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I love having my online friends but I really love meeting them in real life! Today was one of those days.
We woke up and headed to see my friend Britni and her farm! I was so excited because she has been sending me her farm pictures for the past few years and I really enjoyed imagining it in real life.
It took us about 4 hours to get to her house and we stopped in Monmouth for lunch first. We ate at the Maple City Family Restaurant and it was packed! The food was great!
We got to her farm and it was beautiful. Her family is the fourth generation to live in their house and each generation has added to it but hasn’t done that yet. Then they showed us their personal garden in the backyard. They had sweet corn (for eating), and sunflowers, zinnias, and beets. Then we went across the street to see their farm equipment. Boy, they were huge! They grow field corn and soybeans that they sell. It was a huge farm! Justin was so patient in explaining how the whole process works from planting the seed, to harvest to storing it in the grain bins. It is a really labor-intensive process and I don’t think I ever appreciated farmers as much as I should! You could tell that Justin loves what he does and takes great pride in it too. He also said that this year, drones will be doing their crop dusting. I was surprised by how much technology was used in their farm equipment!
After we left them, we headed to Iowa City and checked into our Hampton Inn Iowa City/University Area. After we checked in, we went to Costco to fill up with gas and got a hot dog and ice cream there for dinner. Then we went to the Devonian Fossil Gorge. We were able to walk on the 375 million-year-old ocean floor. We drove around and saw the dam and then we headed back towards the hotel. We drove by the University of Iowa football stadium on the way.
We got up early and checked out of the Mammoth Cave Lodge and headed north. We stopped at the Turnhole Bend Nature Trail and did a short hike before leaving the national park.
For breakfast, we stopped at PJs Cafe in Brownsville, KY. We stopped in Owensboro, KY for gas and then crossed into Indiana.
Our next stop was Casey, IL, where we visited in 2021. There was a car show and there were lots of people in town. We had lunch at Reflections Family Restaurant right downtown and the food was very good. Then we walked around town and hoped to buy some fried pies but they were gone by the time we got back there. Then we found an antique store and enjoyed looking around that store for a while.
When we left Casey, we headed to Paris, IL. For a couple of hours, we shopped at the Whippoorwill Antique Mall in Marshall, IL on the way to the Hampton Inn ($124.16), in Paris, IL We had dinner at Arby’s and realized that there wasn’t much there in that town. It looked like a depressed economic area other than some manufacturing plants.
Tuesday, 6/13/2023: Collinsville, IL/ St. Louis area
Our adventure began at 6 am when we left home. Our first destination was tentatively Knoxville, TN. When we arrived at Knoxville, Don was still full of energy and wanted to continue but we did stop at McDonald’s for breakfast. We figured that since we were only 3 hours away, we could visit another time. So, our next possible stop was Nashville, TN and again, Don was ready to continue. Before Nashville, we entered the Central Time Zone and our clocks were an hour earlier. So, we headed to St. Louis. We used Hotwire to find a nice hotel room at a reasonable price ($68). So, we ended up at the DoubleTree in Collinsville, IL which is just on the east side of St. Louis.
Once we checked in, we decided to go to Steak-n-Shake for dinner. We had a combo special for $8 each which included a cheeseburger, fries, a drink, and a chocolate sundae. Then we went looking for the Largest Catsup Bottle in the World and found it not too far away. It was a pretty cool water tower.
Wednesday, 6/14/2023: Collinsville, IL/ St. Louis area
We got up early and went to Waffle House for breakfast. Our breakfast was around $5 each (eggs, hashbrowns, and toast). Then we headed to Laumiere Park and my knitting friend, Cindy met us there. We walked around the sculptures and saw our favorite eyeball sculpture there. She had to go back home and back to work so we headed to the St. Louis Zoo which is free. Parking was $15 but we were able to find free parking on the side street. The Zoo was wonderful and we thoroughly enjoyed it. When we left, I was hot, tired, and hungry so we went to Imo’s for lunch. We each got the lunch special (pasta, ½ salad, and a drink) for $11 each. We could have gotten one and shared it if we bought another drink. After lunch, we returned to the park and walked around the children’s garden which was beautiful. Next, we drove around the park and decided we wanted to find the giant 33-foot alien at the Science Center. Our GPS kept sending us to the Science Center but no alien could be found. When I looked up pictures online, it said it was at the planetarium at the science center. Finally, we drove around until we saw the building in one of the pictures and found the planetarium and the alien! Next, we found the visitor center and enjoyed talking to the ladies there. They recommended that we check out the Missouri History Museum which had a World’s Fair exhibit. We went there even though we knew they closed in 30 minutes (5 pm) and I was able to buy a magnet and see one of the exhibits. The World Fair exhibit had closed down in April for refurbishment and would reopen in 2024. We were tired and ready to get a hotel room so tried Hotwire again. We got a room at the DoubleTree again but it was $77. We had a full day and really enjoyed ourselves.
Thursday, 6/15/2023: Springfield, IL
After breakfast at Waffle House, we hit the road and headed to Springfield. On the way, we passed a huge pink elephant and an alien ship. Of course, we had to turn around and go to them for pictures! They were in front of an antique mall. The mall didn’t open until 9:30 and it was only 9 but the lady saw us and opened up for us anyway. Don found some treasures there. We finally got to Springfield and booked a room at the State House Inn ($95) which was right across the street from the Capitol. Next, we went to the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. They were having a naturalization ceremony at 3:30 but they only had a few seats for the public. After that, we ended up at the Prairie Archives bookstore where Don found some World’s Fair memorabilia. Then we went to the Visitor Center where we took a picture with President and Mrs. Lincoln. The visitor center was in the old Lincoln-Herndon law office building where President Lincoln practiced law on the 3rd floor. At that time, the first floor was used as the only post office in Springfield. Then we went to the visitor center in Lincoln’s neighborhood to get a free tour ticket for Lincoln’s home. While we waited for the tour, we watched a 30-minute video which was very good. The tour took 30 minutes and it was very good too. I was thrilled to be walking in the same place that Lincoln had lived. We finally stopped to eat a late lunch/early dinner at Sapuros (a well-known Italian restaurant). We had the lunch specials ($11 each). After eating we walked to the Depot (where Lincoln took the train to DC after being elected President). Since we were tired and hot, we drove to Lincoln’s Tomb and got there in time to go inside before they closed. I found it interesting that Lincoln was actually buried 10 feet deep in a concrete vault because grave robbers tried to steal his body in 1876. The robbers were caught before they could succeed in their plan. It was a full and fun day!
Friday, June 16, 2023: Peoria, IL/ Moline, IL
We left Springfield and headed to Atlanta, IL to look for the Giant Paul Bunyon statue holding a huge hot dog. We found it and then continued to Bloomington, IL to the 316 Antique Mall. Don shopped for a couple of hours and found some treasures. I was able to sit and knit and talk to the owner. They were having a 4-day concert next door but we were able to get in the parking area to go shopping. When we left there, we headed to Peoria, IL to the Caterpillar Visitor Center. It was $6 admission for each person and we spent a couple of hours there. I really enjoyed that. We bought a magnet at the store and got a Veteran’s discount. After that, we walked along the waterfront and Don found a yarn store for me! Then we left there and headed to Moline. We got a room at the Wyndham Moline on John Deere Commons for $126. It was a very nice room with a sofa/sitting room and a small refrigerator. Many hotels were sold out in the area because of the Matchbox 20 concert. We finally found one in Geneseo so we went ahead and booked it for Saturday. Next, we walked along the river in both directions and then we walked across the street to the John Deere Pavilion and took photos. We were able to buy a magnet at the store. We brought our stuff to the room and then went back out to find this festival a lady told us about. A policeman told me that “Mercado on Fifth” happens every Friday from May until September. There were a lot of food vendors and the music was great.
Saturday, June 17, 2023: Moline, IL/Geneseo, IL
After breakfast, we drove to Sylvan Island Park which is a free city park. We walked across the bridge and hiked around. It was a very nice park. After that, we decided to drive over the bridge to Davenport to scope out where our tour will be on Monday. When we got over the bridge we stopped along the riverwalk on the Iowa side and took pictures of the old and new bridge. We had a nice chat with a local man. On Sunday they plan to demolish the old bridge. After finding the John Deere plant, we went to Costco and did some shopping. Then we went to Geneseo, IL, and found an outdoor festival. It was very nice and the local library was giving away free books. After the festival, we hunted for antique stores. We spent 4 hours at the C&S Antique Mall. Don shopped while I knit and talked. Then we checked into the Best Western Geneseo Inn ($125). Sunday, June 18, 2023: Moline, IL/ LeClaire, IA
We checked out of our hotel and headed to Moline again. We were too late to see the demolition of the old bridge but I got pictures of it before and after. I did see a video of it online though. Then we went to the Iowa side and rode around. We went to LeClaire, IA, and found the Antique Archeology store (from the American Pickers Show). Then we drove along the river. We found Dam and Lock #14. Then we went back to Costco to return some clothes that didn’t fit Don. After eating a hot dog lunch, we went back to the Wyndham in Moline where we had a reservation. The room wasn’t ready so we sat around for a couple of hours drinking free coffee and reading. Then we got our room and were lazy most of the day.
