And in the End...

Sorry it's taken me a while to finish up this travel blog, but as always seems to be the case with trips, the end came all too quickly. Now that I'm home and am slowly adjusting to the time difference (I know, it's only 2-3 hours. I'm a baby), I think I can finally conclude my travel tales.


Friday was my last day of research and my last day at the Circus Museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin. This time, thankfully, my camera was charged and ready to go. The woman running the front desk recognized me and, even though I hadn't purchased a two-day pass, she let me in for free! There's that Midwestern hospitality at work again.

Again, that's not a child's hand. That's my tiny doll hand sporting the fetching Circus Museum stamp (for free!)

This was my second time going through the collection, so I didn't study the museum material as closely as I had the first time. I did take (ahem, retake) loads of pictures, such as:

Snazzy outfit

Beautiful Alphonse Mucha-style
 Art Nouveau Poster

Mabel Stark: Tiger Tamer
 Extraordinaire

Blaxploitation Precursor?

Famous little "freak" on the right,
who starred in the 1932 film "Freaks" 

Al Ringling's Wife:
A Snake Charmer
and Equestrienne

Mordecai in the Making?

The Menagerie

Unloading

I took my time and soaked up more of that circus air, devoting myself to the old barns, which have mostly been repurposed for exhibitions.

Elephant Barn

Animal House (Giraffes, Zebras, Camels, Etc.)

Cat House

Wardrobe Barn

Ring Barn, for practicing new acts

Once again, I visited the horse barn to get that residual tang of history back in my senses (aka the smell of old hay and horse dung).

Then I crossed the river again, and checked out more of the circus show. It was more than just the little pony show this time. There was a juggling act, a contortionist and balancing act, elephants, and a Spanish web performer (an act involving a long, vertical rope on which the performer swings, curls around, and does death-defying acrobatics). Although the circus grounds themselves were more evocative and inspiring than the show, it was fun to get a taste for live performance.


I was going to visit the library and archives, but they didn't seem to be open. So instead, I concluded my trip to the Circus Museum with their wagon collection. Baraboo has an impressive number, although it was a bit difficult to tell the difference between original restorations and those that were recreated, particularly those recreated for the film "Water for Elephants." The majority of their wagons seemed to be associated with the film (aka my nemesis) and I couldn't tell if they had been built by the film crew or had been simply repainted to match the set of the film. Either way, though I'm sure that many people would be excited to see the film props, I was more interested in the non-Benzini Bros wagons. Regardless of their provenance, though, these wagons were beautiful, and a lovely way to conclude my colorful trip to the circus.

Wagons stored in former barn

Band Wagon

Yep, that is a gigantic shoe, Mother Goose Rhyme-style

My Nemesis

Interesting side note: as I was wandering around the exhibition rooms, I heard a familiar song. It was Cole Porter's "Anything Goes." No joke! Truly my trip had come full circle: from Cole Porter's birthplace and playing dress up in the Anything Goes suite, to here, in Baraboo, staring at clown make up and listening to that same Cole Porter tune. Spooky and fitting.


After making one final loop around the grounds, I made my way back to Aretha and we headed off to Chicago, the last stop before my flight home. 

Baraboo's Collection of Old Circus Trains

My last view of the Circus Museum from across the river

I had the wonderful good fortune of getting to meet up with a long lost chum, the beautiful and brainy Nilu Assar. It has been ages since we've seen each other (I'm talking years) and when she read on the book of the face that I was coming to the Midwest, she saltily wrote me and said "You better not come to the Midwest and not visit me in Michigan," (where she is currently working on her PhD in neuroscience...I told you she's brainy!). While I couldn't seem to find a way to fit Michigan in to my crazy road trip, Nilu was able to fit a trip to Chicago into her busy life, and so the two of us were reunited, and it felt so good. I met her, her new and charming boyfriend, and his friends at a BYOB in Lincoln Park, where we feasted on fried oysters and mussels with truffle fries and chicken thighs with a spicy savory jam while drinking 2 Buck Chuck. Afterwards, answering Nilu's somewhat tipsy call for dancing, we all shuffled off to a nearby bar and did some booty shaking. 


