The George W Bush Library

50% "W"  /   50% Oscar

Last week, while on a visit to Dallas, I visited the new George W. Bush Presidential Library on the campus of Southern Methodist University. The building, designed by Robert A.M. Stern (One of New England's Starchitect residence designers to the 1%), is a square brick block surrounding a square brick lantern that pops up in the middle. The Bush library blends well into the brick collegiate architecture of the SMU campus. 

Only after leaving did I realize I was underwhelmed enough to have neglected to capture a single photo of the exterior. 

The first thing a visitor will note is a frustrating lack of parking. We went on a weekday, in the off season, and still had to join other cars in a fee lot waiting with motors idling until someone came to depart. Cars were idling in the lot before we arrived and when we left 6-8 cars where in the lot lying in wait to pounce on spaces as they came open. A very lovely white Aston Martin waited patiently for me to leave. 

Once you enter the library grounds you are met with a modest plaza from which you may enter the cafe 43, enter the gift shop or enter the library.

Once inside you must purchase your ticket in the main rotunda space. 

The rotunda IMHO is the most successful space in the building with its spectacular continuously looping jumbo-tron digital presentation that brings the space to life. It presents a sentimental series of Texas scenery and culminates in washington DC with a twilight flyover of the DC mall beginning right over President Lincoln's head and ending at the Capital lighting up at dusk. I stood in awe, watching it loop through two or three times.

The Living Rotunda

A Truly Wonderful JumboTron

The second thing you'll notice is it is relatively expensive to visit and it offers no free days. Whereas Austin's LBJ library offers free parking and, after 30 years of being free finally instituted a $8 admission, LBJ still offers free admission 8 times throughout the year. The Bush Library admission is $16 (seniors tickets are $13). Admission includes a little I-pod that narrates the visit. All three of the visitors in my party quickly gave up on the I-pod as it was hard to synch with our movements in the display area. 

In comparison to the other presidential libraries I have visited the display area in the Bush library was kind of small and a bit disappointing.

While most presidential libraries seem to present balanced displays that describe the challenges, achievements, of each presidency while not glossing over mistakes, missteps and errors in judgement, this library presents the Bush Presidency with a series of "this is my side of the story" exhibits. The worst example was the exhibit entitled the "Decision Points Theater". Here visitors are presented with a series of difficult situations encountered during the Bush presidency. But then are offered very limited information and a small menu of options that are clearly designed to manipulate guests into arriving at prescribed conclusions.

What is presented at the Bush Library was, however, very professionally executed. I think most visitors favorite display was likely the replica of the oval office.

Experiencing W's Oval Office

 Twisted Steel From the Twin Towers

The September 11 Exhibit

The balance of the exhibit space (roughly equal in size to the presidential exhibit space) seemed out of place. Although it contains some fashions worn by first ladies, it is hard to square why half of the Bush Presidential library would be devoted to a quirky, yet lovely, infomercial for the House of De La Renta.

The Formal White House

Oscar Does Hillary

Oscar Does Nancy

There is a large gift shop offering up everything from mugs to really expensive presidential dog collars and leashes. 

Roadboy's summation is that the Bush library is a couple of hours well spent, but take this one in after you have already visited Dallas' many other fine museums.

Roadboy's Travels © 2014

Expo Deco

The Texas State Fair

As a kid my family loved to go to fairs; county fairs, worlds fairs and state fairs. If, while driving around the country on our summer vacations, we'd come across a fair, there was a pretty good chance we'd make an unscheduled stop.

And stopping always paid off. We'd enjoy seeing kids all jazzed up with their 4H activities and exploring exhibit halls showcasing amateur arts and crafts. We'd enjoy local foods whether it was a good brat, fried chicken or whatever deep fried delicacy they were proffering.

To me, fairs are simply unfiltered Americana. They are color and light and midway screams all enjoyed with a hint of fresh horse / cow manure in the air.

Does life get any better than that?

He's Huge and He Talks Slowwww

Big Tex  Officially Welcomes 3,000,000 Annual Visitors to the Texas State Fair

Growing up in California I particularly loved California's old state fair in Sacramento. We returned to the capital city every fall. I loved walking those fairgrounds filled with huge shady trees. We'd  explore every one of its ancient brick and steel exhibition halls. There was even one esplanade that featured life-size photos of every Miss California since time began.