Monday, June 19, 2023: Davenport, IA/West Branch, IA/Rochester, MN
We headed to Davenport, IA for our 10 am tour of the John Deere Manufacturing Plant. We were sent an email telling us that we had to wear long pants, and closed-toed shoes, and leave our phones in the car. We couldn’t believe it when one couple showed up in shorts and she was wearing sandals! They made her go back to her car and change her shoes. Then they gave both of them long pants with elastic waists to wear over their shorts. The tour was amazing and well worth going! It lasted an hour and we rode around in a tram while the guide talked to us through headsets. We also had to wear safety glasses. The plant covers over 2 million square feet (roughly 37 football fields).
Then we headed to West Branch, IA to the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum ($5 each for seniors). We watched a 22 min. video and spent about 90 minutes at the museum. We also went to see the President and Mrs. Hoover’s gravesite. Next, we went to look for the World’s Largest Nickel. It was on the side of the road and I took a quick picture and then we made a quick stop at Costco. We looked for a hotel to spend the night and didn’t find any suitable ones with good reviews at reasonable prices so we went on to Rochester, MN. We stayed at Hampton Inn Rochester South ($115). While we waited to check in, we were told that they were serving free chili for dinner so we had some. The room was nice and we will even get a free breakfast so we may stay here again tomorrow night.
Tuesday, June 20, 2023: Rochester, MN
After breakfast, we headed to Austin, MN to the Spam Museum. It was free and we spent about an hour there. After that, we headed to Buffy the Cow and then Oxbow Park Nature Center and Zollman Zoo (also free). It was really hot outside (85 degrees) but the zoo was pretty nice. Then we headed to Costco for gas and Aldi for junk food. We returned to the Hampton Inn (booked another night but it was $120) and decided to hop on the shuttle to the Mayo Clinic (downtown). We walked around to get our bearings before the ZK knitting retreat. When we got to the mall, we had to stop at Chocolaterie Stam and get a salted caramel gelato. We found the Hilton and the parking garage where we will be for the rest of the week.
June 21 - 25, 2023 - Zombie Knitpocalypse
I wrote a separate post on this in case you aren’t into knitting. Click here if you want to know more about our time at ZK.
Things I Learned:
If you are going to the St. Louis Zoo, go early so you can get free parking on the street.
Bring a bottle of water in a pack even if you think you aren’t going far.
Waffle House has a good breakfast for around $6 a person.
The people at Sapuro were not very friendly but the food was good.
It was fun to go through Atlanta, IL to find Paul Bunyon.
The 316 Antique Store in Bloomington, IL was worth going to.
The Caterpillar Visitor Center was worth visiting and I really enjoyed it. We spent about 2 hours there.
The John Deere Pavilion was free and took us about 30 minutes to go through.
Sylvan Island is a nice park to walk around.
It was fun to drive along the river in both directions in both states.
The dam and lock were interesting to see.
The John Deere Tour in Davenport was fabulous and free!
Herbert Hoover’s Museum was well worth the stop for 2 hours.
We left home at 6:45am and headed to Louisville, KY. We got to Louisville Slugger Museum and were lucky enough to get a parking space right across the street. The parking meters only ran Monday – Saturday so Sunday was free. After taking lots of photos and walking around town, we left and headed towards Casey, IL. We crossed into the Central Time Zone. We ended up at a Hampton Inn in Princeton, IN for the night ($98). We had dinner at El Rodeo and the special was $5 (taco, enchilada, rice, and beans) which was fabulous! I was tired after driving 10 hours which is the most I’ve driven in years. I was so tired but tried to stay awake until 9 pm CT (which was 10 pm ET).
