Terry Smith

 61 degrees in Clarinda at 9:50 am Saturday morning with predicted high this afternoon of 82 degrees.

     Yesterday afternoon we picked up Patty Steckelberg at her place near Shenandoah and drove to Council Bluffs where Terry Smith, from Nashville, Tennessee, put on a performance.  We had missed him in June in Schuyler, NE and was glad to hear and talk with him.  I have almost 2 hours of audio I am working on with the computer to move to a Flash Drive.

Here are four old photos that came up on my Google Photos Memories--all with horses.

    

Couple photos of a small watermelon we got at the Clarinda Farmer's Market last Tuesday.  With the bland color, it tastes better if you don't look at it much while eating it.  To show how small it was, It was in a Large Ziploc bag in the photo at left.

Till later, LCM

If you want to take a long walk---and a patent guy

 

The longest road in the world to walk, is from Cape Town (South Africa) to Magadan (Russia).

No need for planes or boats, there are bridges. It's a 22,387 kilometers (13,911 miles) and it takes 4,492 hours to travel.

It would be 187 days walking nonstop, or 561 days walking 8 hours a day. Along the route, you pass through 17 countries, six time zones and all seasons of the year.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////

  ·
In 1932, Richard B. Spikes received a patent for an automatic car gear

shift. Major companies welcomed his inventions. Its patent #1889,814.

   By the time he created the automatic safety brake in 1962, Spikes was losing his vision. To complete the device, he first created a drafting machine for blind designers. The machine would soon be used in almost
every school nationwide.
  

 These are other inventions by Richard B. Spikes: railroad semaphore (1906)

automatic car washer (1913)                                automobile directional signals (1913)

beer keg tap (1910)
self-locking rack for billiard cues (1910)
continuous contact trolley pole (1919)
combination milk bottle opener and cover (1926)
method and apparatus for obtaining average samples and temperature of tank liquids (1931)
automatic gear shift (1932)
transmission and shifting thereof (1933)
automatic shoe shine chair (1939)
multiple barrel machine gun (1940)
horizontally swinging barber chair (1950)
automatic safety brake (1962)

Home in Clarinda for a few weks

 70º degrees at 7 pm here in Clarinda, IA - drizzled much of the morning and some of the afternoon..  Had almost one-tenth of an inch in gauge today -- I dumped 1.5" and a very large bug, from the gauge when we got back after 10 days in Missouri.

At the Bluegrass Festival we heard 11 bands - all but 2 were on for 2 sessions each and 1 was on 4 times.  There were just short of 24 hours of entertainers (the set-up between each took a few minutes).  I took video of all but about 40 minutes one time when we went back to the trailer for a meal.  Majority of that time I was running it just for the video and today I have spent hours transferring the files from the camera SD Discs to an external drive as I sorted them by band.  Now I am in process of converting those MP4 files to audio MP3 files back on to the external hard drive.  When finished, I will then copy the audio files to a flash drive that we can listen to it in the pickup when on the road.

On Friday the temp got up to 95 degrees and though we were not that uncomfortable having mostly shade under the trees and usually a light - 6 to 8 - mph breeze.  But with the continuous running of the camera it felt hot to the touch, causing the batteries to not run as long as usual and I was continuously changing the 5 batteries I have and usually had 2 on chargers much of the time.  Kept getting message to shut the camera off to let it cool.  Only a minute or so and back on, but where I can usually record up to 30 minutes at a time, I would have maybe 3 to 5 starts in those 30 minutes.  Those I have converted and looked/listened to seem okay and know will enjoy the audio while driving.

We were on grass, on slope, and pretty close to the stage.  No numbers were announced for the 3-day event, but I would estimate the chairs set out all up and down the sloped area were something close to 300, maybe more.

Only when Rhonda Vincent was on stage were most of the chairs filled.  With no breaks in the entertainment from 12 Noon to 10:45 pm people were shuffling to the several food stands much of the time.

There was a permanent wood-fired pizza oven, a ..Food Trailer with catfish and shrimp, pies, ice cream, hamburgers, etc. and their permanent food shack, cotton candy, etc. so lots of munching.  We only bought one meal - a delicious pizza and ate at the trailer the rest of the time.  Guess the trailer was only about a quarter-mile from our chairs, though it was uphill part of that.

Though Saturday was still warm, it was much cooler than Friday.  It rained much of Friday night and up until Noon when it lifted and the entertainment resumed.  I would guess we had an inch of rain during that period.  They were extremely dry and the ground soaked it right up.

Ready to pull out Sunday morning.

After pulling the travel trailer the 230 miles to home in Clarinda Sunday and unhooking the trailer and unpacking things we drove to Omaha on Monday for a doctor's appointment and some grocery shopping.

Start our Church Choir Practice on Wednesday and will sing this Sunday morning.

Later, LCM

Spring tires

 While I am working on the videos and photos taken last week at Starvy Creek Bluegrass Festival, this story caught my attention - enjoy.

In the early 1900s, the shortage of rubber and the challenges associated with filling tires with air during the First World War led to a significant need for alternative solutions. In response to this problem, German engineers devised a groundbreaking invention in 1916—a steel spring tire.

The tire was specifically designed by the Germans to address the scarcity of rubber and the unreliable nature of traditional rubber tires

Their goal was to create a tire that not only offered a viable alternative to rubber but also provided enhanced reliability, particularly for military vehicles that required robust and durable tire solutions.

The innovative steel spring tire was first implemented on a Protos vehicle, showcasing its potential for military applications. The tire design incorporated a series of steel springs arranged in a circular pattern, which replaced the conventional rubber construction. These springs were strategically placed to provide both support and flexibility, allowing the tire to withstand the rigorous demands of military operations while offering improved traction on various terrains.

One of the key advantages of the steel spring tire was its resistance to punctures and damage, which significantly reduced the need for constant maintenance and tire replacements. This attribute made it particularly attractive for military vehicles operating in challenging environments, such as battlefields or rough terrain.

Furthermore, the German engineers believed that the steel spring tire's performance would not be affected by adverse weather conditions, a common issue with traditional rubber tires. The tire's unique design was expected to maintain its reliability and functionality even in extreme temperatures, making it well-suited for military campaigns in diverse climates.

While the steel spring tire initially gained attention due to its potential military applications, there was also significant interest in its civilian use. The tire's durability and puncture resistance made it an attractive option for commercial vehicles, especially those that frequently traveled on rough roads or encountered sharp debris.

Although the steel spring tire demonstrated promise, the end of the First World War and subsequent developments in rubber technology led to a shift back towards traditional rubber tires. Rubber became more accessible again, and advancements in tire manufacturing techniques and materials improved the reliability and performance of rubber tires. As a result, the steel spring tire gradually faded from use, becoming a fascinating but short-lived chapter in the evolution of tire technology.

Nonetheless, the German engineers' ingenuity in developing the steel spring tire during a time of resource scarcity and technological challenges remains a testament to human innovation and adaptability in the face of adversity.

Last Day At Starvy Creek

77º with steady rain here in Starvy Creek Bluegrass Campground at 11 am Saturday.  Forecast shows rain to leave area about noon when last day of our music festival begins.

At right -  A sculpture recently placed on a bench in Amsterdam. The artist simply called it “Addiction.”

Was a bit

warm 

yesterday.

This

weather

station

is a bit

SW of

here.

Shade

from

trees was hit & miss, but was not too bad an afternoon, little breeze.

At right shows tree cover.

.

Steve Miller sang in church choir for many years.  Quit a few years ago when Parkinson's Disease took over his life.  He passed away this week, a few days short of his 72nd birthday.

Photo of my Dad in 1963

Hope to post more when home Sunday

LC

On  this day in 1931, a teenage girl made history in a way that no one saw  coming. Jackie Mitchell, the 17-year-old pitcher for the Chattanooga  Lookouts, took the mound and did the unthinkable: she struck out  baseball legends Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in an exhibition game. This  feat, which sounds like something out of a Hollywood movie, is very real  and showcases the incredible talent Mitchell possessed.

From  a young age, Mitchell's potential was evident. Living next door to  future Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Dazzy Vance, she learned to pitch  using his special "drop ball" technique. Her skills quickly advanced,  and by 17, she was playing for a women's team, attending a baseball  school in Atlanta, and catching the eye of the Chattanooga Lookouts. In  1931, she signed one of the first professional baseball contracts given  to a woman.

Mitchell's moment of fame came swiftly  that season, but her triumph was short-lived. Despite her impressive  performance against Ruth and Gehrig, the baseball commissioner soon  voided her contract, deeming the sport "too strenuous" for women.  Undeterred, Mitchell continued to play professionally with traveling  teams until her retirement in 1937.

Jackie Mitchell's  story is a testament to breaking barriers and challenging norms. Her  legacy reminds us that talent knows no gender, even if the world isn't  always ready to accept it.

First Day of September Starvy Creek Bluegrass Festival 2024

 83º here at Starvy Creek at 10 am on Friday with bright sunshine and forecast of 94º later today.

This photo was posted on Starvy Creek Bluegrass Festivals Facebook page, taken of the campground this weekend.

Program started last evening at 6:00 pm with ideal weather.  Even at 83 degrees we were in shade and had a nice easterly breeze.  Pretty good sized crowd,, I would guess 200 people.

First up was Casey & the Attaboys from Clever,
 MO.  A very energetic group.

Next up - Route 3 from Purdy, MO
An all-guy group with a lot of energy.

At 8 pm Larry Stephenson Band took the
stage.  They are from Nashville, TN

Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers finished out
the evening at 10:20 pm.  He is from
Xenia, OH,

Today will be from 12 Noon until after 10 pm.  Lot of enjoyable bands.

Here are some photos that caught my attention.  I only recall seeing threshing machine set up and running once--near the Lower Lodi grade school on the Pierce farm I think.

Dad used to tell a lot of stories about threshing with the gang in South Dakota when he was 

young.  Recall him telling about the foreman sticking his head up through the haymow floor where the men slept overnight and yelling "Sunlight in the Swamps, boys!" to wake them up.  One morning they planned together and when he stuck his head up they all threw their shoes/boots at him, knocking him off the ladder.

Swe shocked grain but don't recall where it was, maybe on the Cornish place.

Later, Lynn

Back at Starvy Creek

 86º with bright sunshine alternating with clouds here at Starvy Creek Bluegrass Festival Campground - some 40 miles northeast of Springfield, Missouri at 4:00 pm on Wednesday.

We made ham sandwiches and with some other food items we had with us we had sort of a picnic in Don & Vicki's room Monday evening

At right is photo of the south wing of Chateau Girardeau.  Don & Vicki are on the first floor at the left of this photo, on the back side of the building.  The room we stayed in is at the west (Right) end of the wing on the fourth floor, last window to the right.

Couple photos of our place and one from the balcony looking north onto the parking lot.

We said our goodbyes about 9:30 yesterday morning to Don & Vicki.  Vicki was tearful and wanted us to stay.  Don was non-committal.

At left is photo of some of the cotton fields we drove by on the Delta Area at the south end of Missouri.  We also saw some rice fields.

 

At left is Jessica

in new dress

Phyllis made

for her.

At right, David

is in the free

T-shirt I got

when donating

blood last week.

Was the

smallest one

they had!

I will add something here--a bit unusual.  On Sunday the "check engine" light on the pickup came on.  Was on the rest of the day and Monday morning.  I took it in to the Chevrolet dealer, with it still on.  Waited about 20 minutes to get into the shop to line up them looking at it, and as I stopped by the gal with the clipboard--the light went out.  Go Figure!  And, it hasn't been on since.  At least it didn't cost anything.  Last time the "check engine" light was on it cost almost $200 to replace a sensor.

     Will try to post some the next few days.  Campers are coming in hot and heavy today and looks like might be a good sized group.  Think they can handle something between 200 and 300 RV units here.  The three days of entertainment starts tomorrow.

Thought For The Day – When I look in the mirror and see the gray hair the wrinkles and the sagging skin, I think they sure don’t make mirrors like they used to!

Lynn