My First Published Work

I had to resort to cyberspace to get it done, but it’s working. People are buying one of my books. If you’ve ever considered publishing your writings you know that most publishers won’t consider you unless you have an agent, and most agents won’t consider you unless you’ve been published.

Only the experienced need apply – unless you’ve already made a name for yourself as an actor, athlete, or politician. Then you can get published even if you don’t know how to write.

As Yakov Smirnoff would say, “What a country!”

In any case, here it is!

My travel tips for the tyro.

It is currently available from Amazon.com and is a steal at $2.99. It explains most, if not all, aspects of travel. It begins by talking about documents you might need – depending on your destination, Then it examines how to pick the best times to take the trip – to avoid crowds and high prices.

Many of the trips my bride and I have taken were bargain basement deals; so I explain the steps we take to find those specials. Then we look at how to make the good deals even better, by choosing less expensive travel methods and meals and expanding the itinerary set by a travel agent.

The thing that sets my book apart is that it covers so many aspects of travel. There are many books written by folks like Rick Steves, Fodors, Frommer’s, DK, Eyewitness Travel, Footprint, Lonely Planet, and Moon. They, and the books like them, do a nice job of telling you about various destinations – they just don’t tell you a lot about how to get there.

Clark Howard, a consumer advocate based in Atlanta, provides lots of travel advice, but many things you should know are scattered throughout his website and books, or simply assumed.

Much of the information in my book might be considered common sense. I simply attempt to present a formula for taking a trip – from planning to packing.

Using the information I’m sharing, I’ve saved hundreds of dollars on a single trip! And my bride and I have taken at least one dream vacation every year for the past several years. For three bucks, I think you’ll be able to pack your carry-on and have the same sort of good fortune we’re enjoying. If you buy a copy of the book, come back here and let me know what you think. Thanks.

Hilton Head 2010

Paul, Dominic, and Anna

Last week, my bride and I traveled to Hilton Head, South Carolina and spent a week with her sister and brother-in-law, and various children and grandchildren.

I’m not a big fan of Hilton Head for a number of reasons, but the thing I dislike the most is all the private property between the public roads and the public beach and waterways. Unless you rent a place with beach access, there are very few easy paths to the sand and surf. We were fortunate in that the house we rented was next to Bradley Beach Park.  However, had we not rented a house in that area, we would’ve had difficulty recognizing that there was a parking lot and walkway to the beach at the end of the road. There is a sign, but one that can easily be missed.

The beach was nice – everyone else in our party was fine with that – but I wanted more. I love crab and crabbing. Crabs do not spend time in the surf; they dwell in the marshes and streams away from the waves. Trying to gain access to those back-water salt marshes is next to impossible; they are surrounded by private property.

The only place I was able to find was a large bay between Hilton Head Island and the mainland. It wasn’t the optimal place to catch crabs, but it was better than nothing.

The first day I tried, a family had already laid claim to the best spot and I had to go to the end of a dock where the water was much deeper.

A side story: In many states, the use of crab traps is perfectly legal and that’s how we caught them during my childhood on our annual vacations to New Jersey. However, in Maryland (and this may no longer be true) traps were only permitted for the commercial crabbers. Everyone else had to tie the bait to a line and slowly draw the crabs close to shore where they could be captured in a net. Thus, when I go crabbing I’m prepared to catch crabs using both methods. Using the baited line is less boring than simply checking the trap every five to ten minutes.

So, as I’m walking to the end of the dock, a small boy of five or six asks me if I’m going crab fishing with my net. When I told him that was my plan, he said, “You’re never going to catch a crab with that net.”

Out of the mouths of babes! On that first day, he was absolutely correct. As a matter of fact, he could’ve said the same about my trap and would’ve been almost correct. I caught nothing with the baited lines. As for the trap, I caught one small crab – too small to keep – and one medium sized fish. That was a first. I’ve caught turtles in a trap, but never a fish.

The next day I arrived earlier and claimed the better spot, but the tide was wrong. Nonetheless, I caught one crab in the trap and two using the baited line and net method.

It can be done!

Unfortunately, only one of the three crabs I caught was big enough to keep. Eventually I gave up and released my sole captive. My feasting on fresh crab meat will have to wait.

When we first arrived at our rental house, we all made fun of the swimming pool.

Most of the pool is in this picture.

Our group consisted of nine adults and five children. There is no way we could’ve all fit into that pool at the same time. Yet it was perfect for the children. They were always close to a side that they could grab on to if they encountered any difficulties.

