Memorial Day - Jackson, Michigan

We have been home long enough!!!! I missed the motorhome and Marge did too. Memorial Day weekend we left early (Tuesday) and decided that we would combine a little of my business with a trip north. I had some contact to make with people in Jackson Michigan and we decided to see what else was of interest and low and behold there was this fantastic old train station that still operates as an AMTRACK stop. What classic neat architecture.....and brick streets too!


We followed along the track to find a Norfolk Southern rail yard and what appeared to be older rail repair and warehouse buildings from a different era that also have interesting architectural details.

We camped at a place called Greenwood Acres that was the sight of the Goose Lake Music Festivals in the late 60's and 70's. Concerts were put on here in an attempt to copy Woodstock. It didn't have the success that Woodstock had but there was a quite a party here when it was active. Below is what was the stage with light towers. Oh and that's us in the Campground.

Thursday we head to the Upper Manistee River

Freighter Adventure

We have been home now for about 4 weeks and its time to do something soon. I have been ready to go again almost as soon as we got home. It's nice to be home and catch up particularly with the grandkids, but we both enjoyed traveling so much that I miss it. We did however share an adventure that was quite interesting that I thought would be worth sharing with everyone. Our boating friends belong to a group of wood boat hobbyists that planned an excursion to a Lakes Freighter that sailed the Great Lakes for almost 80 years. It was built at the same time and with the same methods that the Titanic was built with rivets and steel. It hasn't sunk yet, but is more or less resting on the bottom of the Maumee River in Toledo, Ohio now that it has become a museum.

The ship has obviously seen better days but it was fascinating to see how nice it must have been "back in the day" as our guide put it. Fine wood paneling and surprisingly large kitchen facility. The crew was sizeable in those days (30 +or-)as it took quite a number to be able to load unload and handle that large a ship (700' long and 68' wide) There were only a few passenger cabins but they quite nice, but being in the bow would be uncomfortable if there were heavy seas at all. I tried to take a picture of just one of 4 huge holds but it was so big the flash would not light it all up enough to show.
The view below is from the pilot house back to the stern showing all the hold covers. Todays freighters are capable of moving 4 times as much ore or grain and are substantially more automated with unloaders built in. This was also a steam operated freighter with coal then later fuel oil was used for the boilers.
The picture below was taken amidships towards the bow and pilot house.


While I have enjoyed boating and particularly fishing in the Great Lakes, I can not imagine what it would been like to have been on a working boat such as this. I know I would not have enjoyed any kind of heavy weather.