Category Archives: Jim

Photo of camp Before the raccoons

Campfire Evening — Another Masked Bandit

Teardrop Trail Log: June 21

Photos of a raccoon

A Raccoon!

We returned to our campsite — still pondering what we had seen at Taliesin. Two days of attractions and history, and I was looking forward to dinner, a campfire and a quiet evening. The weather was clear and comfortable, with none of the famous mosquitos I had heard so much about. It was shaping up to be a perfect evening.

Marilyn began fixing dinner while I built a campfire. Many national and state parks will provide a bundle of firewood for a few dollars since they don’t want campers scrounging the woods, and we had thought to pick one up on the way back to our campsite. With a steel fire ring and the split, seasoned wood, getting the fire started didn’t take long. Tasty beverages in hand, we reviewed the day while cooking dinner provided delicious smells.

The conversation about the wonders of central Wisconsin continued, and pretty soon we were eating dinner. As the tasty beverages worked their magic, we began to think about washing up and a peaceful night in the teardrop. I had to get something out of the Lady, and intending to be right back, left the driver’s side door open. As I walked back to the trailer, I heard noises. Was there something in the car?

With our previous experience in mind, I took my iPhone out and readied the camera. I could see movement in the front seat, and opened the passenger door. Staring at me from the driver’s side was a juvenile raccoon! These critters move fast! Holding its ground, I was able to snap several pictures before shooing it away. Later, we found an opened bag of potato chips — a bold bandit with a taste for junk food!

photo of raccoon looking for potato chips

What have you done with my potato chips?

photo of Arcadia Book Storefront

Spring Green on the Mocha Trail

Teardrop trail log: June 21

With Starbucks conveniently located across the street from Jim’s office at the university, he had developed a Mocha habit. Even after leaving the campus, around 3pm every afternoon, he starts scanning the horizon for a way to indulge in the chocolaty goodness. Starbuck’s, and coffee houses in general are a city thing — we discovered it was much harder to find in rural and small town America. As we travel, I search the Internet for Mocha each day we’re on the road in the hopes of finding his treat.

photo of A #10 Kraut

A #10 Kraut

We returned to Spring Green to continue our exploration. The vibe was special. There were many locally owned businesses, gift shops, galleries, quaint eateries and even a quilt shop. It was fun to explore the small-town hardware store. The organic grocery store had some very interesting selections.

Then, we spotted Arcadia Books, an independent book store that would be the envy of any other small town in America. Not only did they have a great selection for readers of all ages, but stocked all sorts of prepared goodies, made from local ingredients, baked goods, beer, wine and… even Mocha. We looked at each other and smiled. We could be happy here…. except for that four-letter word — snow.

photo of Mocha success at Arcadia Books in Spring Green

Mocha success at Arcadia Books in Spring Green

photo of Taliesin tour

Taliesin

Teardrop Trail Log: June 21

We left Governor Dodge State Park and headed to Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and architectural school located in the rolling hills near Spring Green. Visiting Taliesin had been on my bucket list after knowing several friends in Arizona who had attended Taliesin West. The name, Taliesin meaning shining brow, is a nod to Wright’s Welsh heritage. The Visitors Center was originally built as the Riverview Terrace Restaurant in 1953 where we met our tour guide as well as the rest of the folks on the house tour. We drove past the waterfall at the dammed stream and up the winding road of the 490-acre estate. Our knowledgeable tour guide introduced us to the court yard, studio and living quarters. She shared the history and important aspects of his architecture, interior design, furniture and light fixtures. She also discussed the challenge of maintaining the various aspects of the architecture as it was in Wright’s time. He was fond of Asian designs and collected artifacts. But he also collaborated with sculptor Richard Bock on other sculptures. Wright was not a very tall man and he had a fondness for lower ceilings and passage ways that challenged a member of the tour who was seven feet tall.

Wright loved music and felt that music and architecture were closely related. The tour explored the famed living room, complete with the Steinway Art Grand Piano and the unique music stand he designed for a quartet. It had been the scene of nightly concerts. Wright was an accomplished pianist. In addition to the works of many composers, he performed works by his father, William Carey Wright who was a composer, music teacher and itinerant Protestant minister. Please enjoy his 1851 composition, L’ Agréable Réverie, played by Jim for this post.

Stories about the people who had lived in Taliesin were an important part of the tour. From his mother to Mamah Cheney – his mistress, the two later wives, his children, the community of students and clients, the property was the setting of a tempestuous domestic life complete with scandals, murders, fires and other dramas.

After the tour, we returned to the Visitors Center and enjoyed a wonderful lunch in
the Riverview Terrace Café, complete with an awe-inspiring view and equally inspiring meal of local food and beverages.

