By Ruth A. Ringelstetter
When Joann and I were discussing what route to take on our long weekend in Iowa this summer, I mentioned to her that she had wanted to return to the town of Ackley. She told me she didn’t remember that and that she thought we had gotten everything we needed in that town.
Huh, I was stumped. I knew that after we got home last time, she had sent me an email showing something we had missed. But could I find her email? No. I knew there was an old window decal that we had missed last time, but I didn’t think that was it. Still, something was nagging at me that we should return.
Since I’m in charge of the route, I directed us to Ackley on the second day of our long weekend. We came into town from the south, and as we turned onto Main Street, we were both flabbergasted to see an advertising mural for Bull Durham that hadn’t been there the last time we were in town. It was not a new ad. It was an ad that had been uncovered when the building right next to it had been taken down. No one in the town had known it was there.
Joann got her equipment out and headed to the sign to take photos. I grabbed my phone to search the Internet. What I found was an article from the Ackley World Journal dated December 2, 2014 describing how the sign was uncovered when the garage next to Grumpy’s Bar was demolished.
I hadn’t consciously known about the sign, but the Universe must have been poking me about going to see it. An old flour sign had been uncovered in Madison, Wisconsin recently, and by the time we found out about it, construction had already covered over the sign. That process took less than a month, so we felt really blessed that this sign was still visible.
Bull Durham Tobacco was manufactured in Durham, North Carolina, from 1874 to 1957. By the turn of the century, it is believed that the Bull Durham Tobacco Company was the largest tobacco company in the world. During World War I, the U.S. government bought most, if not all, Bull Durham Tobacco to send to the war effort.
Bull Durham salesmen went around the country scouting places to place the advertisements. The advertising and marketing for Bull Durham Tobacco was second to none. The signs were found on the outfield fences of most major and minor league baseball stadiums.
We still find old faded Bull Durham advertising signs in many of the towns we travel through today. Often they are on a building that had other advertising signs painted over and around them.
After getting enough pictures of the sign, in case something happens to it before we return, we continued down Main Street to the old drugstore to get some pictures of the entrance and the old Kool decal on the door.
We made a circle through town, but didn’t see anything else that we had missed on our prior trip. I guess sometimes the Universe just knows, and gives you a kick in the pants. Next time we’ll have to trust this sort of “sign” and go with it.
If you get a feeling about something, go with it! You never know what great thing the Universe is trying to share with you.
Happy Shunpiking!
Ruth
Shunpiking To Heaven Backroads Blog
Monday, September 28, 2015
Sunday, September 20, 2015
The Year of the Goat
By Ruth A. Ringelstetter
Beginning on February 18, 2015, and continuing until February 7, 2016, it is The Year of the Goat in the Chinese Zodiac. It is alternately known as The Year of the Sheep or Ram. The picture in the traditional zodiac is clearly a goat, but the word in Chinese refers to goat, sheep, or ram, and the Chinese are not bothered by the discrepancy.
Each new year begins on a new moon sometime between late January and mid-to-late February. While researching for this blog post, I discovered that Joann was born in the Year of the Goat.
People born in the year of the goat, which occurs every 12 years, are said to be calm, gentle mild-mannered people who have strong creativity and perseverance. They prefer to be in groups, but do not want to be the center of attention.
According to ancient Chinese superstition, in your birth sign year (every 12 years), you will offend the God of Age, and will have bad luck during that year. The best way to avoid this bad luck is by wearing something red given by an elderly relative. It can be socks or underwear, or a bracelet or anklet.
In our backroads travels, we often see farm animals. In the spring, we find pastures with young animals, which is always a favorite. But, in my opinion, one of our best experiences with goats was in autumn on a dead end road leading to the back side of a Nature Conservancy property.
We probably wouldn’t have driven down the road since there is only one farm on it, but we knew the Nature Conservancy property was down there. The farm was a goat farm, and the goats were not fenced in.
There was a defined pasture with large round bales of hay, and probably at one time there had been a fence, but the goats were running free. We drove down the road to check out the natural area and once we got turned around and started back, the goats were all running down the road. It was feeding time and their owner was trying to call them home.
They were running back and forth along the road, and we stopped the car so Joann could get out and take photos of them as they ran.
Their feed was spread around the round bales in the pasture, and they circled it and climbed over and around the bales. Often, one would stop right on top as if they were playing the children’s game King of the Hill.
We stayed for a while watching the goats run around, and finally all moving over to the feeding area. It was a beautiful fall day, and watching them only added to the experience.
I hope you’re having a good Year of the Goat (or Sheep if you prefer).
Happy Shunpiking!
