Pinnacles Youth Park in Northern Boone County

Heading north on Highway 63 about eleven miles outside of Columbia, located about a mile east on a well marked access road, is the 27 acre Pinnacles Youth Park. The Missouri Department of Conservation has a compact but extremely informative page on this natural area which is highly recommended.

It was the site of a recent family outing. After realizing I had been neglectful by not taking my two youngest children to this very attractive area I decided to do so last Sunday afternoon. When we were making plans my oldest daughter informed me she did not remember having ever visited either so she came along with us. It may be well over twenty years since I visited it myself. I also decided to do a photographic survey of the grounds as well as the more scenic vistas.





The Bluffs

These are the bluffs which have been the scene of much mischief (foolishly alcohol related) as well as injuries and if the rumors are true even two deaths. Missouri rock is not good for climbing. I know my own brother broke his ankle here and when I worked at a group home one of the residents badly hurt her ankle at an outing climbing the bluffs pictured below.









Not all of the area is bounded with the scenic bluffs.



There are several well maintained lanes for hiking along the bank on the west side of the creek with various paths leading down to the water. Bring bug spray. The bluffs are all on the other side and you have to cross the creek to get to them.




This is what is known as switch cane (Arundinaria gigantea tecta see: http://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2002/10/30.htm)

The Overhang

I do not know what else to call it. This is the most interesting feature. It is an overhang created by the water during heavy rains when the area becomes flooded. This is about a quarter mile, maybe less, from the main area and I do not recall having visited this part of the nature area before. I think many people overlook it but it is well worth the walk. There were no bats, at least none that I saw, under the overhang but there were plenty of swallows.







Amenities

There is a bathroom and a large main shelter at the entryway where the parking lot is located.



There are also several smaller shelters.



Links

http://mdc.mo.gov/areas/natareas/p29-1.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia,_Missouri

http://www.visitcolumbiamo.com/web/things_to_do/gardens.php

Daniel Boone Regional Library - The Parking Issue

There are two things that make me optimistic regarding humankind. The first are institutions of hiring learning although the commodification of higher learning is very worrisome, and the second is the institution of the public library.

The first indication that I had of library usage increasing generally was over a year ago. It was during the holiday season and I was, unfortunately, at a mall (this is when cousin Emily become separated from the herd precipitating a crisis which eventually earned her a cell phone - but that is another story). Walking around the mall that day I noticed that a lot of young people were reading and they were reading library books. This was before the economic meltdown become formal but not before there were clear indications that the economy was contracting including such indicators as a decrease in book sales and an increase in library patronage.

This is the main parking lot on the south side of the library taken from the steps at the main entrence. Business is good at the Columbia Public Library branch of the Daniel Boone Regional Library.

As far as the Daniel Boone Regional Library goes I am only knowledgeable about the facility here in Columbia having never visited any of the other locations. I am very proud to say that here in Columbia we are privileged to have a very fine public library despite an outside architecture which I can not make up my mind about although I most definitely like the interior. Columbia has had some interesting experiments with public art with mixed results.

My first introduction to the institution of the public library was during my tenure as an inmate in the elementary school block of Harrisburg R-VIII when a bookmobile from the Columbia branch would visit. I always looked forward to those visits and was pleased at the care and thought that seemed to go into making the selection that was made available to us in that limited space. By the way, the idea of the bookmobile was the brainchild of one Mary Titcomb with the first one outfitted for reaching remote locations in coming into service during 1905.

Through the years I have regularly frequented the library throughout its moves and renovations including the edifice we now enjoy. Regarding the present situation I have good and bad news. The good news is that the library is more popular than ever and full of patrons young and old. The bad news is that the library is more popular than ever and full of patrons young and old who unfortunately do not teleport to the facility but come mostly in motor vehicles that require parking. By the way, I do not recommend the alternative of parking on the street having had my vans driver side rear view mirror knocked off (a white Dodge Caravan if the culprit would like to make amends even at this late date - you know who you are). Presently there are many times when the main parking lot is full and then you have to contend with the parking vultures who circle round and round so they don't have to walk an extra fifty yards. Since I don't want to be one of those people, and I want to avoid getting side swiped again, I park across the street on the North side of Broadway to avoid the aggravation.

Overflow parking lot across from the library on the North side of Broadway


So far the overflow parking across the street from the library has not failed me although sometimes it has been close. The biggest issue with the overflow parking is crossing a very busy intersection with a cranky crossing light that seems to sometimes randomly skip a cycle when you are trying to cross the street in either direction. My advice for now is that if you have a lot of books go to the main lot and put them in the outside receptacles and then go across the street to park. Then you have to go to the crosswalk and push the button and then wait your turn to cross.

The infamous walking button. Pushing it multiple times does not speed things up. Trust me on this.


Having pressed the button I am now acing South waiting for the light to change at the busy intersection of East Broadway and North Garth

I love the Daniel Boone Regional Library. I have read thousands of books from that institution and have had four children and a spouse who also continue to benefit from it. The idea of a public library is a noble thing and whatever we spend on the Daniel Boone Regional Library is one of the best investments that we could possible make and I daresay we receive a better return on it than almost any other public expenditure.

I will live with the crowded parking but I do wish they would expand their hours.


