Effigy Mounds National Park - September, 1968

Visiting with the Kenslers yesterday we recalled the trip we took to Effigy Mounds one Sunday in 1968.  I suppose we packed a picnic lunch, but Jack reminded me that we drover to Prairie du Chien, across the river, where we bought a bottle of wine, and we bought cheese somewhere, also according to Jack.  Seems to me we also visited Villa Louis in Prairie du Chien, although in those days it wasn't so much a finished tourist attraction as it is today.

At the Mounds we walked a long way into the trail with Jeff, Vic, and Marni, leaving Lonna and Pat behind with Jana, who was only about 18 months at this point.  When we reached the far outpost Jack did his Lewis & Clark pose, one hand behind the back, the other shading his eyes as he leaned forward, viewing the horizon.  Typical Jack. Apparently I don't have that picture anymore, but did get several of the group enjoying the view.  If I'm not mistaken, at this point you can see 3 states - Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois.

The camera was a 35mm using slides that I converted to digital a couple years ago.  Without auto-focus or light meter, and having to guess at the correct speed and f-stop, they have become discolored and grainy in the conversion but the memories are still there.

For the full album click this link.  Click the Slideshow button for a full-screen view of each.

a visit with old friends

When we moved to LaPorte, Jack Kensler was the junior high principal and we got to know each other a little bit until they moved to Independence when Jack got hired there in 68 or 69.  On New Year's Eve 1970 (pretty sure that was the year), I behaved myself pretty well for some reason, so on New Year's Day 1971 I had the pleasure of a morning after with no, shall we say, ill feelings.

This particular New Year's Day was in fact a beautiful day, sun shining, moderately warm, no snow as I recall, and I was standing on the back steps behind the garage when Lonna came out to say Jack and Pat had invited us over for the day.  Since Independence was only about 30 miles away, we went over and enjoyed the day/afternoon socializing, watching football on the tube, and quaffing a few brews.

Over the next couple of years it became a standard for us to do this at one home or the other until we moved out of LaPorte.  Then, 25 years ago, Jack and Pat moved to Glendale when he took an administrative position in Phoenix, and we just plain lost touch.


That's too bad because Jack was always a guy to socialize with about practically any topic, and he had a side to him that was altogether enjoyable to be around.  For example, at a party one time he noted one of his teachers wearing a tie, so he said he would cut it off - if he just had a pair of scissors.  Since the party was at our place and I knew where the kitchen scissors were, the next you knew the tie was lying on the floor, the teacher was very red-faced, and everyone was roaring with laughter.

Jack has a side of Cliff Klaven in him, although it's not because he's a know-it-all smarty but because he does know SO much.  Today, for example, he was talking about the Louis L'Amour and Zane Grey books, all from Arizona locations, and the movies filmed on the desert sands over near California, The Flight of the Phoenix and Lawrence of Arabia.  He just knows all this stuff . . .

Son Billy lives nearby so we were pleased to see him when he came over.  If you look closely at the photo you will notice the grapefruit in the tree behind him.  We also enjoyed fresh-squeezed orange juice for breakfast, from the orange tree somewhere on his right.  Bill is in sales, of home/commercial security systems, and is much a chip off the old block.  Jeff, the oldest. also lives in Glendale,  and Vic now lives in Miami/Dade, where he teaches history and coaches baseball.

I watched the Ice Bowl (Packers/Cowboys) with Jack at their home in LaPorte, on New Year's Eve 1967.  We were both convinced Boyd Dowler, handsome fellow that he was, would become a television announcer . . . until he was interviewed and we realized he was best suited for silent films.

It's just one of those amazing things that you can "lose" people, but pick up the conversation 40 years later like you'd never gone away.  I'm sorry I forgot to snap a photo of Jack and Pat - and tomorrow will add the photos from our day with the Kenslers at Effigy Mounds National Park back in '68 or so.  Seems like every day we ever shared with the Kenslers was a day to remember.

in the heat, slow down

The temps the last couple of days has been in the 90s, but very comfortable so long as you're not out walking across the desert.  So instead we've focused on Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Dick's Sporting Goods, and other such fabulous places.

Today we went out for a morning walk and took a new route south of here.  Along the way we saw a sign for a Yard Sale, which was actually going on in several yards.  As we walked from one to another we came upon this fellow who was working on his '52 Chev.

He was pleased to talk about it, in every detail.  Most of the car is original but he is adding some touches to it, I think including a hydraulic booster system, a new radiator, a new heater, and various other pieces.  The paint LOOKS original but is a variation of the original color he showed us underneath the trunk door.

He knew a fellow who owned a dozen antiquers that he would drive in some type of business, a different one every day, and he found this one on eBay for a pretty good price.  I don't know how many miles it has on it but the interior is in terrific shape.  

Outside of the car - the unique thing about the walking we have done is the navigation we can get from the smart phone.  Originally I took it along to be sure we'd be able t find our way home, and it's been quite valuable in helping to plot out the walk.  And in this case - to take a photo of something unique.  The first new car Dad ever bought was a '53 Chev. I thought it was the livin' end.

