Turn Left at Bass Pro

Before starting Gryphon in Columbus, Ohio I did quite a bit of traveling with my last company.  It was not uncommon to be in an unfamiliar town working on a project and need directions.

In many places I visited, the directions would include "turn near where the old tree used to be" or "drive down to where the Mayor got in the car wreck last year and go from there".

This past weekend, Melissa and I went to Springfield, MO for one of my best friends weddings.  As soon as I go there, he told me we needed to go shopping for shotgun shells.  The whole thing sounded pretty normal to me until I saw the sporting goods store known as "The Bass Pro".

Bass Pro is the size of many small shopping malls.  You can get almost anything for an outdoorsman.  They sold boats, trucks, ATV's, rods, reels, long guns, handguns, boots, knives, backpacks, you name it.  This place had an indoor waterfall with a river running down the middle of the store.  The river was stocked with fish and ponded up in a few areas so the ducks would have a place to swim.

If you were hungry, there was a restaurant.  Thirsy?? Stop at the bar.  Want to watch a show?  There is a little auditorium.  If you happened to be running a little late leaving town for your buddies wedding and needed a little trim, stop by the Tall Tale Barbershop on floor 3.  $14.50 gets a pretty good haircut IN A SPORTING GOODS STORE!!!!!  Are you kinddin' me?

If you are planning to go to Springfield, MO for any reason, I suggest that you stop by The Bass Pro.  Even if you don't, it would be a good idea to know where it is because if you need to ask directions to anywhere chances are they will sound something like "go about 3 miles past the Bass Pro and turn left."