(man) ♪ WELCOME TO A SHOW ABOUT THINGS YOU CAN SEE ♪ ♪ WITHOUT GOING FAR, AND A LOT OF THEM ARE FREE.

♪ ♪ IF YOU THOUGHT THERE WAS NOTHING ♪ ♪ IN THE OLD HEARTLAND, ♪ ♪ YOU OUGHT TO HIT THE BLACKTOP ♪ ♪ WITH THESE FOOLS IN A VAN.

♪ ♪ LOOK OUT, THEY'RE DRIVING HARD, ♪ ♪ CHECKING OUT ART IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD.

♪ ♪ RANDY DOES THE STEERING SO HE WON'T HURL.

♪ ♪ MIKE GOT THE MAP, SUCH A MAN OF THE WORLD.

♪ ♪ THAT'S DON WITH THE CAMERA, ♪ ♪ KIND OF HEAVY ON HIS SHOULDER.

♪ ♪ AND THAT GIANT BALL OF TAPE, IT'S A WORLD RECORD HOLDER.

♪ ♪ LOOK OUT, THEY'RE DRIVING HARD, ♪ ♪ CHECKING OUT ART IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD.

♪ ♪ LOOK OUT, THEY'RE DRIVING HARD, ♪ ♪ CHECKING OUT THE WORLD IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD, ♪ ♪ CHECKING OUT THE WORLD IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD.

♪ ♪ SO DO YOU WANT TO COME IN, THEN?

(Randy) YE AH.

WOULD YOU LIKE A CUP OF COFFEE?

UH-HUH.

(Don) DEAR TV MAILBAG, DO THESE GUYS HAVE IT EASY OR WHAT?

HI, DON THE CAMERAMAN HERE, AND I, TOO, AM ENJOYING THE HOSPITALITY OF MARK NEGUS AT HIS HOME IN BLUE SPRINGS.

THE ART MARK MAKES TAKES DIFFERENT FORMS: PAINTINGS, PRINTS, THE OCCASIONAL IMAGE BURNED INTO WOOD.

BUT WHAT'S GOT HIM IN PLACES LIKE THE AMERICAN VISIONARY MUSEUM IN BALTIMORE IS SIMPLICITY ITSELF: CARVINGS, AND NOT THE KIND YOU LEARN TO MAKE AT SILVER DOLLAR CITY.

(Mark) NO, I JUST WENT OUT BACK HERE ON THE STAIRS ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO AND PICKED UP A STICK AND JUST DECIDED TO SEE WHAT I COULD DO WITH IT AND JUST STARTED CARVING.

THAT'S WHERE IT CAME FROM.

(Randy) IS THE APPLE TREE YO UR FIRST CHOICE WHEN YOU'RE THINKING AB OUT THINGS?

(Mark) I LIKE THE APPLE WOOD.

ALL FRUIT WOODS ARE A HARDER WOOD, AND--I DON'T KNOW.

IT JUST-- IT'S REAL PLEASANT TO CARVE IN.

THIS LITTLE PIECE IS CALLED FAITH IN A SEED.

WHEN YOU GO DEEP IN THE WOODS IN THE FALL, SOMETIMES YOU'LL HEAR THIS NOISE.

tink THAT'S AN ACORN DROPPING.

A LOT OF MY STUFF COMES OUT OF READINGS, AND IT'LL COME OUT OF HISTORY OR LEGEND OR FOLKLORE, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.

THIS IS A LITTLE RING JAR.

HATTIE GREEN, SHE LIVED ON THE STREETS.

WHEN THEY WENT INTO HER LITTLE ROOM AFTER SHE DIED, THEY FOUND MILLIONS.

(Mike) WH AT WAS THIS, A TREE SLOTH?

(Mark) YEAH, RIGHT.

BECAUSE IT KI ND OF CLIMBS.

(Mark) I NEVER DO THE SAME THING TWICE.

EACH ONE IS UNIQUE.

YOU KNOW, YOU SEE SOMETHING IN YOUR MIND'S EYE, AND YOU WANT TO BRING THAT TO PASS, AND YOU GO FOR IT.

SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS, AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T.

IT'LL JUST BE A LITTLE SPOON.

(Don) CONSIDERABLY MORE DELICATE THAN A LOT OF THINGS WE'VE BEEN SEEING, AND I GUESS THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE HAVEN OF HAMMERS THAT WE'RE HEADED FOR NEXT.

(Randy) WE'RE ALL LOADED UP.

(Don) IT'S IN NORBORNE, WHICH MEANS WE'VE GOT SOME SPRINGTIME DRIVING TO DO ON A ROUTE THAT TAKES US THROUGH PLACES LIKE LEXINGTON, WHERE A CIVIL WAR BATTLE WAS FURIOUSLY FOUGHT, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS ABOUT HOW FURIOUS THE FIGHTING WAS, JUST LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE COURTHOUSE.

