Room #27 - Next to the Dumpster

"The dumpster's clean; it was emptied yesterday. I don't see why you find a problem staying next to the dumpster."
The proprietor of the Mid-Town Hotel in Port Allegany was taking issue because I identified where there was no internet as "the room in the corner next to the dumpster". She next wanted to know where I found senior rates posted that her manager had honored when we checked in. She didn't have any senior rates. "There is another Mid-Town Hotel in Bradford". I handed her the travel map with her hotel's ad offering senior rates. She seemed satisfied, but surprised.

Room #27, at Mid-Town Motel in Port Allegany, Pennsylvania

No internet and a rather tired grungy room next to the dumpster. The whole area was pretty run down, but Bruce was afraid it may get dark before we got to another town with motels. Every trip has low points and sometimes you hit bottom. The Mid Town Hotel in Port Allegany, Pennsylvania was this trip's low point. Winner of the worst hotel prize.

Mick's Diner across the street from this rat hole was surprisingly good. Bruce's barbecue chicken special was very well-cooked and they served a good vanilla milk shake. The waitress was very professional and pretty. Breakfast Thursday morning at Mick's was also very tasty with good service.

The weather turned cold and rainy with a prediction of snow so we just drove straight home. Arrived before night fall Thursday. The Wisconsin trip is now a memory. So much to see and so many people, in just 3 weeks and one day. We are so happy we went, but we are glad to be back. We don't have to worry about getting the room next to the dumpster. At least not for a while. Until the next trip.

Michigan American and Cars

You know you are in Michigan when you see lots of American flags and lots and lots of American cars. People from Michigan are friendly and they love their American cars. We did the must do tour of the Rouge Ford assembly plant, the village of classic buildings and the Ford Museum. Wow! I could spend much more time in Detroit.

Bruce checks out the classic cars display at the Henry Ford Museum.
Cadillac sigh.

Trains, Hunters and Studebakers

I should have been falling asleep. Dennis and Bruce were talking yet again about the trip to Florida when Dennis was 19, stopped by in his car to see them Chicago on his way to Florida. Bruce, only 16, begged Dennis to bring him along. Every time we visit Dennis, I hear about that trip. Next time I swear I'll put the camcorder and turn it into a short story. ;-) Being with Dennis is always fun. He has about 18 acres near Lake Michigan up in gorgeous Door County. He gardens, builds his own house, and he still rebuilds vintage cars. The oldest treasure, an early 30's Dodge, is temporarily out of service, so Dennis gave us a ride in his beautiful white '64 Studebaker.

A ride in the Studebaker; Dennis and Bruce stop to look out at Lake Michigan.

In the afternoone were back on the road, to return home. We slept in Marinette close to "UP", Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

When I get home, I will look back fondly on all those mornings I woke up to hear the shot gun of hunters and passing trains.

Wisconsin is Football

How could I ever write about Wisconsin without mentioning football? Wisconsin is the land of cheese and of "cheeseheads".

Last Sunday was very easy driving. NO cars on the road - Packers 33 - Minnesota Vikings 27.

Everything it seems is football. Even mailboxes. I did not have the courage to photograph the couple eating dinner in their Packer uniforms who were sitting next to us at the restaurant in Fish Creek.

Sources of Cheesehead image
http://becominggingerscone.blogspot.com/2011/09/cheese-heads.html
http://pointofviewbyyou.blogspot.com

On our Way to See Dennis

We had a great 2 day visit with Joann and her daughter, Sara. We are not on our way north to see cousin Dennis. After 3 days of rain and frost last night we are happy to once more have sun.

In Luxemburg, Wisconsin, curious young steers investigate us.

Joanie and Sara in Luxemburg

We enjoyed so much seeing Joanie (Joann) and her daughter Sara in Luxemburg whom we had just seen in Milwaukee, but fortunately Sara was now back in Luxemburg at home for a baby shower. The four of us had lots of fun sitting around the table eating good Wisconsin cheeses and breakfasts while chatting. Sad was the fact that cousin Alvin was not there. Alvin passed away in 2010 and we missed him. Alvin would have had deer hunting stories and if the season were right he would have been smoking some venison out back. So many happy memories.

Eileen, Joanie, and Bruce October 21, 2011

Visiting Cousin Dorothy in Green Bay

This morning we visited Bruce's cousin Dorothy in Green Bay. Dorothy and Bruce's great grandfather, Adoniram, was one of Wisconsin's earliest settlers. We spent a very pleasant morning. We were happy to meet Dorothy's husband and daughter. Bruce enjoyed seeing Dorothy's photo album.

