we like to be out of Texas for a couple of weeks during the hottest time.
And this year, she planned a trip up north, through the Great Lakes region!
This is one part of the US we had never seen, so let's GO!
First stop, the Legacy Hotel in downtown Little Rock:
Anyone that knows us, knows we like the charm and character of the
historical places, and this hotel is full of tradition and style!
So after a good night's rest, it was heads down and elbows out
through Memphis and Nashville, until we reached some new territory
in southern Kentucky...Bowling Green:
Gorgeous little town, green and rolling, and home to Bowling Green University,
with a charming town square, and a real relaxing pace!
It's also home to the GM Corvette factory. Yeah, THE factory.
All Vettes from everywhere all come from here! And the Vette museum, too.
No Purses, Bags, Cameras, or Cell phones! None of their secrets are getting out.
Now on to Cincinnati, Ohio.
and each depicting some historical event or person.
This is Mr. Dynamite, the Godfather of Soul, James Brown!
He wasn't born here, but he recorded his music here.
Other favorite sons who WERE born here (but have no mural)
are Pete Rose (Charlie Hustle), Roy Rogers and Charles Manson!
And Thanks to Linda's research, we knew the current exhibit was
the works of a true genius, Leonardo Da Vinci!
And of course, he's one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
in order to better understand the true skeletal and muscular make-up of people,
so that he was better able to paint them in motion, with accurate posture
and wonderfully nuanced facial features!
recreated from Da Vinci's drawings and notes!
artists were commissioned by a royal dude to paint wall murals in the same hall
of the palace he was having built. Talk about awkward! And every day
a young artist would visit the project and study the two great masters at work.
This young man later became a famous artist himself. His name: Rapheal.
also known as the Mona Lisa.
Can you tell which one is MY favorite? (Go with the one on the left!)
And the Marty Lisa! Aaww,It's just not the same....
One of Da Vinci's notebooks in his own handwriting...
made me appreciate the great artist even more!
Now, back into downtown, to the Elm Street Deli for lunch! Yumm
Glendale for the evening.
After checking in,
we drove the neighborhood,
admiring the beautifully
landscaped commons,
and charming homes!
This area was settled
by people who worked
in downtown Cinci
(mainly Proctor & Gamble)
but preferred to live
the quiet life out
in the 'Burbs!
A train runs between here
and the Union Terminal
(The art Museum) for the
daily commute.
Oh, and the squirrels! The theme here was squirrels, and they had
a bunch of these statues, each painted differently, to honor these
horribly destructive vermin.
After soaking up the ambiance, Linda's inherent good fortune led us to
a cozy spot where tired travelers can relax and knock the dust off.
It's The Cock and Bull
Here we learned where the expression came from:
Back in the day, in London, there were two competing pubs,
The Cock and The Bull.
They each served travelers passing through, and bringing news
from the outside world. In order to claim to have the best and
most complete news, each pub would "embellish" the stories
until they were a far distance from the original truth.
Thus they were called Cock and Bull stories!
Her view
<<<<<
My view
>>>>>
After something to drink and sharing some homemade chips with beer cheese,
we weren't hungry for dinner. But later that evening we found
we were walking distance to a place called Jim Dandy's BBQ Rescue!
They actually cater in this ambulance, "Jim Dandy to the Rescue!"
And it's not Texas, but the Pulled Pork was Boss Hog!
Next morning, we started our day back at the Glendale Village Square,
at the Bluebird Cafe, for pastries and caffeine!
Then, on to Ann Arbor Michigan, the home of Michigan U!
We hit town just before lunch, and discovered they were having
a street fair in the center of this little college town.
are just serendipity (really good luck) and how many times she
somehow knows what we're getting into. Either way, it's always fun!
featured on "Man Vs Food".
Here's Linda making a new friend. Wait. What's in that bag?
Then we met LouDelle. She's a southern girl, now living up north, but
still knowing how to make Sweet Potato pies. She gave me this sample to prove
she knew what's what. And then we bought a few for the road. Mmm Mmm!
