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Adventure in the Daddy Zone – Red Rock Canyon in Nevada

by Mark Eades

The vista at Red Rock Canyon in Nevada. Photo by Mark Eades.

Another place Dad and I visited while in Las Vegas is right outside of town on the west side – Red Rock Canyon. It was one of the other places we visited while there including the Pioneer Saloon, the Seven Magic Mountains, and the Ethel M Chocolate Factory and its Botanical Cactus Garden.

The desert tortoise in an area set aside for them at the Red Rock Canyon visitor center. Photo by Mark Eades.

It’s a very pretty place, and what’s neat is they have an area devoted to desert tortoises.

Anyone seen the hare? Photo by Mark Eades.

I’m not sure if this tortoise is smiling at me or what.

A geodesic dome home near Red Rock Canyon in Nevada. Photo by Mark Eades.

Near Red Rock Canyon are a couple interesting residences.

Now this is cool. Photo by Mark Eades.

I would have loved this house as a kid.

That’s quite a cliff to climb. Photo by Mark Eades.

Some visitors to Red Rock Canyon come to climb the rocks.

Rock climbing anyone? Photo by Mark Eades.

Some folks make it to the top!

Some beautiful scenery. Photo by Mark Eades.

It’s very pretty around here.

My what red rocks you are. Photo by Mark Eades.

I wonder if anyone is home in there? I don’t think I’ll try to find out. Photo by Mark Eades.

More beautiful scenery. Photo by Mark Eades.

It’s an eerie, yet beautiful part of the Nevada desert. Photo by Mark Eades.

Joshua Tree! Photo by Mark Eades.

Some blooms in the desert of Red Rock Canyon. Photo by Mark Eades.

We found a little friend in Red Rock Canyon. Photo by Mark Eades.

Time to say good-bye to Red Rock Canyon and this Adventure in the Daddy Zone. Photo by Mark Eades.

Well that’s the last of this Adventure in the Daddy Zone. Traveling with Dad is always fun. He enjoys getting out and seeing different things. Till the next time.

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Adventure in the Daddy Zone – Chocolate and Cactus

by Mark Eades

When Dad and I visited Las Vegas, I told him we were going to go check out some of the other things around the town. We had all ready visited the Pioneer Saloon and the Seven Magic Mountains. Now it was time to visit the Ethel M Chocolate factory and its Botanical Cactus Garden.

This is where they make the chocolates at the Ethel M Chocolate Factory in Las Vegas. Photo by Mark Eades.

Here’s my dad on the self-guided tour of the chocolate factory. Those folks behind him are working on some chocolate candies.

The chocolate wall behind my dad represents what you might get in an actual box of Ethel M Chocolates – though a lot smaller.

Ethel M is known for its high end chocolates that include some with liquor in them. Anyone want to buy me a box or two?

Dad in the Ethel M Botanical Cactus Garden. Worth the trip, especially in the spring! Photo by Mark Eades.

After visiting the chocolate factory, and not purchasing any chocolates because, well, they are a bit out of our price range, we went out to visit the Botanical Cactus Garden. (Though I was sorely tempted to get some of the chocolates with whiskey in them.)

Many of the cactus were in bloom!

Spring time is a great time to visit a cactus garden as many of the cactus were in bloom!

Colorful!

There were many colors of the rainbow in the cactus garden.

An explosion of yellow!

Yucca, yucca, yucca.

This looks like a barrel of fun.

Steer clear of these cholla cactus. Their thorns have barbs and are a challenge to remove.

Of course, no visit to a cactus garden would not be complete without a stop to see our old friend the cholla cactus. Dad and I both got stuck by one of these once. It was all Dad’s fault.

More color in the cactus garden.

Things could get a little prickly in there.

But the prickly cacti also bloom.

Lots of color around the prickly ones.

Even more yellow buds.

Lots of color everywhere.

The stately Saguaro.

Of course, we had to have a little fun too. Dad would not venture into the Cholla Cactus for a photo. But we found a place where he could hang his hat…

The Pop Pop Cactus!

