The Road to Eola (#44)

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In my mind there is no more glorious time in the Texas Hill Country than spring wildflower season. The peak months are typically Mid March to Mid April. The intensity of the show is dependent on cold wet winters and spring showers. 2017 has been a pretty good year. Last weekend I asked a friend to join me for a mini adventure to a tiny brewpub I had been wanting to visit since another fellow beer drinker told me about it a couple of years ago.

SH 71-Near Llano

We left Spicewood late morning heading northwest on 71 to Llano, the county seat where we stopped at the local park to view the rehabilitated Roy Inks bridge before heading north on 16 toward San Saba. The park by the bridge is a nice place to picnic and in the last couple of years they have been dropping chunks of native rock for anyone making a creative effort to build rock art features.

Roy Inks Bridge-Llano

We discovered an unusual style house for rural Texas on 16 just south of Cherokee, Texas. I was convinced the original owner had come from the east coast. When we got to San Saba we turned west on 190 and immediately stopped at the Wedding Oak Winery sampling room and tried some very tasty wines. I was surprised when my favorite happened to be Viognier, a white wine.

Wedding Oak Winery-San Saba

CR 204 near Harkeyville

We headed west looking for CR 406, a road that would take us to an old historic truss. We missed our turn, but made our way back using CR 218. The bridge is a beautifully restored Pratt through truss over the San Saba River. We spent quite a bit of time walking across the bridge and back, admiring the beautiful portal bracing and never seeing another car. We still had another bridge to find before we made our way to the brewery. I had no cell service and no gps to assist us. We had the paper map above, but it didn't give us all the road names or numbers. Luckily we missed our turn to keep going due west at Rochelle, which landed us in Brady, the county seat of McCulloch County. Had we not missed our turn earilier, we would have missed a beautiful Mission Revival train station on the north side of the town.

US 190

McCulloch County Courthouse-Brady

Just outside of Brady we headed north on 283 and turned left at 765 toward Fife. We were looking for Waldred Road to no avail. At the first decent dirt road heading north approximated 2 miles we  we turned right (CR 220 north of the Colorado River). I had heard the bridge was a gigantic five part through truss and we wondered if such a bridge could be on this dirt backroad.  After approximately five miles we were thrilled to find we had indeed picked the correct road!

Waldrip Truss

On to the Eola School and Bright Brewing for our reward. But there was one last discovery near Millersville when I saw a unique building in the distance. It turned out to be the old Hartgrove Gymnasium, built in 1938-39 by the Works Progress Administration.  We had some good beers at the old schoolhouse, talked with a local and two Texas Poet Laureates before making our way home.  It was a lovely day for a ride and discovery. Where to next time?

Eola Schoolhouse Restaurant and Bright Brewing

A Delicious Bite From "The Big Apple" (#17)

How and why does an architectural historian with a big city heart avoid going to NYC until she is 52 years old? Me either. It's everything they say and more-this city eclectic, eccentric and electric. It's an architecture and art lovers mecca.

I had been all around the city from Long Island, along the NJ Palisades, across the entire length of upstate NY, but never, not even once, did I venture to the core of the Big Apple...until a baby shower took me to the Upper East Side, just a few blocks from the Jacqueline Onassis Reservoir in Central Park. And then by sheer luck, I was blessed with not one, but two six-day visits within one year, first in April 2012 and then again the following January.

Enjoyable mornings started with brisk walks around the Reservoir and often drew me further into the arms of this Frederick Law Olmstead masterpiece.  Central Park embraces its history and retains many of the original cast iron and stone bridges from the late 1850s and 60s guiding park goers from one meticulously manicured area to another like Belvedere Castle, The Ramble and Strawberry Fields.

This is truly architecture heaven, street after street excellent examples of every architectural style from every decade dating back to the late 1700s. Even post modern buildings are stunning.