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

About 15 miles from our location in Coolidge, AZ, a "village" of sorts stands in monument to the Hohokam Indians, who several hundred years ago discovered how to tame the desert with irrigation.  Until natural disasters and the diseases of Spanish invaders essentially caused them to disappear.

Today we paid a visit to one location within the larger community, a site outlined by walls they had created, including a "great house" that apparently was pretty much like a city hall.  Our docent remarked as to the unfortunate loss of much of the archaeological items taken by visitors until the location was protected 100 years ago, but the fortunate survival of as much as there is.  His name was Steve Webber, and he retired from his work as a litigation attorney in Detroit and now serves here.

The "cane" in his hand is a wood root from a Saguaro cactus, used as a walking cane, pointer, or an instrument to prod those not paying attention, in his words.  You can see the Casa Grande behind him.  It was named by the first missionary to see it, back in 1694.  Read more about it by clicking this link.  You will also notice rounded walls behind him; originally they were seven feet high, but have disintegrated from weather and lack of maintenance over the years.

So much of how this area was used is unknown, and much is hypothesized - about the possibility it is a meeting hall, used for grain storage, used to view the canals they had built (by hand), and other hypotheses.

The view here is the East Wall, and the West Wall, in far better condition, is shown further below.

The holes top left and right are designed to pair with other holes and thus mark the summer solstice and moon orbits.  As surprising as that is, Webber pointed out that without television or radio to guide people, the sun, moon, and stars were what they watched, and used to predict seasons and weather.

Oh, yeah, we also stopped at Walmart.

As always, all the photos from this trip are available in an album accessible by clicking this link.

"Home" at last

Things to  notice here: the pool, the bright sun, the "grass" and the patio behind the house.  We're finally in San Tan Valley and ready for 3 weeks of relaxation, out of the bad weather going on at home.

This week the temps will run in the 70s and up, so our timing is excellent.  There is a Walmart a mile away, Target 5 miles away, and plenty of places to eat.  We'll take a couple days to a) shop for groceries and b) recover from the 1800 miles or so that we've driven since last Wednesday.

The pool, by the way . . . the water is too cool for swimming or lounging in it, though there is a cover in the garage we could flop on it.  Since it's supposed to be 90 degrees on Thursday, it could warm quickly.

the cold war revisited

The lone remaining (of 50-some) Titan Missile Silo site is near Green Valley, south of Tucson.  They offer a 30-minute tour during which you learn much about the political confrontations leading to the Cold War, then a walk into the silo to view the last Titan.

This lady is standing in the control room just in front of the desk where the commander would launch a missile if necessary.  Manned by only a half-dozen soldiers, they would not have known whether it was safe to emerge after a launch because there was no communication with the outside world, apparently.  We found that from the time the order was received to launch it took but 58 seconds to go through the checklist and get the missile out of the silo.  Here it is from above:

The color is influenced by the acrylic cap over the missile, the sun behind us, etc.  And not the place you want to be standing during a launch.  Here it is from the inside of the silo:

I'd forgotten or didn't realize how chilling the cold war was.  It was Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) as coined by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, I believe, terminology that meant that neither side really wanted to start a war because it meant death to all.  During the early Reagan administration a pact with Russia led to all of our silos but this one being blown up and filled with concrete.  The remaining missiles were used for launching satellites, the Gemini program in particular.

Inside the silo the security includes "hardened" doors and barriers that cannot be blown up from the outside.  One of the doors we went through, a foot thick and probably 10' x 10' weighed 6,000 pounds, with 1/4" clearance on the floor that would be a problem if the door were sagging, but it never will.

an old church on an Indian reservation

We thought we were simply going to be viewing an old Catholic church dating to the 1600's but were stopped in the road to pay $3 to park - for a Pow Wow.  So we figure we got double our money.  The church is in a state of disrepair but they held 3 services on this Sunday and at least the last two were packed with standing room only.

It's quite a sight, and once again you can feel the food being smoked over open fires at the numerous vendor stands in front of the church and behind it where the Pow Wow was being held.  Having never attended such an event I found it to be fascinating.  The color of the regalia, the workmanship in their outfits, and the pride of the performers were all memorable.  Although I recorded some of the dances they warned repeatedly about not doing so - and at the last not publishing them, so I will honor that.  Still, you are able to see how beautiful the costuming in a still photo.

They also asked that we not take photos from within the arena, and getting a photo from the stands was difficult when you're shooting over people - with an auto-focus that couldn't figure out what to focus on.  The activity all points to the far side of the arena so you're seeing the backs of several participants who were in the Grand March.  Still, you get the idea.  We chose not to sample the Fryed bread; just looking at the obese people told us we didn't need it, plus we had an awesome omelette at the Godtlands that morning.

I found this photo online - professional, comprehensive view: