Catching up - Part 2

Okay, so after driving approx 1850 miles, I was in Kansas City.

Tuesday, May 26th
Spent most of the day sight seeing. Mom wanted to see both Truman's home and Jesse James' farm, which conveniently happen to be in/near Independence. Truman's home was interesting although most of it was under construction so we were unable to see much of it. Jesse James' farm was simple, but really, there isn't too much to say on the matter except what was said in a short movie shown just before the tour of the farm house.

The most interesting part of Independence sadly didn't have much information on it. Independence is where many, if not most, of the Oregon and Santa Fe Trail pioneers started. Coming from where they ended, if was pretty cool to be there thinking about what it took to found my home.

The evening was spent picking up essentials that I'd essentially forgotten to pack. I briefly dropped off what I did pack at the Pistol Social Club (more about the Pistol later) and went back to the Quality Inn. Went to Walmart to get an air mattress and lights because my new room lacked furniture of any kind.

Early the next morning I dropped off my Mom at the airport and went to my first day of work...

Now for the really interesting stuff. What should I say first? Do I talk about the Pistol, Hammerpress or Kansas City first? Since I know most of you are interested to learn about the happenings at Hammerpress, that is the last thing I will describe. Haha! Actually, it makes sense to talk about things in order as I came across them, and well, that still puts Hammerpress last.

Kansas City
is not surrounded by amber wave of grain. Surprise! Surprise! It actually is very leafy and the suburbs remind me a little of North Carolina. The drive into town is obscuring since all the trees are the same height and one can't see beyond them. Kansas City itself (Missouri side, I've yet to really explore the Kansas side) is slightly smaller than Seattle, but the downtown is only slightly larger than Portland. The architecture is industrial chic. Joe (you'll get to know who he is soon) told me that Kansas City has enough concrete to rival Los Angeles (I only sort of doubt it) and is second to Chicago for trains passing though (I don't doubt it, I get to hear many of them personally). Either way, both statements reflect the culture of the place, if that makes any sense.

Neighborhoods are somewhat ethnically divided. There is a distinct mexican quarter, black quarter, italian quarter, etc. Joe says Kansas City it isn't as segregated as it looks off the bat, but no city is. However the cultural "districts" seem to make it so that each part of the city is vibrant in distinctly different ways.

Hammerpress is in a place called the Crossroad Arts District. It is what the Pearl is to Portland, but not yet as pricey. Once upon a time the warehouses were cheap rental space for artists, then fancy galleries moved in raising the rent and what we all know to be gentrification set in. Like I mentioned, the ritz that oozes from some places in the Pearl does not yet inhabit the Crossorads, but Kansas City is still in the revitalization stage.

Once booted from Crossroads alot of the artists moved to the West Bottoms, which is where I am now....

The Pistol Social Club
is both home and music venue. Actually, music venues are holed up and down this place. The section that I live in is drywalled apart from the show space. First I think I need to describe West Bottoms to really describe my home.

When Kansas City was a fledgling town, and even when it was not such a fledgling town one of the huge markets was livestock. In fact, I believe it was the market. Anyways, West Bottoms was the stockyards until Kansas City had no stockyards anymore. Already cris-crossed with train tracks/yards, they took over and the only thing to make it's home in West Bottoms that was not a warehouse or train related, was a rodeo area, now rarely used.

So I live in a section of warehouse surrounded by train tracks, and thus frequent trains. It's somewhat surreal. Upon first look, it seems sketchy, but really isn't. People look out for each other and there are almost no homeless or wandering souls. Joe says the surrounding warehouses are filled to capacity with a variety of people and venues. There is an auction house, screen printing studio, apartments, and an architectural salvage store to name a few.

The loft I live in consists of drywall made rooms, an old kitchen and communal bathroom. My room is huge with a brick wall, old wood floors, and gigantic windows that get glorious sun all day long. Alas, I have nothing to furnish it will, but my air mattress and plank shelves will do. The communal room is also a bit surreal. It seems like a set from a movie. It contains alot of large mismatched furniture that some how all pulls together to create a perfectly bohemian setting, although I think it became so by chance verses purpose. "Everything is here because it's too big to go anywhere else." Pictures will explain much better than I can.

