"Today, we decided to go on an all day Jeep tour with major with major features being the Grand Canyon Caverns, the chance to see the bottom of the Grand Canyon, and the fact that all of the helicopters were grounded due to the high winds.
We spoke tour organizer to help select the tour. Unfortunately, Aaron could not attend and spent a restful day lounging in room watching Mad-Money, C-Span, and the Weather Channel. After picking the all-day tour we provided a putty sample along with an explanation and went to get a coffee while we waited for the start of the tour.
While traveling to the Grand Canyon Caverns on motor coach we passed through Seligman, a kitschy, Wild West town and the birthplace of Route 66. Once the interstate system was built, the need for Route 66 diminished. Towns along the old main thoroughfare created roadside attractions to bring hordes of people in. If you’re looking for the best place to pickup first-hand junk, entertainment, and your own Americana experience, Route 66 is the place to get your kicks.
At the caverns, we took a 1963 elevator and descended 250 feet into the ground. Johnnie, our tour guide was most knowledgeable. Many of the stories included the founder, Walter (whose last name escapes us). The caverns, one of the largest dry caverns in the world, were discovered in the 20s and the site has changed hands three times. About a third of the way through the tour we discovered that the current owners were lawyers from California, perhaps they are even politicians. During the Cuban missile crisis the caverns were a potential bomb shelter. There were rations – nutritious saltines and hard candies (vitamin-enhanced) stored down there with water allowing for the survival of 2,000 people for two weeks. Certainly, enough time for nuclear fallout to pass (not). As Johnnie explained, it was more expensive to take the rations out of the caverns then let them sit there. The caverns were not all gloom and doom, as we found out three weddings have been held down there, generally people who worked there. Their bouquets are still down there, pretty well preserved. Right up a cement path from a mummified bobcat and a giant stuffed sloth.
Then on to the bottom of Grand Canyon! We were loaded onto the a modified Jeep with couple from Sacramento, Tony and Dreama, and a another couple from Arkansas, Doug and Anita (she pronounced it “AH-NITA”). Following a wind-blown, open-air trip down the highway, we entered the Hualapai reservation. We got our permits and headed down one of the only roads to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The views along the way were spectacular, Robert our guide, pointed out various plants including several varieties of cactus (Tim, we’re bringing a big one back for you:) and a century stalk that lives 35 years and blooms only once. As we traveled closer to the bottom of the canyon, the temperature rose 25 degrees.
We stopped at the bottom, in Granite Gorge, and ate a box lunch. We chatted with a family from Canberra, Australia, and Jim – in a very animated manner – explained his speeding ticket experience Down Under. We gave some putty to the kids, in this case, one that changes color with heat. It was already yellow, so we had the children run down and dip it into the 52 degree Colorado River to see what happened. They ran back very excitedly to tell us it changed color – to orange.
On the way back, Jim baited Dreama, our resident photographer by boasting of taking more and better photos. Every time Dreama took one photo, Jim took two. This continued until the two separated at the end of the trip. Tony and Dreama, Doug and Anita, all received putty samples.
On the way back, there were two coaches. Close to Williams, our coach, the lead coach slowed, until it stopped at the side of the road. The second coach was notified by walkie-talkie (our driver loved the walkie-talkie and the 10-number language). The second coach pulled up behind the first and passengers were consolidated, standing room only. As we started, Doug shared with the vanload of passengers “the putty is hurting my bootie” (in fact, he was sitting on the tin which was in his back pocket). The remainder of the trip back to Williams was crowded, if uneventful.
Robert, our tour guide, insisted on meeting Aaron. We went back to the room and had to turn off C-Span to get his attention. Aaron, Cris, and Jim headed back to the tour office where Aaron posed with Robert for photos and handed out several putty samples. Unlike the women from the day before, Robert was very interested in being on the Internet.
