We left for our fourth annual late summer/early autumn trip on August 3, 2019. This one could be called the “Rocking Freedom Tour” because over the weeks we traveled we hit a couple of iconic rock and roll sites and learned a bit more about how the United States got, and has kept, its freedom. This post is the first leg of our journey.

Before we got to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, we visited family in Michigan. We saw Roy’s adorable grandnephew but also went into Detroit to the Eastern Market .

It wasn’t a designated market day, but we did visit some of the business that are in the buildings dating back to the 1850s. We had a sandwich at Wigley’s Corned Beef and were amazed at the big crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. There was a whole lot more than cheese at DeVries & Company Cheese Shop; it had just about every condiment from every country known to man. I bought a huge image embossed  burlap coffee sack from Costa Rico- suitable for framing- for only $1. Then we went over to Rocky’s Historic Eastern Market   which had nuts, nuts and more nuts – plus a lot of other stuff, like candy! I found some corn nuts (I know – they aren’t really nuts!) for a corn salad recipe I had been wanting to make. Finally we wandered down the street to Milano Bakery and split a yummy cherry turnover.

From Michigan we moved on to Seville, Ohio and checked into the Maple Lakes Campground which is just a little bit more than 45 minutes from Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in downtown Cleveland is worth going to, if you have an interest in the history of the genre and a love for this type of music. But be warned, the music never stops – even on the plaza outside the museum. It is great music – all by artists that have been inducted to the hall- but like I said before, it literally never stops!

As you can see on the Google map above, the museum is nestled among lots of other interesting places to visit.

The Harbor Walkway is probably a fun place to be when the Cleveland Browns are playing in their nearby stadium.

The story goes that a Cleveland disc jockey named Alan Freed came up with the label “rock and roll” to identify the rhythm and blues records he started playing in the early 1950s.

The first part of the Hall of Fame is a brief exhibit of the origins and history of rock and roll. After that, there is a maze of memorabilia celebrating all the inductees. Above is a nod to Motown artists – the dresses were from the Supremes.

You’ve got to love this little number worn by Taylor Swift.

The above was a tribute to Jerry Lee Lewis.

Quite a bit of space was devoted to Elvis.

It was hard to believe that the Rolling Stones once looked like this.

This gold suit belonged to Elvis. His manager had it made for him. Elvis thought it was too much though. He did wear the jacket on occasion but he refused to wear the whole suit together.

I remember seeing this costume in a Brittney Spears video.

Since I feel like our Newmar Dutch Star is very much like a tour bus, I was interested in Johnny Cash’s customized bus. He spent an addition $533,000 on putting extras in it after he bought the bus and had it converted to a luxury vehicle.

He and his wife, June Carter Cash, used the bus from 1980 to 2003. It looks pretty tricked out to me!

 

Since we were very near Orville, we had to go to the Smucker Company Store.

At the very back of the store is a small hallway with a display of how the company got its start, how the packaging and advertising has changed over the years and various milestones that led the way to Smuckers becoming an international business.

But before getting to the back, there are displays of plates, tea towels, charming kitchen decor and all the products the company sells. I had no idea that besides the jams and jellies, Smuckers has acquired Jif Peanut Butter, Folgers Coffee plus several other brands – the even own a dog food business! We couldn’t resist buying a few jars of the product that started it all, apple butter.

Our next stop: Connecticut!

 

Just for fun, here are some links to some other Yates social media sites:

 

                        

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