The trip started New York style. It was early Sat morning, I briefed both drivers in my caravan stressing on keeping attention on my MINI nothing else. None of them speak English Rat the City beast smiled at us, I saw in rear mirror four or five people with big cameras chasing somebody. Not us, they were running in different direction, one almost fell... Probably paparazzi chasing a celeb. Plenty of those in our concrete jungles.



Holland Tunnel was crowdy as usual. People never sleep in New York even on Saturday morning.



Our plan was to drive at least 10 hours this day. This will put us in Michigan where we booked the ferry from. In several hours we were in Ohio. Those rest plazas on the Turnpike are very good. Free wifi.



Somehow I lost a bit of air in right tire at that stop and computer immediately started bleeping.



Filled air, reset TPM and forward we motored. Both cars followed me in loose formation I never lost them. Decided to reach Ludington by evening and made it.

 

As Octane Guy suggested in other thread I kept little bucket and a sponge in my MINI. Early Sunday morning I brought warm water from the hotel added a bit of shampoo from the same hotel and washed my MINI.



She looks beautiful by the Court House in Downtown Ludington, MI.




Come on foreigners! Let's go you slow Russkies! We need to get something to eat and the ferry is departing in one hour!

 

I parked my MINI by a restaurant and while we were eating my MINI disappeared Do you know where I found her? Right here in that distant corner chatting to a sister . Everything happened within fifteen minutes watch your MINIs. If owner of that liquid yellow beauty is here give a yell.

 

The ferry ships look pretty much like this one.



One crew from my caravan the other couple already boarded. The same guy Sergey who traveled with me to Key West in April. We were last cars. The story with sniffing dogs and Zero English drivers was worth a good laugh.



The SS Badger is just enormous. His belly is full of cars, buses, RVs and motorcycles. She has two cafeterias, a movie lounge and lots of playgrounds for kids. Staterooms, wifi, all great stuff.





Nice condos by the laguna.





But after captain gave this thing full throttle



the condo residents have to breath some City air but it's only twice a day so life is still good.

 

It was four hour trip. I had time for everything. I ate, watched TV, checked emails, ate again. The ship seemed not that big anymore. There was no land visible.



I was wondering if the ship malfunctions, hit an iceberg or reef, get attacked or something like that and starts going Titanic way, would I be able to fit my MINI in this life boat? There were only six boats available all hoisting cables look rusty.



Probably not. OK then. Bored again. Are these antennae good for MINIs?



Too big those antennae are. That light could be Xenon and could fit...
Let's see what these guys are looking for. A submarine?

 

How much did the ferry cost?

Honestly, that would take you probably 7 or 8 hours to drive around there, putting more miles on the Mini and you'd have to deal with Chicago traffic.

Nevermind...I just checked the price for a round trip with us and the 2 boys. $345 total. Holy cow.....For $345, I can drive down to Key West from NW Illinois, easy..... And probably back with an extra $100 or so.

We just drove my Lancer from NW Illinois to San Diego (31 hours each way) and it was nothing. Of course, living in Savannah, GA, and our family living up in Illinois, we were used to 16 hour drives all the time.

At least you get to get out and stretch your legs and relax and let someone else do the "driving".

Where are you at now?

 

It's not cheap, but the ferry is more than just getting from point A to point B, it's really a breathtaking trip, if you've never done it before. I suspect his boy won't soon forget it, for all the right reasons. A seven hour trip, with I-94 as the centerpiece? He'd probably never forget that either, but for all the wrong reasons....

 

ViperGTS,
You are right it's not cheap. But as cct1 mentioned it's a great experience and unforgettable journey. Everybody liked the ferry trip.


.... the land we were approaching looked funny. Oh it's actually water not the sandy beaches








My buddies suggested it was raw beer or ale discharged into the Lake. May be they were right some fishes were belly up probably drunk. Oh and there is a Manitowoc BudLight Monument.