Like every good tourist, I visited the top of Empire State Building, sat in the first pew at St. Patrick's Cathedral, rode the Staten Island Ferry, walked the Brooklyn Bridge and went into the Chrysler Building to view the lobby. But that is really the tip of the iceberg, because there is so much more like the new Beekman Tower, old Greenwich Village, the Roosevelt Island Tramway and the emotionally moving 911 Memorial. All this with the aid of a superb mass transportation system and a 7-day Metro Pass, this apple was mine!

Beekman Tower-Frank Gehry

And no visit to this city would be complete without a trip to one of their then their great museums-both history and art. I discovered some treasures in the Met and at the American Museum of Natural History I followed the popular self paced Night in the Museum tour. Both of these museums are pay what you can. The Guggenheim and The Frick have special times to pay-as-you-wish, but prepare to line up around the building, so these times tend to be very crowded.

My second trip in January was dubbed the NYC Drinking Tour with visits to Heartland  Brewing before riding to the top of  Empire State building and drank beer at McSorley's Ale House, the oldest continuous pub on Manhattan. I splurged $20 for Bloody Mary at the St. Regis, where the French Red Snapper made its American debut, but the real highlight here is the opportunity to admire the recently restored Maxfield Parrish murals in the Old King Cole Bar with a history lesson for the friendly and attentive bar staff. And my last evening was spent in Greenwich Village sitting at the bar of the White Horse Tavern at the opposite end of the bar where Dylan Thomas drank himself to death-but I stopped at two-I want to make sure I get to come back.

Photo courtesy of the ultra cool bartender

America's Heartland, Part 1- Iowa (#26)

Holliwell Bridge

I have traversed Iowa both east to west and back several times. Each time I said I was going to stop and take a closer look. So on a road trip from Austin, Texas to Minneapolis, Minnesota, I finally did it.

John Wayne's Boyhood Home

I got off I-35 at mile marker 52 for a bucolic mini Bridges of Madison County tour. First was the almost immediate Imes Bridge just east of St. Charles, followed by a picturesque barn, the Holliwell Bridge and the Cutler-Donahue Bridge in Winterset, Iowa-hometown of John Wayne. Winterset is the county seat and is well worth a stop to stroll around the historic courthouse square to shop & get a bite to eat in one of the well preserved Italianate buildings from the late 1800s.

My next stop was Des Moines, Iowa's centrally located state capital. As I headed east on Grand Avenue toward the downtown I caught sight of a mansard roof topped tower and just had to turn back to investigate. Terrace Hill is the stately Governor's Mansion built in 1869 by Benjamin Allen-Iowa's first millionaire. I was fortunate to catch the day's last docent led tour before heading to experience Des Moines great selection of public outdoor art.

First stop was the 4.4 acre Pappajohn's Sculpture Park just before reaching the heart of downtown. Located just a few more blocks in Nollen Plaza is Crusoe's Umbrella, one of Claes Oldenburg's large-scale pieces.

After a very full day in America's Heartland it was time to relax and grab a pint and burger at the el Bait Shop with more than 100 craft beer taps.  I was thrilled to see several Bell's selections and after a nice conversation with my bartender decided to try the Des Moines IPA by Confluence Brewing Company.

This evenings destination was camping at Ledges State Park, recommended by the tourist information attendant just inside the Iowa border on I-35. As its name suggested, this was not the flat farmland I had driven to get there. After securing a nice non-electric site it was time to drive down into the canyon where I forded my car (Rosemary) across several little streams.

One of several stream fords

The next day I traveled several miles of the historic Lincoln Highway before findind myself back on I-35 heading north to Minnesota and looking forward to the continuation of my Iowa visit next week.

Gateway to the West-Nebraska (#27)

I used to consider Nebraska a mere pass through state...A necessary evil to labor across to get to the good states, on either side. Then again I never took the time to stop here before. This time I would stop, my destinations - Carhenge, Scotts Bluff National Monument and camping at Lake Minatare SNA-Home of Nebraska's only lighthouse...my thought was that anyplace with a lighthouse couldn't be all that bad. Nebraska was so much more than I originally expected and I hope to return someday and see more of this All-American state.