By the end of the night, I was feeling a little worse for wear, between the giant, goose egg blister that seemed to be growing on the bottom of my foot (thanks cowboy boots!) and the many days in a row of little sleep (thanks hot Midwestern nights, no air conditioning, and time differences!). So as not to be a downer, I bid adieu to the boisterous party, and headed back to the apartment we were all crashing at where I promptly passed out...only to wake up at 6:30am. Arggh. Fortunately, Nilu also woke up early and we spent the morning whispering stories to each other. We snuck out and got coffee and breakfast, and just languished in each other's company up until the last second when we had to separate: her to go to a Cubs game and me to return Aretha to her rightful owners and to head out on a jet plane back to SF.


I was exhausted. Like almost a "I helped my best friend birth her child" kind of exhausted (this isn't an expression: I actually know this kind of exhaustion from personal experience). I think I had been so caught up in the momentum of my journey, that the full force of it didn't have a chance to catch up with me until it was over. I managed to drag my broke down, gimpy self through airport security where I promptly took a nap while waiting for my flight. Though this trip was such a rich and amazing adventure, when our plane touched down on that Frisco tarmac, I was ready and eager to be home again.


Now I'm back, lovely readers, and ready for action, ready to get down and dirty with my novel writing and really make this thing come alive. I can't wait. I'm chomping at the bit, pawing at the ground, pulling against the reins. I'm ready. Thanks to this trip, I am ready.


And thanks to all of you for your support and interest in this project. In the wee hours of those hot, unairconditioned Midwestern nights, it cheered me to see my pageviews steadily increasing (and spreading into Russia?). So thanks. It made it all feel less lonely somehow.


Alright, that's all she wrote. C'est fini. Goodbye! Adios! And hopefully, look for my book in like two-five years.

Baraboo? No, Bara-yay!

Wow! I can't believe that my trip is nearing its end. Doesn't seem like that long ago that I was on my way to Peru, Indiana, and now I'm in my last research stop: Baraboo, Wisconsin, home of the Ringling Brothers' winter quarters. What a crazy journey it's been.


OK, ok, it's still too early for nostalgic reminiscing. I still have a little bit more time here for learning and exploring. And there's still plenty for me to share with all of you. So, hold your horses: we're going for one more ride on the circus parade.


Before all of that, though, let me start from the beginning of today. I woke up in Davenport, Iowa, with the smell of bacon in the air. I made my way downstairs, and I met Matthew Fuller for the first time, my other couchsurfing host. Over bacon and eggs, Matthew and I got to know each other, exchanging travel stories and history facts. Though I didn't have the chance to meet them together, Matthew and Jess were each wonderful hosts, and made me regret not spending more time in Davenport. Maybe next time I'm in the Midwest...


Though Matthew did invite me to stay another night if I wanted, I only a little reluctantly passed him up, and set off on my merry way to Baraboo. 


The route to Baraboo was not paved with cornfields, like the rest fo the Midwest, but was lined with lush trees and green pastures. Welcome to Wisconsin! Also, apparently, the road to Baraboo is paved with swampy armpits because it is dang hot out here. 


Fortunately, Baraboo's impressive winter quarters were an excellent distraction from the heat. Unfortunately, I forgot to charge my camera battery, so it died part way through my trip. So, sorry kiddos: gonna have to wait on the image overload until tomorrow. I have a couple I took with my camera phone, but thought it would be best to save my photography orgy until I could take quality pics.


I spent three hours wandering around the grounds and the museum, exploring their vast collection of circus posters and wagons, and most of all the original buildings of the circus's winter quarters. I had a rather profound moment in the building that once housed the draft and parade horses. It's a rather large building, and unlike the other ones on the lot, which are filled with exhibits, this one has been left empty. It was dark in there, with only a little daylight filtering in through the windows. I'm not a very spiritual person. I don't believe in ghosts or spirits, or energies or anything like that. But walking around on those old, uneven floorboards, I felt that kind of special chill down my spine that I get in historic places, as if I'm walking in the footprints of the dead. That moment alone was finale enough for this trip. But wait, there's more.


OK, this next bit isn't as metaphysical or serious as the previous account, but it was pretty bizarro. I stumbled across a circus performance as I was wandering, which apparently happen daily at the Circus Museum. I happened to catch Harriet Hannah's "lilliputian pony show." Not to be a critic, but it wasn't the most impressive display, but what I found most hilarious was the fact that there was a circus version of the "My Little Pony" theme song playing. Another fitting end to a rather surreal journey in its own right.