Then our first Hollywood governor decided we needed a year round "Expo" and built a treeless concrete nightmare and christened it Cal Expo. It was a place more appropriate for a rally of the Third Reich than a fair. And those old lovely state fairgrounds dissolved into a bunch of anonymous state office buildings and vacant lots.

But I digress.

This week while visiting Dallas I had the good fortune to spend an evening with old friends at the Texas State Fair.

The Texas Star Ferris Wheel

It had been more than a decade since my last visit to this fair, and I am delighted to report it is still (maybe more?) wonderful.

We visited on Dr. Pepper day, so we got in for half price by turning over one empty can each!

And, although this fair draws 3,000,000+ visitors a year, the same vivacious lady that welcomed us in through the turnstiles recognized us on the way out and bid us a warm "good night y'all". Everyone, rich or poor, is just the same at the fair.

So what is so special about this fair? First off, it is really big and it is really old.

It dates back to 1886, and over the decades it has overcome financial problems, catastrophic fires and closures during global wars.

Since 1929 the annual Oklahoma vs. Texas football game has been conducted during the fair. And, starting in 1930 they have all been played in the Cotton Bowl (which has been expanded from its original 46,000 seats in 1930 to today's capacity of 75,000).

Fair Parks Cotton Bowl Stadium

While I've not fact checked it...I suspect this is the only state fair that has also hosted a worlds fair.

In 1934, just two years after the spectacular Century of Progress World's Fair in Chicago, Fair Park was selected to host the 1936 Texas Centennial Exhibition. For two years the fair site was completely transformed by Dallas architect George Dahl and Philadelphia's Paul Cret.

The Archer on the World's Fair's Texas Pavilion 

George Dahl was a prominent Harvard educated Dallas architect who built a national practice that designed numerous commercial and civic buildings from 1927 until 1970.

The Former US Pavilion 

(Now the Food Court)

Paul Cret was well known in Texas due to his role master planning the University of Texas and consulting on the design of Austin's iconic UT tower. Cret, a graduate of Paris' Ecole des Beaux Arts, designed the Eccles Federal Reserve Building in Washington DC and assisted in the design of Cincinnati's exquisite deco Union Terminal. Cret designed the Burlington Northern's celebrated streamliner; the Pioneer Zephyr and the Santa Fe's spectacular Super Chief. He won the AIA Gold Medal in 1938.

One of Four Cameo Reliefs 

In Front of the Centennial Building

Facing the Esplanade Fountain. 

In 1946 Neil and Carl Fletcher introduce the Corny Dog to Dallas fairgoers. And, in 1952 the fair debuted Big Tex. The year Roadboy was born 1956 Elvis performed at the fair. and in 1985 the worlds tallest ferris wheel (The Texas Star) was opened.

Tenor

Alto

In 2012 the fair celebrated 125 years and Big Tex turned 60. Then, on the last day of the fair Big Tex caught fire and burned to the ground.

A Mural to Agriculture

Only one year later the 2013 season welcomed a new Big Tex.

A Bronze Costing in and Entry Door Casting 

We strolled, I ate a piping hot corny dog and Frito pie accompanied by an ice cold local pale ale.

Four hours (and about 50 years) of my life pleasantly melted away on a summer night this week at the State Fair of Texas.


Roadboy's Travels © 2014

A Hero

Chris

She was christened Christine, but preferred Chris. 

She grew up when women were told their purpose was to make babies and serve their man.

Chris tried that, getting married and having 3 kids right out of high school. But, her husband's employment was uneven leaving her family perpetually broke.

That is when I met Chris.

She was a youth leader at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Oakland CA.

I was a confused teen. I never related well to kids of my own age. Chris took the time to listen to me and my dreams of becoming an architect.

She assured me I could go as far in life as my dreams could take me.

Chris became my closest friend.

And, when I listened to her, I came to realize she also had big dreams. Her dream was to become a teacher.

But, first, she had to learn to drive.

Enter Francois, a hand-me-down, crap-clutch, 1940 something Chrysler she inherited. It was a one-of-a-kind with its screw-in bistro table in the backseat and pedal-operated Bombay bell.

She drove that car with verve.

Then, between child rearing, church and stepping in to provide a refuge for a homeless teen, she carved out time to attend a community college.

Chris went on to win a full scholarship to Oakland's prestigious Mill's College. She earned a B'Ed degree with honors. Maya Angelou spoke at her commencement.

Days don't get much better than that.

