Keith’s blog

Well, I finally did it. I got the big hair cut today. I’ve had a pony tail for the past 18 years but no more!

Thoughts of getting a short cut have crossed my mind a few times over the past few years but they usually didn’t stick with me for long. But this time I started thinking about it a few months ago (no rash decisions). Honestly I decided to follow through with the cut in June or July. I just never picked up the phone for an appointment. I had a day off today and thought “today’s the day”.

I called Tundra Taylor at Tundra’s Hair Studio and she worked me in. Here’s a picture of me, Tundra and the pony tail that will be donated to Locks of Love, www.locksoflove.org . This is the 4th or 5th donation I’ve made over the years.

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It’s a big change but I like it. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

By the way, Tundra and her husband Dan have been clients of mine since their son Wes was born. Their entire family is sooooo nice! You can see a Beach Portrait I did for them last year on the wall behind us in the picture.

Last week I photographed the pageants at the NWGA Regional Fair. This was the thirteenth year I’ve done this. It was one of the first jobs I got when I started doing photography on a professional basis. It’s always nice to see a whole slew of dolks I haven’t seen in a while.

It has only bee four days since we left Calhoun. In some ways it seems like yesterday and in others bit seems like a year.

If you know me you know I love a road trip and it doesn’t take much to get me to hop in a car and go across the country. This is the second trip Dad and I have mede this year. In January we drove to OK and back for a class I went to. This trip was just to go, see and do.

Since Sunday we have gone througn TN, KY, IL (Chicago) WI (Milwaukee), MI (Minneapolis), IA, MO, (St Louis), Back through KY and as I’m writing this we’re less than an hour from Nashville.

Dad says there are now just 5 states he hasn’t been in. I’m going to have to get a map of the US and mark the ones I’ve been in to see how close I am to all 50 states.

Yesterday we started the day out in Waterloo, IA and drove 550 miles to St Louis. At St Louis we went up in the Arch (the second time this yr for me).

Of course we stopped at the Cabela’s outside St louis. Dad didn’t find anything there but I finally talked myself into a Gerber Machete that I’ve been eye balling. I’m slowly but surley clearing out a bunch of under brush at my place and I thought I’d give it a try.

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We went up in the arch in St Louis. Dad is a little claustrophobic so I wasn’t too sure how he was going to do. Especially on the ride up and down. He wasn’t too sure about it either. You ride up in a pod with four other people and it’s a tight fit! Any way, he did just fine and said it was worth the stop.

It has been a great trip so far and I should be home in time to mow the grass. I’ll have the final pictures  tomorrow. They will probably just be at the Bass Pro we’re about to stop at in Nashville.

Yesterday was a long day. We started out in Milwaukee and about 17 hours later we laid down in Waterloo, IA.

 I don’t have many pictures from yesterday because of a really amature mistake. Grrr!

About the only stops we made other than the necessary ones were at Mall of America (just long enough to say we have been there), Matt’s Bar in Minneapolis for a burger like you have never had before. The cheese is cooked inside the burger. Be careful on your first bite or two. The cheese is sort of like molten lava.

Check out the groovy wall paper at Matt’s. This place hasn’t been changed in the past 30 - 35 years. Except for all the awarge that are hanging on the walls. 

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The place is just a neighborhood bar with a grill behind the bar. No kitchen. No plates, no silverware, no ice for your water and no credit cards. Just a burger wrapped in paper and some much needed napkins.

And of course, we had to stop at another Cabela’s. This one was in Rogers, MN.

After his we drove wntill about 1:30 AM and stayed in Waterloo, IA. Next stop St Louis.

We got up around 6:00 AM today to make the trip into Chicago. believe it or not we didn’t even hit any traffic on the way into the city at around 8:00 - 9:00 AM.

Dad go us some tickets on the double decker bus tour. It was a great way to see the city and learn a lot about it in a short time.  The weather couldn’t have been nicer but it was a little warm by the end of the day. The only thing we didn’t see that I wished we had seen is Chess Records.

We had tickets to go up in the Sears Tower but the wait was about two hours, We’re bringing those tickets back with us. They don’t expire for a year so let me know if you want them.

