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An American Songline

Journeys in Vintage Music with Cecelia Otto

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Travel-General

Reflections on “The Songs of World War One” Program

November 11, 2020 by Cece

July 2017 performance at the Hayesville Opera House (built 1886) in Ohio, on the National Historic Register, taken with in-house hand-painted historic backdrops. Photo by Mike Hocker.

In March of 2017, two years after I performed my first Lincoln Highway concert, I debuted my second big concert program titled, “The Songs of World War One”. I knew that people would learn and enjoy the program, but I had no idea how it would be received. It was a wonderful surprise to find out not only that people enjoyed the concerts, but that I performed the music well past the 100th anniversary of the Armistice – all the way to November of 2019.

In those two and a half years of performing those songs, I met and connected with so many people nationwide who had their own stories and songs to share. And those stories made me think of all of the programs in a whole new way, and they changed me. It’s been a year since I last wore my re-created uniform, and I felt impelled to share some of what I saw and learned with you all.

  1. I had people of all backgrounds come to hear me sing and learn about this moment in history. The First World War is often a footnote in American history for your average person in the US. They didn’t learn about it (much) in school, and that’s more often than not because we really weren’t the “heroes” as we were in World War Two. And with the 1918 flu pandemic, Prohibition, The Great Depression and more, the Great War often takes a backseat in some history books and lesson plans. I was a part of a WWI marker dedication in Boise, Idaho in 2018. Because of the aforementioned circumstances, they never had a memorial put up in their Veterans’ Park, and were finally able to commemorate it a century later.
  2. Because of this war being overlooked, the roles that women played in the WWI are often forgotten or unknown here. My uniform as a contract Army surgeon was often a topic of discussion; people either thought I was “playing a non-American woman” onstage (French or Russian), or they assumed that it was not a “real costume”. I deliberately chose to re-create a surgeon’s uniform because of two reasons: 1) To highlight roles beyond what most people know (i.e. a nurse or a “Hello Girl”) and 2) To show modern audiences that some women who had special expertise were hired for their knowledge versus taking on a volunteer role (women were not allowed to enlist at the time).
  3. People often ask me if any contentious things happened at my shows. “Do things get political during your concerts?” they would ask. My answer: Never. People leave their personal beliefs at the door, they come to learn, sing along and have a laugh. I take my responsibility as a performer and historian to hold and create a space where they can come back in time with me without present-day judgements. And that shared experience builds community in the best way possible.
  4. Hearing the stories of veterans after shows – I still have no words that can express how much these moments have changed me. In two and a half years, I met lots of vets who served in World War Two, Korea, Vietnam, and in later wars. They would come up to me and share their stories with me. Stories of family members who served, stories of things that happened while they served. Things they learned while doing historic research on their own families or soldiers who served in their towns. It honored me that they felt so moved by the music to come to me afterwards to share these things with me, and it’s informed how I continue to sing and show up for people today.

One of the most important comments I received from a Vietnam veteran after a 2019 performance that has stayed with me ever since was, “I wanted to let you know I fought in Vietnam, and tonight’s concert made me think about war in a way I’ve never thought about before. Thank you.”

Every time I think about that moment in time, time stops for me. I can still see the look in his eyes when he shared this insight for him. I can still feel the adrenalin that courses through my body after a show drop immediately and his words took my breath away. While I share America’s history through these concerts and I’m grateful to be able to do so, it’s in those connections and spaces where everything moves into a life of its own which is the most important thing not only for you as an attendee, but for me as well.

For the veterans who are reading this, thank you for your service. I would not be able to share my songs and knowledge with the world without you, and I’m grateful for that. For those who have lost a friend or family member who served, I am truly sorry for your loss and every time I bring these songs back to life, I am thinking about them hold them with the highest honors in my heart. I hope to perform the World War One program again someday in the future, but in the interim I welcome your thoughts and your stories, either in the comments or reach out to me privately via email or the contact page. Thank you.

Filed Under: 2020, History, Music, Travel-General, World War One Tagged With: Historic Music, Living History, Music, veteran, Veterans Day, World War One, WWI

The Colorado Loop

August 13, 2013 by Cece

Towns don't really exist in this part of Colorado, but ranches and businesses do.
Towns don’t really exist in this part of Colorado, but ranches and businesses do.

Ok, I’m admitting it.

I’m a little biased with today’s post. As most of you know, I lived in Colorado for five years to do my graduate studies in music. This part of my trip was as close to a “homecoming” as I got on this tour, so after my Denver performance I took a mini-break from the road to be in familiar surroundings with dear people who I’ve known for a long time.

That being said, there is plenty about Denver that is no longer familiar to me, even after only being gone several years. Restaurants and radio stations stayed the same, but so much has changed and grown in such a short time. I knew I couldn’t go “home” again when I came back to Colorado, but I still never anticipated how hard it would be to be back there at times.

