Month: July 2016

MotorCoach Blog 27

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I am a motorcoach…

. . . here in Covington, Kentucky on the Ohio River, between the bridges. Bridges are conquerors of water and connectors of cities, communities and economies. They are first order of societal infrastructure and first strike of logistical progress. “Remove the boundaries, solve the hindrance.” Initiated by necessity, bridges are triumphs of ingenuity, monuments to ambition. It’s the ambition that confounds me. Bridges are big ideas that become bigger undertakings. I am just a motorcoach; I don’t do ambition. Yes, I am a sophisticated computer system on wheels. But my computer is programmed to do only what a motorcoach needs to do. Ambition? To me it’s a marvel and bridges are some of its most impressive testaments.

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Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

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Hangin’ out here on the Covington riverfront checking out some art. Rivers are story tellers. These works of art convey the stories of the Ohio River where Covington and Cincinnati send reflections to each other across its surface. Most of these works of art tell stories about bridges of various kinds, about river crossings.

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Here I am with One Zero Nine Seven Eight Three-Nine (a whopper of a name; I almost felt foolish introducing myself by my simple Two Seven Zero). We met as I was checking out the artwork along the wall. Art is good for that. Three-Nine (he said I could call him that for short) is a Prevost, I am MCI. Three-Nine is short on windows and seats because of an interior design less on passengers and more on “home.” Otherwise we have a lot in common. He is every bit the traveler I am, maybe more so. His plates say Tennessee, but he’s on a pretty epic tour: forty-two cities from coast to coast. My tours are referenced by destination. His actually has an official name: Five Seconds of Summer – 2016 Tour. His passengers are big-time travelers. They came from Japan. When they first started traveling several years ago, they focused on points throughout Asia. But in recent years they have been to South America – Chile, Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Mexico – and all over Europe – Russia, France, Italy, Germany, the UK . . . Three-Nine says that’s because they’ve become really popular. They are member of a rock band and go by the name One OK Rock. (The name came from the time at which they originally practiced every day: One O’clock in the afternoon.) They’re here to do a concert across the river at Cincinnati’s River Bend Music Center. Wait . . . what I really wanted to tell you about is that blue bridge on the right. Here, let me show you a better view of it . . .

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That is the Roebling Suspension Bridge, the first bridge to span the Ohio River and the prototype for the more famous Brooklyn Bridge. Engineer, John Augustus Roebling, was its designer, and it was built in the 1860s. Yes, EIGHTEEN SIXTIES! Are you shaking your head? Good, because it amazes me too. (Thanks to my other new friend, Ilir, for photography assistance on this selfie.)

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MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

I’ve been itching to share the river-wall art with someone, so here goes. (Actually, motorcoaches don’t have itches, but I hear these kinds of things from my passengers and they stick.)

NEWS FROM THE AGE OF THE BUFFALO: For many centuries into the past, long before John A. Roebling’s ancestors heard of North America, and when this place in the river was shallower, it was a buffalo crossing along the Great Buffalo Road.

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NEWS OF TIMES PRIOR TO BRIDGES: Before engineers and builders wielding bridge technology took on the Ohio, travelers crossed by ferry.

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NEWS OF FREEDOM SEEKING: In the nineteenth century the Ohio River was more than the defining border of southern Ohio and northern Kentucky, it was the boundary separating Kentucky, the southern (slave) state, from Ohio, the northern (free) state. In mid-century The Ohio River valley was an important part of the passage to freedom served by conductors of the Underground Railroad. And on occasion, winter freeze created an opportune but dangerous ice bridge for fleeing slaves to cross over into Ohio. Today, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center stands adjacent to the Cincinnati end of the Roebling Bridge.

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NEWS OF IMPROVISATION:  In 1862, with the construction of the Covington Cincinnati Bridge underway, Confederate General Lew Wallace was in need of a bridge to get volunteers and supplies across the river to Cincinnati. He hired a local engineer who created a pontoon bridge by fastening together empty coal barges. Nearly overnight General Wallace had the bridge he needed for crossing the Ohio.

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NEWS OF HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT: At the time of its opening in December of 1866, the 1,057 ft. long Covington Cincinnati Suspension Bridge (later renamed in honor of its designer, John A. Roebling) was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Materially, it was a tribute to the industrial age that was changing the world.