Mediocre picture of a rather mediocre performance, save for the adorable mini ponies and its peculiar and hilarious soundtrack

I only had an hour left before the Circus Museum closed, which was not enough time to visit the library. Since I knew I would be back tomorrow anyway, I decided to call it a day and go meet my new couchsurfing compadre: Rob Nelson. As with all my couchsurfing hosts, Rob welcomed me with open arms, offering me beer and a home cooked stir fry. Him and his lovely girlfriend invited me to a reggae concert in the town square in downtown Baraboo. I joined them after showering and changing (no swamp pits here), and soon enough, was up there in the front dancing with all the Baraboo natives (of course, those who know me, know that it doesn't take much to get my booty shakin'). 


My favorite dancer up there was a little girl who had no shame in dancing to every song by herself, even after her shy friend refused to join her up there on the makeshift dance floor. She had the best moves out there. Always inspirational to see kids unencumbered by self-consciousness. 


So that was day one in Baraboo. Pretty epic. What lays in store for tomorrow? Human cannonballs? Real live sideshows? Or maybe at least a working camera? Tune in tomorrow to find out.*


*Disclaimer* There is a possibility that I will not get to posting tomorrow as I will be reuniting with the radiant Niloufar Assar, after a many, many year hiatus. Antics are sure to ensue, which might delay my posting. Apologies in advance if this occurs.*

5 Hours, 5 Things About Iowa

Today was taken up mostly with driving and Iowa, so I will keep this short and sweet. So, here we go, a few observations about Iowa gleaned from my five hour drive:


1) Iowa loves its windmills
They were everywhere. Big, towering windmills, enough to give Don Quixote quite a run for his money. They added a kind of surreal interest to the otherwise flat landscape, a landscape covered with, you guessed it...


2) Corn, corn, corn
More corn, folks. More than I have seen on this whole trip. Huge valleys of corn. 


3)Iowa loves its biplanes
Seriously. I saw two in two hours. Not your typical aerial transport. I tried to catch them with my camera but no luck. At first I wasn't sure what they were doing. "North by Northwest" remake? Although I'm not 100% sure, I think the second one might have been crop dusting, so perhaps mystery solved. Or perhaps, I Iowa is just a fan of historic aviation.


4)What Iowa does not have: enough gas stations
Or more accurately, towns selling gas that are close enough to each other. This realization came after I left Omaha and realized I needed gas rather urgently and then went on a long, white knuckle search for a station, driving over many hills and dales covered in corn, but alas, no gas. I finally found one, so crisis averted, but, when I filled up, I had only a tiny fraction of gas left in my tank...the lowest it's been. So, word to the wise: if you're driving across Iowa from Nebraska, fill up in Omaha first.


5)George Harrison and Arcade Fire makes for a perfect soundtrack
Some might think this is a strange combo, but it seemed to fit right in with my drive through Iowa. Both selections were, in fact, motivated by chance listens: I began my day with Arcade Fire when Colleen put it on during breakfast, which planted the seed for later listening, and was motivated to dig out an old George Harrison CD after hearing "My Sweet Love" on the radio. At the very end of my trip,having forgotten about my early morning Arcade Fire listening, I put Funeral on. "Tunnels" came on: the first song I heard this morning. What a fitting book end, to hear this beautiful song at the beginning and end of my day's journey. I listened to it on repeat all the way to my couchsurfing house, the house of Jess and Matthew, two nurses who are both working night shifts as I sit here and write. Although I have only met Jess, and only briefly, they have been so generous to let me stay here and let me help myself to their well-stocked and deliciously veggie-heavy fridge, that I can't wait to spend a little more time with them and hopefully return the favor some day.


And with that, I will leave you for the night. Since I don't have any pictures, I'm including a link to a heart-wrenchingly beautiful cover of "Tunnels." I first learned of this from my musically charmed and charming roommate, Calvin Kan. It took my breath away when I heard it. Enjoy and goodnight!

Oma-yee-ha!

Or, monkeying around in Nebraska

Yesterday, I left the wonderful Wilsons for the next leg of my journey, and my next couchsurfing adventure with Colleen and Emily in Omaha, Nebraska. After breakfasting, and repacking, and cleaning out my car (thanks for the vacuum, Nancy!), I said my goodbyes and headed out for one final Beatrice visit: the Gage County Museum.


