Jul 14 - Jul 22

This section of my trip is pretty much free format, I don't have anything I particularly need to do. Discovered that there are so many factory tours available so headed east to Elkhart, Indiana, the RV capitol of the world. Stayed here a week, doing tours and resting up. 

I did a day trip to a Frank Lloyd Wright house (1909) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. OMG! It has been fully restored by a local company Steelcase. 

Steelcase is the company that provided the office furniture to FLW's Johnson Wax building. It is one of the best houses I have seen and they let you take photos inside. It is worth the trip to see it.

Many more photos - click here

The RV Museum was also fabulous.

Many more photos - click here

Fargo to LeClaire, Iowa

Jul 10 - Jul 13

Lots to do on this section, still avoiding major highways and interstates. (A-E on map)

1. Do factory tour of Winnebago, Forest City, IA (E on map)
2. Mason City, IA. Two Frank Lloyd Wright properties. (G on map)
3. Cedar Rocks, IA. Frank Lloyd Wright home (H on map)
4. LeClaire, IA home of American Pickers (I on map)

Winnegabo Industries, Forest City, Iowa

We weren't allowed to take photos inside the factory. They pretty much make every part onsite, except for chassis, engine and wheels. They are made to order and a 3rd party company provide the delivery service. Hmmmm that would be a great job, driving brand new Winnebago's to their delivery point.

 In the visitors centre, clay model in foreground and the "eyebrow" model in the background.

Old barns seen along the road

Mason City, Iowa

Home of the Music Man and the original "River City" also a beautifully restored hotel and a house by Frank Lloyd Wright.  Each tour leader told me that Walter Burly Griffin was working with FLW in this area but had to leave mid project for Australia to design Canberra.

This building was designed as a hotel, bank and law offices. It has now been restored to its former glory. The bank is now a function centre, the law offices - meeting rooms, and a fully functioning hotel. I didn't stay in it, my budget didn't allow.

Wright on the Park (1910)

Over the years it was turned into retail shops. They lowered the horizontal border (not sure how). All this renovation had to be undone.

The Stockman House (1908)

more photos here

Cedar Rock (1948-1950)

In the background is a table coming out from the end of the cupboard. It slides out to join the other table.

One of three bathrooms with this space saving contraption. The sink pivots out over the floor to reveal the rest of the toilet.

click to see more photos of Cedar Rock

LeClaire, Iowa - Home of American Pickers

Sigh, this is my second visit and still there was no sign of Mike, Frank or Danielle. Lots of others hoping to get a glimpse of them. Inside the new building....love big clocks.

Colorado-Nebraska-Fargo(ND)

July 6 - 10, 2014
Flew into Denver from Orlando, picked up a rental car that I will have for the next 40+ days and headed off on the next leg of my road trip.
Goals

1. Visit states I haven't been to before
1. Colorado
2. Nebraska
3. North Dakota (Fargo)
2. Alliance, NE to visit Carhenge
3. Visit the Woodchipper in Fargo

As usual I stay off the big Interstates, too many trucks, and you don't see anything. I stick to the smaller roads, connecting small towns and farms. Still in good condition, but you feel more connected and a more pleasant drive.

Click on pics for a larger view

I had no cell phone coverage with AT&T on this section. Really? In this day and age?

Carhenge in Alliance NE (B on map)

Another example of a "build it and they will come attraction". My favourite type of attraction.

Haystacks so neatly stacked, beautifully lit by the sun....

Travelled on small Highway 20 across Nebraska, then byway 12

Long forgotten towns

Fargo is a large town/city, not what I expected from the movie and TV show.

Outside the visitors centre

Inside the visitors centre, they will take your photo with the wood chipper. They have hats and shirts to put on, then take a pic with their own camera to add to the woodchippers own facebook page I am in the July 2014 lot.

Highway 50 - The Loneliest Highway

I haven't been covering enough miles each day so my path has to deviate. Utah is majestic. The colours of the landscapes are so varied and dramatic. A photo would not do it justice or capture the results and it is about 10 degrees cooler than Las Vegas.

Tomorrow, I start on Highway 50 across the middle of Nevada, dubbed the loneliest highway in USA. Will let you know :) ...... plus I had to go via Carson City as there is a board game with the same name. It is also the capital of Nevada.

Staying in a small hotel in the middle of a small town $30/night. Some of you might be cringing and think it is a flea pit :-) but you get a fridge, microwave, HD TV, free wifi, a/c etc. It's very clean, just tired, but who isn't?