Anyway, onto the history of the road…

The Colorado Loop only existed as part of the Lincoln Highway from 1913-1915, but since we are celebrating the centennial of the highway, we must celebrate all of the original parts of the road. This loop created great controversy from the get-go for the Lincoln Highway Association. This part of the highway was included due to the persuasions of people in Colorado, but also out of slight guilt from the association. After all, they held their initial meeting in Colorado, and then they originally decide to leave Denver off the route? Colorado wouldn’t have it! The loop was then created, but trouble quickly followed. The town of Greeley decided they wanted in on that action, and then there was an “unsanctioned” route created to include Greeley in that route. The LHA had enough of the state’s shenanigans, so they eventually and quietly changed the route to not include Colorado.

It’s a shame really. The high plains of Colorado have a serenity found nowhere else along the route. After living in Denver and always flocking into the mountains for an adventure, the Northeastern parts of Colorado have an adventure all unto itself. Much of this area still remains unchanged from a century ago, and you really start to feel the isolation a Lincoln Highway traveler would have encountered back then.

My performance in Denver was a good one, and it was wonderful to see so many lovely people again. Dan was able to come out for this show, plus there was an old friend who flew from New York to surprise me for this performance! There’s some great video of this show now on my YouTube Channel for your viewing pleasure.

Below you’ll see photos of the loop as well as pictures of Denver itself and Mt. Evans (while not on the Lincoln Highway, it’s a road that most everyone should visit while in the area). Let me know what you think of the pictures, and thanks for stopping by!

The Phelps Hotel in Big Springs, NE is a great landmark in the area, and is known for its three chimneys.
This is the location where the “Dueling Billboards” were located in Big Springs, NE.
Do you go to the right?
Or do you go to the left?
As you can see, I took the left. I was very happy to see this sign.
This marker in Julesburg marks both the Oregon trail and the Pony Express.
The Old Ford Garage has tons of great old stuff from what I hear, too bad it was closed when I was in town.
I loved this old awning of an old hotel (now apartments) in Julesburg.
This is the Hippodrome Theatre in Julesburg. It still is in operation today.
This is the remnants of an old bridge near Dorothy, CO.
View of the original route near Dorothy, CO.
This is the old roadbed of the Lincoln Highway’s Colorado Loop.
This bridge on the South Platte River has the “DLD” (Detriot-Lincoln-Denver) stencils still on it. You can find outside Merino, CO.
Towns don’t really exist in this part of Colorado, but ranches and businesses do.
The Sands Theatre opened in 1916, and has been restored back to its glory.
Main Lobby of the Sands Theatre. Love the dramatic masks!
The Rainbow Arch bridge in Ft. Morgan has 11 arches, and was open to auto traffic from 1923-1987.
Today the bridge is open to pedestrians. This is the view from the end.
As noted in the last post, “minimum maintenance” roads should just be called “muddy roads”.
With the car stopped and the radio off, I sat in my car on the high plains of Colorado and listened to the wind.
View of the Cherry Creek in Denver at sunset. This creek crosses the Platte River downtown, and it is at that very spot where Denver was founded.
Outside of the venue I performed at.
Inside at the Merc’s Jungle room-the stage is all set!
Nap time at the Denver Zoo!
Liquor License #1 was issued here at the Buckhorn Exchange in Denver, CO. Much of the place has stayed the same, and you’re a meat lover this is a great place to eat.
Ghost Sign on the Buckhorn’s building. This is located on the North side of the building.
Ah, I missed these mountain sunsets.
View from the top of Mt. Evans, the highest paved road in North America.
Another view from the top with my other camera.
Here’s me with the sign at the top.
Yup folks, that is snow on the stairs…in late July.
In case you can’t read this, it said it was 44 degrees Fahrenheit when we were there that afternoon.
Always good stuff to remember for this part of the country and other Western sections of the Lincoln Highway.
“High on a hill there’s a lonely goat…”
I was pretty surprised when these “wild” goats wandered up to us at the park. I’ve seen them before here, but I’ve never been that close.
Closeup of the baby Goat.
Closeup of the Mama Goat.
Everyone wants to go straight to Mt. Evans, but they should stop at all of the cool little parks along the way to the top, including Summit Lake Park.
This gas station in Longmont, CO is where supposedly Jack Kerouac stopped and took a nap at in his book “On the Road”. As you can see, it’s literally on its last legs.
Here’s another view of the station, which had a full garage.
This mural in Berthoud, CO pays tribute to hometown boy Floyd Clymer, one of the pioneers in motorcycle racing.

