As things are winding down there are certain patterns of the road falling by the wayside . Staying with and visiting friends is certainly not the same as rolling into some motel after another day of Oddasee site/sightseeing. Your obsessed road reporter does not always have the opportunity to organize the days' photos nor write the silly/poignant/informative "message of the day." So....... though the trip continued, we are behind in correspondence. We are sure many of you enjoyed the rest and not having your email memory dominated by yet another Rodney photo-thon. Below is "Day 106" with six more to follow sometime in the next few days as we catch you up to the fact that we have arrived "home".
As mentioned before, this road thing has become a bit of an obsession -- oooh that's a real news scoop. We have become quite accustomed to being awed and amazed on a daily basis. There is also something about setting off toward the unknown. The truck seats, the GPS and the now tattered road atlas are our friends or at the very least, comfort zone. We are ever-excited about what or who may be just around the next corner. It is for these reasons and more that we are/were not willing to just put an abrupt end to the journey. So, it was off to Genoa, Colorado to see the "Tower Museum".
On a wintry day in February many years ago R. and friends drove specifically to this rather isolated location on what can now be seen as a precursor to Oddasee. The museum had no heat but offered memories galore. Susan was not along for that particular excursion and R. wanted a re-visit with a better camera in tow. So, after our magical time with the Givens, we headed east once again; well north east really and not that far. Yes this is another example of an Oddasee site that is but a few hours from many of your doors.
The Tower Museum structures were built at the first quarter of the 20th century as a stop off spot along the main and only paved highway between Denver and Kansas City. It then became something of a "roadside attraction" with it amazing tower ("You can see six states from up here!"), a restaurant, a motel and general store. It was not only a stop off spot but a became destination for food, entertainment and a local hangout. As we all know, things change. The little highway became Interstate 70, the cars were faster and had larger gas tanks plus the need for such entertainment diminished. The tower and adjoining businesses slowly faded into oblivion.
After being all but abandoned The Chubbucks purchased the property in the early 50's. Jerry had an already impressive arrowhead collection that has grown by thousands since then. Here's a little secret: Once someone starts collecting one thing other objects of interest soon follow and the quantity is defined only by space, creative use of every available nook, cranny, wall and, in the Chubbuck's case, ceiling. The place is filled to the proverbial gills. As you will see, there are a few areas of special interest like bottles (tens of thousands), weirdly specific tools and it's is where all tschotskes in the entire universe go to die. Be sure to take note of the the tools on the ceiling; cool architectural element.
We arrived on a cool day with a storm looming. There was a note on the door instructing us to go knocking on the attached home on the west end. Mrs. C. met us and told us she'd meet us in front. After some cordial words, payment of the exorbitant fee of $1.00 each (geez what a rip off!), some light turning on and a bit of history we were set free to wander at will. It is quirky room after quirky room with many of them wonderfully cave-like (not of the Carlsbad ilk but more like a Hobbit hole).
Our tour inevitably lead us to the "tower". Inexorably we were compelled to climb the ladder like stairs through odd little rooms filled with, well, more crap. Each room and stairway was painted a different primary color. Like an opposite universe to Alice's rabbit hole, our curiosity pressed us onward. When we finally conquered the vertigo-inducing stairway to heaven. We were astonished, awed, stunned, thunderstruck and just plain breathless with how far we could see. The sales pitch was true. One can see six states from the apex of this ninth wonder of the world. There was 1. Colorado 2. Wyoming. 3. Kansas. 4. Nebraska. 5. Oklahoma and if you squint just right, New Hampshire. Okay, you can see Colorado and maybe Kansas. It was amusing to imagine those folks of long ago arriving in the old Hudson or Plymouth with mouths agape as they pondered the wonders of the Tower (actually for a time the official highest point between Denver and the Atlantic.
Like a broken record, we must tell you that in the midst of all the "treasures" the most valuable of all was the passionate person that accumulated this amazing pile of stuff. Yep, you guessed it, Mr. Jerry Chubbuck himself. Wow! A fountain of tales, history and folklore. The best part was his playful spirit. He had many mysterious objects that he relished handing to us for us to guess the function of the oft enigmatic tool. He loved to stump and was duly impressed when we solved the conundrum. The best part is when asked for a photo with Susan (yes, another old guy posing with your photogenic traveler) he got very excited and was off to collect props for the portrait. He had hats and rifles along with a stuffed rattler. Get back Edward Weston, Annie Liebowitz and Richard Avedon..... check out the fine photos at the bottom.
