This is a barber shop I patronized in Baraboo, Wisconsin, in late August 2022.
Baraboo Social Club
Category: barber
California: Tall, Tall Trees
In May 2022, I took a long-planned trip to California. I had originally planned to go in 2020, before Covid-19 struck. Now, with restrictions loosening, I was able to take that trip.
Thursday morning I flew to Sacramento on United, with a layover in Denver. And also Scottsbluff, Nebraska. At first my flight was delayed because of a maintenance issue with the air conditioning. Then, we found ourselves in a holding pattern as we approached Denver, as the airport was combating strong winds. We ran low on fuel and landed in Scottsbluff, Nebraska to refuel. We stayed on the plane as we re-fueled. As we left, the 737 seemed to use every inch of runway to take off and rocketed quickly to 22,000 feet. My connecting flight to Sacramento was also delayed, giving me enough time to make it. My luggage came on the next flight, about an hour later.
Friday morning I drove into downtown Sacramento. I walked to the State Capitol, finally finding the one entrance open amidst the renovation. I was disappointed that parts of the Capitol were closed due to renovation and that other parts – the legislative chambers and statewide officials’ offices – seemed to be closed for Covid-related reasons. There did not seem to be many statues around either, but the governor’s portraits lined the halls.
From the State Capitol I walked into Old Town Sacramento, using a pedestrian tunnel under Interstate 5. Old Town is made to look like the Wild West Frontier, with wooden boardwalks and cobblestone streets. It is also the home to the California State Railroad Museum. The Museum has a collection of old locomotives and train cars on display, one of the best railroad museums I have seen.
Friday afternoon I drove to the University of California, Davis to watch a baseball game. UC Davis plays at the on-campus Phil Swimley Field at Dobbs Stadium. The stadium was built by volunteers and community groups back in the mid-1980s. The field does not have lights, requiring day games. The stadium also has minimal shade, which I tried to experience as much as I could by standing in the concourse (rather than sitting in the all-bleacher seating bowl). UC Davis plays in the tough Big West Conference (which sends a team to the College World Series in Omaha almost annually). They are in the midst of a tougher stretch, having won just four games prior to my visit. In Friday’s game, visiting UC San Diego scored the first 15 runs of the games, and won easily 15-5.
Saturday I watched a movie at the State Theatre and Multiplex in downtown Woodland. The city bought the theatre when it closed in 2010. The theatre was restored to a classic 1960s look (complete with neon) before being reopened to the public in 2017. Now the theatre is showing first-run movies and the clientele appears to be returning after Covid.
Sunday I drove west through almond orchards (with trees of all maturities) and other farms. I attended church services at the Countryside Community Church in Esparto. The church runs a food bank for the community outside on Sunday mornings. The small church does not have air conditioning nor does it have any microphones. But it does have great acoustics. The congregation was very welcoming, and you didn’t have to shout to talk with someone across the room. Most of the other attendees appeared to be residents of the small agricultural community.
Monday morning I visited the campus of Woodland Community College. I can say now that I have visited a community college in all 50 states. (See separate blog post for more on this visit.)
Monday afternoon I drove up to the redwoods on the northern coast. From Williams on Interstate 5, you take California Highway 20 – drive about 10 miles straight through farm fields and then 30 miles across the mountains. It reminded me of driving “over the top” along US 6 in eastern Utah, with limited services and having to be constantly on alert. I followed CA 20 to its junction with US101 south of Willits. US101 twists its way through pine and redwoods. I stopped at Confusion Hill (a curiosity tourist location), the Grandfather Tree, and then followed the Avenue of Giants. I stopped at the Chimney Tree (hollow inside about 12′ circumference) and then in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, where I hiked the Dyerville Loop through the Founders Grove to the now-fallen Dyerville Giant. For much of my drive along the Avenue of Giants, I was constantly amazed at how close the road came to the trees.
Tuesday I drove from Fortuna further up into the redwoods. I hiked along the beach at the Kuchel Visitors Center at Redwoods National Park and then walked among the silent trees in the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. A redwood forest is fascinating to me – fallen and dead trees are not cleared, as they provide food for the next group of trees. So one can see trees that won’t reach maturity for a few centuries, and watch centuries-old trees decay.