(Mike) KI ND OF A SIMILAR TH EME GOING.

(Randy) YEAH.

GREAT BALLS OF LEXINGTON.

(Don) IT IS A PRETTY AND HISTORIC LITTLE TOWN SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO A PRETTY OLD BRIDGE OVER THE MISSOURI RIVER.

MAYBE THAT'S WHY MIKE POPPED OUT A PRETTY PROVOCATIVE QUESTION.

SO DO YOU THINK WHEN WE'RE IN IOWA, WE COULD MAYBE VEER OFF INTO MINNESOTA?

IT'S A LONG WAYS, MIKE.

I MEAN, A LONG WAYS.

(Don) IT WASN'T LIKE A MUTINY OR ANYTHING, BUT FOR THE NEXT FEW MILES, THERE WERE TWO TENSE TV WEASELS UP FRONT, SO IT'S A GOOD THING OUR NEXT STOP COULD LIGHTEN THINGS UP A LITTLE.

AFTER ALL, GLEN AND JUDY ALBRECHT ARE ABOUT THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE WE EVER MET.

THIS IS DON, THE CAMERAMAN.

(Don) THE SOYBEAN KING AND QUEEN OF 1983 AND PROUD OWNERS OF A HELL OF A LOT OF HAMMERS.

(Glen) THIS IS IT.

OH, MY.

OH, MY.

(Mike) HELLO.

(Judy) I TOLD YOU YOU'D BE SURPRISED.

(Mike) OH , HELLO.

AND YOU PUT EVERY ONE OF THESE UP HERE AND TRACKED EVERY ONE OF THESE DOWN?

(Glen) YUP.

(Randy) AN D IT'S BEEN A LIFELONG MISSION?

NO, SINCE ABOUT '78.

WHAT HAPPENED IN 1978 THAT MADE YOU START?

I DON'T KNOW.

(Randy) WELL, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA?

(Glen) NO, I DON'T.

DO YOU DO ANY HAMMERING YOURSELF?

NOT REALLY.

NO?

(Randy) DO YOU HAVE THE URGE TO TODAY?

I CAN'T FIND NO HAMMER.

THIS IS THE FIRST OLD DOUBLE-CLAWED ONE THAT I GOT.

YOU WOULD START PULLING A NAIL OUT LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, AND THEN GOT IT OUT THAT FAR, AND THEN YOU'D GET IT UNDER HERE AND PULL IT ON OUT.

THAT'S A SNOW KNOCKER HAMMER.

THAT'S A SADDLE HORN HAMMER.

THIS HERE ONE, THE BOLTS IN THERE, SPRINGS BEHIND THEM.

YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS?

UM... (Randy) YEAH, MR. SMART GUY.

THAT'S A TRAIN HAMMER FOR THE SMALL BRAKE HANDLE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF TRAIN CARS.

NO, I DON'T KNOW.

WHAT IS THAT?

THAT'S A BUGGY SPRING OILER.

(Randy) OH.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS GO ING TO SAY.

YEAH.

(Judy) IN THIS LITTLE TOWN HERE, WHEN PEOPLE--THEIR RELATIVES COME IN TO SEE THEM, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT TO DO, SO THEY BRING THEM OVER TO THE HAMMER SHED.

WE'VE HAD THEM FROM GERMANY AND EVEN SOME BOYS FROM POLAND.

THEY WAS AT OUR CHURCH.

THEY BROUGHT THEM HERE.

SO I THINK WE'VE GOT, IN OUR GUEST BOOK, PROBABLY 14 DIFFERENT STATES-- 14, 15 THAT'S BEEN HERE.

(Randy) OKAY, SO NOW, WHAT'S-- I PROBABLY MISSED THIS, BUT WHAT'S THE COUNT ON HAMMERS IN HERE RIGHT NOW?

(Glen) THERE'D BE OVER 2,700; I KNOW THAT.

THERE'S PROBABLY CLOSER TO 2,800, BUT I KNOW THERE'S OVER 2,700.

I HAD THAT MANY A YEAR AGO.

WHAT'S THE GOAL?

I NEED ONE MORE ALL THE TIME.

(Don) NOW, I'M NOT SURPRISED THOSE PRODUCERS DIDN'T KNOW IT, BUT EVEN GLEN SEEMED UNAWARE JUST HOW MANY HOURS OF AMUSEMENT A HANDFUL OF HAMMERS CAN PROVIDE.

NOTE THE FORM.

I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO PUT A NEW SPIN ON THE SUBJECT.