People were fishing in the ale not in clean water.

 

Ship docked and they were driving all kind of cars, trucks and motorcycles out of the belly. First time I saw parking attendants running. Literally RUNNING . All of them. Dropped the car and running back to the ship. I remembered attendants across the street on Upper East Side where I work, those guys were overweight and barely moved.

Then a kid screamed - MINI!!! Look dad it's a MINI!!! Honestly I was proud. The kid didn't pay attention to a pricey antique but to my MINI.







We left hospitable ship and drove through picturesque Wisconsin country side. Awesome farmlands, smooth roads. In two+ hours we were at Oshkosh.

 

It's not beer, although that's more consistent with Wisconsin. Scientists have been debating where most of the Gulf oil slick went, turns out it's on the western shores of lake Michigan...

 

Don't know if you noticed, but is that a silver topped Clubman on the left there?

 

What an eye you have jtbrown!



There were actually three MINIs on that ship but the kid noticed only mine.

 

The curvy country roads brought us here.



This is Wittman Regional Airport and EAA home. Every year thousands of airplanes and pilots do their pilgrimage to this Aviation Mecca. EAA is a successful multimillion business and it's growing. I am coming here seventh time but first time in a MINI.


These bikers came from TN. They were stuck in rare traffic and looked surprised.







Finally my MINI made it to the woods where we are staying for the week.



Airshow starts tomorrow.

 

What a fantastic slide show, I'm now eagerly waiting for the next installment! I've been following your whole trip since seeing this Oshkosh pilgrimage listed on the message boards. As a former resident, I wish I could've helped out, but I am many miles and a few years ahead of all of it. I wish you an incredible journey discovering 'America's Dairyland', and my former home state. It's uniquely pastoral and chock full of really nice people who you will find to be more than helpful with anything you might need. You might even want to take your family to historic Lambeau Field, since you won't be too far from that. And you must to stop at any Culver's and have some delicious frozen custard (since you're in OshVegas the locals will prescribe Leon's which is tradition!)! It's a must. If you want any good dining suggestions, you have but to ask! I hope you and your family enjoy your trip.

 

Did you stay for the night airshow on Saturday night? I have been going to EAA for 22 years and that was the best airshow I have ever seen. Simply amazing!!!

 

For ice cream, Arty and Ed's in Oshkosh--Leon's is good, but Arty and Ed's has made several top tens in the entire country...It's right on the lake, and bellhops still come out in rollerskates.

If you think the EAA is good now, you should have seen it 10 years ago--there were substantially more warbirds; it was incredible. It is still good, but it's quite a bit smaller than it used to be--attendance is almost half of what it was 10 years ago. It was down another 7 percent this year, but part of that was some of the worst weather the EAA has ever seen.

 

cct1 you are simply wrong in your statement that EAA is not what it was 10 yrs ago. In fact it is what is was and then some. EAA is just not the convention they hold for 7 days out of the year. EAA is the leader of recreational aviation. In fact, EAA is responsible for a completely new industry that did not exist 10 years ago. Google "Light Sport Aircraft" and you will see what I am talking about.

Although initial reports say that attendance was down 7% in 2010 when compared to 2009 I believe that EAA drastically underestimates its attendance. It is being reported that 535,000 people attended this year. It also stated that 36,000 people camped and there are also an additional 20,000 volunteers and vendors. That means that without anyone else attending EAA is already at 392,000 ((36k + 20k) x 7 days) with just campers and vendors alone. That would mean only 144,000 outside people attend throughout the rest of the week. That equates to about 20,000 people per day. I can assure you that the attendance numbers EAA releases are low. I have no clue as to why they would underreport but I think they are.

 

Maybe for light aviation, but for the big stuff, with all due respect, you are wrong. Way wrong. And you're way wrong on attendance as well. They've actually downscaled the EAA to a certain degree to accomodate for it. I actually know the founder, Paul Poberezny (I have an autographed leather bound autobiography of himself and the EAA. One of my "prized" possessions).