After a complimentary breakfast at the hotel, we headed to Casey, IL, about 1.5 hours northwest at 7:30 am. . We ended up on some very rural roads that seemed like we were driving through farmers’ cornfields. We had a wonderful time in Casey! We saw a lot of the BIGGEST attractions such as
Largest Horseshoe
Antlers
Ear of corn
Yardstick
Bookworm
Mousetrap
Pencil
Pokemon Ball
Birdcage
Minion
Spinning Bat
And the World’s Largest attractions such as:
Pitchfork
Golf Tee
Wind Chime
Rocking Chair
Knitting Needles
Crochet Hook
Key
Barber’s Pole
Mailbox
Wood Shoes
Golf Club
Gavel
We bought a couple of postcards and got stamps from the post office in order to climb up into the mailbox and mail them. They will be postmarked from “The World’s Largest Mailbox.” We met some other tourists and Don gave them two stamps for their postcards.
We left Casey and headed to Madison, WI. Illinois felt like a VERY long state! We kept seeing a black cloud in the distance that looked like a mile wild tornado. What we were seeing was a chemical explosion! When we got to Rockton, IL, we found out that they were evacuating residents to shelters because that was where the explosion occurred. We just kept heading north to Wisconsin and didn’t stop. Rest areas were very rare. We got to Madison around 7pm and stayed at the Hampton Inn East, near a mall for $88. We were able to walk to Perkins for dinner.
We drove downtown Madison and saw the Capitol. Then we drove around the University of Wisconsin and ended up at the Arboretum. Even though the visitor center was closed, we were able to walk around the grounds. Then we went to the Henry Vila Zoo which was free and it was a good zoo. We saw an orangutan, tiger, lion, giraffe, river otters, and a grizzly bear. After the zoo, we went to the National Mustard Museum (also free) and enjoyed the collection of vintage mustard collectibles. Next, we headed to the Pink elephant and the Ehlenbach’s Cheese Chalet where we bought cheese curds. Then it was time to head to Duluth, MN. That was a long drive and we got a room at the Comfort Suites in Proctor for $95. We were able to walk across the street to Perkins for dinner. After dinner, we booked a room for tomorrow night.
We got up early and went downtown to see what the parking situation is around the railroad museum. Once we found the parking area for train passengers, we decided to go exploring. We found a spot to stop and get pictures of the aerial lift bridge in action. Then we found a parking lot across from the Leif Erikson park that had 3-hour free parking. We walked along the lake for a little while. Then we drove around town trying to find the “Visit Duluth” visitor center but several roads were closed and we couldn’t get to it. All the parking we found was either metered parking or pay by license plate with a credit card. Eventually, we went back to the train parking and parked the car. We walked up to Starbucks and got mocha frappuccinos and made plans for tomorrow. Then we walked in the skyway and to the library before the train ride. Next, we went to the Lake Superior Railroad Museum and then rode on the North Shore Scenic Railroad. The train ride cost us $14pp at Comfort Suites instead of $20pp at the ticket office. We had a nice 1 hour and 15 minutes. Luckily, we got our tickets at 10am which means we were virtually checked in. Around 12:45, they called you by name in the order that you checked in so we were the seconds one on the train. We walked to the back of the cars to the open-air car where we sat on the lakeside bench. That was the best seat! When we got back, we walked down to the Duluth Trading Company and bought some stuff. As we walked back to the car, we found an antique store where Don had a ball for a couple of hours until closing. We checked into our hotel, Tru by Hilton ($86) and it was very nice and modern looking. Then we went to Walmart to buy Don some M&Ms and stopped at Perkins for dinner.
We left Kettle Falls Hotel around 8:10am. The boat took us back to Ash River Visitor Center. After organizing our stuff, the visitor center opened and we watched a movie about the park. We left there and went to Lake Kabetogama Visitor Center which was closed but we found a huge patch of showy lady slippers that were pink and white. They were absolutely beautiful! Next, we went towards Rainy Lake Visitor center but stopped to take a photo at a Voyageurs National Park Headquarters sign. A photographer was going by and offered to take our photos for us which was so nice. We stopped at Rainy Lake Visitor Center and bought our magnets and Don bought a hat. Then we went into International Falls to see Smoky the Bear park and take pictures. It was a very small town. Since it was early, we headed to Itasca State Park and got there around 4pm. It cost us $7 per vehicle to get in. Then we hiked to the headwaters of the Mississippi River. We decided to look for a hotel but were unable to find one anywhere close so we headed to St. Cloud. When we got in the area, we stopped and used Hotwire.com to find a hotel and got one at the Fairfield Marriott for $126. We had dinner at Perkins and got to the hotel around 9pm.
