USA

Luck Duck Sheila has spent a lot of time in the USA and travelled a lot here from east to the west, so far with the focus on the southern states, from the mountains to the oceans. I think she has covered about 27 states so far during her 8 times in the States. And to start with she wants to thank all her friends over there who made those trips possible and who put her up many times in Kansas and Missouri. Sheila is not on too many of the pictures but she was on board all the time. This is going to be a big blog and I hope I can handle the challenge.

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USA Alabama

 

Sheila in 1988 was able to board facinating Battleship Alabama at the short coast of Alabama.

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USA Arkansas

  

USA Arizona

1985 Sheila walked down into the Grand Canyon up to the Indian Gardens. One member of the Expedition made it straight down to the bottom to the Colorado river. Another Team member suffered from a heat stroke walking back up. But we all made it.
 

2011 Sheila returned and visited the North Rim. This time we only walked down maybe 400 m which also offered plenty of nice views.

USA Arizona Grand Canyon North Rim

USA Arizona Antelope Canyon

USA Arizona Saguaro National Park

USA Arizona Sonoran Desert

California

USA California Bodie

 

USA California San Francisco

USA California Death Valley

 

USA California Golden Gate Bridge

USA California Chinese Theatre

 

 

USA California Kings Canyon

USA California Boyden Cave

Sheila was a bit scared in here thinking about all the earthquakes in the area. I read it is closed because of some Wood fires in the area since 2015.

USA California Universal Studios

USA California Mammoth Creek

 
Mammoth Creek, Hot Springs; here John Wayne and Steward Granger had some serious arguments in North to Alaska. I too took a dip here.

John Wayne was here again in “True Grit” (German title: Der Marshall) as worn out  Marshall Tom Chaney.

USA California Muir Woods

USA California Parker Mesa Overlook

USA California Solana Beach

USA California San Diego Zoo

USA California San Francisco Lombard Street

USA California Santa Monica

 

Santa Monica before and after the Northridge earthquake 17.01.1994. Sheila and I noticed a small earthquake some days before but fortunately missed the main one as we were in Missouri at friends. I had to go back to LA though to catch my plane back to Germany. We saw the New Years Parade which is a big deal and which is also supported by local global Player Disney.

 earthquake damages.

USA California Sequoia Park

USA California Benton

  

USA California Yosemity Park

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Colorado

USA Colorado Mesa Verde

 

USA Colorado Black Canyon Of The Gunnison

 

USA Colorado National Park

 

USA Colorado Pikes Peak

To get to Manitou Springs we went over the high mountain pass Monarch Pass not far from Aspen.

 

This place inspired the second (inofficial) National anphem of the USA, „Amercia The Beautiful“ which is much more peaceful (by „Katharine Lee Bates„) than number 1 by „Francis Scott Key„. The cog wheel Train running up to this graceful mountain starting in Manitou springs is the highest of the world. Oxigan is provided on the mountain (higher than 4300 m) for those who need it or want to have fun. Be aware that it can be quite cold up there even in summer and don’t slip on the ice when you exit the train in sandals and shorts.

The official anthem “The Star Spangled Banner” has in some parts a high melody and a very martial text, which doesn’t suit a peaceful, great, beautiful nation and is therefore hard to remember. Making the national anthem being sung by a less talented performer who doesn’t know the anthem etiquette can be a hard nut to crack.

And here is another great performer who interpreted the anthem and who also sings Sheilas favorite song in Spanish “Bésame mucho”. With a trumpet solo to die for.

Rumors have it, the general nuclear rocket launch code of the USA has been turned into a one number PIN with ten possibilities for repeat trying.

USA Colorado Rocky Mountain

 And Sheila also went up on the summit of „Rocky Mountain“ which provides some great views on Pikes Peak. When we came in from the west and asked at Grand Junction Tourist Office they did not know that a mountain called like that exists. But it does, I saw it on a old map, now I found a newer one, once they even had a Train/Elevator up Close to the summit , the „Manitou Incline“ and old paths are still barely visible. There even was a summit house. For the last 4 m you once had to use a ladder to climb up on the „Rocky Mountain“ summit rock. Remains of the ladder were still visible when we were there. Seems like they tried to keep the place convidential to allow it to revegetate. It was a subject in US Congress 2013, 8 years after we were there. Locals now compete for amazing records on mountain runs here. Sheila of course had to unveil the fact of the existance of „Rocky Mountain“ 2005. Well, after seing the movie in the link, at least the incline itselve seems to be a quite busy place now.