Chris then put her kids in her "seen better days" station wagon and drove them on a one-way "visit" to Coeur d'Alene Idaho. With very little money and no real place to live, that station wagon morphed into a temporary "home".  

But, Chris landed a teaching job and later went on to earn a Masters in Special Education from the University of Idaho. She loved teaching right up to her retirement in 2008.

Her 3 kids grew up bright, strong, safe and healthy.

She was very proud of them and the 5 grandkids and 3 great grandkids they created. 

On August 29th Chris Korbel's spirit passed from this world into the ether where all human spirit comes from and to which all human spirit eventually returns.

We live in a nation that has always produced heroes.

Some wear uniforms and fight fires or go to war,

Some wear scrubs and fight illness 

Some become teachers......

like Chris.

Roadboy's Travels © 2014

Losing A Friend

Good-Bye Mate

About 15 years ago my family fell in love with a pound puppy. He was so small and all alone in his big cage. He was a curious mix of Australian Cattle Dog and Shepherd. You could also see a little dingo in there if you squinted. 

We loved him immediately. My son gave him a perfect name - Rocket! 

Every night when I returned from the office I'd see his face at the kitchen door waiting for me. And when we'd return from longer family vacations he would be over the moon to see us.

He was loyal and strong. Sometimes he was a little too protective. I'd have to tell little kids on a walk that they couldn't pet him. Either way, our little mid-city Phoenix ranch house never suffered a burglary with Rocket on duty. 

But arthritis and cancer can exact a mean toll on dogs too. And they wore down even tough old Rocket. After a good fight he passed from the tangible world to the spirit world about 9:00 am this morning. But, no spirit that strong ever truly dies.

Rocket!

I once saw a bumper sticker that said "Help Me Be The Person My Dog Thinks I Am". 

I'll keep trying Rocket, but I know I'll never measure up.

Roadboy's Travels © 2014

Roadboy's New Mexico

Labor Day Weekend in New Mexico

I happen to love the land and people of New Mexico.  So the chance to spend a few days exploring a few of its treasures was welcome.

The trip began with a drive from Phoenix through Arizona's mining towns of Superior, Globe and Miami to Las Cruces NM. The trip was timed to allow for a dinner in the wonderful little town of Mesilla. The history of Mesilla predates the Gadsden Purchase giving it the distinction of once being part of Mexico. Billy the Kid frequented the bars in Mesilla and Mesilla in 1881 is where he was eventually tried and sentenced to hang.

Today Mesilla's plaza is framed by the lovely Basilica of San Albino and a series of restaurants and homes. The largest of the homes is now the sumptuous Double Eagle Restaurant. Besides good food the Double Eagle is home to the teenaged ghosts Inez and Armando (two lovers killed in a rage in Armando's bedroom by his mother.) His mother then fled to Mexico. 

Basilica of San Albino

Mesilla, NM

Inez' Chair

Over the years the two matching chairs in the Armando's bedroom (the Ghost Room) were repeatedly reupholstered. And although almost no one ever sits in them, the chairs almost immediately begin to show wear in the armrests, back and cushion. Staff and visitors repeatedly report hearing voices, feeling cold air blow from a bricked in window, seeing lights switched on and off and an occasional glass slide across a table.  

The Double Eagle "Ghost Room" 

(Viewed From a Mirror Reflection)

My dinner at the Double Eagle included a wonderful brisket taco, cheese enchilada and big chile relleno. The dinner was a perfect end to the day.

Saturday morning we set out for the 3-1/2 hour drive via El Paso to Carlsbad Caverns. The highlight of the mornings drive was the view of El Capitan and Guadalupe Peak (at 8,749' Guadalupe Peak is the highest point in Texas).

El Capitan

Upon arrival at Carlsbad Caverns we decided to enter using the natural cave entry. 

My last visit to the Caves was when I was about 8 years old. In those days nearly every visitor had to enter the cave using the elevators from the visitor center. I remember getting on an the elevator, then descending endlessly. And then, when the doors opened, we were in a huge modern cafeteria (that just happened to be in a cave). Years later I remember hearing how they now allowed guided tours to use the natural entry to visitors. 

Today anyone in decent shape can enter the cave from the natural entry. Just be aware there is a 1-1/4 mile of switchbacks and you will descend 749'. 

The natural entry eases you into the increasingly cool and dark world of the cave. Then you join the elevator visitors all gawking at the sights of the "Big Room" self-guided tour. All in all the visit (even for a jaded 58 year old guy) was as wonderful as I remember as a kid.

