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The ticket

outside of the Alabama Theatre

The Marquee

Tonight I attended the premier of ESPN films “Roll Tide / War Eagle about the rivalry of Alabama and Auburn. The premier was at the Alabama Theatre in downtown Birmingham, a short drive from Tuscaloosa. The night started with organ music with the organist rising from the orchestra pit. The organist had us first sing Happy Birthday to some guy named Kuper. Then they  sang the war eagle song and then we sang “Yea Alabama”. The executive producer and director spoke and introduce the film. The director spoke about how auburn fans kept asking him why he put roll tide in front of war eagle and then someone in the audience yells, “It’s because we have 13″ as in Alabama’s 13 National Championships. The Film is premiering on ESPN next Tuesday at 8pm. If you want to learn more about Football in the State of Alabama you need to watch Roll Tide / War Eagle!

From the docks,  the Bama Belle

Brothers and their dates boarding the paddleboat

the boat is ready to go

the dock

boarding

a look at across the river

late arrivals

The back where the paddles are

The Exit

My Fraternity, Phi Sigma Kappa had its Semi-Formal on the Black Warrior River with the Bama Bell, a paddlewheel riverboat. Cannot wait for next Saturday LSU is coming to town as well as my parents.

Tracy, MO

The Welcome to Tracy sign

city hall and police department

It’s just like Tracy to be closed

I think this is their one and only cop car

The Park

The town

I was born and raised in Tracy, California so when I saw Tracy, Missouri I had to go. Tracy, Missouri is a one horse town, but it was nice to say I have been.

the town of weston

O’Malley is an irish pub we ate at

Inside the pub

Its also a brewery

The original Chucky doll

Looking from our seats at the Royal Stadium

There are fountains in the outfield

This day we decided to go to Weston and then to a Royal’s baseball game. Weston, Missouri was an old west down until the river moved and the town became a ghost town. The Royal’s baseball game was a lot of fun they played the New York Yankees and beat them.

waiting for Dierks Bentley to start

Dierks Bentley

Closer Up

I attended the annual GreekFest on the University of Alabama Campus. Country Music Star Dierks Bentley played to a crowd of a couple thousand students. We managed to get close to the front. It was a great time!

A look at Denny Chimes and the Quad

Today was my first day of my senior year here at Alabama. I have been having the time of my life here in Tuscaloosa. My first year I come they win they win the National Championship, number 13. Then my second year here I joined Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity and have met some great people. I truely could have not of asked for anything more. Thank you to my parents for allowing me to come to a great school.

The Pony Express

Where the horses ran out

The Pony Express is in St. Joseph, MO

And their off

The Pony Express lasted less than a year

I think they were going for Wilford Brimley

the trail went from Missouri to California

The buildings well, you could actually pump it.

This killed the pony express

the Trail ended in Sacramento

The Full Trail

The next stop on the tour was to the Pony Express. The Pony Express was the first mail service for the United States it ran from Kansas City, Missouri to Sacramento, California and only for less than one year. It took about 12 days to get half way across America. In a sense it was one big relay race. Each rider would have his own section of the route and when his ended he would pass the mail onto the next. When the telegraph was installed to most of the U. S. , the Pony Express ended leaving it legacy to history.

The James Family Farm

Jesse’s brother added this on to the home

The original part of the home

A little history

Jesse James

Looking out at Jesse’s original grave site

where James was originally buried

 the cabin original look

the original cabin

Where Jesse James’ is buried now about 5 miles away from the farm

The next stop was to the Jesse James Farm and Museum in Kearney, Missouri. Jesse James was born in the original two room cabin. The tour was a lot of information. James is a famous outlaw that was part of the first American day light bank robbery. The farm was used as a tourist attraction that Jesse’s brother used as to make a living. When James was assassinated in 1882 his mother brought his body back to the farm. She buried him in viewing distance of her bedroom window in order to prevent grave robbers. Years later James’s body was moved to a cemetery a few miles down the road, where it lay today.

WWI Museum

The Entrance

The original memorial hall

The reflecting pool

A look at trench warfare

Playing cards looked like fun

The tower I went up to look at the city

looking down from the tower

looking at Downtown Kansas City

There was a praying mantis at the top of the tower

The second stop was decided on the World War I monument and museum in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Not but two days before Sarah Palin stopped in for a visit to the museum, I looked in the guest registry but her name did not appear. I did speak with one of the employees and he said it was a bit of a surprise to see her. He said he was working in the gift shop when she visited and said the whole family was there. The museum was one of the best I have ever been to and the only in the United States for WWI. Some odd 26 million dollars were raised to design and built it and it showed. If you are every in Kansas City, I highly recommend going to see it. Not very expensive and you get a 2 day ticket.

 Walt Disney’s Adulthood home in Kansas City, Missouri

The only thing that would tell you Walt lived here

Walt Disney looking toward his Laugh-O-Gram Studio

Mickey’s shadow

Laugh-O-Gram Studios The front of the studio A look through historyinside the studiothe back

The first day of my roadtrip, I decided to make a trip out to Walt Disney’s adult home in Kansas City, Missouri. It was interesting to see where Mickey Mouse was created, The Laugh-O-Gram Studios, is about 6 blocks away from his home in K.C. The building has gone in disrepair and all that is remaining is the outside walls. There is hope that one day it will be restored to the days of Walt. Disney’s home is no longer owned by the family. The only inkling that Walt ever lived there is the bird bath with Mickey in the center. My friend Luke invited me to drive up to Missouri and stay with his family, it was very gracious of the Ryan family. Thank you to the Ryan family!