May 19 - National Railroad Museum, Green Bay, WI

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The only problem with a skylight is it's like a window in the ceiling. When the sun peeks out from behind the hills in the early morning, it starts to get light in Ali. So it was that we were up very early this morning – we were on the road to Green Bay by 7:45.

The drive to the National Railroad Museum was uneventful fortunately. The way some drivers throw their vehicles around, it's amazing there aren't more accidents – passing us in the fast lane then cutting right across in front and off at the exit we're passing by. But I digress.

We arrived at the NRM about 8:15 so I wandered around the outdoor (but undercover) exhibits. Here are a few of the pictures (I don't want to bore the non-train fans).

Just after 9, I was paying my admission fee which was to include a train ride – a diesel switcher pulling one passenger car and one open observation car. "No space on the train today but you can ride in the diesel." Eh? Oh! Three busloads of primary school kids. Yes, ma'am, I'd love to ride in the cab.

The train did 2 laps of the museum grounds. Not really much to see, but it was fun.

I then headed in to the main pavilion with Eisenhower's WWII command train, a Union Pacific Big Boy steam locomotive (1.18M pounds!), a Pennsylvania GG-1 electric locomotive and a couple of Pullman passenger cars. Oh dear, I can see your eyes glazing over…..

Here are some pics.

Okay, so we're back on the road after driving by the GB Packers football stadium. Quite the structure.

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Crossing into Michigan, we stopped at the Tourist Info Center. There's a state park just ½ hour up the scenic highway 35, so we headed there. Turns out, you need to have a "passport" ($9 daily fee) plus the camping fee in order to camp in the state parks. To heck with that, so we turned around and headed back to Kleinke Park, a municipal park, right on the beach of Lake Michigan. $20 for power – a good deal.

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So as I write this entry, the waves are lapping on the sandy beach while the sun shines overhead. An idyllic spot.

Have you seen the 1976 movie "Silver Streak" with Gene Wilder?