St. Louis City Museum

If you want to continue the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge at your own pace, sign up for the Post A-to-Z Road Trip: http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/2015/05/are-you-ready-to-go-on-5th-annual-post.html

What started out as a trip to the St. Louis Zoo turned into a day at the City Museum due to major storms. I have to admit, I've read about this place and even checked it out online, but nothing can prepare you for the scale of this ginormous fun house slash museum occupying an entire city block in downtown St. Louis. And the price for parking at $1.25 made it worth the $12 price of admission. The former International Shoe Company stands ten stories tall and has been transformed into what I think is an accurate description: McDonalds' playland on crack or steroids or both. A mini Ferris wheel adorns the roof along with a school bus that partially hangs over the side of the building. The stairs, railings, and slides have been constructed from recycled building materials. The three story indoor slide remained the highlight attraction for younger children. A visit to the ballroom on one of the upper floors is a must to get your sanity back. In this space, the chaos trims dramatically and you can finally hear yourself think again.

Once you've burrowed through the maze of rabbit holes (I'm not kidding how tiny and creepy some of these are) and Goonies-like shipwrecks and abandoned shacks, you enter the upper levels that resemble more of a museum. Just plan to lose your kids at least once, maybe twice, or more. At least the wrist bands provide a space for a parent's cell number.

One of my favorite rooms turned out to be the taxidermy room with enough stuffed owls, hawks and dead bugs to complete any fourth grade science project. The vastness of the former Shoe Company grips you the moment you step through a tiny rusted door on the third floor where you squeeze your way through twisted metal staircases and tunnels several stories tall in this maze of Dysopian wonder world. You're left wondering if you've entered the Matrix or a Divergent dream or some other similar alternate universe or fictional world.

The side of the building features more intricate tunnels and slides and, yes, that is an airplane. 

Numerous artifacts (wooden, stone and metal facades) like these gargoyles are spread throughout the museum mostly from long gone skyscrapers from Chicago or St. Louis.

A wall of printing engraver's plates decorated one room. I could've spend hours sifting through these, but you have to read them backwards and it was giving me a headache and the room turned out to be off limits and I got kicked out by a really nice worker.

Are you taking any road trips this summer? Or do you prefer to take day trips? Now you know what I do when I am unable to write: urban exploring while dragging my kids along. The official countdown to our family vacation is in one month. Any trips planned? Hope you are having a fantastic summer!

Confessions of a Drive-by Photograper

If you want to continue the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge at your own pace, sign up for the Post A-to-Z Road Trip: http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/2015/05/are-you-ready-to-go-on-5th-annual-post.html

"You take people, you put them on a journey, you give them peril, then you find out who they really are." Joss Whedon

I confess I enjoy taking photos while driving. Not to worry, because it's my superpower. As I was doing another drive-by photo shoot, I reminded my eldest son who was in the passenger seat to never text and drive and never under any circumstances should he take photos while driving. Don't judge me.

Welcome to Hannibal where storms brew over the Big River.

(The road ends in the Mississippi River.)

One of my favorite buildings

Sadly, I never featured this neglected building in my AtoZ posts. It's one of those creepy, abandoned places you would find on an episode of Supernatural. I would give ANYTHING to explore this forgotten piece of history. The spire has a metal architectural globe attached, and I imagine that's the exact spot where my MC siphons his powers from storms collecting in the atmosphere. Writing urban fantasy has taken root in my brain.

Marion County Courthouse

I recently spent an entire day (that I will never get back) inside the courthouse. And I wasn't even allowed to have a phone! No pictures. And no, I wasn't wearing an orange jumpsuit, although the chain gang did arrive while the court took a short recess. I was rejected for jury duty, the only time I jumped for joy at receiving a rejection.

How goes your MC's journey? You're not going too easy on him, are you? Are you putting up roadblocks and obstacles, making his journey full of potholes and detours? Throwing a few storms in the mix, forcing him off the road? Giving him jury duty? Now, that's pushing it a little too far.

All photos were taken while driving. No children, animals, or vehicles were harmed in the process. The Twain on Main Festival is this weekend. Tune in Monday for Twain sightings!

AtoZ Challenge: Q - Quiet, Please

Newest addition to Hannibal-photography studio on Broadway Str.

Greetings from Hannibal, MO, Mark Twain's boyhood hometown, my theme for this year's AtoZ Challenge.

Quiet, please, artists at work. (I seriously had trouble thinking of a "Q" post!) Hannibal's artistic side includes more than just a famous author. This Artistic town is full of individual artists in every area: textiles, furniture, painting, photography, pottery.

Ayers pottery

Steve Ayers, the master potter, has been making his creations for over twenty years. Come visit Ayers Pottery or visit Java Jive, which sells his coveted pottery.

Our many art galleries feature local artists. The Hannibal Arts Council highlights local high school students on occasion. My oldest son won a photography contest a few years ago and had his pointillism drawing chosen for display.

I love this "smiley" mug.

Join us every second Saturday for "Art Walk" all year long in Hannibal. In March we host "50 Miles of Art" along scenic highway 79. May 23-24 will be the "Twain on Main Festival." Lots of crafts, art, and food at this event. And be on the lookout for Twain walking the streets and greeting visitors. Last year was our first ever "Steampunk Festival" celebrating Hannibal's Gilded age. Come join us on September 5-7. My personal favorite is the "Autumn Folklife Festival." Join us on October 17-19 for a blast into Hannibal's past. Hannibal has enough festivals to keep you hopping throughout the year!

