For more pictures, go to:  Arizona 2008, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5

Page 2  (Union Suit Continued)

 The first union suit was patented in 1868 as "emancipation union under flannel. "[1] Traditionally made of red flannel with long arms and long legs, it buttoned up the front and had a button-up flap in the rear covering the buttocks (colloquially known as the "access hatch", "drop seat", "fireman's flap", and other names), allowing the wearer to eliminate bodily waste without removing the garment. Depending on the size, some union suits can have a dozen buttons on the front to be fastened through buttonholes from the neck down to the groin area.
This warm and practical garment remained in common use in North America into the twentieth century. As its popularity waned it became chiefly working men's wear. It was not uncommon until the mid-1900s for rural men to wear the same union suit continuously all week, or even all winter. Normally, no other type of underwear was worn with it. One of the major events of the spring was the time when the union suits were removed, washed, and put away for the summer.  Union suits are still commercially available, but because of their association with "old fashioned" usage, and presumably  "unsophisticated" rural wearers, they are considered comical. The rear flap is also associated with humor, and in film and television the appearance of a union suit, viewed from behind, is a form of mild toilet humor.

Today, some people -- both men and women -- favor two-piece long underwear, also known as "long johns".  The Union Suit also makes a presence in the 2003 film Cold Mountain.

Extended Road Trip

Everyone was concerned with Beak's safety when they heard He was going to take a train ride to the Grand Canyon with the King.  The King whipped out his Tom Tom GPS and had Beak punch in Jerome AZ.  They took a slightly different rout than the one suggested by the navigating voice.  They were told to turn around many times until they silenced the voice and called her some names usually reserved for the locker room.  Their scenic rout took them on a road that winds up and down around and through the mountain.  They stopped in Jerome AZ for a bathroom break.  The town was full of bikers, so the King felt right at

home.  (See above picture)  After a long hilly walk , they headed for the Grand Canyon Railroad Hotel in Williams AZ.  They were awed by the beauty of Sedona at sunset.  They arrived and had dinner at the cozy Spenser's Lounge, named after the artisan of the magnificent bar, the dark wood and rich textures of the room make it most comfortable. The lounge is further enhanced by the fine spirits and beverages that are served up.  Beak and the King shared a bottle of fine wine and had the waitress take their picture. 

She was convinced that they were gay.  The signature Spenser's bar was handcrafted in England in 1887 by George O. Spenser.  The "Lion's Den" proprietor, Daniel Hollings, commissioned the noted cabinet maker to construct the "best bar in the Bush." Given two hundred pounds for materials and the promise that he would never have to pay for another drink, Spenser worked day and night for four months to create a solid oak masterpiece. The deal proved to be a bargain for Spenser, who visited the Lion's Den every day and lived to the ripe old age of 84.  Max and Thelma Biegert purchased the bar at a New Orleans antique shop for $35,000.00