Drinkin' With The Duke

Above, the quote on this glass is from True Grit. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The John Wayne Stock & Supply whiskey glass set arrived today. I ordered them last week. I tried one out (after washing, of course) with some rum and Coke.

One of my whiskey glasses broke in the dishwasher and I saw these to replace it.

Above, John Wayne's silhouette at the bottom of each glass. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

From the John Wayne Stock & Supply website store:

Set of 2 JW whiskey glasses, each with an iconic quote etched into one side of each glass. It also includes John Wayne's walking silhouette etched onto the bottom of each glass. Proudly made in the USA!

Above, this quote is said to be Wayne's advice on acting. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

 To access John Wayne Stock & Supply, go here. 

Why Elvis Turned Down "True Grit"

Above, an original movie poster for True Grit at the True Grit Cafe in Ridgway, Colorado.

According to an article in the Daily Express (U.K.), Elvis Presley was originally approached to co-star with John Wayne in True Grit (1969) in a role that eventually went to Glen Campbell. But Presley declined.

They wrote:

The storyline saw Duke play Rooster Cogburn, a tough one-eyed old United States Marshal who helps a 14-year-old girl track down the drunk who killed her father.

They did this with the help of Texan Ranger LaBoeuf, a part that initially was set for Elvis.

However, in the late 1960s, Elvis was tired of making poor musical rom-coms and returned his focus to live performances with his 1968 Comeback Special and subsequent Las Vegas residencies.

The King’s cousin Billy Smith described on his son Danny’s Memphis Mafia Kid YouTube channel how John Wayne asked Elvis to co-star in a few of his movies. He said: “In fact, he asked him a couple of times.” 

In the end, his manager The Colonel pushed it too far by demanding that  Elvis should receive top billing above Wayne if he were to play the Texan in True Grit.

To read the full article, go here. 

A Year Ago...

Leave it to Facebook to provide reminders on what I was doing a year ago and where.

A year ago today, Mitch Geriminsky and I were camping up in Ouray, Colorado at the town's KOA Kampground.

I was on this trip that we went up to Ridgway to check out locations that were used in the John Wayne movie, True Grit (1969).

Here's a photo taken at the Ouray KOA Kampground on this date a year ago:

True Grit Café Celebrates 25 Years Tomorrow

Above, the True Grit Cafe in Ridgway, Colorado. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the highlights of the Colorado trip last September was visiting the town of Ridgway, where much of True Grit (1969), starring John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell and Robert Duvall was filmed. Ridgway is only about nine miles north of Ouray, Colorado. The drive there was easy and scenic, well worth it!

While in Ridgway, we stopped in at the True Grit Café for some lunch. Mitch Geriminsky and I both had bowls of chili, which were quite good.

The True Grit Café is now celebrating its 25th anniversary. And, as the above image shows, they are putting on a celebration tomorrow.

Above, Mitch Geriminsky and yours truly at the True Grit Cafe last September.

Congratulations are in order and here's to another 25 years!

For more information on the True Grit Café, go here.

"True Grit" Sign and Paddy Wagon

Last week, when I posted about the locations in Ridgway, Colorado of True Grit (1969), I wanted to include a shot of the painted "Chambers Grocery" wall sign and the paddy wagon from the movie. I couldn't find one (I am fond of "then & now" photos).

So, I took a screenshot from the movie that includes both with John Wayne in it.

Here it is:

Here's the sign (now inside of the True Grit Cafe, which was built around it to preserve it) and the paddy wagon (in the yard of the museum a block away) today:

Vacation Miscellany

Here's some photos that I transferred over from my phone to my computer:

Above, fall colors are starting in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Photo by Armand Vaquer

Above, Highway 491 near Shiprock, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, True Grit poster at the True Grit Cafe in Ridgway. Photo by waiter.

Above, restaurant at the Ouray KOA Kampground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Ouray KOA Kampground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, avalanche tunnel on the "Million Dollar Highway". Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, motorcycle campsites at Ouray KOA Kampground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Ouray KOA Kampground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Heading Home Today

Above, mule deer near our campground in Cortez last evening. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today is the last day of the trip. We'll be heading out of Cortez, Colorado this morning. The drive back to Jamestown, New Mexico is only three hours long along U.S. 491 through the Navajo Nation and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe areas to Gallup.

Interestingly, U.S. 491 was once designated U.S. 666 until 2003.

According to Wikipedia:

U.S. Route 491 (US 491) is a north–south U.S. Highway serving the Four Corners region of the United States. One of the newest designations in the U.S. Highway System, it was created in 2003 as a renumbering of U.S. Route 666 (US 666). With the 666 designation, this road was nicknamed the "Devil's Highway" because of the significance of the number 666 to many Christian denominations, which believe it to be the Number of the Beast. This Satanic connotation, combined with a high fatality rate along the New Mexico portion, convinced some people the highway was cursed. The problem was compounded by persistent sign theft. These factors led to two efforts to renumber the highway, first by officials in Arizona, later in New Mexico. There have been safety improvement projects in recent years, and fatality rates have subsequently decreased.