Road Trip Utah

Just a little road trip to get in the groove. Have allowed a week. Lots of room to deviate from plan but main points are: -

• Visiting a new state - Utah
• Visit the Neon Boneyard in Las Vegas at night
• Do a part of Route 66 that I missed, from Kingman, AZ to Barstow, CA.
• See tiny little towns off the beaten path hoping to bump into the American Pickers :-)

also I am trying to avoid the mountains, I like the wide open spaces.

About 2300 miles/3700 kms

Last Trip for 2013

Objectives & Goals

• Attend EuroQuest in Baltimore
• Attend BGG Con in Dallas
• Visit a state/place I havent been to before - Louisiana & Maui
• Fly more than 28,000 miles to maintain my Premier Gold status with United

Maintaining my Premier Gold status allows me to

• pick my seat with I book my ticket :-)
• Free access to Economy Plus seating
• Automatic free upgrades when available
• Priority boarding
• Priority baggage claim
• More and heavier bags for free
• Free access to Red Carpet Lounge on international flight days

A few years back I lost my status by a few thousand miles and it was awful. Decided to not let that happen again when it was achievable with some planning. You need to fly 50k miles in a calendar year to retain privileges for the following year. Melb - LAX is approx 15K round trip

My flights are quite complicated as I chose the longest path to achieve 28K miles within the dates I had. This is more complicated due to the timing of Thanksgiving. Its very busy and more expensive to fly on those dates so I will avoid them by doing a road trip during Thanksgiving.

I hit some locations more than once, so the lower letters are covered up. (click image to enlarge)

Segment 1 A(O) ,B(N),C, D 
Nov 10 - 18 Mel - Baltimore, MD. EuroQuest gaming convention

Segment 2 D,E,F
Nov 18 - 24 Dallas, TX, BGG Con gaming convention

Segment 3 F, G
Nov 24 - Dec 2  Road Trip - Dallas, TX - Tampa, FL via New Orleans

Segment 4 G, H, I(M), J
Dec 2 - Dec 6 Maui, HI

Segment 5 J, K (M), L
Dec 7 - 9 Houston, TX

Segment 6 L, M, N, O
Dec 9 - 11 Fly to Melbourne

Travel 2013

Funds are tight this year until Oct 1, 2013 when I will have access to some travel money that "matures" on that date. Visiting friends and attending my 3rd World Boardgame Championships Convention.
Quick trip to San Francisco and Lancaster, PA. Got a great deal on the flight and accom in Lancaster was prepaid last year!

November Trip 2012

Segment 1 Oct 27- Nov 4
Oct 27 MEL - BWI (Baltimore) to attend EuroQuest board game convention.
Got in just before Hurricane Sandy, lived through the blackouts and drama. Lucky I went early otherwise I would have been grounded and missed the first few days of the convention

Segment 2 Honolulu Nov 4-8
Because it was so cold from "Sandy"  decided to do an impromptu trip to Honolulu. Got a great deal and upgrade. It also ticked off another state.

Segment 3 Dallas Nov 9-12
Attended the Dallas Gamers Marathon. like a precon to BGG con and got to learn the fabulous game Terra Mystica.

Segment 4 Houston Nov 12 - 13
Drove down to Houston to meet Joe who lives in a plane!

Segment 5 Dallas Nov 14 - 18 BGG con
Another great time at the con

Segment 6 Nov 19-20 Melbourne
"Home" again

86% states visited

Out of the 50 US states, I have visited 43 of them. That leaves 7. Whew! Must start planning my next trip.

Trip Jul 23- Sep 5, 2012

Segment 1 - San Francisco, CA
Several local board game groups

Segment 2 - Lancaster, PA
Attend World Boardgame Championships

Segment 3 - New England
Road trip, Visit Frank Lloyd Wright Zimmerman house in Manchester NH

Segment 4 - Indianapolis, IN
Attend Gen Con

Segment 5 - Detroit, Chicago
Road Trip

Segment 6 - San Francisco, CA
Local Board game groups

Segment 7 - Santa Clara, CA
Attend Pacificon

Big Trip 2011

Oct 16 - Depart Melbourne

Oct 16 - Land SFO

Oct 17 - Depart San Francisco - Frankfurt, Germany

Oct 18 - Train Frankfurt to Essen, Germany

Oct 18 - 24 - Essen Germany at the largest game fair with 150,000 others mostly families

Oct 24 - Fly to Chicago

Oct 25- Nov 2 - Road trip Route 66, Frank Lloyd Wright stuff Chicago - Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Racine, Chicago

Nov 2 - Nov 6 Fly to Baltimore to attend EuroQuest Board game stuff

Nov 7 - Nov 12 Fly to San Francisco - Bay Area hang out

Nov 13 - 15 North of San Francisco, tourist stuff

Nov 15 - Fly to Dallas Texas to attend BGG.con (Board game stuff)

Nov 20 - Fly to San Francisco

Nov 21 - Fly to Melbourne, Australia

Nov 23 - Land in Melbourne

Whew!

