Wednesday, May 23, 2018, Move to Traverse City, MI

Our drive today to Traverse City State Park was 119.6 miles (87,033.1 total). It was all secondary roads (mostly M31) and I believe the drive was much smoother than nearly any Michigan Interstate highway we have encountered to date.

Our site at the state park was billed as "level" and maybe the average was level, but our back bumper was nearly touching the ground when we finally called it good enough. The big surprise was the bugs! We were freaked out by the thousands of mosquitoes swarming the entire campground. We did notice they were not very aggressive - not a single bite, but still, we were hard-pressed to keep them out of the coach.

I love short driving days - we were able to set up early enough and still have the energy to do other things before the day was over. A pedestrian walkway joined the park and the beach. I asked if a dog was allowed and was told "yes". I had to carry Sam up and down the expanded metal steps since they are painful on his feet. At the bottom of the steps on the lakeside was a sign telling me animals are not allowed on the beach. It wasn't much of a beach anyway and the wind was chilly coming off of the lake, so we weren't too bothered by the snub.

We left Sam at home as we explored the shops along Front Street in downtown Traverse City. Joani wanted to make sure we visited the highly regarded Cherry Republic. I could not believe just how generous they were with samples. I had a few dried cherries, a few chocolate covered cherries, a few dark chocolate covered cherries, cherry coated pretzels, sour cherry candies, and quite a variety of cherry jams. I was in sugar overload. Of course, we left with a jar of Cherry Pecan Jam and a bottle of Cherry Muscadine wine so I might have offset some of those samples with our purchases.

Across the street Solo: A Star Wars Story was premiering tomorrow. Tickets were still available, so I know where we will be in about 24 hours.

We saw some gorgeous Petoskey stones in quite a few store windows. They owe their distinctive patterns to fossilized Rugosa corals that grew 350 million years ago. I'm hoping we will be lucky enough to find a nice specimen along the lakeshore while we are in the area.

Built in 1891, this 1200 seat Victorian opera house was the first facility in Traverse City to use electric lights.

We found Traverse City had a beautiful and vibrant downtown area that was very pleasant and very worth visiting.

Tuesday, May 22, 2018, Mount Pleasant, MI

We said good-bye to the teeming metropolis collectively referred to as Detroit and headed north. Being the wimp that I am, Joani planned the day's drive for just 151.5 miles (86,913.5 total) stopping overnight at the Soaring Eagle Casino in Mount Pleasant, MI. The casino had probably 5 acres of level pavement designated for RV parking, so there was no problem finding room for our coach. I don't think I ever saw more than a dozen RVs parked during our stay.

Ruby Tuesday had their salad bar special for a flat 5 bucks, so we ate until we were hurting then returned to the coach to recover. We never found the ambition to head over to the casino where I'm sure we would have won a couple thousand dollars. At least we saved ourselves the trouble of paying taxes on all of those winnings.

Monday, May 21, 2018, Henry Ford Museum

"The Henry Ford" as it is called includes three major attractions - Museum of Innovation, Greenfield Village, and the Factory Tour. Since we were recovered from the day-long exploration of the Village last Friday, today we visited the Museum of Innovation. Our friend, Loren, had not been in years and joined us for today's adventure.

The first thing we encountered was the Wienermobile. I immediately replayed the song in my head - "Ohhh, I wish I were an Oscar Mayer wiener. . .". The Dog House in the background is where you can get a, you guessed it, hot dog. It was far too early for eating and we had acres to explore.

 1952 Wienermobile served as a prototype for Oscar Mayer's more recent 1988 fleet. Can you sing the song?

The "Agriculture" exhibits featured the 1st Fordson tractor and the Sperry-New Holland combine among many other unique machines that tried to make life on the farm easier and more productive. Having relatives who farm in Iowa, I can say from first-hand experience machines today dwarf the combine below and I suspect they will probably continue to grow.

1975 Sperry New Holland Combine - In a single operation, this combine cut down cornstalks, separated and husked the ears, chopped the cornstalks for fodder, and shelled the kernels.