I have two-four roommates depending on who is here. Joe is my only consistent roommate so far. Joe Hammer (fate says that is not a coincidence) is the manager of the Pistol Social Club and is the caretaker of the building. I gather he's in his early 30's or late 20's. His girlfriend Halliday spends time here often, but she has a place of her own too. She uses the space as a studio for her fashion line. Uriah and his girlfriend are here sometimes (Uriah is my third actual roommate) but I've yet to meet either. It seems he's been staying with his girlfriend and then they went to the lakes. They're supposed to be back on Sunday. Joe and Halliday are fantastic and have taken it upon themselves to include me the the local scene. They're into Rockabilly which is refreshing to get a dose of from time to time (again, fate says this is not a coincidence).

Did I mention the Pistol Social Club has a giant cap gun outside the building? Well it does.

Alright, well I have to go to a Led Zeppelin themed party and then a few shows or something, I'm honestly not quite sure. I'll finish this up later. Keep you waiting....

Catching up - Part 1

I have quite a bit to write about. Sadly I forgot the charger to my camera, so pictures will accompany the blog later, once I've had it mailed to me. I'm not really sure how to go about accounting for all that has happened in the past week, but I guess starting at the beginning is always the best.

Saturday, May 23rd
All I did on this day was drive from Bremerton, Washington to Bozeman, Montana. Didn't stop for anything except gas and lunch. The weather was great for driving and I found out that Montana's big cities aren't all that big.

Sunday, May 24th
This day was the shortest driver of all, going from Bozeman to Murdo, South Dakota. The reason being that I stopped at Little Bighorn Battle site, Wall Drug, and the Badlands. All essential sites that aren't worth missing.

Little Bighorn is, of course, where Custer had his last stand. It's on a hill just off the freeway. In the 1890's, markers were erected where soldiers presumably fell, although 20 years after the fact, it is hard to be sure. Sometime in the 1970's a few markers were put out for natives. Reading Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee was good preparation for this site. The outright hate that men like Custer had for Indians is staggering and one can't help but be glad in this case, he was wiped out instead.

Wall Drug is classic roadside America. I've been wanting to see it since there was a kitch special on Travel Channel ages ago. There is nothing that anyone could possibly need inside, but that doesn't make it any less appealing. Starting as a small, one room, turn of the century drugstore, Wall Drug has expanded into a labyrinth of touristy corniness. The center part is an aisle way of storefronts and there are alleyways that lead off into a cafe, boot store, post office, etc. The items they carry are about as random as possible, cowchip frisbees and jackalope heads as example. Behind Wall Drug resides something called "The Backyard". Personally, one of the best parts, it is home to giant fiberglass animals and a "live" T-Rex. One odd fact: Wall Drug is home to one of the largest collections of golden age western Illustrations in America. Awesomely, I got to see some N.C. Wyeth while I ate dinner.

Since the drive was not as far this day, we capped it off at the Badlands National Park. I can't really describe what I saw and give you an adequate idea, so I'll let the pictures do the talking when I get them. All I can say is this, they came out of nowhere. One minute you're on the prairie and the next...

Monday, May 25th
Other than arriving in Kansas City, the most important part if this day was the Corn Palace. No, actually, I'd rate the Corn Palace in front of arriving in Kansas City. Originally, the Corn Palace was just that - a palace entirely made out of corn, but after fires completely demolishing it, twice, the little town of Mitchell, South Dakota, decided to build a brick palace and just cover it in corn. The murals across the Corn Palace, changed once a year, are made in a fashion kind of like corn-by-number. They nail the nine different corns, by color code, where there needs to go. The lady in the gift shop called it; "the world biggest bird-feeder", I call it; "Karen's roadside mecca".

After waving the Corn Palace goodbye, it was an easy, boring, drive to Kansas City. Didn't really arrive in Kansas City, instead we went directly to Independence, Missouri, where a Quality Inn awaited.

Well now I have to go get ready for work, I will keep this adventure telling going when I return.