Day 11 - Marceline, MO - Part One

"To tell the truth, more things of importance happened to me in Marceline than have happened since - or are likely to in the future" - Walt Disney

(Note: I'm not counting the miles on this part of the trip because my Mom and Jack are not with me. But for those of you keeping track, it is 672 miles from Sikeston to Marceline and back).

5:45 a.m. comes pretty early.

I get up and am out the door by 6:00 a.m.

I need to get something to eat before starting to drive and I need to clean off the windshield before getting on the road.

I stop at a gas station to do both.

While I'm in there, I see Powerball is up to over $140 million. I buy two tickets.

We've already won the Shit Lottery with what is going on with my Mom. Maybe I could get a real win out of this.

By staying overnight in St. Louis, I've shaved a couple of hours off of my drive. But it is still going to be three and a half hours before I roll into Marceline.

I've spent part of this journey reading the Bob Thomas biography of Walt Disney.

I'm ready to see where he grew up

I struggle with driving the Jeep appropriately. It is REALLY easy to find yourself at 85 to 90 mph.

The drive to Marceline is pretty. Almost too pretty.

Because I miss where I was supposed to turn off.

I quickly recalculate and realize that there is another way to get there.

I start seeing the signs posted to let me know I'm getting closer and closer to Marceline.

I come up on it quicker than I expect.

It's 9:30 in the morning.

And I'm on Main Street, Marceline.

Actually, it is Kansas Avenue.

And it doesn't QUITE look like the way I might have pictured it.

But that's because this isn't a turn of the 20th Century town anymore.

Things have been replaced or worn down.

Shopfronts are closed.

But there IS life here.

And you can see that they have embraced Walt Disney as their favorite son.

I follow the signs to the Walt Disney Hometown Museum.

They don't open for another 20 minutes now but I see one of the volunteers putting out their "OPEN" flag.

I decide to take a peek at their Main Street. I get pictures of their Emporium and of the building that Coke Corner was based on.

I get a really nice shot of the Uptown theater marquee too.

There is nobody on the street.

I have it all to myself.

I head over to Ripley Park. There's a gazebo there that has offered concerts since 1888. There is also a steam locomotive that has DISNEYLAND RAILROAD painted on the side.

I'm snapping away with pictures and I realize that the museum is about to open.

I see a tour bus pull to the museum.

I've got to get in before them.

I start taking pictures outside the museum when I see something that is a bit of a bummer.

No photography allowed inside.

I take my iPad back to my car and then I head inside.

The Museum is staffed by volunteers that can be identified by their run vests and Walt Disney Hometown

One of them greets me at the front desk and invites me to register in a notebook to the right of her.

There is a five dollar fee to get in but I don't remember paying.

A family of four is ahead of me getting a tour with one of the volunteers and the one at the desk invites me to join them.

The tour begins with Walt's years in Marceline. They have class pictures and the actual desk from the school that he attended.

The volunteer is basically recounting stories that I just read about in the Bob Thomas biography.

But she is charming and I enjoy listening to her.

We don't stay too long with her because she is going to lead the tour group through the museum.

She invites us to explore on our own and at this point, I pretty much have the museum to myself.

My first reaction was that the displays have opportunities to look nicer.

Like the museums back home.

But I quickly change my mind.

This is about Marceline and the people of Mareline have poured their hearts into these displays.

They are completely charming.

I spend about an hour just trying to soak everything in.

I need to get back to Sikeston and it is going to take me six and a half hours to do that.

I make my way to the exit.

One of the volunteers stops me and asks about my experience.

I tell her that it was amazing and that I just wished I had more time to explore.

I also tell her that I'm from Disneyland in California and that it is a thrill to be here.

She tells me that I need to meet Kaye.

Kaye is the President of the Walt Disney Hometown Museum. You see pictures of her with Walt Disney on display inside.

The volunteer takes me over to Kaye and introduces me.

Kaye is busy with the tour group that is about to come in. I can see her wanting to chat with me but also wanting to meet her obligations to the tour group.

It is just nice to meet her.

"John, if you'd like to, meet me at the Uptown Theater at 11:20. After I've finished with this tour group, I'd love to chat with you."

I thanked her for time and told her I'd see her there.

I wondered what we were going to talk about.