Tourism: What It Could Be

   Some states knew way back when, the importance of growing a new revenue stream. Those folks chose tourism as a bedrock for new bucks.
Here on the home front, our leadership stubbornly decided, let's stick with coal as the road ahead. For years, decades actually, the dimly lit leadership told us, hang tight, coal will return. It hasn't happened and it won't.
Here in Clayberry, even with the advent of a new state park, a possible steam engine draw, at best, most say: this ain't going to happen. Others, there's no money in tourism. Both groups are talking out their butts.
The Ace Cub Reporter took two weeks off for a vacation retreat in Colorado and Utah. There, for many reasons, tourism has been front and center beginning in the last century. As shown in the pics below, their God given views, scenes, rock groupings, and shear mountain beauty, they are second to none.
   That majesty is a big draw but there's a bunch more to keep the crowds returning. They have festivals, small town markets, wine fests, etc. every weekend. All well organized and and light hearted, tourists return year after year.
Now for the new to the tourism scene, here comes County Clay. In reality, there is only one major draw for our 342 square miles and that's the Big Apple Festival. Yes it draws in returning Clayonians but few else. The Apple is a good start, a bed rock for other much needed stuff.
For instance, each Friday evening in Grand Junction there is a bicycle parade on downtown streets. The bikes have colorful lights attached and the riders wear costumes of all varieties. Cost to do such a fun thang?, nothing more than letting people know about the fun time.
For instance, as a draw, area artists are invited to display their work on every street corner and curb. The stuff is beautiful and for sale. It's a draw and there's money in for the artisans.
For instance, several small towns around Grand Junction host farmer's markets. They organized themselves so each town has a specific day for the four hour long, mostly in the mornings, events. No it's not just a place for tomatoes or green beans. Once again, painters, clay works, tee shirt makers, novelty printers, wine, brewery &whiskey makers, set up canopies and sell their wares. Small fortunes are made each week in these easy to organize markets.
   For instance, on their main street, there are plenty of places to sit down and even more shade trees. The place is inviting to say the least.
   We're behind for sure but with a new state park, the Elk River, Lake Sampson, we have something we can build on. We don't have to reinvent the wheel either, just look around at the success stories.
We have a start if someone, someones, will just step up to the plate.
For the naysayers, step aside. It's now or never.
AW

Sept 17

Many states developed their tourism business decades ago. One of those is Colorado. A mainstream draw was held today, the Palasade Wine Tasting Fest. Held in a big fenced in, grassed over area and charging $75 per person to get in and enjoy free wine, the event easily raised $500,000.

The idea is to attract old farts, fleece their wallets, and then send em packing. You don't have to educate those old timers, educate their kids, nor handle welfare pay outs. It's fresh new dollars and that's something we need.

County Clay could easily develop such an area around the BC&G flat land at Dundon. Maybe not a wine fest maybe some other theme might fold in with our soon to start up, railroad. It's doable for sure.

There has to be music in the background. Any kind will work as long as it sounds good. In Colorado, there were a couple great jazz bands pumping out the audio for today's fest. Even in that land where country and western music reigns supreme, the crowd enjoyed those jazzy notes for 7 hours.

We don't have that western scenery and high dessert bluffs, that's for sure. But what we do have along Buffalo Creek has it's own wonder and would serve as a big time draw. To get things right in CO, those workers were paid, not volunteers.

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Sept 15

While vacationing out West, you have to take a close look

to see the big picture

You can almost see John Wayne passing by on Ole Dollar

West Virginia has some beautiful sites but none as large as the pebbles in Utah

More interesting stuff can be found on the side roads, like Buzzard's Belly Utah

Yelp, that's a post office out in the middle of nowhere

Not sure what this homemade wooden snake is up to.
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Sept 13

Grand Junction Colorado has nothing but tourism to depend on. Forty years ago they decided to grow their tourism base with cute artwork tucked in here and there.

Local artists provide their skills, the city puts them on display, and then a tourist buys the works after a few months display.

Some designs are made from steel, aluminum, ceramic, bronze. Some contain several materials

Here's an example of good use of old chrome bumpers and bumper guards.

Here's one that invites in kids, interactive

This bike stands about 5 foot high and invites many to sit and get their picture taken

It takes more than just art to help grow tourism. Grand Junctions main drag is not much longer than Clay's Main Street. But Oh, what a difference. Look at the above picture, not so long ago this stretch of pavement was just a straight line devoid of trees, flowers, and bushes.

For us to get into the tourism market, it's going to take a change in attitude too.
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Sept 11

Colorado knows how to market for tourists and make em feel good while being fleeced. Here's the Town of Palisade (two streets, one intersection and no stop light) holding their every Sunday morning, Farmer's Market on Main Street. Lots of locals showed up to sell everything from aroma therapy to fresh peaches, artwork, home made clothing, spices, roasted chillies, aprons, wall hangings, jewelry makers, painters, and much more.

The Colorado have a different attitude. For those that say you can't do this or that, those naysayers are told stand aside and watch. As Clayberry starts down its new tourism economy, maybe we should pay attention to what has already worked

Here's a 6 year old business man learning to grow a business

Above is a work of art that kids can hammer on.

That Town of 800 knows how to make itself attractive. On every other corner, under many curbside trees, there are home made works of art like shown in the two above images. Those works of art are sold and new stuff arrives.

Here are four metal work pieces, no not those two in blue shirts, in front of a business. They're just scrapmetal pieces and helped along with a good brain and skill. That's something County Clay could get started on right away.
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Sept 10

Out on the Colorado River, there's a bunch of old retired teachers filling their bucket list

They made it without breaking anything
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