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The genesis of this meetup goes back to @Concretevol and me talking about going to the Detroit Auto Show together. For a long time, the North American International Auto Show (the other name for the same event) was held in January each year. Then, for a few years, they held it in summer or fall. Great! So I found myself waiting and waiting for the dates to be announced for the 2025 show, only to eventually find out that they are permanently going back to January. Sigh. January in Detroit just isn't my idea of an ideal vacation.
Plan B was to do it during the Woodward Dream Cruise, which is billed as the world's largest car cruise. After talking to @EKentGolding and @DarleneM, who live in a Detroit suburb, we started to build a plan. Darlene is really the star of this show. She put in a lot of work to help optimize the agenda. The two of them, @OmegaPaladin, @KatieKoppelman, my wife, Sarah, and I made up the core group of this meetup, which ran from Thursday night (August 14th) through Monday (August 18th). Concretevol never did make it, as he had a brand new grandbaby he was eager to meet the same weekend. Along the way, we had @She for a few hours, until she was called away on a feline emergency. We also had the pleasure of meeting @TerrySmith and his wife when they came to E. Kent Golding's house one night - and they brought baklava!
Not everybody did every activity, but this was one fully loaded meetup. Four days and five nights, with 45-50 hours of touring this or that, or just hanging out together. Among the places we went were the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House, Detroit Institute of Arts, the Woodward Dream Cruise, Eastern Market, Mariners' Church of Detroit, and the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. We finished it off with an MLB game: Detroit Tigers vs. Houston Astros. Oh, yeah, and there was the architecture tour. Sarah and I took a guided tour of the refurbished Michigan Central Train Station, the Guardian Building, and the Fisher Building. Other meetup participants wanted to take that tour, but found that tickets were already sold out. I don't recall what the rest of the group did that afternoon.
I'm hoping the other meetup participants will send me pictures, but here are some that I shot. Let's start out with the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House.
At the Woodward Dream Cruise.
The Guardian Building.
Comerica Park.
I wish more Ricochetti could have come, but it was still an excellent time. And we hardly debated politics at all.
Discussion (11)
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Looks great. Thanks for the report and pix.
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The group was small but mighty! You can add Belle Isle, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, and the Belle Isle Aquarium to the list of activities enjoyed. We also enjoyed some great ethnic food common to Detroit and the ever popular Detroit-style pizza. E.Kent and I were delighted that you chose Detroit and loved seeing some old friends and making new ones. Until next time!!!
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Great report, Randy! Thanks!
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Oh, yeah. A lot of good food.
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Cool!
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