My first surprise was prompted by a highway sign directing tourists to an original Pony Express Station. I ventured off I-80 at Gothenburg and followed the signs. While the Station was indeed the real deal, it had been moved from the original Pony Express Route about eight miles south of the highway. No matter, the road to the station was lined with historic homes in spring flower bloom and just off the highway was another surprise...a sod house museum. It was a quick visit but it was time to get back on the road and head to my camping destination - Lake Minatare just outside of Scottsbluff. I got hopelessly lost trying to find this lovely camping area, my GPS unit failed me and my husband Phil's attempts to direct me via cell and the Internet brought him nothing but borderline hysteria from me. What Phil had realized and I could not wrap my brain around was that there were a couple of identical intersections within Scottsbluff. Near dusk I finally found the campground with just enough time to climb to the top of the lighthouse and find a spot to bed down for the night. Ordeal over.

The GPS was back to its old
self in the morning and we arrived at Scotts Bluff National Monument just as the park road and museum were opening. After a lovely conversation with the NPS staff, I headed to the top of the bluff on Summit Road, the oldest concrete road in Nebraska they informed me. I was alone at the top, except for mule deer and a rabbit and the wind howled like a locomotive. I walked to both north and south overlooks and was astounded by the starkness the pioneers must have encountered a century and a half ago. Way off in the distance I could see Chimney Rock, a landmark pioneers used to mark their halfway point to Oregon.

I traveled back to the museum and took the path to walk part of the Oregon Trail. While researching our genealogy several years ago, we discovered that Phil's family had taken the Oregon Trail and had lived in the same two vicinities as Phil - one hundred years apart of each other. Oh what a thrill to have walked where ancestors may have walked! Interesting too was that The Mormon Trail, California Trail and Pony Express all converged here at Mitchell Pass. I had used Chimney Rock as a landmark to find my way here and the whole experience sent chills through my body.

It was time to head north with one short side trip to Alliance for
a visit to Carhenge. The town of Alliance was a quaint little town with great architecture. It was obvious this community took a lot of pride in their bustling downtown. I stopped to take pictures and a woman stopped to chat with me about the buildings and gave me a brief history of them and the town, the county seat. She told me to drive down to the county courthouse and see the decorative brackets along the roofline and I passed the old movie theater with its original neon.

Carhenge was just north of town in an open field. This was an outdoor sculpture like no other I have encountered. It was hard to pull myself away from this place and several other cars stopped and walked around spellbound like me. There are several Stonehenge replicas around the US...why I do not know...why are we drawn to them? I've visited two in Texas at Odessa and Hunt. Texas also may have Carhenges' inspiration - Cadillac Ranch with ten Caddies buried nose down...someone asked me if I considered it art.
Of course I do, and I am thrilled that this time I stopped to discover that Nebraska is definately not a mere pass through state.

South Dakota (#40) - Great Faces, Great Places

This was my second visit to this beautiful state and the west side is (in my book) hands down...the best side! My first visit was in 2000 with my mom and two sons. Phil stayed home and paid for the trip while the four of us took mom back to Vegas for a visit. That trip we went via all the National Parks we could fit in on a one month trip there and back. While that trip is most cherished and memorable, I have the digital pictures from this trip and it was close to being just as awesome...only this time I was alone...and enjoying some much needed me time.

My trips primary purpose was to get to North Dakota, but I was not about to miss another opportunity to visit the Black Hills area. I entered the state from Nebraska following US385 on the west side of the state. Just before I turned to continue on to Hot Springs I saw a sign for a microbrewery in Rapid City so I decided that was my destination for the evening and I was going to stay in a motel to boot. Hot Springs on the south end of the Black Hills would have been another good choice to stop and take advantage of the springs and numerous spas up on the bluffs...next time. The nineteenth century town had an amazing amount of its original limestone architecture. I stopped momentarily before heading off to Mount Rushmore via Custer State Park.

