Industrial Parks, Buses, and Rain

10:30 at Benetti's Coffee Experience . I heard from about 10 people that they were going to show up . . . well nobody did. Lots of reasons why I guess. It's been raining for as long as I can remember, so that really puts a premium on the weekend. So in this case it was bad that I had good weather. Also I didn't post a milage. I couldn't. I remember when we would have all day rides. We would take off at 9am sometime and ride till who knows when. We might even go till late at night. In this case I started at 10:30am, and finished around 6:00pm. Who is in for 7-1/2 hours. I suspect most people consider that a workday.

After taking 165 picture, I had to narrow it down to the most interesting. So here you go.
-

Since it is just me. What's a tour of the industrial parks without riding through all the industrial parks. I'll start where I am, in Raytown. When you enter the industrial park, you have to pass by this historic wooden bridge. You can read more about it on the Bridge Hunter Page.
-

This is basically what you will see. I think if you showed this picture to most people in Raytown, they would be hard pressed to identify it.
-

Welcome to Bannister Mall. I remember when they built Bannister Mall Brand Spank'n New. Now it's . . it's . . . Flat.
-

Dodson was Dodson. I rolled around the park, then I went up Hickman Mills towards Swope Industrial. On top the hill is 4 acres Hotel. I love the design and architecture. It could really used a coat of paint, but then I doubt many would see it anyway.
-

The original Smokestack. Mmmmmm I remember eating here many times. It was everything you would want in a BBQ dining experience.
-

Swope Industrial park. There was a lot of action going on, people going in and out, big trucks and a couple trains.
-

-
Then in about 0 seconds the temperature dropped about 15 degrees. It was just a wall of cool.

I said Train, not rain.

Just because it's dark, doesn't mean it's going to rain.
-

The plan was to ride via Elmwood to Blue Valley industrial park. On Elmwood I had to pass Swope Park's Frisble Golf course. Looks like a big tournament was going on. This is the Discraft van. Inside are some guys pointing at a laptop, I suspect they are viewing radar or something.
-

Then it started to pour. I made it to the zoo just in time.
-

Sitting there thinking about it all I notice a bus. Where's the bus going, Don't know. I guess if it's going to sandstone . . . verizone or whatever they are calling it these days. . . then I'll be riding back from sand . . . errrrr Verizone theater.

-

I got off the Bus at 31st & Linwood. Since I was hungry, and had planned to eat a Grinders, why change? What's better than hot pizza on a cold rainy day?
-

More frisbies! . . . Coincidence?...On Holmes, and couple store fronts down from Grinders is now a fisbie golf store.

Frisbies Galore.
-

3 slices of this hit the spot.

Around the corner is Christopher Elbow Chocolates, but next door is Tomboy Design. They make custom made clothing.

The people at TomBoy makes custom clothing. They have some really nice looking things. If your going downtown, this should be a destination. This place really captures to essence of freedom of expression, or freedom in general. I think everybody would like to be able to make a living selling creations from their imaginations.
-
I will even go one further, and suggest that more people could do this, if more people would become more self reliant. It seems to me there are a lot of people out there that instead following their passions, and living life to the fullest, they trade that away for security. They are told they need a job with good insurance, benefits, or whatever. They become unsatisfied with life. They put themselves in a jail, with see through bars, and they don't even recognize it. Some of us compromise, we have a job, then we have a hobby. So we end up living two lives. The people in TomBoy are living life to the fullest, and I think you can sense that.

I saw some material that I liked, and I asked how much for a shirt. A shirt would run me about $200. I'm not sure how long it takes to create a shirt. Someone has to take the time to measure you, then cut it out, then stitch it together, cost of materials, and a quality job done. not to mentional rent, and cost of utilities. As they say, something is only worth what someone is willing to pay. So who's willing to pay? Well if I ordered a shirt that day. I might get it in 6 to 8 weeks. Sounds like business is good.
-

Next is Christopher Elbow chocolate. Here's a local that has gained national recognition. using chocolate as his media of all things. I mean how many people are making chocolate? Unlike a lot of people I went for the fruit chews. They are pretty good.
-

Well back to the road, and over the river.
-

This is the 12 street viaduct. Viaduct?, what's a viaduct? A viaduct is a bridge made from small spans.
-

Here is an example of a lot of the buildings in the west bottoms.

-

At the top of the viaduct you can this this lookout point
-
and this is what you will see from the lookout.

Of all the districts, the Central or West Bottoms is the best ride. With it's old building architectures, trains, and bridges/viaducts. So ride it while you still can. I saw a lot of destruction and construction going on.

Song: B-52s - Follow your bliss