Greetings from Shipshewana, Indiana
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Larchwood, Iowa. A high-end town, no shortage of mansions. Parked at a 400 acre farm partly taken up by barns and airplane hangars.
Zaggar air park, Jim Zaggar, proprietor. Inherited from his father whom he describes not a a collector but as someone who never sold anything. Jim followed in his footsteps and accumulated quite a bit himself.
Each barn and hangar is stuffed with treasures. Cars, tractors, boats, farm machinery, models, toys and airplanes.
Lots of airplanes.
Biplanes, modern planes, ultra lights, experimental - all in airworthy condition. His dad converted part of the farm to an airstrip and transitioned to flying lessons in the late ‘40’s. Bought planes, kept planes. And Lincolns - many Lincolns. Built hangars and barns all over the place. It’s all still here and Jim wants to tell you about every one.
Two things stand out. One is a 1963 Chrysler 300 pace car. Convertible. Original everything, showroom fresh. Ya’ll aren’t car people but believe me this car is a big deal and sitting in a barn in NW Iowa. He’s keeping it running so he can transport his daughter when she gets married. I didn’t get a picture.
https://www.gaaclassiccars.com/vehicles/31612/1963-chrysler-300-pace-setter-indy-500-pace-car
Most surprising was this crazy boat. Kit boat, Popular Mechanics, mid 1960’s. I owned one of these in the early 70’s for a short period of time. Very short - it terrified me. Too fast, wouldn’t turn. I never dreamed I’d see another one.
But here it is:
Dinner was sardine hash, a particularly unphotogenic meal that tasted wonderful! Reddit recipe -basically corned beef hash made with sardines rather than corned beef. Eggs on top. I’ll make it again.
Tomorrow is Rapid City, SD. Home of Mt. Rushmore and all sorts of stuff. Two nights there. Staying in a proper campground with hookups and a laundry -which we need.
Averaging 9.6 MPG which isn’t bad, considering.
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My mom used to go there with her lady friends when she lived in Ft Wayne.
Your mom went to the world’s largest truckstop?
Man, does that raise questions.
“I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don't know the answer”
― Douglas Adams -
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Visited the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD on the way to Rapid City. Built as an exhibition center in the late 19th century, it’s now used mostly as a basketball arena. The last one a number of crop palaces that were built all over the Midwest over the years.
Cool that the murals on the outside are constructed of corn and cornstalks. They change them every year.
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Also stopped at Wall Drug - an icon of the Midwest. Billboards advertising it start showing up some 200 miles before you get there.
90,000 square feet of “stuff”.
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I remember the Corn Palace. It was impressive. Only in America kind of place.
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@Mik Shipshewanna. I think it’s about craft stores or antiquing or something blue haired old ladies do.
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I see so many women with blue, pink, and purple hair, and so many men and women with tattoos and piercings here now.
You were told in no uncertain terms nobody would hire you if you got tattoos and piercings when I was graduating from HS.
People didn't mention women putting blue, pink, and purple stripes in their hair. I don't think they could imagine it.
You can get a city, county, state, or federal job with all of that and nobody thinks twice now.
I never wanted a tattoo or a piercing.
Men wore limited jewelry then. Sometimes a chain. Rarely a bracelet. A wedding band (although tradesmen let them at home to save themselves from losing a finger in a saw). And a watch.
Sorry for the thread tangent.
Back to the road trip!
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I see so many women with blue, pink, and purple hair, and so many men and women with tattoos and piercings here now.
You were told in no uncertain terms nobody would hire you if you got tattoos and piercings when I was graduating from HS.
People didn't mention women putting blue, pink, and purple stripes in their hair. I don't think they could imagine it.
You can get a city, county, state, or federal job with all of that and nobody thinks twice now.
I never wanted a tattoo or a piercing.
Men wore limited jewelry then. Sometimes a chain. Rarely a bracelet. A wedding band (although tradesmen let them at home to save themselves from losing a finger in a saw). And a watch.
Sorry for the thread tangent.
Back to the road trip!
@Daniel that’s a very different kind of blue hair!
I used to walk my baby around the living room, narrating things that we could “see” and I remember mentioning all the blue haired ladies. Women used to use bluing in their white hair to make it look whiter. That was a generation ago!