The shallow end was a series of steps down to about three feet. The deep end was perhaps four or five feet deep… just deep enough for a rotund grandfather to do a cannon ball without hitting the bottom of the pool too hard.

Most of the time, I simply borrowed my granddaughter’s flotation device and enjoyed the coolness of the water.

Chilling in the pool

The most difficult part of the vacation was trying to get the children out of the water. They all loved the ocean and the pool. By the end of the week, they looked like a bunch of prunes, but we did manage to get them to sit still for about 30 seconds for a group photo.

Dominic, Anna, Emma, Zack, and Ty

It’s plain to see the children enjoyed the trip to the beach, and I assure you that at least one adult also had a wonderful time. I’m sure my bride and the others also had a good time.

We definitely have to do it again… real soon!

Life’s a Beach

Edisto Island Beach

I’ve been going to the beach ever since I was a toddler. Because my father was raised in South Jersey and we had relatives living in Linwood and Somers Point, my family vacationed near the beach every year.

We never stayed at the beach; that would’ve been too expensive. We would rent a small apartment or stay on my uncle’s cabin cruiser (also small) a few miles in from the shore. Most of our time was spent fishing and crabbing in the inland bays and marshes. Once or twice during our stay we’d go into Atlantic City or Ocean City to spend some time on the beach or stroll along the boardwalk.

Fishing and crabbing with nephews and nieces

I recall one vacation when my parents did something different. I believe it was 1955 or 1956. Instead of going to South Jersey, we went to Cambridge, Maryland and rented a cottage along the Choptank River. We arrived shortly after a hurricane had passed through. Not only was the river running fast and deep, many of the surrounding fields were still draining. We saw a number of people holding chicken wire at the end of irrigation ditches. They were catching some very large fish that had been driven inland by the storm surge.

On that particular trip, the beach wasn’t quite as convenient. But on one of our days in Maryland, we drove over to Ocean City, Maryland and enjoyed their beach and boardwalk.

I have been to beaches all up and down the East Coast, Mississippi, Texas, California, and Oregon. I’ve also visited Brighton Beach in England and some beaches in Puerto Rico and Mexico. They all speak the same language as they invite us to either walk along the water’s edge or sit down and watch the waves rolling in.

Without even closing my eyes, I can hear the sound of the surf, the wind, and the sea gulls.

I’ve often thought about living closer to a beach. I wouldn’t want to own a home on the beach. Hurricanes might not hit a particular beach that often, but once would be more than enough for me. I’d like to live about twenty miles inland so it would be an easy trip to get close to the ocean.

However, with most of our children and grandchildren living within thirty miles of us, I’d find it difficult to move anywhere.

Perhaps we could win the lottery. Then we could move the entire extended family.

My bride and I on Tybee Island

I have been to the beach so many times in my life that I consider it a God given blessing and wish everyone – especially children – could visit a beach on a regular basis.

Twice we were able to stay at rental properties right on the beach. Once was in Ocean City, New Jersey and the other was on Edisto Island. My bride and I rented the place in New Jersey at the end of the summer season (reduced rates) and my nephews and nieces chipped in. On Edisto Island, we were fortunate to be the guests of John and Debbe Mize. That was in November a couple of years back.

Based on those two experiences, I’d say the best time to go to the beach is after Labor Day and before June. The temperatures are much milder and there are no crowds.

We’re hoping to get to at least one beach in 2010, but I think I’m already there mentally.

The Big Loop

I wonder what ever became of my Uncle Lewis’ cabin cruiser.

Uncle Lewis on his boat - circa 1950

Rich Grimshaw recently commented on my 2010 Wish List post and asked if I’d ever considered “The Big Loop.” In truth, I’d never heard of it. So I went to the Internet and found a web site called “Love to Know Cruises”. There I found the following:

“The Great Loop – also called the American Loop or the Great Circle – is a long distance circumnavigation voyage that encompasses the entire eastern portion of the United States and parts of Canada, from the Atlantic Coast to the heartland rivers to the Gulf of Mexico depending on the route taken, the Great Loop may be from 5,000 to 7,500 miles long and is primarily in sheltered waters, making it one of the safest long distance cruises in the world. This voyage is undertaken by many avid sailors and cruisers, and as more people take up hobbies such as boating and sailing, the various routes for the Great Loop are becoming ever more popular.”

Rich Grimshaw estimated such a trip might take a year or more. His wife, Jan, quickly added that the boat used for such a voyage must have a nice shower. When I suggested she jump into the water to bathe, she responded with a glare. I took that as a “Not on your life!”