Must fill this in

Hmmmm....
One day I will come back and fill in Nov 7, 2009 until Oct 2011
Here is a summary

Nov 2009, Road trip in USA until Dec 2009
Dec 2009 - mini Roadtrip in California
Jan 2010, Return to Australia
Adjust and find my feet
2 trips to USA,
April 2010 - housekeeping trip, tax, return car
August 2010 attend the World Board Game Championships in PA
Nov 2010 - have surgery to finally get that hernia attended to - all good :-)
Recover from Surgery
Jan 2011, Start working hard and saving money
Jul - Aug, 2011 - USA World Board Game championships for 2 weeks, and Queensland for 2 weeks
Start planning Oct Nov Trip

Nov 5 - Ohio off the main highway

The Big Basket - a 7 story office building. Yes its an office building!!!

Here is another one at their factory/theme park where you can make your own baskets.

You can see this steam for miles. Local power plant,

A lot of homes have these 5 point stars on them. Some homes have multiple, I am not sure, but figured you have a family member in the military of killed in the war. Here is a variety for sale at The Amish store.

Local parking lot

Thinking of applying...

Nov 5 - Ohio - Westcott House

Westcott House in Springfield, Ohio built in 1904.

These urns at front of house are not like the low flatter ones on all his other houses. But when I look at these photos with the way the shadows land they look like guards on the house.

It has a front patio and canaopy not like seen on any other house.

more photos here

Nov 4 - Samara House

West Lafayette, Indiana is the location of Frank Lloyd Wright house called Samara. It is still occupied by the original owner, Dr Christian who is in his eighties. It was built in the mid 50's.

I love spilt level. Its amazing walking into this room. Its like walking into a hug which probably sounds crazy but I am not the only one to feel this.

The day before the tour, they called me to advise that 50 school children would also be on the tour! Yikes, what could I do? I had already waited 3 days. It turned out to be an absolute delight and a highlight of my entire trip.

More Samara photos here

Nov 1-3 Indianapolis

Spending a few days here to catch my breath and wait for Nov 4 to visit next Frank Lloyd Wright house.
The big difference is they stay on the speed limit of 70mph unlike!

Everywhere I look I see tanning salons...what is that about? They are commonly in another business establishment like laundromats and dry cleaners. As soon as I crossed the border into Indiana I started to see signs for tanning, even in the small towns.

Oct 31 - Illinois

Found a brochure for Amish country and headed that way. Most tours have closed for winter but I was told I could do an audio tour. Went to the local store and "rented" a CD for $10 and a map. The CD gave me instructions and described what I was looking at and a history of Amish people. It was great!!!! It said they dont believe in having their photo taken so I avoided pics of them.

You dont see this often in USA. Clothes on the line drying.

Notice no power lines going into houses. They dont use electricity.

Oct 31 - Dana-Thomas House

Arrived in Springfield (the capitol of Illinois) at the Dana Thomas house just in time for the last tour of the day 4pm. Because it was so quiet they started the tour a few minutes early and I missed the beginning. They were so nice they said I could come back in the morning and do it again. The next morning I was the only one on the tour :-) and saw so much more than the night before. Its a good tip to do the tours more than once as there is so much to take in especially with this house. It has been beautifully restored and intact with the FLW furniture.
This house is magnificent. Its owned by the city and has been restored. During its life it was owned by a publishing company that stored all the FLW furnituire and kept it in pristine condition. So many FLW houses are in a raw condition inside. This house is complete and is a much better example of his work than all the houses in Chicago. If it wasnt in Springfield it would be well known. The art glass on every window is fabulous. I thought it was lead but learnt it was zinc so it was stronger and not as heavy.
Rear of house.

Front of house. The green edging is not copper but painted plaster so they didnt have to wait for it to turn green and could get the colour they wanted.

These outside pics dont show the detail inside. Its a must see house.