. I was buying water from every vendor we passed but my companion, who looked to be in pretty good shape, said he wasn’t thirsty.

After crossing the bridge and resting up a little, we walked back to another subway entrance and by now I was almost completely lost. This is where the real story begins as we passed under the Hudson River heading back to Manhattan in a standing room only subway car.  I had sweat dripping off me but although the air conditioned subway was packed with people at 6’2” I stood above most of them and was able to suck down some cool air. At about 5’8” my friend wasn’t as lucky and not ten minutes into the ride trouble set in. His voice was weak when he spoke and his color wasn’t good. My first thought was to look for some assistance but I couldn’t even move in the crowded car. My new friend told me in a faint voice that he felt dizzy and then his chin dropped to his chest and he whispered that he might faint. By now I held his arm with one hand and I grabbed the back of his belt with the other. The first stop coming up was Union Square and after was 42nd Street so I had to get him out of this car. If we went on to 42nd I would be lost for sure and he would probably be totally unconscious.

Next week is it the end or just the beginning?

On the local front, although cold weather set in on Youth & Family Services big event Friday night it was successful on many fronts. Over 200 guest enjoyed music, Chef Caleb Sparks’ outstanding food and the beauty of Woolaroc. Let’s hope for another show next year!

Coming up it’s the time of year Dewey, Oklahoma loves. It started with a rodeo back in the early days of statehood when thousands of people would flock to town and it continues today. I’m talking about Western Heritage Days in Dewey. Featuring a longhorn cattle drive and parade down Main Street along with a big show out on the beautiful grounds of Prairie Song, this is one party you won’t want to miss.

Till next week and the ending of the Union Square story in New York City, I’ll see ya down the road……………….

 

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The Continental Divide

                                                                                      Down The Road with the Original Buffalo Dale

 Welcome back. According to atlas.gov “The Continental Divide, also known as the Great Divide, is a natural boundary line separating waters that flow into the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico from those that flow into the Pacific Ocean. It runs north-south from Alaska to northwestern South America. In the contiguous United States, the divide follows the crest of the Rocky Mountains.” Although it is easy to envision the divide as a straight line or wall, in reality it is more of a twisting and turning back road.

 In the northwest corner of Montana, it lies close to the capitol city of Helena, then runs through Butte, MT, winding around before crossing into Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park. Leaving the wide open spaces of Wyoming and into Colorado, the area around the divide becomes more populated with snow ski areas along its route into New Mexico.

The Carson National Forest lies along the eastern slope of the divide on the northern border of New Mexico. This is one of five great national forests in New Mexico which together cover 1.5 million acres. The Carson alone encompasses 89,193 acres with elevations from 6,000 to 13,161 feet at Wheeler Peak which is the highest in New Mexico. Travel in the forest is restricted to foot or horseback in order to protect this wilderness area and its spectacular views.

From the Carson National Forest, the divide winds around New Mexico’s western border with Arizona and finally crosses into Mexico. Having crossed the divide at high elevations in many states myself, I can understand why the early settlers had to wait out the winter snows before attempting to make their way over the mountain ranges.

With the end of summer and before the heavy snow sets in, there are few opportunities left for camping on the divide. Generally camping is free in these out of the way places but beware, you are sharing this space with nature’s creatures. Yes, it’s hard to believe but its last call for camping in the Rockies in 2014!

And now one last blast from the 1960s:

In 1961 the Beatles made their first appearance in Liverpool and Bob Dylan had his first paid gig in New York City.

In ’62 the Rolling Stones debuted in London, the Beach Boys signed a record contract with Capitol Records and the Cuban Missile made everyone aware of the dangers of nuclear weapons

In ’63 Joan Baez and Bob Dylan performed at the Lincoln Memorial during the historic Civil Rights March on Washington. President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, TX this same year.

In ’64 the Beatles make their first visit to the United States and Cassisus Clay (now known as Muhammad Ali) become Heavy Weight Boxing Champion of the World.