RELUCTANTLY, WE BID THE ALBRECHTS ADIEU AND, AFTER DINING BRIEFLY IN BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN NORBORNE, LET FLY DOWN THE HIGHWAY TOWARDS EXCELSIOR SPRINGS.

PASSING BY THE FAMED HALL OF WATERS REMINDED US THAT ALL THAT FREE COFFEE HAS TO GO SOMEWHERE.

LIKEWISE, WE LOOPED QUICKLY PAST THE ELMS HOTEL, WHERE HARRY TRUMAN WAS KNOWN TO LET OFF A LITTLE STEAM.

IT'S A SHORT HOP FROM EXCELSIOR TO KEARNEY, FAMOUS FOR THE JESSE JAMES FARMHOUSE, WHICH WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE, AND, TO A LESSER DEGREE, DARRELL THE BARBER, WHO WE ARE.

OH, GOD.

YOU'VE GOT ALL YOUR FINGERS, DON'T YOU, DARRELL?

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THIS TODAY, SIR?

OH, MAKE IT SHORT.

SHORT?

YOU REALLY WANT IT SHORT?

OH, THAT'S THE SOUND OF CLIPPERS, ISN'T IT?

YES, IT IS, SIR.

OH, I CAN'T SAY I'VE HEARD THAT SOUND FOR A LONG TIME.

I'VE BEEN HERE ABOUT 21 YEARS.

I STARTED OUT-- AS A YOUNG MAN, I WAS EXPECTING TO CUT HAIR UNTIL I FOUND A REAL JOB, YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAS KIND OF-- I FOUND OUT THIS WAS A REAL JOB.

THAT'S HOW I GOT INTO TV.

THAT'S HOW YOU GOT INTO TV.

(Don) I GUESS IT'S WITTY REPARTEE LIKE THAT THAT MAKES A PLACE LIKE DARRELL'S PRETTY MUCH THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE IN A SMALL TOWN, A ONE-STOP SHOP WHERE YOU CAN TAKE A LITTLE OFF THE TOP WHILE GETTING THE SKINNY ON JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING, INCLUDING KEARNEY'S ONCE-THRIVING NATIVITY ROCK MUSEUM.

THE MELTON PLACE.

THE MELTON PLACE?

WELL, CLAUDE MELTON IS A RETIRED UNITED TELEPHONE EMPLOYEE-- WORKED FOR UNITED TELEPHONE FOR MANY YEARS AND RETIRED FROM THE TELEPHONE COMPANY, AND HE HAD A SPECIAL ZEAL IN WHICH HE THOUGHT THAT HE COULD USE HIS TALENTS AS A ROCK MASON TO PUT TOGETHER A ROCK MUSEUM BASICALLY TELLING THE STORY OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST.

AND SO WHEN HE STARTED WORKING ON THIS PROJECT, IT WAS CONFINED TO, I BELIEVE, THE BASEMENT OF THE HOME, AND THEN GRADUALLY, IT JUST GREW AND FLOURISHED UNTIL IT GRADUALLY ENCOMPASSED THE YARD, THE HOUSE, AND ALMOST THE LIVING QUARTERS AS HE KEPT EXPANDING.

(Marguerite) HE'D WORK HALF THE NIGHT DOWN HERE, THEN GO UPSTAIRS AND GO TO BED AND GO TO WORK THE NEXT DAY AND COME BACK AND START OVER.

THAT'S THE WAY HE'S MADE, I GUESS, 'CAUSE HE HAD QUITE AN ACTIVE BRAIN AS FAR AS THINKING THINGS UP.

I HAD SO MUCH TO SEE DOWN THERE.

YEARS OF WORK, YOU KNOW-- TEDIOUS WORK, BUT I HAD TO DO SOMETHING MORE.

(Marguerite) HE COULD JUST WORK AS-- THINK AS FAST AS HE'S WORKING OR MORE SO.

(Randy) BUT NO ART TRAINING?

(Marguerite) NO.

(Darrell) HE IS AN ARTIST.

THIS MAN HAS BEEN AN ARTIST.

YOU WOULD HAVE TO DESCRIBE HIM AS AN ARTIST.

BUT ARTISTS ARE SELDOM APPRECIATED BY THE NEIGHBORS OR BY THE GUY NEXT DOOR, AND SO IT'S SOMETHING, SOMETIMES, THAT TAKES SOMEONE FROM A LITTLE DISTANCE OFF TO REALLY RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE YOUR TALENTS.

(Marguerite) HE DIDN'T NEED NO ADVICE.

I DON'T THINK HE WOULD HAVE TAKEN IT.

NO END TO HIS IMAGINATION.

THERE REALLY WASN'T NOTHING MUCH HE COULDN'T USE.

