Friday, July 27, 2018

Detroit River thru St Clair River

We passed the last Lighthouse on Lake Erie before entering the Detroit River.




The Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River provide some of the most scenic 75 miles of cruising in the Great Lakes.  This waterway forms the boundary between the United States and Canada.  It is also a major shipping route with lots of commercial traffic.





Our first stop was the Silver Shores Marina in Wyandotte, Michigan.
It is the first marina we stayed in that had hanging flower baskets beside the boat slips.






Our timing was perfect as it allowed us to enjoy Wyandotte's annual street fair.
The live-music, arts, crafts, and food was enjoyed by hundreds of local and out-of-town folks.





The next day we took a Lyft ride to Dearborn, home of the beautiful Greenfield Village and the fascinating Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.





We spent hours at Greenfield Village being transported back to life in the early 20th century.
This iconic village covers more than 80 acres, brimming with historical memories of our ingenious forefathers.






We explored Henry Ford's life from childhood to the creation of the Model T.
We even visited the lab where Thomas Edison had his lightbulb moment!





The vintage bicycles brought back memories of bygone days.




This ornately painted glockenspiel reminded us of visits to Germany!





This is the actual bicycle shop where the Wright Brothers made history . . . . 

. . . . making and selling bicycles to transport us on land . . . .

. . . . and building the first wind tunnel so we could eventually reach the sky!
. .



Walking across the covered bridge, absorbing 300 years of American perseverance, reminded us that anything is possible!




Watching the farmer till a century-old field is a powerful reminder that farming was once the backbone of America's economy.




This charming cottage, made of Cotswold stone, was a reminder of the three delightful years we lived in a beautiful English village.  We could almost taste the tea and scones!




Daniel Webster lived in this house.  After years of research, he completed the world-renowned Webster Dictionary.  His home spent time as a fraternity house at Harvard University before being "rescued" by Henry Ford.


  

Whether you were picnicking, playing badminton or enjoying a parade, there was a time when beautiful village greens played an important role for the young and old alike!




Adjacent to the property at Greenfield Village lies the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.
This museum allows you to experience the strides of America's greatest minds, immersing yourself in their stories.  There are too many cool exhibits to spotlight. The Presidents' limos caught our attention first.  Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Sunshine Special" was the first car expressly designed and built for a president.  




Eddy is reading about the 1950 "Bubble Top" that was first used by President Truman.




This modern new four-door convertible was well-suited to a young, forward-thinking president.  Tragedy struck when President Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963 while riding in this car through the streets of Dallas.




This school teacher is glad her students had a more comfortable ride than the students who used the original school buses in 1927!




We were privileged to step inside the bus where Rosa Parks took a stand for civil rights by refusing to give up her seat.




The actual plane that Orville first flew at Kill Devil Hills!




Eddy relived his flying days at Northwest as he imagined the pilot doing his pre-flight walk around!




The Allegheny locomotives were among the largest and most powerful steam locomotives ever built!




Who remembers when McDonald's hamburgers sold for 15 cents  Congratulations, you're officially old!




Check out the original "Holiday Inn" sign?  Those were the days when you paid extra for a room with a T.V.



Eddy has lots of experience passing gas . . . . 
. . . .  in high school as a service station attendant and as a KC-135 tanker pilot in the Air Force!




"Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Weiner . . . . "  
Why does that childhood jingle stick with us but we can't remember what we did two days ago?





We departed Wyandotte in the early morning, enjoying a calm Detroit River and beautiful skyline.





The Detroit River is shared by the U.S. and Canada.  Passing these artistic flags on the Canadian shore made us smile!




We wondered if these Canadian geese had their passports?!




The crystal clear, azure blue waters of  Lake St Clair reminded us of the Caribbean.




 One of the endless, beautiful water-front homes along the St. Clair River.





We respected the big vessels that were traveling on the river next to Spiritus . . . .


. . . . contacting them on the radio . . . .

. . . . and always staying well out of their way!




After a long day crossing Lake St Clair, we were more than ready to stop at St. Clair Harbor.




Spiritus was definitely ready to rest, and so was her crew!




It was a short cruise up the river the next day to Port Huron, but it required two bridge openings.




The Great Lakes Maritime Museum is located at Port Huron.  Can you read the nautical flags?




Our friendly, flower-filled marina was within walking distance to the charming downtown.




After finishing boat chores, the Captain and First Mate were ready to go exploring!




Discovering the wonderful local shop, "A Little Something", was a BIG treat!!
Michigan makes the BEST ice cream!!

Sunday, July 22, 2018

Put-In-Bay

Another sunrise departure!  Sad to leave but grateful for the unexpected treasures that Cleveland offered.




We enjoyed a smooth 8 hour cruise on Lake Erie, spotting the iconic Perry monument 12 miles away! 




We secured Spiritus to a vacant mooring ball in Put-In-Bay, the "Key West" of Ohio!




The view from our mooring ball wet our appetite to go ashore and explore.



We radioed the water taxi and it arrived at Spiritus within 5 minutes to take us to shore.




We left Spiritus to rest on her mooring ball while her crew played on the island.




The Boardwalk was the place to get THE BEST lobster bisque in the entire world!

Walking along the island, tiki bars and live-music truly reminded us of the "real" Key West.




Old Fire Engines never die, they just slowly become friendly bars!!




We soon discovered that golf carts were the preferred mode of transportation!!





This resort island is covered with colorful, gorgeous flowers . . . . everywhere!!





We spent an afternoon at the Perry Museum learning about the epic sea battle of the War of 1812.
When Commander Perry was asked what to do with the conquered British fleet, he replied "Put them in the bay".  Thus, the name of the town!  




This monument offers the tallest open-air observation deck in the U.S.A.
The elevator took us to the top for incredible views . . . .

. . . . the Bay . . . .


. . . . the Boardwalk . . . .

. . . . the town . . . .

. . . . and Spiritus on her mooring ball!




After a full afternoon of exploring, learning, eating, drinking, and making merry, we returned to Spiritus.




The water taxi Captain was our designated driver!




Watching the sun set from our mooring ball and giving thanks for another awesome find here at Put-In-Bay!