Hope you enjoyed this Adventure in the Daddy Zone!

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An Adventure in the Daddy Zone – The Seven Magic Mountains

by Mark Eades

Have you ever seen those seven pillars of colorful rocks while driving to Las Vegas, Nevada? They’re actually art, and the name of the display is “The Seven Magic Mountains.”

My Dad, Jim Eades, with one of the piles of rocks that make up The Seven Magic Mountains growing out of his head. Photo by Mark Eades.

On a recent trip to the city of Lost Wages with my Dad, we decided to go visit them. Now it’s a bit tricky because if you miss the off-ramp while going north, it’s a long way to the next off-ramp and you have to backtrack. If you’re going north on I-15, exit at the town of Jean. Turn right, then left where it dead ends at the entrance to the nearby women’s prison. Believe it or not, this road becomes Las Vegas Boulevard.

The art was created by Ugo Rondinone, and went on display May 11, 2016. They were only supposed to be there for two years but due to the popularity, they remain for people to gawk at, take photos and appreciate.

The Seven Magic Mountains with my dad, Jim Eades, also known as “Pop Pop” to his grand kids. How those rocks stay stacked, we do not know. Photo by Mark Eades.

So Dad and I decided we wanted to see the art up close, we went there after our visit to the Pioneer Saloon, which you get to from the same off-ramp in Jean, only turn left for about six miles. More about our visit to that saloon in this post.

Some showgirls were strutting around one of piles of colorful rocks that are part of The Seven Magic Mountains for a photo shoot. Photo by Mark Eades.

Lots of people visit the rocks, and the day we were there four showgirls were there for a professional photo shoot. Based on their glares, we decided to not get too close to the ladies.

So next time you drive to Las Vegas, get off the highway at Jean. You could also be tempted to visit the casino near there too. It’s now owned by Terrible’s – you know of Terrible Herbst.

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An Adventure in the Daddy Zone – On the road to Vegas

by Mark Eades

Well it’s time for another road trip with my Dad.

This time we went to Las Vegas, but I decided we needed to check out a few things on the way, just south of the city of “Lost Wages.”

The entrance to the Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings, Nevada.

First stop? Well we got off of Interstate 15 at the town of Jean, made a left and went to the town of Goodsprings.

That’s where we found the Pioneer Saloon, founded originally way back in the 1913.

Definitely our kind of place.

Yep, those are all private barrels of whiskey on the patio of the Pioneer Saloon.

Stay healthy!

They take their spitting seriously.

You know you’re in a western place, judging by the number of bullet holes in that sign.

Time for some vittles?

This dining establishment is right next to the Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings, Nevada.

This house in Goodsprings, Nevada, near the Pioneer Saloon is what I would call a “fixer-upper.”

Dad and friend.

My dad found a good ol’ western pardner at the Pioneer Saloon.

Well that was our visit to the Pioneer Saloon, time to move on to our next stop!

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Adventure in the Daddy Zone – The drive back to California via Route 66 adjacent

by Mark Eades

For the trip home, we had three and a half days to get from Indiana to Southern California. There was not other way to do it: Get to St. Louis then hook up with the interstate highways that basically follow the path of Route 66, and go the maximum speed limit.

We always stayed in motels (I highly recommend the Holiday Inn Express!) that have a breakfast buffet so you can grab and go in the morning. We did that at all the inns we stayed at during the entire trip.

We left Indiana late Sunday afternoon, and got west of St. Louis and it was time to pull off the road to our first night at, yes, a Holiday Inn Express to bed down.

But, we found plenty of fast food places along the way including McDonald’s. Laugh all you want, but the Big Mac, fries and a Coca Cola were a staple on our drive many times. At this one, in southwest Missouri, they had a very unique mailbox out front. McMail anyone?

You’ve got McMail.

From Missouri, unless you want to take a long time, you pretty much have to take two of Oklahoma’s turnpikes: The Will Rogers Turnpike then the Turner Turnpike. Between the two of them the cost was a total of nearly $10.

