INTRODUCTION

THE ROAD SIGN....Is a very appropriate appellation to this narrative...a vivid memoir of several coincidences that actually occured in the personal life of Lyle B.
(Corky) Schmeiser. Quite often I can be observed wearing a shirt that properly fits so as to allow me to fasten the collar button without the possibility of cutting off the oxygen supply to my brain. Thus I am enabled to wear one of my favorite bolo ties. This particular bolo is oval shaped and measures 1-3/16 inch across at the center and is 2-7/16 inches long. This intricately handcrafted eye catching oval is constructed with a base/backing of stainless steel. On the front it has an embossed/scrolled border and bears the number "33" in the center both of which are beautifully hand-tooled and constructed of yellow brass. This is no ordinary general run of the mill type bolo, but rather is quite unique, closely resembling the character of it's owner!!! Unlike most bolo ties, of which the string can be removed and possibily placed on another bolo, this one is made so that the black braided leather string cannot be removed. The metal ends are securely fastened onto the string and the string passes through a stainless steel channel which is welded to the back side of the bolo about 7/8 inch from the top. It is designed so that when the wearer puts it on, slips the bolo into it's proper place on the collar of the shirt and the pulls down on the little lever the string is locked securely in place, thus preventing sliding up and down much like ordinary bolos tend to do.

The number "33" equates to several coincidences that just happened to have occured in my personal life and what started all the...fracas...about the number "33" has eventually led to the possibility of writing a book...an autobiography of sorts along with a mixture of drama, Colorado history, stories that I have written....The original inspiration for the writing of all these stories....true to life happenings down through my lifetime...is a rectangular sign that I had driven or ridden past for over a half century before it began to dawn on me what the inscription on that sign signified in my life. This sign is...or at least was...located a couple of football fields and perhaps a basketball court or two past where the junction of the beginning or the west end of Colorado Highway 94 used to intersect with U. S. Highway 24 at what formerly was popularly known as "Highway Junction at Pete Field" This junction is all past tense now...that...in order to accomodate all the traffic on Colorado 94 the intersection was moved several years ago to a point about a half mile northeast on U. S. Highway 24.

This road sign depicts that the Rush Colorado United States Post Office/store is located "33" miles east of that point. The zip code for Rush Colorado is..80833.. I was born AT and raised On my PIONEER PARENT'S HOMESTEAD...a Homestead that was established December 15, 1914 and when my Parent's sold out and retired, was turned over to one of my siblngs during the year 1954. This HOMESTEAD is located in the "L" of Lincoln County and it just happens that Lincoln County ranks number "33" in the state. Of the eleven children born to my PIONEER PARENTS, I was number 7 to be born in the "Little House On The Prairie" on the HOMESTEAD....and my birth occured on December 7, 1933...!!! In order to find all the other "33"s that make up this life story...you'll have to read the rest of....THE ROAD SIGN....!!!