The Dymaxion House was designed after WWII as the home of the future. Made of aluminum (now plentiful due to production innovations in support of the war) and assembled in factories much like airplanes, everyone was going to live in one. It was loaded with innovations, but, as you know since this is the only remaining specimen, those plans didn't materialize. The home had no insulation - imagine how cold it would have been in a Michigan winter!

As we wandered through the exhibit entitled "Your Place in Time" we marveled at all the things from our childhoods that are now museum fodder. It made me feel old. There was a photo op in a 1917 Overland car that was, at least a little before my time.

"Made in America" included dozens of complete power generation stations that pretty much all turned steam into electricity. It was fascinating to look at the complexity and ingenuity of the early generators. If I remember correctly, the smallest/earliest would power around 400 40-watt bulbs. The largest was listed in Megawatts and I didn't convert that back to light bulbs, but it was quite an exponential growth over a very short span of time.

 The First Modern Power Source - The practical steam engine was invented around 1710 to pump water out of deep mines.

The Corning Glass Ribbon Machine, 1928, revolutionized light bulb production when it was introduced. It takes a ribbon of molten glass and blows it into moving molds, making 600+ glass casings a minute. It reduced the cost of bulbs but put glass blowers out of work. In the 1970s, fifteen of these machines produced most of the world's bulbs.

Corning Glass Ribbon Machine, 1928

The next section called "Heroes of the Sky" included a reproduction of the Wright Flyer, Lindbergh's Spirit of St Louis and Amelia Earhart's airplane among others. Henry Ford's involvement in aviation helped make passenger flights practical, but his aviation division was only in full operation from 1925 to 1932. He lost over $5.5 million in that time and never turned a profit.

The Tin Goose, Henry Fords airplane, was made of a corrugated aluminum alloy called "duralumin" that was as strong as steel while remaining relatively lightweight.

The Tin Goose

1956 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible

Price: $2,538

Average 1956 wage: $4,342 per year

Along one hall were Presidential Vehicles from the one Kennedy used all the way back to a carriage used by Teddy Roosevelt.

 Kennedy's car, 1961 Lincoln, used from 1961 to 1977.

Teddy Roosevelt's 1902 Brougham

President Roosevelt was not fond of automobiles, and rarely used one.

There was a section simply labelled "Railroads". I felt very small standing next to the largest locomotive I have ever seen. I lost count of the wheels but I think it was a 2-12-4.

"Driving America" was a large section packed with all manor of vehicles. We learned Charles did not really travel in the RV below but he did broadcast from inside it on location.

 1975 FMC motorhome used by Charles Kuralt and his crew as a rolling studio. They traveled more than a million miles and visited all 50 states while filming “On the Road” for 27 years.

1965 Lotus-Ford won the Indianapolis 500 in 1965 averaging 150.686 mph.

Possibly the most detailed model I have ever seen, the 1/8th Scale Team Lotus type 38/1 can be yours for $6,511.00 (shipping charges $256.00). Limited edition of 99 pieces. (dust cover included).

The Bugatti was the most ostentatious, most expensive street car on display. It had to be the exact opposite of Henry Ford's concept of a mass produced vehicle for the common family. Still, if I could take any one car home with me I think this would be the one.

Bugatti Type 41 Royale was longer than a Duesenberg and twice the horsepower of a Rolls-Royce. More costly than both put together. Bugatti built only six Royales. It was yours in 1931 for only $43,000 including the rampaging elephant hood ornament below.

A close second, after the Bugatti, for favorite car as a work of art would be the Cord. Its sleek good looks were ahead of their time! How about those retractable headlamps?

1937 Cord 812

I was not even aware that there was a Mustang concept car built in 1962. I thought the Mustang line started with the 1964 and a half model and it did not look anything at all like the mid-engine screamer below.

1962 Mustang 1

From the outrageous to the exotic to a car that I could conceivably one day own - an early model Ford Thunderbird (or the more recent retro version) - still one of my all time favorites!

1956 Ford Thunderbird

In another section entitled "With Liberty and Justice For All" there were some surprising and interesting bits of memorabilia. The bus (or a replica, I was not clear) where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat was on display. Lincoln's chair seemed a little bit out of place, but it was historic so why not?