Wednesday I played tourist – I walked about the campus of Cal Poly Humboldt. I walked along the Trinidad State Beach. I visited Clarke Museum in downtown Eureka. I wandered over to the west side of the bay to visit the small Humoldt Bay Maritime Museum in Samoa. And I visited the site of Fort Humboldt, where Ulysses Grant once commanded.
Thursday I drove back to Sacramento. I stopped in Myers Flat to walk through the Shrine Drive Thru tree (at 7×7′ clearance I didn’t want to drive my rental car through). Friday I flew home.
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My State Scorecard (and number of states where I have done each):
Haircut (48): McKinleyville Barber Shop, McKinleyville
State Capitol (47)
Church (47): Countryside Community Church, Esparto
Movie (46): “The Bad Guys” at the State Theatre and Multiplex, Woodland
Barbecue (47): Smokin’ Barrels BBQ, Fortuna
Baseball (44): UC Davis
Community College (50!): Woodland Community College
Complete State Sets (40)
Baseball by the Brazos
This past weekend I visited Texas for the first time since fall 2010. In my previous visits, I had never watched a baseball game. When I looked at the 2022 college baseball schedules, I wanted to see a game in March, so I could enjoy the warm spring climate. Texas A&M seemed to limit single-game tickets to their booster club. The weather is questionable at Texas Tech (in fact, they were under a winter weather warning last weekend). I looked at the University of Texas in Austin, but changed plans when I found out that I could see four Baylor games for the price of one Longhorns game. And with better seats.
I took a long weekend for the trip. After flying into Austin Thursday, I stopped for lunch at one of central Texas’ barbecue treasures – Louie Mueller’s Barbecue in Taylor. The restaurant, in its current location since 1959, has been featured on national TV food shows – Guy Fieri once visited. I ordered a brisket sandwich, two homemade sausages (one regular and one jalapeno), and macaroni and cheese. My favorite was the jalapeno sausage, although the sliced brisket sandwich was tasty. The other customers there seemed to include a fair number of tourists.
Thursday afternoon I stopped for a haircut, my second in Texas. I stopped at Gandy’s Barber Shop in Temple. Gandy’s is a little stand-alone building across the tracks from a city park. Mr. Gandy has retired, and stopped in while I was getting my haircut. My barber Phil did his best to make as many silly jokes and puns as he could while he cut my hair. While in Temple, I visited their railroad museum in the old Santa Fe depot.
Friday morning I visited the Dr. Pepper Museum in downtown Waco. Dr. Pepper was born in Waco, and the museum includes displays on its founding and how it was made. The museum seems to have every piece of advertising, merchandise, and product made by Dr. Pepper. Your admission comes with a coupon for a free 10 oz. cup of Dr. Pepper, which you can enjoy at the cafe/soda shop located behind the museum.
I stopped for lunch Friday at Kim’s Diner in Waco. The diner decorated in the 50s style, complete with fantastic outdoor signage, Looney Tunes cartoons, and a singer mannequin slouched near the counter. I had not stopped at a diner in Texas before, so I ordered the cheeseburger and tater tots – classic diner food.
Friday afternoon I visited the Texas Ranger Museum and Hall of Fame in Waco. The museum covers the legendary law enforcement group’s history, from its frontier days fighting Indians and cattle rustlers and fence cutters to its current status as the state’s investigative agency. The history is covered multiple times throughout the museum – including the unit’s history, and the history of some famous Rangers. There was a plethora of guns, and it seemed like each Ranger honored had their pistol displayed.
Saturday and Sunday afternoons were my baseball games at Baylor. Texas Christian (TCU) was Baylor’s opponent in their first conference series. Given the minimal distance between Waco and Fort Worth, the crowd was about evenly split, with plenty of passion on both sides. Many college students came on Saturday, with a few returning for Sunday as well. The weather was beautiful, as is the setting. Baylor Ballpark is located on the Brazos River, across from the football stadium. You can see the Brazos looking down the left-field line, with riverbank grasses blocking the view in right field. The stadium has a minimal lower level of seats, with most of them in the upper level under a roof. Both teams had pitching struggles. On Saturday Baylor blew a lead in the top of the ninth inning, and ended up losing 11-9 in 11 innings. Sunday Baylor had a 6-1 lead after 7, and managed to hold on for the 7-3 win.