USA Colorado Alamosa Sand Dunes

1985 Sheila also visited the Alamosa Great Sand Dunes

and crossed the high mountains Wolf Creek Pass.

USA Colorado Pagosa Pass

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Delaware

I almost forgot Dalaware. I should have some pictures too but I have to look for them first. I spent one night in a motel in Wilmington, Delaware. I remember well driving across the Delaware Memorial Bidge. On the way to Salem but not in Delaware but in New Jersey. I was not yet used to the rented car and the toll system so this was a challange. The drive went high up and down over the impressive bridge and I knew, I would have to go back the same way. But Sheila helped to do the job. On my way north to New York I again crossed it after spending a night in Dover after I could not find a hotel room in Ocean City because of Bike Fest. So I corssed it a total of 3 times.

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Florida

USA Florida Cape Canaveral

USA Florida Disney World

  Sheila stalking her favourite Star Donald Duck
 
This is Highway 99 in Florida. There is not too much to say about ist, except that due to a failure of the navigator on duty (it was not Sheila) we circled disorientated for two hours just to see this spot twice. It became an ongoing unforgettable gag (lets take shortcut 99) for us ever since that time.

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Georgia

USA Georgia Atlanta Airport

 The Airport is gigantic. I think there are 6 Terminals. These are the indicators of only half of one Terminal. Landing and starting on one of the many runways and watching is fascinating.

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Illinois

USA Illinois St. Louis

While landing on the Heliport in St. Louis on a ship conoy, I think we also came over the westernmost part of Illinois for some meters. The Heliport itselve together with the „Spirit of St. Louis“ paddle wheel boat and the minesweeper U.S.S. Inaugural was poured away by the flood of 1993. Check out Missouri for more Information about the strange, strange tale of that place. But we also came through Illinois on our way back from Tennessee. And I went through Chicago Airport once too.

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Iowa

USA Iowa Amana

 

 

We visited the Amish community twice in the late 1980’ties with maybe three years in between and both times we went to a local familiy run bakery and enjoyed the excellent homemade delicasies. The first time we went there a friendly older man set outside on the padio and an older woman was working hard in the hot, old fashioned kitchen and selling her products. The second time we came the old man was no longer there and the kitchen had been modernised but the bakeries were still delicious. In another shop in a lonely situated farm Sheila insisted to buy a souvenir and I bought her a small brass made pig.

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Kansas

USA Kansas Kansas City

 

Before a show of Ringling Bros, Barnum and Bailey in the Kansas City convention center, founded 1919, the Greatest Show on Earth, a three ring Circus. Sheila fortunately still had the Chance to watch one of the Shows as at 21.05.2017 it finally closed after protest of animal right defenders PETA and being convicted for animal cruelty.

 Modell of a historic KC trolley. No, not San Francisco.

I had the privilege of attending a game of the KC Royals in the late 1980’ties and even wittnessed a Grand Slam not knowing how special this was. It only happens about once every 18 games. Of course as a German I had now idea what was going on and what had caused the exitement in the stadium.

 

USA Kansas Lawrence

 

 

We saw a great Football match here of the Jayhawks. At the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence. Which is visible in the iconic movie The Day After (1983).

USA Kansas Renaissance Festival

 

The festival is going on since quite a long time already 2017 was the 41st season. Longer than the Kaltenberger Rittertunier in Germany.

USA Kansas (Fort) Leavenworth, Penetentiary

 

Tony Ducks Corallo was here in Leavenworth Penetentiary (nicknamed Big House or Big Top for the dome covering the building), Robert Stroud, the Birdman of Alcatraz, James Earl Ray 1955-1958 who assassinated Dr. Martin Luther King 1968

USA Kansas Dodge City

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Louisiana

USA Louisiana New Orleans

 

 

!!!! Merzedes-Benz Superdome

and on the Natchez paddle wheel boat. Which has a steam organ (Caliope).

