Monday and Tuesday (8/10 & 8/11).   We are continuing home today but we stopped at the Studebaker Museum in South Bend, IN.  The Studebaker was such a cool car and so ahead of its time (see picture.)   The reason that they went out of business was that they did not keep their plants up to date and by the time they had to re-tool, they just didn't have the capital to do it.  

We stopped at the Evangola State Park on the western border of NYS for the night.  It had rained so much the prior day that the road to the campground was flooded and we had to go the long way to get into the campground.

Got up Tuesday and headed for home.  We arrived in Fultonville about 3:30 and stopped to see Sue's family and our bunny rabbits.  It was good to be home.  Seeing our home was soooo good but it looked like the weeds were about to overtake the house (see picture.)

For all we have seen, we still love the Northeast and feel that we live in a beautiful state (see picture.)  We are happy to be home among family and friends.   We have missed everyone and have missed spending time with everyone.  We look forward to getting together with folks as soon as we can.  We promise that we won't make anyone look at the 10,000 pictures we took - yes, we really took 10,000 pictures.

To say this was the trip of a lifetime would be an understatement.   We have loved every minute of the trip.   This country that we live in is amazing.  People keep asking us what the best part of the trip was and we say the diversity of our country.  Each place we stopped was so different and so interesting - each in their own way.  We have seen such a wide range of things - landscape, museums, architecture, oddities, people, culture and nature.   What fun it has been!

Thursday to Sunday (8/4 to 8/9) Once again, sorry for not posting more regularly.   The nearest wifi hot spot was about 45 minutes away.

 We have been at the Bluegrass Festival and are having a great time volunteering and listening to music.  The music runs all day and there are many activities for families and individuals wanting to improve their music skills (of which Rich and I have none.) The camp grounds are very nice (see picture.)

There are many nationally known performers and many up-and-coming groups (see picture.)  The music is really high quality and the festival is very well run.   The range of food vendors is great - too much good food in one place!  The festival events are alcohol free and so there are no unruly or out of order people - just folks enjoying themselves (see picture.)  

Last night, Rich and I went to the showcase tent where they have all kinds of activities.  We did some dancing - correction - we fell over our feet attempting to dance.   They were calling some square dances and we had fun trying.   The great part about this group is they are all about having a good time and don't care if you mess up.  

We left this morning and are planning to drive pretty much straight home.   We expect to be home by Tuesday night.  At the rate we are going though, we won't make it.  We have given no less than ten tours of the T@B today.  It has probably slowed us down by about three hours. We have enjoyed talking to everyone today. 

Tuesday & Wednesday (8/4 & 8/5)   We left the Twin Cities area and headed to the St. Cloud area (actually Avon) for the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association Festival.  We arrived late afternoon and set up our camper.  Our friends Kim and Kevan made dinner for us and we enjoyed a nice fire in the evening.

Wednesday was a work day.  Sue helped organize the t-shirts for the 500+ volunteers.  Then the rest of the day we both volunteered at the main gate directing people to the registration booth.  Early arrivals were eager to start playing music and we could hear people play music at their camp sites.

The festival officially starts on Thursday but many people arrive early just to make the experience last even longer.  We are looking forward to hearing a lot of great music.

Monday (8/3)   We are sure it will not surprise you to learn that we went to the State Capitol in St. Paul.   This capitol was completed in 1905 and has a traditional dome configuration.  It was very nice and well kept but not overly ornate (see pictures.)   A lot of the decorations on the ceilings were painted and not carved.   It did have a great deal of beautiful marble from all over the world. Originally, two million dollars were raised for the project but the architect said he though the people of Minnesota wanted a beautiful capitol and to do that he would need four million dollars. The money was raised and the building ended up costing four and a half million dollars.  

We ate lunch at a Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives restaurant.   It was called the Nook and was just your local little bar.   The Nook has won many, many awards for their burgers.   Sue had a Triple B - a bourbon-bacon burger that was great.   Rich had a Blue Burger - a burger loaded with blue cheese.  All we can say is we know why the walls are lined with awards - the food was outstanding.

