 Having a rhyming name myself, I am drawn to Amazing Places and Amazing Faces that have quirky names. And certainly this town and this store rank at the top of the unique list.
All of which begs the question, have you ever been there, and if so...Why or Why Not? :-)  Just when I thought Bonnie Hasper Thornton and Rick Thornton and their amazing volunteers couldn't possibly top the previous class parties, they surprised everyone with this year's rock star event. Because not only was the place packed with Wyandotte, MI Roosevelt High School alumni who came to celebrate, the entertainment was two live bands from back in the day - headlined by our own hometown rock star, Frijid Pink front man, Tom Beaudry. I've attached a few photos I was able to get with my cell phone and included some links to previous RHS Classes Of The 60's parties I photographed below. In doing so, I hope they give you an opportunity to relive the many great memories we have been blessed to share together. Note: I've included the web page links for those who are not on Facebook. And for those who are, you may need to be a RHS Class of The 60's member to view some of the Facebook posts, and even then the Facebook links are sometimes a little finicky. (So please blame Mark Zuckerberg, not me.) :-) RHS Class Party 2019 web page Facebook post RHS Class Party 2018 web page Facebook post RHS Class Party 2017 web page Facebook post RHS Class Party 2016 web page Facebook post                          Some people are dreamers. Some people are doers. And some people like Ed Keeylocko are both. Ed dreamed of a place where everyone followed the "Golden Rule". Where people could gather to share a story or a laugh, have a cool drink, encourage one another to blaze new trails, and experience the true heart of the West. So, he bought land near Tucson, Arizona and set out to build a town by hand, board by board, building by building. And when he was done, he had created Cowtown Keeylocko, a place like no other in this world. Ed passed away recently, but his dream, town and legacy lives on in all those who knew and loved him. They are working to restore the buildings, host events, add improvements and help spread his message of equality, kindness, hope and humor. And they are welcoming anyone who would like to help. To learn more about how you can visit, volunteer or support, go to www.CowtownKeeylocko.com and check out their Facebook page Cowtown Keeylocko. And feel free to share or tag this post, or send this link with additional photos https://tinyurl.com/y3z86azz, so that others may be introduced to legendary dreamer and doer, Ed Keeylocko. Les Maness www.StoriesFromTheRoadLesTraveled.com New Post 3.29.19: Cowtown Keeylocko, Arizonahhh  I have photographed a lot of Amazing Places and Amazing Faces https://tinyurl.com/y3pyxxf5, but I have never experienced anything like Cowtown Keeykocko near Tucson, Arizona. I will be writing more about the life of the extraordinary Trail Blazer who hand built this town and the many people who are keeping his dream alive. But for now, to learn more, go to www.CowtownKeeylocko.com, to contribute go to https://tinyurl.com/y32ty5kl and to experience it for yourself go to Cowtown Keeylocko. New Post 11.5.19: Cowtown Keeylocko, Arizonahhh  When I went into the Blue Dog Saloon in Cowtown Keeylocko on Friday afternoon and saw this live horse standing there, it immediately reminded me of an old joke. "A horse walks into a bar. The bartender says, 'So, why the long face?'". :-) However, unlike the horse, no one who ever visits this unique town has a long face because the place is so much fun. New Post 11.5.19: Cowtown Keeylocko, Arizonahhh  I got to spend a few hours enjoying Cowtown Keeylocko Days last Friday afternoon. Some of the good folks there were kind enough to pose for me in gunslinger character and some were just having fun. The town is the legacy of the Ed Keeylocko and it is supported and run by the many people whose lives were touched by his kindness, wisdom and sense of humor. For more about this authentic Old West town near Tucson, AZ, check out their website at www.CowtownKeeylocko.com and see my posts here, here, here and here.                      Original Facebook post September 25 at 7:14 AM