It appeares in several movies like: Intervew with a Vampire.

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Maryland

USA Maryland Fort McHenry

It was here in Maryland 1814 where „The Rocket’s Red Glare“ of the british rockets  inspired lawyer Francis Scott Key to write the lines of a poem which was to become the national anthem of the USA 1916 under Woodrow Wilson. „The Star-Spangled Banner„. After negotiations for the exchange of POWs on a britsh boat Francis Scott Key himselve 1814 was taken prisoner of war as he was considered to have obtained informations about the british troops before the Baltimore Battle and had to spent the night on the boat. The air was not manned at that time and no airports had been taken over.

The official anthem “The Star Spangled Banner” has in some parts a high melody and a very martial text, which doesn’t suit a peaceful, great, beautiful nation and is therefore hard to remember. Making the national anthem being sung by a less talented performer who doesn’t know the anthem etiquette can be a hard nut to crack.

And here is another great performer who interpreted the anthem and who also sang Sheilas favorite song in Spanish “Bésame mucho”.

Rumors have it, the general nuclear rocket launch code of the USA has been turned into a one number PIN with ten possibilities for repeat trying.

USA Maryland Fort St. Michaels

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Missouri

USA Missouri Branson Heliport

USA Missouri

Sheila and I still had the Chance to attend a race on Legendary I-70 Speedway which unfortunateyly closed it’s doors 2008 and we also saw one of the legendary wreckages. .

USA Missouri Independence Temple Lot Church of Christ

USA Missouri Independence Ginger Rogers

USA Missouri Jamesport

USA Missouri Liberty Jesse James Bank Museum

USA Missouri Kansas City Plaza

USA Missouri Kansas City Union Station

The KC Union Station 1933 was the site of the Kansas City Massacre where 4 law enforcement officers were murdered in the attempt to free Frank „Jelly“ Nash on his way to Leavenworth prison. The Event was also blamed on Charles „Pretty Boy“ Floyd but there is evidence he wasn’t. Floyd was killed in a shootout with the Police in Ohio 1934. Other participant Richetti was caught, convicted and executed 1938.  Miller died in gang wars 1933. Rumors say, bullet holes of the shootout are still visible.

USA Missouri Kearney James Farm

USA Missouri Lake Of The Ozarks Bagnell Dam

USA Missouri Lexington Battlefield

USA Missouri McCormick Whiskey distillery Weston Missouri

USA Missouri Independence Mount Washington Cemetery

Sheila helped me  taking some driving lessons here in the vast compound with only limited travic.

USA Missouri Noel

USA Missouri Kansas City River Queen

USAMissouri Sedalia State Fair

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The Sedalia State Fair shows and promotes agricultural produce and machinery. Like the „Bayerisches Zentral-Landwirtschaftsfest which takes place during the Oktoberfest in Munich, every 4 years. We even had the chance to meet the pretty, charming  Sedalia State Fair Queen Sheryl Huecker 1988

We took the Train to here from Kansas City and back in the evening, the only time we used a Train in the USA. It was late because of an accident. Sheila even used the opportunity to listen with the ear on the track to hear  if the train is coming like they do in the old movies. It was a dirty Job.

USA Missouri St. Joseph Pony Express

 

USA Missouri St. Louis Gateway Arch

View from inside the Arch after a elevator ride. An eary Feeling knowing to be on top of nothing underneath. With an height of 192 m it is higher than the Dubai Frame.

Visble on this historic picture is also the legendary U.S. minesweeper Inaugural which was swept away in the Great Flood of 1993 and there is the „Strange, Strange Tale of the U.S.S. Inaugural„. The heliport was on the convoy too so I had the chance to visit this legendery ship.

“There are a lot of stinkers associated with that vessel. That’s for sure.”