In the afternoon, we went to the Museum of Russian Art.   Being Monday, everything we wanted to see was closed.  But, that was okay, as this museum was very nice.  There was a special display called "Postage Stamps: Messengers of the Soviet Future."  To look at the pictures on these stamps, it looks like Russia was such a wonderful place where everyone is happy.  These stamps were really messengers carrying the Russian propaganda.  

For dinner, we are headed another Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives pick. It is the Bryant Lake Bowl  - a bowling alley that serves great food.  We are hoping that it is as good as lunch.  No wonder Sue can't fit in any of the clothes she brought with her.   DIET - here I come when I get home!!!!

Sunday (8/2)  We left Oshkosh and headed to Minnesota.   We drove most of the day and checked into the William O'Brien State Park just north of Stillwater and east of the Twin Cities.  

We set up and then headed to the Mall of America to meet up with our friends, Kim and Kevan, for dinner.   We did not go shopping but went just to check it out.   We had been there about 15 years ago and just wanted to see how it had changed.  It is wild to see a roller coaster in a mall.   The mall is so big, I don't know how anyone could shop in it.

Saturday (8/1)  We got up and went to do laundry - yeah! - our last time to do laundry on the road! We came back and broke down our screen room as rain was predicted and we did not want to deal with a wet screen room.  We packed everything up for an early departure on Sunday.  How lonely our T@B looks as it nears the end of its big adventure (see picture.)  How quickly the end of the trip is coming.

In the afternoon, we went through the big C17 and C5A.  These planes are very large and can really move supplies to the troops when necessary.  

This afternoon's air show is the big event.   They have the most planes at this show and also include pyrotechnics.  They do a re-enactment of an air raid complete with bombings.  The bombings are simulated with ground pyrotechnics (see pictures.)   It is very impressive.  

The entertainment in the Theater in the Woods consisted of a movie and a comedian.  The movie was a six-year documentary on the building of a race plane.  It showed the plane being made, crashing, being rebuilt and eventually winning a race.  It really showed the love of flying the couple who built and owned the plane had.  The final entertainment of the air show was Jeff Dunham - ventriloquist and helicopter pilot.   He is a world class entertainer who loves to fly helicopters.   His performance is alway a highlight of the air show and did not let anyone down as the laughter never did stop.   What a nice way to end our stay here.

I have included some random pictures that show various aspects of this massive event.

Friday (7/31)   Today, the girls (Sue, CeCe and Mary) spent most of the day shopping.  Rich and Austin (a friend's thirteen-year old grandson) went to the Sea Plane Base.   The air show includes sea planes and has a base for them on Lake Winnebago right next to the Oshkosh air field (see pictures.)  Rich chose the picture of the white plane at the Sea Base - I am sure he was just interested in that sinking plane.  In the afternoon, Rich and Austin watched the C17 and C5A military cargo-moving planes come in.   The C17 is actually a flying hospital when needed.  They then watched the air show.

While walking around after dinner, we saw a contraption worthy of the Flintstones.  This homemade contraption is truly a work of art - what kind of art is up for discussion.  The frame of it is the Y of a tree and the rest is whatever its builder could get his hands on (see picture.)

We all went to the Theater in the Woods in the evening.   Livingston Taylor (James Taylor's brother) sang and played guitar.  He was followed by Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and Jeffrey Skiles, the pilot and co-pilot of Flight 1549 which made an emergency landing in the Hudson River in New York City this past January.   Everyone on board was rescued thanks to the professionalism of the pilot, co-pilot and three stewardesses.   Captain Sullenberger was very emphatic that it was a total team effort.  Although it was a serious topic, the fact that everyone survived, gave leeway for a little humor.  In fact, Jeffrey Skiles could have another career as a comedian if he wanted.   They were like watching the comedian and his straight man (Sully.) They really emphasized that they were not heroes but highly trained professionals just doing their jobs.  At the end of their talk, Tom Poberezny, EAA President, came out and announced that Jeffrey Skiles had donated to the Young Eagles Auction, held the night before, his shoes and flight jacket from Flight 1549.   The two items raised $76,000 for the Young Eagles Program. Mr. Skiles also donated his flight bag from Flight 1549 to the EAA Museum.  It is signed by both Co-Pilot Skiles and Pilot Sullenberger and has the date and Flight 1549 signed on it.  It will be kept on display in the museum.