On my drive back to Austin Sunday afternoon I stopped at the Buc-ee’s in Temple. I had heard of this Texas-sized truck stop, but had to experience it first-hand. This particular location had around 100 gas pumps and a huge convenience store. Inside was just about every type of merchandise or food you’d want. Buc-ee’s seemed to offer 55 different flavors of beef jerky, available prepackaged or ordered by the pound from the deli counter. There is a barbecue stand and candy station in the middle of store. And the merchandise section includes Buc-ee’s branded goods of all sorts – coolers, mugs, stickers, blankets, swimwear, beaver heads, stuffed animals, adult onesies with a beaver head. I managed to buy some souvenirs for myself and my family, along with a brisket sandwich and some other convenience store staples. I was amazed at other customers, including the guy in line before me who purchased 80 lbs of jerky.
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My State Scorecard (and number of states I have done each):
Baseball (43) – Baylor University
Complete State Sets (39) – Texas
Haircut (again) – Gandy’s Barber Shop, Temple
Barbecue (again) – Louie Mueller’s, Taylor
Community College (again) – McLennan Community College, Waco
Barber Shop Experiences in the Age of COVID19
After three months since my last one, I stopped in for my first haircut since the coronavirus lockdown began. North Carolina moved to Phase 2 of their re-opening on Friday, May 22, which allowed some close contact businesses (like barber shops) to re-open. Many shops had chosen to stay closed for the long Memorial Day weekend, so this was their first weekend of business.
Author note: Some of you know my project (chronicled on Flickr under “bjcnrd”) to get my hair cut in all 50 states and in as many old-fashioned ways as possible. Since 2003, I have been trying to experience as many little barber shops as I can find. A number of them have closed since I visited them. I try to do walk-ins and enjoy the atmosphere and conversations. Given this…
For my first post-lockdown haircut, I picked a place that took online appointments and that I knew would have younger barbers. (Most of my previous barbers have been older than 65 and with pre-existing conditions.) I booked an appointment online and was sent expectations for the visit, both for me and for the staff. I was asked to come alone, and to wear a mask while in the shop.
I waited outside until my barber retrieved me. No customers were allowed to wait inside. (This negates the conversational aspects I enjoy.) My barber wore gloves and a mask. I wore my mask while sitting in the chair. When it came time for my sideburns, I untied one side of the mask, let the barber cut it, and then retied it. Repeat for the other side. I noticed also that my barber was making more liberal use of the hair dryer to blow off loose hair and blow it into the center of the shop. I still got some loose hair inside the mask, which made my face itch.
Much of the barber shop experience was otherwise the same. The chairs were the required six feet apart and the conversations were muted by the greater distance and the masks. I paid by credit card, which is not my usual preference.
I enjoy the “old man” style of barber shops – come in and sit down, keeping track of where you are in line. Read a magazine, look at the barber’s hobbies and collections on the wall, or listen to the conversations around you. The current environment post-COVID lockdown does not permit any of that. I hope eventually we can return to what it once was.
Haircut in a Tourist Attraction – Floyd’s City Barber Shop, Mount Airy
Twice in my life – the first time in June 2006 and the second time in October 2019 – I have patronized Floyd’s City Barber Shop in Mount Airy, North Carolina. I considered this my Official Haircut in a Tourist Attraction.
From my 2006 write-up:
“Floyd’s is arguably the most famous small-town barber shop in America, having been a part of the Andy Griffith Show. Russell Hiatt, the owner, still cuts hair, even though he is in his mid-80s. Fans of the show come into the shop to get a picture with Russ and to sit in the chair. Although I never watched much Andy Griffith (it was most popular in the 1960s), I stopped in for a haircut.