Filed Under: Colorado, Driving, Music, Odds and Ends, Travel-General, Venue Tagged With: Buckhorn Exchange, Colorado Loop, Denver, High Plains, Lincoln Highway, Mercury Café, Mt. Evans

Bricks, bricks and more bricks! Exploring Western Iowa and Eastern Nebraska

June 27, 2013 by Cece

“Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.”  –Jack Kerouac

With the nearing centennial celebration coming up this weekend in central Nebraska, the highway came to life on a whole other level as soon as I crossed the border. From billboard signs to little Lincoln highway signs taped to telephone poles, the whole state is “Thinkin’ Lincoln” and rightfully so. This past weekend, hundreds of cars of varying ages, makes, and models left both San Francisco and New York City and are heading this way right now. While I’ve certainly longed for this weekend and to see my fellow LHA Members for the conference next week (it will be amazing on so many levels), I have to admit it’s been a little weird to see the metaphorical “wrinkles smoothed over” of the towns I’ve been going through in the last couple days. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to see all of the changes and celebrate the highway, but I also wonder what the towns look like when there are no celebrations going on. Are there many Lincoln Highway signs up, or would one get lost trying to find everything? It’s something to think about.

The photos in today’s post are from Scranton, Iowa all the way to Central City, Nebraska. Landscapes start to change from corn fields to rolling hills. The city of Omaha breaks up the highway’s routine of being sleepy and quaint. You drive parallel to a major train route, and you see trains coming and going constantly. Traffic is busier than you would think as it’s still a major thoroughfare for the area. Roads are narrower (with minimal to no shoulder) to keep their historic integrity in some parts, which makes it tricky to drive when it’s super windy as I experienced. You’ll see a TON of brick roads that have been preserved by various communities that I passed through, and it’s interesting to see how different the bricks look in each place.  My favorite finds below are the following (and you’ll see pictures of all of this below):

1) The Village of Boys Town – This place is a must stop for you if you take the original route. They do amazing work, and there are several places that visitors can tour. It’s an important part of the highway’s history (as well as US history) that I fear may be overlooked at times.

2) Elkhorn Brick Road Stretch: You’ll find this west of Boys Town. 3.5 miles of a perfectly preserved brick road including signs, markers, and bridges.

3) The “Avenus of Trees” in Duncan: In the heart of Duncan you’ll see two rows of trees which used to flank the original route.

4) Gardiner Station Section: This can be found in between Duncan and Silver Creek, and here you’ll see an iron truss bridge with a wooden plank floor in amazing condition.

New GPS using world, meet the Old Brick stretch of the highway.
These two Lincoln Busts (fully restored) now look over the corner of the LH in Scranton.
I was struck by this part of the road, and had to pull over to photograph it.
My pictures from Woodbine somehow all ended up being taken in Black and White. Here’s one of them.
This stretch of the Lincoln in downtown Woodbine is fully bricked, and it’s about a mile and a half in total.
Detail of Woodbine bricks. This photo I changed from B&W picture to a more Sepia/Antique finish.
At the intersection of Dodge and Saddle Creek Roads in Omaha, you can see this billboard. Sutter’s Creek Mill is right there, and is one of the oldest buildings on the route.
Here’s a picture of Saddle Creek Bridge, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Located right off the original route, Boys Town has been changing the lives of children for almost 100 years. This original sign now hangs in the Visitors Center.
This is the biggest ball of stamps, which is also in the Boys Town Visitors Center. Read the next Photo to get the details.
This Sign was used in the movie “Boys Town”, which starred Mickey Rooney and Spencer Tracy.
Spencer Tracy won the Oscar for his portrayal of Father Flanagan in the movie Boys Town, and he gave it to Father Flanagan. There are two inscriptions on the base showing both Tracy’s official inscription, and the one he added for Fr. Flanagan. It’s my first time I’ve ever seen an Oscar in person, and it was truly a sight to behold.
From 1928-1938, Fr. Flanagan and some talented boys toured around in the area giving performances. As time went on their popularity grew, so much so they started to tour nationally, and then were given a weekly radio show.
Here’s a detail of this reproduced trailer. Again, I love taking pictures of the old sheet music!
Just outside of Elkhorn, NE is one of the longest (if not the longest) preserved brick stretch of the highway. It’s about 3.5 miles in total and has several LH markers along the route. There’s A huge plaque in the middle of the stretch, but it was covered in a tarp. I’m guessing it will be unveiled when the car tour comes through. Can someone please send me a photo of this plaque?
First LH sign I saw in Nebraska.
Old LH Pole marker that has been repainted along the route.
Detail of this brick again, but this time showing what the curb looked like.
Here’s what the Lincoln Highway signs look like in Nebraska. They do continue on the route from what I’ve seen so far, but are not seem as regularly as in other states.
Chipped LH marker.
This Truss Bridge has been reconstructed as well along the route.
Again, more picturesque brick sections that I had to photograph. So beautiful.
Found this folk art right after I was finished driving the brick section in Elkhorn. Everyone’s thinkin’ Lincoln!
Here’s a brick stretch in Fremont, NE, the next town after Elkhorn. Note it’s a little different than the Elkhorn stretch.
This 1921 Statue of Lincoln was made and placed by the Mullins company, and was made by the same people who made the statue in Wilkinsburg, PA (see my Pittsburgh post for that picture).
This Mural of Columbus commemorates the town’s Sesquicentennial (1856 – 2006). It notes pivotal historic points for the town, including Buffalo Bill’s debut in the Wild West Show here, as well the Columbus arch which welcomed Lincoln Highway travelers in the 1940s and 1950s.
I don’t know much about the Columbus theatre, but I do know it was built in 1926 in the art deco style and is on the historic register. If anyone else has any other stories about this theatre let me know!
Built in 1920, the Gottberg building used to assemble and sell Fords. Today it is a restaurant and brewpub, which makes great batches of homemade root beer.
This Lincoln Highway Garage in Columbus was built in 1915, and is part of the Lincoln Highway Garage Associations (along with many others).
Built in 1876, Glur’s Tavern is supposedly the oldest continuously operated tavern west of the Missouri River.
This is the first time I’ve seen this sign on this tour. I know it’s meant for the car tour that’s coming up behind me, but it’s still nice to feel a part of it.
The “Avenue of Trees” is located in midtown Duncan, NE just east of Columbus. These rows of trees show where the original highway used to go.
While walking the Avenue of Trees, I cam upon these flowers growing where the road used to be.
Just outside of Duncan look for the “Historical Landmark” sign and follow it. There you’ll find the 2 mile Gardiner Station section of the original highway as well as this iron truss bridge with a wooden plank floor. This bridge is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
View of the bridge from the road. This bridge can hold a maximum weight of 8 tons, but I still felt nervous driving it as you can imagine.
Detail of wooden planks.
Next down the road from Duncan is Clarks, and this is the first of two murals in the town.
There were more bricks in Clarks! As you can see, they were laid in a different pattern at this intersection. The bricks were laid this way to prevent them from “stacking” as iron wagon wheels would turn corners in the early 1900s.
Here’s the 2nd Mural you can find in Clarks.
Detail of the door in the mural.
I thought this sign was an interesting commentary.
Old gutter in Clarks, NE.
A toad hopped out to say hello while I was photographing in Clarks. My first toad I met on this tour was named “Frank” in Hanna’s town in Pennsylvania, maybe this is Frank’s western cousin?
Biggest welcome sign ever. Central City has an interesting past when it comes to the highway. In the 1916 guidebook (as well as one of the songs I perform on tour) there’s a special warning in the margins noting that Lincoln Highway markers were removed by the “Local antagonistic influence”.