Thursday (7/30)  We worked in the Internet Cafe in the morning and we busy handing out Volunteer T-shirts (that was not in our job description.)  It was a fun job since we got to speak to people from all over including South Africa, England, Holland and Russia. 

In the afternoon we got on a very long line to get to go inside the Airbus 380A (see picture.) This air plane is a test laboratory and is not fully equipped for passenger travel.  They use this plane to test new equipment and other changes to the aircraft before making them on the planes that are carrying passengers (good thing!!!)  

We walked around Aeroshell Square (the main area where the great big planes are parked) and also looked at parked personal planes (see pictures.)  The White Knight II was there.   This is a plane that is really two planes joined together at the end of the wings.  It is designed to take passengers into sub-orbital space (see picture.)  

In the evening, we went to Theater in the Woods.   This is a performance area where panel discussions and shows are held.  This evenings program included a performance by one of the South African pilots singing and playing his guitar.   (There is a tent city in the camping area where the South African's have about 75 tents set up for all of the South African's who attend the air show - see picture.  They communally cook and socialize in a central area - it is really a big party - what fun.)  Then two gentlemen who were members of the Tuskegee Airmen spoke about their experiences as members of the first black flying unit.  It was their job to escort the bombers during a raid.  At first no bombing units wanted to be escorted by them - in the end - they were highly sought after as escorts.   They proved to be excellent pilots.  The next group to perform re-created a World War II USO Show.   They sang songs from the 1940's and were very entertaining.  

Wednesday (7/29)  This morning we volunteered to work in the Internet Cafe.  They don't sell coffee there but they do have computer terminals for people to use to get on the internet.  All we had to do was make sure everyone got a chance to use a terminal.  A great idea but the wifi service just could not support the use.   There were a lot of frustrated people coming and complaining thinking that WE were computer technical people - what a joke.   The best we could do was sympathize with them and tell them to try again later.

We went to the air show again in the afternoon (see pictures.)   Each day there are more and more incredible pilots performing with their planes.

In the evening, we went to the Fly-In Theater.   This is an eleven story blow-up movie screen.  It is like a drive-in movie theater with no cars.  The movie was Six Days and Seven Nights with Harrison Ford and Ann Heche.   Harrison Ford was there to introduce the movie and talk about the flying scenes.  He flew the planes himself and explained about all the liability insurance issues they had to surmount so that he could do that.  

Tuesday (7/28) I bet you all thought we were not going to blog anymore.   Well, we have not been able to get wifi signal at the air show now that thousands of people are trying to use the free wifi. This is my first chance to post to the blog in a week - so we will be playing catch up.

 

We stood in line to get a free ride on the "Breezy" for two and 3/4 hours..   This is an experimental air craft that at best can be described as a go cart that can fly (see picture.)  We were fortunate in that while we were on line, the designer of the plane, Carl Unger, can by.  He told us a few interesting stories about experiences he had with the plane.   The ride lasts about 15 minutes and is a bit "un-nerving."  While Sue was riding a strong head wind came up and the plane literally stopped all forward movement and just hovered in the air - what a weird felling. We both thought it was great and were glad we hung in there for the long wait.

In the afternoon, the Airbus A380 arrived (see picture.)   The only way to describe this plane is to HUGH!!!!  It is almost 80 feet tall and can carry 853 passengers.  The engine looks like you could put our T@B right inside of it.  That big red dot in the picture is the engine.

Later in the afternoon we watched the air show.   All of the air shows have skydivers, acrobatic planes, warbirds, vintage planes and helicopters.  The skill that the pilots of these air crafts display is amazing.  

Monday (7/27)  Spent the day at the air show with Monica and Paul.   There are many booths and activities to see at the air show.  We spent some time looking at the Warbirds and the Vintage planes.

The air show was to start around 3:30 pm but it rained so hard they had to cancel it.   There was to be a concert with the Doobie Brothers at 6 pm but we did not feel like sitting in the rain for an hour and a half waiting so we headed out and had dinner in a Bavarian restaurant.

We went swimming at the hotel that Monica and Paul are staying at.  It was a very nice evening with great friends.  