A view of Taliesen

Taliesen

Learn more about Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and listen to his father’s music:

Building Taliesin: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home of Love and Loss

The Music of William C. Wright: Solo Piano and Vocal Works 1847-1893

photo of The Infinity Room at the House on the Rock

The House on the Rock

The House on the Rock defies description. Imagine the love child of the Smithsonian Institution and P.T. Barnum. Begun in 1945 by Alex Jordan as a lofty home perched on a tall chimney rock, it evolved as “one thing led to another” into an attraction with ever-increasing collections — as eclectic as it is enormous.

I was interested in the pipe organ and other musical instruments we had heard about, and based on the Web site, thought that an afternoon would be enough to explore the attraction. We inquired about the pipe organ as we bought tickets and were advised to not linger too long in any one place. We had no idea just how big this place was.

photo of Jim rubbing Budda's Belly

Rub Budda’s Belly …

We set out through the courtyard, rubbed the Budda for good luck and were quickly in the House. First opened to the public in 1960, the House is a series of rooms surrounding The Rock, no two the same size, shape or style.

photo of The Bauer-Coble Mushroom Lamp

The Bauer-Coble Mushroom Lamp

It is vaguely oriental, but also includes furnishings from other eras. The Infinity Room is an engineering marvel that hangs out over the valley floor several hundred feet below.

photo of Main Street exhibit at House on the Rock

Main Street

The collections that follow are too numerous and varied to describe here, but include a mock-up of a late 19th century main street — complete with fully furnished shops, homes and village services like a sheriff’s office and fire department. With the provided tokens, one can play the dozens of mechanical musical instruments that are scattered throughout the attraction. They vary from small music boxes and pianos to a complete 80-piece orchestra.

photo of Faberge' Eggs at House on the Rock

Faberge´ Eggs

Along the way, there are collections of dolls and doll houses, firearms, circus models, Fabrege Eggs, agricultural equipment, steam power, stained glass, classic cars, pipe organs, carousel horses and a giant carousel and replicas of the Crown Jewels.

photo of a 200-foot sea creature

200-foot sea creature

One building contains a multi-level exhibit of several dozen scale models of maritime ships from hundreds of years old to present. Any one of these collections stand on their own, but to have so many in the same place is overwhelming. Suffice it to say, we wished we had allowed more than an afternoon and could easily have spent a couple of days there. Simply Amazing.

photo of a Beautiful Stained Glass

Beautiful Stained Glass

 

image of La Brioche restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin

Dinner with Carole and Merritt at La Brioche

Teardrop trail Log: June 18, 2016

There are opportunities when traveling, and being near Madison was no exception. In a former life, I collaborated with Carol, a colleague on several conference papers and presentations for the IT Leaders Program, Educause and the Distance Teaching and Learning Conference in Madison. Since both of us worked in higher education information and instructional technology, we were interested in how well today’s universities were meeting the needs and expectations of the digitally sophisticated students who studied there. As part of our work, we enjoyed trips to Seattle, Madison, Austin, Berkeley and State College, Pennsylvania. I hadn’t talked with her in several years and wanted to catch up.

We joined Carole and her husband Merritt for our first dinner in Madison. They promised to take us to one of the most unique restaurants and they were true to their word. Although situated in a strip mall, La Brioche True Food is remarkable. This bistro and bakery is run by Jackie Patricia, feng shui expert and classically trained pianist with her husband, David Yankovich who was a student of Madison culinary pioneer Johanna Guthrie. Her vision was to serve people through conscious food and service. The website describes the space as “removed from the hustle-bustle outside – that you breathe and relax into yourself…” The atmosphere is amazing. Mahogany wainscoting, high back tapestry chairs and a warm light from the chandeliers. Another source says that they aim for a higher-ground culinary experience utilizing local organic food prepared well with just the right amount of fuss. Right on all points.

photo of the 120U Farmall Tractor

Steiger and Friends

Teardrop Trail Log: June 18, 2018

Saturday dawned clear and bright and I set out on my morning constitutional. The fair grounds were mostly deserted since the gates had not yet opened to the general public and most were just starting their day. Case/IH corporate offices are located in nearby Racine, Wisconsin, and they had provided models for display at the ‘Roundup. I had never seen this many current Case/IH tractors in one place before, so I stopped to look. They were impressive in the early morning light.

Many vehicles have what look like “faces”, but as I looked at the assembled horsepower, they seemed more exaggerated in their anthropomorphic details. High “foreheads” and curving hoods lent a childlike quality in spite of the size and apparent power. The line was very consistent in its styling as well — a far cry from the unstyled tractors of the pre-World War II years. There was something else — I was reminded of a cartoon aspect similar to the Disney/Pixar movie “Cars.” It wouldn’t have been surprising if they started talking.