The next week will be crazy for me blogging-wise as I have performances in several places over the next 8 days including: Grand Island, Kearney, North Platte, and Sutherland Nebraska. I will post in real time when I can on my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages, so if you want to check in to see how things are going until the next blog post you can visit me there. Until then everyone, safe travels wherever you may and have a Happy 4th of July weekend!

Filed Under: Driving, Grassroots, History, Iowa, Lincoln Highway, Nebraska, Travel-General Tagged With: Abe Lincoln, Avenue of Trees, Boys Town, Brick Road, Bridge, Clarks, Columbus, Duncan, Elkhorn, Fremont, Lincoln, Lincoln Highway, Missouri River, Missouri Valley, Mural, Omaha, Oscar, Red Brick Road

The Reed/Niland Corner: One of Best Places to Experience Highway History

June 21, 2013 by Cece

It’s hard to believe this, but I’ve now been on the road touring and performing along the Lincoln Highway for three months. I’ve got three more months to go still, and it’s times like these when you need to regroup and recharge. This is where the historic Reed/Niland Corner comes into play.

I’m a firm believer that history is alive all around us, and appears in so many different ways, not just in books. At this part of the route in Colo, Iowa it’s so alive you really feel it. Built at the intersection of the Lincoln and Jefferson Highways (more on the Jefferson Highway shortly), this corner of the world saw a heavy amount of traffic. So much so, that back in the early 1920’s, Charlie Reed built a gas station. The Reed and Niland families quickly built a lunch stand which turned into a café later, and then also turned a makeshift campground into more permanent lodging for travelers. This area became one of the first if not the first place where you could get everything in “one stop”. It also quickly became one of the first places along the route that was open 24 hours as well!

As noted in my previous post, the Lincoln paved the way for other auto trails to be created throughout the country. The Jefferson Highway was the 14th route to be created after the Lincoln Highway, was the first North-South Transcontinental Route, and was named after founding father Thomas Jefferson. It was built in 1915 and runs from Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada all the way to New Orleans, Louisiana (it contains states which were involved in the Louisiana Purchase). To quote a Colo local, “It’s the only place where Lincoln and Jefferson actually do meet!” It is also called the “Palm to Pine Highway” to note the change in the trees along the route.

