rolling on the river

When we think of the hike and bike trail and what it could mean, it seems thoughts go directly to a major development with restuarants, apartments, casinos, and many other things.
Then people say that wont work and the idea dies.
That is how things go in Arkansas City at times.
That is something I want to change.

if we get 20 ideas talked about, 3 developed, and one actually works, that is success in my estimation.
The trail is the first step. Next step is to get a few business, which might take a year or two.

Here is my story...

We need to try things.
You know we put on a nice outdoor music festival last fall by the old meat packing plant down by the levee. That is a huge field that is not being used for anything.
Now ill be the first to admit that i didnt know what i was doing, but somehow it managed to come off rather well.
( I had lots of friends come through and some divine intervention )

(This too is part of developing the rivers)

There were several reasons that it wouldnt work.
1. No one had done that before.
2. The weather is unpredictable in late October, could be bad weather.
3. There are sinkholes all over the place and new ones show up all the time.
4. There is no electricity. (a big problem)
5. The entrance is awkward and hard to see.
6. There are lots of stickers all over the ground.
7. I (we) didnt have any money.
8, It was a school night.
9. Right before Arkalalah, people are not into a concert out in the cold at night. Especially not a Christian music festival.
10. Most people were not even aware that the field existed.

Any one of those reasons would have been a legitimate excuse to not attempt such a thing. Most of those reasons were also relatively good reasons that it might not work.

I wasnt even dreaming big enough. I was thinking maybe 200-300 people might show up. We had way over 500.

Im really glad we did it and we are going to do it again.

But one thing I want to point out is, that I was willing for it to be a total disaster. That was the risk, but one worth taking.
I remember thinking a few days before the show, what if no one comes to hear this $2,000 band we have coming, and the other bands. I thought, i guess ill have a front row seat for sure then.

There's always reasons that things wont work.
Wasnt it Kennedy that said some people see things they way they are and ask why, while others see things that are not and ask why not?

So lets quit moaning about why things wont work and get to work building Ark City.

Weirder stuff has happened.
THe Giants just won the Super Bowl.