The Bat Flight Amphitheater And Natural Cave Entry 

Descending Into Carlsbad

Once in the cave the scenery changes constantly, from the "Boneyard" to "Fairyland" to the "Bottomless Pit". There are huge stalactites and stalagmites all housed in the Big Room (that encompasses the equivalent of 14 football fields). 

The Boneyard

Views Into A Grotto

Take care in planning the logistics of a visit to Carlsbad Caverns. The lack of lodging in the vicinity and in nearby Carlsbad allows the local Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express to extract nearly $300 / Nt. 

The crazy rates have not gone unnoticed (there were three very large hotels under construction in Carlsbad).

The Only Close-By Motel to the Caverns 

Has Been Closed For Some Time 

Knowing the local hotel situation we had anticipated making a long drive to Santa Fe after our cave tour. We arrived at our Santa Fe hotel about 10:00 pm. 

After breakfast Sunday morning we made a quick trip into Santa Fe to view the Loretto Chapel and once again puzzle over its amazing staircase.

At the time Loretto was built only men sang in church choirs. So choir lofts were accessed by ladders (saving precious pew space). When the Loretto sisters realized their chapel failed to include a stairway they prayed that somehow a remedy would emerge.  

Strangely enough an old carpenter soon appeared who agreed to build a staircase. Once complete he disappeared as quickly as he appeared. He built the stairs out of a species of wood no one had ever seen before and somehow got the double helix affair to actually support itself. Engineers and architects to this day cannot agree how the stairs (without internal steel) support themselves.

The Original Stairs 

(Prior to the Addition of Handrails)

The Stairs Today

After the visit to the chapel we made the obligatory visit to the Plaza, dipping into the Luchese Boot store. While I am certainly not in the market for a pair of $3,000 boots, I enjoy the rich smell of fine leather. 

Lunch was taken in the Creperie in the La Fonda Hotel. Cash Only.

After that we drove north to the shrine and Sanctuary at Chimayo. This little church has become a magnet for those seeking healing. Pilgrims first pray, then scoop up some dirt from the side chapel (to apply to afflicted areas). There are hundreds of abandoned crutches and seemingly every tree has a message inscribed beseeching health and safety.

The Sanctuary at Chimayo

The Garden Walls Chimayo

The Creek and Garden Walls

An Offering 

Garden Walls

After visiting Chimayo we were off to Albuquerque for a last dinner of various green chile entrees. Then it was off to bed.

Monday (Labor Day) was spent on the drive back home. Along the way we diverted off of I-40 into the El Milpais National Monument. El Milpais was filled with lava fields, sandstone cliffs and the huge La Ventana Natural Arch.

La Ventana Arch

El Milpais Sandstone Cliffs

A perfect Labor Day weekend in The Land of Enchantment. An au revoir to summer 2014.

Roadboy's Travel © 2014

Roadboy's Weekend In Tucson - The Old Pueblo

A Spectacular 27 Mile Drive
San Xavier Del Bac - The White Dove
The Hotel Congress, Cup Cafe and Dillinger's Downfall
A Summer Evening Visit to The Arizona Desert Sonora Museum

I have always loved Tucson.  One of America's oldest cities, Tucson is filled with history, is home to lovely resorts, creative restaurants and the much cherished Arizona Desert Sonora Museum.

It is an amazing bargain to visit Tucson in the summertime when spectacular 4 and 5 star resorts (that have no problem selling rooms in winter for  $350 / Nt) offer rates that flirt with $100 / Nt. Now, having said that, beware, many of the resorts add hidden charges (like absurd $29 / Nt. "Resort Fees").

We left Phoenix Friday after lunch as I wanted to begin the visit with a drive on one of America's most scenic highways, the Catalina Highway. Officially, it is the General Hitchcock Highway that extends from the Tanque Verde area of Tucson up to Mt. Lemmon.

The highway, begun in 1933, was a dream of the former Postmaster General of the US Frank Harris Hitchcock. Hitchcock secured the approval for the road and its funding at the height of the Great Depression. 

The execution of the project began when a prison camp was established at the base of the mountain to supply construction labor to build the road. 

Sadly, during World War II the prison camp became an "Honor Camp" where Japanese Americans were incarcerated and forced to continue its construction. 

After 17 years of construction the highway was completed in 1950.  The highway was widened and greatly improved in 2007. 