Sunday (7/25) More time spend just relaxing.  After months of days that were long and full of new experiences, it feels very good to just relax.  

Later in the day, we met up with Monica and Paul, friends of our from Albany, NY.   They were out here on vacation and we met them for dinner.  

Saturday (7/25)   We had a very relaxing day again.   We volunteered to help set up chairs in one of the pavilions.   The air show does not start until Monday, so there is not a whole lot going on other than setting up for the various booths. 

We are just chilling and getting the layout for the event under our belt so that we can find our way around.  Including the campground, the event covers an area that is about 2 miles long and about a mile wide.  

Friday (7/24)  We were awoke early as Cece, Bunny (Sue's brother), Rick, Mary and Austin (friends) arrived at about 7 am.   They proceeded to get set up and went for breakfast as they had been awake and on the road from 8 am Thursday morning.

We spent the day just hanging around and relaxing.  It was the first full day that we just did nothing but relaxed - boy did that feel good.   The three of us girls did go out and hit the Goodwill Store and Hobby Lobby - we got some good buy.  I did get some southwestern fabric to make curtains in our motor home.

Thursday (7/23)  We left Governor Dodge State Park this morning for Oshkosh, WI.   Along the way we stopped at the Circus World Museum and Circus.  This museum has a large display of the highly carved and colorful circus wagon that used to be drawn through towns when the circus arrived.   They have all been restored and are beautiful.   They also had a demonstration on how to train a tiger.   It was very interesting to learn that they have to train them in 15 minutes segments each hour as that is as long as their attention span is.   The trainer said he looks for the tiger cub that is getting into everything - that is the one that will train the best.   It take two years to train a tiger for a show.  They had a small circus and the performers were excellent.   They displayed amazing strength and talent.  

From there we drove on to Oshkosh to get set up for the air show.   We were quite surprised to see at least four to five times the campers already here over last year.  The actual air show does not start until Monday but this place is getting busier and busier by the hour.  There is a motor home from the 1950's and it has been completely restored.  It is absolutely beautiful (see picture.)

Wednesday (7/22)   Today we had no special plans.   We headed out and decided to go to Cave of the Mounds.  This cave was discovered in 1939 when workers were blasting limestone in a quarry. The cave has a constant temperature of 50 degrees.   It is rich with stalagmites and stalactites. The attached pictures is a great example of a stalactites that is thousands of years old.

Next we decided to ride to New Glarus which is known as "Little Switzerland."  It was established as a Swiss Colony in 1845 and retained its Swiss charm in everything from the Alpine-style buildings with their colorful flower-filled window boxes down to its gourmet food. Even the cows dress in Swiss clothing (see picture.) We had lunch at the Glarner Stube which is known for its roesti - a potato and cheese combination that looks like a large pancake.  The food was good and the atmosphere was great.  

While there we saw an ad for the Green County Fair about 20 miles from New Glarus.  We decided to go since we will be missing all of the fairs at home.  The fair was smaller than we are used to but it was fun.  They really know how to grow corn out here (see picture.)  They appear to have very active 4-H clubs and FFA (Future Farmers of America) clubs.  It was nice to see you many young people involved with the animals at the fair. Sue even got to pet some bunnies and visit with other bunny owners.  In the evening they had a rodeo.   The grounds conditions were very muddy and it made catching the animals or staying on the animals very difficult.  Very few contestants even completed their events due to the mud.

Tuesday (7/21)   Today is our 19th Anniversary and we just wanted to share this over-the-top anniversary day. (Actually, we had other things planned but it was raining all day so this was Plan B.)

We headed out for Madison, which is the capitol of WI.  Along the way we stopped in Mt. Horeb to see the Mustard Museum.  In this very yellow museum they have mustard pots, tins, advertisements, a record with the title "Too Much Mustard" and 5,058 different kinds of mustard on display.  The museum was started by Barry Levenson, who went to the grocery store after his beloved Boston Red Socks had snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in the 1986 World Series.  Crushed by the loss, Barry sought solace in the condiment aisle at the grocery store.  He heard a voice as he stood before the mustard say "If you collect us, they will come."  Well, he did , and they have!   The museum is just a hoot with quirky signs and t-shirts.  There have to be at least 500 kinds of mustard you can buy.