Jim, Cris, and Aaron stopped by a café for dinner where Aaron handed out some more putty. When we left the café, a woman in a biker jacket outside of a bar across the street mistook Aaron for a snowman. Jim went across the street with Aaron and clarified this situation. During the conversation, Aaron thought he might have to help this woman stand-up, as she was quite, ah, fluid in her movements. A putty sample was provided and Jim and Aaron rushed back to the Jeep before more patrons left their stools for putty samples.
Calling it a night, Jim, Cris, and Aaron returned to the room.
more to come ...."
Giveaways
October 14, 2008
Roadtrip Day 7
"We woke up early to head up to the Grand Canyon, stopping at the IMAX for a spectacular – albeit loud -- documentary on the Grand Canyon. After the documentary, we took a 7 mile stroll along the rim of the Canyon. The views are like none other Cris and I have seen in all of our travels.
We met up with Ranger Pat for a basic talk on geology, sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. Ranger Pat had samples, which he carried around in a bag that he passed out to a crowd of 40 attending the talk. The true passion of each and every one of the rangers we meet at the national parks is refreshing and inspirational, although Jim still is not too crazy about saving owls.
We headed back to the Jeep to get Aaron out for a few photos with the Grand Canyon in the background. Aaron had been sweltering in the Jeep for over 4 hours, maybe we should have left more than one of the windows open. Anyway, he was happy to see us and to join us for a walk to the rim. The wind, like at Mesa Verde, threatened Aaron a bit, as he was nearly blown away twice! The first stop was at the Yavapai lookout. A nice couple from Des Moines Iowa took a picture of the three of us, Jim, Cris, and Aaron, and we happily provided them with a putty sample.
Aaron then sauntered over to the sign about Ranger talks to look at the offerings such as geology, condors, fossils, and others. Aaron then decided to take in some sights instead. With Jim as his trusty guide, Aaron headed to a vantage point where he could peer into the Canyon. Satisfied with the glimpse down, Aaron anchored himself to a tree and posed for a few photos.
We did meet a few more people while we had Aaron with us. First, we passed by two women, one from Iowa and one from Pennsylvania, who looked cautiously at Aaron. Jim ran them down and provided a putty sample and asked if they wanted a picture with Aaron. One immediately said no, the other was wavering. When Jim prompted that he could get them on the Internet, the other one said no, and then they ran away. Really, they trotted down the path in horror. We, however, laughed all the way back down the walk.
Returning to the Jeep, we passed out some putty to some people from Arizona and then came across a man from NYC resting on a large stone. He asked about Aaron and received a putty sample. While we were chatting about their travels prior to coming to the Canyon, his wife came along and wanted to know what the scoop was, as well. She loved the color, the idea of putty, and just the whole idea of being singled out for a free sample of thinking putty.
Jim and Cris stopped at an Indian ruins and small museum inside the park to learn more about the pueblan Indians in the area. They sure have been around for a long time.
Jim, Cris, and Aaron exited the park and returned to Williams. The daring trio headed out to a pizza place, right on Route 66. Aaron insisted on getting his picture taken under a Route 66 sign – we believe it was so he could “Get his kicks on Route 66.” At the pizza place, people looked at Aaron and Jim quizzically when they entered. During dinner, Aaron leaned up against the wall and waited. It seemed that most of the customers who entered after we did assumed that Aaron was simply part of the décor of the place. It wasn’t until we left, when Jim picked Aaron up and walked out with him under his arm, that people realized Aaron was not a pizza parlor regular. Some people smiled, some laughed and some tried not to look as Jim and Aaron left, followed by Cris. Before turning in for the night, we stopped at the Thundering Eagle, a shop on Williams’ main strip, and offered a putty sample to the proprietor. It took some persuasive talk, but in the end we convinced him that we weren’t selling anything and he accepted the sample.
