Wild West Tour wrap-up

For the highlights of the smart tour see SCOOT. Check out the real-world gas mileage.

Folding money

Interesting piece about Andrew Ritchie and the Brompton bicycle in The Times. Racing also in The Telegraph.
Update: In the FT too.

Racking my brain

Old chum Eric Eggleston was on the phone this morning, should see him in Toronto later in the week. He has a new project on the go - check it out:



See: Harpoon

Home run

Early departure for Grand Rapids and a breakfast stop. We struggle to find diesel and grub - this ain't no tourist town. On to Dearborn for a tour of the Automotive Hall of Fame at the Ford factory - we can't find the similarly-named Motorsport Hall of Fame in nearby Novi, Michigan - has it closed?
On into Detroit through the grungy parts of town - this is everything you ever imagined only worse. Block after block of boarded-up buildings - the only operating establishments seemingly being porn or pawn shops and seedy gentlemen's clubs. Unmissable. We duck over the Ambassador Bridge at the border where Windsor, ON, seems like paradise. More pouring rain as we reach Toronto at 19:00. Quick pitstop for groceries and we are indoors before 20:00.
Listening to Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffett: It's five o'clock somewhere; George Jones: White Lightning.

Hogs and history

We have a great visit to the Harley-Davidson powertrain factory where they make the engines and gearboxes. We are given the 'short' tour as they are putting together 2009 models, yet to be announced, at the factory. No photography allowed on the 'Walk the Line' tour. We have a personal tour being the only two folk who turned up for the 09:00 departure. The best I can say is that H-D was saved by a management buyout, although I am alarmed to learn they have factories also in Kansas City, MO, and York, PA. Must involve additional cost and management effort. Anyway they have to be doing something right as there are hogs all over middle-America.
'HIST DIST' is tourist shorthand for historic district and we head for the Third Ward in downtown Milwaukee. The city has some marvelous outsize vintage buildings. Coffee at a pavement cafe followed by a visit to the William F. Eisner American Museum of Advertising & Design. Good vintage ads on play-it-yourself machines. We roll on to the newly-opened Harley Davidson museum where we don't take a tour, having had a free Harley fix earlier. We bump into an Aussie guy in a '56 Chevy who is taking his newly-bought prize back to Australia after a Route 66 tour.
We take the evening ferry across Lake Michigan, and check-in at the Seaview Motel in Muskegon, Michigan, $75 cash, arriving late. The bikers are partying here too.

What made Milwaulkee famous

East out of Minnesota past the twin cities international airport where I once changed planes for Denver back in the early nineties. A stopover in Menomonie to visit The Mabel Tainter Memorial Theater - an old community project built on lumber money. Back on the highway and we run into the mother of all rainstorms. I switch on the emergency flashing lights as we drive through the downpour, worried about more flooding, as if the midwest hasn't had enough already.
The headline on this story does not refer to the beer although I did sample a couple Miller High Life last night - no, I am talking about Harley-Davidson. We recced the location of the power train division of H-D yesterday in preparation for a visit first thing this morning. First come first served so we are up early at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Milwaukee-Wauwatosa and will be out to the factory where the H-D and Buell engines are made after breakfast.
How did this company survive when so many other midwest manufacturers failed to dodge the bullet? The Rambler car, made in Kenosha, Wisconsin and the Checker cab from Chicago have gone the way of the Dodo - but H-D lives on - hope we'll find out why?

Moving to Montana soon

Straight arrow south into Montana across empty country. Sandwich tea at a store called Kathy's Place in Pangman, Sask. Across the border in no time. Then we hit a snag - no motel space for miles. There is a new oil boom in Montana and every room has been taken up by a roughneck in a large pickup truck, booked by the week. We drive late to Glendive, Montana where we get the last room at the Days Inn, one queen bed in the smoking section. Late takeaway supper from Subway. A guy leaves his big truck running while he dawdles in the store - they ain't saving gas here - that thang got a hemi?
Next morning into town for the bank and a quick gander at the BNSF railyards. Turn east on 1-90 for the Badlands of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Bison, Prairie Dogs and wild Mustangs in the blazing sunshine on a hilly trail. Stopped by the Sheriff in Medora for speeding - he looked like Buford T. Justice - I guess he didn't book me because he was coming towards me - he said "at least we know this car can go over the speed limit" - 25 mph.
To Bismarck, ND - a town with some marvelous architecture including the Spanish-style Northern Pacific railroad depot. Appropriately Mexican food at the depot while the freight trains go howling past. Stay at the Select Inn - $60 for two incl breakfast and use of laundry. The US is far cheaper than Canada and much better value for money at present, vindicating our decision to cut back below the border, roads are better too.
After pitstops at the outsize metal Sand Crane in Steele, ND and the High-Line railroad bridge in Valley City, ND we are back in Minnesota in Lake Wobegon country. To Fergus Falls, MN for Otter Tail County Historical Society and more Gebo research. Back on the highway we head into Minneapolis where we stay downtown at the Holiday Inn Express. To Zelo in the pavement-cafe district for pasta and blush wine [Rose].
Listening to the Soggy Bottom Boys: I am a man of constant sorrow; Tracy Byrd: Ten rounds with Jose Cuervo.