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MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about places you’ll want to visit.)

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On the Covington side: The Gruff. Not only have they concocted great flavors of food and drink, the owners of the Gruff have managed to capture the flavor of the local vibe. If you are in Covington near lunch hour, this is your spot. (Located at the end of Rivercenter Blvd.).

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On the Cincinnati Side: Revolution Rotisserie and Bar. Only free range, Amish raised chickens, sl-o- o- owly cooked to perfection via rotisserie, and lots of mouthwatering variations on the theme. (1106 Race St.)

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The Roebling Bridge – it will get you from one side to the other.

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Covington: meeting place of history, of Kentucky and Ohio, of quaint and quiet and busy and progressive, of past present and future.

Quote Of The Day samples

“Far and away, the best prize life has to offer is to work hard at work worth doing.” ―Theodore Roosevelt

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” ―Harriet Tubman

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MotorCoach Blog 26

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I am a motorcoach…

. . . realizing I’ve been wrong about something. Maybe it was this powerful engine, these shiny chrome-covered wheels, all these comfortable seats, and the sky-colored windshield I view the world through that kept me from realizing it sooner. But recently it dawned on me: my relationship with my passengers is the inversion of how I previously looked at it – they are the ones who take me places. Sure, I do the transporting, but everywhere we go and everything we see all starts with their ideas and interests. Take for example a trip to a museum dedicated to a woodcarver in Dover, Ohio. Such a destination would not have crossed my GPS had it not been for a certain group of passengers. After all, what interest would a machine-of-steel such as me have in a woodcarver’s craft? As it turned out, the visit was not only interesting, but relevant to my adventures. Here is some of what I learned through my passengers . . .

Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

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Warther Museum and Gardens is the showcase for the work of one of the greatest carver’s the world has ever seen. But as the name suggests, there was more to the man than carving. The museum is located right where Mooney and his wife Freida lived, created, and raised their family. The gardens and beautifully landscaped grounds surrounding the museum are their collaborative masterpiece, maintained today by the Warther family.

Here Is The News!

MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

NEWS Of A BOY’S DISCOVERY: Was it the penknife that discovered the boy inside, or the boy that discovered the knife and made something of the find? Son of Swiss immigrants, Ernest Warther began working his first full-time job shortly after finishing second grade. His father died when he was three, leaving behind the necessity for Ernest to grow up quickly, helping support the family. He did so by herding cattle from town to outlying pasturelands – a penny a day per head. Observers called him Mooney, from the Swiss: moonay, meaning “bull of the heard.” It was while returning to town one day that Mooney found a penknife in the road. From then on, whittling made the hours waiting for the cows to graze pass quickly.

NEWS OF STEAM: Known history of the steam engine dates back to the Ptolemaic scientists of Alexandria, Egypt. Early designs of an aeolipile (3rd century BC) evolved into Hero’s Engine (1st century AD), a steam turbine that spun when the water filled ball at its center was heated by fire. So that is where Mooney Warther began when he decided to carve the history of the steam engine.

ANCESTRAL NEWS: Sixty-four engineering and artistic marvels ultimately made up Mooney’s carved history of the steam engine. It included the John Bull locomotive, the world’s oldest self-propelled vehicle, created in 1831 by inventor Robert Stevens. With the John Bull locomotive begins the ancestral line of piston-driven wheeled vehicles! It was also America’s first self-propelled passenger transport. I should add to that: long-distance transport. All of which changed the world. Hello-o- o-o-o! Are you tracking with me on this one? We’re talking about my great-great- great . . . grandpa here!

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PINNACLE NEWS: For Mooney Warther, the steam engine reached its zenith in the mighty locomotives of the 20th century; and the story of steam as told through his carvings reached its pinnacle in “The Great Northern.” With operating moving parts, completion of The Great Northern required 7,752 hand-carved ebony, ivory, and pearl pieces. (Did I mention that Mooney Warther did not use modern tools, such as a lathe?) He even hand-carved the inlaid lettering on the locomotive’s stand. Over the years, engineers have studied Warther’s carving achievements, only to be left baffled that their creator possessed only a second grade education and none of the “necessary” mathematical training.

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MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about places you’ll want to visit.)