 Washington's Camp Chest, made by William Chapple, London, England 1783

As the war wound down, Washington used this mess kit on his tour of battlefields in New York and New England.

 This is the actual chair in which President Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865.  It was originally located in the President's special box in Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C.

"Exploded" Model T

MATHEMATICA

A World of Numbers...and Beyond

Designed by Charles Eames for IBM

There was so much more than we could possibly show even if I included all 300+ pictures we took. My impression of The Ford was a cross of The Smithsonian with Disney's Epcot and it is not to be missed! I know we will visit again someday.

Sunday, May 20, 2018, Ann Arbor, MI

Loren and Sharon visited us again on Sunday and, since it was threatening to rain, took us on a driving tour of Ann Arbor. Joani had read about "fairy doors" (in Southern Living many years ago) that appeared at various businesses around the town. Armed with the internet and a map we went in search of this unique Ann Arbor quirkiness. You would think with our traveling skills we could find the tiny doors with a map, however, we somehow found ourselves at the wrong store (Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea on Washington St., not Kerrytown). What we did find was a bunch of artisans selling their wares and a nearby delicatessen.  

Zingerman's Deli had a well-deserved reputation among Michigan residents, so we sat down for some lunch. Joani's pastrami Reuben was awesome.

Another fairy door was on the front of The Ark. I thought I saw it and quickly tried to take a picture. A car just as quickly blocked my view. We circled the block twice before I gave up and decided we were just not meant to see them on this drizzly, overcast day. Believe me, they are there and we will have photographic evidence someday!

Jonathan B. Wright and his little girls first noticed fairy doors appearing around his house well over 10 years ago.  Soon they were turning up around town.

Onward around a lot of construction detours, we cruised the University of Michigan campus. I'm not an authority on college football by any means, so I had to take Loren's word for it that this stadium holds the record for the largest single-game attendance - at least, I think that's what he said.

The "Big House"

Next, we drove through the Frank Lloyd Wright influenced office complex built by Thomas Stephen Monaghan, founder of Domino's Pizza. A grand development (just under one million square feet) that is home to over 50 successful businesses, including the world headquarters of Domino's Pizza. When Monaghan retired he sold Domino's for just under one billion dollars.

World's largest copper-covered roof - 423,415 square feet

There is actually a farm on the land and they have a petting zoo that drew a sizable crowd of youngsters and their parents after church on this breezy, cool afternoon.

Baudet de Poitou or Poitou Donkey

We were looking for the Bison that roam the farm to no avail. (A herd that started with one bull and one cow and now has over 90 bison.) Then Sharon spotted this pair of unusual donkeys, keeping an eye on the comings and goings.

Friday, May 18,2018, Greenfield Village

We had a beautiful day for exploring Ford's Greenfield Village. We had been told there was a lot to see so we started a bit after 10 in the morning. I parked in the wrong lot so we probably had a quarter mile hike in by the time we reached the entry gate.

Our first stop was the Firestone Farm (as in Firestone tires). It was a fully functional farm with folks working the field, doing chores and preparing meals as they would have done in the late 1800's.

Firestone Farm - Benjamin and Catherine were third-generation owner-operators of this farm.  They raised three children, including tire-maker, Harvey Firestone.

Decades of selective breeding gave some merino sheep wrinkled skin.  This effectively doubled the amount of fine woolen fleece.

Liberty Craftworks was an area of the village dedicated to various crafts (including pottery, glass blowing and weaving) and industry (including sawmills, gristmills, machine shops and printing). Each activity was demonstrated in authentically recreated facilities allowing visitors to see first hand a bit of life more than 100 years ago.  

The glass blowing demonstration had the school kids mesmerized.

We learned glass making was America's first industry. There was a glass shop at Jamestown, VA in 1608. Henry Ford's American glass collection is one of the most comprehensive in the US, numbering approximately 10,000 pieces. A small part of that collection was on display in the Davidson-Gerson Gallery of Glass. I can tell you there were many, many pieces in there I would be proud and happy to have on display in my home.