The completed project delivered 27 spectacular miles of highway climbing to 8,000 feet while visiting several micro-climates. The views at every turn are truly breathtaking and the temperature at the top in Summerhaven was a refreshing 63° (it was 100° at the base of the road in Tanque Verde). 

Summerhaven, after more than a decade of rebuilding is coming to life. The community suffered almost complete destruction in the 2003 Aspen Fire. The Aspen fire burned about a month and destroyed over 84,000 acres. The price of the fire? Firefighting: $17,000,000. Erosion control: $2,700,000. Reconstruction of utilities: $4,100,000. Plus the loss of 340 structures.

The acrid stench of the Aspen fire drifts all the way to Washington DC. One year earlier, recognizing the fire risk, the Coronado National Forest requested $2,000,000 to implement practical fire prevention measures. Of course, Congress in 2002 was focused only on spending requests for the Iraq war. And, like nearly all upkeep related requests from the National Parks, National Forests and National Monuments during that time, the request was ignored. 

Midway To the Top 

 Spectacular Rock Outcroppings Along the Way

The Hitchcock Memorial

(Oddly - No Longer Accessible?)

The Plaque Dedicating the Highway 

A View to The North Among the Aspens 

Saturday morning was spent visiting Mission San Xavier del Bac (the White Dove of the Desert).

I had read that in summer the best time to visit the Mission is in the morning and that proved sage advice.  Construction on the church began in 1783 and was completed in 1797. At that time it was part of New Spain. Following Mexican independence in 1821, the mission became part of Mexico. The 1854 Gadsden Purchase resulted in the Mission becaming part of the United States. 

The church suffered earthquake damage in 1887. Lightning struck its west tower in 1939. Leaks in 1989 resulted in beginning of an ongoing restoration which continues to this day. 

San Xavier del Bac remains the oldest European structure in Arizona. 

Note The Restoration of West Tower

(The East Tower Awaits Full Restoraton) 

The Baroque Facade

An Exterior Detail

I had not visited the church since the Interior restoration was undertaken and it is spectacular.   Hundreds of years of grime have been removed from its frescoes and its statuary has been painstakingly been restored. The last time I visited the church its golden lions (flanking the altar) were missing (they were stolen in August 1982. Today new lions are in place. Thanks to Spencer and Gloria Giffords (parents of former Tucson Representative Gabrielle Giffords) who commissioned replacement lions from artisans in Mexico in 1983. The Lions, completed in 1985, were then aged in Gloria Giffords studio for 2-1/2 years prior to reinstallation.

The Chancel

(With One of the Golden Lions)

The West Transept

The Transept Dome

For lunch we visited downtown and ate at the Cup Cafe in the historic Hotel Congress. The Hotel Congress was built in 1919 along with the Rialto theater across the street from Tucson's 1907 Train Station. It is perhaps most famous for its fire on January 21, 1934. As it happened one of its guests was John Dillinger. He escaped the fire via a ladder and was identified by a firemen who went back to retrieve his luggage. He was arrested, escaped custody in Indiana and was killed 6 months later in Chicago on July 22, 1934.

Front - The Cup Cafe's Dillinger Menu

Back - The Cup Cafe's Dillinger Menu

Light in the Hotel Congress Nightclub

Dance of Death Mural 

Nightclub Hotel Congress

The visit was sequenced for an afternoon and evening visit to the 98 acre Arizona Sonora Desert Museum.  The complex is part museum, part aquarium and part zoo (with 230 different species of animals). It is only open for evenings on a few Saturday nights each summer. And it is a special time to visit. The animals are more active, there are musicians throughout the grounds and the nightly monsoons frequently create something completely magical.

The Drive to The Museum

(Crossing Gates Pass)

Looking North Toward the Museum

A Mountain Lion

A Fox

An Ocelot

Bighorn Sheep

The Surrounding Views At Sunset

A White Lined Sphinx Moth

(Flies and Behaves Like A Hummingbird)

As if by Irony - A Chance Sighting of Gabrielle Giffords

(Taking a Selfie With Her Husband Shuttle Astronaut Mark Kelly) 

A Summer Storm Roared in Capping Our Evening

Tucson is an on-going story. It is a land of extremes. It owns a rich history filled with heroic people sometimes just living everyday lives. A history filled with joy, music, art and heartache. It offers centuries of myths and legends. And, despite its amazing growth, it remains a true one-of-a-kind.

And it is something very special in summer.

Roadboy's Travels ©2014