Day 4: Clintonville, Wisonsin to St Cloud, Minnesota

Late start in Clintonville as we are due at the FWD Museum at 10:00. We get there early and I can see the Butterball Special, formerly the AJB of Archie Butterworth, through the window. I can tell that the original Steyr engine is still in situ. Bill Hupke, a 46-year employee of the company, shows up. He is vastly knowledgeable on the history of the company - four generations of his family worked there. We photograph this historically significant racing car, two-time winner of the Brighton Speed Trials.
Legend has it that an owner of a 1906 Reo struggled on the dirt roads of Wisconsin and suggested four-wheel-drive as the answer. By 1908 they were making FWD vehicles, cars and later trucks.
We hit the highway heading west. A quick stop in Chippewa Falls yields a Pyrex lid at the Salvation Army store. There are crackheads smoking on the pavement so we move on to Menominee, for lunch in old train depot. Menard's, the hardware store, are running TV and radio ads featuring a sale on American made goods. High time the US woke up to spending their dollars at home. We take diesel in a BP station at Mahtomedi in the suburbs of St Paul. The manager says they have taken flak over the oil spill and I say we have called in to show solidarity, to the delight of the staff. Also cheapest diesel so far at $2.81.9 cents per US gallon.
We are running in the rush hour traffic and are diverted off the highway due to a wreck. We reach St Cloud at teatime. Quick stop at Goodwill, then Aldi for grocery. Spend the night at the Quality Inn, $83.93 incl tax. Watching the Tour de France on TV.

Day 3: Fond du Lac, Wisconsin to Clintonville, Wisconsin

Thunderstorm overnight in Fond du Lac. Good breakfast at Days Inn, including microwave omelet. Headed out to Elkhart Lake on the back roads, locating Road America by the noise. Wet on arrival. Walk through the tunnel to paddock where the cars of Mark Donohue are set up in a big tent. We particularly like the AMC Javelin cars, being made in Wisconsin. No sign of the Donohue Elva Courier but an enquiry elicits promises of pictures. We learn later that David Hobbs was here on the Saturday for a book signing. We meet Wayne Brown with his Cobra, who is a Bonneville fundamentalist working on a wheel-driven streamliner shooting for 450 mph. The weather cheers up and we watch Can-Am, F5000 and Trans-Am before setting off at 15:00 in a deluge.
Riding to Clintonville, via Lake Winnebago, we follow a Packard convertible - Annette takes a picture on the highway. Arrive at Cobblestone Inn, exceptional value at $66 plus tax. Shop locally for $10 supper for two. This morning to the FWD Museum, opened specially for us, to see the Butterball Special, formerly the AJB of Archie Butterworth.
Wisconsin looks in much better shape than Michigan with a pleasing lack of graffiti. I am happy to report that grits are on sale in local supermarkets - another indication of good taste on the part of the locals, known as "cheeseheads."
To St. Cloud, Minnesota later.

Day 2: Whitehall, Michigan to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

Up early and head into Whitehall/Montague by Lake Michigan and take the highway north to Ludington. Join the queue for the S.S. Badger at 07:30 while taking free coffee and photographs, including this shot of sister ship Spartan. The Badger ia a fine old coal-powered steam ship used to carry railway wagons - the tracks are still in the hold - but has been repurposed as car ferry and tourist trip. We sail promptly at 09:00 for the four hour crossing as we settle in the Carabana saloon. There is a small museum below deck which shows the heyday of the railroad era - "not bad in the fifties" as Paul Watts would say. We arrive at Manitowoc, Wisconsin and there is a lengthy delay as the smart car is last off, unloaded by a company employee - you can neither drive your car on or drive it off - bikers excepted!
We head into Sheboygan where we meet fellow smart car owners Ed and Carol who stop by to say hello as we clean the car in a park by the lake. On to Fond du Lac where we shop at the Piggly Wiggly, more Pyrex at the Goodwill store, and an early night with the Tour de France.

Crazy Daisy Tour: Toronto to Whitehall, Michigan

The "Crazy Daisy" Tour departs 07:10 via 401. Breakfast at truckstop at junction 401/403 at Woodstock. Turn onto 402 for Sarnia - take gas at Goco at Strathroy while chatting to owner Mike re smart car. Reach the border at Bluewater Bridge 11:20. Lengthy delay for fingerprints and mugshot in hot weather. On to Capac off highway for Post Office and quick mooch in thrift store - small town America personified. To Flint, Michigan detouring to find country road - the town is a day late and a dollar short, hit hard by the troubles in the US car industry - we stop at the Salvation Army store which is a shambles but find a Pyrex lid. On to Owosso, via several yard sales, where the thrift store yields three Pyrex gems. Everything in America is for sale. Facing detours for road works and an accident we are running short of diesel so back to the main road where we fill up at Ionia. The satnav is a comfort when looking for gas. Back on the Interstate for nightstop at the Super 8 in Whitehall, Michigan. This is a biker haunt and the receptionist warns us to expect them to trash the place later - false alarm as all is peace and quiet. We shop for groceries opposite so supper is under $5 for two - watch the Tour de France on TV.

Lakeshore Cruise

To the Lakeshore Cruise in Toronto with John and Betty-Jean Lawrence in their '56 Chevrolet.

The Chevy hood ornament points to a '32 Ford at Humber Bay Park.

Corvette and Camaro on Lakeshore West.

Street rodding brings cheer to Toronto.

Propeller-head heaven

To Billy Bishop City Centre Airport on the yellow Brompton bicycle. They are refurbishing this old propeller-driven crate parked outside a hangar, photographed with some ingenuity through the fence. Pic by RLT.

Exotic cars in summer sun

More rare birds spotted on Annette Street in Toronto.

Pics by RLT.