In ’65 Dylan goes electric, there are race riots in Los Angeles and the first psychedelic acid tea party is held in California with music played by the Grateful Dead.

In’66 the so-called youth movement is sweeping across the country and bands like the Jefferson Airplane and the Jimi Hendrix Experience are gaining popularity.

In ’67 the first issue of Rolling Stone Magazine is published and anti-Vietnam War protests take place from coast to coast.

In ’68 the Beatles travel to India to meditate with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, fifty-nine countries sign nuclear nonproliferation treaties, Richard Nixon becomes President and Robert Kennedy is assassinated in Los Angles, CA.

In ’69 John Lennon and Yoko Ono stage the first “bed-in”, the movie Easy Rider is released and actress Sharon is murdered in her home by the Charles Manson Family.

“The times they are a-changing” was the theme of the decade and on September 15, 1969 they certainly changed when 500,000 unexpected guests showed up on a remote country farm in upstate New York for three days of peace, love and music. Now forty-five years later it could happen again a little closer to home. Woolaroc will be the place on Friday, September 12th starting at 3 p.m. as the sixties come back to life. RKM Film Productions from Tulsa will be documenting the event, there will be lots of giveaways and great food all of which is included in the ticket price. Throw in the Fabulous Mid-Life Crisis Band, the Big O Show, Gypsy Twang, a couple of guest artists, plus an hour of meditation and yoga to get everyone in the right frame of mind and who knows, the guests may just outnumber the animals at Frank’s place! There will be a cash bar and you can buy tickets at the gate. Feel free to bring your lawn chairs but no coolers please.

Sounds like a party to me, till then I’ll see ya down the road…………………………..

 

The Big Event, Billy Etbauer & Lee Ann Womack

          Another post from my recent travels……………..                                                  

                                                                               Down The Road with the Original Buffalo Dale

Welcome back.  Billy Etbauer is a five time world bareback riding champion and many rodeo people say there was no one better.  Still in great shape, he and his wife Hallie are about as down home friendly as it gets. Former governor Frank Keating and his wife Kathy are also easy to talk with and they visited with me about the great things A.C. Holden had accomplished during his time in public service. Governor Mary Fallin was there as you might imagine since she’s running for re-election and she told me she has many fond memories from her visits to Bartlesville. Basketball great Leroy Coombs was a guest along with numerous officials from the State Department of Agriculture, past governors, presidents of major banks and more professional rodeo cowboys than I could count.

Miss Rodeo Oklahoma, Lauren Heaton was there as was Grammy award winning country music star Lee Ann Womack. Later in the evening Lee Ann gave a performance that had the crowd of over five hundred clapping and dancing in their seats. The menu for the evening included large steaks, jumbo shrimp, salads, fresh vegetables and fancy potatoes served from long tables decorated with flowers and ice sculptures. I don’t want to forget the friendly and professional serving staff, all of whom were neatly dressed in black uniforms. There seemed to be at least a hundred of them and you never had to ask for anything. A top of the line event for sure!

Another noteworthy guest who was of special interest to me was Susan Robbins, the widow of the late actor Dale Robertson who passed away last year. For those of you who aren’t familiar with him, Dale was the star of many TV and movie westerns including everything from Iron Horse and Death Valley Days to Dallas and Dynasty. Dale lived just a mile down the road from here and was a regular guest at this event. A special eulogy was delivered for Dale by the man who was probably his best friend, Bob Funk.

I could tell you much more about the evening and drop another handful of names, many of which you would be familiar with but now that I’ve mentioned Mr. Funk, you may guess that this gathering could only have been held at one place- his Express Ranch in Yukon.

This annual occasion is called “The Big Event” and you regular readers know that I’ve attended several times and it is always lots of fun to see who’s there. The Big Event is a cow sale yes but it is also intended to be a celebration of the many opportunities offered to Oklahomans and more importantly, Americans.