After we book our room, we head out to a trio of small towns,
just a hop from Ann Arbor. Dexter, Manchester and Chelsea:
three cute little collections of shops, cafes and homes not an hour away from Detroit
In fact, Chelsea was having their own street fair, with a live band!
But by the time we arrived (about 5), the crowd had headed home,
and there was actually more guys in the band than in the audience!
It's a popular college hangout that makes some tasty pizza!
to have less traffic (and easier parking) while we navigated the Motor City!
We had been cautioned by friends about the current condition of Detroit,
some places abandoned, some just falling down.
And actually, it seemed like a lot of big cities across America.
Some areas depressed, but some areas just beautiful!
were just right next to each other.
to the original Motown Records Studio A on Central Avenue, oops - I mean
Berry Gordy Jr Blvd, so named for the 28 year old founder of Motown.
He started with a house, that has been preserved as a museum now!
As the business grew, Berry bought up seven of these houses, next door to
each other, to use as offices for his empire!
Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Smokie Robinson,
The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, and the Jackson Five!
We actually stood in the same studio where these early Motown stars
made records, but sorry, because of house rules, no pictures.
I can tell you this: the kitchen has the sound board and big window that
overlooks the garage, which was soundproofed and used as Studio A!
But for today, we've got to hit and run!
Now back to downtown, and some views along the way:
We found Eight Mile, but sorry, no Eminem...
headquarters for General Motors:
Tiger Stadium, guarded by a streak of Tigers! No, really.
That's what you call a group of tigers. Really. Look it up.
And Henry the Hatter! The shop where Kid buys all his hats!
(Kid Rock! That kid)
We stumbled upon the Eastern Market, which is a "Farmer's Market"
that operates in downtown Detroit every Sunday. We couldn't buy any produce,
because we're on the road, but just across the street was Zeff's Coney Islands.
mustard and onions. This babe I travel with was willing, so in we go!
The place was packed, so we sat at the counter. Man, I love that girl!
I ordered the Zeff's Special Coney, which had extra meat in the chili,
and had to be eaten with a fork! What a meal!
and we shared some fries. Picture courtesy of our waitress!
"Let's Go, Rang-ers!" so I had some fun with him. By the time we left,
I had nicknamed him "Chicago". Yeah, I know we're in Detroit.
But he was a good sport, and fans are fans everywhere.
We cruised the city some more, along the waterfront, which is more like
a river that connects Lake St Clair (Canada) with Lake Erie.
We had seen Erie before so we moved along by evening.
Upstate Michigan we discovered Bay City, a picturesque little town
built on both sides of the Saginaw River, and on the shores of Lake Huron.
on Sunday (today) at Veterans Memorial Park. Well, we found the park,
it ran along one side of the river for about half a mile! Everyone in town
was there, or had been. We arrived just as it was wrapping up,
but they had a little food left, so we bought in, and shared a dinner.
And dinner included a slice of watermelon for dessert. Yum!
I asked the pit man "How many chickens?", and he said 700,
which meant 1400 dinners. He thought they might clear ten grand!
The money goes to a scholarship for four kids, so we were happy to be a part!
which is a park and beach on Lake Huron. Afterwards we stopped at the
Mussel Beach Drive-in, named after the Muscle Beach movies of the 50s!
Get it? Mussel Beach? Hah
It's where everyone goes for ice cream!
PS - I was there for the picture, but that fat guy below is not me!
have to squeeze between Lakes Huron and Michigan, but stay below Superior.
It's called the Upper Peninsula, because it's the part of Michigan that's
separated from the rest of the state, and should be part of Wisconsin,
but for some crazy reason, is not!
Along the way, we stopped for lunch at Zellar's. They're known for
their Pasties, which is a popular dish in this part of the country.
a misspelling of "pastRies" those wonderful treats you get from a bakery!
But a local person explained they're something else, more like a meat pie
(with veggies) that's served with a dish of gravy on the side.
De-Lish!
Later that day we went "off map" on this back road
that was the worst road I've ever driven in my life.
This picture actually looks better than the road!
This picture actually looks better than the road!
I'm still apologizing to the Mustang! Never again, Buddy!