(Darrell) HIS HEALTH IS NOT QUITE AS GOOD AS IT ONCE WAS, BUT HE HAS GIVEN IT EVERYTHING HE COULD FOR AS MANY YEARS AS HE COULD, BUT IT HAS KIND OF FALLEN INTO DISREPAIR NOW.

BUT IT'S DEFINITELY A TESTIMONIAL TO HIS INTENTIONS.

(Claude) YOU CROWD IT.

YOU CROWD YOUR THOUGHTS, YOU KNOW.

YOU HAVE THOUGHTS WAY DOWN THE LINE THAT YOU WANT TO DO, BUT I MANAGED TO DO IT ALL.

I ALWAYS KEPT BUSY.

(Darrell) ALL RIGHT.

ARE YOU READY TO SEE THIS?

(Mike) OH, SURE.

I'M PLENTY READY.

HANG ON.

HERE WE GO.

AAAHH!

THAT'S ONE OF MY BETTER ONES TODAY.

(Mike) HE Y, ARE WE GOING TO GET TO GO TO MINNESOTA?

NO.

(Don) WELL, IT IS A NEW DAY, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE STILL ON SOME OF THE SAME OLD TOPICS, HAVING SOME OF THE SAME OLD NAVIGATIONAL DIFFICULTIES.

OKAY, BUT I'M GOING PAST MOUND CITY.

(Mike) WE LL, YEAH, I GUESS.

GUIDE ME HERE, BIG FELLA.

(Don) AT LEAST THANKS TO DARRELL THE BARBER, HALF OF US CAN SAY WE ARE A SHARPER-LOOKING BUNCH.

(Randy) HA VE YOU STOPPED TO ADMIRE IT PRETTY CONSISTENTLY?

WELL, MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID, "WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HAIR?"

(Don) NOW, THIS PARTICULAR CORNER OF THE STATE IS VERY BIG WITH THE BIRDS.

AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR, PEOPLE LITERALLY FLOCK TO SQUAW CREEK TO "OOH" AND "AAH" OVER FLOCKS OF THEM.

AND LIKE US, SOME NO DOUBT STUMBLE INTO THE SMALL TOWNS NEARBY LIKE CRAIG, WHICH, WE'D BEEN MADE AWARE, DOES CONTAIN A MOST UNLIKELY RETAIL COMBINATION.

(Randy) THIS HAS GOT TO BE THE PLACE.

THERE CAN'T BE MORE THAN ONE UNDERTAKING AND GROCERY STORE IN A SMALL TOWN IN THIS AREA, CAN THERE?

(Mike) I--LET'S HOPE NOT.

(Christy) WE GET A LOT OF PEOPLE OFF THE INTERSTATE THAT-- OFF I-29 THAT JUST WANT TO SEE THE OLD STORE.

THERE'S NOT VERY MANY AROUND ANYMORE.

WE JUST PUT RUNNING WATER IN IT SINCE WE PURCHASED IT.

IT DID NOT HAVE RUNNING WATER TILL THEN, SO WE NOW HAVE RUNNING WATER.

IT'S PRETTY MUCH ORIGINAL.

(Randy) DOES THAT MEAN I CAN HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE WHILE I'M HERE?

NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANY COFFEE.

WE DO HAVE WATER.

CAN'T GET A FUNERAL; CAN'T GET A CUP OF COFFEE.

(Mike) SUFFERING.

YOU'RE SUFFERING.

(Christy) WE'RE KIND OF A GLORIFIED CONVENIENCE STORE RIGHT NOW.

WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.

AND WE SELL LONGHORN BEEF, FARM-RAISED.

(Randy) WITH NO COFFEE, YOU'RE SORT OF AN INCONVENIENCE STORE.

AREN'T YOU KIDS SUPPOSED TO BE AT SCHOOL?

WHAT ARE YOU HIDING BACK THERE FOR?

COME ON OUT OF THERE.

THERE'S NO HIDING IN TV.

(Mike) HE SHOOTS; HE SCORES.

(Randy) WO ULD YOU LIKE TO FLOG MIKE?

(Don) NOW, THAT WOULD HAVE MADE THIS A TRULY MEMORABLE STOP, BUT JEFF POLITELY DECLINED AND PROCEEDED TO GIVE US A VICTIMLESS DEMONSTRATION.

[whip cracks] HE ALSO FILLED US IN ON SOME OF THE PARTICULARS OF OUR PARTICULAR HOOD ORNAMENTATION.

ABABABABAB.

I THINK I'VE LEARNED ENOUGH.

(Randy) NICE TRY.

(Don) WE ALSO LEARNED A LITTLE GEOGRAPHY-- THAT IT'S NOT SO FAR TO RULO, NEBRASKA, WHERE CATFISH IS KING.

