The Majesty of Old Quebec City

We camped a few miles from the passenger ferry to Old Quebec City and drove to the ferry parking lot early the next morning. We enjoyed a short, pleasant cruise and were captivated by the fabulous city skyline with the famous Chateau Frontenac serving as the centerpiece. Our traveling companions, Lloyd and Elaine, had been here on the 50th WBCCI Anniversary Caravan, but this was our first time to taste the elegance of this historic place. Sure of its charms, Quebec City’s gracious yet simple, romantic style continues to delight visitors. Some refer to it as the most beautiful city in North America. The city rests in an enchanting setting on the St. Lawrence and has a priceless architectural heritage, a rich and colorful past, and above all, a warm bubbling heart that has characterized it for four centuries.It was in this old fortress city, dubbed the “Gibraltar of America” by Charles Dickens, that Samuel de Champlain first established a fur-trading post in 1608. As religious and political institutions sprang up within the fortifications, merchants and craftsmen set up shop alongside the river. A coveted prize that was subject to repeated assault, Quebec City eventually fell to the British in 1759, and New France became a subject of the English crown.Quebec City (pop. 622,000), the cradle of French civilization in North America, is today a busy seaport, research center, and a cultural hot spot. The astounding architecture and colorful surroundings make this one of the most unique cities in the world.

Splendid public gardens and close proximity to the great outdoors add to a superb quality of life here. From the top of its imposing ramparts down to the mighty St. Lawrence, Quebec City, the only fortified city north of Mexico, offers a plunge into a colorful pageant of history. The huge, old, black cannons are in mint condition. If you are a dedicated shopper, you can trek up and down the scenic, rolling, cobblestone streets, as we did, and have your choice of wall-to-wall upscale gift and clothing stores. Along the way, is a multitude of restaurants, bakeries, and snack shops. We were surprised at the friendliness of the people. Of course, French is the language spoken, but shop employees are mostly bilingual. Sidewalk musicians are plentiful, and in the park squares there are talented entertertainers galore. Most of them are quite professional. While tips are appreciated, they are not rudely demanded.

We were rather fascinated by a wedding taking place in a downtown cathedral. We first spotted the bride with her father on a buggy ride. Later, as she and her groom were exiting the church and climbing into the horse-drawn carriage, we were a part of a large crowd of well wishers.

At the end of the day we were exhausted from our touring adventures and eagerly retuned across the river to our campsite. We wonder why so many people fly thousands of miles to tour other continents and abstain from visiting Old Quebec City in close-by Canada. It took us a long time to get here, but now this majestic city has its place as one of our most cherished memories.

Vermont

After our ferry ride across Lake Champlain, one of America’s most historic waterways, we drove only a few miles to the Burlington suburb of Shelburne. The campground was mediocre, but the location was convenient. Jerry had driven off in haste with the trailer jack down after our last night in Pennsylvania, so the first priority was to order a new jack from the local Airstream dealer. While awaiting shipmenf the jack, we stayed connected to our trailer for a few days and rode with Lloyd and Elaine to points of interest. The wonderful Shelburne Museum was a gift from Electra Webb (1888-1960). She was the wealthy New York heiress daughter of Henry Havemeyer, founder of the Domino Sugar Company. Electra never had time to earn money, as her entire life, beginning at age 18, was devoted to collecting things—all kinds of things. The museum boasts over 150,000 artifacts, including many fine works of art. A Tiffany exhibit was featured during our visit. The 39 old museum buildings, scattered over 45 acres, are filled with relics, to include a huge display of buggies, wagons, sleighs, and Early American furniture, art and tools. It resembles Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI. A leading magazine once called Shelburne Museum one of the seven wonders of New England. The white columned Electra Webb Memorial Mansion was a gift from the Webb children. It is tastefully decorated with original paneling, furnishings and myriad works of art from James and Electra Webb’s New York Park Avenue penthouse.

We were surprised to find an Airstreamer motorcycle sidecar at the museum entrance. It was commissioned by the Airstream Company to honor of its 75th Anniversary and designed by Jesse James of West Coast Choppers fame. He is the husband of actress Sandra Bullock; she was given a new classic Airstream trailer by the company in return for Jesse's work on the sidecar.