As I recall, my Uncle Lewis’ boat had a toilet (that dumped its contents into the water when flushed), a small sink, an old fashioned ice box, and a small gas stove; but no shower. Thus, such a boat would not be acceptable to Jan.

I doubt if it would be acceptable to my bride either. To be honest, I’d want something a bit larger myself.

Back to the Internet! This is what I learned about the ideal boat at a web site called Trawlers and trawling.

“The quick and safe answer is, that there ISN’T an ideal or perfect boat for doing the America’s Great Loop Cruise.  The Great Loop has been completed by almost every imaginable type of vessel from a personal water craft (PWC or Jet Ski®) to large luxury yachts both power and sail, gas and diesel.  Keep in mind the limiting factors for air height, draft and beam, each listed separately in the specifications below.  Along some of the Loop’s waterways, a “big” boat is between 26 and 32 feet, has a beam of 8-1/2 to 11 feet and draft under 4 feet.  So, mega yachts are not recommended nor are they needed.“

Needless to say, Rich got my attention. I’m going to have to learn more about this and start saving my money so I can go off gallivanting for a year or so.

Ramblings

Container Ship on the Savannah River

I’d never been this close to a container ship prior to the day I took the picture. I continue to be amazed at how many containers were on board this vessel. When you realize that each of those containers would eventually become part of an 18-wheeler, it’s almost beyond comprehension.

Take it a step farther and think about the TV show, “Deadliest Catch” and try to picture this ship being tossed around like a cork in a storm at sea. That’s when the power of nature becomes even more awesome than this ship.

In case you’re wondering, I’m flipping through my collection of pictures again.

Sunrise at Port Angeles, Washington

The above photo was taken while my brothers, two nephews, and I awaited a ferry to take us to Victoria, British Columbia. The body of water isn’t the Pacific Ocean, but it’s close enough.

I often think this photo is almost “post card” quality. But there are better ones in the collection.

Sunrise at Ocean City, New Jersey

My bride took that picture.

Shore line in Puerto Rico

I captured this image during our visit with a future movie star and his bride.

Richard Pastush - the future star

Our friend, Richard Pastush is the fourth from the right – the guy in the purple tank top. These folks are part of the cast of the movie, “Men Who Stare at Goats”.

The wall around Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

I think it’s rather obvious that my bride and I enjoy visiting places close to the water.

I’ll have to dig up some pictures taken before we bought the digital camera and see what memories they invoke. Watch this space for future entries!

Wish List for 2010 and Beyond

Rich Grimshaw made me do this. He dropped by my blog recently and commented that it was time to move beyond my Christmas post. He’s right! It is time for something new.

After careful consideration, I decided to make it easy on myself and simply compile a list of things I’d like to do before I move on to the next stage of my existence.

I’ll begin by listing the places to which I’d like to travel. These are places I’ve not yet visited.

Japan would be near the top of my list, along with Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, and China. I like Asian cuisine and have always been fascinated by photos and articles about these countries.

As for European countries, I’d like to visit Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Greece, the Netherlands, Spain, and… all the rest. I’d list France, England, Ireland, Austria, and Denmark, but I’ve already been to those places.

Australia and New Zealand are also beckoning to me.

Allow me to digress. (That, in itself, is a ridiculous statement. You have no choice. I’ll digress with or without your permission!)

I read an article the other day. In it, the author noted that someone was at the “beckon call” of another. There was no way to leave a comment, but the phrase is “beck and call.” The author, no doubt, has never been under the control of anyone other than his or her parents.

I am not at the beck and call of either Australia or New Zealand, but I would like to go see them both.

I almost ended this part of my wish list by saying that no other places really interested me. Then I remembered two other continents. There are numerous South American countries that I’d love to visit. As for the continent of Africa, I’d like to go to Egypt to see the pyramids.

Although I am a Christian, I have no strong desire to visit the Holy Land. I’d rather not visit any parts of the world where my life might be in danger because of religious zealots of any kind.

The next part of my list (travel section) would include places I’d love to revisit. The European countries I mentioned above would definitely be on that list, as would several Canadian provinces and more than a few U.S. states.

I’ve only been on one cruise in my life. That was an inside-passage tour of Alaska. Taking the Queen Mary across the Atlantic doesn’t interest me in the least, however I’d love to take a “repositioning” cruise. That’s when a cruise line moves one of its ships from the Caribbean to the Northern Pacific waters via the Panama Canal or back.