“The interior of the barber shop is covered with thousands of photographs of tourists who have posed in Floyd’s chair. The barber shop had all the expected furnishings: gumball machine, black-and-white linoleum, two barber chairs, six for waiting customers. I had my hair cut by Keith, Russ’s “younger” partner (he was in his 50s). We talked about the disappearance of small-town barber shops; all the tourists who have come through; the most unusual haircut he gave in 33 years was a Mohawk and then carved the “WF” for Wake Forest in the back; what I did for a living (and I later saw him next door in Opie’s Candy Store); and how Floyd’s was recently voted best small-town barber shop in America by Reader’s Digest. Only one tourist came in while I was in the chair, although others were lined up outside to get into Snappy Lunch next door. Since Keith stopped to take a picture of the lady with Russell, I had her take a picture of me in the chair with Keith. I did buy some souvenirs related to Floyd’s – a postcard made from the show and a magnet that locates the barber shop in Mount Airy (most say “Mayberry”). The experience was good, but it seemed a bit surreal with all the tourists around. I could have imposed on Russ for either the haircut or a picture, but deferred to those who are big fans of the show. The haircut cost me $7, plus $1 for a tip.”
In October 2019 I returned. Russell Hiatt passed in 2016, and his son Bill Hiatt has inherited the shop. Bill greets visitors who come in. He explains the numerous photographs on the wall, his dad’s career and connections to Andy Griffith, and takes pictures of the customers. He takes “before” and “after” pictures while you are getting a haircut. And he insists that he take a picture of everyone “sitting in Dad’s chair.” The shop sells more “Floyd’s Barber Shop” memorabilia, including some postcards with Russell Hiatt’s picture. The price has increased slightly, to $10 a cut. But it is well worth it.
Pineapples and Aloha!
Last week I traveled to Hawaii, my 50th and final state I have visited. I went to Oahu because some things I try to do in all 50 states are only possible on Oahu. I stayed away from Waikiki, and felt I had a different Hawaii vacation than the stereotype.
Thursday I flew into Honolulu through Dallas/Fort Worth. The two flights took a total of about 10.5 hours. I rode in a Boeing 777, the first time I have flown in a plane that big. With the time change, it was Thursday afternoon when I arrived. Fighting sleep deprivation, I managed to grab dinner at the nearest L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. The first time I have eaten Korean-style barbecue.
Friday I went to Pearl Harbor. I arrived early enough to take the 8:15AM tour of the USS Arizona Memorial. The Memorial itself is closed, due to structural problems with the boat dock, so I took the boat tour past it and through the Harbor. I also climbed around the USS Missouri (the same-class battleship as the Arizona, and the host of the Japanese surrender ceremony in World War II). I also visited the new Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, located on Ford Island at a place once bombed by the Japanese. Pearl Harbor is an active military base, and everyone stopped for the raising of colors at 8AM.
Saturday I stopped for a haircut at Lei’s Barber Shop in Pearl City. There are two barber shops in the same shopping center, and I picked the one with the owner’s name. The primary language of the barbers is Japanese. Lei was very careful and meticulous when he cut my hair.
Saturday afternoon I watched a Hawaii Pacific baseball game, as Hawaii Pacific hosted Hawaii Hilo at Hans L’Orange Park, in a neighborhood in Waipahu. Hans L’Orange Park was originally built by the Waipahu Sugar Company. There are two wooden grandstands and no dugouts (the teams sit under a tent). The entire affair is a bare-bones operation – the concessions are brought in, and there are minimal bathroom facilities. The game was free and the weather was beautiful. Hawaii Hilo won, 7-4. They decided to give away the remaining concessions after a few innings, so I enjoyed a free hot dog and chips. Hawaii Pacific and Hawaii Hilo are NCAA Division II programs.
Sunday afternoon I visited the campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. I walked around campus for an hour or so before attending a baseball game at on-campus Les Murakami Stadium. The stadium has an upper deck and can hold a large crowd, although Sunday’s crowd was a little smaller. Hawaii defeated visiting UC Davis 13-6, with their hitters scoring enough runs to enable their pitchers to hold their lead. Since I have a ticket stub from this game, I will count this as the official baseball game.
Monday I visited downtown Honolulu. First I visited the Hawaii state capitol. The rotunda is an open-air courtyard, with the hallways exposed to the open air and individual offices with exterior doors (which meant most doors were locked). I managed to sneak inside the House Chamber, taking a few quick pictures while staff were setting up for another event. A nice lady in the Governor’s Office gave me a tour of the paintings and artifacts in the reception room. Next door is Iolani Palace. The last royal palace of the Hawaiian monarchs. The house is now a museum that covers the end of the monarchy.