Finally, calling it a night, we returned to the Canyon Country Inn"
Roadtrip Day 6
"A long day of driving was ahead of us, travelling from Kayenta to Williams. We stopped for gas, money, and latte at the Shepherd’s Eye Coffee. The coffee shop also provided tourist information and offered Internet access. We spoke to the owner who indicated he was studying civil engineering. A nice fellow with lots of information about the area and the Indian culture. We fetched a sample of putty from the Jeep and offered it to him. He smiled, asked about how the product was used in a very civil-engineering type of way, and also inquired what we were doing with it.
On the way to the Grand Canyon, we consulted Greta the Garmin on other interesting spots in the area and discovered there was a Hopi Cultural Museum about an hour east of our current location. Seeking possibilities for remote putty give-aways, we headed to the Hopi reservation which is actually inside the Navajo reservation.
It was an interesting side trip. We stopped at the museum and learned about Hopi culture, history, and people. The Hopis had moved to the top of the mesas after forcing the Spanish back to Mexico in the Mid 1500s. We learned that the Hopis received 1.6 million acres of land, while the Navajo got 17 million acres and that to this day they still are in disagreement over the land settlement. We witnessed and read about the arid farming methods they have used for centuries to grow corn, much different than the modern methods we use in the Midwest. Unfortunately, no photos are allowed on the Hopi land…we didn’t want Jim’s camera – or Jim – confiscated!
While exiting the museum we provided putty to museum curator. Putty of any type appears to be a mystery with most of the Indians we have encountered. This has made the giveaways even more interesting and fun for us. After the museum, we drove to an Indian market on the Hopi reservation where we met Harry. Harry talked to us about how land ownership works with different clans and how people are allowed to join a village (pueblo). It all has to do with the chiefs of the pueblos and what dances they want in their village. He explained that much of his family was originally from a pueblo about 40-50 miles away. They were recruited, so to speak, to move. He was a silversmith and talked to us about the stories behind several pieces of jewelry. We purchased a few items and provided putty samples to Harry. For those of you who are interested, Harry has a Web site; you can check it out at http://www.hopimarket.com/
After our two-hour side trip, we moved on pretty quickly through Flagstaff to Williams, a small town probably best known for its location along the historic Route 66. We did stop in Flagstaff rush hour traffic to get a photo of Aaron at the official Flagstaff marker. When we got to Williams, we checked into the Canyon Country Inn, a quaint bed and breakfast. We made a stop for a few necessities and met the proprietor of Clothes for Gracie (that would be Gracie’s mom). She was selling Burt’s Bees products including, get this, marshmallow vanishing cream, really who would want to make a marshmallow vanish? We had dinner and a drink each at Pancho McGillicuddy’s, a sort-of-all-in-one establishment just a few blocks away.
In addition to lots of Route 66 memorabilia, we saw some interesting sights throughout town. For example, there were two bikers decked out in leather sipping lattes. We also found a store with dozens of different types of hot sauce, some with some amusing, but not for polite company, names!"
October 09, 2008
Roadtrip Day 4
Today we woke and planned our trip to Mesa Verde, a national park, and World Heritage Site. The drive from Durango to Mesa Verde passed though a scenic yet spartan landscape – basically red rock dotted with tufts of grass and short brush.
After stopping at the entryway for a photo op, we continued onto the booths to pay our way into the park. We provided the ranger at the gate a sample of putty and got a great smile in return. Then it was onward and upward, as we drove about 15 miles on a climbing road to reach the visitor center. There we evaluated the options and decided to tour the Cliff Palace, the largest and best preserved of the pueblo village dwellings in Mesa Verde. After hearing that there were ladders and climbing involved, we decided to leave Aaron in the Jeep with a good book.