Instead of going up in the tower we ate at Giordano’s Pizza. I ate at one on Rosemont about three years ago and was really impressed. I insisted we eat there today and Dad says it’s the best pizza he’s ever had.

I took this picture of Sears Tower while laying in the grass in a park after lunch waiting on the tour bus ti pick us up. Actually, it’s not even called Sears Tower any longer. I can’t remember the new name but I eard on the news reciently that someone new took control of the tower and the had naming rights so they renamed it.

We ended up at a Cabela’s near Milwaukee. Dad has been looking for a particular type of fishing rod and he found it today. They usually sell for about $100 each and he bought two of them for a total of about $75. I told him on the way out of the store he looked like the kid that found the prize egg.

Tomorrow we’re off to Minneapolis and I’m sure we’ll be in another Cabela’s too.

Dad and I left the house at 5:00 AM this morning for a four day road trip.  The drive up was pretty nice and we made good time for the most part. The weather was great too. It was about 90 degrees out but low humidity so the heat isn’t a problem.

The White Castle burgers REALLY didn’t agree with either of us. I know I won’t be having any more of those for a long time.

After we got checked into the hotel we hedded out to a Cabela’s about 30 miles away.. 30 miles, no problem, right? Well, 70 miles and an hour and a half later we finally pulled into the parking lot. Dad and I both can take credit for that snafu. Oh well, it’s not the end of the world. We made it there and back.

 We’re staying about 60 miles outside of Chicago tonight and we’ll be in Chicago for a few hours tomorrow for the double decker bus tour and Sears Tower (did you know it’s not called the Sears Tower any more).  

After that we’ll end up in Milwaukee and another Cabela’s. We’ll be at a total of four of them over the next three days and a Bass Pro. Who knows why but that’s what he wants to do and I’m enjoying our time together.

I’m looking forward to another Rd trip with my Dad. We’ll be hitting Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin & probably some others. Dad has it all planned out.

I don’t really care where we go I’m just looking forward to spending the time with Dad.

I’m going to try to blog and post pictures each day from the rd. so check back.

The party was a lot of fun and worth the trip. When I first visited the Voclain’s 5-6 years ago I left thinking that they showed me the epitome of southern hospitality. The same was true for this trip. They are all just so nice. The kind of folks you want for best friends and neighbors. I can’t wait for a return trip.

Here I am with our hosts, Kirk and Tammy Voclain. They sure know how to throw a party.

 This is Kirk’s dad, Doug. Mike and I kept him busy shucking oysters. I must have had three dozen… no kidding.

Kirk’s sister Tammy was the bartender and she’s just plain ol fun to be around. 

Yes, I’m really that happy. I’ve never had oysters so good. I’ve reciently found a place in town that brings seafood from LA every week. I’m gonna place an order and see if they are close to as good as the ones I had in Houma. 

A new twist on curb service. Tammy is giving a lesson on eating crawfish.

We had a lot of fun last night in New Orleans. We ate at a place called Deanie’s Seafood. My buddy Kirk Voclain took me to the original one a few years ago and it was well worth going back.

The half Seafood Platter was way more than I could eat but I gave it my best try.

It was after 2:00 AM before I even tried to get any sleep but I didn’t have much luck. The hotel room was facing the street and there was a LOT of noise going on untill about 6:00 AM. Oh well, I wasn’t planning on sleeping much while I was here any way.

We just got into Houma about 30 minutes ago and we’ll be leaving in a few minutes to hook up with a bunch of other photographers for a crawfish boil, swimming, drinks and in general an all around good time.  I’ll post those pictures when I have time again, Probably while I’m on the Rd tomorrow. I’ll post some here and some on my Facebook page.

I’m on a Road Trip for the next couple of days with my photographer buddy Mike Bentley. We’re going to visit another photographer friend down here… Actually there aree vabout 60 other photographers that will be there for a big ol party tomorrow. Then we’ll be back on Sunday evening.

We got on the rd at 5:30 AM and we’re  just on the edge of New Orleans East now. Here are a couple of pictures from this morning. I’ll post more here tonight / tomorrow and a LOT more on Facebook. Send a friend invitation to Keith Brookshire to see them.