WITH THAT RAPIDLY RISING RIVER, THOUGH, I FOUND MYSELF THINKING, "IT'S NOT JUST LUNCH; IT'S AN ADVENTURE."

(Mike) WE WOULDN'T BE DUMB ENOUGH TO STAY HERE.

WAS IT SAFE?

HOW HUNGRY AM I?

I DON'T WORRY UNTIL IT GETS UP TO THE WINDOWS, AND THEN WE'LL ALL BE OUT OF HERE, RIGHT?

I'VE SEEN IT HIGHER THAN THIS.

(Mike) MAYBE WE'LL GET LUCKY, AND IT'LL FLOOD BETWEEN THE TIME WE'RE EATING AND THE TIME THE BILL COMES.

(Linda) POSSIBILITY.

IF THAT HAPPENS, DO YOU GET-- USUALLY, WE-- NO, WE'LL CATCH YOU ON YOUR WAY OUT.

AND WE'LL FOLLOW YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.

NOW, YOU WON'T FIND BETTER-LOOKING FISH THAN THAT ANYWHERE.

NICE.

OH, IT'S STILL FLOPPING AROUND.

(Randy) HE Y, DID I HEAR "M ORE COFFEE?"

(Linda) SU RE.

YOU GUYS SCARE PEOPLE OFF LIKE THIS EVERYWHERE YOU GO, OR JUST HERE?

IS THERE A PRIZE OR ANYTHING FOR CLEANING YOUR FISH?

(Don) WE DO HAVE A WAY OF CLEARING A ROOM, OR MAYBE IT WAS THAT RISING WATER.

EITHER WAY, IT WAS TIME TO MOVE ON AND START EXPLORING A NEW STATE.

WHEN IT COMES TO GRASSROOTS ART, NEBRASKA IS BEST KNOWN FOR A PLACE WAY OUT WEST CALLED CARHENGE, WHICH WE WON'T BE GETTING TO.

HERE IN THE EAST, WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT NEBRASKA CITY'S WYUKA CEMETERY, WHERE AN UNUSUALLY HIGH NUMBER OF FINAL RESTING PLACES ARE, WELL, UNUSUAL.

(Mike) WO W. GOD, I LOVE THIS STONED LOG LOOK.

THAT'S PRETTY COOL.

AND THEY WERE BARONS OF NEBRASKA CITY, RIGHT?

(Mike) HE WAS A NEBRASKA CITY PIONEER AND INSURANCE SALESMAN.

HARDING SOLD THE FIRST INSURANCE POLICY ISSUED IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA.

LOOK AT THE DETAIL ON THIS.

(Randy) PRETTY GOOD.

YOU WANT TO JUST OPEN THE DRAWER.

HIS DESK LOOKED MUCH LIKE MINE DOES.

NO.

NO, I'VE SEEEEEEEEEEEEE OR IS THIS A CASTING?

IT'S NOT.

THAT'S SANDSTONE, RIGHT?

HOURGLASS ON THE TOP.

(Randy) LO OKS LIKE THE SANDS OF TIME.

(Mike) "SERVES TO REMIND THE LIVING OF THE URGENCY WITH WHICH THEY SHOULD PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS."

YOU WANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT.

SOMEONE WHO WAS BORN IN 1813, AND THEY WERE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE STATE OF NEBRASKA.

SO YOU GOT THE SCALES O' JUSTICE AND, I SUPPOSE, THE BOOKS OF WISDOM.

(Don) AN D WHO WAS J.

STERLING MORTON?

THE FOUNDER OF ARBOR DAY.

THE FATHER OF ARBOR DAY.

I GUESS THAT'S THE SAME THING.

(Randy) IT'S FAR MORE THAN YOUR JUST BASIC CROSS OR PLAQUE.

SOMEONE REALLY WANTED TO SAY SO METHING WITH THIS; I'M JUST NOT SURE WH AT THEY WANTED TO SAY.

DIDN'T YOU READ ABOUT-- OH, YEAH.

"ESTHER J. PINNEY, WIFE OF N.R.

PINNEY."

(Randy) MI KE, IT'S THE ONE.

IT 'S THE ONE.

(Mike) "SHE DONE WHAT SHE COULD."

(Randy) PR ETTY MUCH SUMS IT UP, DO ESN'T IT?

(Mike) LOOK AT THAT.

YOU COULD SPEND HOURS WANDERING AROUND LOOKING AT THE CARVINGS ALONE.

THERE ARE SOME REALLY NICE ONES.

(Don) BY NOW, YOU'VE PROBABLY NOTICED WE DO MOST OF OUR WANDERING ON THE BACK ROADS AND IN SMALL TOWNS, BUT THIS WOULD DEFINITELY BE A BIG-CITY STREET.

