Quick update on our static display journey

Van and I are heading out in search of tanks and howitzers and other military static displays found all over the state, and eventually area. Our journey today, the first, started with a great time in Plainview MN and went up through Kellogg, Red Wing, over to Zumbrota, Zumbro Falls, down through Millville and home. This is both part of our Blue Highway journey we've always wanted to take AND a common interest in the community. Why did someone apply for care and tending of a piece of excess military equipment? What was the occasion? Was it a group effort? How does the community view it? What are the stories?

For example, and this is third hand...Van heard a great story out of Wisconsin. Somewhere, they had built a new VFW Hall. The tank in front of the old one needed to be moved. Several of the older members, who had worked on tanks in WWII, looked it over, realized that they could get it running again, worked on it for a couple of days pulling the membership together to get the necessary support and supplies. Eventually, it fired up and they drove it to the new site. Can you imagine the 'yeah us!' stories from that effort?

So we found three pieces of equipment today, a pad where a tank had left, and drove through a number of towns just searching. Got some good stories, but...I am putting Van in charge of finding where some of these are. Focus our journey, as it were.

Then we came home and took a two hour nap. wow. I'm still full from the hamburger at Zumbro Falls, Nellie's Cafe. Need to workout yet, though.