But we finally made it back to civilization at Marquette, Michigan.
"The legend lives on, from the Chippewa on down,
of the big lake they call Gitche Gumi.
Superior, it's said, never gives up her dead
when the winds of November come early!"
Here's Linda at Lake Superior
a fresh water ocean than a lake. They have breakers coming in,
and a tide that moves in and out, just like an ocean!
Here's a lighthouse, serving sailors, on a lake. On. a. lake.
kids come out in the summer to enjoy the sun and surf!
swimming pool on Labor Day. Which ain't saying much.
That evening we felt like Italian food, so we headed to the Villa Capri.
I would definitely recommend this place, but if you go,
wear something that goes with red!
Next morning we headed out again, and stopped for breakfast
at the Hard Rock Cafe. Wait a minute...this is not the Hard Rock Cafe...
some waterfalls that would be up ahead, and not really out of the way!
and a series of waterfalls leading to Lake Superior
We stopped at Hayward, Wisconsin, and booked at the Riverside Lodge,
because, well, it was on the river side. They had a nice deck
that overlooked the water, just steps away from our door!
Hayward is a charming town, full of novelty!
so that's kind of a big deal for them. They celebrate that fact with a park
AND their Musky Museum!
they have a separate pie menu!! Lotsa great pies!
Next day we left Wisconsin, and arrived in the Minneapolis-St Paul area.
After booking our hotel, we head over to The Mall of America!
Each shopping "hallway" is three stories tall, and as long as a football field.
Together they form a big square, and in the middle of the square:
The Nickelodeon Theme Park! Any Nick show has to be represented here!
First stop, Heroes on the Half Shell, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!
they spin you around and up in the air until you cry!
They've got
Three Story
Ziplines!
They've got a
SpongeBob
Plunge!
And they've
got Legoland!
Here's Linda
with her new
BFF,
the Lego girl!
A few more Lego creations: a saber toothed tiger, a cowboy (with horse),
a transformer robot, and the Red Bull, all built out of Legos!
and never shopped at all!
Next day we head upstate, to toward Lake Itasca, to find the
headwaters of the The Big Muddy, ...Old Man River,
...the Mighty Mississip!
On the way up we enjoy a little shopping in some antique stores
in St Cloud, Minnesota.
I know it looks like the last town, but it's not!
Not sure about that name, and not sure what really happened here, but you know
when the menu is hanging on the wall, it's gonna be either real good or....
anyway, as soon as we ordered and paid, the counter girl/cook disappeared!
Not only did we not have food, there was no one else in the place
except for that woman in yellow who was busy with a coloring book. Hmmm?
We thought it best to leave her alone, so we waited. After a while the cook
came back along with two regulars, and started cooking chow for all of us.
Later we learned that she disappeared because the cafe also offers
a delivery service, and the counter girl/cook does that too!
But our food was good, and by then I didn't have the nerve to ask about that name.
Hey buddy, she's with ME! Find your own Babe! Get it? Babe?
Finally! The birthplace of the Mississippi River!
along with its tributaries, flows all the way to the Gulf of Mexico!
I'm your Huckleberry! or Tom Sawyer with Becky Thatcher!
Just a couple of crazy kids, until she left me alone on the rocks.
I slipped and fell
but with
catlike reflexes
I caught myself
before I got wet!
When I stood
up again, my
finger didn't
look right...
Yikes!!
At least it's still good for pointing
around corners!
We drove on to Detroit Lakes for the night, and our innkeeper
recommended Zorba'z on the Lake, for dinner.
If this was a college town, Zorba'z would be
the perfect college hangout!
They got cheap food, but good!
They got happy hour drinks, and cold!
And they got inside seating if you prefer
but they got a huge meandering deck
which is great when the weather's like this!
And they got a Woody for...
I don't know, deliveries?
While we waited for our pizza, Linda noticed this sign:
If you can read the fine print, it says "This place is underwater".
I guess that's Zorba'z way of saying "No Smoking"!
After dinner, we took a drive around the lake, and even though we'd
been in the car a lot that day, it was still a good way to end the evening!
