The Henry Ford Museum

Henry Ford wanted his museum to pay tribute to American innovation and chronicle the people whose vision and boldness changed the world.  It was fun to see the Dymaxion House built in 1945.  It is round and looks like an Airstream  trailer.  It was suppose to be mass produced in a short time, affordable and environmentally efficient.  I'm glad it wasn't successful.  Also saw the Wiener mobile=Oscar Meyer's hot dog car.  Saw DC-3 with 95 foot wing span that had 12 million miles of air travel.  Interesting to see how seat space hasn't changed much and in early day they sat in wicker chairs.  We saw lots of presidential limos=Eisenhower, Kennedy's which he was assassinated in, Reagan's and Teddy Roosevelt's.  Also enjoyed the Allegheny-one of the LARGEST locomotives ever built.   It weighs 600 tons and is 125 feet long.  They had a great display of farm equipment and automobiles.  Also had steam engines that ran this country in early days.  We were so tired we went to Cracker Barrel for dinner.  Didn't see Mei as they had a late work and study night.  Today was hazy and humid.  The chance of storm passed up by.  Today Friday we had slept in late, did laundry, got my nails and hair done.  Looking forward to having dinner with Mei this evening.

part 2

We have so many pictures thought we'd just send a few more of our Greenfield Village Trip.  This first picture is the Ford T's that travel through the village.  Next picture I liked as this shows how the first electricity came into the houses through the wires.  We had lunch in a cafe and there were 2 pictures made up of different colors of corn.  Isn't this cow great!  Next is our campfire.  It was cool after we eat so we had a fire.  Notice Mei and I have long sleeve's on.  All the mosquitos eat Mei up but John & I got a few the next evening. We only have two days left here, we are going to Mei's home for dinner tonight, maybe play some cribbage. JVP

Adventures in Ann Arbor

Went blue berry picking after Mei got off work.  The blue berries are smaller but we had fun. Andrew had to study late so we went and tries a Mexican restaurant-was pretty good.  The next day Wed Aug 20th was a cooler day.  Was only 56 at 7 the morning.  Went to the Farmer's Market.  Had such good fruit and vegetables-we are enjoying the tomatoes and peaches and got some raspberries and a bunch of flowers.  Mei went to work and John & I went to Zingerman's Deli for breakfast.  It is world famous and even Oprah had a sandwich here and voted best one she's had.  Their bread was really GOOD.  Then John & I drove to to Greenfield Village where Henry Ford has re-created the world that inspired him.  We saw Wright Bros. work shop, Thomas Edison's lab, people dressed in period clothes.  We rode in a Model T car around the village.  Saw a lot of old homes re-built on the land.  Webster's home that made the dictionary, a boarding house and Washington Carver's, a slave who became a great scientist .  We walked until our feet were sore and then got on a bus that took us out to the Rouge Ford Plant for a tour.  Everything out there is very  secretive.  Can only get there by bus, no pictures can be taken and no postcards either.  It is a huge place that Ford built on the Rouge River.  It is at least 2000 acres.  His idea was to have everything he needed their so he had a glass factory, steel plant and such.  Then he revolutionized manufacturing by bringing all the parts for the car to the workers on an assembly line and paid them $5 an hour which was far more than others made in that day.  We saw a movie on the making of this plant, than another movie where we saw how cars and trucks are made today but in virtual reality.  We were  hot when things where poured into forms, rained and painted on, shaken and blinded.  Than we got to go see the new things they are doing in the production of F 150's.  Unfortunately the plant is shut down now while they gear up the the new year but we did see on screens above the plant floor what went on in each section.  Ford has also made a living green roof, doing things at plant to improve the environment and water in the area.  It is a massive plant- as far as you can see in all directions. JVP 

Family News

Arrived in Ann Arbor where my niece Mei lives.  We are in a Koa park about 12 miles away.  Ann Arbor is a college town-University of Michigan has a huge area and adding more buildings all the time.  A lot of the big homes have been converted to boarding rooms.  Andrew and Mei took us for a tour around campus and the medical buildings where Andrew is studing.  Saw their duplex and then had dinner downtown.  Monday was Andrew's first day of school so Mei and us went to the country and did some wine tasting.  Then we toured the Chelsea Milling Company where Jiffy Mixes are made.  The factory is old and small but they put out a lot of product.  Their top seller is corn muffin mix. We each got 2 mixes and will use them soon=they are just the right size for traveling.  We barbacued chicken here at our camp and played cribbage

Michigan, Finally

We are here. We stayed two days in Davenport, Iowa. Left on Saturday for Michigan, we wanted to get to Mei's,  our niece on Sunday afternoon. The total distance was about 400 miles but we wanted to split it up, so we went 250 to Covert, MI. We stayed at the KOA there, very nice with Blue Berry bushes all around. We could pick and eat all you wanted but if you put it in a pail you paid by the pound. Saturday afternoon we drove to one of the local beaches on Lake Michigan in Benton Harbor. It is hard to believe you are not looking at the ocean it is so vast an expanse. We also stopped at a local roadside fruit stand and got peaches, tomatoes and blue berries. We did not think we had enough time to pick. Got up to a beautiful morning and a blue berry pancake breakfast served by the owners of the park. Yum. Then we drove to the beach north of our area, and we are glad we did. We walked on the beach and walked out to the light house. Very pretty. Walked around downtown and talked to the locals, a great time. JVP

Davenport, Iowa

We arrived here after a long day of travel, 400 miles. We are staying at the campground that Pat and Elmon and us stayed at last year. Set up camp and went to John Deer which John just loved.  He got to see all the new equipment and sit on it all. I found a computer that told me all about corn, soybeans, wheat, eggs, cotton, cattle, pigs, apples. Told how they were planted, where,harvesting and such.  Really interesting.  We went to an outside patio downtown and had lunch and then on to John Deer store and another facility where they restore old equipment.  Our next stop was the Mississippi Visitor Center and Locks.  We arrived just in time to see 9 barges pass through the lock and tie off at the end.  Then the next 6 barges came through pushed by the tug.  It is amazing to watch the cars go by and all by the level of water in the locks.  These cars came from Minnesota and were headed west.  Then they tie all the cars together and push it on the river.  The bridge turns side ways to let the boat pass and the cars all have to wait awhile as it is not a fast operation.  

Traveling & Relatives

Well we traveled 3 hard days of over 300 miles a day. Started in Montana, Wyoming and in to Nebraska to visit with my  Uncle & Aunt.  Both in 90's and going downhill physically but still sharp in mind.  They are happy in their little apartment and are busy doing things there.  We got there when it was birthday month celebration but had dinner delivered to their apartment and had a nice meatloaf dinner.  Next day took my Aunt to bank and a short shopping trip to Wal-Mart.  We brought Kentucky Chicken for dinner and looked at family pictures.  That night we enjoyed a Mid-West thunder storm with rain and lightening.  Tonight Thur Aug 14th finds us in Davenport, Iowa.  We did another long day of driving so will rest tomorrow-acutually sight see.  Went to eat at a local rest. called Iowa Machine Shed.  Good food and enjoyed the corn on the cob,ribs and steak.  Did laundry and walked around camp.  We saw fire flies(they are little bugs that light up at night).