Bruce with Cousin Dorothy

Wisconsin! How is it? Why do I like it so much?

Beautiful

• I love the flat endless landscapes with fields, huge barns, cows, and big skies. Right now the trees are in color. Rural New England has hills and stone walls. The farms are smaller. The scenery is sweet. In the Midwest the land is vast and powerful.
  

German

• In Wisconsin, names reflect the heritage of early settlers. In the mid 1800's immigrants came from places like Germany, Belgium, and Luxemburg. Today's Wisconsinites are invariably fair-haired and blue-eyed. Streets, businesses and people have names like Kurz, Kaufman, Schroeder. Years ago people still spoke German and German newspapers were common. See NPR "In Rural Wisconsin, German Reigned For Decades". Today German language is still taught in Wisconsin schools and you occasionally see translations. Note that the dentists in photo below identify themselves as Zahnarzt. Summertime festivals feature brats, kraut, beer and German bands.
  

Death notice published 1899 Die Wahrheit, Manitowoc, Wisconsin

Beer

• A lot less fancy wine drinking here. People drink beer with their supper. Good draft beer is readily available everywhere.
  

Dairy

• As soon as you cross the border, you'll know you are in the dairy state. On the highway, cars flaunt America's Dairyland license plates. Shops entice you to come in, try and buy delicious local cheeses. Restaurants put real butter on the table. Wisconsinites like butter plus it is actually illegal for restaurants to not give it to them. Bet you did not know that up until the 60's the sale of "margarine" was illegal in Wisconsin. It had to be bootlegged in from Illinois! See article about Wisconsin's Butter Laws. If it comes from the cow, Wisconsin has it for you.

So many to choose from at the Cheese Shop

Cedar Crest Ice Cream truck outside the Manitowoc plant and shop

With Pat and Stan

We spent a wonderful day in Lakevilla, Illinois, near the Wisconsin border, with our dear friends Pat and Stan whom we know from when we lived in Chicago so many years ago.

We ate like kings: steaks and a fantastic breakfast.

Stan's idea of a serving of steak for one person! I could only eat half!

Pat and Stan love their pets, which includes 3 energetic dogs, a kitty and 6 very exotic birds. Pat raises birds. Her birds are beautiful and they talk and sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game".

Here is Pat with her beloved Sadie.

Milwaukee
After we left Pat and Stan we met Bruce's cousin Sara at Cafe Hollander in Milwaukee. Sara comes from a small Wisconsin town which she visits monthly, but has been enjoying the fun like in the capital city. Cafe Hollander serves great beers and good food. I had a local draft beer and their version of "Mussels Wittekerke Ale" with whole grain mustard, cream, and ale-braised onions.

Goodbye Chicago

It was much too short. Could have stayed in Chicago much longer, but after bagels and some photos, we pushed on to Wisconsin.

Here we are with Vikki and Ron outside their gorgeous Oak Park home.

Kirk, Bruce, Vikki and Ron

More Chicago and Oak Park

More driving around Chicago and Oak Park. We visited Bruce's friend Mel and did a short tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's homes.

In the afternoon we went to the Conservatory in Garfield Park. Bruce and Vikki had lots of fun examining a white salamander who was hiding in the foliage. We also saw Oprah's studio.

A typical Chicago scene for us.

Bruce with his IIT and Peace Corps buddy outside Mel's Oak Park house.

A Frank Lloyd Wright home in Oak Park

Bruce with his cousin Vikki in Oak Park

Great Day in Chicago

We spent great day in Chicago. Did a drive all around the city seeing the various neighborhoods and took walks along the lake, in Millenium Park, and down Michigan Avenue with a stop at one of Chicago's newest landmarks, the Marilyn Monroe statue.

Bruce holding up the Bean

Bruce holding up Marilyn Monroe.

For lunch we had a Chicago hotdog at Superdawg.
For dinner we had Belgian mussels at Hopleaf. These mussels were so good steamed in Belgian Wittekerke wheat beer. The accompanying frites were divine. Chicago is considered America's best restaurant city. Great pizzas, bratwurst, hamburgers and so many great chef's restaurants. Lots of pubs with large selections of domestic and foreign beers. With so many tourist attractions and good food, I could easily live here. Hey, I did live here and enjoyed every minute of it!