Monday night I attended the Paradise Cove Luau on the west shore of Oahu. I picked it because it was advertised as “The Best Luau on Oahu” and because it was near my hotel. The food was good and the entertainment was as advertised. I don’t know if the crowd was smaller because it was on a Monday, but I found it relatively easy to walk around and see all the sights and activities.
Tuesday I drove up to the North Shore. I stopped at Haleiwa Beach Park. I officially set foot in the Pacific Ocean and watched the waves roll in and others learn to surf. This beach park was not particularly crowded, as were other beaches on the North Shore. I drove around the shoreline from Haleiwa around to the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie.
Tuesday afternoon I stopped at the Historic Dole Plantation near Wahiawa. I rode their tour train through the plantation, seeing pineapple in all its stages of cultivation and growth. The plantation also raises coffee and makes it own chocolate. I enjoyed a Dole Whip, soft-serve pineapple ice cream.
Wednesday I drove to the East Shore of Oahu. It’s filled with working-class neighborhoods, with boat ramps. I drove along the shore and took pictures of the mountain range the road tunneled through. On the way over I stopped at the campus of Hawaii Pacific University in Kaneohe. I had to check in with security before I was allowed on campus.
Thursday, on my last day in Hawaii, I went back to Haleiwa. I visited some of the tourist shops and had lunch. I stopped by the Dole Plantation again, to enjoy another Dole Whip and to buy souvenirs for the trip home. I flew out of Honolulu Thursday evening. An overnight flight into Dallas-Fort Worth and then arrived home Friday afternoon.
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My State Scorecard (and the number of States in which I have done each):
States Visited (50!): Hawaii
Haircut (47): Lei’s Barber Shop, Pearl City
State Capitol (43)
Church (45): St Jude Catholic Church, Makakilo
Movie (43): “Shazam” at Kapolei Commons Regal 12
Barbecue (46): L&L Hawaiian BBQ, Kapolei
Baseball (41): University of Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific
Community College (48): Leeward Community College, Pearl City
Complete State Sets (36)
No Trouble Watching the Altoona Curve
(Title inspired by the less-than-inspiring movie “Trouble with the Curve”)
This past week I took a long driving trip. I headed up to Pennsylvania, to see some sights I had missed on my earlier visits: the Johnstown Flood Memorial and the Johnstown Flood Museum, and the Flight 93 Memorial near Shanksville. The Johnstown Flood of 1889 was caused by a failed dam at a man-made mountain lake 14 miles upstream, and can be cited as an example of poor structure maintenance.
The Flight 93 Memorial is still being constructed, nearly 17 years after September 11, 2001. The displays are focused heavily on the 9/11 events itself and the passengers who fought back to stop the hijackers from crashing into Washington DC. (I didn’t realize that the plane was 20 minutes from Washington DC when it crashed.) They do play some television footage and some of President Bush’s speech from that night. It was well-done, but I was immediately taken back to where I was on that day. Still a little raw emotionally for me, and still as riveting.
The nearest baseball team to Johnstown is the Altoona Curve, the Class AA Eastern League affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They play in Peoples Natural Gas Field on the southeast side of Altoona, next to an amusement park. The park’s roller coaster is visible over the right field wall, and lights up once it gets dark. PNG Field feels like a Double-A stadium, in that it feels both bigger and smaller than it is. There are two decks to the stadium, and a concourse with concessions on each. The overhang is taken up by picnic tables almost from foul pole to foul pole. This makes the crowds seem larger than they are, as many people never make it to their ticketed seats. There is a party deck at the left-field foul pole and some bleachers beyond left field. Each section has a different ticket price, which results in a plethora of ushers. The concessions were varied. I tried the Curve Burger (an Angus half-pounder) one night, but opted for typical concessions the rest of the time. The team has one main mascot – a yellow thing called Loco, whose main job appeared to be shooting out T-shirts and helping with a few onfield contests. The Curve also have Al Tuna, a fish that lives in center field and comes out cheering wildly when the team scores.
I watched Altoona Curve games on Wednesday and Thursday, against the Harrisburg Senators. The Curve won both: winning 3-2 on Wednesday, and 6-3 on Thursday behind a grand slam home run.