AND THE BIG CITY, RELATIVELY SPEAKING, WOULD BE OMAHA.

WE'VE COME HERE TO MEET REECE CRAWFORD, WHO'S BEEN DOING VERY WELL THE LAST FEW YEARS MAKING THINGS OUT OF, FIRST, PAPIER-MACHE AND, MORE RECENTLY, HER OWN SPECIAL RECIPE OF GLOP, ALL WITHOUT ANY FORMAL TRAINING.

(Reece) I HAVE A SLEEPING DISORDER CALLED SLEEP APNEA, AND SO WHEN I DO GO TO SLEEP, IT'S ONLY FOR A BRIEF TIME, BUT I HAVE SOME REALLY STRANGE DREAMS.

AND I USUALLY JUMP UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, 2:00 OR 3:00 IN THE MORNING, AND START CREATING, AND I WON'T GO BACK TO BED, AND I'LL STAY UP.

SOMETIMES I STAY UP FOR 72 HOURS STRAIGHT WITHOUT SLEEP.

I STARTED OUT DOING IT AS-- BEING SELFISH, TO CREATE THINGS FOR MY HOME, BUT THEN MY SISTERS AND THEIR FRIENDS WERE COMING OVER, AND THEY WOULD GO, "OOH, I LIKE THAT; I LIKE THAT.

WHERE'D YOU GET IT?"

"I MADE IT."

"I WANT ONE; I WANT ONE."

IT'S CALLED IF THEY COULD GROW UP TO BE MEN, AND IT REPRESENTS THE GANGS: THE BLOODS, THE CRIPS, AND THE VICELORDS.

AND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A POSITIVE BLACK ROLE MODEL.

SLAVE TO THE TIMES.

NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO IN LIFE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU HAVE YOUR OWN NICHE OR WHATEVER, YOU'RE STILL A SLAVE TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU DRINK.

I SWEAR THAT THESE THINGS PARTY IN MY HOUSE WHEN I'M GONE.

AND WHEN THEY HEAR ME STICK THE KEY IN THE DOOR, IT'S LIKE THEY FREEZE IN POSITION.

'CAUSE EVERYTHING I MAKE IS USUALLY TOTALLY STANDING VERTICAL, RIGHT?

AND THEN NEXT THING YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE LEANING THIS WAY, OR THE ARM GOES THIS WAY OR SOMETHING STRANGE.

I EVEN HAD ONE THAT DID THE LIMBO.

EVERYTHING I USE IS RECYCLED PAPER.

AND THE FUNNY THING ABOUT THIS-- OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE.

THESE ARE ALL THEIR TOP SECRET MILITARY DOCUMENTS THAT THEY PULVERIZED.

(Mike) SO DO OTHER ARTISTS COME UP TO YOU AND SAY, "YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE MAKING THINGS LIKE THIS"?

(Reece) THEY GO, "WOW.

HOW'D YOU DO THAT?

HOW'D YOU COME UP WITH THAT?"

AND I GO, "TRIAL AND ERROR IN THE KITCHEN."

AND I'VE HAD PEOPLE SAY, "WELL, WHY DON'T YOU GO TO SCHOOL?"

I GO, "IF I GOT TO GO TO SCHOOL FOR THIS, I'LL QUIT."

IT WOULD BE BORING.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I DO MAY BE UNORTHODOX TO OTHERS, BUT IT GETS ME OVER, YOU KNOW.

IT GETS ME IN WHERE I FIT IN, YOU KNOW, SO I JUST DO WHAT I GOT TO DO WITH WHAT I GOT.

(Mike) ARE YOU A GOOD COOK TOO?

BECAUSE I MEAN, THIS IS THE KIND OF THING IT SEEMS LIKE YOU HAD TO EXPERIMENT WITH IN THE KITCHEN OVER AND OVER.

MAKES ME WONDER IF YOU'RE-- (Randy) I THOUGHT MIKE WAS IN VITING HIMSELF OVER.

I'M TRYING TO GET AN INVITE OVER FOR DINNER, SO... (Reece) AS K MY SONS AND MY HUSBAND.

SAY, "I CAN THROW DOWN."

(Don) SPEAKING OF FOOD, IT HAS NOT ESCAPED THIS HARD-WORKING, INDUSTRIOUS CAMERA GUY'S NOTICE THAT THIS PART OF TOWN DOES CONTAIN A NUMBER OF FINE DINING POSSIBILITIES.

HOWEVER, MY ENTHUSIASM MAY NOT BE SHARED.

BUT OVER THERE, THERE'S-- LIKE, THERE'S AN INDIAN RESTAURANT.