Custer State Park is undoubtedly one of the great wildlife viewing parks I have had the pleasure of visiting. Within a few miles of entering the park I saw: bison, prairie dogs, coyote, elk, mule deer, antelope and mountain goats...oh and a few black squirrels too. I went into animal overload and took about a third of all the pictures I took the whole trip. I went past the beautiful State Game Lodge and just before leaving the park I happened upon the spot where Austin & Jacob (then 10 & 7) fed the "wild burros." it was there that a lovely women went around sticking carrots in the hands of all the kids who were stopped there. To this day that "wild burro" incident is one of the boys most favorite vacation moments...even though we broke the law!

Snaking my way up 16A to the Peter Norbeck Overlook from south to north is the better route choice. Going this direction allows a surprise first peek of presidents as you drive into one of the three tunnels along this stretch of road. Mount Rushmore is perfectly framed within the tunnel and I wondered just how they figured it so precisely. I reached the overlook and this time had the place all to myself. I also savored the lack of traffic on this last day of April, because it allowed me to just stop virtually anywhere and take pictures, including the interesting pig tail bridges.

I reached Mount Rushmore at 5pm and they had quit taking the $10 parking fee at the gate for lack of patrons!! I walked through the Avenue of Flags and found both Michigan and Texas flags. On to the observation area, except this time I was no alone. It appeared I was amongst several Amish people, until they asked me to take there picture, I decided they must be Mennonite. I asked them to reciprocate by taking my picture and they shared they were from Alberta, Canada and wanted their picture taken with my presidents. I told them to return in a couple years to see Obama added to the end. Not thinking I was that funny they nearly rolled on the ground with laughter. I spent way too much money in their, oh so neat, gift shop and headed for Rapid City.

Beer was calling my name! I quickly secured a motel room and headed straight to the Firehouse Brewing Company. This microbrewery is located in a beautifully refurbished two story firehouse from the early twentieth century. This was my dream at the end of grad school - renovate a historic building and start a microbrewery - I was like a pig in mud! My bartender informed me they ambitiously brewed more than 30 varieties of beer, but usually had 5 offerings available so I ordered up my usual sampler.

The building was used as a firehouse until 1991 when it underwent a stunning renovation to a restaurant. They had even hung some of the original antique fire fighting equipment from the ceiling. One of particular interest was the hand pump water tank were three people stood on each side as the pumpers worked to expel water from the tank. My Yellowfin Tuna was masterfully cooked and both Porter and Stout were super yummy. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

CHEERS!

Kansas (#34) - Nothing Lasts Forever but the Earth and Sky

A couple of weeks ago during a discussion about my obsession to see all 50 states and DC before I turn 50, a colleague asked me if there was a state I would prefer not to return. I thought for a minute and told him Kansas. I have driven the long way across Kansas more than a time or two...it is a big long and boring state when you just drive across its width. I really didn't think there was much to see. Then last week I drove it south to north on my way to visit my 48th state. That short conversation sparked me to find a few places to stop with the help of several websites including one called 8 Wonders of Kansas. And when I visited this time...I stopped...and was pleasantly surprised.

Lindsborg, Kansas - Little Sweden
Located north of Wichita in central Kansas is the little hamlet of Lindsborg. A metal through truss bridge beacons Valkommen and hints of the history that is found on the other side.

I immediately turned left to find a nineteenth century mill and heritage village with the old train depot, and the 1904 World's Fair Swedish Pavilion. After a quick visit I headed to the downtown area to find any Swedish bakery I could find! Instead I found what appeared to be a tour for young people walking around the old town with its Swedish twist buildings. I stopped a small group who informed me they were participants of a history tour involving education college students from Bethany College and local 8th graders. I tagged along and stopped at BlacksmithCoffee a gourmet coffee bean roaster where we were treated to the buildings local history. Afterward I bought a bag of delicious espresso beans and headed northwest to my next destination.