Above, the entrance sign to Mesa Verde National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It has been an enjoyable vacation break. It was fun to ride the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, to visit Durango and Silverton, Colorado for the first time since 1986. Visiting Mesa Verde National Park for the fourth time was also pleasurable. Visiting Ouray and Ridgway (to see True Grit locations) was also enjoyable.

Above, the Lone Spur Cafe in Silverton. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Getting to these areas within a day's drive from home is an added plus. It was interesting to see so many Jeeps and other off-highway vehicles (OHV) was interesting. None of the Jeeps were of the vintage as mine.

Above, the DSNGR at Highline with the Animas River 400 feet below. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The weather was varied. An early (for September) winter storm came in at about the same time as the start of the trip and we were treated to rain in Durango, snow scenes (on U.S 550 "Million Dollar
Highway" between Silverton and Ouray) and then more seasonal weather towards the end in Cortez.

This is one trip that I plan on doing again.

Above, a morning campfire. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

"True Grit" Locations In Ridgway, Colorado

Above, the park that was used for the public hanging scene. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today, Mitch Geriminsky and I roamed around the historic district of Ridgway, Colorado, the location of True Grit (1969) starring John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall and Jeff Corey.

Above, the old fire station that was shown in the movie and
was actually used as a fire station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Some of the locations used are still recognizable and some have changed over the years. Some of the buildings used had facades put over them, while others (such as the courthouse) were false buildings (facades only).

After arriving, we walked around the park that was used for the hanging scene. It looked pretty much the same as it did back in 1969.

Above, Rooster Cogburn's paddy wagon at the museum yard. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

From there, after getting directions from a nice lady in an antique shop, we went to the museum to see Rooster Cogburn's (John Wayne) horse-drawn paddy wagon. It is on display in the museum yard.

Afterwards, after discovering plaques on buildings used in the movie, I wandered around to take pictures of the plaques and the corresponding buildings describing what they were specifically used for.

Above, inside the True Grit Cafe is the painted wall sign featured in the movie when Rooster Cogburn
 delivered some prisoners to the courthouse. The building that the cafe is in was added in 1986 and
 the original building's exterior wall is preserved inside. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a shy waitress holds up a photo from True Grit showing the painted wall
 sign and John Wayne in front of the same wall today. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I was done with that, we did some shopping in an antique store next to the True Grit Cafe. Then, we had lunch in the True Grit Cafe. The staff at the cafe were quite friendly and gave us some information and took our photos. Photos of the cafe to follow.

The following are photos of each building's plaque along with the buildings as they are today:

Inside the True Grit Cafe.

The True Grit Cafe (built in 1986) is loaded with lots of John Wayne True Grit memorabilia as well as other films from his career. There is an upstairs dining area (we didn't go up there). We did partake in some lunch (I had their beef chili, which was quite good).

Now In Ouray, Colorado

Above, the Ouray County Courthouse, constructed in 1888. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We made it into Ouray this afternoon.

Along the way, we stopped for breakfast at the Brown Bear Cafe in Silverton. The food was good and plentiful.

Above, the Brown Bear Cafe in Silverton. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Before leaving Silverton, we wandered around and checked out a few shops. Once we were done with that, we headed off to Ouray. It is interesting that it takes about an hour to reach Ouray from Silverton on the "Million Dollar Highway" considering that it's only a 25 mile drive.

Above, the main street of Silverton. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We were treated to some snow scenery along the way to Silverton.

Above, along Highway 550 in the San Juan Mountains. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After reaching Ouray, we checked into the Ouray KOA Kampground, which is four miles from town. Along the road to the KOA, a rancher from South Africa (we stopped and chatted with him later) was feeding his herd of yak. I told him that yak hair was used for Lon Chaney's make-up for the Wolf Man. He found that interesting.

Above, the main street of Ouray, Colorado. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We went into Ouray and roamed around the town to check out the shops. I wanted to see the inside of the Ouray County Courthouse to see the courtroom and stairwell used in True Grit (1969), but the courthouse was closed. I got some photos of the outside. Oh, well.

Above, the herd of yaks on the road to the KOA. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One thing about Ouray, it is a mecca for Jeeps (to a slight lesser extent, so is Silverton). There were Jeeps everywhere. There were even Jeep rental agencies in town. The KOA also rents Jeeps.

Above, on the "Million Dollar Highway". Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After our trip into town, we headed back to the KOA and had dinner at their restaurant.

Above, the Ouray KOA office. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now, we're just settling down for the night and will explore Ridgway tomorrow.