08-20-04

DAY 39: ESCABANA, MI TO MINNEAPOLIS, MN

We embarked on Day 39 near Escanaba, MI. We charged up at an Electric charging station. This station close to Little Bay de Noc was actually powered by solar energy, as well. We continued to drive through a countryside road. The hilly road had both sides lined with corn fields. Some inflatables were used as advertisements for a firework business. There was an eagle and the famous wacky tube man often used to gain attention to potential customers driving by. Their bodies were both colored as American Flags. We then reached a typical farm scenario complete with red barns, silos, and black & white cows. There was a cow statue that had been painted with green colored accents. This specific farm bred its cows for Wagyu beef, a specific type of Japanese beef. We arrived in Eau Claire, meaning “Clear Waters”, for the Eau Claire River. According to local legend, the river was so named because early French explorers journeyed down the rain-muddied Chippewa River. We grabbed a bite to eat at a food truck pained orange. The owner actually had a Type 2 patterned apron. The small rolling hills and green land was an amazing scene and reminded us of Europe and Germany. We got some pictures as we saw a cattle farmer loading bales of hay using the tractors and trailers. We travelled down another long back country road and visited another, larger farm. They also were making bales of hay, but using big trucks to help them haul it. A golf course was along our route and the golfers in their carts were very excited to hear about the tour. They were nice to position their golf carts for the photo and we got the I.D. 4 pictured by behind them. We were welcomed to La Crosse by the sign which is topped with a sculpture depicting three Ho-Chunk Native Americans playing a lively game of Lacrosse. It’s not atypical for many fast food restaurants in the U.S. to have drive-thru windows for taking food to-go. This one was a very small, convenient place. The weather was warm, so there were many boats out on the Mississippi River floating around the basin. We saw a large, old River boat in the background behind some newer pontoon style boats. We saw a dam along the Mississippi. Lock and Dam No. 5 was constructed and placed in operation in May 1935. We crossed the river and made it to Winona, MN. We had the I.D. 4 placed next to the Winona sign in and we had a great view of the river behind. Then we passed Basilica of Saint Stanislaus Kostka in Winona, MN, and a prominent fixture on the city’s skyline. We charged the I.D. 4 at an EV exclusive parking space in a marketplace. As we entered Minneapolis, we saw fireworks exploded in the rainy sky.

MORE UPDATES FROM THE VW ID.4 USA TOUR

FINALday-24

DAY 98: HERNDON, VA

For the ninety-eighth day, we celebrated the handover of the Guinness World Record for The Longest Drive in an EV Car in one country (Non-Solar) …

10-17-5 copy

DAY 97: HERNDON, VA

The ninety-seventh day and our last day of touring with the VW ID. 4 has arrived. The day began in Herndon, VA and we visited …

20211016_VWID4_0015

DAY 96: COLLINSVILLE, VA TO CHANTILLY, VA

We have finally reached the ninety-sixth day of touring the U.S. with the ID. 4. Collinsville, VA would be our starting point and we began …