My baby is 38 now…
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Greetings from Pukwana, SD! We’re staying at a working cattle ranch where the owner has added electric hookups to attract travelers like ourselves. It’s a very nice place, quiet, grass, friendly fellow travelers, but cell service is so weak I can’t post pictures.
Last two nights were in Hermosa, SD, Rapid City adjacent. My. Rushmore. Nice commercial campground, laundry, full hookups. Took long showers and washed out a few dainties. Vacuumed the trailer and scrubbed the floors.
Mt. Rushmore. Various people have told me it’s over hyped and not to bother. I’m here to tell you that those people are full of sh!t. It’s one of the most spectacular places I have ever visited! The setting alone is spectacular - mountains with thick forests of Ponderosa Pine. Narrow winding roads, spectacular vistas and rock formations.
And the mountain is breathtaking! The story of how it was created is even better and the Park Service knocked it out of the park when they built the visitor center. Not sure how they are able to keep it all up with their reduced budget (Musk needs more money - gotta respect that) but it’s a wonderful presentation. If you ever have a chance to see it I suggest you do so without delay - who knows how long it will remain open.
Minneapolis tomorrow - a 450 mile drive. Not sure what idiot planned that leg of the trip but future reservations depend on it.
I’ll post pics when I get a WiFi connection.
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@Daniel that’s a very different kind of blue hair!
I used to walk my baby around the living room, narrating things that we could “see” and I remember mentioning all the blue haired ladies. Women used to use bluing in their white hair to make it look whiter. That was a generation ago!
My baby is 38 now…
@Daniel that’s a very different kind of blue hair!
I used to walk my baby around the living room, narrating things that we could “see” and I remember mentioning all the blue haired ladies. Women used to use bluing in their white hair to make it look whiter. That was a generation ago!
My baby is 38 now…
@adagiom Indeed!
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@steve-miller
I'm loving your tour, its all fascinatingly different to anything I've ever seen I dont know what else to say.
Even your caravan, the way it fits over your pickup! -
A note before we head for Minneapolis to see the house where I was born.
One thing that’s made this trip interesting is the Internet. If we see something we can immediately find out more about it and we’ve been doing that a lot.
What is that crop? (Sorghum)
What do you do with sorghum? (Animal feed)
Why did Studebaker go out of business? (Couldn’t compete against Ford/GM)
Population of Pukwana, SD? (About
300)Top 10 industries in Iowa
Top 10 brands of RV in the US
Best grease for trailer hitches (sticky red)
History of the Interstate Highway act
Biography of General Custer
Typical voltage of long distance power lines
Why isn’t buffalo meat more popular
Does Bobs Red Mill sell Amaranth flour
Number of national Parks in the US
Difference between National Parks and National Monuments
Did Allied Radio ever have brick and mortar stores
How much $ would each Sioux Indian get if they divided up their billion dollar settlement?
Cost today to build Mt. RushmoreAnd on and on. Makes the miles just slide by!
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@steve-miller do you have a National Parks Pass?
Love your list of questions.
Bob’s Red Mill is based here in Portland (Milwaukie), OR. My brother works for them.
Enjoying your travelogue! I haven’t seen Mt. Rushmore yet. Mr. AM has, but he’s not a big picture taker.
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Also stopped at Wall Drug - an icon of the Midwest. Billboards advertising it start showing up some 200 miles before you get there.
90,000 square feet of “stuff”.
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@steve-miller do you have a National Parks Pass?
Love your list of questions.
Bob’s Red Mill is based here in Portland (Milwaukie), OR. My brother works for them.
Enjoying your travelogue! I haven’t seen Mt. Rushmore yet. Mr. AM has, but he’s not a big picture taker.
@steve-miller do you have a National Parks Pass?
Love your list of questions.
Bob’s Red Mill is based here in Portland (Milwaukie), OR. My brother works for them.
Enjoying your travelogue! I haven’t seen Mt. Rushmore yet. Mr. AM has, but he’s not a big picture taker.
I got mine for $10 before it changed. if you use the parks, $80 is still a great deal for a lifetime pass.
Love Bob's products. Did not know they were based there.
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