The real stars of the show are of course the cattle. This ranch, combined with the other Express operations around the country, represents the largest seed stock producer in the United States. These registered cattle sell for big money and some of them are syndicated like race horses with multiple owners literally from around the world. The annual sales at the Express Ranch also provide millions in tax dollars for the State of Oklahoma. I feel fortunate to be able to attend and I hope I have captured at least some of the excitement of the event for you.

On Thursday night I caught a performance by the best garage band I think I’ll ever hear, The Fabulous Mid-Life Crisis Band. The band is on a roll, playing to big crowds around the state as their following grows. As I’ve mentioned they will be playing out at Woolaroc on September 12th along with the Big O Band from Oklahoma City and Gypsy Twang from Tulsa. Bring your lawn chairs if you want and there will be plenty of food.  Tickets are $40 a person and include admission to the museum and grounds at Woolaroc from 3-5 p.m. before the event. If you haven’t been to Woolaroc lately this is a great opportunity to reacquaint yourself with this special place that Frank Phillips left for all of us.

Till next time, I’ll see ya down the road…..

                       

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Back to Woodstock Part 1

 Finally back on line so onward as my friend Bob says……………..

                                                        Down The Road with the Original Buffalo Dale

Welcome back. This week marks the 45th anniversary of a musical milestone and so I am taking you back in time to August 15, 1969. Until then Bethel Woods, New York had been a small village in the mountains about a three hour drive from New York City. Four young partners who were looking for a location for an outdoor music festival changed the town forever. Just thirty one days before their heavily publicized event was scheduled to be held in Wallkill, New York they lost their original location and has to scramble to find another.

The spot they found was on Max Yasker’s farm in Bethel and the event was called The Woodstock Music and Art Fair. In the matter of a week people started pouring into the small rural town and by the opening day of the festival on August 15th over 500,000 people were there making Bethel briefly one of the largest towns in New York State. What followed was three days of peace, love and music that has come to symbolize the 1960s and all the cultural changes that took place during that era.

As you regular readers probably know, when I discover something new I can get carried away with all the details. This may be one of those times but I hope you will find this interesting nonetheless.

Today the Museum at Bethel Woods sits on the grounds of the festival. The not-for-profit museum was created by the vision of one man who also had a lot of money. Alan Gerry was a cable vision pioneer who wanted to preserve the original site and who also wanted to help the local residents of one of the poorest counties in New York State. Gerry bought the property and seventeen thousand acres surrounding it. The land, combined with seventeen million dollars, was used to launch the Gerry Foundation in 2004 which was the beginning of one of the greatest museums of its kind on earth.

 It’s hard to know where to start with all the information about the museum and the grounds. Fifteen thousand people can sit in the outdoor amphitheater for summer concerts and there are four hundred and forty indoor seats for indoor shows. There are also eight hundred acres of manicured grounds where the actual festival took place. The museum hosts concerts, community workshops and all kinds of educational programs on art, history and culture. In the true spirit of Woodstock, most of these events are free.

 Bethel Woods has become a premier venue for big name entertainers and everyone from Bob Dylan to Elton John has played here. I was most impressed with the 6,728 foot exhibition hall which showcases thousands of objects that take you back to a changing time. When I was there twenty different films about the ’60s were available to watch as well.

 In celebration of next week’s anniversary, Santana will return along with Crosby, Stills and Nash and John Fogarty from Credence Clearwater. There will also be a free showing of the director’s uncut version of the award winning documentary about Woodstock on a giant screen and everyone I spoke with expected it to be a great party.

 Before I go off to meditate I have a few more interesting facts about Woodstock. Of the estimated half million people who attended, only two hundred people were arrested for drug offense. As many people were barefoot, foot injuries were common. There were two deaths, one from a drug overdose and one that occurred when a person sleeping in a pasture was run over by a tractor. Richie Havens wrote his signature song Freedom on the spot and by time Jimi Hendrix took the stage on Sunday there were n 35,000 still there.