Next morning we left Minnesota for North Dakota, and stopped
for breakfast in Fargo. We looked for that building Billy Bob Thornton
shot up in the first season of Fargo, but it's gone now.
I think it was replaced by a CVS pharmacy!
So, on to South Dakota! First stop, Sioux Falls:
This is the largest city in SD, and with a metro population of about 250K,
Sioux Falls accounts for about 30% of all the people in the state!
And it's the county seat for Minnehaha County. I just like to say that!
and is marked by many cascading falls, hence the city's name.
After stretching our legs at the falls, we drove the 20 minutes over to
the Iowa state line, to complete our journey of visiting all 50 states!
Then back to Sioux Falls for the night.
The next day we headed due west , across the southern portion
of South Dakota, towards the Badlands and the Black Hills.
But we spotted this sign and had to stop!
I heard Spencer is a real jumpin' place!
We had been seeing signs for the Corn Palace for a hundred miles,
and I pictured something with a silo or two.
But when we pulled off at Mitchell SD, we never expected this:
in this part of the country.
Valtiroty Shiloh's Temple, which is a Bible Walkthru/Jungle museum.
I can't make this stuff up, folks!
So we asked at a convenience store where we might get breakfast,
and we were directed just across the street, to the American Legion hall.
And it was actually a great meal, I kid you not!
During the Cold War with Russia, the US installed unnumbered
ICBMs (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles) in underground silos in
South Dakota, waiting for the moment they may be needed.
Inside, a replica of the very Red Chair that was manned 24/7/365.
If war broke out, the occupant of this chair had to push one button, to
launch a US counterattack. Thirty minutes after the button was pushed,
the first warheads would have arrived in Moscow, unstoppable and irretrievable.
But none of that mattered. No one tested our nuclear capabilities.
Later, in accordance with a nuclear arms treaty, the missiles were
decommissioned, but remain in the ground.
Yeah, right. decommissioned.
Yep, that's US, the ultimate class of warrior!
and fields of sunflowers! They're like corn in Nebraska!
Then we realized, they must be grown for their seeds!
Next up, the Dakota Badlands.
This place was named "Maco Sica" by the Sioux Tribe, which meant land bad.
The national park is 100 sq mi of canyons, mesas, very rugged terrain.
It would've been a great place to hide out from lawmen back in the day!
Watch where you step! No, not that, it's gopher holes all across the prairie!
but instead of stopping there, we drove 20 minutes south, to Keystone SD.
This little town sprang up because of Mt Rushmore!
It's a small town,but
because of Mt Rushmore,
there's always a lot
of visitors here, so
Keystone is mostly hotels,
cafes and shops!
That's our place, up
on the mountainside.
The Presidents' View Hotel!
We booked this from
the car, on our way across
South Dakota, sight unseen.
So we were very
pleased that it turned out
to be so nice!
That's it - up by the flag!
They even had an indoor pool and hot tub,
which we took advantage of after a day of driving. Aaah!
This was Sunday
again, and the last day
of a week long
motorcycle rally.
It was officially called
The 76th Sturges
Motorcycle Rally
and it draws cyclists
from all around
the country.
That's a lot of
Harleys!
And like any other group, some of these guys are
hungry for attention. Check out Mr Coonskin Headdress:
Just about dusk we wheeled out to Mt Rushmore National Park.
We wanted to see it in daylight, but also in the dark.
There's no fee to enter the park, but parking a car is $10.
Washington for the birth of the nation,
Jefferson for the early formation of our values,
Teddy Roosevelt for expansion and international prominence
and Abe, for holding the nation together.
But I believe
the real reason
Jefferson made it
was for his earliest
of recipes for
homemade ice cream!
God Bless America!
And here they are!
But seriously folks...
Mt Rushmore, and these Black Hills (which are not hills, but mountains)
are truly something to see. And next morning as we turn towards home,
Linda took one more picture of me with the Prezs.
we had the mountain roads all to ourselves.
The road you're on goes under a bridge, and then immediately pulls a 270,
putting you on the bridge you just drove under. This pigtail effectively raises
your car 15-20 feet, without requiring a long stretch of highway!