Well, after that exciting museum, what could we do to top it.  On to Madison and as we got closer and closer to the center of the city, there it was, the State Capitol!!   Be still my heart - another state capitol!!!  This is the third capitol building and was started in 1906 and completed in 1917 at a cost of $7.25 million. It was designed by the New York Architect George B. Post.   There are 43 kinds of stone from six countries and eight states. The stone in the building is really beautiful, so many colors and textures.   When you look up the 200 ft to the top of the dome, you see the largest dome by volume in the world.  The "Wisconsin" statue on the exterior top of the dome was done by Daniel Chester French of New York.  A 14-year renovation of the building was completed in 2002 so every detail in the building is just perfect.

But all joking aside, this has been the most wonderful 19-years of of lives.  We love retirement and we are having more fun than ever.    We both feel lucky to be together, to be healthy and and to be enjoying every minutes of our lives.  

I almost forgot, we are going to see the new Harry Potter movie tonight - the excitement never ends!!!!

Monday (7/20) 

Oops!  pictures got posted twice - too hard to remove - sorry.

We went back to the House on the Rock to finish our tour.   There are three separate tours - the house and two museums.  Today we did the house and the second museum.   Alex Jordan, the architect and owner, got his money to expand House on the Rock by charging admissions.   His first admission was charged in 1960 and generated so much money that the was able to amass an unbelievable collections of "things."   Mr. Jordan died in 1989 and had turned the management of the home over to friends of his in 1988.

The House on the Rock begins with the Gatehouse which was opened in 1961.  The Gate House was where you first entered to get to the main house.  Unlike a normal gatehouse, at the edge of the property, this gatehouse is well within the property and very near the main house.  It is built into the rock and has about 1500 sq. ft. of living space.  From there you progress to the main house which sits high on top of the 60 foot chimney of rock called Deer Shelter Rock.  It was built in the early 40's and it was his father who suggested that the house needed to pay for itself and he should charge admissions to see it.  The furnishing in the House include oriental art, stained glass, bronze statuary, numerous Bauer and Cobel lamps and a three story bookcase filled with rare books.  The last room built on the house is called the Infinity Room and it was opened to the public in 1985.  The room projects out over the Wyoming Valley 218 feet and contains 3,264 windows and is 156 feet above the ground (see picture.)  Impressive to look at from the outside but not too functional from the inside - but the rest of the house isn't very functional either.  It is, however, extremely interesting as it incorporates the rock and trees throughout the house.

Next was the second museum on the House on the Rock property.  This museum is made up of several distinct areas. The areas include the Organ Room, the Doll House Building, the Circus Building, a series of galleries with the following collections:  Weapons, Oriental, Armor and the Crown Jewels Collection.  There is a Doll Carousel Room with two carousels displaying over 500 bisque dolls.  One could spend many hours just trying to absorb all that is contained in these areas.  Even the bathrooms in one area did not escape use as a place to display items (see picture.)

In the afternoon, we headed to the Frank Lloyd Wright Complex.  The complex is made up of four areas containing structures designed by Mr. Wright.  They are the Visitor Center, Taliesin (his home), Midway (a series of barns) and Hillside (a boarding school and then it became a studio for Mr. Wright.)  Hillside was built in 1902 for two of Mr. Wright's aunts who wanted to run a boarding school.  In 1917, they retired and Mr. Wright took the property over building a large studio on it.   That studio today is the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture.   It admits about 25 to 30 students each year - very exclusive!!!

Taliesin is really the third home Mr. Wright had on the property.   The first two homes on this spot burned to the ground - one in 1914 by arson and the second in 1925 by lightening.   The entire property called Taliesin has 37,000 sq. ft. of space but a major portion of that is a studio and out buildings.  The actual house is approx. 3,000 sq. ft.  It has a wonderful formal living room that has unbelievable views of the Wyoming Valley.  Unlike some of the homes designed by Mr. Wright that we have seen, we felt this was a very warm and inviting home.  In typical fashion, they are problems with leaking roofs and shifting foundations.   Mr. Wright's structures are known for leaking roofs and his own home was no exception.  One item of note is the use of plywood throughout the house.  Mr. Wright felt that everything was temporary and would be changed at a later date so there was no need to use expensive building materials.  The setting for this home is on the side of a hill which was incorporated into the placement of the structures.  Mr. Wright's style of architecture was to incorporate nature into his structures and use local materials.  This has become known as organic architecture.