I still have several states to go on this tour, but I do have to say this part of the highway holds a special place in my heart. It truly feels like a home away from home, and I can’t say that about your average hotel and/or restaurant chain. You can’t get gas here anymore, but you can still stay in the restored Colo Motel and eat at Niland’s Café. If you can swing it in your travels, you should try to stay here at least one night so you can experience what this place is like, eat a meal, walk the grounds, and see all of the interpretive plaques and exhibits so you can learn about this place fully. You won’t regret it.

I again will put up some photos of this place, but know that the photos don’t do justice to how beautifully restored this area is.

View of the Café’s neon sign at dusk.
The Colo Motel Sign at dusk.
Here’s the live musician I saw when I first got into town. His name is David Gray, but plays in a couple bands. I even sang backup vocals on a song!
Every Thursday during the warmer months, there’s a Farmer’s Market held from 5-7pm. Local vendors, live music, and good food, not a bad way to spend an evening!
Here’s a view of the cafe from the gas station on Farmer’s Market day.
Detail of the Gas Station windows.
Here’s the same windows, but from the other side.
View of the restored gas pumps and the Lincoln/Jefferson Highway. If you look in the distance you can see the Jefferson Highway Sign painted on the telephone pole.
Some things have been left as they were when it closed in 1967.
Here’s the gas station cash register, which was used during its operation until it closed in 1967. Look at the final total – I wish gas cost that amount!
There’s some irony in there somewhere with this picture…
A great fun sign from the Burma Shave company, which was a very popular brand of shaving cream from the 20s-50s.
This is the drawer right under the cash register. Note the old bottle of Four Roses and the Billy Club, perfect for keeping thieves and boredom away on the night shift!
Here’s Charlie Reed’s Desk, which has always been there since it opened in the 1920’s.
One of my favorite pictures taken on this journey so far.
The Lincoln and Jefferson Highways together!
Love the old sign on the back of the cafe, plus check out the old street lights.
This picture was taken while sitting at one of the counter stools.
Another view from the counter, this time on a cloudy day.
I love this quote from Emily Post (click on the photo to magnify the picture).
Inside Niland’s Cafe is a mini-exhibit about Colo and how the highways affected the town. This 1939 Cadillac is a fun thing to see amongst many others.
Here’s a view of more the buildings from early motel days. The one on the right was the old shower areas for the motel guests.
This part of the corner has been turned into a small park where you can picnic and view the Jefferson Highway marker.
A very old Jefferson Highway Marker.
This is a great old sign, which drivers on the Jefferson Highway would have been able to see from the road.
Burma Shave signs were also split up along the route like this so travelers would read them as they drove.
Words to remember when the road gets long…

For a more in-depth video of this historic corner, check out this great video on YouTube:

I’ll be hitting the road tomorrow so there will be a couple days where I won’t be writing much, so have a great first weekend of summer everyone and I’ll talk to you soon!

Filed Under: Grassroots, History, Iowa, Life in General, Lincoln Highway, Travel-General Tagged With: Colo, Colo Motel, Gas Station, Iowa, Jefferson Highway, Lincoln Highway, Motel, Niland Café, Reed/Niland Corner

Living Gluten Free While on the Lincoln Highway

June 18, 2013 by Cece

While I post mostly about the sights and experiences along the Lincoln Highway, I want to talk about something that unifies all of us humans, and that’s food. Food defines us as a culture and some of our best memories come through the food we’ve made and eaten over time. For those of us who have food sensitivities, journeys like the one that I’m on can be intimidating. Since 2002, I’ve lived a gluten and dairy free lifestyle for medical reasons (there are more sensitivities than this, but these are the big 2 for me). 11 years in the gluten/dairy free world, and so much has changed. I never thought I’d be able to eat pizza in public again, but there are restaurants that make gluten free pizza with non-dairy cheese! Awareness has grown so much just even in the last couple years, rural America knows more about food allergies than ever before.

I’m currently in Iowa, about halfway time-wise on my tour (three months so far, and three to go), so I feel like I can speak about the pluses and pitfalls about living on the road with multiple food allergies. I’ll be honest, I’ve been sick a few times from food I thought was safe that really wasn’t safe (those places will not be mentioned in this post), BUT there’s a lot of great “mom-and-pop” places along the route that are way more accommodating to food-savvy folks like us than typical chain restaurants. As people are becoming more aware about what’s in their food, local diners (especially in the heartland) will source more and more ingredients from people they know. The retro diner that looks like it will have nothing to eat might actually have something that’s okay for you. The owner or owner’s daughter might have Celiac disease, and whoa, the whole kitchen is dedicated gluten free.

There’s tons of people and bloggers who have written about how to travel safe while on a restricted diet, and there’s a lot of great tips out there. I won’t be overly repetitive about what they’ve said, but I will tell you a few things that have worked for me.