Watching a baseball game was the last activity I was missing from my Official Set for Pennsylvania, having achieved the others during a 2006 trip (to southwest PA) and a 2013 trip (to Gettysburg and Harrisburg).
My Official State Scorecard (and number of states where I have done each):
Baseball Games (40) – Altoona Curve, Altoona, PA
Complete State Sets (35) – Pennsylvania
During my time in Johnstown I stopped for an overdue haircut at Red’s Barber Shop. It was my second PA haircut, having had a haircut at Stefan’s Barber Shop in Donora in 2006.
Alaska Part 3: Fairbanks
On the eighth day of my trip to Alaska (a Thursday), I began by getting a haircut at June’s Barber Shop in Fairbanks. My barber was a Korean lady who owns the adjoining Asian restaurant. (Her sister June takes Thursdays off). I can say I left hair in Alaska, as she took the smock outside to the parking lot to shake off the hair.
Afterwards I drove the dozen miles to North Pole, Alaska. I patronized the post office, to mail a few postcards. I also stopped at the Santa Claus House. In addition to the plethora of Christmas gifts and decorations for sale, the site includes a giant Santa and a reindeer farm in the back. You can take tours of the reindeer farm if you follow strict guidelines. On the edge of North Pole I spent five minutes in an authentic Alaskan roadhouse. Just enough time to drink a glass of water. My clothes stank of cigarettes for hours afterwards. John McPhee would have loved the place.
Thursday night I went to an Alaska Goldpanners baseball game in Growden Memorial Park, despite the air being somewhat saturated with wildfire smoke. (The forests outside town are so dry that any little thing can start a massive fire.) My clothes smelled like a forest fire after that. The Goldpanners are the original Alaska summer baseball team, with many West Coast college stars (Tom Seaver and Barry Bonds to name two) playing there. Now they are unaffiliated. Thursday’s game saw them defeat the visiting San Diego Waves (in game four of a seven-game set.)
Friday morning I stopped at a roadside turnout to walk under the Alyeska Pipeline (more commonly known as the Trans-Alaska Pipeline). You can take pictures under it. So I did. Then I went panning for gold at Gold Dredge No 8, just south of Fox (gas station, three bars). I found some gold, but frankly I’ve had bigger pieces of lint in my pockets. I kept it in the keepsake film canister. I enjoyed the short ride on the open-air train.
Friday I saw a Goldpanners doubleheader. The game was sponsored, so there was a larger crowd than there was on Thursday. Still, most of the team’s money comes from the Midnight Sun Game. (I couldn’t make the timing work for the novelty of a night game after midnight in broad daylight. I spent $28 for seven games, and all were in broad daylight.) The Goldpanners were shut out by the Waves, due to a thin roster.
Saturday I visited downtown Fairbanks. I took a picture with an arch made of moose antlers. And of the Lend-Lease Monument. (I didn’t realize that FDR’s Lend-Lease Act involved flying planes to the Soviets, until my trip.) I also visited the Museum of the North on the campus of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The museum has a variety of taxidermy, interspersed with historical artifacts and displays. Friday afternoon I had visited campus, to the library and Constitution Hall, where the state’s first constitution was signed.
I spent most of Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Park in Fairbanks, where they moved many old buildings into a theme park. I rode the train, but would have preferred to take the nieces and nephews with me (just to fit in). There is a pioneer museum, airplane museum, and various vendors. I ate dinner at the Salmon Bake. (If you have never, it’s basically a large buffet with all the salmon, prime rib, cod, desserts, salad you can eat. Twice through was enough for me.)
I flew home on Saturday night. Due to mechanical issues I spent nearly 12 hours on planes Saturday night and Sunday morning. I was in the Minneapolis-St Paul airport for all of five minutes between flights.) My luggage made it home to me about 11:30 last night.
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My 50 State Scorecard (and the number of states in which I have done each):
Haircut (46) – June’s Barber Shop, Fairbanks
(I am missing the State Capitol from the full State set. To be achieved on a later trip.)
Alaska Part 1: Turnagain Arm and Glacier Pilots
Two weeks ago I took a long-awaited and much-researched trip to Alaska. Alaska is the 49th state I have visited, and I had only 10 days to make this trip.