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A visit to the Warther Museum, gardens, and home reveals a story of love as much as genius. Mooney met Swiss-born Freida Richard and they married in 1910, a day shy of his twenty-fifth birthday. Over sixty-two years together they went on daily rowboat excursions up the Tuscarawas River, hiked, collected arrowheads, encouraged one another’s creative endeavors (Freida was a life-long button collector), gardened, endured the economic challenges of the Great Depression, built a homestead, and raised their children. Protective of his creative freedom and the life he and Freida and their family enjoyed, Mooney Warther rejected offers from The New York Central Railroad and Henry Ford to buy his carving collection – offers that would have made him the equivalent of today’s millionaire. The Warther gardens, home, workshop (including Freida’s button collection), and museum are truly must-see for anyone passing through North Central Ohio.

Quote Of The Day samples

“My roof doesn’t leak, I’m not hungry, and my wife has all her buttons.” ― Mooney Warther (response to Henry Ford’s offer to purchase the steam engine collection)

“Don’t worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.” ―Abraham Lincoln

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MotorCoach Blog 25

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I am a motorcoach…

. . . Two Seven Five, of German make – Setra – and traveling territories rich in the influences of Deutschland. Holmes County in North Central Ohio is Amish country, where the mother tongue is Pennsylvania Deitsh (a German dialect), German architectural accents are common, and evidence of German discipline is ubiquitous.

Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

Gardening and quilting are signatures of Amish community. This hill outside Dutch Valley restaurant brings both together in a quilt-patterned flower garden.

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Though not an Amish creation, The Farm at Walnut Creek is Amish run. The farm is full of surprises, including Ring-tailed lemurs that occupy an island within a small lake, ostriches and emus, and a host of four-legged exotic animals.

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Here Is The News!

MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

NEWS ON A SIGN: Ohio’s Holmes County is home to the largest Amish population in the world. In 1809, Jonas Stutzman left Pennsylvania and moved with his wife Magdalena to the region that would later become Holmes County. Today, nearly half the population of Holmes County is Amish and more than 35,000 Amish live throughout the area’s picturesque rolling hills.

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NEWS IN TELL-TALE SIGNS: There are three tell-tale signs of the Amish homestead; two are by their prevalence and the other by its absence.

Home-grown (and home-made) is the Amish way. Whether cultivated in the garden, canned in the kitchen, or crafted in the woodshop, the prevalence of home-grown is a sign of Amish tradition and Amish values.

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For most visitors to Amish country, the horse and buggy are the most anticipated sightings. Aside from various forms of horse-drawn buggies, the Amish get around by foot and bicycle. It is a preference that preserves a slower pace of life. (An important side note: though they do not own or drive them, the Amish allow for riding in automobiles, and they do make use of motorcoaches for long distance travel.) The Absence of power lines also distinguishes the Amish house from the typical modern residence. More than a fact of infrastructure, it is a statement of values. As with the automobile, the Amish see no evil in electricity itself, but manage life without it as a choice of nonconformity to a fast-paced lifestyle that compromises peace-of-mind and family connectivity.

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If there is a phone, it is located in a booth outside the house, so not to disrupt the communication inside.

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MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about places you’ll want to visit.)

The three most prominent names among the Amish of Holmes County are Miller, Yoder, and Troyer. But you only need to remember one of them if you’re in the area and have an interest in homemade candy. At Troyer Homemade Candies you can watch the multigenerational tradition of crafting delectable treats. You can also taste a variety of free samples while you decide which ones you want to take home.

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In Walnut Creek, Ohio, the hills are round, the roads are windy, and the draft horse still has a job on the farm – in front of the plow. When you want to go where quiet is as beautiful as the manicured landscapes, head to Walnut Creek in Holmes County. (Well, there is an exception to the quiet factor: in the fall, Holmes County is the #1 destination in the U. S. for color seekers.)

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Please come aboard, join me and my passengers for a trip through the countryside to a local marketplace. We’ll encounter a few buggies, see some calendar-worthy farmlands, and even pass by an Amish wedding.


