What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Friday, September 25, 2015

A Walking Tour.....and LOTS of motorcycles

Yesterday we went to Bikes, Blues and BBQ as we do every year.  I am a fish out of water there in my pink shirt and pink tote bag.  Lots of leather, orange and black.  This is a very clean rally - no flashing or toplessness or other bad behavior.  I saw a cop put duct tape across the shirt of a guy that made reference to a "cat" a few years ago.  Just a line over the word to keep it clean.

*Don't look if you are offended......

Since we go on the first day, we do see a few naughty t-shirts and badges before they have been asked to move them to the back a bit.  It's interesting to me, these bikers.  Motorcycles are very expensive, puls most of them have campers and toy haulers and they are wearing a thousand dollars worth of leather.  I know most of them are hard working Americans - lawyers, doctors, teachers, etc.  I walked behind a lady yesterday in her leather and chaps and I heard her say "Let's get something for the grand kids".  Whoa, someone's got a cool Granny!

So, as we walked and the boys looked at the motorcycles, I looked at the old storefronts and architecture along the street.  There is a lot and it is wonderful to see up close.  So, here we go - Welcome to Fayetteville, Arkansas!



My favorite photo of the day.  This is US Pizza Company.  The motorcycles were the perfect colors.



Old wrought iron staircase.  Or if it were for sale on Craigslist - ROD IRON.  


The rich folk live up in that mighty fine skyscraper.  Well, it's a skyscraper by our standards.  I would LOVE to be able to go up and sit on a balcony and just watch all the commotion.  


The very old UARK theater.  Another place I would love to prowl.  I'm not sure what it even is now.


This jewelry store has been around my whole life.  They have the nicest jewelry and I think it is open by appointment only which means I cannot afford anything in there.  Luckily, I like feedsack pendants.  :)


Here's the light fixture outside Underwood's.  It is amazing.  



I would really like to put that on ebay. It would take a helluva box.  


George's - THE beer joint, THE outside music venue, THE place to go.  THE place THE Breadman and I told each other we were in love.  BLECH.  That sounds soooo cornball.  But it is where it happened."  (Pay no attention to that lady in the reflection.)


This leads down under a building to a parking garage.  I love all the old exposed brick and stone.  And that is an old fireplace, I guess.  I just noticed it.  



There were motorcycles, I promise.


The train tracks.  We took the train about 3 miles so we could leave our cars in one spot.  Curtis had to go to work.  OH, I mean The Breadman, sorry.  Anyway, he had to go to work, so we go get in line for the train and they say, "It broke down.  It will be a three to four hour wait."  So, here we are on one side of the rally and our cars are on the other side of the rally and he needs to get to his truck PRONTO so he can go to work.  You might say, "Oh, you could walk" and we could have - but it would have killed us.  Fayetteville and especially the area where we were is totally hilly and curvy. Plus we would have had to negotiate the University traffic, the regular traffic and the 200,000 motorcycles.  There is a nice quiet walking trail, but it curves around in a weird route and isn't "as the crow flies" like the train tracks.  Anyway, we were just about to start walking and try to figure out how to get him to work when, I kid you not - the actual conductor in his full conductor uniform pulled up in his personal pick-up and said, "Does anyone HAVE to get to the parking lot right now?" Talk about right place at the right time!  We shoved him in that truck and got him on his way. 

WHEW.  Big relief.  

Then we went back to check on the train and they said it would be another couple of hours.  

Here. We.Go.Again.  


But, then GUESS WHO pulled up again?  The conductor!  ALL ABOARD!  See him driving the truck?  I totally felt like I was still on the train!  He even let out a couple WooWoo's for us.  It actually turned out ot be much more fun that actually riding the train back.


Although, riding the train is pretty awesome.  

Lest you all think it was just greenery and architecture - may I present to you - Bikes, Blues and BBQ.



I love the look of a carnival food truck thingy.  I would NEVER eat from one.  I am too picky and too cheap.  I saw half eaten turkey legs laying by the trash cans.  Those things were $9.00 each.  I would eat the whole thing even if it killed me.  


Sweet sidecar.  I joke that The Bean will drive the motorcycle and I will ride in a sidecar.  I joke because how sad would that be for the kid to take his MOM?  


Oh, another carnival food dealybopper.  This one is my favorite.  


Favorite to LOOK at.  I saw so, so many people eating those foot long corn dogs.  I guess I have a dirty mind, because they just look so...wrong.  But, I have never eaten a corn dog, so maybe that is it. 


Motorcycles.



Motorcycles.


Motorcycles.


Motorcycles.


And a shadow shot to end the day.  Time to go home ans sort out the swag.  
(Awesome free stuff at a motorcycle rally - if you ever have a chance - GO!)

What did you do yesterday?

12 comments:

  1. what a GREAT TIME!
    SOOOO Glad you got the B.M. to the vehicle without walking or you might not have been going in the future!! (lol!)

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  2. You totally need one of those "Naughty Girl" patches. For real. Wear it to the Junk Ranch. Everyone will be talking about you.

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    1. I think "junk" means something else on those naughty patches. OH MY!

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  3. Okay? You really have never eaten a corn dog? Wow. When I was pregnant with Ben that was one of my food cravings. (Kate is was cinnamon rolls) We also have to get a corn dog every time we go to the beach (a pronto pup stand). I have a long history with corn dogs...I have even made them in an industrial cooker at a family birthday party. if you ever come to visit, we will go get a corn dog.

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    Replies
    1. I've never eaten beef or pork so corn dogs have never tempted me. I have family that just moved to Portland. So maybe I can visit someday!

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  4. is this a once a year event? You always have cool adventures.

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  5. What a fun day! I loved going with you via the photos.

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  6. OMG, I live for corn dogs!!! I would have been all over that stand, even if I'd have to hide behind the food truck to eat it :)

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  7. I loved the train story - WooWoo!!
    Husband and I rode for many years, back in "the day". I have been asked to watch the till while a shop proprietor used the rest room and I have been kicked out of a diner because "we don't serve no bikers in here". Husband is kind of mean looking so I have also experienced the crowd parting when we walked in somewhere, which I thought was pretty fun. Yes, I still have my sexy black leathers. 8+) From my experience, bikers are some of the friendliest people I have ever met!

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  8. My Dad worked for the railroad so we got free passes. My sister and I went all the way from MN to WA for the 1962 world's fair all by outselves! We had an uncle and aunt that !ived there and they took us. Thanks for showing us around town. I love people watching at events like that!

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  9. My friend comes down for that every year. She is skinny and beautiful and drives a hog, yeah I'm a bit jealous of her. The Rod Iron comment cracked me up...so true!!

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  10. I loved seeing your town... Especially the old movie theater and the light over the jewelry store. LOL on the ROD iron! Love getting food from the vendors at those places... Overpriced, but usually yummy. They have a food court with those wagons at the Brimfield Antique Show every year. Deciding what to eat is the highlight of our day.

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