I started on a Thursday afternoon. Due to an aircraft maintenance issue and eventual replacement on my first leg, I missed my initial connecting flight in Minneapolis-St. Paul. I was rescheduled on a later flight, and booked in the last available seat – in first-class for a five-hour flight to Anchorage. My second time flying in first class. (The other was in 2005, from Atlanta to Raleigh, due to the Delta gate agent trying to impress his mechanic, my college friend’s new father-in-law.) I arrived at 12:30AM Anchorage time. It was not completely dark even then, looks like the twilight after the sun sets completely.
Friday morning I drove on the Seward Highway south to Girdwood. I stopped at Beluga Point, noted for whales potentially coming far upstream. I didn’t see any whales, but I did see some great mountains.
In Girdwood, I took the Alyeska Tramway to the top of the resort’s ski slope. There was still snow up there, so I made and threw a snowball in June! The views were spectacular. I ate barbecue in Indian. At Turnagain Arm Pit BBQ. (You read that too fast, it sounded gross. Try again. Turnagain Arm [Pause] Pit BBQ.) Had the Boar Tide BBQ sandwich (pulled pork with bacon). I enjoy a good barbecue sandwich, even better when you can make a bad pun on the famous tides.
Friday night I watched an Anchorage Glacier Pilots doubleheader at Mulcahy Park. There is a summer Alaska Baseball League. It started in Fairbanks, then the second team added was the Anchorage Glacier Pilots. Several years later another Anchorage group started a new team – the Bucs. They worked out a park-sharing agreement: both teams can use the field and seating, but everything is split (gift shop, concessions stands, beer vendors, even restrooms). Since the Glacier Pilots were in town (and the Bucs were in Kenai), the Glacier Pilots’ stuff was open and the Bucs stuff shut. It was rather odd to see. Friday, the Glacier Pilots split the doubleheader with the Mat-Su Miners, winning the first and losing the second. On Saturday I watched another Glacier Pilots game, watching the Glacier Pilots beat the Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks easily.
Saturday morning I walked around Downtown Anchorage. There’s a weekly Anchorage Market and Festival, where I ate reindeer sausage for the first time. It tasted a little spicier, but I think that was added by the processor. I stopped at the various tourist stores, most notably Grizzly’s Gifts.
Saturday I drove to Eagle River, where I mailed some postcards. On Sunday I stopped at a coffee shop there (had hot chocolate) and made an anonymous gift to a struggling used bookstore. I also watched a movie in Anchorage. I was the only guest for the matinee showing. I almost felt bad about it, but there was no one to talk on their cellphone to disturb me.
Sunday I visited the campus of Mat-Su College near Palmer. And then I went to church at Mat-Su Evangelical Church, Wasilla. The usher and his wife took great interest in my trip, but warned me that many don’t get to see Denali due to clouds/weather. It was the first time on my trip that I mentioned the 50 State Bet I made with my brothers years ago. I didn’t win, and I have to explain to everyone that my younger brother beat me to all 50.
I visited the Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry in Wasilla. It’s basically an old boneyard of equipment left by the Alaska Railroad and various collectors over the years. Planes, trains, automobiles, tractors, ambulances, farm equipment, random grizzly taxidermy. The Bush Pilots Hall of Fame is there as well.
After walking through the end of the Colony Days Festival in Palmer, I watched a Mat-Su Miners game at Hermon Brothers Field, located on the Alaska Fairgrounds. The general manager in the Alaska baseball documentary (“Touching the Game”) is still working today. He and his wife still run the show (although someone else runs the combination gift shop/beer stand). The Mat-Su Miners easily defeated the Anchorage Glacier Pilots.
For dinner Sunday, I ate a yak burger in Anchorage. It tasted like a leaner version of bison. I was originally looking for moose. (Which you can’t eat in Alaska unless you or a friend shoot it first.) But since it is Alaska-raised, why not?
Monday morning I boarded the Alaska Railroad’s Denali Star at the Anchorage Depot, bound for Denali.
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My State Scorecard (and the number of states where I have done each):
States Visited (49) – Alaska. (I am missing Hawaii.)