                                                Till next week and with more from Woodstock, I’ll see ya down the road…

 P.S. The Will Rogers and Wiley Post Fly-in is coming up on August 17th at Dog Iron Ranch in Oolagah. Mark your calendars for this fun, family friendly event!

 

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The Brooklyn Bridge Incident

  I have been off-line with computer problems so I apologize for the down time. I will be posting several articles over the next days and stay tuned for an exciting announcement in the next thirty days.                                                              

                                                                               Down The Road with the Original Buffalo Dale

 Welcome back. On location in NYC this past week I’ve had the opportunity to visit with many well known news people at Fox Studios including Geraldo Rivera. Also at the Today Show I again talked with Matt Laurer, a very pregnant Savannah Guthrie and the always jovial Al Roker and on Monday at the Madison Café I got caught up with TV personality Rikki Klieman. As I mentioned a few weeks back, Rikki is married to NYC Police Commissioner Bill Bratton. I could dedicate my entire column to any one of these fascinating people but after the Brooklyn Bridge incidentlast week my interest turned that way.

 If you haven’t heard, someone climbed to the top of the two towers, took down the American flags that usually fly along the bridge and replaced them with bleached flags that appear all white from a distance. I walked across the bridge myself and it is a massive structure.  When the Brooklyn Bridge opened on May 24, 1883 it was the largest suspension bridge on earth and at the time it was dubbed the “8th Wonder of the World.” On opening day it was estimated that over 150,000 walkers and 1800 vehicles crossed the bridge. It took fourteen years of hard labor to construct the mile long bridge which spans the East River, connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn.

 According to The Great Bridge by David McCullough twenty men died during construction including bridge designer John Rambling. Rambling’s son then took over and completed the project but not without encountering serious medical problems himself. The opening of the bridge was a major event in American history and people were excited. But when train tracks were laid across the structure in 1885, thirty million passengers a year began using it to commute into Manhattan which was a milestone in the development of mass transit in the area.

 In the course of my research I also learned that many people seeking notoriety or wanting to commit suicide gravitate to the Brooklyn Bridge. The first jumper was Robert E. Odum in 1885 and he was also the first to die but apparently his death did not dissuade other jumpers. Amazingly a few people have lived to tell their stories. Today over 100,000 vehicles, 4,000 walkers and 2,000 bicyclists cross every day so there are plenty of deterrents for jumpers as I found when I joined the walkers. Still periodically you will read in the obituary

With the construction of the Williamsburg Bridge, which is four and a half feet longer, and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Brooklyn Bridge lost its standing as the longest bridge in the world. Several other bridges now connect Manhattan to nearby boroughs including the Manhattan, the Geensboro and the George Washington as well as numerous tunnels for subways and railways, all bringing millions of people to work every day.  In 1964 the Brooklyn Bridge was officially designated a National Historic Landmark. It takes thirty men to maintain it and the entire structure is repainted every five years or so.

 Unfortunately, I don’t have the space right now to give you the whole history of this historic landmark or all the other details of my ongoing business trip to New York City but I will have more next week. Till then I’ll see ya down the road….

 

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The St. Louis Arch and Other Points East

               Down The Road with the Original Buffalo Dale

 Welcome back. The trip from the far northeast corner of Oklahoma along highway 44 to St. Louis and the internationally known structure known as the “Gateway to the West” or the “Arch of St. Louis” takes six hours. Along the way you pass beautiful mountain scenery, the famous resort town of Branson, Missouri and Six Flags amusement park. Then you see the striking monument that was built in 1963 to celebrate the westward expansion of the United States.  At 630 feet this gleaming stainless steel structure is the tallest man made monument in the country.

