Branson Day 3 - Mr. Entertainment

I slept late and dilly-dallied around for too long in the morning. I finally wandered out into the heat and headed over to see the dam and fish hatchery and check out any fishing options.  The road curves and winds it's way through the hills to finally approach the Table Rock Dam and the state park.

There is a scenic overlook that perches on a bluff hanging over Lake Taneycomo that offers a nice view of the lake and the face of the dam. From that vantage point you can see a few people fishing and view the dam and the incredible sprawl from Branson. I had no idea that development had spread as far as it has.

Lake Taneycomo is more like a river than a lake because it is narrow and has a swift current. It's a lake because it is trapped between two dams. It's water is about 50 degrees all the time because it flows out of the depths of Table Rock Lake through the power generators. That temperature makes it ideal for trout and the upper stretches of Lake Taneycomo are pretty famous for trophy trout. The water level and speed of the current will change according to the amount of power generation going on at any given time. 

There is a large state fish hatchery situated below the dam with rearing tanks holding thousands of trout. That might be as close as I get to a trout unless I can get the fishing figured out. There is so much water coming through the power generators that it is really too deep and too strong of a current to wade and the overhanging trees make shore fishing nearly impossible. There are a few boats on the water but they are fighting the current more than fishing. I saw a few people trying to fish and also found a few places where I could get down to the water and fish -- there aren't many people fishing. Actually the breeze coming off the 50 degree water is very pleasant and brings the air temperature down to the 70s if you are right by the water.

My lunch was at an Irish pub. I was pretty thirsty after bushwhacking through the underbrush looking for fishing spots on the lake. They had Bass Ale, one of my favorites (it has nothing to do with fishing), and they make a pretty good Reuben sandwich. The TV over the bar was showing highlights from the women's World Cup game so I got to see that again...and had another beer to drown my sorrow.

In the evening I had yet another show to see... just call me Mr. Entertainment. I expected this one to be a little less dangerous than the Elvis show. This was The Haygoods -- a musical family of six brothers and one sister sort of like the Jacksons or Osmonds but younger and maybe more country. The youngest was 16 and they went up to probably 30 or so and they all play 4 or 5 instruments and sing and dance. They started performing as preschoolers in 1988 around San Antonio but have been in Branson since 1993 so they are pretty much locals now. 

They put on a good show, beginning with stuff from the 1950s (Doo-wop) and then up to the 1970s and a good mix of music. They did some Jackson Five and Beatles music and a sort of Tap Dogs routine and some country and Motown.   What they don't have in talent and precision they make up with showmanship and they had the audience rocking out. The dad sells trinkets and souvenirs and mom hangs out backstage. I don't know how you keep a family group like this together for so many years without somone rebelling or just hating the family business. They have been doing this for 23 year

I associate Branson shows with hillbilly country music, religious themes or flag waving but I was happy that there wasn't much of that in either of the two shows I've seen so far...I have one more show left to see. I've also come to appreciate the amount of technical stage work that takes place. There must be a small army of folks trained in theatrical lighting, sound, set making and costumes plus a bunch of supporting musicians.

I've been happy, too, with my ability to get around town without always being in a traffic jam. The lady at the condo front desk showed me some routes to take and that has made a big difference. It helps that I'm based downtown and near a round-about that gets me pointed in the right direction when I go somewhere.