If I’m not mistaken, that’s about a seventeen day trip. Of course, the way they feed you on a cruise would probably result in me looking like a beached whale at the end.

Speaking of food, I once had the opportunity to dine on Rocky Mountain oysters. At that time, I lost my courage. I’ve been kicking myself ever since. I will order them the next time I have the chance.

I’m a big fan of Andrew Zimmern (Bizarre Foods) and Anthony Bourdain (No Reservations) – two personalities on the Travel Channel. Most of what Andrew eats fail to whet my appetite. However, some of it does arouse my interest. On the other hand, most of the meals enjoyed by Anthony cause me to salivate.

When I was much younger I wished to own a Corvette one day. The first time I came close to being able to afford one I went to a dealership and crawled into one. My head pushed into the roof liner and, at slightly over two hundred pounds (at the time), I felt cramped. It broke my heart, but not my bank account.

Today, I see motor vehicles as nothing more than transportation. The one and only exception is the large motor home. If I could afford the insurance and fuel costs, I’d love to buy one and be off to see America. Of course, we’d have to tow our Toyota Yaris to make it easier to go sight-seeing.

Another thing I’d love to do is ride the train across Canada. The major part of that trip would be the ability to get off when we saw something interesting, spend a day or two wherever, and hop the next train going in our direction. I’ve a sneaky suspicion that such a trip would break the bank.

I just thought of something! Maybe I can get the Travel Channel to give me my own show. I’d get a big motor home and drive across the country visiting Brew Pubs.

When my bride and I travel I often drag her into micro-breweries for a tour. Quite often these breweries include restaurants. We’ve had some wonderful meals at such places. The only negative is that Lu doesn’t like beer. The positive is that I get stuck drinking her samples.

I have one more wish (for now). The State of Georgia has a lottery game called “Win for Life”. The grand prize is $1,000 a week for life. If we were to win that, a number of the things I’ve listed above could become a reality. My bride and I could both retire and go off to see the world.

Perhaps I should buy a ticket.

Now, we’ll see if Rich stops by again and makes another comment.

Just Deserts

My story for today tells of a time when I probably got exactly what I deserved. Like many people, I always thought the phrase was ‘just desserts’… meaning that, when it was all said and done, I got a dessert that fit with the rest of the meal. However, the Phrase Finder web site set me straight. A desert is a dry desolate area and if you took a group of people to such a place for a day of fun and frolic, you might have more than a few people desert you. Thus, a person’s ‘just deserts’ implies that a person has been left alone in a dry desolate area – exactly what he or she deserved.

With that out of the way, let’s go back in time to 1984. Perhaps Big Brother was looking over my shoulder and shaking his head on the day I left work early so I could watch the Olympic Torch pass near my home in Roswell, Georgia.

Because traffic was blocked on the road to my home, I had to pull into a shopping center parking lot. I then joined the throngs of people anxiously awaiting the once-in-a-lifetime event.

We waited. And we waited. Then, we waited some more. The runners must have stopped for a long lunch; they were more than an hour behind schedule.

Finally, in the distance, we could see a police car followed by the news media vehicles. The excitement built to a crescendo as the torch bearer finally came into view.

The world class marathon runner I expected to see turned out to be a pudgy preteen who was walking. A more athletic looking man was walking beside the boy and seemed to be urging him to move faster. The boy seemed oblivious.

Needless to say I was extremely disappointed and angry. This was obviously the son of some fat-cat who paid off somebody so his darling little spoiled brat could be part of the Olympic games. The kid should have been home playing video games. (I think Atari was around back then.)

A few days later I was at a social function and began a tirade about the experience. I was soon interrupted by a friend who explained that the boy was one of several special needs children who were representing their school. Yes, a fat-cat did make the donation, but, No, the child I saw was not related to the donor.

After I got my foot out of my mouth, I apologized for my ignorance. I felt terrible at the time, and it still bothers me that I was so judgmental without trying to learn the whole story.

Now, fast forward a few months. It is still 1984, and the Olympic Games are about to begin in Los Angeles. The torch is making its final approach and passing through Atascadero, California. My family and I are there visiting my brother and his family.

Once again I find myself in the midst of a crowd of anxious onlookers. This time, the torch is on time and being carried by a man who has obviously run in many long distance races.

One major difference this time around is that I have my camera with me and I manage to get some terrific shots of the man and the torch. Life is good and the photos will look great in the album we’ll eventually put together.