Dale and Nancy

We had a great visit with Dale and Nancy. Bruce and Dale always talk into the late night about all the fun they had growing up in Lincolnwood. Nancy made a delicious Penne with Bacon and Pumpkin. Nancy also showed all the interesting artifacts found on the family farm in central western Illinois, including old maps and arrow heads. Thursday we had lunch in Andersonville, the Swedish section of Chicago.

Arrive Chicago

Chicago viewed from Northerly Park, near Planetarium

Came into Chicago via Route 912 and the Skyway. After a visit to IIT, we took a short walk along Lake Michigan at Northerly Park (which used to be Meigs air field until Mayor Daley bulldozed it secretly overnight). Next we took a drive down Michigan Avenue then up Sheridan Road to our old neighborhood. Another short visit to the lake then off to see Dale and Nancy who live next door to Bruce's boyhood home.

Lafayette, Indiana and on to Chicago

We'll be in Chicago this afternoon and then visiting our friends Dale and Nancy.

Wriggly Kiwi at the Columbus Zoo

Today we had an appointment at the Columbus Zoo to see their Kiwi chicks. The Columbus Zoo birds are very well cared by their keepers. Three new kiwi chicks hatched this year. Toa who hatched in mid June was in a nocturnal house display area. Toa, like all kiwi, is very wriggly and hard to photograph. Normally, he lives in a larger enclosure with his siblings, parents and other North Island Brown Kiwi away from the public's eye. We watched Toa and 6-year old Justus for quite a while. Well worth the trip. I bet most people do not know that there are only 6 zoos in the USA which have Kiwi. And that the Columbus Zoo is a real forerunner for breeding Kiwi in captivity. Without human intervention 95% of New Zealand's wild-born Kiwi chicks are taken by predators.

Toa

Goodbye Hills, Hello Midwest

We did a lot of driving on Columbus Day. A brief stop in Erie, Pennsylvania and on to Ohio. By the end of the day we were in Mansfield in the pricey but pleasant La Quinta. Gone are the rambling hills. Ohio is flat. Easy driving.

Typical view along the highway in the Midwest.

Finding Cousins in New York

A highlight of our trip was finally meeting Bruce's long lost cousin in New York. Jeanette and Bruce both descend from a soldier who fought at the Battle of Rhode Island during the Revolutionary War. Thanks to having found one another on the internet they could share their family history in person.

Finding the Colors in New York

We crossed over from Vermont to New York via a ferry. New York had the colors! And we enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Route 20. New York also had good bbq. We feasted on New-York style Caroline pulled pork at Bob's Barbecue in Homer. Really good. Enthusiastic customers urged to try Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse. New Yorkers are proud of their Q.

Barn Route 20 Esperance, New York

Route 13 around Cortland

Looking for the Colors

Friday we searched for colored leaves in Vermont. No luck. The color was just not there. We were probably too early. We did find unfortunately some of the damage that Hurricane Irene had inflicted along Route 14.

Half the road missing along Route 107 in Gaysville. Work is ongoing.

We were glad we came. Those tough Vermonters are working away repairing washed out roads and houses and their spirit is inspiring.

House half buried in mud from the White River along Route 107 in Bethel.

Here they are with houses buried in mud but they are helping one another and just getting the job done.

Meanwhile the Vermonters are still eating well. So are their visitors. Fresh eggs, homemade pancakes and waffles with real maple syrup.

Buttermilk Pancakes with Real Vermont Maple Syrup at Eaton's Sugar House.

Yes, go to Vermont. It is more than leaf peeping. So many beautiful sights. And the breakfasts.

Following Wisconsin Roots

Bruce's roots go a long way back to Wisconsin. His ancestors were there before mine even came to America! In 1846, his great grandfather Adoniram and wife Deborah migrated from New England and were among the first settlers in Racine, finally making a home in Mishicot.

They were farmers who lost 2 daughters to disease and their first born son to the Civil War. Their children and grandchildren became doctors and teachers.

Descendants still live in Wisconsin and every few years we enjoy seeing them and doing some genealogy research. An added plus is the beauty of Wisconsin and its superior beer, German bratwurst, and local cheeses. Plus cherries and smoked fish.

Pictured are Bruce's great grandmother, Deborah, with daughter Agnes and sons Floyd and Forrest. The photograph was taken in a studio sometime before 1889. Adoniram had already died. Deborah, who was born in 1825 at Charlestown, Maine, died March 27, 1899, at 73 years old. Agnes preceded her mother; she died young in 1889.