Follow me around the world
Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller Expedition Date: September 20, 2019
This National Monument in northeastern New Mexico is an extinct cinder cone volcano rising 2,494 feet high and part of a 8,000 square mile volcanic field. As we were many miles away, the cone rises majestically in the distance. You can see four different states from the one mile rim trail and great for stargazing.
Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller Expedition Date: September 19, 2019
Every time we pass through Amarillo, Texas, Rosie & I have to stop at one of our favorite Route 66 Roadside Attractions, Cadillac Ranch. Ten Cadillacs ranging from 1949 to 1963 models are buried nose down supposedly at the same angle as the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. Cadillac Ranch is a piece of public art created in 1974. The Cadillacs are colorfully adorned with spray paint and graffiti. Some workers had their torches out and were welding one of the cars, apparently showing wear after 45 years. Along route 66 we saw Texas longhorns beside the interstate.
Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller Expedition Date: September 18, 2019
An expedition to Uranus. Sounds crappy, huh? Sorry, but we had to stop here. One of the most famous Roadside Attractions on Route 66 was Uranus, Missouri. We visited the Uranus Fudge Factory & General Store, interviewed a store employee for our Moraine TV show and met the Mayor of Uranus, Louie Keen. Uranus also had escape rooms, ice cream shop, sideshow museum, the world’s largest belt buckle, Fort Uranus archery & shooting range, Dental & Proctology Clinic & will build a wedding chapel in 2020. Yes, you can get married in Uranus. We laughed the entire time we were there. We left & while traveling through Oklahoma on the Will Rogers Turnpike, we passed under the world’s largest McDonalds which was built over all four lanes of the road. We drove 450 miles & camped at the El Reno, Oklahoma KOA campground on Route 66 that evening and awoke to a beautiful sunrise.
Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller Expedition Date: September 18, 2019
Another iconic Roadside Attraction on famous Route 66. Near St. James, Missouri, we visited the world’s second largest rocking chair (at one time the world’s largest) which was 21 feet long, 42 feet tall and weighed 27,500 pounds. It was erected on April Fool’s Day in 2008.
Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller Expedition Date: September 18, 2019
We drove on and off famous Route 66 road in several states. At Cuba, we visited Roadside Attraction icons such as Missouri Hick BBQ which had fantastic sandwiches, Wagon Wheel Motel (the oldest continuously operated motel on Route 66 since 1938), the world’s largest shoes (size 38) once worn by Robert Wadlow, the worlds tallest man who was 8 ft. 21/4 inches tall and weighed 390 pounds. Cuba was called the mural city and we saw beautiful paintings on buildings ranging from Amelia Earhart to civil war murals. We got some sweets at a great Amish Bakery before leaving town.
Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller Expedition Date: September 17, 2019
This was a fun outdoor Roadside Attraction. Rosie & I enjoyed the zip line and steep climbing bridges. One funny note, on the last long zip line going over the woods and the Meramec River, Rosie came up a yard short at the end. The guide failed to grab her hand and I watched Rosie slide backwards 100 feet where she came to a stop over the river. I thought that was it. I would have to finish the vacation by myself. Luckily, the guide had to crawl all the way out on the cable, wrap his legs around Rosie and hand over hand pull them both back. The Meramec Caverns and our KOA Campground are just off famous Route 66.
Kayaking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller Kayaking Date: September 17, 2019
Rosie & I kayaked seven miles down the river from Meramec State Park to Meramec Caverns. The river was very clean and clear. A beautiful day. A local fisherman told me he eats the bass and perch that he catches. Saw lots of turtles & blue herons. We kayaked into a cave that sparkled from the sun’s reflection on the water and rocks. We saw dozens of other caves along the way.
Investigation Team: Dave Miller Investigation Date: Sept. 16, 2019
You know me, I had to ask the guide if there were any urban legends or paranormal experiences associated with the caverns. I struck it rich. The cavern guide told me many paranormal stories that he & other guides experienced. At an area of the cave called Ghost Alley, guides have reported a mist that couldn’t be explained & a partial apparition of a person. When guides are alone doing walk throughs when closing, they sometimes hear strange, unexplainable noises. In an area by the underground stream where the “Lassie” movie was filmed, standing between two large mounds, a guide named Tubby (who has 40 years of experience at the caves) heard children’s voices and no one was in that part of the cave. On the cave’s lower levels, a guide heard someone running when no lights were on. He heard a crash like someone running into a trash can. The guide turned on his light and no one was around.
Although my time on the cave tour was limited, Kevin our cavern guide allowed me to step aside from our small group and took some EVP’s and photos at Ghost Alley & by the stream. Checking the footage & photos later, I recorded no evidence.
Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller Expedition Date: September 16, 2019
Rosie and I camped at the Stanton, Missouri KOA and toured Meramec Caverns just off Route 66 where Jesse James and his brother Frank once hid out after robbing a train. The caverns, a 4.6 mile cave system opened in the 1930’s, were beautiful with colored stalactites, rock formations, underground spring, a 50 ft. by 50 ft. ballroom & a consistent temperature of 58 degrees.
Brief Jesse James Cave History: Jesse & Frank escaped Meramec Cavern through a water filled passageway and out the back of the cave. At Loot Rock, four items (lantern, two parts of a rifle & a strongbox dating to the Gadshill, Missouri train robbery) were found. Jesse had been familiar with the cave since back in the Civil War as his gang of Confederates in 1864 raided a squad of Union soldiers who were mining the cave to make explosives.
In 17 years, the Jesse James gang robbed more than a quarter of a million dollars from banks, stage coaches and trains. He was shot in the back and killed in 1882 by Bob Ford, a fellow gang member, whom collected the reward money. However, a man in Lawton, Oklahoma named Frank Dalton claimed to be the real Jesse James and lived to be 103 years old Photo #11). Do you think he looks like young Jesse (Photo#12).
Expedition Team: Nick Kelly, Jacque Kelly, Dave Miller, Holly Eller, Justin Eller
Expedition Team: 2017 & August 3, 2019
This is an astounding Roadside Attraction. It’s not a normal zip line because after the first test zip line, the remainder are in the dark cave. Holly & Justin joined me the first time with Jacque & Nick joining me two years later. The Louisville Mega Cavern, is a former limestone mine that extends under the Louisville Zoo and the Waterson Expressway. Year around temperature is 58 degrees. Nine zips total plus a Indiana Jones like swaying walking bridge across a deep gorge which is quite challenging. We highly recommend it.