The EAA has grown to encompass much more than what it originally did. The light sport aircraft, and the ultralights are an evolution of personal sport aircraft, just a continuation of the EAA's mission, and just one cog of what the EAA has become in the realm of civilian aviation. Other areas decline however as new one's spring up. It's also part of the evolution.

Attendance used to be over 900,000 ten years ago (It might have even gone over a million at one time). Wether they underestimate it or not, it's definitely smaller. Living in the area, it's NOTICEABLY smaller--fewer planes on the grounds, not even close to ten years ago; traffic in town during the EAA is noticeably lighter. Ten years ago, if you weren't going to the EAA, you went on vacation, or at the very least, didn't bother to drive around town. Not a problem anymore...

I know what the EAA is (simply one of the best privately created and maintained recreational organizations ever created), I know it's history very well, all the way from the bottom of Paul's basement in Milwaukee where it originated, to it's move to Rockford, to what it is now in Oshkosh, and all that happened along the way (Wittman airport is an interesting story in and of itself, as is the eventual placement of the veteran's museum just south of the EAA museum). I know most of the individual planes in the museum, and more importantly, why they're there. I know why there is a C-47 prominently displayed in front, etc. etc.

What we're actually talking about, if you want to get into semantics, is Airventure. And it's definitely smaller, it's not even open for debate. Just ask Paul, who, buy the way, isn't necessarily disappointed in this, as the EAA is coming full circle in a way....And like I said, it's not necessarily a bad thing. Although Airventure is getting smaller, there are more people going to it for the right reasons.

There are a number of reasons why there are fewer planes, and why attendance is down--most of them are obvious, a few, not so much. I don't understand why we're even arguing over this--the airshow itself--the number of tents, exhibits, planes, etc. is smaller. The actual airshow over the flightline is much smaller, mainly due to decreased participation of WWII era warbirds (which is in and of itself another story). It's still the biggest, best airshow in the world, it's just significantly smaller than it was 10 years ago. Hell, I LIVE here, I know the people, and I know the attendance figures, and you can tell just by eyeballing the grounds its not as big as it was in 2000, but it DOESN'T MATTER!!!

 

EAA was founded in Paul's home in Hales Corner, WI. The first fly in was held at Timmerman Field in Milwaukee. The fly in then moved to Rockford, IL when it outgrew the space at Timmerman field and then finally moved to Oshkosh when it outgrew Rockford. So your statement that you know EAA "all the way from the bottom of Paul's basement in Rockford where it originated" tells me you actually don't know as much about EAA as you think you do.

 

I dont know what the heck just happened but i refreshed the page and cct1 your last post changed. I have no clue what happened. It's like half your post did not show up originally.

Anyways, you do state that EAA started in Milwaukee and not in Rockford (the first time i read it i swear you stated it started in Rockford) so I apologize for my last post. Wether or not EAA Airventure is bigger or smaller today is debatable but the most important thing is that EAA continues to instill the passion of aviation into thousands of individuals each year and continues to be the leader recreational aviation.

Where about in area are you? I live in Appleton.

I see now you edited your last post. I did not know you could edit a previous post.

 

Well, certainly one is certainly entitled to their opinion. However, I've found through experience, that just because someone makes a couple of 'top ten' lists, means absolutely nothing (many times it usually boils down to clever publicity or the good fortune of some big city slicker who happened upon the establishment). I still find I enjoy the custard from Culver's to be superior to Leon's or Ardy and Ed's. Which is probably why they've become almost a mega chain since my high school days (quality of food and custard is still paramount). That's not to say they're [Ardy & Ed's] chopped liver, I would highly recommend them for the 'atmosphere' of a drive-in, not necessarily the food (which, to me, is a bit on the average side). You know, I say go and try all! Might I say what a delicious challenge that would be!