One of the largest models, “Steiger” even had a name worthy of a cartoon superhero. In fact, the Steiger series comes from an American tractor manufacturer purchased in 1986. Founded by Douglas and Maurice Steiger in the 1950’s, they were some of the first to bring large horsepower and four-wheel drive to farms with their lime-green machines manufactured in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. Quite a linage for the inviting giants of the farm greeting me.

photo of the Modern 7140 axial flow combine

Modern 7140 axial flow combine

photo of the rebuilt and painted tractor

1936 Farmall F-12 Restoration in Three Days

Teardrop Trail Log: June 18, 2016

One surprising highlight of this year’s Red Power Roundup was the “flash” restoration of an old Farmall tractor in just three days. Originally the brainchild of Howard Raymond of Wellfleet, Nebraska, the idea had its roots in another restoration completed by volunteers in Madison, Wisconsin in 2009. Deciding on a Farmall F-12 that was stored in a warehouse, the process of gathering volunteers and sponsors took a couple of years, and the unrestored tractor was displayed at the 2015 Red Power in Sedalia, Missouri to encourage participation.

Everything was ready to go on Thursday, June 16th, with 40 volunteers and an unrestored tractor. In the space of three days, it was disassembled, sandblasted, the motor overhauled, new brakes and clutch, the magneto and carburetor overhauled, re-assembled and painted. By Saturday, it was showing off around the ‘Roundup. The restored tractor then was presented to Case/IH for inclusion in their Farmall Collection.

Information regarding the planning process and a picture of the original unrestored tractor is available on the 2016 Red Power Roundup site. What a remarkable effort!

Photo of Volunteers "flash" rebuilding the Farmall F-12

Volunteers “flash” rebuild the Farmall F-12

photo of a pickup truck

Scouts! Trucks!

Teardrop Trail Log: June 17. 2016

The Red Power Roundup is not all tractors. International made other products, and trucks were a major line. My grandparents had a farm in Nebraska, and I would spend time there each summer. They had two 1946 International pickup trucks — one that ran (a black one) and one that didn’t (it was red). By the time I was about 12, I had learned to drive the tractor (a Model H) and began driving the black pickup. It had a “three on the tree”, manual steering and brakes that almost worked — quite a handful for a beginning driver! I still miss driving it, so I’m especially fond of the restored trucks that show up each year at Red Power.

Later, I roomed with a fellow who had an International Scout. It was a simple thing — easy to work on, and (as I remember it) it always started — even in the dead of winter. We had many adventures in that Scout. Here is a sampling of pickups and scouts from this year:

John Glancy’s Scout (pictured above) along with Jim Allen is one of the authors of the International Scout Encyclopedia (Octane Press). I got to meet the authors at the Octane Press meet and greet the previous night, so having an assortment Scouts to examine was especially fun.

photo of tractors Lining Up for an Album Photo

Roaming Around Red Power

Teardrop Trail Log: June 17, 2016

Tractors are fun, but the best part of Red Power is reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. This year was our third at the ‘Roundup, and I set off to see who I could find. Although not as spread out as previous years, the Racine County Fair was still a lot of ground to cover, and it would be a challenge to see it all. On the way, there were surprises and things that, well, you just don’t see everyday.

In the early tractor shed, there was the expected shiny early 20th-century equipment — beautifully restored and ready to transform the life of some old-time farmer who was more accustomed to working with horses. The next bay held a surprise though: a rusted hulk of a 1936 Farmall Model F-12 with a swarm of men intent on various tasks. Reading the nearby sign, I learned that they meant to completely rebuild this “found in the woods” beauty in the three days of the ‘Roundup — including a fresh coat of McCormick-Deering painted livery. If they were successful, that would be impressive!

And right next to the rebuild crowd, was my friend Charlie Uthke, who is usually surrounded by a knot of fans for his engine stands and alternator conversions. We camped with Charlie and his wife at our first Red Power Roundup in Huron, South Dakota in 2014 and I remember the good campfire conversations.  We only see them once a year, but it’s always fun to catch up.

Photo of The Uthke's

The Uthke’s

Waukesha Model Farm

Teardrop Trail Log: June 17, 2016

Each year, a local group hosts the Red Power Roundup, in this case Chapter 4 of the National International Harvester Collectors, Club, Inc. in Wisconsin. Other local clubs exhibit in the Chapter House, and I went there next. There is often a raffle, and I always register hoping a classic tractor will follow me home. Having completed that important bit of business and looked the various chapter tables over for interesting swag, I was about to leave when I spotted a model farm setup at the opposite end of the building.

It was a large and elaborate setup, with at least a dozen toy tractors and I stopped to look. As I made my way around the exhibit, the model owner introduced himself and we began to chat. It seems the model farm had a good story, and the owner, Allen H. Martin enjoyed telling it. Always on the lookout, I asked him if he would tell the story on camera, and he readily agreed. The video you see here was the result. He tells the story better than I can so …