This is a restaurant that crosses over the Will Rogers Turnpike. Don’t worry, you can get to it from the turnpike without having to pay an additional toll. We didn’t stop. We could go 75mph legally on the turnpike and I didn’t want to take my foot off the gas.

On the Will Rogers Turnpike.

From Oklahoma we kept motoring as I had one thing on my mind: A steak dinner at The Big Texan in Amarillo.

Steak!

This is the fourth time I’ve stopped and had a meal there – always dinner, never breakfast. I know how to time my cross-country drives!

I’ll take mine medium please.

As you might know, The Big Texan has been around for a long time. Part tourist trap, yet part restaurant. The place is a hoot.

Decor in the Big Texan is, well, touristy.

If you look around the walls in the restaurant you definitely know you’re in Texas, and not Kansas anymore.

Kind of reminds me of the Country Bear Jamboree at Disney.

This place is about one thing, beef.

Some longhorn long horns.

But The Big Texan is famous for something else, the possibility of getting a big meal for free!

Yep, 4.5 pounds of meat. It could cost you nothing if….

A free 72 ounce steak cooked to perfection? Wow, there’s got to be a catch.

He wishes he was young enough to try eating it.

Take a look at the size of that piece of beef.

Big beef, 72 ounces. It’s almost 2 inches thick.

The rules are that once you start eating it, with all the sides that come with it, you have 60 minutes and have to eat everything all gone – or it’s gonna cost you. More than $100!

And if you try, they put you on a raised platform where everyone in the restaurant can watch you eat.

Eating on stage. Check out the 60-minute timers.

You’ll want plenty of liquid to wash it down with.

Big beer at the Big Texan.

And if you finish, they weigh you and put your name and weight on the list of those who did it. Yes, your name, city and age too.

Big eaters get their name on the wall.

Dad can’t really eat steak any more, so he had some soup and some macaroni and cheese. I had a Rib-eye with a baked sweet potato and macaroni and cheese, along with some rolls. I washed it down with a glass of red wine.

In the evenings, there are people playing music roaming the restaurant floor. They’ll play a tune for you for tips.

Country and Western all the way inside The Big Texan.

Because of the season, they had definitely decked the halls with decorations.

Merry Christmas at The Big Texan.

Oh and if you’re staying in town at one of the motels, they’ll even come and get you and return you to the motel in one of these.

Okay, we got back on the road the next morning, and got to Flagstaff where we spent the night, then it was time for the final push to California and home. Interstate 40 in California is a very boring, long drive as the speed limit is more like 65mph or 70mph.

But when we got to Barstow, we need to stop and eat, and you know what that’s all about…In-N-Out.

You know you’re back in California when you find one of these near the interstate. Or can I call them freeways again?

Then it was time to get home, and we did in short order arriving at my sister’s house in Santa Ana where Dad resides at approximately 2 p.m. Wednesday afternoon the day before Thanksgiving.

Home again, safe and sound.

We set out on this trip on October 29th, and got home on November 21st. The odometer on my car at the start read: 52,532. At the end it read: 59,696. That means the car traveled a total of 7,164 miles during that time.

Now that includes me driving from Madison, Indiana to Orlando, Florida and back so I could go to IAAPA, the theme park convention, and that was 1,904 of those miles – and without Dad. That was a five-day detour on my part.

But still, a lot of travel and a lot of things and a lot of fun time together.

Counting the states I went through to get to the convention, here are all the states traveled: California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida.

Would I do it again? Absolutely. Who wouldn’t want to go on a long, easy going (for the most part) trip with their parent or parents? You find out all kinds of stuff you might not have known about them when it’s just you and them in the car.

For now, it’s onto the next Adventure in the Daddy Zone!

Below here are links to all the previous posts about this adventure, in reverse order.

Click here to read about Columbus, Indiana.

A tour of Madison, Indiana – Dad’s hometown.

The Indiana Eades Thanksgiving Feast.

Arriving at Madison after I went to Orlando.

Attending my niece’s wedding in St. Louis with my Dad.

Spending some time in St. Louis with my Dad, including a visit to a bridge bearing a similar name to his.