I must confess, that I didn't stay long at the Gage County Museum because, although I did learn a fair amount, there wasn't a ton of information that directly applied to my novel. That, and I was somewhat discouraged by the less than warm welcome I received from the director of the museum. I asked her if I might be able to take photographs (thinking that there might be a flash photography restriction) and she responded that if I were to take photographs, it would cost me $30 per photograph! She then said that I could purchase reproductions for $2 a piece. She also didn't respond very well to my description of my project, and didn't seem inclined to make herself for questions or help. So, I thanked her and told her if I found any images that I wanted a copy of I would let her know (I didn't), and made my way through the museum on my own.


Though I understand her desire to protect her museum's collection, I was perplexed by her restrictions and lack of warmth. Gage County Museum isn't a very trafficked museum, although it has a good collection and some pretty stand out artifacts, and I would think that she would be interested in the publicity. But no matter: you can't win them all.


After the museum, Aretha and I hit the road for Omaha, and made it there in no time. Since I wasn't supposed to meet up with the lovely Colleen and Emily until 8pm, I went to the Omaha Zoo, a.k.a the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.


As I have mentioned before, I am "Zoo Girl," but I also have high expectations for zoos coming from San Diego. Well, this zoo is legit. In fact, I was told by Colleen once I met up with her that their zoo recently beat out the San Diego Zoo for best zoo status (I have nothing to corroborate this information with, and prefer to think it is an exaggeration out of some weird, misplaced sense of San Diego pride). Anyway, the zoo is pretty amazing. They have a geodesic domed-in desert environment, an indoor rainforest, a huge nocturnal animal exhibit, a sky tour, and of course, animals galore. I spent three and a half hours wandering around, photographing everything.

The (infamous) Dome

The nocturnal exhibit was pretty stellar, mixing educational areas with animal enclosures. Although difficult to make out all of the information in the near darkness, I did learn many interesting facts, like, for example, that nocturnal animal eyes have an extra structure called the tapetum lucidum, which reflects light from the back of the eye back to the retina to magnify the light and enable better vision. Although the exhibit didn't explain this, I think this is probably why the eyes of nocturnal animals glow at night (it is). Anyway, any of you who know me, know I'm a nerd for this kind of knowledge (e.g. my freaky knowledge of many things marsupial), so I of course loved this place.


I didn't take many/any pictures inside this enclosure though for obvious reasons (little light, didn't want to shock the systems of nocturnal animals with my flash), but here are some highlights/observations.


1) Aardvarks look like cartoons. 
2) Armadillos move like wind-up toys.
3) There is a creature called a Japanese giant salamander that is easily 5 ft. long.
4) Standing in front of a huge cage of airborne bats is exhilarating. A rush of shadows flitting past you, and a gentle, chaotic breeze from a multitude of tiny wings. Its the same kind of thrill you get from a sudden thunderstorm. Wish I could have somehow captured it in photograph/video for you guys.


I did manage one photo of an American alligator. This zoo does an excellent job of creating enclosures that disappear the fourth wall between the exhibited and the voyeur. See for yourself:

Yowsa! Good thing there's glass between us

Of course, I had to visit the cats while I was there. Although most of them were crashed out in the heat, I did have a lovely moment with a three legged tiger. According to the placard, her leg had been amputated when she was still a cub. It didn't stop her from mothering three cubs of her own, or apparently from getting around. I was kind of fascinated by her (what can I say, I'm a fan of the freaks). 

Isn't she pretty? 

I also took a tour on the Skyfari, which is kind of like a ski lift tour across the length of the zoo. Pretty incredible to see the whole zoo and several of its animals from the air. Here are some highlights:

View from my flying seat. No, that's not a child's hand. That's my own freakishly small hand. 

Better picture of the giraffe, without my tiny doll hand 

Monkey mom and babe crossing the pond

Rhino with requisite pile o' poo

I also checked out the aquarium, which, though smallish, had some attractions, such as the jellies:

And penguins:

Bro-mance: the bird edition

This little guy took quite a shine to me, or maybe I'm anthropomorphizing him.

Before leaving, I took a tour of the primate area, and particularly the gorilla enclosure (which apparently is rather famous). 