Church (44) – Mat-Su Evangelical Church, Wasilla
Movie (42) – “Action Point” at Tikahtnu Regal Stadium Cinemas 16
Barbecue (45) – Turnagain Arm Pit BBQ, Indian
Baseball (39) – Anchorage Glacier Pilots, Mat-Su Miners
Community College (47) – Mat-Su College, Palmer
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Visit Boston: Along the Freedom Trail
I took a long Veteran’s Day weekend trip to Boston. To celebrate turning “36 again.” I have wanted to see the historic sites in Boston since I read about the Revolutionary War as a kid. It has been on my Life List of Things to See and Do.
After arriving at noon Wednesday, I caught public transportation from the airport into downtown Boston. I started by visiting the current State House. Because the House was in the session, the Senate chamber is closed for restoration, and the Executive Offices are not open for tours, I had to content myself with wandering the well-decorated corridors and public areas. There was a public announcement of some sort going on in the Nurses’ Hall, and I think I ended up in the background of some official pictures. The portraits of Massachusetts governors hang in the halls, I found John Winthrop and Thomas Hutchinson amongst them.
The current State House is across the street from the Boston Common. I walked the length of the Common. It was a little chilly and things were closed for the season, but there was a still a decent crowd of folks out and about. Wednesday night I ate dinner at the Union Oyster House, America’s oldest continuously operating restaurant. I sat at the raw bar and watched them shuck oysters, as well as observe some typical Boston customers.
Thursday I returned to walk more of the Freedom Trail. I started by getting a haircut at LoGrasso’s Gaetano and Rocco Barber Shop on Salem Street, a couple blocks south of Old North Church (and touted as “the Oldest Barber Shop in the North End.”) It was the fastest haircut I have ever had. On the Freedom Trail I sat in pews at Old North Church, toured the restored Revere House, visited the headquarters of the Boston National Historic Park in Fanueil Hall, and ate clam chowder in Fanueil Hall Marketplace. I saw the marker for the Boston Massacre and the Old State House Museum next to it. I imagined hearing them plot the Boston Tea Party in the Old South Meetinghouse. And how they worshipped at King’s Chapel. I stopped for Italian food at one of the plethora of restaurants along Hanover Street, but might have picked a different restaurant or better entrée.
Friday I visited the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum on the campus of UMass-Boston. The JFK Museum focuses mostly on his presidency, with a few displays of his early life and political career. The displays rely on documents – letters and speech transcripts – as well as archival footage. The museum recreates an interior hallway in the White House, but only the desk (and behind to the windows) area of the Oval Office. There is little mention of the dilemmas JFK left for his successor and other Americans, nor is there much in the way of thought-provoking displays (like I enjoyed at the Truman Library). Next door is the Edward M Kennedy Institute for the US Senate, which includes a display of the late Senator’s office. The rest of the Institute is full of interactive displays that introduce the visitor to the history of the US Senate at the legislative process, asking visitors to participate in research and democratic exercises, including a replica of the actual Senate chamber in Washington, DC. I would have preferred a few more artifacts myself.
Friday night I attended a Northeastern University ice hockey game. It was the second college hockey game of my career, and the first in nearly 17 years. I enjoy college hockey – maybe it’s the presence of a pep band, or the creativity and passion of the student body. It was Homecoming, and Northeastern hosted rival Boston University. The game was not close, as Northeastern pulled away in the second period to win 6-1. The home arena, Matthews Arena, is the original Boston ice hockey arena, which once hosted the Boston Bruins. My seats were in the balcony on the home side, and I had an obstructed view of the home bench. The sold-out crowd was into it throughout. Most of the cheers involved taunting the opposing players, and the students took it upon themselves to complete a capella the songs began by the pep band during the brief stoppages in play. The atmosphere was great, and reminds me that I should not have waited 17 years to see another college hockey game.
Saturday I visited Cambridge. I got into Harvard and MIT on the same day – they left the doors unlocked and I walked right in. I visited the MIT Sloan School of Management, walked around Harvard Yard, and visited both campus bookstores. Early Sunday morning I flew home.
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My 50 State Project (and number of states in which I have done each):
Haircut (45): LoGrasso’s Gaetano and Rocco Barber Shop, Boston
State Capitol (42)
Barbecue (44): The Smoke Shop BBQ, Cambridge – I enjoyed a pulled pork plate with cornbread, macaroni and cheese, and a root beer.
Note – I still have left the Church, Movie, and Baseball for the complete Massachusetts State Set.
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