THERE'S A FRENCH RESTAURANT.

WE GOT TO GO SEE THE BULL, DON.

CAJUN RESTAURANT.

LOOK, THE MAP TELLS NO LIES.

WE GOT 45 MINUTES TILL WE GET TO ALBERT THE BULL, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

I'M SORRY, MAN.

I'LL BUY YOU SOME CHIPS.

TALK ABOUT-- TALK ABOUT BULL.

OH, LORD.

WHAT IS THAT SMELL?

[sniffing] OH, GOD.

IT'S A HUGE BULL.

(Randy) IT 'S GOT NICE EYELASHES.

(Mike) NO KIDDING.

(Randy) IT WAS WORTH IT, WA SN'T IT?

WHOA, BIG BALL.

(Don) IT'S BAD ENOUGH I HAVE TO WATCH ALL THIS FRIVOLITY ON AN EMPTY STOMACH, BUT AS A PRACTICING VEGETARIAN, I'D SAY THAT LEAVING THE PROMISE OF OMAHA BEHIND FOR ALBERT THE BULL HAS DOUBLED MY DISAPPOINTMENT.

(Mike) YO U GETTING HUNGRY?

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO EAT TONIGHT?

HEY, HOW ABOUT A BAKED POTATO AND A GRILLED CHEESE, HUH?

(Don) SO WHO LEFT THE HALF-EATEN DOUGHNUT ON THE COOLER?

IT'S NOT A CRULLER COOLER.

(Don) I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT WAKING UP ON A BEAUTIFUL MORNING MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER, AND THIS DAY IS DAWNING WITH THE BEST OF THEM.

WE LODGED IN FORT DODGE, THEN SET OUT ACROSS THE FERTILE FIELDS OF IOWA TOWARDS ONE OF THE HOLY GRAILS OF GRASSROOTS ART, THE GROTTO OF THE REDEMPTION IN WEST BEND.

BUT EVEN THE MOST PASSIONATE OF PILGRIMS DOES NEED TO GET OUT AND OCCASIONALLY STRETCH THEIR LEGS AND THROWING ARMS.

FLY BALL.

(Don) IT'S NOT QUITE THE FIELD OF DREAMS, BUT THEN AGAIN, WE'RE NOT READY FOR THAT ANYWAY.

OH, NO.

OH.

WHATEVER YOU WERE THINKING ABOUT MINNESOTA--GONE.

(Don) NOW, A GROTTO USUALLY HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH A CAVE, WHICH YOU OFTEN FIND IN SOME HILLS, AND, PRETTY AS IT MIGHT BE, THIS PART OF IOWA HAS VERY LITTLE OF EITHER.

SO YOU CAN SEE WHY, WHEN THE LATE FATHER DOBBERSTEIN STARTED BUILDING ALL THIS OUT HERE ANYWAY, SOME CALLED IT THE EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD.

YES, WE'RE IN THE CORNSTALKS HERE, OF IOWA, AND MAYBE THAT'S WHY IT WAS BUILT HERE.

FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE LORD LED HIM HERE.

FATHER DOBBERSTEIN MIGRATED FROM GERMANY AS A YOUNG MAN.

HE WAS STRICKEN WITH DOUBLE PNEUMONIA, AND IN THOSE DAYS, DOUBLE PNEUMONIA OFTEN WAS FATAL, AND THEY FEARED FOR HIS LIFE.

AND SO IN HIS ILLNESS, HE PRAYED TO MARY, THE MOTHER OF GOD, FOR HER INTERCESSION FOR THE GRACE OF HEALTH.

AND HE PROMISED THAT IF HE WAS TO RECEIVE HEALTH, HE WOULD BUILD A GROTTO SOMETIME IN HIS LIFE IN HER HONOR.

THIS WAS THE START.

INSIDE THE GROTTO THERE, IN THAT ROOM THERE, WAS THE FIRST GROTTO HE BUILT.

(Randy) HE COULD HAVE STOPPED RIGHT THERE.

HE DIDN'T.

(Gerald) HE RECEIVED SO MUCH SUPPORT WHEN HE BUILD THAT GROTTO THAT HE SPENT THE REST OF HIS LIFE HERE, TELLING THE ENTIRE STORY OF OUR REDEMPTION.

WE GET A LOT OF ROCK CLUBS COMING THROUGH.

IN THE '50s, THERE WAS AN ESTIMATE-- TRIED TO ESTABLISH AN ESTIMATE OF THE GROTTO'S GEOLOGICAL VALUE, WHICH WAS PLACED SOMETHING OVER $2 1/2 MILLION AT THAT TIME.