It was a rainy day so we relaxed in the hotel room and Don took a nap after breakfast. Then we went to the Munsinger Gardens and they were absolutely beautiful! It sprinkled rain a little bit but didn’t start raining hard until we got back to the car. The gardens were full of different varieties of hostas that really showcased all the other flowers. Then we went to an antique store called The Rusty Pick. Don spent 3 hours hunting for treasure while I knit. Then we headed to Minneapolis where we got a room at the Sheraton Bloomington ($76 per night/hotwire). We had dinner at Perkins and then watched TV until bedtime.
We skipped breakfast and went to the Minneapolis Sculpture Park where we saw the Spoonbridge and Cherry along with other sculptures. It was free and a lot of fun. We found Pay Parking but went around the corner and parked for free on the street. Then we left there and headed to Minnehaha Falls. There was a lot of parking but it was all metered so we found parking across the street that was free. The park was very nice to visit! After that, we had lunch at Perkins and it was Free Pie Monday! Then we headed to Red Wing, MN. We went downtown and found the Red Wing Store where I got lots of pictures of the Big Boot! Upstairs was the shoe museum that was very interesting. They had a clearance/outlet store downstairs but we didn’t find anything we wanted. Next, we walked down to the Duluth Trading Company and downstairs were their clearance items. Don found a pair of shoes there he liked!
When we left there, we hunted for a hotel and found a room at the Super 8 that was cheap ($60). Yes, cheap should have been a warning sign! Since we had a room reserved, we went to Colvill Park and found giant sunglasses to photograph. We met a cameraman and a reporter who was doing a story on the water level and drought. The reporter said the barges were hitting sand bars because it was so bad. Then we decided this park was open and safe enough to organize our car and clean it out. While we were doing this, a couple with a dog stopped and we had a nice chat.
Then we went to check-in at the Super 8. We checked in and were worried when we saw unsavory characters hanging around outside. Then we went to the room through a smelly hallway. The room was dirty and smelly too. We left and looked for another hotel that was better. We found a room for $81 at the Nichols Inn which was clean and safe. When we checked in there, the receptionist warned us about the Super 8 when we kept saying how nice this hotel was! Then we went back to the Super 8 and checked out. They charged us a $30 cancellation fee but we didn’t care! Relieved that we had a nice hotel room for the night, we ate dinner at Rancho Loco which was wonderful! We had a hard taco, chile poblano, rice, and beans for $10.50.
After breakfast, we went to the Anderson Sculpture Park and it was nice. We found out later that Puffed rice and puffed wheat were invented there. Then we headed to Pepin, WI to look for the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum and Birthplace. Along the way, we stopped at historical markers along the Mississippi River. We found a replica of the cabin she lived in which was about 7 miles off the main road. Then we went to the museum ($5 per person) and I found it very interesting. For lunch, we returned to Red Wing and went to McDonald's. Then we went to the Pottery Museum of Red Wing. There were several men who volunteered there and were willing to answer my many questions. I learned a lot from seeing the exhibits and listening to them. After that, we spent the rest of the afternoon at the Pottery Place Antiques and Don found some more treasures. We stayed at the Nichols Inn again and had dinner at Rancho Loco.
After breakfast, we left Red Wing and headed to Rochester. We stopped at Sam’s Club and Walmart for supplies. Before going to the hotel, we found an antique store, All American Antiques which was also a Feed and Seed store where Don found more treasures. We had lunch at a place near there called Cheap Charlies. Then we went to the hotel for my knitting retreat.
6/27/21 - 678 miles Ames, Iowa and Columbia, Missouri
Click here for pictures
We left Rochester, MN at 7:30 am. Then we headed to Ames, Iowa to meet my friend Angela Prince and her family for lunch. Angela and I worked together at Mauldin High School many years ago. It was so nice to see her and Larry again! We had lunch at Cornbred BBQ and it was delicious. We met their 10-year-old daughter Chloe for the first time. Then we headed to Columbia, Missouri where we spent the night at a Hampton Inn. I was exhausted and had to stop twice to stretch my legs.
6/28/21 - 687 miles Sevierville, TN
When we left our hotel, it was pouring down rain. Luckily we drove out of it. There was so much traffic, that we skipped St. Louis. We hit lots of construction sections and at times was only going 5mph! At one gas station in Eddyville, KY, we filled up with gas and went to the restroom. I left my phone in the bathroom by accident and didn’t realize it until we were 15 miles away. Unfortunately, the next exit was another 10 miles away! When I returned to the gas station, they had my phone. The traffic was horrible the whole day. We decided to get through Knoxville so that in the morning we wouldn’t hit rush hour traffic. We got a hotel room at the Best Western in Sevierville for $89. 6/29/21 – 181 miles HOME!
