America's Heartland

5/24 – 5/31/2015 – Elkhart IN – Often called the RV Capital of the World, the Elkhart area is filled with RV manufacturers, dealers, service centers, and sellers of RV-related after-market products.  Our first stop was the Nexus factory tour so we could see firsthand how Dina and Erik’s Dream RV was built. It was a very small factory, but we were very impressed with young saleswoman that provided the tour as well as the production of the motorhome.  Next we hit the RV/MH Hall of Fame, Museum and Library which showcases the history and growth of the RV industry. The museum houses a variety of vintage RVs, photos and memorabilia dating back to the 1920's and it was really amazing.  We also did a Newmar factory tour which was a really big production factory that employs many Amish/Mennonite employees and produces like 10 motorhomes a week moving down the production line on hovercrafts and was totally amazing. Next stop we next visited Shipshewana,  a small town set amidst the Indiana farmland, about 25 miles east of Elkhart.   The Shipshewana Flea Market is touted as the biggest flea market in the Midwest and it surely lived up to its reputation.   Over 1000 vendors welcome visitors with a wide assortment of merchandise and local products.   Across the street is the Trading Place Antique Gallery, or walk the short distance to the wide variety of shops downtown.  Shipshewana has over 75 specialty shops and many antique dealers, quilts and quilting supplies, crafts, food, hand-crafted furniture, and many more treasures.   We enjoyed a great meal at the Blue Gate  Amish "Family" Restaurant and did some shopping.  Then we headed off to South Bend IN and visited the campus of Notre Dame which we found out is actually in Notre Dame IN, yes a city unto itself with its own police, fire and post office.  The campus was pretty deserted since the semester was over, so we were pretty free to roam everywhere undisturbed.  It is hard to believe these buildings are over 150 years old, the architecture is truly amazing and you can feel the history all around you.

Nexus Factory

 

 

RV Hall of Fame
they came in all shapes and sizes

 

 

 

Notre Dame

 

 

5/20 – 5/23/2015 – Detroit – Arrived at Harbortown RV Resort south of Detroit and were very pleased with the campground, definitely at 10 in every way.  We visited “The Henry Ford” on our first day in the Detroit area which encompasses a massive amount of real estate including the Ford Museum, Greenfield Village and the Ford Rouge Factory.  The factory is the site of the original Ford factory and now builds the Ford F150 which is no doubt their biggest seller.  The factory was really amazing, but no photos are allowed so you will have to visit yourself or take our word for it.  The Ford Museum is also really amazing and has everything from an awesome collection of the most famous automobiles and trucks from the past to displays about woman’s suffrage, the civil rights movement, heroes of the sky, locomotives and the Rosa Parks bus.  It really takes a full day just to cover the museum.  Another day can be spent at Greenfield Village which is nearly one hundred historical buildings that were moved to the property from their original locations and arranged in a "village" setting.  The museum's intent is to show how Americans lived and worked since the founding of the country. The Village includes buildings from the 17th century to the present, many of which are staffed by costumed interpreters who conduct period tasks like farming, sewing and cooking.  There is also a collection of buildings such as pottery, glass-blowing, and tin shops providing demonstrations while producing materials used in the Village and for sale. Then of course no visit to Detroit would be complete without a visit to Motown which has been transformed to a museum and exists just as it did in the 70’s.  It was a guided tour through the past with the sights and sounds of Motown, but sorry, no photos allowed except the outside. 

The Henry Ford Museum

Kennedy's Limo

First Bluebird

Weinermobile

Duesenburg

Rosa Parks Bus

Teddy Roosevelts Limo

Motown