1) Bring your own food

In a future post you’ll see how I packed for a 6 month trip (it’s not as easy as it looks), but I can tell you I packed and re-packed my “safe food” stash to have with me when I wouldn’t have access to food. Having food that’s shelf-stable is key for a six-month journey, and then supplementing with local produce/deli is crucial.

A huge plus with a growth in gluten free awareness is that I’ve been able to find and buy loaves of GF bread from reputable companies in grocery stores that were in the middle of nowhere. Amish and Mennonite areas even have gluten free sections now in their stores, as people in their populations have Celiac disease as well. Brands like The Gluten Free Bar, Schar, and Kinnikinnick make shelf stable products (many with non-GMO ingredients), and GFree Connect provides care packs that have sample sizes which are perfect for travel.

2) Bring extra supplements

Those of you who have a specialized diet probably have a supplement routine to keep yourself healthy, including vitamins and digestive enzymes. I am NOT a medical or health professional, so this section can and should be tailored to what’s best for you. If you eat something that makes you sick, remember your body needs an extra “nudge” to get better, especially while dealing with the stress of traveling. When I did get sick from food, the key was hydration, rest, and taking extra supplements. I am happy to report that after three months on the road, I’ve been food sick only and not other types of sick (knocks on wood). I realize getting sick from food is not great, but I feel the need to celebrate small victories where I can. My supplements have helped me cope with the changes in climate, time zones, and weird schedules without getting even a single head cold. Either way, follow the advice of your health care practitioner no matter what I’ve written here, and if your symptoms are severe while on the road seek medical attention immediately.

3) Do Your Homework Before, During and After Your Trip

Anyone who lives this way knows your work is never done in regards to keeping optimum health. You’re always reading labels, looking at menus online, and calling restaurants in advance of your arrival to make sure everything is safe. If you have a smartphone, use those apps that will help you find what you need. For me, Find Me Gluten Free and Yelp have been a godsend and extremely crucial for my trip so far. I’ve been able to locate and read reviews of restaurants and grocery stores (again I like to give my money to local communities, not chains if possible) and use them to my benefit. When in doubt, don’t eat there!

4) Consider Alternative Housing Arrangements While on the Road

This tour has been a grassroots tour from the get-go, and that means I’ve relied on the kindness of strangers to give me a couch/bed to sleep on. One of those components of finding people to stay with is through CouchSurfing. With CouchSurfing, you can create a profile and note your food allergies. You can either be a host to people, or people can host you. Depending on where you are going, you can find people who can accommodate your lodging and dietary needs (i.e. cross-contamination free kitchens) plus get a local’s perspective of the community you are traveling through. Air Bnb also has affordable accommodations as well that might have kitchens where you can cook your own food as well.

Below is a few snapshots of some of my positive food experiences. I couldn’t put the web links to the restaurants in the pictures, so click below on the name of the place if you want to learn more about them.

Grandma’s Grotto

Little E’s Pizzeria

Mad Mex

After my first performance I celebrated with Gluten and Dairy Free piece of Chocolate Cake!
My CouchSurfing host in suburban Philadelphia introduced me to Elderflower Liqueur, yum! Tie it in with bonfire, and it was a great way to unwind on a non-performance day.
For Gluten Free Folks, there’s tons of quick “instant” noodles made out of rice or tofu that are ready within minutes. I picked up a few things at the Asian Market in this case.
You can see my write up about the General Warren Inne in an earlier post, but seeing a menu like this makes me happy.
I found this place through Instagram. I posted a picture with the hashtag #glutenfree and within 20 minutes one of the family members of Grandma’s Grotto had reached out to me to tell about who they are and what they do. Their whole family is GF, and the food was amazing.
This their Gluten Free Menu, and they have a dessert case and freezer full of items that are all gluten free (many are also dairy, corn and nut free too).
Grandma’s Grotto made me this special Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake, and it was gluten and dairy free.
As I said earlier, I’ve been able to find bread pretty easily. These french bread loaves were from Grandma’s Grotto, and I was able to use them in rural Pennsylvania where gluten free items were not readily available.
Little E’s Pizzeria was heaven. Great gluten free pizza, beer, and cider, plus they had organic and vegan options as well.
I had this meal at Mad Mex in Pittsburgh (can you believe it was a lunch portion?), and again everything was gluten free and dairy free.
This meal comes from one of my CouchSurfing hosts in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. This Salmon was caught, flash frozen and shipped from Alaska by the host’s brother. We made up a homemade glaze with some items I had in my food stash and voila! With rice, vegetables, and good conversation, it was a great culinary experience.
Okay, this shows that not everyone knows what you’ll find in a small town cafe. This is a Scotcheroo (new to me until two days ago), which is a rice krispy treat made with peanut butter and butterscotch instead of marshmallows. Cover it with chocolate, and you’re done! I found these in NIland’s Cafe in Colo, Iowa (more about them in a future post).