Day 11, all about trains in St. Louis.

Day 10, from Kansas City to Marceline to Hannibal Missouri.

Day 9, we visit a cousin in Kansas City, and see Harry Truman’s place.

Day 8, from Dodge City to Eisenhower’s home to a Kansas City cousin and great barbecue.

Day 7, from Las Vegas, New Mexico to Dodge City.

Part 2 of Day 6, from Chama, New Mexico to the Rio Grande gorge.

Part 1 of Day 6, from Utah to the Continental Divide.

Day 5, driving through eastern Utah.

Day 4, and evening at Evermore Park in Utah.

Day 3, going from Las Vegas to Utah.

Day 2, Las Vegas with a side trip to Hoover Dam.

Day 1, The adventure starts with a visit to Eddie World and getting to Las Vegas.

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Adventure in the Daddy Zone – Visiting Columbus and Bloomington Indiana

by Mark Eades

After touring Madison, Dad and I went up to Columbus, Indiana to have lunch with Aunt Judy and Uncle Larry, and see Mom’s childhood home and where she and Dad got married.

So here goes our visit to my mother’s hometown of Columbus, Indiana – with a short trip to Bloomington and the campus of Indiana University, where Mom and Dad met.

Downtown Columbus, Indiana, complete with county courthouse, a few shops and restaurants and more.

I remember that as a kid, we would go downtown in Columbus, Indiana to go shopping from time to time – particularly when I needed a new pair of shoes.

The courthouse in Columbus, Indiana. Kind of reminds one of City Hall and more at Disneyland, doesn’t it?

This kinetic sculpture is called “Chaos” and was made from junk out of a local junkyard. It sits in what is called the “Commons” in Columbus, Indiana.

The sidewalks of downtown Columbus, Indiana. We are on our way to one of the most important landmarks in the town.

This is, as far as I and many others are concerned, the most important location in Columbus, Indiana. It is called “Zaharako’s.” That was the last name of the brothers who founded it decades ago. We have always just called it “The Greeks.” Great ice cream sundaes, lunches and shakes and more!

Walt Disney actually tried to purchase the parlor for the big apparatus behind the counter where they kept all the sundae and soda flavors for Disneyland. He was planning to put it into Carnation Main Street. But the Zaharako brothers would not sell.

Zaharako’s in Columbus, Indiana. Still the best ice cream parlor in the world!

The main dining area of Zaharako’s has mirrors on both walls, making the restaurant look like it goes on forever.

This player organ is the original, and it was refurbished a few years ago and still works! It is in the back of the main dining area where it has always been at Zaharako’s.

My mother’s only sibling, my Aunt Judy and former babysitter, met Dad and I for lunch this day, and hot fudge sundaes of course, at Zaharako’s.

Yes, when I was a kid I sat many times at this table with my hot fudge sundae at Zaharako’s. The table and chairs are still in their original location in the dining area.

These two houses are important in my childhood. The one on the right belonged to my mother’s mom and dad. The one on the left belonged to the Landers, who were my great Aunts and Uncles.

The Lander home used to have green siding on it, and a hedge in front by the sidewalk. Alas, no more. But it has a front porch and I sat in a swing hanging by hooks on it many a time.

My grandmother’s house (we called her Nanny.) I don’t remember my grandfather on my mother’s side, he died when I was barely three. Notice it too has a wonderful front porch, and swing.

Just a few blocks from my grandmother’s house in Columbus, Indiana, sits the original St. Bartholomew’s Catholic Church in the town. It has moved to a new building on the outskirts of town. But the grand old structure still sits there. The interior was spectacular back in the day.

The stained glass windows are original in the old St. Bartholomew’s cathedral in Columbus, Indiana.

My Dad stands on the steps of the original St. Bartholomew’s cathedral in Columbus, Indiana. He and Mom were married in that church in 1954. Hmmm, same year I was born.

This is one of the buildings on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. My Dad went to college there, and eventually got a Bachelor’s in business. He met Mom there, and they were quite the passionate couple as it turns out.