Total miles: 3647
Things I Learned:
A lot of stores have closed for good due to Covid.
Many stores have shortened hours because they can’t find people to work
Many dining rooms in fast food places are not open because they don’t have enough workers. I wouldn’t recommend another road trip this year because so many things are still not open because they can’t get enough workers.
I love looking for the biggest things!
I like unusual kitschy things.
I don’t like driving on long trips but I can if I have to.
Saturdays in Rochester is like a ghost town. The only thing open early in the morning was Dunkin’ Donuts.
Pannakoeken in Rochester had a good lunch!
There are very reckless drivers on the road!
We meet the nicest people on our trips.
Hotwire mystery hotels were all great hotels. I would use Hotwire again.
On June 5th my knitting retreat ended and we traveled home.
The first day we drove 12 hours (13 if you count crossing back into the Eastern
Time Zone!) and through 5 different states (MN, WI, IL, IN, MI). Here
is the link to my pictures.
6/5/16:
We left Minnesota around 7am and headed east, first stopping
in Wisconsin for lots of cheese curds at the Ehlenbach Cheese Chalet ($7/bag).
Soon we hit Chicago (I thought the traffic wouldn’t be too bad on a Sunday) and
the traffic was horrendous! I will drive hours out of my way next time to avoid
Chicago at all costs! Don was not a happy camper! Then we stopped at the
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore for a little while. It was okay but maybe we
were still exhausted from the Chicago traffic to really enjoy it. In fact, we
were too tired to hike the sandy trails so we drove around and saw the Century
of Progress homes built from the 1933 World’s Fair. Eventually we ended up at
Detroit around 8pm. It is so nice to be in my home time zone again!! We were
unhappy that we spent $14.40 in tolls in IL and IN though! We finally made it
to the Hampton Inn Detroit/Southgate and will stay here for three nights using
out Hilton honors points (20,000/night which is pretty cheap).
6/6/16:
We got to Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan at 9:30.
We bought combo tickets for the village and the Henry Ford Museum which came to
$75. We spent all day walking around the village and into the historical
buildings (most had been moved here from the original location and some were
reconstructions). It was well worth the money and we left around 5pm. Then we
went back to the hotel room to rest before going to Secret Recipes Family
Dining for dinner which was fabulous!
6/7/16:
We arrived at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan at
9:30. The first thing we saw were several Presidents’ limos – Reagan, Kennedy,
Eisenhower, FDR. They were Don’s favorite things to see. My favorite thing was
the actual chair Lincoln was sitting in when he was assassinated. There were
several sections: cars, trains, planes, furniture, clocks, engines and
dollhouses. It took all day to go through the whole museum and we left at 4:45pm.
6/8/16:
We left Michigan and headed to Ohio. We got to Jackson Center, OH for the Airstream factory tour. Of course we were a couple of hours early so we went to Bodkins for lunch at The Inn Between and had a wonderful lunch. We had chopped sirloin, mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans for $5.95. There was not much on either side of the interstate to visit (no antique stores, grocery stores, or any kind of store) so we parked on the side of the road and hung out for an hour. Then we took the 2pm tour which lasted for about 2 hours and it was fabulous (and free)! I would highly recommend the tour to anyone in the area. We met a lot of nice people who were getting their airstreams serviced so they took the tour while they waited. They could camp for free overnight if their camper was getting serviced. Otherwise it was $10 per night.
6/8/16 - 6/10/16 - Dayton, Ohio Please see last week's post about Dayton, Ohio. We had such a great time and I had so much to write about that I didn't want to overwhelm you with all the details in this post.
Things I Learned:
1.Avoid
Chicago at all costs!
2.Make
sure you have a drink and napkin when eating cheese curds.
3.Cheese
curds are very salty.
4.Have
plenty of cash available for tolls in IL and IN.
5.Henry
Ford was friends with Thomas Edison and Henry Firestone.
6.Henry
Ford collected historical buildings and brought them to Greenfield.
7.This
village was once known as Edison Institute and used to be a school.
8.Bring
water and snacks when going to the Greenfield Village.
9.The
post office was a working post office.
10.Going
to both – The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village were both worth going
to. Plan on spending a full day at each.
11.The
workers at the Airstream factory work 9 hour days Mon. – Thursday and then work
6-10am on Fridays.
