Thursday, October 16. 2008
Long Butt Home
Ian Craigie
After 4 Odyssey's I think we are pretty close to bringing the whole Frank Lloyd Wright & Baseball thing to a close. We figure there is one last trip back to the East Coast through Wisconsin, Michigan and Buffalo but probably not next year. Stay tuned. Oh, and if anyone knows where there are any baseball stadiums in Alaska could they let me know.
Tuesday, October 14. 2008
Day 30 Redding to Bellingham
Ian Craigie
Sunday, October 12. 2008
Day 28 Fort Stockton to Blythe
Ian Craigie
From here, it really is a Long Way Home
Brian Wallace
Our excuse for going to Florida was that there is a university campus in Lakeland that has several FLLW buildings and shows the beginning of a larger plan that was not finished. The site rates only one star in the Wright Guide, but that seems underrated to me.
Then on to the highlight of the Florida experience. First, we caught Gillie at work at Fairchild Gardens and were treated to a short but wonderful tour, in her solar-powered cart.
A wonderful overnight with Gillian, Alex, Kaelyn and Natalia and then on to Key West with Alex and his '76 shovel head "Charley" Davidson. On the way, a stop at Robbie's. Ian feeds a tarpon.
While being closely watched by an unintimidated peican.
Sunsets are important in Key West.
Everything went smoothly, until we began the 140 mile drive along the Overseas Highway back to Miami. Here, Alex and Ian approach the problem with their tools of choice.
Since Thursday we have been heading home - Tampa Bay FL, Lafayette LA. Fort Stockton TX. and tonight, Blythe CA. I guess interstates have a purpose.
Saturday, October 11. 2008
Day 27 Lafayette to Fort Stockton
Ian Craigie
Friday, October 10. 2008
The Turnaround
Ian Craigie
... the little curl at the end is when it all went sideways - but that's Alex's story.
And now back to our story. When we last saw the intrepid travelers they were lost somewhere in Alabama looking at yet another Frank, the Rosenbaum House in Florence (also home to the world famous Muscle Shoals recording studio Shoal Sound). Brian started to formulate some sort of theory of Jewish Academia and Frank appreciation - I suggested he might be better served by concentrating where he was going.
And since we were in Alabama, there was no way I wasn't going to worship (drool actually), at what is quickly becoming a shrine of motorcycling: The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. Not only is there on display 700 of the 1200 motorcycles Mr. Barber owns but also cars, outboard motors, automotive artifacts, a restoration shop and a world class race track.
It was then into Florida where we found the last Frank of this trip and the reason why we came to Florida in the first place - Southern Florida College where there is an impressive collection of Franks.
After thoroughly tramping around the grounds of the college we located a nearby Starbucks (thanks to Google Maps on my Blackberry), that was in an old gas station (I think), and then it was down to Miami to visit Gillian and Alex et al. We found Gill at her work jungle.
where she gave us a tour - its solar powered.
We then made our way to Gill's other jungle.
A great dinner and a very entertaining night watching the 2nd presidential debate. Fotrunately we didn't paly the John McCain Drinking game as there we only had 1/2 a bottle of Bourbon and also were headed to Key West the next morning. As morning dawned - actually it was more like lunch time - Alex finshed "fixing" his 1976 FLH Harley-Davidson (and this bike has a story!).
A stop at an iconic biker lunch spot on the way (rumour has it there is some new "art" on the wall).
We also stopped at a marina where you can feed these unbelieveably humungous tarpin... with bait fish... from a bucket... right from your hand. I think Brian has a picture, I have a small scar. And then down to the Southern Most Point in The Continental US - I guess I'm impressed.
Hopefully Alex will send me the story of the Harley as it is pretty cool, as for things going sideways down at Key West let's just say we are a day behind where we might have been and my AAA towing service got a 100 Mile work-out.
Day26 Tampa to Lafayette
Ian Craigie
Wednesday, October 8. 2008
Day24 Miami to Key West... Key West!!!
Ian Craigie
Monday, October 6. 2008
Day22 Decatur to Gainesville
Ian Craigie
Sunday, October 5. 2008
I'm Back
Brian Wallace
Before I add my piece on the Blue Ridge (Apparently, I missed the best part.), I have a fence to mend. I cast an aspersion by omitting a photo of the Haynes House in Fort Wayne, and compounded the slight by saying it was not photogenic. This drew a response from the owner (below under my last posting) but so far, no summons. The house actually looks terrific, and it sits comfortably in its quiet semi-rural neighbourhood. I think it was just that my pictures weren't memorable. For the record, here is the best I came away with.
I did get one more day on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and I would do it again.
I returned yesterday to a small taste of the Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, meeting Barb and Ross and being royally welcomed by their delightful hosts, Harold and Nancy. The dinner was an award winner in every way. Thanks so much.
This morning we headed for Chattanooga and a drive-by of the Shavin House. The house is at the top of a ridge, with the land sloping away in both directions. This shatters the conventional wisdom that FLLW sheltered the houses designed for sloping sites just below the brow of the hill. How did this happen? I assume Frank didn't site the house.
The highlight of the day was the Rosenbaum House in Florence AL, now owned by the the City and open to the public. It's a highly livable Usonian house that the Rosenbaums moved into in 1940 or so. Mrs. Rosenbaum lived there into the 1990's. We were told that the cost overrun on construction was only 50% and that it was restored to its current excellent conditioin for $750,000, both impressive numbers for FLLW projects.
Tomorrow its Birmingham and on to Florida, but tonight another river view room, this time in Decatur, AL. Okay, it isn't the St Louis Arch.
Day21 Johnson City to Decatur (Alabama)
Ian Craigie
Saturday, October 4. 2008
The Best Parking Spot East of the Mississi.... East of the Rockies
Ian Craigie
Now Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers
And they've been known to pick a song or two
Lord they get me off so much
They pick me up when I'm feeling blue
Now how about you?
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet Home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
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