The Pilgrimage

(Note to faithful followers - and others . . . Lately many of the pics on our blog come up so blurry! I need to figure out how to correct this but, meanwhile, if you click on a photo it seems to bring it into focus as well as enlarge it!) 

"Welcome to Ohio"

Harold's life-long dream come true!

For decades he's been a devoted fan (or shall I say worshiper?) of Orville and Wilbur Wright!  And the Wright brothers hailed from Dayton, Ohio.  And we are there! 

Woohoo!  Harold's pilgrimage to Dayton

 is about to be realized!!

Huffman Prairie Flying Field is a National Park in Dayton!

The Wright brothers had accomplished flight at Kitty Hawk, but only in a straight line! It was here that, after a couple of years work, they succeeded in actually developing the first practical airplane.  And it was right here on this grassy prairie that they first flew for 39 minutes of controlled flight! They were the first!

Here, gazing out across the actual awesome prairie, I could almost hear the pop-pop-pop of the engine and see them circling above the 84-acre cow pasture!! 

Harold:  "Hallowed ground"

Setting out on a pedal around the flying field!

Below - there's Harold, standing on the very ground where the brothers worked.  In the picture is a re-creation of their "hangar" and, to the right, the catapult they used to get their contraption airborne!

What a beautiful morning!! Harold was smiling ALL DAY! Just being at Huffman Prairie was obviously a very moving experience for him. And that was just the beginning. From there, we headed into town to Carillon Historical Park. We were on the "Aviation Trail" and our next stop was the Wright Brothers Aviation Center inside the park.

 

A re-creation of the buildings of the Wright brothers business enterprises includes this fascinating workshop. Here flying theories were developed and tested, parts designed and constructed, and (according to the guide) much "debating" took place between Orville and Wilbur!

"Hey, LOOK!  A home-made wind tunnel!"

 And here it is . . .

Yes, here it is – the Wright Flyer III – the first practical (controllable) airplane
& the actual plane that flew above Huffman Prairie in 1905!

(Reconstruction was directed by Orville Wright himself
 during his last year and contains about 80% original parts.) 

One last look here -
Harold feasting his eyes on the history-making Wright Flyer III

We had another interesting and really fun stop on our way to Dayton . . . 

The amazing Bicycle Museum of America, New Bremen, Ohio  . . .

Just one of many "displays" . . 

Now that's talent!

Old bicycles - all wood frames!

Look!  A photo of the Wright brothers and a
replica of Wilbur's airfoil testing bicycle!

Loved these old "character" bikes from the 50's!
Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy & more!

As a kid, Harold always yearned for a Whizzer!

And how about that "Donald Duck" bike on the wall?

Pedal car for "big kids"
I got to ride this around the floor there.

This museum was an unexpected delight.  Started from a big Schwinn collection and grew into hundreds and hundreds of bikes, every kind of bicycle imaginable! If you're ever out this way, you gotta see it!

Just now, leaving Middletown, Ohio.

We'll be at Paul's in Lexington for dinner tonight!