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Thursday, January 08, 2009

#546 The Leavenworth Trolley

A couple of months ago some friends were telling us about the Leavenworth, Kansas trolley tour. They really enjoyed the tour, but were a tad bit disappointed in the comments made by the driver. Bill is a great guy and fantastic driver. However it is difficult to drive and talk at the same time. If you don't have a script it will leave something to be desired no matter how careful you are.

The next weekend Maryann and I took the tour Ted & Priscilla were right - the tour was wonderful. This time an old Optimist Club friend was narrating/telling us about Leavenworth. Since he only had a single sheet of notes there were some gaps in the narration. Maryann & I discussed the situation and decided to do the research and prepare a script. After getting Lou's permission/blessing we have been compiling the information and are well on our way to having a finished product.

Yesterday we got to the place where it was time to drive the route and record our script. I had driven the route once and we had taken the tour twice. For this trip Maryann drove and I recorded the script.

It was fun hooking up the laptop and using the Garage Band application in the Mac. We decided to start recording, speak at "appropriate" times and not stop it until we got to the end of the tour. Boy-oh-boy, did we learn a lot. You would be amazed how much road noise you can pick up. You would also be surprised at how fatigue will show in your voice after just 30 minutes. And the tour takes about 50 to 60 minutes.

The next challenge was to learn how to best use Garage Band. Has that ever been a learning experience! It is an experience that will continue. We have decided to record the script at home and then time it with the tour. After that it is just a matter of making a CD and we are done.

I figure it will take another month. By then the weather will be warmer and folks might just be ready for a trolley ride. So, when Spring comes, you must come to Leavenworth and take the trolley ride. Whether the CD is used or not, you will enjoy the tour. There is a lot to learn about the First City in Kansas.

(Should you be wondering why folks from Lansing would do something for the folks in Leavenworth, we're those kind of folks. Besides, Leavenworth is our northern suburb. snerx.)


#546

5 comments:

Bird said...

Ooh... how about a narrated video tour - posted right here on your blog?

Garage band eh? I gave myself a MAC for Christmas and I've been wondering what to do with garage band. Haven't learned my way around the MAC yet - I'm a recovering PC user. Hahahaha!

Sandee said...

How fun and how nice of you both to do this. I hope it gets used too.

Have a terrific day. :)

Skunkfeathers said...

Very Interestingk ;)

Uh...wait a sec...did you say that Leavenworth was the FIRST city in Kansas? What came first, the city or the prison?

DOH!

Jack K. said...

bird, you will find that the Mac and GarageBand are both relatively easy to learn.

Sandee, we are having fun with it.

Skunkman, to learn the answer you will have to take the tour. :-D

Angela Marie said...

I loved this!

How great of you two!
I will have to tell my son when he visits his friends in Kansas, they will have to go there... and be hearing your voice!

;)