Seven and a half year-old Laney waited a year for this photo.

Seven and a half year-old Laney waited a year for this photo.

Cuba/Fanning MO:  This was the third year for the Picture at the Rocker Day at the Fanning US 66 Outpost General Store.  Having been at the first two events,I almost didn’t go this year, but I thought that I would run out and get a quick photo.

I forgot that it’s the stories and the people that make this event. The first two years the Cuba Fire Department brought out their lift truck to raise people to the rocker, but this year they sold their truck, and Danny and Carolyn Sanazaro, owners of the rocker, rented a lift to raise people to the seat of the rocker so that  they could get their photos.

In fact when the chair was delivered the day before, some folks got an early lift up to the rocker  because they were traveling and couldn’t stay over for the next day.

With Dan running the lift, his son using the bullhorn, their daughter filling in where needed, and Carolyn trying to use people’s cameras for them and to keep the cameras straight so that she was taking photos for the right people, it was a busy place.

When I got there and started talking to Carolyn and the people who there for photos, I remembered what a great event this once-a-year happening is. Carolyn told me about the family that had brought their paraplegic son and carried him up to the seat of the rocker. There were the two couples from St. Louis, who were out for the day.  There was the couple who decided to go up because it was their anniversary.

There was a dad and his daughter Laney, who told me that she was 7 1/2. Last year, they had missed the event by two days, and Laney had wanted to return for a year. So being a good dad, he and Laney drove an hour from Fletcher, MO for the experience and the photo. When they handed Carolyn their camera on the way up to the seat of the rocker, wouldn’t you know it, the battery was dead.

While they were going to the top of the rocker, Carolyn ran in and took batteries out of her own camera for theirs. She got the shots and told them to keep the batteries in case they wanted to do more sightseeing. I took some photos too and emailed them to the dad and his daughter. You can see one at the top of the page. Afterwards, they bought souvenirs inside the Outpost General Store

Another young woman was there from Texas wearing a red Sooner T-Shirt and carrying a bear wearing sunglasses. She came out for her rocker photo and was then going back to St. Louis for a Brooks and Dunn concert before returning home to Texas. This is her photo in the Texas-sized rocker.

This young woman traveled from Texas for a rocker photo and a concert.

This young woman traveled from Texas for a rocker photo and a concert.

Families, couples, lone individuals, bears, some comfortable with heights, others pretty scared; they all got their pictures.

I talked to one couple from St. Louis, who was out for the day. He was going up, but she wasn’t comfortable with heights, so she snapped the photos. Later, they went into Cuba, visited the murals and, since he liked trains, they ate at Frisco’s. Before leaving town, they visited Connie’s Shoppe at the Wagon Wheel and toured a couple rooms. They said that the wife’s father had a Model T and his car club might enjoy a trip to Cuba.

I saw other people from the rocker walking around town and coming out of restaurants, so I imagine the Picture at the Rocker event, is good  for the economy.

Last year, after I left the rocker, a bluegrass band showed up and went up to the rocker to play. I wonder what I missed this year.

Watch the Fanning US 66 website for the date of next year’s Picture at the Rocker Day. The Outpost’s next big event is their archery tournament on September 25, the same day as the Lion’s Club Car Show.  These dual events should bring a lot  more folks to Cuba’s attractions.