*I was not compensated by any places or companies above to endorse their product(s). Please read all labels and menus before consuming any food to make sure it’s right for you.

Filed Under: Casein Free, Gluten Free, Lincoln Highway, Odds and Ends, Travel-General Tagged With: casein free, dairy free, Eating on the road, Find Me Gluten Free, GFree Connect, gluten free, Grandma's Grotto, Lincoln Highway, Mad Mex, Rural America, Schar, The GFB, travel

Sightseeing in Eastern Ohio with My Lincoln Highway

May 25, 2013 by Cece

I have to admit, while it’s fun to explore these places by myself it’s good to have company with you from time to time. And that’s where Jamie from My Lincoln Highway comes in. She walks and photographs sections of the highway in detail, and I’m happy to say I parked the car and walked with her through some beautiful sections of the highway in Eastern Ohio.

Jamie and I spent a Saturday following the Lincoln from Hanoverton to Massillon Ohio, and then also the following Tuesday going from Massillon to Wooster. Again, I won’t duplicate what Jamie wrote in this post, this other post, as well as anything I wrote about when I visited Canton last year for the 2012 LHA conference (to read that post click here).

Here’s my top 5 highlights of the area in words (you can read more in detail in the photo gallery below):

1) First off, I loved walking around Hanoverton. I’ve never been to colonial Williamsburg, but I can imagine Hanoverton being very similar. The Spread Eagle Tavern is definitely a neat place to walk around itself, every room has its own history. If you are watching your budget while traveling, I recommend going for lunch in lieu of dinner. The food is just as good, and you’ll save a few pennies.

2) The McKinley Memorial is a lovely tribute to our 25th president. He wasn’t discussed much during my history classes growing up, so I learned a lot about his life and presidency. Plus, you can get your exercise in running up and down all those stairs!

3) The Massillon Museum has some great collections in it, plus there’s another Lincoln Highway marker right out of front of it. There will be a Lincoln Highway exhibit coming soon, plus you should go try to find both “Oscar” and “Harvey”. Free admission.

4) Downtown Wooster is slowly being revitalized, and there’s some great shops and antique stores that are fun to browse in. The Wayne County Courthouse is neat architectural find along the route; I’ve not seen a building of its type and condition yet.

5) Last but not least, any roads made out of brick. I know it may seem funny to you, but sometimes we have to look at what’s underneath our feet to appreciate our history. There’s some beautiful old red brick stretches of the highway along the route, and nothing transport you back in time faster than hearing your tires rumble as you drive slowly along the road. There are a few stretches of brick road along this route, and you can find where they are on Lincoln Highway Association’s Map: http://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org/map/ (make sure the “Points of Interest” box is clicked on the right hand side, and zoom in).

FYI – I’m finding it easier as time goes on to upload photo galleries with all of my images below; it not only means those photos will be easier for you to see, but it’s a quicker turnaround (internet access/time permitting) for me to get updates to you as well. Comment away if you think this format is not working for you all, and I’ll adjust.

Beautiful stretch of red brick road just outside of Minvera, Ohio.
This the sign that hangs outside of the Spread Eagle Tavern, waiting to greet you.
When we were in town for lunch, there were also dozens of Mennonites there eating lunch and touring the city on a separate tour.
View of the Chandelier in the Rathskellar of the tavern
Several rooms that we toured all had fireplaces, and each fireplace had its own mosaic of tiles around it. I think this one is my favorite.
Street view of Hanoverton, Ohio
Brick sidewalk in Hanoverton, which has warped and changed over the years due to the tree roots growing under it.
An old building in downtown Canton on the highway.
I was not able to go to the McKinley Memorial when I was in Canton last year, so I had to go this year. It was absolutely stunning. Definitely worth a stop – it’s not that far from the Lincoln Highway at all.
View from the top of the stairs of the Memorial.
Jamie from My Lincoln Highway says “Hi”!
This memorial done by the Lincoln Highway Association in 1949 can be found at the base of the McKinley Memorial.
This 1907-1908 Jewel Automobile in its day would have cost you around $800. This is on display at the Massillon museum which is located right on the highway.
This mural can be found in Massillon right off the highway as well. It depicts the Ohio and Erie Canals.
This stretch of Red Brick is right outside of Wooster, and was originally part of the highway.
I’ve never seen edging of brick like this before, plus it’s interesting to note the two brick patterns.
The beautiful Faber building, which is in downtown Wooster.
The Wayne County Courthouse is also another great example of what you’ll see when you walk in downtown Wooster.

Up next, I’ll be dedicating a post to my performance in the Hayesville Opera house. Have a safe and fun Memorial Day weekend everyone!