The tour we participated in was fantastic! Park Ranger Tom Wolf (according to him, he’s the only wolf in the park) provided an immense amount of information and plenty of good humor in the hour-long tour. We learned about the impact of the fires on the park and why the cliff dwellers may have moved down from the mesas involved (changing climate conditions), the energy they expended making just one brick (took one man 3 hours!) and the important role that the turkeys played in their culture (turkeys were protein and the Indians domesticated them with the corn grown on the mesas). We also learned about the engineering marvels known as kivas, large, round pits in the ground where the Indians honored the spirits. In addition to featuring benches where the Indians would gather in the colder months, there were air deflectors and something called a “sipacu,” which was a hole – basically a two-way street – between the underworld and the world above.
After the tour and on the way to the Jeep Jim offered one of our tour mates a can of putty. She was from the greater Kansas city area and was touring with her mother. We later found ourselves at the same restaurant in the park and had great lunchtime conversation with the two.
While leaving the park, we handed out a final putty sample and some material to a couple from Brazil who had gone on the tour with us. The Brazilians were elated to receive the gift and seemed unfazed by the sight of Jim racing down the path toward them!
On the way out of the park we stopped for a few photos. First, at the 1 million gallon water tank that helps protects Mesa Verde from fires and also at a high lookout point at the top of a winding road bordered with charred pinon trees. At the top it was very windy and as Aaron (and Jim) worked his way up to the very top, he spun and was tossed and turned just a bit. On the way back down, Jim shared a putty sample with a couple from Cedar City, UT coming up the trail.
October 07, 2008
Roadtrip Day 3
"Jim and Cris packed up early in the morning and headed out to the Train from Durango to Silverton. Relying on Greta (our Garmin GPS lady), we arrived at the station, rifled through the putty provisions, selected some samples then escorted all five feet of Aaron to the ticket counter. As we moved around the station, and got ready to board our assigned car, the ticket staff on the ramp joked about a ticket for Aaron. Had they pressed the matter, I was ready to reply, “Certainly, Aaron’s standard currency is putty, here’s a can.”
Shortly before 9 a.m., we boarded the train and located Aaron at the front of the railcar where he could keep a close eye on all passengers.
After the train departed, we chatted with another couple on the train who wanted to know the story of Aaron. We filled them in on the details and provided them with a sample can of putty. They were thrilled to receive the item. Several of the children around us received temporary Aaron tattoos. They very politely accepted the gift and said thank you.
We arrived in Silverton to a rainy, bleak day. Fortunately, Aaron is laminated and resists rain. We moved to the front of the train where we took several photos.
Heading down the road, looking for somewhere to eat, we settled on the Bent Elbow Saloon. We propped Aaron up beside our table and ordered food. One of the waitresses came over to ask what was going on with Aaron. We filled her in and provided a putty sample. Later we found out she was also one of the town EMTs and the Coroner. Hopefully she was good at one of those professions.
Moving up and down the streets, between the raindrops, of Silverton we stopped to take photos of Aaron and handed out putty samples to several store clerks.
Waiting at the station to board the train we met an English woman currently living in Texas. She also was fascinated and entertained by the whole Aaron experience. As she looked like she was “fixin’” to have fun, we provided her with a putty sample.
Back on train, and the brakeman who visited our car asked “Whose sign is this?” Once we explained our idea of introducing Aaron to the southwest, and providing putty samples, everyone on the car wanted to know what’s going on. Mind you, at this point, they had sat on train for four hours with Aaron already!
During the discussions, a doctor and his wife indicated that they would like the cutout of Aaron dropped off in Santa Fe when we were done with him. We provided a putty sample and collected the telephone number for the drop off. This was the last sample we carried onto the train. A family from Sydney, Australia wanted to know more about the product so we provided some marketing literature and extolled the virtues of putty. Not too long after that the doctor swapped his putty for the marketing material. The mother from Sydney was astounded that this simple item could keep two children entirely occupied for over two hours.
