MOTOR CITY

Day 288
​Detroit MI

Finshing up the trip wouldn't be complete without a stop into Detroit. Mo-town, motor city, rock city, you name it and this place has been there, done that, got the t-shirt. The heyday of being awesome was back in the 60's & 70's when this was the place to be. Then the gas crunch of the early 70's took a big bite out of the economy. Following that the Mo-Town funk gave way to 80's rap in NYC and new pop from LA. Detroit's economy slipped into a depression and the road forward became a hard one to cross. Following the great recession of 2009, the city is on the rebound and GDP is up. Cars are being manufactured at the plants and steel mills that lied dormant for years have been re-fired. We drive into the heart of downtown and find some parking near the river walk. 

An eye popping complex of building stands over the river. General Motors headquarters is located front and center of this bustling communal space. The 1/2 mile walk from the car to here was a nice one. There were lounge chairs, benches, and landscaped flowers for the public to use all courtesy of GM. Pictured above is a water fountain for kids to play in on the hot mid-west days. We continue the walk past this major complex and I can't help but look at it. The 7 skyscraper renaissance center was purchased in 2004 and received a 500 million dollar renovation. Part of that expense covered updates to the center tower which is rented out by Marriott. It is currently the 3rd tallest hotel in the western hemisphere.

It's easy to forget that GM almost went under during the great recession. A massive government bailout to save GM and Chyrsler cost taxpayers 80 billion dollars. GM went on to be short of a full payback. After getting a 50 billion dollar loan the last shares of GM owned by the treasury department were sold back in December of 2009. An 11 billion dollar deficit was the result.

Shuddering at the thought of my money lost (I have owned a half a dozen GM vehicles by the way) we move on to check out Hart Plaza. It looks like a place that could use some of that money that wasn't paid back.

Katie walked down some steps to get a closer picture of the "Detroit" painting in the above pic. When she reached the bottom I could here voices from somewhere. I headed down the steps to take a look. A few homeless were around the corner and having a conversation amongst themselves. No big deal. We strolled back up and took a closer look at the Michigan Labor Legacy monument. It's a sculpture that apparently pays tribute to the folks who work in the industrial sector of the city. 

Across the street is the a fist for Joe Louis. An absolute american hero if there ever was one. The name of a great man is barely known. In the 1930's racial segregation was still a commonplace thing. An African American man decided to take his fight to the ring and prove that skin is only a color. During a match against a fighter from Nazi controlled Germany, an estimated 70 million people tuned in to listen on the radio. Joe Louis knocked his ass out in the first round. President Eisenhower would go on to say "Joe, we need more muscles like yours to beat the Nazis'.

The time is ticking away. I still want to get to the Ford Motors plant before the day is out. Katie and I walk down the streets instead of the riverwalk to get back to Shirley. As we pass the GM building I take a glance through the glass and see it may be open to the public. Sure enough, the lower level has stores, restaurants, and plenty of places for workers in the building to lounge on break. Perhaps they need to stare at the LEGO silverado in the front lobby for inspiration. Why? Because it's awesome. That's why.

A stroll through the lower level has more of an auto show feel to it. Polished cars and trucks line the floor as we make our way out the door. 

It's into Shirley and a drive across town to Dearborn. I've got the Ford Rogue Factory tour on my list of want to do's while we are here. Planning ahead, we left lunch at home and instead opted to use up one of the gift cards we have had since the beginning of the trip. Step inside your local Chili's at lunch time and you have some expectations. Our experience was different. The lady told us it would be a 15 minute wait, but the restaurant was half empty. Ok. We sit and wait. Twenty minutes go by until we get seated. Our orders go in and we sit and wait for food. Another 45 minutes passes before the food shows up. At least it tasted good.

Finally we get to the Ford Factory for a tour. We fork over $42 for two tickets and parking. Then it's back outside to wait for a bus. It's a shame we didn't see more, but Ford isn't about to let a profitable opportunity get past them. The museum is $24 a piece (probably worth it for what they have) and the little old village next door is an extra charge also. Instead we get a bus ride to the Ford production plant across town. The whole operation is marketing slick and secretive. No pictures allowed during the 7 minute video or the next laser show that focuses on the new F150. Cameras are finally allowed during stage 3 of the visit.

An overlook of the assembly plant was put in to show off the grass roof. A green feature ford adds to the repertoire of sustainability. The plants allow the roof to absorb 4 million gallons of rainwater during a storm. Added benefits also include thermal insulation against hot summer days and cold winter nights.  The view of the complex is impressive. When Ford was at it's peak in the 20's this place was a one stop shop for all things needed to make cars. On a piece of land 1 mile wide and 1.5 miles long, they smelted steel, sawed lumber, and built nearly every piece needed for the model T. Over 100,00 people were employed before the stock market crashed.

Last stop on the tour was inside the assembly plant. It's nice that Ford allows people to stroll on a catwalk suspended above the production of vehicles. You are free to take your time and walk through at your own pace. My supervisor background immediately set in and ruined what was otherwise a good experience. That person doesn't have safety glasses on, that person is looking at Facebook, that person has a swear word on his t-shirt... and so it went on. An impressive facility marred by the fact that employees on the floor have no dress code and apparently no rules enforced. I was fully expecting to see people in Ford t-shirts and hats. I thought the UAW workers would show a little more pride. We can also circle back to that bailout of 2009 and discuss that Ford did in fact open a 9 billion dollar line of credit because the banks stopped lending money out. Credit to Ford though for going this route. Their loan has been paid back in full and it still remains an American company.

Time to call it a day and head home to walk the dog. We've got five days left of living a life on the road.