Detroit, MI

Motor City, the birth of the motor car, also the Home of Motown - but also the highest crime rate in the USA.

After some more Outlet shopping on the way and then an accident on the freeway up in front of us, we didn't arrive in Detroit until around 9.15pm. We checked in to our room and before we even settled, we were gone again. We were heading around to catch up with Bluey's mate from home, Jeff DeVries, who lives over here with his wife, Missy, and his 2 kids Jack and Scarlett. We didn't intend to stay too long, as Jeff had to be at work by 6.00am in the morning - but it was still 1.00am when we left. As Bluey and Jeff discussed, only Aussies would rock up to someone's house at 10.00pm just to say g'day during the working week.

Jeff, Missy, Scarlett & Jack (with their 3 cats)

The next morning we went out to a roller skating rink with them. Jeff, Missy and Scarlett on skates, Bailey & I on blades. Gena flat out refused to entertain the idea of joining in, Bluey was using his crook back as his excuse. Afterwards we all had dinner at Mexican Fiesta - great feed (and massive).

Bailey started out a little wary....

..... but then started to provide a bit of entertainment

Whoops - I don't think that was in the game plan

After dinner Bailey, Bluey, Jack and I went to the Detroit Tigers vs LA Angels game at Comerica Park, in down-town Detroit. It was a very tight game until the Tigers hit the lead in the 8th inning. There is nothing like the home team coming from behind to hit the lead in a game over here - the crowd was going absolutely wild! The Tigers won 5-3 and just about the whole crowd stayed after the match for the awesome 30 minute fireworks display. After the game I put $30 in to a 50/50 where you can either win an autographed ball or a game used ball. I've wanted an autographed ball for ages but unfortunately I got a ball that Miguel Cabrerra (one of the best players in baseball) hit for a double - unfortunate because it wasn't signed.

Miguel Cabrera winds up.........

... and launches one down the left field line

The next day we took a trip to Muskegon to go to Michigan Adventure Park, half rollercoasters, half water park. It was a 3 hour drive to get there but when we arrived it was steaming hot, so first on the agenda was to hit up every waterslide. After about 3-4 hours Jack and I went over to the roller coasters, joined by everyone else when they finished in the water park. First up was a hanging coaster that kept you upside down half the ride! Among other coasters included the worlds longest, and steepest wooden roller coaster.

If you click on the photo, you may be able to make us out, filling the back 3 rows

It may not look much, but Shivering Timbers really let rip

Near the end of the day the heavens opened up, and we took that as our cue to leave, stopping only to eat at Denny's. Despite not returning until about 10.30pm, I had organised to stay the night at Jack's place, where we watched movies and played X-Box until the early hours.

Today we went to the Henry Ford Museum. Bluey and I were expecting a museum of Ford Cars, until we realised it was basically a national museum of American History! It had the car John F. Kennedy was shot in, the chair Abraham Lincoln died in - blood stains and all! It had an engineering site, first planes, history of vehicles, steam trains, the first ever oil tanker, you name it, it had it! We were there by 11:00am and didn't leave until 5:00pm when it closed. Even then we probably only saw 75% of the museum.

This is the seat JFK was sitting in when he was assassinated

This monster steam train was only in service for 15 years through the 30's & 40's 

before being replaced by more efficient diesel models

The first mass produced assembly line vehicle that set the tone for car manufacturing going forward 

- the Model T Ford - available in any color (as long as it was black)

A 1939 Dodge Airflow tanker - the picture doesn't do this justice,

the amount of thought and detail that went into this has to be seen to be believed 

A exact replica of the Wright Brother's first plane, built and flown at Kitty Hawk 

This version was flown 100 years later to the day to commemorate that historic first flight

This is the actual chair in which President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865. It was originally located in the President's special box in Ford's Theatre in Washington DC. 

The blood stains can still be seen on the back of the seat.

Tonight we went out for dinner at a Thai restaurant, great food, and then said our good-byes to Jeff, Miss, Jack and Scarlett, since this was our last night and we leave early tomorrow morning it was the last time on this trip that we were going to see them.

More updates soon.
~Riley.