This tree-lined lane on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana is important in the history of me, Mark Eades. Yes, it was here my creation took place in a parked Plymouth at night under one of those trees in late December of 1953, and my parents were married in February 1954, I was born in August 1954. You do the math.

Well this was our last time in Indiana on this visit. We left from here to start our drive back to California.

Click here to read about the tour of Madison, Indiana, my Dad’s hometown.

 

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Adventure in the Daddy Zone – Touring Madison, Indiana Dad’s hometown

by Mark Eades

Before leaving for California, Dad and I toured around Madison, Indiana to take in the sights and see some places prominent in Dad’s childhood.

The fountain in Madison, Indiana. It is normally off in the winter time.

The main drive through downtown Madison, Indiana.

This bank in downtown Madison, Indiana was robbed when my Dad was but a lad. Not sure it’s a bank now.

A bunch of crows decided to hold a conference atop one of the buildings in downtown Madison, Indiana.

A unit of barges is pushed upriver on the Ohio River shorefront of Madison, Indiana as my Dad watches in the morning light.

A view of the bridge that crosses the Ohio River from Madison, Indiana to Kentucky. It is Federal Highway 421. A really interesting drive.

An interesting structure, raised up because this is part of the area that floods regularly when the Ohio River is really full.

Some kind of flood monitoring station along the shore of the Ohio River in Madison, Indiana.

A view of the bridge over the Ohio River from Madison, Indiana into Kentucky from the eastern or upriver side. FYI, the river was high this day, but not in any kind of flood stage. I’ve seen it much higher and much lower.

A view of the bridge over the Ohio River from the nearby hills of Kentucky.

Dad looks out at the Ohio River and Madison, Indiana from the hills of Kentucky.

A picture perfect view of Madison, Indiana and the Ohio River while another set of barges is pushed upriver.

Crossing the bridge over the Ohio River from Kentucky, back to Madison, Indiana.

Dad points down to the area where he and his friends used to make a swimming hole in the creek. That creek is coming out of a tunnel from underneath the old Madison Railroad Incline Cut. at 5.89 percent, it was the steepest line-haul standard gauge railroad track in North America. It was last used in 1992.

What is significant here? Well it used to be a sand quarry and as a young boy, Dad and friends decided to dig a cave in it. Well the cave collapsed with Dad in it at the age of 7. A large rock was on top of him and it took hours to dig him out. He has a scar on his head to this day from his accident. That scar is the result of more than 30 stitches.

This is the Madison Incline. It was the steepest line-haul, standard gauge railroad track in North America. Opened in 1841, the incline has been in existence for nearly 180 years. At 5.89%, this incredible feat of engineering proved to be a challenge for its operators and was last used in 1992. Today, the incline has become a popular hiking trail and can be accessed from dawn until dusk.

A view looking down at the bottom of the Madison Railroad Incline.

One of the buildings of nearby Hanover College in nearby Hanover, Indiana. It is a beautiful campus.

A view in the early morning downriver of the Ohio River from the campus of Hanover College.

A view of the Ohio River from Hanover College. Below this point is where Dad used to horse around a bit in his younger days.

Hanging Rock Falls on Indiana State Road 7, not too far from the Eades Antique Shop (which is on route 7 too) in Madison, Indiana. People used to be able to park their car underneath the falls and wash them. Not any more. Too many rocks come down.

My car inside a covered bridge over a stream in nearby Scipio, Indiana.

This picturesque covered bridge, which you can still drive through, is over a stream in Scipio, Indiana. Up the road on state route 7 from Madison, Indiana. There is a modern bridge on the other side of the covered bridge now used by most traffic needing to cross the stream.

I end this post with this quote seen next to a grave marker in a cemetery on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River, where I took scenic pictures of Madison, Indiana. It seems somehow fitting for this journey with my Dad.

A terrific quote.

Click here to read about the Eades Thanksgiving Feast.

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Adventure in the Daddy Zone – The Eades Thanksgiving Feast

by Mark Eades

Well I went down to Orlando and then back to Madison, Indiana so that I could be a part of the annual Eades Thanksgiving Feast that takes place every year in the old Eades Antique Shop building.

