First stop was a purse factory, where the fabric was being cut on a computer-controlled cutter, as pictured below:
Fancy machinery in the women's apparel industry...
In case of a tornado (far from a rarity in Ohio), employees have a safe place to go.
Michigan International Speedway, as seen from the track!
One of the highlights of the week of touring was a visit to Michigan International Speedway, a NASCAR track in southeastern Michigan. While there was no racing that day, some folks took an opportunity to drive their cars around the track. It was fun to experience the superelevated curves, and imagine what it must be like to drive there at 160 mph and higher.
Some folks who drove on the Watkins Glen course last spring, preferred the certainty of this type of racing (namely, go fast and turn left.) Mandy is included in this group!
From experiencing down-to-earth adventures like racing, the group then headed to the (Neil) Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio. Neil was a local boy, Korean war military pilot, NASA test pilot, and Astronaut - Gemini and Apollo programs. Crowning glory was to be Mission Commander for the Apollo 11 lunar lander and the first man to walk on the surface of the moon (second was Buzz Aldrin, who accompanied him in the lunar lander.)
I can remember being glued to the telly as the events unfolded...for those of the right age, how about you?
A sample of lunar rock brought back to earth as a part of our nation's space program.
Interesting cobblestone pattern...and my ballerinas!
When the weather cooled off, I had to switch from my capris to my denim leggings. And I found out that my wife has apparently tired of my silver toe nails, as she wanted me to get the color removed. I declined to do it till my next pedicure, so she wanted me to wear my ballerinas for the entire tour. Which was fine with me... (But is this a sign of things to come? Time will tell.)
Incidentally, this tour was the first time I've noticed any reaction whatsoever to my attire, and discovering that was quite by accident... At one of the shared breakfasts, I was wearing a tour group polo shirt, capris, pantyhose, ballerinas, and carrying my purse as we walked into the dining room. As we passed by one table, a relative newbie (with his back to the aisle) was talking to his table mates (folks we know). I heard him speak the word "crossdresser" as I passed behind him. There aren't many words which have that sound. Unfortunately I didn't hear enough of the conversation to determine the context, or whether he was referring to me.
Whether he previously had noticed our approach, and chose that moment to be speaking about cross dressers, or whether I was the morning's table discussion, I'll never know. If it was said in a nasty context, eventually I'll hear about it from the others. But it really doesn't matter...and if he shows up again, I'll follow the old adage about "keeping your friends close, and your enemies closer" if at all possible. Maybe it can become a learning experience for him...and an outreach possibility for me?
Another post will follow as time permits...
Mandy
It seems like the time on the road was wonderful in most regards. I can understand that your wife's tolerance level ebbs and flows. I know the drill and wish I could predict the up and down cycles.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting that you would be pegged as a CD. I would say that is more of a positive than a negative.
Pat
Yes, it was fun...and there are some equally nice ones planned for next year!
DeleteWe will never be able to predict our wives' ups and downs with regard to our dressing. Not going to happen in our lifetimes... So, we adapt the best we can.
It may have been completely coincidental, and if it was, I'll never catch wind of any comments. But if people start treating me differently, or making comments, then...perhaps it was intentional. Time will tell!
But, like you, I think it's a positive, at least so far!
Mandy
I've not driven on MIR, but I have been on it's twin in Fontana CA. It's quite the trill with the pedal down all the way, but the real thrill is hitting the brakes for the turn into the in-field road course, (SCCA STU class BMW Z3).
ReplyDeleteAs for your new "friend" maybe his trans-dar was tingling, and was jealous you looked so beautiful. So he had to open his mouth. We had a young lady I was sure was TG on my jury, as she had that stereotypical breathy/squeaky voice.
The laps around the oval were definitely fun...even if it was just a "drive" and not a "race." If the opportunity occurs to do another track, I certainly will.
DeleteBMW Z3's are nice...and being modern, most likely have fewer problems than folks experience when driving 47-year-old cars (or older) on long trips!
Oldest car there was a 1941 - and it had several issues, one of which kept it off the road for a day. On mine, the heater quit working for the latter half of the trip - probably a bad vacuum line in some obscure place - and I had to run AC in the rain to keep the windows clear. (Yes, mine has AC and it still works well.) We froze our tushes off!
But it comes with the territory...
Haven't heard anything yet, from anybody, about the "crossdresser" comments or my appearance. Probably won't until next tour...
Even though my given name is nowadays only for girls, I'm not sure I'd want to show up for jury duty unless my ID matched my gender presentation. To do otherwise would take a lot of guts. So I'd probably have to seriously reduce my femininity level. :-( Hopefully that situation won't occur.
Mandy
It's modern with computer control fuel and spark, which is nice from a tuning standpoint, but simple enough that just cutting the wires to the chassis computers is doable, the newer versions had throttle by wire, but mine is all analog. The remainder of the car reminds me of the early 6-cylinder E-type.
DeleteAs for the young lady with the squeaky voice, I'm sure she had her ID documents changed to female years ago. I didn't dare ask, even if I did out myself to her in exchange.
Mine is truly antique, with prehistoric air injection reactor smog controls, distributor, points and condenser, R-12 Freon AC, and (gasp) a real carburetor. Parts are tough to find, and it's a pain at best to maintain and tune. Finding someone who knows how is tricky.
DeleteFortunately over the years, I've located a couple of old-school mechanics, who know what a carburetor is (these young mechanics don't), and have done a pretty good job at making it go... Someday I'll be in trouble, though, as all the old folks retire.
Agreed, on the girl with the squeaky voice. There are some things it's best to "not do."