IN THE INSIDE OF THAT GROTTO IS THE GROTTO OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

THERE'S A STATUE THERE OF MOSES WITH THE STONE SLATE HE RECEIVED AT MOUNT SINAI.

THAT GROTTO BELOW, THERE, WITH THE ANGEL-- AGAIN, THAT'S ALL PETRIFIED WOOD.

IT COMES FROM THE FOREST IN-- OR THE BORDER OF NORTH DAKOTA AND MONTANA.

OF COURSE, THE 13th STATION WITH THE CROSS, THERE TO THE SOUTH.

(Randy) YOU DON'T EVER HAVE ANY CAMERAMEN FALL OF OF HERE, DO YOU?

(Gerald) WE HAVEN'T LATELY.

(Jim) I JUST WANT TO CAPTURE IT AND-- TO SHOW IT TO ALL MY FRIENDS IN CALIFORNIA.

I SAY "THE GROTTO," AND THEY KIND OF TILT THEIR HEAD AND LOOK AT ME AND "WHAT IS THAT?"

AFTER THIS, IT'S LAKE OKOBOJI.

WE HAD JUST STARTED THROUGH HERE, AND I LIKE-- THIS IS WONDERFUL.

AND THE COLORS ARE JUST GREAT.

(Randy) DOES THE STORY STUFF ALWAYS HAVE TO COME THROUGH, OR CAN YOU JUST REVEL IN THE ROCKS?

(Gerald) OH, I THINK PEOPLE COME HERE FOR BOTH REASONS.

I THINK SOME MARVEL AT THE ARTISTIC DESIGN; WE MARVELLED AT THE ROCKS' FORMATION AND THE VALUE OF THE ROCKS.

OTHERS RELAY THAT FATHER DOBBERSTEIN USED ROCKS BECAUSE HE SAID THAT THEY WOULD BASICALLY STAY IN PLACE FOREVER OR TELL THE STORY FOREVER.

HELLO.

(Gerald) SOME YEARS AGO, WALT DISNEY SENT A MAN UP HERE TO LOOK AT THE GROTTO, THINKING ABOUT DUPLICATING IT.

AND HIS MAN WENT BACK AND TOLD WALT DISNEY THAT IT COULD NEVER BE DONE.

SO THAT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT FATHER DOBBERSTEIN'S ABILITY.

(Don) IN LATER YEARS, FATHER DOBBERSTEIN WAS ABLY ASSISTED BY FATHER GREVING, WHO WAS, IN FACT, RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT LOOKS TO BE OUR WORLD'S NINTH WONDER: THE GIFT SHOP.

(Mike) I'M VERY BIG ON THE VIEW-MASTER EXPERIENCE.

WHOA, VIEW-MASTER.

COOL.

(Mike) DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING IN 3-D?

(Don) YOUR REPORT CARD.

(Randy) SEE IT FOR THE REST OF THE TRIP.

YEAH.

IT'S SOLD.

ON THE COUNTER.

(Mike) WELL, YOU COULD JUST ABOUT START YOUR OWN CHURCH WITH ALL THE STUFF IN HERE.

(Don) NOT THAT WE WERE PLANNING ON THAT, BUT IT'S ALWAYS INSPIRING TO SEE WHAT ONE MAN CAN DO WITH NOTHING MORE THAN ROCKS AND DESIRE.

(Gerald) PEOPLE HEAR ABOUT THE GROTTO; THEY HAVE NO VISION AS TO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO FIND WHEN THEY GET HERE.

(Mike) I'VE SEEN PICTURES, AND IT DIDN'T DO IT JUSTICE.

(Gerald) IT'S VERY HARD.

I'M SURE YOUR CAMERAMAN WILL CAPTURE EVERYTHING HERE, BUT-- HE'LL BE THE FIRST ONE.

(Don) I LIKE HIS CONFIDENCE, BUT IT STILL MAY CALL FOR A MIRACLE.

THIS IS DON THE CAMERAMAN SIGNING OFF.

IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, I'LL TAKE A NAP IN THE BACKSEAT, AND YOU CAN DRIVE FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

(Mike) NOT SURE I CAN DRIVE ANYMORE.

IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I'VE DRIVEN.

(Randy) YO U BE CAREFUL.

HEY, SAFETY IS MY MIDDLE NAME.

[tires squealing] (Randy) GEE, MIKE, THAT'S A FAST START.

(Mike) SORRY, BOSS.

MIKE, DON'T FOLLOW TOO CLOSELY.

(Mike) OKAY.

WHATEVER YOU SAY.

DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE?

(Don) I THINK--UH-OH.

MINNESOTA.

[together] MINNESOTA.

LET'S DO IT.

Captioning provided by KCPT Television.

Captioning by Melissa atCaptionMax www.captionmax.com