Let’s fast forward a week or so. We are now near Vernal, Utah and visiting the Dinosaur National Monument. I took a few pictures and looked at the indicator to see how many more shots I had left on the roll of film. The indicator showed that I’d already taken forty-two.

The roll of film was supposed to be for thirty-six. Rather than take any more chances – this roll had pictures of my nieces and nephew as well as the Olympic torch runner – I pressed the rewind button. Nothing happened.

I guessed that the film had pulled out of the canister and feared that if I opened the case, the film would be ruined. I asked a guide if there was a dark place I could go to remove and try to save my roll of film.

The guide did more than find me a dark place, she took me to the dark room used by the palaeontologists. When I opened the camera, the film was in the canister. I must have rewound it and forgot to remove it. At least that is what I hoped happened.

A couple of weeks later, we were back home in Georgia and I’d dropped off my fifteen or twenty rolls of film. When I picked them up, the truth finally became clear. The roll of film in question was never properly loaded. The entire roll was blank.

Now the 1984 Olympic Games experience is nothing more than the memories in my head. And the picture that is most clear in my mind is that of a pudgy preteen walking through Roswell with the torch.

I think I learned my lesson, but that image is a constant reminder to not jump to conclusions.

A Memorable Trip for a Teenager

I believe it was the Fall of 1957 when our older brothers – the twins – took Lewis (Doug) and I on a wonderful sports-fan weekend to Syracuse, New York. I would’ve been thirteen years old at the time.

As I recall, we left Pittsburgh on a Friday morning and checked into a ‘real’ hotel late that afternoon. Up until that day, I had never even stayed at a motel. There are two things I remember most about that hotel.

First was the door to the room. I have no idea what the door was called. I’d call it a ‘valet’ door. It was extremely thick because it was basically a small closet that fit inside the door. That ‘closet’ could be opened from either side. If a guest at the hotel had a suit or shirts to be cleaned or laundered, he or she would place the garments in the door and turn a lever causing a signal to be exposed on the outside of the door.

During the night, hotel employees would pass through the halls looking for the signals. When one was spotted, they would open the door, remove the garments, and take them to the hotel’s laundry. They would later return and put the clean garments back in the door.

I hope I explained that well enough, because it is something that is no longer seen… even in the fanciest hotels. A guest can still have garments cleaned, but other methods for pick-up and delivery are used.

The other thing I recall about that hotel was my breakfast. I had never eaten breakfast at a restaurant and had no idea what to order. So I asked for oatmeal.

The hot cereal was served in an oval shaped stainless steal bowl with a lid. I was then given real cream to put on my hot cereal. I knew what cream was because I always tried to be the first to get to the freshly delivered milk on cold winter mornings. I sometimes won!

Besides the hotel, the weekend was filled with firsts for me. On Friday night, we went to see the Cincinnati Royals play the Syracuse Nationals in a National Basketball Association game.

The two players that stood out in my mind that night were Sihugo Green who had played his college ball at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, and Larry Costello who was probably the last professional basketball player who made a living off the two-hand set shot.

On Saturday we went to watch the University of Pittsburgh play the University of Syracuse in a football game.

While that was the basic premise for the trip, I remember little of that game. Jim Brown may have played against Pitt, but my memory is a total blank when it comes to that game. Perhaps all the excitement had finally got up with me and I was in la-la land.

In any case, it was a wonderful trip and once again indicates what wonderful brothers I have.

Earliest Trips to New Jersey Shore

Because my father was raised in South Jersey and still had family living in that area, most of our annual vacations were taken at the shore.

I can vaguely remember riding in the old Chevrolet. As I recall, it was a green car that looked something like the one in this photo.

Gone by 1949 but not forgotten

I always thought that car was a 1943, but while looking for a photo I discovered that Chevy didn’t make any consumer cars that year. They were too busy building military vehicles.

In any case, you’ll note the car had a large back seat area. It was large enough (and I was small enough) that I could lie on the floor and use the middle hump as a pillow. My older brother had the luxury of lying on the shelf by the rear window. (Back then, seat belts in cars were non-existent.)

I vividly recall looking up and out the windows and watching the utility poles flash by as we ‘sped’ down the road.

In those early days, we were only able to speed between Irwin, Pennsylvania and Carlisle, Pennsylvania – a distance of about one hundred and sixty miles. In the late 1940′s, the total distance we traveled was more than four hundred miles and much of it was on the old U.S. highways that went through dozens of small towns.

Many of those old highways were three lanes that required drivers to be extremely careful when passing. That middle lane – used by motorists going in both directions – resulted in many head-on collisions.