Stories about libary useage increasing during a recession:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/10/16/library_use_rises_as_economy_falls/

http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/2008/oct/05/hard-economic-times-increase-usage-libraries-natio/

http://article.wn.com/view/2008/10/28/Poor_economy_leads_to_increase_in_library_use/

Tiny Miss Columbia

You don't see a kid with a tierra and a sash everyday on the streets of Columbia. Especially on a weekday, in the early afternoon, and when it is not even close to Halloween. I had literally finished a story across the street and was loading my equipment into my van when I spotted Evelyn Harrison and her mother Chrystal.

I had to get the picture and the story.

Evelyn and her mother were downtown looking for sponsors for the Missouri Dream Girls State Pageant to be held on March 27th- 29th in Saint Louis.

The Hot Dog Cart

Hot dogs are big business. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (yes there is such a thing):

“During Hot Dog Season, Memorial Day to Labor Day, Americans typically consume 7 billion hot dogs or 818 hot dogs consumed every second during that period.”

Not all those hot dogs are consumed at home since ballparks, and other venues, are hugely popular locations for consumption. One of those other venues is the hot dog pushcart, a hot dog stand on wheels, that do their fair share of selling hot dogs to a hungry public. Pushcarts of all kinds are a time honored, and economical, entry into entreapenourship with many being becoming the foundation of much larger businesses. The late Carl Karcher Jr., the founder of Carl's Jr hamburger chain, started out with a $325 hot dog push cart and ended up with a chain of over a hundred restaurants that was latter purchased by CKE Restourants (also the owner of Hardee's).

Business Week even ran an article about a “former elementary school teacher and guidance counselor” they dubbed The Hot Dog Professor. Mark Reitman, the Hot Dog Professor himself, runs a school for aspiring hot dog cart entrepreneurs’ in Milwaukee charging each person in a class of six to eight students $300 each. At least back in 2008, when the story ran, business was good and he planned on expanding.

I have always been attracted to hot dog carts. Whenever I go to New York the trip is not complete without eating a hot dog from a cart and buying a fake Rolex. I know that neither activity is politically correct but I get a kick out of them.

Unlike Chicago with over 2000 carts and New York, with even more than that, Columbia has sporadically been home to one cart at a time. At this point that stand is ran by Tim Mallory who I caught up with at the corner of 9^th and Broadway the sort of epicenter for downtown Columbia.

Back in Columbia since August of 2008 Mr. Mallory is no stranger to either Columbia or the hot dog cart business. The former native and his wife lived in Florida for 16 years before they returned. In Florida he managed a Jeep dealership until the car business started to go sour several years ago. When I talked to him he said that there were signs even then that the American car industry and its network of dealerships was already in trouble. Among the work he did in Florida after leaving the dealership was running a hot dog cart in. For family and business reasons, like many former natives, he decided to return. After he had been here for awhile he learned about a cart for sale, and reentered the hot dog cart business again. This time in Columbia.

Mr. Mallory sells the Hebrew National brand, a rather famous kosher hot dog, at the rate of $2.50 for a regular and $3.50 for a jumbo. He also includes a varying menu of condiments “adding whatever people seem to ask for.”

Mr. Mallory noted that it sometimes makes for long days starting as early as 8 a.m. and ending after the bars close at 2..m. that night. Besides running the hotdog cart he is a day trader, and sells hot dog carts as well as other miscellaneous items, on eBay.

Campus Eastern Foods

Located at 408 Locust Street , close to our community's mosque, is Campus Eastern Foods which has been open since 1983.



It was purchased by the current proprieter, Dr. Youssef Eltayash, in 1987.





Youssef is originally from Libya. He has five sons ranging in age from 16 - 34 years of age with one grandson. Per tradition that first grandson is named after his paternal grandfather.

When he came to America, to our community, he needed a way to earn a living for him and his family while he pursued his studies. He purchased the store to provide an income and ran it while attending Mizzou. He eventually not only earned his masters degree but also a PhD in civil engineering. He was a father, graduate student, and operated the store all at the same time.

In 1994 he and his family expanded their business enterprises opening Casablanca restaurant which is located at 3907 Peachtree Dr. Columbia, MO.

Besides being involved in business Dr. Yousef is currently an assistant professor at Lincoln University in their pre-engineering program.

The pictures below are a virtual tour of his store and the different goods you can find there:






I have shopped at Campus Eastern Foods for years. It is relatively convenient to where I live and where I work. I go there for Middle Eastern food specialties that are either not available where I normally shop, are not of the highest quality, or which are fantastically overpriced. Among the items I shop for at Campus Eastern Foods are olive oil, red lentils, condiments, rice, couscous, and various spices. For example, couscous which is so overpriced at the supermarkets is purchased by Campus Eastern Foods in bulk and repackaged at a reasonable price with great quality. The store also sells Indian and Eastern European goods. Want to make an Indian dish using ghee but don't want to clarify the butter yourself? Campus Eastern Foods sells ghee. Below are some detailed pictures of what you can find on the shelves:






Not only do I like shopping here for hard to find or specialty items I like doing business with a locally owned and operated family business. I also like going there and seeing the same faces of people who know me, and the fun stuff on the shelves. I also like something else. Campus Eastern Foods, along with Youssef Eltayash and his family, is in many ways the quintessential American story of the accomplishments of hard work, vision, and optimism.