The Eades Antique Shop building, site of the annual Eades Thanksgiving Feast.

My cousin Carla and her husband Joe own the building and host the feast every year.

Part of the spread for the annual Eades Thanksgiving Feast in Madison, Indiana.

It usually takes place on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but because I, my Dad and my sister Cindy were in town, they decided to hold it the Saturday before Thanksgiving – giving us a chance to see and chat with the larger Eades family in one place on one day.

Part of the crowd of 51 people chowing down at the Eades Thanksgiving Feast.

On the menu was turkey, ham, pulled pork, mashed potatoes, gravy, several different yam dishes, salads, green beans, corn, fruit salads, iced tea and other non-alcoholic beverages and more.

Joe Krebs, one of our hosts, gets his plate ready to chow down at the Eades Thanksgiving Feast.

I won’t remember all the names, but they were all related somehow.

The crowd at the Eades Thanksgiving Feast.

Let me in Dad!

I’m admitted to the Eades Thanksgiving Feast.

My Uncle Phil’s kids, along with his wife Judy (behind him. The kids are (l-r) Janeen, Beth, Scott and Carla.

My sister Cindy with my Dad, Aunt and Uncles.

That’s me with my Aunt and Uncles and my Dad.

My Dad’s other brother, Uncle Keith!

My second cousin Marvin Eades, also one with a camera!

My Dad and his sister, my Aunt Jackie!

Some folks raided the dessert table.

The guy with the bib is my Uncle Phil, one of my Dad’s brothers.

My sister Cindy visiting some relatives at one of the tables.

The norm is to take all the food you want, but always clean your plate – especially if your an Eades.

My distant cousin Mark Taylor having some fun.

My Dad visiting with some relatives.

So great to be back in the old Eades Antique Shop. The floors still creak just like they used to do.

That’s my cousin Carla on the left, next to her is her sister and another cousin Janeen. And many more.

More of the Eades clan.

Dad decides to get hip with his hat.

More of the Eades relatives.

The three Marks at the Eades Thanksgiving Feast.

Aunt Jackie looking sweet.

Aunt Jackie mugging for the camera.

There were games too. Yes, that’s an old working pinball machine. I played it a bit too.

Me and Mark Taylor. By the way, it turns out we both have the same middle name.

Cindy having a laugh with some other members of the Eades family.

Visiting with a relative.

Cindy and I, that’s Judy, Phil’s wife Cindy is hugging. Seated are (l-r) Phil, Keith, Jim and Jackie Eades. All siblings.

Uncle Keith has a laugh at the expense of my Dad and his new “look.”

Two of my nieces Danielle (left) and Candice the newlywed with the Eades’ siblings.

Finally, a photo of all who were there – I think. Taken on the stairs of the old Eades Antique Shop. There really were 51 people there, but not sure if all are in this photo.

The big crowd at the Eades Thanksgiving Feast.

Many thanks to Marvin C. Eades, who supplied some of these photos, and Linda Daubenspeck who also supplied a few – along with the ones I took.

It was a wonderful occasion and great to see them all there.

Here is a link to the previous post about getting to Madison.

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An Adventure in the Daddy Zone – Return to Madison

by Mark Eades

Well we made it to Madison, Indiana. Birthplace of yours truly, and of my father. This was our stopping point for this part of the trip. I was going to drop dad off to visit with his siblings while I went on to the IAAPA convention (theme parks) in Orlando. But I would be back by the end of the week.

Now when you get to Madison, before going anywhere else, you must stop at the most important place there to eat: Hinkle’s. The place was established the year Dad was born. Great sliders, shakes and much more. There is a sit-down service side to the diner – but those in the know, or who have been around awhile, know to sit on the side with the counter service.

Hinkle’s – a place to eat great sliders, hash browns, milk shakes and more. It’s a diner.

Next stop, the old homestead – or house, or at one time a saloon and a grocery store.

The old Eades house in Madison.

