Day 33 Summer 2012 Road Trip

Slept in a bit this morning and had a late breakfast.  Today we are going to visit the RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart Indiana.   Karen and I thought this would be a good place to visit.  We can learn about and see various styles of rv’s and this will help us in our search for a unit for ourselves.

We arrived at 11am and wandered around the outside of the building.  Everything is nicely cared for and there is a very large parking area so that there is plenty of room if you bring your motorhome and wish to park.  I am not sure, but you may even be able to stay overnight here.

  

We took several photos around the outside.  Karen and I were looking at the patio bricks and all the names of people and corporations that have donated to the Hall of Fame and found a name we actually recognized.  We follow many blogs written by rv’ers, but one blog in particular that we read faithfully is a blog written by Nick Russell.  Nick often mentions his friend Al Hesselbart and there right in front of us was a brick with Al’s name on it.  We didn’t see any other names that we recognized.

  

We paid the $9.00 each admission fee and entered the building.

  

Ok, well the first thing we ‘discovered’ was this beautiful RV… so, lets just buy this one and we can get on the road.  I guess I was so excited that I blurred the photo, but you get the idea.. brand spanking new and ready to roll out onto the scenic by-ways of America.

 

Not in our budget though so we had to leave it behind and enter the museum part of the facility.  The Airstream reminds us of our vacation on South Padre Island TX where we rented and stayed in one very similar.

  

If we were to get a travel trailer, I am positive that we would get an Airstream, but we have come to the decision that a Class A is what we are looking for.

Continuing on with our tour, there are rigs of all ages and sizes.  This tiny airstream also caught our eye.

 

Karen liked this 1954 Shasta travel trailer but it is a bit to small for the two of us.  I liked this 1964 Coachmen Cadet travel trailer, but again too small and not a Class A.

 

It was very interesting seeing all the old styles of rv’s and we enjoyed our visit to the museum.

  

On the second floor of the building is a very large library.  Just full of every book, manual and brochure ever published about any make, model or style of RV.  This is a valuable resource to the rv’ers.

  

From the second floor balcony, y0u can look down into the museum.

 

That concluded our visit to the RV/MH Hall of Fame.  We made a donation towards keeping the museum out of financial debt and we bought some t-shirts and other souvenirs.  Now it was time for a late lunch.

For the rest of the afternoon we drove around to a few RV dealerships, but we weren't finding anything that we were interested in.  We did learn that since the recession, more than a dozen dealerships in and around Elkhart had gone out of business.  Those that were still in business were concentrating on selling travel trailers and fifth wheels.  We want a Class A so our search continues.

Back at the hotel, we relaxed, watched TV, worked on editing and naming photos and writing this blog.

To see all of the photos from today, you can find them by clicking on the link to our FLICKR site.

Day 32 Summer 2012 Road Trip

We got up this morning and packed up the car.  We are going to head South today.  Our destination is South Bend Indiana.  Our plan is to spend the next few days RV shopping and there is no where better to look than in the South Bend / Elkhart Indiana area.

We start out by heading South on I-75.  This Interstate would take us all the way to Florida if we stay on it.

 

But we exit and take US-127

 

Then we leave US-127 and get on Michigan State Hwy 55

 

We drive along the shores of Lake Missaukee in Michigan.

  

We stopped in Cedar Springs Michigan at a Big Boy Restaurant.  I didn’t even know that these restaurants even existed.  It was new and modern and the burger and shake was delicious.

 

Shortly after our lunch, we drove through Grand Rapids Michigan.

 

In Grand Rapids we went in search of another roadside attraction.  This is a 100 ft Loch Ness Monster.  Unfortunately because of the severe drought happening this summer, the lake has receded and left the monster high and dry.



Shortly after 3pm we enter the State of Indiana.



We get checked into our hotel for the evening and start our search online for RV’s that are for sale in this area.

If you want to see all of the photos today, they are published here on our FLICKR site.

Day 31 Summer 2012 Road Trip

Last summer when we were in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, we ran out of time to visit Mackinac Island, so that is todays priority.

We had a nice breakfast at the hotel and then walked the short distance to the ferry dock.  There are several ferry companies that shuttle passengers between the Island and the Mainland.  We chose Shepler’s Ferry.  There was a lineup, but we did not have to wait long and soon we were aboard.

  

As we headed across the channel to Mackinac Island we passed the lake freighter “Edgar B Speer” and the “Round Island Lighthouse”.

  

Here are a couple of shots of Mackinac Island as we approach the dock.

 

Cars are not allowed on the Island, you get around by walking, bicycle or horse and buggy.  The driver from the Grand Hotel is waiting near the dock for hotel guests.



The streets near the dock are very busy and we walk along taking in the sights (and the smells)  You really have to pay attention to your surroundings or you will get run over or step in something you don’t want to step in.

  

We have tickets for the Carriage Tour, so we went to their location to hand in our tickets and to get into the carriage.

 

This is a great way to see the Island.  Our driver is also a tour guide and he talks about the history of the Island and points out different things and places as the tour winds its way through the streets.

  

If you want, you can rent your own horse and do a self guided tour.

 

Probably the most popular sight on the Island is the Grand Hotel.  Here we are on our tour passing by the hotel.  We will get off here later in the day and tour the hotel.

  

We got off our tour carriage at the Surrey Hills Carriage Museum.  We looked at the carriages on display and had a light lunch before resuming our tour of the island.

 

We transferred onto a larger carriage at this point and continued on with the tour of the island.  This carriage is pulled by 3 horses instead of 2.

 

From here we went to the far side of the island through heavily wooded riding trails.

 

We stopped at Arch Rock to give the team of horses a rest break and to allow us to see Arch Rock and the view.

  

  

We had the opportunity to visit Fort Mackinac, but we passed since it was another added expense and we have seen similar Forts on past vacations.  A Fort is a Fort, basically on the highest ground, surrounded by walls, with barracks and other buildings inside the walls, with cannons spread around to fire upon the enemy. 

  

We went past the Grand Hotel Horse Stables, a fine structure and it is air conditioned.  Those horses live in luxury.  It was cool enough today that the doors were open.

  

At this point along the tour we got off to visit the Grand Hotel.  So you might think after me poo pooing the fort, because a fort is a fort, that we would bypass the hotel, because a hotel is a hotel.  Well let me tell you that this is not just any hotel.  Rooms start at $1000.00 per night and if you are not a guest, there is a $10.00 admission charge per person to even get onto the property.  The hotel was fully booked, not a room to be had.



In keeping with us seeking out the weird and whacky, the largest and the tallest, this hotel has one feature that entitles it to be among that elite group.  It boasts the “World’s Largest” front porch.  The porch measures in at 660 feet long.

  

There is a lovely refreshing breeze here on the porch and the scenery and the property is beautiful.

  

We can see another lake freighter passing under the Mackinac Bridge.

 

Inside the hotel.

  

 
Horse and buggies pick up and deliver hotel guests and their luggage to the front entrance.

  

The view from the bar on the top floor of the hotel.

 

It truly is a Grand Hotel.  There is even a dress code.

 

Some parting shots of the hotel.

  

It is time to head back to the ferry so we walk the short distance from the hotel to the ferry dock.

  

It was a choppy ride back to the mainland, we were smart and stayed inside where it was dry, but anyone on the top deck got soaked by the wind driven spray.  This guy on his “Sunfish” was enjoying an afternoon of sailing.

  

We enjoyed our visit to Mackinac Island.  Do we need to go back, perhaps not, but if we are in the area again I wouldn't rule it out, maybe we could go back and rent a couple of horses for ourselves.

To see all of our photos from today, click on the link to our FLICKR site.