Here's to all the family members who came out to support their kids at the 2018 Desert Mountain High School Homecoming Dance. You can see photos on my Facebook page at https://tinyurl.com/ya5t6pgg and additional photos on my website at https://tinyurl.com/y78252zy :-) Les Maness www.StoriesFromTheRoadLesTraveled.com  Original Facebook post September 25 at 7:01 AM I was invited by Rachael Salmirs and Karen Boreyko to a wonderful pre-party for the 2018 Desert Mountain High School Homecoming Dance. I was able to take a few photos of these incredible young men and women and their loved ones. I did a quick crop and edit on these reduced size images so I could post them right away. If there is any parent of these incredible kids who is great at Lightroom or Photoshop and would like to work on the original larger files so they can be printed and shared, please message me. Les Maness www.StoriesFromTheRoadLesTraveled.com                                          Original Facebook post September 20 at 5:26 PM I had the great pleasure of photographing Dancing Soulz of Scottsdale. As you can tell by these happy faces, the people who come out just LOVE to dance! A special thanks to Jamee Soulz and Glen Netter for inviting me to photograph the dance lesson and social dancing afterwards at Casablanca Rooftop Lounge in Scottsdale. If you would like more information about Dancing Soulz, check out their Facebook page Dancing Soulz of Scottsdale (Social Dance Group) or Meet Up page at https://www.meetup.com/DancingSoulzScottsdale/. If you'd like to encourage other beginning to advanced dancers to be a part of these fun, affordable events, please feel free to tag and share my Facebook post at https://tinyurl.com/y7pudngp. Les Maness www.StoriesFromTheRoadLesTraveled.com                            Original Facebook post September 10 at 7:37 AM As some of you may already know, I love quirky names (because mine rhymes) and goofy puns (did I mention I am a Dad?). :-) So when I saw the Son Of A Bee booth at Rock Hill's Farmer's Market, I made it my beeswax to learn about them. Turns out that Nicholas here is the third generation in the family bees-ness. And the company got it's unusual name because his Grandpa had a colorful phrase every time he got stung, which they simply shortened a little to make it G-rated. Now here's why there is such a buzz about this company's sweet success. First, bee-lieve it or not, the honey is pure and comes straight from the hive. Secondly, they make all kinds of products from lip balm to candles to honey sticks, so this is no fly by night bee company just trying to wing it. And lastly, their motto is "We Let Our Honey Do The Talking!", which also sounds like good advice for any man going to his wife's family reunion. So if you want to take the sting out of shopping for pure honey, check them out at https://www.sonofabee.us/. And one more thing...like the song says... Don't worry, Bee happy. Note: For more New York travel related links, go to https://tinyurl.com/y8jvyq9d      Original Facebook post September 9 at 4:09 PM When you have a town with a larger-than-life statue of rock musicians, you know there's got to be a place for future rock stars near by. And in Rock Hill, NY that place is Steve's Music Center. Steve Schwartz opened the store many years ago with the goal of being a music resource for artists in the area. Now thanks to the internet and loyal customers, his jam packed store now offers Amps, Banjos, Cables, Drums, Guitars, Harmonicas, Mandolins, Metronomes, Mics, PA Equipment, Pedals, Pickups, Tuners, Vintage Gear and much more.. If all of that weren't enough to drive anyone crazy (see signs he's holding above), Steve is in these four, very diverse bands with extremely talented musicians:
If you meet Steve, you will quickly find that he is caring, knowledgeable, humble, personable and funny. And you'll see why his passion for helping everyone discover their inner rock star can be summed up in just four words: "Stop wishing, Start playing!". To check out his store, and to meet the man who puts the rock in Rock Hill, go to www.stevesmusiccenter.com. Note: For more New York travel related links, go to https://tinyurl.com/y8jvyq9d            Original Facebook post September 9 at 4:00 PM The town of Rock Hill, NY may be small, but what it lacks in size it gains in sheer flower power. There are flower gardens on the street, in the parks and at a Farmer's Market that sells them. And if that weren't enough, there are paintings and graphics of flowers just to make sure you don't miss them. So I guess it isn't that surprising to learn that Rock Hill is just 20 miles away from Woodstock, the "flower power" concert that rocked the world 50 years ago. Note: For more New York travel related links, go to https://tinyurl.com/y8jvyq9d      Original Facebook post September 9 at 3:55 PM Rock Hill, NY is a quaint village located at the foothills of the gorgeous Catskills Mountains. The lush green area is home to Wanaksink Lake, Wolf Lake, Treasure Lake, Lake Louise Marie and a number of stunning waterfalls. The area is known for hiking, running, swimming, bicycling, skiing and boating. It is is also recognized for it's emerging music scene and terrific restaurants. And like the city's motto indicates, "Rock Hill: Small Town, Big Heart", the friendly residents and businesses there all work together to make visitors feel welcome. Note: For more New York travel related links, go to https://tinyurl.com/y8jvyq9d                 |