Ruth
Beginning on February 18, 2015, and continuing until February 7, 2016, it is The Year of the Goat in the Chinese Zodiac. It is alternately known as The Year of the Sheep or Ram. The picture in the traditional zodiac is clearly a goat, but the word in Chinese refers to goat, sheep, or ram, and the Chinese are not bothered by the discrepancy.
Each new year begins on a new moon sometime between late January and mid-to-late February. While researching for this blog post, I discovered that Joann was born in the Year of the Goat.
People born in the year of the goat, which occurs every 12 years, are said to be calm, gentle mild-mannered people who have strong creativity and perseverance. They prefer to be in groups, but do not want to be the center of attention.
According to ancient Chinese superstition, in your birth sign year (every 12 years), you will offend the God of Age, and will have bad luck during that year. The best way to avoid this bad luck is by wearing something red given by an elderly relative. It can be socks or underwear, or a bracelet or anklet.
In our backroads travels, we often see farm animals. In the spring, we find pastures with young animals, which is always a favorite. But, in my opinion, one of our best experiences with goats was in autumn on a dead end road leading to the back side of a Nature Conservancy property.
We probably wouldn’t have driven down the road since there is only one farm on it, but we knew the Nature Conservancy property was down there. The farm was a goat farm, and the goats were not fenced in.
There was a defined pasture with large round bales of hay, and probably at one time there had been a fence, but the goats were running free. We drove down the road to check out the natural area and once we got turned around and started back, the goats were all running down the road. It was feeding time and their owner was trying to call them home.
They were running back and forth along the road, and we stopped the car so Joann could get out and take photos of them as they ran.
Their feed was spread around the round bales in the pasture, and they circled it and climbed over and around the bales. Often, one would stop right on top as if they were playing the children’s game King of the Hill.
We stayed for a while watching the goats run around, and finally all moving over to the feeding area. It was a beautiful fall day, and watching them only added to the experience.
I hope you’re having a good Year of the Goat (or Sheep if you prefer).
Happy Shunpiking!
Ruth
Sunday, September 13, 2015
The Conductor
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
The word “conductor,” as defined by TheFreeDictionary.com, is “one who conducts, especially, one who is in charge of a railroad train or one who directs an orchestra.”
The job of a music conductor is to direct a musical performance, using gestures and sometimes a baton. The job of a railroad conductor is not only to collect tickets, but also to ensure that the train operates safely, stays on schedule, and picks up and drops off cars and cargo properly. It is also the conductor’s job to guide the coupling and uncoupling of train cars.
A few days ago, I posted a story about some modern-day hobos riding the rails. As I was preparing the photos for that story, I came across several photos I took in February, 2014, of a train conductor at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum.
As I snapped these photos in 2014, the conductor was helping the engineer couple the engine to the first passenger car. He was motioning to the engineer as the engineer backed the engine toward the passenger car.
I didn’t notice anything unusual about this activity until I reviewed the photos in preparation for my hobo story. As I looked at these photos, I realized that, if you put a baton in the train conductor’s hand, he would look like he was directing an orchestra.
No wonder they call him a conductor. Now all we need is some music to complete the scene.
And, in case you think he has an easy job, take a look at how hard he works to make sure the connection of the engine and passenger car is successful.
If you live in Wisconsin and are interested in riding an old-fashioned passenger train, visit the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom.
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
The word “conductor,” as defined by TheFreeDictionary.com, is “one who conducts, especially, one who is in charge of a railroad train or one who directs an orchestra.”
The job of a music conductor is to direct a musical performance, using gestures and sometimes a baton. The job of a railroad conductor is not only to collect tickets, but also to ensure that the train operates safely, stays on schedule, and picks up and drops off cars and cargo properly. It is also the conductor’s job to guide the coupling and uncoupling of train cars.
A few days ago, I posted a story about some modern-day hobos riding the rails. As I was preparing the photos for that story, I came across several photos I took in February, 2014, of a train conductor at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum.
As I snapped these photos in 2014, the conductor was helping the engineer couple the engine to the first passenger car. He was motioning to the engineer as the engineer backed the engine toward the passenger car.
I didn’t notice anything unusual about this activity until I reviewed the photos in preparation for my hobo story. As I looked at these photos, I realized that, if you put a baton in the train conductor’s hand, he would look like he was directing an orchestra.
No wonder they call him a conductor. Now all we need is some music to complete the scene.
And, in case you think he has an easy job, take a look at how hard he works to make sure the connection of the engine and passenger car is successful.
If you live in Wisconsin and are interested in riding an old-fashioned passenger train, visit the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom.
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
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