They really like to paint the whole town here.

Are you artistic? Love to paint, draw, take photos?

AtoZ Challenge: P - Parks & Rec and a Puppy

Greetings from Hannibal, MO, Mark Twain's boyhood hometown, my theme for this year's AtoZ Challenge.

City Hall-Parks & Rec

We have our very own Parks and Rec inside City Hall in downtown Hannibal. Yes, this is another photo taken in a drive-by. I'm getting pretty good at snapping pictures while driving. I highly do not recommend this activity unless you're a professional (ha!) or you're stopped at a red light.

We have a gazillion parks all sporting names like Huckleberry Park, Mark Twain Landing, Sawyer's Creek, which is actually not a park, but you get the idea. This city loves to take advantage of the famous author.

Huckleberry Park - Feed the geese at your own risk.

Because you needed a couple pics of a puppy today, I wanted you to meet Mylo. Be jealous. We get to dogsit him this weekend. Our family doesn't own a dog, cat, bird, iguana. Why have pets when you can have teenage boys instead? Some of you prefer pets.

Big plans for the weekend? Do you have any pets? Teenagers? Both?

AtoZ Challenge: O - Orion and the Doors

Greetings from Hannibal, MO, Mark Twain's boyhood hometown, my theme for this year's AtoZ Challenge.

My title sounds like a music group. Let's begin with Twain's older bro, Orion Clemens. He started a newspaper, the Hannibal Journal, and operated the business out of their home on Hill Street. Twain helped him write articles for the paper. The Missouri Courier was born out of this era, which later became our town's newspaper, the Hannibal Courier-Post, which is the oldest running newspaper in Missouri. Twain even helped himself to editing the paper when his brother was out of town. This experience was Twain's first experimentation with pen names. He eventually worked for the Missouri Courier as an apprentice.

When I went to take a pic of the Hannibal Courier-Post a few blocks from Twain's home, I changed my mind. I couldn't do it. The horrifically ugly building (probably built in the sixties) just isn't photo worthy. So I chose to extend today's post to include the doors of Hannibal which are way more fun to photograph.

The Old Planter's Restaurant

 

The Whistle Stop Cafe

Do you ever write from photographs? I do all the time. I follow a ton of Chicago IGers (Instagramers) who post pictures of my fave city. I utilize their talent as inspiration for my writing. How did you get started in writing?

AtoZ Challenge: N - Norman Rockwell

Greetings from Hannibal, MO, Mark Twain's boyhood hometown, my theme for this year's AtoZ Challenge.

The Mark Twain Museum is home to fifteen Norman Rockwell paintings. The master painter meets the master storyteller.

The Mark Twain Museum

Norman Rockwell adored Hannibal. His commissioned paintings depict scenes from Twain's novels: Tom Sawyer and the dead cat, Tom Sawyer and the schoolmaster flogging, Tom Sawyer whitewashing the fence, Tom Sawyer sneaking out of a window. I feel like I've met Tom Sawyer before. Oh, that's right, I have two teenage boys. It really is worth the price of admission to view Rockwell's paintings.

Mark Twain available for photos

My oldest son stopping by.

Twain planter all dressed up for Christmas.

Here is my claim to fame.
 This past summer I had the privilege of being the first author invited to do a book signing at The Mark Twain Museum.

  Have you ever done a book signing? How do you prepare for one? Were you nervous? Are you excited about doing one in the future?

AtoZ Challenge: M - Mark Twain Hotel

Greetings from Hannibal, MO, Mark Twain's boyhood hometown, my theme for this year's AtoZ Challenge.

The Mark Twain Hotel

Built in 1905 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Mark Twain Hotel was constructed after the Park Hotel burned down. The Park Hotel's restaurant is where Molly Brown supposedly met Mark Twain. The Mark Twain Hotel's distinguished guest list includes Franklin D. Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, Amelia Earhart, and Norman Rockwell. The entire building has been renovated as retirement apartments.

The "Hotel Mark Twain" sign is one of my favorite things to photograph in Hannibal. What I wouldn't give for a trip to the roof. Think of the view of the Mississippi River! The hotel is just a few steps from the Big River.

Do you enjoy urban exploring whether in big cities or small towns? Are you afraid of heights? Not me!

AtoZ Challenge: L - Lover's Leap & the Lighthouse

 Greetings from Hannibal, MO, Mark Twain's boyhood hometown, my theme for this year's AtoZ Challenge.

Lover's Leap

Side view (from ground level) of Lover's Leap

The view of Hannibal and the Mississippi River

The view of Illinois from Lover's Leap

Truth is stranger than fiction. On April 12, 2009, two elderly ladies drove off Lover's Leap and lived to tell about it. I was there a few days before it happened, showing some friends the view. The driver mistook the gas pedal for the break. She drove up and over the curb, took out a bench and the fence and plummeted over the edge. Their car got caught in a tangle of tree branches, saving their lives. Can you imagine that view?

The "tree" that caught the car.

Notice the fence weld.

Hannibal's lighthouse easily has over a million steps to the top. If you'd like a tough cardio session, stop by and enjoy the free work out.

Anyone feeling tired from the AtoZ Challenge? 
Getting your second wind? Ready for a trip to 
Hannibal?

The lighthouse