A fascinating exhibit at the museum is the famous 220-foot long ship, Ticonderoga. It is the only sidewheeler steamer left in the world. It launched in 1906 and shipped goods and people from ports in New York and Vermont around Lake Champlain for 47 years. By 1953 newer transportation modes prevailed, and the once proud ship was in a sad state of repair and could not even pay her coal bills. Mrs. Webb, who always spent her summers in Burlington, loved the old vessel and was bound to save her from destruction. It was a crazy “impossible” scheme, but in 1955, Electra bankrolled a plan to move the Ticonderoga across land to her remarkable museum. After two years of planning, rails were laid and the ship was loaded on a special bed and moved two miles overland on tracks. The arduous trip began over frozen turf in 20 degree below zero weather. It was one of the most remarkable engineering feats in maritime preservation history. After a massive refurbishing, the carved and beautifully varnished woodwork, gilded ceilings, staterooms, grand staircase, and dining room bring to life the old-fashioned elegance of steamboat travel as it was in the 1920’s. We were given a guided tour of the Ticonderoga's massive engine, four decks, pilot's house, galley, and crew's quarters.

The next morning we drove to Montpelier, the State Capital, which is celebrating 150 years of history. This is America’s smallest capital city and the only one that has no McDonalds. The great domed capitol edifice is elegant in its simplicity. The House and Senate chambers are small compared with most other capitols. Vermont boasts two U.S. presidents, Chester Arthur and Calvin Coolidge; neither is rated highly by historians. Flamboyant frontiersman, military general, and one of Vermont’s founders, Ethan Allen, is a favorite son. Admiral George Dewey, famous for his victory without losing a man at Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War, was born near the Vermont State House. All of the above leaders have their esteemed place in the Capitol. Vermont is proud of her fighting Green Mountain Boys of the Civil War. No VT unit ever lost a flag to the the Confederacy, and they captured more Rebel flags than any other state.

In the afternoon, we traveled to the quaint old town of Stowe after touring Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Plant and the Green Mountain Coffee Visitor Center, sampling products from each. The highlight of Stowe is the country resort hotel founded by the famous Von Trapp Family of Sound of Music fame. Both the Captain and Maria, along with some of their children, are buried on a lovely, quiet hillside near the hotel. In case you are planning a stay at the resort, be sure that your checkbook has a healthy balance. The four of us were glad to return to our humble Airstreams for our last night in Vermont. Our new electric jack was installed at a cost of $424 at the Airstream dealership in time for our planned departure day. We also made an emergency run to a dental clinic when Jerry lost half of a molar. However, after a brief consultation with a busy dentist, the patient elected to keep traveling with his, painless broken tooth.

Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York

We bid a “See you later” to our travel friends Lloyd and Elaine as we departed Elkhart, IN. We agreed to meet in a few days at Berlin Center, Ohio. They headed toward Romeo, MI to have their Hensley hitch inspected, and we drove east on RT. 6, the nation’s longest highway. We traveled through northern Ohio and passed by Napoleon, the County Seat of Henry County. Gloria’s father represented that district back in the 1950s in the Ohio State Legislature. As we drove through the outskirts of Bowling Green, seven miles from where Jerry was born, we reminisced about the fun we had had in college at BGSU, where we met in 1955, and our wedding at the University’s Prout Chapel in 1957.

The weather was sunny, the soybeans were lush, the corn was shoulder high, and wheat was being harvested. We stopped in Helena in early afternoon at P & S Trailer Service for a courtesy overnight stay. Paul and Steve began their business in 1968, and now Steve’s son Kevin is a part of the company. If you need any kind of Airstream service, P & S has the capability of completely rebuilding a trailer, and when they are finished, your Airstream will look like new. We arrived at Berlin Lake, a Corps of Engineers park, the next afternoon and were glad to have a campsite with a sunny lakeside view for only $16 per night. On Monday morning we began the search for an emergency room to examine Gloria’s hand. Nine days earlier, back in Madison, WI at the Airstream Rally, she had fallen and bruised her right hand, which was now hurting, swollen, and black and blue. At the emergency room in Boardman, x-rays revealed a cracked bone. Back in February she had had right shoulder surgery for a torn rotator cuff; at least the shoulder was not reinjured. The next day an orthopedic surgeon in Canfield fitted her for a soft brace.

