VMT's special guests

Today, your Virginia Museum of Transportation received two special guests.

The first is Mr. Karl E. "Redbird Express" Teller, the National Hobo King. "Redbird" was elected (by applause) King at the 2002 National Hobo Convention at the Hobo Museum in Britt, Iowa.

King Teller said, "I've been trying to get down here to this museum for a long time, and it was worth the wait."

"Redbird Express" continues to serve as Hobo Ambassador-at-Large, and serves as a Special Ambassador to the Casey Jones Railroad Museum in Water Valley, Mississippi.

The National Hobo Convention meets annually during the second weekend in August (he provided us with a brochure for the event). During the weekend, they host such attractions as:

• A "Hobo Jungle" (Who knows what this could be?!)
• Carnival
• Parade (It must be a stirring sight to see these shoe-less vagabonds with all their possessions in a bag, walking along not completely sure of where they are.)
  
• 5K and 10K Walk/Run (Hobo traditions when other forms of transportation are not available.)
  
• Classic Car Show (How would Hobos get cars?)
• Hobo Auction (Whether Hobos' belongings or Hobos themselves are being auctioned is not clear.)
• The Coronation of the Hobo King and Queen (These elections are determined by applause as decided by a panel of Hobo Judges.)
  
• Mulligan Stew (This is interesting; the city of Britt, Iowa cooks up 550 gallons of Mulligan Stew and allows all comers to fill their own containers. Some fill thermoses, others have been known to bring large ice chests to fill.)

Britt, Iowa is roughly 130 miles from anything. 120 miles to the south is Des Moines, and Minneapolis is situated 140 miles northward. The Hobo Museum is located on Britt's Main Street in an old movie theater. "Redbird" told us that they were attempting to have a new facility built, but even the lowest bidder was talking about more than $100,000 for a new building and "that's not Hobo money."*

As for our other special guest, the Virginia Museum of Transportation was pleased to welcome David Goode, retired Chief of Norfolk Southern. David and his wife Susan were in Roanoke today for the dedication of the David and Susan Goode Railwalk, commemorating and chronicling Roanoke's rail heritage via a walking trail from VMT to Market Street downtown. After touring the Railwalk, David and his wife returned to VMT for a tour of the building, led by Executive Director Bev Fitzpatrick and President Tom Cox.

The amount of internet real estate in this post devoted to our two guests may be inversely proportional to their relative importance to this museum's well-being. Nonetheless, VMT was glad to welcome both of our special guests, and we invite them to come back any time.

*Blogger's note: I don't know what that means.