Back in Canuckistan

Left Anaconda, Montana, after viewing 580ft brick chimney, via scenic route, following old railway line to Drummond. Overnight at Missoula, Montana in the far west of the state. Seeing signs for Idaho, but cut north.
Now in Regina, Saskatchewan after crossing into Canada at Roosville, B.C., and heading back east via the Crowsnest Pass, Pincher Creek, Fort Macleod, Calgary and Medecine Hat. Great time at the Hat. Entered a car show in the smart and won the "Furthest Travelled" award - a 22-piece spanner set. Overnight at Swift Current, Sask.
This morning running short of gas eastbound on the Trans-Canada Highway, rescued by The Pilgrim Centre, Caronport, Sask - a stop on the 2005 tour.
Listening to Great Big Sea: Dance, Dance; Alan Jackson: Small town, southern man.
To RCMP depot HQ tomorrow to search the archives. Heading due south after for more Montana and the ND Badlands.
See SCOOT.

Lost and found

Monday left Red Lodge for Lewistown, Montana. Stopped at Big Timber for ATM. I forgot my card and the machine swallowed it. Stopped at Harlowton, Montana for ice cream. Left camera in cafe. Rushed back from Lewistown and retrieved it. Too long on the road!
Listening to Mary Chapin Carpenter: I feel lucky. NOT.
Then to White Sulphur Springs for overnight at All Seasons hotel, top notch at $69 incl breakfast for two, highly recommended. Fish supper at Dempseys on main street, also very good. A pint of Bud Lite costs $2. Met a guy outside the bar who said "I thought I had the smallest car in town but you beat me by half a car!" He was driving a Toyota hatchback. Back at hotel party of Brits enjoying western tour. This is a less prosperous part of Montana and there is plenty of vintage tin to ogle in backlots if you love old cars.
To Helena to visit the Capitol building, built by H.L. Frank. Notice my bank card is missing. Phone bank in Big Timber to confirm they have trashed it. Picnic lunch on road to Butte, purchased earlier at coffee shop in Townsend, where we re-crossed the Missouri River. Following signs of defunct railroad by the side of the highway.
Roll into Butte for diesel stop and visit to Butte-Silver Bow Archives. Blazing hot. In Butte library, Anaconda next.
For more see SCOOT.

Carbon County confidential

Spent two days in Red Lodge. First day Annette did the laundry while I visited the Carbon County Historical Society. Some great photos of old time Red Lodge, Bridger and Fromberg. Met Shirley Smith at a book signing who runs the Little Cowboy Bar in Fromberg. Red Lodge Cafe for late lunch. Supper at a wine bar on Broadway.
Sunday up early for visit to Gebo townsite and cemetery, Fromberg and Bridger. Quick drink at Little Cowboy Bar and Museum - not to be missed - and on to the old ranch of Sam Gebo in the Clarks Fork valley. Very late lunch at the Garage Steak House in Bridger - no sign of old jailhouse. Back to Red Lodge via the Smith Mine, scene of disaster in the forties. Old mining equipment strewn across the landscape.
Listening to Terry Allen: Amarillo Highway.

Top of the World

We liked the Badlands, we enjoyed the Black Hills and the Bighorn Mountains were a blast. We left Gillette, Wyo for Buffalo - where we stopped for diesel, bank and post office. 57 cent coffee at the drugstore and on to Worland for lunch in an old-timey lunchroom. We get into the desert scrub and are searching off-the-road for the ghost-town of Gebo, Wyoming. We find it, what is left of it, and also the Gebo Dome oil field where a guy greets us warmly among the nodding donkeys. Overnight at Thermopolis, Wyo - visit to the museum to find some Gebo fragments.
Next day to Cody, Wyo for the Fourth of July parade - 'Uncle Sam' poses on stilts by the smart car.
I'm now in Red Lodge, Montana, in the shadow of the Beartooth mountains, after a hair-raising ride to the 'Top of the World" at 10,947 feet in the smart car. Snow in July.
We have been to a gravesite, the Chapman House, the courthouse and the historical society while staying at the Pollard Hotel. Wild celebrations for the 4th yesterday, with a drum band playing in the bar.

High Plains Drifter

Left Albert Lea, Freeborn County, Minnesota for points west on I-90. Stops at Blue Earth, MN, for the Jolly Green Giant, roadside kitsch; art deco cinema at Mitchell, MN, wonderful throwback to the twenties, two 12oz coffee for $2.66, free refill to go; lunch at Sioux Falls, SD, for the falls, sandwich in old generator hall; Corn Palace at Mitchell, SD, Rick Springfield booked to appear, ice cream $1. Damn hot in the car as temps hit 90s f. Overnight at Chamberlain, SD, by the Missouri river, supper at Anchor Grille, two bottles of Bud Lite, oh dear.
Out on the highway gunning it with Peterbilt in hot pursuit, listening to country radio and amongst the dreck we hear Guitar Town by Steve Earle and Luckenbach, Texas by Waylon & Willie.
Yesterday in the rain: Badlands ($15 entry, slurp of diesel at Interior, SD), Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse memorial, Deadwood (tourist info in old Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Rail Road station, model of Shay engine).
Now in Gillette, Wyoming after charging across the great plains. Coal and oil country. To Thermopolis today on the trail of Sam Gebo, character in my book.
For more see SCOOT.