This is the house I remember where my grandfather and grandmother lived. My Dad and his siblings grew up in this place. It was, at various times, a saloon and grocery store and has been around since at least the mid-1800s as far as we know. The white portion was “the porch” but also served as a family room. The bedrooms were upstairs. The bottom portion of the blue section was where my grandpa originally sold antiques, but I remember it as an area he stored a bunch of antiques.


Though we entered the “house” from the porch, it actually had doors to the south, and that’s where the mail was delivered. Those doors are actually blocked off now. The “house” is in the process of being converted into two apartments – but the place needs a bit of work.

We got a chance to tour the place, thanks to a realtor friend as the place is for sale.

The old saloon and grocery store section.

Inside the old saloon and grocery store section of the first floor was still a mess as the contractors were not done yet.

The cellar of the old house.

We decided to visit the cellar of the old house. And it is a cellar, complete with dirt floor. Very dark and dank. I don’t think this will get fixed up. But it sure needs work.

Birthplace

Why is my Dad standing in front of this small house (with a new front porch)? Because this is the house he was born in, on the kitchen table he says. It is just a few doors down from the house I remember and played in many a time.

Eades Antique Shop

This held Eades Antique Shop for many, many years. My grandfather, his siblings, and some help from my Dad, built the place. Two stories plus a basement. After Grandpa died, it was was turned into a place to restore classic cars and also a photography studio. Finally, my cousin Carla bought it. On the second floor there are two bedrooms and a full bathroom. The first floor has a living space, and a floor to hold big get togethers, including a big Thanksgiving feast. The basement is cool too.

My dad and his siblings.

One of the big reasons to take Dad to Madison was to give him a chance to visit with his siblings. They are (left to right) Phil, Keith, Dad and Jackie. They had another brother, Leonard Junior, but he died before I was born. He was the oldest, Dad is number two, Phil is third, Jackie fourth and Keith the youngest.

More later on the visit to Madison in another installment. I went on to IAAPA from here.

Click here to read the story about going to my niece’s wedding.

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An Adventure in the Daddy Zone – My Dad and the wedding

by Mark Eades

Well we made it to St. Louis, and Dad and I were going to the wedding. On top of that, Dad had to be at the rehearsal so he could practice walking down the aisle.

The groom, Jake Exely, myself and the bride, my niece, Candice J. Cherry-Exely

So while at the dinner, he and the bride (Candice Cherry at the time), his granddaughter and my niece, had a happy moment together.

My Dad, Jim Eades, and his granddaughter (my niece) Candice J. Cherry. (This was before she was married.)

Dad met the groom at the rehearsal and gave him the grandfather seal of approval. There is absolutely no proof that a shotgun was in the area at that time. (Tee hee hee).

Jake Exely, the groom, and my dad at the wedding rehearsal.

The wedding day started out a bit chili, as evidenced by the frozen ice on top of my car.

It was a bit icy, as evidenced by the top of my car that morning.

Then it was time for the wedding, so here are a bunch of photos from the wedding, mainly of the walking down the aisle.

Dad walks his carefully rehearsed walk down the aisle at the wedding ceremony.

A.J. Cherry, the bride’s oldest sister, walks down the aisle.

B.J. Cherry, the next sister of the bride walks down the aisle.

Danielle Cherry, the youngest sister of the bride, walks down the aisle.

The bride, Candice Cherry, soon to be Candice J. Cherry-Exely, walks down the aisle. She’s absolutely glowing. Oh, and that’s her dad Clif (with one f) walking her down the aisle.

Okay a post wedding photo…

The bride and groom with her sisters and mother.

The reception was held that evening. Many members of the family came from Indiana to see the occasion, and joined the party, including my Aunt Judy Eades, who is married to my Dad’s brother Phil.

Judy Eades, sister-in-law of my Dad, with him at the reception afterwards.

That’s about all the photos I have of the Wedding of Candice Cherry to Jake Exely, but it’s enough to show one of the reasons I went on this Adventurous trip with my Dad. After that day, we went on to Madison, Indiana.

Here is a link to the previous post, the day with Dad in St. Louis.

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