Post Rock Scenic Byway
When researching for the trip I found a great Kansas Scenic Byway website. Included in the many byways was this short 18 mile byway located almost dead center within the 100 Amazing Miles along I-70. Post Rock Scenic Byway starts in the town of Wilson and proceeds north to Lucas. Czech emigrants who settled this area long ago left their indelible stamp on the landscape using special locally quarried limestone for their buildings and fenceposts. The byway includes six miles along Wilson Lake with lakeside camping at the US Army Corps of Engineers Sylvan and Lucas Parks on the north side of the lake.

Lucas
The byways northern terminus is Lucas; the self professed Grassroots Arts Center of Kansas. You can visit the Arts Center in the center of downtown with it outdoor courtyard. Lucas is also the home of an unusual folk art house named the Garden of Eden and (if it isn't - it should be famous) Brant's Meat Market.

Listed on the National Register, Garden of Eden folk house was "built" by a civil war veteran who added bizarre concrete scenes to the exterior of his postrock limestone home.

Do not pass up eating some of the best Czech bologna you will ever encounter at Brant's Meat Market two blocks north of the Grassroots Art Center. Mr Brant is the third generation to make this his family's ring bologna recipe that is more reminiscent of sausage than the ring bolgona I shared with my dad as a kid. He told me that they haven't changed the recipe in more than 70 years...I say "Why ruin perfection!" I ordered a 1/4 pound and a chuck of sharp smoky cheddar cheese to eat with my crackers and apple for the perfect lunch. Just before I left town, I went back and got a 1/2 pound more for another day or two. DELICIOUS!

Utah-The One That Got Away (#29)

I have had the pleasure of visiting Utah a half a dozen times or more. In fact Utah is admittedly one of my favorite places to visit with all its National Parks, wild landscapes and blue, blue skies. This last time though, I was visiting the Capital to make it permanent.

Shortly after grad school I found myself in Salt Lake City, one of three final candidates for a SHPO position. The reviewer position was based in downtown Salt Lake City and located in the old and beautifully refurbished Rio Grande train station. The state arranged for me to have two nights and three full days for the interview process and to check out possible housing if indeed I became the preferred candidate.

Before I left Michigan I contacted one of our grad school alums in Salt Lake and asked about living there and areas I might want to live in with my family. I arrived early one morning, grabbed my rental car and headed to "catch" my interview at the train station. My interview was held in a board room with approximately ten people in attendance. By midafternoon it was over and I was on my way to the hotel. Tomorrow would be my day to explore the city and possible neighborhoods to transplant my family.

Late the next morning I headed over to Memorial
Hall- Home of the Utah Heritage Foundation to meet one of our fellow EMU alums. It was April and the city was blanketed in a thick lush carpet of glorious bloom. Kirk and I had lunch at Red Rock Brewing Company; the only one in Salt Lake City, where we had a tasty lunch and pint. Kirk had some wonderful insight to the city and after our lunch we parted company so I could explore the city.

I drove north of the city center checking out potential neighborhoods stopping at the State Capital for some wonderful views of the city below. Then it was back to city center to check out a few more potential neighborhoods before exploring the downtown area using a wonderful Historic Downtown Walking Tour map I found on line. The downtown has an astonishing amount of historic buildings-many creatively refurbished-like the Union Pacific Train Station that was converted to a shopping and entertainment complex. It is a great city to explore by foot and when you tire of walking, the light rail system will get you back to your car (free when I visited in 2004).

It was my last day in Salt Lake City and I had still had two very
important places to explore before I returned to Michigan. I left my hotel at the crack of dawn to visit Temple Square and the LDS Library-home of probably the best genealogical libraries in the US.

Last stop-Park City and the place my family would live, should this interview become a reality. Salt Lake City rests in a valley along the western side of the Wasatch Mountains, home to some of the best downhill skiing in the US. The alpine environment Park City offered was the place. I imagined days where the boys would walk in with their snowboards, and the apres ski life for Phil and me. Needless to say, I was sold on Utah. Unfortunately a few days later I was snapped back to reality. the position was awarded to one of the other two candidates. Little did I realize, but a short year and a half later I would be working another kind of Rio Grande in Austin, Tx...overseeing the districts along the US-Mexico border along the Rio Grande River.