Sunday (7/19)  We left Amana Colonies this morning for Wisconsin.  We are staying in the Governor Dodge State Campground for the next four nights.  It is a very nice campground that actually has trees and shade and fire pits - we feel like we are really camping.

In the afternoon we went to The House on the Rock.  This house was the vision of Alex Jordan who built it as his home.  He was a student of Frank Lloyd Wright but they parted ways.  This house is Mr. Jordan's crowning jewel just like Falling Waters is Mr. Wright's.  We have not toured the house yet, we will do that and the second museum on the property tomorrow.   Today we did the first of the two museum.

This museum houses Mr. Jordan's collections of things.  Some of the items are a huge fireplace, music boxes, doll collections, victorian Main Street recreated, a car with a heart-shaped tub in it (see picture), 200 model ships, a boat swallowing 200-foot sea creature (see picture) to the world's largest indoor Carousel (see picture.)  

The Carousel has 20,000 lights and 269 handcrafted animals and not one of them a horse.  The Carousel and the related items are valued at $4.8 million.  It is hard to think that this is just one man's collection and this item alone is worth that much.  

Saturday (7/18)   Well today is day one of week 14.   We cannot believe how fast this trip is going. We spent the day in Amana, IA.  The members of the Amana Colonies came from Germany in 1843-44 to get away from religious persecution and economic depression. They lived in New York State prior to establishing the seven villages of the Amana Colonies. They lived a communal life where everyone worked for the good of all the members of the community from 1855 to 1932.  The seven villages have been declared a National Historic Landmark.  The  buildings and the landscape are very quaint and there are many flowers around the home but these wonderful buildings are filled with your typical tourist gift stores. There is a very small museum but beyond that it is all about shopping.

This evening we went to a performance at the Old Creamery Theater in Amana.   Today, in the seven villages, events and a certain percentage of all sales in stores is being donated to cancer research.  The performance tonight was by the McPunk Bros. and Gregg Brown.   The McPunk Bros. played bluegrass and were very enjoyable.  Gregg Brown was the headliner and has written songs that have been preformed by Willie Nelson, Michael Jackson, Carlos Santana and Mary Chapin Carpenter. 

Friday (7/17)   We left the International T@B Rally this morning for Iowa.  It is always so sad when the T@Bbers have to leave and go their separate ways.  It was a great rally!!!

We stopped in West Branch where the boyhood home of Herbert Hoover is located.  It is a very small town and the only real point of interest is the Federal Park which is comprised of his boyhood home, a few buildings that were there when he lived there and his Presidential Library. The two-room home is a very, very small.   This parents both died when he was young and he had to live with various relatives. He was separated from his younger sister and older brother at a young age.  

We then continued on to the Amana Colonies in Iowa for a couple of days.  We had dinner in Amana at the Ox Yoke Inn which was homestyle and was excellent.   After dinner, we went to a play in the Inn called The Queen of Bingo.  It takes place in a Catholic Church basement and is extremely funny as the two women who are the main characters set up to play bingo - it looks like they are moving in!!!!!   Part of the play includes the audience playing a game of bingo - need I say we did not win.

Thursday (7/16)  We have had a very full day here at the T@B rally.  There were a number of seminars and a great deal of information being exchanged.   Of issue with a lot of the owners is greasing their "zerk" valves on their brakes.   Sue spent a fair amount of time greasing six T@Bs for their owners.  She did it until, she ran out of grease in her grease gun.

We had the closing event for the rally at which many prizes were given away.  Sue got a bird house that looks exactly like our T@B - very cute!  Rich won a dozen cinnamon rolls.   It looks like Sue got the better end of that deal.  

We leave for Wisconsin in the morning.  It will be very sad to leave all our old and new T@B friends.   This has just been great fun - so many laughs and so many great memories.