So, Oddasee wonderers, we are not quite done yet and you are not off the internet hook just yet. Watch for more but the countdown has begun for the end of what we like to think of as "Oddasee Phase One".
Love, arrowheads and a smooching diamondback,
Rodney and Susan
As mentioned before, this road thing has become a bit of an obsession -- oooh that's a real news scoop. We have become quite accustomed to being awed and amazed on a daily basis. There is also something about setting off toward the unknown. The truck seats, the GPS and the now tattered road atlas are our friends or at the very least, comfort zone. We are ever-excited about what or who may be just around the next corner. It is for these reasons and more that we are/were not willing to just put an abrupt end to the journey. So, it was off to Genoa, Colorado to see the "Tower Museum".
On a wintry day in February many years ago R. and friends drove specifically to this rather isolated location on what can now be seen as a precursor to Oddasee. The museum had no heat but offered memories galore. Susan was not along for that particular excursion and R. wanted a re-visit with a better camera in tow. So, after our magical time with the Givens, we headed east once again; well north east really and not that far. Yes this is another example of an Oddasee site that is but a few hours from many of your doors.
The Tower Museum structures were built at the first quarter of the 20th century as a stop off spot along the main and only paved highway between Denver and Kansas City. It then became something of a "roadside attraction" with it amazing tower ("You can see six states from up here!"), a restaurant, a motel and general store. It was not only a stop off spot but a became destination for food, entertainment and a local hangout. As we all know, things change. The little highway became Interstate 70, the cars were faster and had larger gas tanks plus the need for such entertainment diminished. The tower and adjoining businesses slowly faded into oblivion.
After being all but abandoned The Chubbucks purchased the property in the early 50's. Jerry had an already impressive arrowhead collection that has grown by thousands since then. Here's a little secret: Once someone starts collecting one thing other objects of interest soon follow and the quantity is defined only by space, creative use of every available nook, cranny, wall and, in the Chubbuck's case, ceiling. The place is filled to the proverbial gills. As you will see, there are a few areas of special interest like bottles (tens of thousands), weirdly specific tools and it's is where all tschotskes in the entire universe go to die. Be sure to take note of the the tools on the ceiling; cool architectural element.
We arrived on a cool day with a storm looming. There was a note on the door instructing us to go knocking on the attached home on the west end. Mrs. C. met us and told us she'd meet us in front. After some cordial words, payment of the exorbitant fee of $1.00 each (geez what a rip off!), some light turning on and a bit of history we were set free to wander at will. It is quirky room after quirky room with many of them wonderfully cave-like (not of the Carlsbad ilk but more like a Hobbit hole).
Our tour inevitably lead us to the "tower". Inexorably we were compelled to climb the ladder like stairs through odd little rooms filled with, well, more crap. Each room and stairway was painted a different primary color. Like an opposite universe to Alice's rabbit hole, our curiosity pressed us onward. When we finally conquered the vertigo-inducing stairway to heaven. We were astonished, awed, stunned, thunderstruck and just plain breathless with how far we could see. The sales pitch was true. One can see six states from the apex of this ninth wonder of the world. There was 1. Colorado 2. Wyoming. 3. Kansas. 4. Nebraska. 5. Oklahoma and if you squint just right, New Hampshire. Okay, you can see Colorado and maybe Kansas. It was amusing to imagine those folks of long ago arriving in the old Hudson or Plymouth with mouths agape as they pondered the wonders of the Tower (actually for a time the official highest point between Denver and the Atlantic.
Like a broken record, we must tell you that in the midst of all the "treasures" the most valuable of all was the passionate person that accumulated this amazing pile of stuff. Yep, you guessed it, Mr. Jerry Chubbuck himself. Wow! A fountain of tales, history and folklore. The best part was his playful spirit. He had many mysterious objects that he relished handing to us for us to guess the function of the oft enigmatic tool. He loved to stump and was duly impressed when we solved the conundrum. The best part is when asked for a photo with Susan (yes, another old guy posing with your photogenic traveler) he got very excited and was off to collect props for the portrait. He had hats and rifles along with a stuffed rattler. Get back Edward Weston, Annie Liebowitz and Richard Avedon..... check out the fine photos at the bottom.
So, Oddasee wonderers, we are not quite done yet and you are not off the internet hook just yet. Watch for more but the countdown has begun for the end of what we like to think of as "Oddasee Phase One".
Love, arrowheads and a smooching diamondback,
Rodney and Susan
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