Detroit / Kate Moss in W magazine

Go Detroit!

Ash, Jackie Chan / Granny, Groom-Gram, the RV / Road Construction (08.30.2006)

I love this song, and Jackie Chan is the man, of course! Their best song, in my honest opinion.


Well, Granny and Groom-Gram made it to Michigan last night in the RV. It is currently parked snugly in our driveway, and it is quite awesome. :O) As you can see in the picture below, Groom-Gram (AKA Roger) is unlatching the RV from the truck. It's quite an interesting process to watch how it is all set up. Also, Michael had to cut the branches that were hanging down waaaayyyyyyy low.


Here is Granny hanging out on the couch in the RV.


Here is Roger posed outside under the RV's awning.


The kids spent the night last night in the RV. They had a great time!!!




Lights out!


It looks like the road construction is winding down on our street. They are putting another coat of pavement down and look like they're going to resod our front area... YES!!!

Indiana Railway Museum / West Baden Springs Hotel (08.27.2006)

On our last day in the Southern Indiana area, we went back to French Lick / West Baden Springs to visit the Indiana Railway Museum and the gorgeous West Baden Springs hotel which at one time had the largest indoor dome in the world. (More cool pics)

Our last morning at the ranch. Dewy and miles away from the busy everyday world.


Leaving the ranch one last time ...


This is an advertisement for the water from the local area. It smells like rotten eggs, but had healing properties.


Trying to make the last train at the French Lick station... Hurry!


The Five Musketeers!


Roger, Amelia and I are posed in the doorway of the train station.


The kids "playing" piano. You just inserted a quarter, and it played an old-fashioned tune for you.


We're exploring the passenger trains on the track. Cool beans.


We bade our farewells at the train station and made our way to the West Baden Springs Hotel. It was hot and humid outside, but we entertained ourselves with Minnie's new katydid friend who kept jumping on his back and hanging out on his head. :O) Here are some of the awesome pictures of the building deemed the "Eighth Wonder of the World." Believe it or not, this area used to be the Las Vegas before there was a Las Vegas! There were over 40 casinos in the area.

Unfortunately, when the stock market crashed in 1929, most of the rich and famous (i.e. the Rockerfellers, Vanderbilts, Fords, etc.) who spent their three week holidays here stopped coming. This forced the owner at the time to sell the hotel to the Jesuits who ran a school to prepare young men for priesthood for the next 30 or so years. Then, the Jesuits sold the property to Northwood University in Michigan who opened an Indiana campus there. They were not able to maintain the facility, so the building became vacant for many many years. Then, a very generous couple who made their fortunes in heart defibulators took on the project of renovating the hotel using $ 40 million of their own money. It looks amazing. They are scheduled to reopen next year for guests, and we are seriously considering being one of their first guests. At least, that's what I wrote in their guestbook! :O)

This picture is of Spring # 1 (There used to be four) dubbed "Apollo."


This building held the bowling alley and pool hall.


This building held another Spring. There were a total of four springs on the property at one time. They were covered up by the Jesuits who did not see the need to keep the Springs running.


The fountain has been restored.


This is one of four towers have been restored and are now visible when you drive into town.


The entire floor of the great dome, lobby and other large public areas of the hotel were covered in itsy bitsy elaborate patterned tiles.


The kids are standing in front of the dome's $ 1 million fireplace. This fireplace was created by a pair of sisters from Ohio.


Looking outside of the office to the veranda outside. Wow.


This enormous arch greets visitors and sends off one more departing note of West Baden Springs.

Here are some videos:
Yummer and Minnie are helping our tour guide turn on the light in the renovated dining area. There is a balcony where an orchestra used to play and serenade guests. Once they were done, they headed upstairs to the grand ballroom to continue playing!


Here are the kids turning off the lights.


Here is the video that Michael took of the dome.

Wilstem Guest Ranch: Paoli, Indiana (08.25.2006 - 08.27.2006)

After Fairmount, it was another four hours to the ranch on Interstate 37s and 150 between Paoli and French Lick (hometown of # 33 Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics!!). The ride was good, and we were all in high spirits after our visit through Fairmount.

We biked from our cabin down to the red covered bridge to greet the rest of the gang (Auntie Marilynn / cousins / Granny & Groom Gram). We had a nice time with our cabins close to one another, hiking trails, swimming, catching bugs and hanging out. Check out the rest of the pictures for more fun. :O)

We're poised by the beautiful horses on the ranch.


We're waiting for our cousins to arrive to play!


They're here!


Two pretty mermaids!


One of the many varieties of butterfly that were flying around the ranch.


Auntie Marilynn and cousins getting ready for a hike ... It is very hot and humid during this time of year. Also, we pretended that we were time travellers back to the age of the dinosaur. A few minutes into our hike, we heard distant thunder which we adults characterised as the roar of dinosaurs. Thankfully, we made it home in time before the torrential rain came pouring!


My favourite picture of the quartet!


After dinner, the boys decided to sit in a big wheel by Chicago's Pizza in French Lick / West Baden Springs.


This Senior Citizens building caught our eye in French Lick. It looked pretty rocking inside when we drove by.


It is only fitting that French Lick's famous son has a street named after him, don't you think?

Fairmount, Indiana (08.25.2006)

On our way down to the Wilstem Guest Ranch, we spent the night at the Holiday Inn Express in Gas City, Indiana. We woke up early, had a nice breakfast and headed down I-69 to Fairmount, Indiana. We spent the rest of the morning, exploring Fairmount and finding local James Dean's landmarks. See the pictures below of our adventure. It was a once in a lifetime experience. Interestingly enough, we saw *many* people driving around town in golfcarts, and this was not only in Fairmount either. This seemed to be the predominant method of transportation in Southern Indiana!

One of the many signs promoting the James Dean festival in September.


Fairmount High School where Dean graduated in 1949.


The kids and I in front of one of the houses where James Dean was raised at Vine Street and E. Washington Street.


Yummer and the Winslow farm in the background. James Dean was raised here by his Aunt and Uncle after his mother passed away at age 8.


This is the front of the family farm. It is still owned by his cousin Marcus and is well-maintained. We actually met a woman who lives four farms away from the farm on the West Baden Springs Hotel tour!


This is the original motorcycle shop where Dean bought his first motorbike. This is also down the street from the Winslow farm. Morrissey posed in front of here as well in "Suedehead." I peeked inside, and there are a couple of motorbikes in there.


Park Cemetary is where Dean is buried. It is also down the street from the Winslow farm. Here is a sign directing visitors to his grave.


Dean's final resting place.


Dean's aunt and uncle are also buried. Their dual headstone is next to Dean.


Morrissey posed by this headstone of Cal Dean in "Suedehead."


This distinctive building with the "Hershey's Kiss" on the top has been a bank in downtown Fairmount for many years. You can see this in the "Suedehead" video.


I was excited to see this record shop. You can see the sign in the "Suedehead" video. It was closed when we walked by it.


The kids are sitting in front of an Antiques store in downtown Fairmount.


The Fairmount Historical Museum has a nice collection of Dean memorabilia from classmates, family and Dean himself. It relies solely on admissions donations and souvenir purchases to operate. It also has Jim Davis (Garfield) memorabilia and other items related to the town.


To get to and out of Fairmount, you have to go through miles of cornfields. Here are the kids in the middle of the cornfields as we head out to the ranch.