That afternoon Lloyd and Elaine joined us at Berlin Lake. They were most enthused about their stop at Richland Carrousel Park, opened in 1991, in Mansfield, OH. There they saw the first hand-carved carousel built in the U.S. since the 1930’s. The various horses and menagerie figures are styled after the works of G.A. Dentzel, one of the most revered carvers of the early 1900’s. The four of us built a glowing fire near the beach and enjoyed a lovely sunset over Berlin Lake. It was good to settle into the quiet environment of the lakeside campground and rest for a few days. We drove on to the Pennwood Airstream Park near Clarion, PA for the weekend. This is a fine old park for Airstreamers only. If you are looking for a summer respite away from cell phones, shopping, newspapers, TV and Broadband Internet, this is the park for you.The grass is green, the people are friendly, the sites are level, the laundry is excellent, and there is a clubhouse for members and caravanners. The park is closed in the winter.Prior to crossing into New York, we stopped to see the ruins of the Kinzua Viaduct. When built in 1882, it was the highest and longest rail viaduct in the world standing 300 feet high and spanning a distance of 2050 feet across a huge valley. It was advertised as the “eighth wonder of the world.” In 1900 the old iron bridge on concrete piers was rebuilt of steel to accommodate heavier trains. Kinzua Bridge used to swing and sway in the fierce valley winds; at times the tops would even be blown off boxcars. In 1959 the hauling of coal and iron was discontinued, and it opened as a state park in 1970. Later the bridge was recognized as a National Civil Engineering Landmark. Not until1987 did the first excursion trains pass over the bridge, providing passengers an astonishing view the Kinsua Valley. But in 2003 a devastating tornado brought the marvelous old bridge to her knees. Today she rests on her side on the valley floor like a defeated giant—a great feat of man wiped out in a few minutes by the mighty forces of nature.

We camped near Endicott, NY that night before crossing from New York to Vermont. We surveyed the small ferry with a little apprehension as we boarded with our two red trucks pulling our Airstreams. Space was a bit tight, but on the upper deck we enjoyed a 20-minute ride across Lake Champlain to the Green Mountain State with no problems.

Goshen & Shipshewana, Indiana

While still camped in the Elkhart area, we toured Goshen and Shipshewana. Back in the early 1800s there was a bit of a controversy as to where the Elkhart County Seat should be located. Ultimately, Goshen was chosen, as it was more central than the City of Elhart. Along with the neighboring small town of Shipshewana, in LaGrange County, this is the heart of Indiana's Amish County and the third largest Amish community in the world. Not surprisingly, there are many Amish food, furniture and antique stores. We were delighted to find yogurt cheese, one of our favorites. Shipshewana is the only Indiana community listed in the publication, "1000 Places To See Before You Die." Quilt gardens are popular in Northern Indiana Amish Country. Elaine, one of our traveling partners, and Gloria are shown here exploring one of them.

One must be careful on the highways, as scores of horse-drawn buggies "permeate" the highways, especially in the Shipshewana Area. The people are courteous, reverent, thrifty, and friendly; but they do not take kindly to being photographed. Yoder's General Store is a business one must explore while here. The parking lot is usually filled with buggies and horses stomping and swishing their tails to get rid of flies. Everything you need in the way of clothing and staples is here.

Also in Shipshewana is the famous Hudson Museum containing 48 Hudsons from different eras. The entire collection was donated to the community by the Hostetlers, and it was well worth the price of admission, as every vehicle has been beautifully restored. Hudson purchased Essex back in the 1920s and went on to produce some of America's most beautiful, sporty, and powerful motorized vehicles.