Quote Of The Day samples

“If you can’t have the best of everything, make the best of everything you have.” ― Amish Proverb

“you will always leave something behind . . . your influence.” ― Amish Proverb

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MotorCoach Blog 24

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I am a motorcoach…

. . . with three stories for you – those of a notorious louse, a celebrity criminal, and a cultivated dream. Of course, travel is story. Every road trip is its own story, part of a bigger story, and a journey of story discoveries. I sometimes wonder if my engineers had story collecting in mind when I was “on the drawing board.” Story is what my passengers and I share most in common; it is they who gather story gems I pass on to you. You’ll recognize the locations of these stories from travels reported last week.

Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

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A surge in immigration ushered in “wine country” status not long after Missouri’s achievement of statehood in 1821. German immigrants in particular were drawn to the state’s climate and vast untapped resources. Early reports back to the homeland described an idyllic “New Rhineland” with wild grapevines heavily weighted with tasty fruit. Soon, German immigrants bearing old world vineyard clippings became established communities in the Missouri River valley. By the mid-1800s Missouri enjoyed growing prominence in the wine industry.

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In the 1870s, while things were going well for Missouri vineyards, back in Europe a pestilential louse by the name of Phylloxera was decimating old world vineyards. Feasting especially upon French vineyards, it nearly caused the annihilation of the French wine industry. Missouri bug expert (entomologist), Charles Riley, identified that certain grape vines native to America were retardant to phylloxera. He recommended a solution: graft together the American and French rootstock. Millions of Missouri rootstock clippings were shipped to Europe and the solution saved the day. Today, elite wine products of prestigious French vineyards are enjoyed throughout the world. And few serving or consuming them know they are of Missouri roots (literally).

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By the turn of the 20 th century Missouri’s prominence in the U.S. wine industry was second only to California. Prohibition dealt a severe but temporary blow, and Missouri’s wine industry began its rebound in the latter part of the century. Continuing a steady growth into the 21 st century, Missouri winegrowing is once again a thriving industry. Vats are processing award winning wines at over 125 wineries throughout the state (like this one at Van Till Family Farm Winery in Ray County).

Here Is The News!

MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

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JAMES’S BOND NEWS: Frank James, brother of Jesse James, was arrested in 1884 for participation in a train robbery along the Missouri Kansas Texas (MKT) Railroad. He was brought to Booneville – the county seat situated on the MKT – and booked into this jailhouse (“the Old Jail and Hanging Barn,” current office of the Friends of Historic Booneville). Sheriff John Rogers was so enamored with the celebrity of his prisoner he decided to take him out to dinner at The City Motel two blocks east of the jail. While at dinner, the sheriff introduced his guest to a group of Booneville businessmen, who evidently shared the sheriff’s awe of the famous catch. Pooling their resources, they posted bond on behalf of James. By the time the trial date arrived there remained no living witness to the robbery. Frank James was released, having never stayed a night in the Booneville jail.

NEWS OF A Winner: We have a contest winner! Sarah Gleeson of New Haven, Missouri is the winner of the first motorcoachblog.com contest, which did come down to a drawing due to a tie. No one was able to answer all questions correctly. The question everyone missed was from week one, which was: Where am I in the Scott Trade Center selfies in blogs 20 and 21? Everyone correctly identified my reflection in the glass doors behind the foreground statue (blog 21), but no one identified in the same selfie my reflection in the glass above the word Welcome (I warned it was tricky, if you recall). Congratulations Sarah! Enjoy your print of “Epic.”

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about places you’ll want to visit.)

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California weary, the Van Till family made their way to Missouri, where they transplanted themselves along with generations of farming expertise. Here they’ve cultivated a dream. It has a name: Van Till Family Farm Winery. The dream became a beautiful place where farm-to-table is practiced to perfection and gezellig (heh sell ick – Dutch, meaning visceral hominess) is an old world tradition. Paired with award winning Van Till wines, delectable menu items are made of premium ingredients grown in the Van Till fields and greenhouses. Located at 13986 State Highway C in Rayville, Missouri, Van Till Family Farm Winery is a destination experience in the finest of Missouri wine growing tradition.

*This aerial photograph of Van Till Farm Winery, as well as the second and third selfies in the Selfies section above were compliments of Brian Van Till, an accomplished photographer equally skilled with control of his drone. (For anyone with need of those skills: brian.vantill@gmail.com)

Quote Of The Day samples

“Wine is sunlight, held together by water.” ― Galileo Galilei

“I have been hunted for twenty-one years. I have literally lived in the saddle. I have never known a day of perfect peace.” ― Frank James

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