Day 5: June 23, 2017 Presentation Day Comment via blog

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I grabbed this picture on the way into the conference's last full day. The car and camper belongs to Bill and Linda Van Tagan of Idaho. They are attending the conference as part of a full length west-to-east Lincoln Highway trip with plans to return on the Yellowstone Trail. Bill, Linda, and the little trailer have a lot of shared history. When they left home, the beautifully restored trailer was being towed by a beautifully restored 1959 Ford Ranchero. Minor problems had major ramifications and the Mustang was drafted to replace the Ranchero. Despite changes in details, the trip continues and so do the stories. Bill tells the trip's stories, starting with its conception, in a blog. Read about what has happened so far then follow along on this epic trip at A Ford on the Lincoln.

Today was presentations day and the next couple of panels look like a high school year book with "mug shots" of the presenters.

Founding members Bob and Joyce Ausberger told the story of the 1992 rebirth of the Lincoln Highway Association. LHA President Kay Shelton spoke about several women who traveled the Lincoln Highway and other roads in the early days. Kristine Morrow-Pope is president of the Herring Hotel Building Alliance and told of the history and ongoing restoration of that hotel in Belle Plaine, Iowa. Darrell Johnson and Josiah Laubenstein of recently completed a documentary on the Jefferson Highway and gave an entertaining pitch for doing something similar on the Lincoln Highway. Lee Whiteley described the 1909 Glidden Tour that ran from Michigan to Colorado.

After lunch, author Darcy Dougherty Maulsby shared some Iowa food stories. and retired political science professor Lyle D. Henry talked about some of the strange ways people have traveled the Lincoln Highway. Cece Otto spoke about her experiences in finding and performing music of days gone by then sang a few World War I songs. Janice Gammon, Coordinator for the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway in Iowa, explained some of Iowa's geological history. Retired Midwest Living Magazine editor-in-chief Dan Kaercher shared some of his experiences along the Lincoln in Iowa.

This is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the current Lincoln Highway Association and I finally grabbed a picture of the giant "cake" marking the occasion.

The day ended with the awards banquet at Cronk's Restaurant. I took one picture of an empty section to show how nice it looked then one after the crowd arrived. It was a fun evening with good food and I was able to walk to my room across the street.

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