With a speedometer reading only in miles per hour, we had to practice met- ric conversions. Our next realization was that Vera was really long: Walking into the parking lot outside the Real Cana- dian Super Store, we could see about five feet of her stern extended beyond the row of Chevys and Toyotas.
Once in Toronto, we enjoyed touring the CN Tower and exploring the city, and at dinner we met a man with three classic Oldsmobiles. In keeping with the retro feel, we checked into the landmark Royal York Hotel.
Day 6 In the morning, we visited the Royal Ontario Museum and shopped on
Bloor Street, before leaving Toronto for the easy trip to Detroit. Again, the Olds earned a lot of attention and the border patrol guard asked more about the car than about our activities in Canada.
Encountering rain for the first time, we discovered that Vera’s wipers had
two speeds: slow and really slow. She also took on a little water, though not enough to start bailing.
Important lessons from the day: Don't take intermittent wipers for granted; headlights have come a long way; drive fast in the dark, because the right side of the speedometer is bet- ter illuminated. Once in Dearborn, Michigan, we signed into the old Dearborn Inn to be near the wonder- ful Henry Ford Museum.
Day 7 Alline and I hadn’t been to the Henry Ford Museum since we were
kids, and it was a first visit for Claire and Eliza. The history and variety of the exhibits were amazing. They didn’t have a Vista Cruiser on display, although there were many cars from our child- hood, including one of the first Chrysler minivans. Favorite exhibits included the 1980s toys, the trains, the presidential cars, the home furnishings and the civil rights display with the Rosa Parks bus.
After the Henry Ford, it was time to return to Traverse City. But first, a little adventure: Vera blew a tire at speed. Thankfully, I was able to stop us safely. The mechanics at Belle Tire in New Hudson, Michigan, were fascinated by Vera and took great care of her while reminiscing about the times they had as children in similar wagons.
A Lifetime of Memories We'll nev- er forget this vacation and how the Olds
was our ticket to meet all kinds of people. At first, 13-year-old Claire was embar- rassed to be seen in dowdy Vera. But that changed after hearing all the stories and seeing people's smiles as they recounted distant family outings. It also made the trip richer than a typical vacation, where the destination is the focus. By trip's end, Claire couldn't wait to show the Vista Cruiser to her friends, proving that what was once boring is now very cool.
For more on the Olds, go to:
hagerty.com/morevista.
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