Filed Under: Driving, Lincoln Highway, Ohio, Travel-General Tagged With: Brick Road, Massillon, McKinley Memorial, My Lincoln Highway, Ohio, Spread Eagle Tavern, Wooster

Driving the Lincoln in Central Pennsylvania: A review of sights from Malvern to Stoystown

May 9, 2013 by Cece

As I’ve noted before, I’ve not ever been to this part of the country before. With no relatives in Pennsylvania, there’s never been a reason to come out here. My week I spent in this area was wonderful. I felt like I was living in a mix of both Colorado and Ireland again. The mountain lifestyle combined with the stone buildings made it easy for me to feel “at home”.

I stayed at two different places along this part of the highway, including the famous Lincoln Motor Court (more on my stay there in a future post), and The Gettysburg Hotel. But what made the drive so memorable besides the scenery are the unique murals, artwork installations, and memorable shops that make the Lincoln Highway worth the drive [thanks in part to the great effort of the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor (LHHC)]. You feel like you’re discovering a local secret, which has still been untapped after all of these years.

I have hundreds of photos that can’t even come close to encapsulating how awesome and beautiful this part of the road is, but I’ll try. Here’s some of the highlights from this leg of the tour:

The Dutch Haven gift store has been a fixture in Lancaster County has been a fixture on the highway since the 1920’s.
This is part of the original store at the Dutch Haven, which has since expanded into a store that carries around 10,000 items.
This is a close up of a statue of Lincoln in Gettysburg. This statue is accurate in every way, including the detail of Lincoln’s hands.
Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum and Candy Shop is a MUST visit. This place is a lot of fun, and there really is something for everyone here. Free admission.
This is just one excerpt of Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum, which contains over 10,000 elephants of all shapes and sizes.
One panel of a Lincoln Highway Mural. You can find this mural in Chambersburg on the Lincoln Lanes building.
There are several huge Roadside sculptures along the highway, but I think this one is my favorite. You can find this one near Shatzer’s Fruit Market heading West out of Chambersburg.
There’s lots of boom and bust along the Lincoln, and here’s an old probable house/business ruin just outside of St. Thomas, PA.
Another great Lincoln Highway Mural, this one can be found near Bingham’s Orchard.
There are dozens of these decorated gas pumps along the route, and this one of “Vincent Van Gas” can be found at the Lincoln Garage in downtown Schellsburg.
One of the most famous fixtures of the Lincoln Highway was the Ship Hotel, which sat at this mountain overlook on Allegheny Mountain for 69 years before it was destroyed in a fire.
You can see a picture of what the Ship Hotel looked like at this mural not too far away from the site at Route 30 Antiques in Central City.
Also at Route 30 Antiques, this gas pump was dedicated to the Ship Hotel as well.
About 5 miles south of the Lincoln Highway sits the memorial for Flight 93. It’s a solemn but beautiful place, and definitely a must visit. While you are not allowed to walk on the crash site (nor should anyone!), you are welcome to photograph it.
Duppstadt’s Country Store Sign, found in Buckstown/Stoystown
This gas pump can be found at Duppstadt’s Country Store, a fixture on the highway since 1904.
I think this barn mural about the Lincoln speaks for itself.

Up next, I’ll be writing about my stay at the Lincoln Motor Court, which is truly a wonderful step back in time. Until then, happy travels wherever you may go!

 

Filed Under: Driving, Lincoln Highway, Odds and Ends, Pennsylvania, Travel-General Tagged With: Chambersburg, Duppstadt’s, Dutch Haven, Flight 93 Memorial, Gas Pumps, Gettysburg, LHHC, Lincoln, Lincoln Highway, Mister Ed's, Mural, Pennsylvania

Getting ready for the 2012 LHA conference!

June 15, 2012 by Cece

I got back from Mongolia on Monday afternoon, and I’m still a little jet lagged still but all in all doing very well.  It was a fantastic trip, and I look forward to sharing some of the highlights with you all after I’ve sorted through the 1,500 photos, videos and audio recordings I made while I was there.

No rest for the weary though-I hit the ground running when I came back.  I am very honored and pleased to officially say that I will be performing for the opening night dinner of this year’s 2012 Lincoln Highway Conference in Canton, Ohio.  I will be singing a few songs to give everyone a small taste of what people can expect when I take the program on the road in 2013.  I look forward to seeing everyone that I met in Lake Tahoe last year, as well as making new friends at this year’s conference.

If you can’t make it to the opening dinner or conference this year to hear these tracks, do not fear!  I am selling a special advance preview CD with five tracks on it for $5 at the conference (Look for my table in the book room and come and say hi!), and after the conference is over I will have a special link where you can purchase the CD (additional shipping costs will apply).

Like last year, I will be posting photos from the conference as well as giving written updates from the road. We will also try to get video of my performance as well so you all can finally see me sing, so stay tuned for that.

Safe travels to my LHA colleagues, and I look forward to seeing you all next week in Canton!

Filed Under: Travel-General Tagged With: 2012 Conference, 2012 Opening performance, Canton, Lincoln Highway Association, Mongolia, Music, Ohio, Singing

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