We usually began our vacations late on a Friday night. Dad would come home from work and sleep for a few hours while mom packed the car. Then, around midnight, we’d start on the long journey. We lived about forty or fifty miles from Irwin and it was mostly city driving. The Penn-Lincoln Parkway did not exist and there were lots of traffic lights.

From Irwin, we’d sail along the ‘new’ turnpike that had opened for traffic in 1940. When we got to Carlisle, we’d return to the U.S. highways and continue our eastward trek.

As I recall, we sometimes avoided Philadelphia by passing through Wilmington, Delaware. If we did go through Philly, we’d cross over the Ben Franklin Bridge.

By eleven o’clock on Saturday morning, we’d be greeted by Uncle Lewis and Aunt Nellie. I’m sure dad was exhausted, but Lewis and I were ready to go crabbing and fishing.

In 1951, the Pennsylvania Turnpike was opened from the Ohio line to Philadelphia. That cut an hour or two off the trip and also made it possible for us to stop at a Howard Johnson’s for more than gasoline.

Coincidentally, a song that sticks in my head because I heard it so much during our travels between Pittsburgh and South Jersey was also recorded in 1951.

Les Paul and Mary Ford were popular recording artists of the time. Several years later, they divorced, but Les Paul continued playing guitar and began designing his own line of guitars. I’m sure my step-son, the rock star, has heard of Les Paul guitars… but he might be left wondering who the guy in that video is.

Getting back to our vacation journeys… the Walt Whitman Bridge opened in 1957 making the trip even easier. Then, in 1965, the Atlantic City Expressway opened.

Today that trip that took at least eleven hours in 1948 can be accomplished in under seven.

Many people have come to take the Interstate Highway System for granted… as though it has always been there. For the younger generations, that is absolutely true – it has always been there!

But those of us who remember being stuck behind trucks and buses winding their way along two-lane U.S. highways cannot thank President Eisenhower enough for pushing the idea through congress.

However, let me let you in on a secret.

If you are not in any big hurry to get from one city to the next, get off that Interstate and follow the old U.S. highways. In many cases, you’ll find the road surface to be in much better condition. It has been resurfaced and doesn’t carry the heavy burden of trucks, buses, and cars.

If you like looking at old buildings (many, unfortunately, abandoned) along with farms and forests, you’ll find the travel much more interesting.

Just keep the secret to yourself. We don’t want everybody to get off the Interstates. Smelling the roses won’t be so sweet if you’re stuck in a traffic jam.

Deja vu

In 1984, I dragged my family on a cross country tour. In six weeks, we covered almost ten thousand miles, visited twenty-nine states, and saw two oceans.

I was forty years old at the time and thought I’d seen just about everything one could imagine. But when we arrived in Vernal, Utah, my mind went into another sphere.

To begin with, I saw Reddy Kilowatt.

The one and only! Watt a lot of jobs he does!

I hadn’t seen the logo of the electric companies in years, and yet there he was – standing proudly in front of the local power company.

Things got even more interesting when we decided to visit the Vernal Dinosaur Museum. Walking around and looking at the displays gave me the strangest feelings – I’d been there before! And yet, it was my first visit to that part of our country.

Finally, I looked down and noticed a small brass plate attached to each display counter. It read, “Donated by the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.”

These were many of the same display cases I looked at when I was a grade school student on my annual field-trip to the museum. The only things that were missing were the basement cafeteria and milk in the one-pint glass bottles.

I asked one of the employees to explain why the museum in Pittsburgh had donated so much to a museum in such a small town as Vernal, Utah.

The answer was quite simple. Andrew Carnegie had hired a team of archeologists to go out and find dinosaur bones. That team found them in the area of Dinosaur National Monument… just outside Vernal, and sent them all back to Pittsburgh.

An escapee in Pittsburgh

Carnegie then selected the best specimens to be placed in the museum in Pittsburgh. He sold the rest to museums throughout the world.

Eventually, the people from Utah had had enough and insisted some of the bones should stay where they were found. To repay the state of Utah, the museum in Pittsburgh sent the display cases, along with many artifacts from around the world, to Vernal to provide them with a ‘world-class’ museum of their own.

If you’ve ever visited Dinosaur National Monument, you know that today, every effort is made to leave the bones where they are found.

I want to thank the author of a dinosaur website who calls himself Dinoguy for reminding me of my visit to Vernal. If you’ve ever been interested in being part of a ‘dig’, this is the guy you need to talk to.