„The minesweeper, according to Moore, lay directly below a sewer pipe. „Everyone claims the runoff from those pipes is so clean, you can drink the water,“ Moore says. „That’s bullshit. The shit was so thick inside the hull, we had to shovel it out of there.“

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Mississippi

USA Mississippi St. Louis Bay

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Montana

USA Montana Yellowstone

At the north western Exit of Yellowstone National Park we some more Bisons and also a impressive Balded Eagle nesting on top of a tree. Everybody was stopping in the no stopping zone and took Pictures. I had none (film role) left as I had wasted to much in Wyoming at Old Faithfull Geyser which unfortunatly was not as faithfull as usual and I wanted to catch the right moment.

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North Carolina

USA North Carolina Currituck Beach Lighthouse

Properly we were planing to visit Cape Hateras Lighthouse 2011 and continue southwards and use a ferry back to the mainland from the outer banks, but the road was blocked due to the effects of „Hurricane Irene„.

USA North Carolina Kill Devils Hill

 We also visited the Wright Brother’s National Memorial where the Brothers performed their first motorized flight. There is strong evidence and a controversy discussion though that it was Gustave Whitehead (Gustav Weißkopf) who really performed the first motorized flights

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New Jersey

USA New Jersey Salem

First Time I entered New Jersey I went over a spectacular Bridge at Wilmington Delaware which was Kind of scary as it was so high and the rented car was new to me and the toll system too. And I knew I would have to go back over it. But it was no problem in the end. We went to Salem New Jersey. The borders of the States are a bit confusing here.

USA New Jersey

The day before we went to New York with the ferry from New Jersey Sheila and I visit Sandy Hook halve peninsula which puts up some former military plants and a pretty lighthouse. Looking on the New York Skyline across the Hudson Bay from a Highland hill (with a Memorial of 9/11) braught tears into Sheilas eyes thinking about the pre war times and the good time she had had in New York 1988. We also spent one night in Atlantic City in a nice hotel Close to the convention Center and tried to gamble in the Taj Mahal Casino but did not understand the system where to buy the chips and quit as the situation was too chaotic. Maybe I did not talk Russian good enough. But we enjoyed a meal there and later the beach boardwalk and bought a ordered handbag at TangerOutlets.

USA New Jersey Atlantic City

While I was there there was a warning of a carnapper attacking and murdering in town so I did not stay out for long. I tried to find a link but there are so many crimes I can’t find the right one. Here are some up to date informations. 

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New Mexico

USA New Mexico Carlsbad Caverns

 

We could watch some of the Million Mexican Bats migrating to Mexico each winter. I don’t think the new wall could stop them.

Close to Carlsbad we visited the Living Desert State Park and took some Pictures of Rio Pecos.
 

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Nevada

Las Vegas became the the starting point of two trips through the west. 1988 and 2005. When we left 2005 I think I saw famous billionaire and owner of Virgin Atlantic Richard Branson at the Airport wellcoming and celebrating one of his planes there with some balloons directly at the gate. The security crew at the Airport was not too happy about that. 1988 Sheila was amazed of the diappearing elephant in the Siegfried and Roy Show.

USA Nevada Las Vegas

 

We were able to attend the world famous Siegfried and Roy Show.

USA Nevada Hoover Dam

  

USA Nevada Devils Hole

The Devils Hole is home of the endemic Devils Hole Pubfish, the worlds rarest fish. It is fenced now much stricter than before and watched over with cameras. It is part of death valley national park.

  It may come to you as a surprise, but due to the recent earthquakes in Mexico  there were significant zunamis in the Pond. I hope all the Pubfish made it alive.

Close by we came across the Crystal Reservoir, a surprise in the middle of the desert.
 

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New York City

USA New York

 

Up inside of Miss Liberty, a challange in summer in New York. For safety reasons I decided to look as much as a local as I could. And die a good job. I learned that New York does sleep on Sunday Mornings and was asked what I was selling in the calm streets in the morning.

 

 

 

In the 166’ties Wittelsbacher Duke Ferdinand Maria missed the chance to buy Ney Amsterdam (New York) as Bavarian Colony.

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New York State Rainbow Bridge

USA New York State Rainbow Bridge

Credit: Maps Icons ColIlection, https://mapicons.mapsmarker.com/

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