The 1937 Hudson pickup truck had the first bed to be large enough to carry a flat piece of 4 x 8 plywood. It took the "Big Three" three more years to catch up with this needed innovation. President Hoover once rode in a Hudson Limo (see photo at left with flags) while in Mexico. When we were born, most cars resembled the one pictured with a 1935 license plate. The 1936 Hudson Terraplane was the first car to sport a semi-automatic transmission. Following World War II America was hungry for new automobiles, and Hudson sales were brisk; new cars were manufactured after early 1942. We recalled that chrome was still scarce after the war, so the 1946 Hudsons were shipped with painted, wooden 2 X 4 bumpers. New owners were alerted when the new bumpers arrived at the dealers. In 1954 Hudson was in financial trouble and merged with Nash; the new company was called American Motors. Soon the Nash Rambler became the flagship vehicle of the new company, and sadly, the famous old Hudson name left the automobile scene for good after 1957. Fortunately, the Hostetler Collection helps preserve the history of a wonderful car virtually unknown to young people today. The Amish, on the other hand, are obvious to these rare examples of American ingenuity. They have seen them come and have seen them go. Their fine steeds and buggies look like they did 100 years ago. As we departed the museum, Gloria took time to daringly touch up her lipstick using the external big mirror of a fine rare coupe.

National Studbaker Museum

After the RV-MH Museum, the four of us set out to tour the Studebaker Museum. Our first stop was lunch at Tippecanoe, the name of the Clement Studebaker Mansion completed in 1889 and located a couple of blocks from the museum. It is a magnificent 26,000 square foot stone structure with a tile roof. The dining room is formal, service is grand, and the prices are fair. After lunch we were permitted to roam from room to room on all three floors of this lovely old home, which has been totally converted into an exquisite, multi-room restaurant. The fine furnishings are not original, but they conform to the age and architecture of the mansion. We then proceeded outside to photograph the lush lawn and stately structure. The five Studebaker brothers, who came from Germany in the middle 1800s, were best known as master wagon and carriage builders prior to the Civil War. They sold wagons to the Union Army and became the largest wagon manufacturer in the world. They even fashioned the carriage that carried the body of President Lincoln through the streets of Washington, DC. Clement Studebaker died in 1901 at the age of 70; his brothers and sons continued the business.

The Studebaker Brothers evolved with the times as the automobile began to appear toward the end of the 19th Century. They were the only wagon manufacturing company to make a successful transition from horse drawn vehicles to automobiles. They entered the market with an electric car in 1902 and were soon producing quality gasoline-powered cars and trucks in Detroit. Their famous wagons continued to be built in South Bend. By 1912 the brothers had sold their manufacturing holdings to a financial firm. Studebaker produced thousands of powerful, style-setting cars for over 50 years, but sales dragged in the 1950s, and Packard purchased the company in 1954. The famous Studebaker name and avant-garde styling remained prominent on automobiles and trucks until 1966 when the last Studebaker rolled off the assembly line. The classy Avanti sports car is still a highly sought-after vehicle as is the sturdy Studebaker pickup truck with its wrap-around rear window.

We recall that in 1946, just after World War II, America was hungry for new cars and trucks. Studebaker was the talk of the town with its totally new, speedy, low profile, streamline design. Ford, GM, and Chrysler were still building big “tanks” like their pre-war designs. (See photo of the burgundy and green vehicles.) However, three years later all manufacturers began lowering their vehicles, and the boxy style became pervasive. People were saying, “You can’t tell whether they’re coming or going.” Meanwhile, labor unions were constantly demanding more benefits and higher wages. Hello Japan!

It was great seeing all of those elegant, mint, vintage Studebakers in the museum. Some of our favorites are shown here. One 1920s model had set a transcontinental record, going from New York City to San Francisco in just 77 hours and 40 minutes. A “big six cylinder” model of that era had traveled over 475,000 miles.

The museum was also featuring a Portrait of Lincoln Exhibit, including his Studebaker Coffin Carriage alluded to above. Photos were not permitted in the exhibit. While both Kentucky and Illinois claimed Lincoln, he actually lived in Indiana from age 8 to 21.

Oh yes, we took one more tour on the museum grounds. It was the J.D. Oliver home, Copshaholm, which looks a lot like the Tippecanoe but not as large. Again, no interior photos were allowed. The Olivers were famous plow manufacturers and friends of the Studebakers. Oliver eventually became a famous tractor name, and Gloria’s father owned two of them.

Following our two museum tours, we still had enough energy to stop by Notre Dame University. Their campus is spacious and beautiful. It was time for a cup of coffee and a pastry at their large, comprehensive bookstore.