 

@ R56: I live in Fond du Lac--been in either Fond du Lac or Oshkosh since 1998. I prefer Oshkosh, but it's a tad too far for work...

Anyway, I did edit the post--momentary brain fart.

Paul's autobiography used to be on sale at the gift shop--not sure if it still is--but it's definitely worth a read. It stops in 1958 (there was going to be a second volume, but apparently this is no longer in the works, which is a shame--I believe one of his daughters put together the current volume). Goes through all the Wisconsin Air guard history, Korea, and World War II. It also goes into detail how he got involved in aviation--it's pretty funny; you couldn't do it in this day and age without getting arrested.

I'm not bashing the EAA--I still think it's one of the best run organizations out there--it's always been a passion; it's one of the things I love most in the Fox Valley. I defy anyone to fine a gathering as big as the EAA, that is as clean, classy, or well organized. But Airventure has gotten smaller, and it's been scaled back to a degree because of it. That's not necessarily a bad thing--the EAA is extremely healthy overall, the museum is still wonderful (A few years ago, we hosted a formal dinner meeting in the Warbird museum--all the planes were in a circle around the podium and dinner tables--it was an unforgettable evening) and with the Veteran's museum opening up, there are some very interesting possibilities down the line. The EAA's members will always provide a stable core; Airventure may decline a little bit, but it will still be a fantastic experience.

Unfortunately one of my biggest interests there is dying, literally--the WWII era aircraft and pilots. I grew up in Champaign, Illinois--home of Rudy Frasca, and Frasca airfield. Over the years, he owned a number of WWII aircraft--P-48, P-51, Corsair, P-38, Hellcat (was used in the movie "Midway", and eventually found a resting place in the EAA museum), even a Spitfire--I used to see these things flying over town all the time; it was the coolest thing, and it really sparked an interest as a kid. Anyway, at the EAA, there is nothing like going to a talk by Gen. Chuck Yeagher, Bud Anderson, Brad Hoover, any of the Tuskegee airman, etc. They won't be around much longer, and if they give a talk, it's well worth going to. But there are fewer of the old guys every year, those aircraft are very expensive to maintain, and some (not all, but some) of those warbird guys don't have as much desire to come back to Airventure anymore.

Sunny, no offense, but I'm too tired to argue about yogurt, unlike the EAA, I don't consider it a "passion"...

 

Gentlemen,
You all made good points and I appreciate it. I was planning to write a brief description of what EAA is and you did it better. I am not an expert in corporate numbers but from a regular customer point of view I would tell you the event is great and it is different every year. In 2012 I will bring my homebuilt aircraft to it and will be visiting as often as I can.



... at the Airventure I met my good old friend John we always meet first day. For about four years. John (right) is a local guy and it takes him an hour to get to the field. He is building exactly the same aircraft as I do, we started about the same time and hopefully will finish together.



John is a talented engineer and he always brings me a new device he invents. Like this firewall penetration thingy.



At the grounds Ford ruled. Ford is main sponsor its exhibits were brilliantly designed and performances flawlessly executed. Our Mini Marketing Team should think something like that.





interesting winglet on a research jet



There was a DC-3 reunion about a dozen those machine arrived in formation and it was fascinating. It was like a movie



Right by the place we stayed at a blimp was tethered.



And there was my MINI parked. I could not catch them together the angle was too wide but I tried. Now I am thinking I could move MINI out of the driveway and put at that empty spot for Blimp-MINI-get-together-shot. Well it's too late now.

 

Great Pics!

It was VERY cool what they did with the Goodyear Blimp and the Make-A-Wish foundation; that would make for a fantastic yearly tradition, if they can pull it off...

 

There were not many MINIs on the field. I am sure at topped parking lots there were some but on the grounds I saw two or three. That night when I was barely walking "home" I met Druanne



She had a volunteer's badge and was sitting proudly across Warbirds Area. Next to a Ford of course. Well done Druanne!