From the Arch going north, highway 44 becomes highway 70 and the mountainous terrain turns to farmland. The exit ramps lead to small rural communities and mostly $60 a night and up motels for the weary travel until you hit Terre Haute, Indiana, the home of a major federal penitentiary. The prison was constructed in 1938 by order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt who was responding to the request of the local Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce. At the time, during the Great Depression, the prison was seen as an important source of jobs and other economic stimulus. Since then the prison has grown to become a multi-purpose facility. It includes a rehabilitation wing devoted to improving inmates’ reading, writing and math skills along with a trade school. There is a level three care unit which provides medical services to seriously ill prisoners, some of whom are transferred from other parts of the country to be cared for in Terre Haute. Another area of the prison houses “lifers”, who are the inmates who will never be released. And then there is death row.

Due to its central location, in 1993 the federal government designated United States Prison (USP) Terre Haute as the facility that would house and ultimately execute those prisoners who have received a death sentence in federal court. There are currently58 inmates in what the government called the “Special Confinement Unit” on death row.

You may have heard of a few of the notorious men who drew their last breath here. Timothy McVeigh who was convicted in 1997 for planning and carrying out the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building in Oklahoma City which killed 168 people is one example. McVeigh was executed in 2001.

Also executed in 2001 was drug king pin Juan Raul Garza. Garza was convicted of numerous murders and for importing thousands of pounds of marijuana into the United States.

Gulf War veteran Louis Jones Jr. was put to death in 2003 for the kidnapping, sexual assault and murder of an enlisted woman at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas. As you can see the list goes on as the men awaiting execution includes a wide range of convicted drug dealers, sex offenders, murderers and terrorists. Although there’s plenty of hotels in this area right off I-70 in Terre Haute, Indianapolis is just an hour and a half away and I usually go on.

The Indianapolis area is rich in history from many eras. This was once the home of the Delaware tribe until they were displaced by the government and relocated to other lands. The city was chosen to be the state capital in 1820.

According to the 2010 census, Indianapolis is now the 12th largest city in the country with a thriving arts and sports scene. The Indianapolis 500, the Brickyard 400 and Men’s and Women’s NCAA Basketball tournaments all take place here along with concerts, exhibitions and a variety of cultural festivals. Definitely a place where I would like to sped more time.

Richmond is the last major town before you leave Indiana as I-70 rolls across the American heartland into Ohio. The next stop for me was Columbus, Ohio which at one point in time was governed by the French. Back in the early 1750s George Washington conducted a survey of the area and that survey led to a struggle for control of the region, sparking the seven year French-Indian war.

From Columbus, I travel on through Wheeling, West Virginia and on to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Then I take a turn north toward I-80 and Lake Erie of Great Lakes fame. I-80 cuts across Pennsylvania and this is where I stopped for my second night on the road.

The vast terrain of Pennsylvania is nothing less than spectacular and well worth a closer look but I’ve got business in New York City and on the streets of Manhattan where I’ll be reporting from next time. Till then, I’ll see ya down the road….

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Off the Beaten Path in New Mexico

                     One last post from my most recent trip to New Mexico!                   

                          Down The Road with the Original Buffalo Dale

 Welcome back.  Getting off the beaten path. That statement could mean several things that have to do with life but for my purposes this week it means travel destinations, either far away or close by. There are many great (and free) hiking trails that are open to the public in camping areas around Taos that take you about as far out into mother nature as you may want to go. These trails lead deep into the woods and up into the mountains, offering hikers some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.

One such spot is just outside of Angel Fire. Elizabeth Town was once a thriving mining center but today it is a ghost town. Hikers can wander through the old, abandoned buildings and visit the graveyard which with 360 views is one of the most beautiful and serene spots I have seen. It does take a smart guy to know that camping is the number one activity in this part of the world during the summer months. Among other things, campers can easily participate in hiking, swimming, fishing and rafting, all a treat to a person’s eyes and soul.

As all good things hopefully lead to better ones for now I have to sadly say goodbye to north central New Mexico.

Yes, Ghost Ranch, Philmont, Taos, the ghost town of Elizabeth Town and Bobcat Pass are behind me for the time being but I am already planning a return trip in late September/early October to another of Georgia O’Keefe’s favorite spots that I want to explore.

Till next week I’ll see ya down the road……………..

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