Arriving at the Durango station we gathered up Crazy Aaron and escorted him to the Jeep. A quick stop at Taco Bell, where of course the drive through clerk received a sample of putty, and we headed back to our cabin for the night.
more later ... "
Roadtrip Update 2
"We worked our way down to the lobby with Aaron (our crazy Aaron cutout) and set him up against a wall while we selected some nourishment. Our first encounter was with a hotel staff person who was inquiring if this was a new feature. Another hotel staff person indicated Aaron was with us. We took her photo with Aaron and provided some putty along with news about our trip. The second person was quite wary of the whole idea but we forced her to take some putty. She wandered off uncertain of what to think. The third person, who we met in the elevator, was a little girl with her dad. They loved the idea and gladly accepted the putty sample. As we worked our way to and fro through the hotel with Aaron, all acknowledged us and many chuckled.
Packed up, we hit the road after after stopping at Starbucks, and off course, you guessed it, handing out another putty sample. The barista accepted a tip and the putty, and as we were leaving we could see him raise his hand over his head saying “hey, look what I’ve got” with a big smile on his face.
After a couple of hundred miles, not far from Center, Colorado, we stopped at a Shamrock station for gas. We couldn’t resist giving the attendant her own can of putty. The wide smile and laugh that came from her was heartwarming. Onto Lobo lookout point, 11,768 ft (according to our Garmin GPS, which we now refer to as Greta) where we took a picture of Aaron and Jim. It had just started to snow and was quite cold. Making our way back to the main highway required travel on a 3 ft wide road. Well, maybe it was a bit wider, but looking over the edge, Cris kept insisting that Jim move the vehicle over to the side of the road furthest from the edge. Luckily, we made it down. Stopping in Pagosa Springs we had some green chili, picked up a T-shirt, and again provided a putty peace offering."
October 06, 2008
RoadTrip Update 1
Here is the first trip update from Jim and Cris:
"The first night, we met up with Tillman, a high school friend of Jim’s, and his friend, Suzanne. They graciously had accepted the role of receiving the shipment from Crazy Aaron. As part of the unpacking effort we fortified his (Crazy Aaron’s not Tillman’s) neck with a piece of trimming lumber so that it wouldn’t be blown off by the wind on the trip. Tillman, Suzanne, Bree, and an unnamed marketing person were the first recipients of their very own tins of putty, the universal gift.
He fit well into Jeep we rented. Off to the hotel for the night in preparation for the trip to Durango."
October 05, 2008
Crazy Aaron Roadtrip
Thinking Putty enthusiasts Jim Merchant and Cris Hay-Merchant approached me with an interesting idea:
"We have been evangelizing the benefits of Aaron’s stellar products in the Omaha area over the past year. During this time we have shared portions of putty with our favorite baristas, friends, co-workers, and even parking garage attendants. As a result we have heard that some of our friends have even taken it upon themselves to submit orders as well.
It’s been loads of fun to unleash Aaron’s products on this wider audience. Now is the time to extend our and your horizons, spreading putty into the southwest stratosphere. Cris and I are headed to the southwest October 3rd, departing Denver on a driving tour and would like to introduce unsuspecting tourists to the delights and wonder of an American treasure – Crazy Aaron and his Thinking Putty. "
What a great idea! After further discussion, I agreed to send a boatload of Thinking Putty samples and a life-size cardboard Crazy Aaron cutout to follow along in the car-ride for photo-ops and other fun.
"We will escort Aaron (i.e., acting as his ‘putty pals’) to a variety of tourist destinations. We plan ride the Silverton Train in Durango, explore the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, view Monument Valley, hike in the Grand Canyon, stay at an honest to goodness Wigwam motel in Arizona, see the early morning takeoff the final day of the balloon festival in Albuquerque, and finish up the trip with a stop in Taos on the way back to Denver. At each stop, we’d record the adventures of Aaron with a digital camera."
Well,the trip has begun. I got word on Friday night that massive Crazy Aaron cutout man arrived in Colorado safely. Stay posted to the blog for regular trip updates!!
And, if you have your own crazy ideas that involve Thinking Putty, why not send them to me? I just might be able to make it happen!