Not to be lazy in my descriptions, but a picture, as they say, is worth a thousand words, so:

Orangutan stealing a snack

Gorilla portrait (that stuff on his lips? yeah that's his own poo he's eating).

This particular gorilla appeared to be air drumming for quite some time (Casey Carroll, this is an ode to you). Sorry that it is sideways. Me being the luddite that I am, I couldn't figure out how to flip it around (help technophiles!).

By the time I was finished watching these remarkable beasties, the zoo was closing, so I hightailed it over to the Old Market neighborhood of Omaha for a cold brew and some atmospheric wandering. I found a particularly great vintage shop to explore and distract myself with. And found a couple of cheapo beauties to bring back as souvenirs, such as these quirky ladies:

I may not have found a cowboy, but I found me some funky cowboy boots I'm rather keen on (to replace my brokedown, hole-infested ones back home).

Afterwards, I called Colleen, earlier than our arranged time, and lo and behold, she and Emily were ready for me. After some awkward moments of plan negotiation (the wages of two indecisive and accommodating people trying to accommodate each other), we finally settled on me joining them at their apartment for dinner and then a trip to a local bar that Emily promised would be a excellent writing fodder. I was intrigued, of course, and hurried on over.


A word on Colleen and Emily: I have been very fortunate with my couchsurfing experience, and staying with these two wonderful women is no exception. I knew we would get along immediately because of two key moments that happened immediately upon arrival:


1) Upon sitting down on their couch, Colleen brought out an amazing find that she acquired from work (she works at a used bookstore). This beautiful Moroccan leather book turned out to be a book by J.H. Kellogg, M.D. (of Kellogg corn flakes fame) entitled Plain Facts for Old and Young: Embracing the Natural Hygiene of Organic Life. Though it doesn't sound like it, this is one sexy tome, including sections such as "Senile Sensuality," and "Brunettes Precocious" (apparently, according to Kellogg, brunettes hit puberty earlier than blondes, thus contesting the long held belief that blondes have more fun). There's much much more ridiculousness in this little gem, but suffice to say, the fact that this was my entree into the O'Doherty-Borgmann home signaled to me that we would get along famously.


2) Not only did these lovely lasses have a record player, but Aretha Franklin was in circulation. "Do you like Aretha?" Asked Colleen innocently. "Do I?! I named my Kia Soul after her!" We both got chills.


After a bountiful feast of salad and pizza, and many hours of talking about everything on this earth, it was time for us to embark on our adventure into the wildnerness.


And I do mean wilderness. The bar they were taking me to, affectionately and peculiarly called the Alpine Club, was a bit of a drive away. It became even more adventurous by some unclear directions which led us down a very dark and very bumpy dirt road. Amidst jokes that they were actually going to kill me and leave me in the woods (I was nonplussed) we finally arrived at our destination.

Though it may have been local custom, we did not indulge in Pucker shots

Now, I've saved the best for last, that is, what the main attraction to this bar is. Apparently, this place has a reputation for its fried chicken, but not because it's particularly good, but because the bones and leavings are used to entice the very large population of raccoons that live around the bar to come and dine in front of their large picture window. Yes, you heard right: people come to this bar to watch raccoons and stray cats fight over chicken bones.


Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not the biggest fan of raccoons. They kinda creep me out with their freaky human-like hands. However, anyone who knows me, also knows that I am a fan of weird shit, so this was right up my alley. We stayed for a while, talking, and laughing, and soaking up the David Lynchian atmosphere of this dive bar, while outside, dozens of raccoons fought over chicken scraps. Truly an original and never-before-seen moment of surreality. Thanks Colleen and Emily!

One of our visitors. Note his glowing eyes, a.k.a tapetum lucidum at work (yes, I am a nerd)

Eventually the novelty of watching large rodent-like critters scrounge for scraps wore off and we headed back home and called it a night.


In the morning, the three of us bonded some more, over cups of coffee, delicious egg scramble and cream of wheat breakfast, and long bouts of wordless writing (yes, I lucked into a house with two writers!). Then Emily shuffled off to an acupuncture appointment, and Colleen and I continued to write together, until now, when I've finished with this epic post and now must hurry to get myself on the road to head out to Davenport, Iowa. 


Adios muchachos! Til next time!