Cityscape Bowl, 1998 by Jay Musler

The machine shop was complete down to the steam-powered engine turning the overhead drive wheels. For a few bucks, you could turn your own souvenir brass candlestick on the vintage lathe.

The Armington & Sims Machine Shop & Foundry is a steam-powered shop constructed in Greenfield Village in 1929. It was named in honor of the shop that was originally located in Providence, Rhode Island, that built high-speed steam engines for Edison’s New York Pearl Street Station.

My Grampa Hayes gave David an anvil just like this one. He got it from his grandfather who started his blacksmith shop in California in the mid-1800's.

A young lady having her hand at turning a brass candlestick.

Maybe my favorite section was the Railroad Junction. Inside the roundhouse, two fully restored locomotives were on display. You could even go into the pit to view the workings of the locomotive from below.

This roundhouse was built in 1884 in Marshall, Michigan, for the Detroit, Toledo & Milwaukee Railroad. Today it services the locomotives and equipment of Greenfield Village's Weiser Railroad.

Rides were available in authentic Model T's or in horse drawn carriages or wagons or even on the steam driven train - we choose to walk the entire 80 acres.

A beautiful bowl made, by Robert Jones, from one piece of Baltic Birch wood, which has been laser cut and glued together to give it a 3 dimensional look.

Outside the recreated Menlo Park Complex, "Thomas Edison" told us all about his concept to provide electric lighting to every household. He was addressing us as reporters and prospective investors so he was giving it his best sales pitch. Inside the lab was recreated with the help of one of Edison's senior technicians and photos of the original laboratory.

Thomas Edison's Menlo Park Laboratory was the heart of the Menlo Park complex. Many of Thomas Edison's most famous experiments were created in this laboratory. Edison used the best scientific equipment available at the time.  

Thomas Edison's workers entertained themselves and relaxed with the organ. 

When Thomas Edison visited Greenfield Village he sat in the chair below during a radio broadcast. To commemorate that event Ford decided to have the chair nailed in place. No one has been allowed to sit in the chair since with one exception - on her visit, Helen Keller sat in the chair to help her experience its historic significance. When the floor had to be replaced in the building it was replaced everywhere except under the chair. 

 He also made sure to keep a wide variety of chemicals and other materials on hand just in case they were needed. (This represents a fraction of the total chemicals.)

A trio of fine actors portrayed the Wrights, Wilbur, Orville and Katherine, to tell us the story of  the first powered flight. They stood on the porch of the actual Wright home moved to Greenfield Village from Ohio.

 Wilbur and Orville Wright grew up in this house, built in 1871 in Dayton, OH, where they did much of the design work for the airplane.

 Only Katharine graduated from college, neither Wilbur nor Orville went beyond high school.

Built in 1860 in Dayton, OH.

 Starting in 1899, Wilbur and Orville Wright performed much of the research, experimentation, design and construction of the first successful airplane, the “Wright Flyer,” in this building. They closed their bicycle business in 1904 to concentrate full-time on airplanes, and continued to build improved models here through 1909. The original “Wright Flyer” was built here in sections and shipped, unassembled, to Kitty Hawk, NC. The first flight took place there on December 17, 1903.

"...Unbelievable that sixty-five years later, Neil Armstrong was walking on the moon...this from two brothers with a high school education and from a cycle shop in Dayton, Ohio."

Many houses of historical significance were moved to Greenfield Village including the Ford home, the Edison homestead, the Wright home, the homes of Noah Webster and Robert Frost and many others including the cottage below that I liked because of the limestone shingles on the roof.

 Cotswold Cottage was built in 1619 in Chedworth, Gloucestershire, England. It was relocated to its present location in 1930.

The museum closed at 5 pm which was good because I'm not sure we could have walked much more. We were pretty sure we had seen most everything anyway. It was not good that we were facing Detroit's rush hour traffic. Since we had skipped lunch we opted to wait out the traffic at a Mexican restaurant where we could enjoy chips and salsa and a couple of watermelon margaritas before heading home for the evening.