we're on the road!!!!

Yesterday, the truck pulled a hay wagon... today... a car hauling trailer.... and inside... Protection No. 2.... we're heading to Adrian Michigan to celebrate their fire department's 175th anniversary. This trip has been in the works (for us) a year... for the fire department a few years... and I am sure that everyone is so excited that the time has finally come......

We had hoped to get to Michigan in one day.. but because we were so late getting started (due to the hay)... we ended spending the night in Erie PA..... just four hours shy of Adrian, but it was late and we were tired..... 

The trailer has pulled well... giving Protection No. 2 a good ride.... Ed, of course, has been carefully hauling....it's been a long ride, but a good ride and we are seeing parts of the country that we have never seen before....

Hello Ohio..... I have been teasing that I hoped there was land west of Vermont....not having been this far "west" before.... I am pleased to say that there is...

Adrian is sort of in the middle of Michigan.. so my "dreams" of seeing the great lakes wasn't exactly what I thought. However, as we approached Cleveland... we did catch a glimpse of Lake Erie....

As big as it looks to me, it could have been the ocean... and I understand that this isn't even the "biggest" lake... but we'll put this back on the bucket list... "to see the great lakes"....

Hello to Michigan.... honestly, by now we were pretty happy to see this sign... it's a good ride, but a long one, and we'll be happy to get where we're going...

Even better... "the" exit....













So, why Adrian and why Protection No. 2.... Protection No. 2 is an 1853 Button hand tub... She was bought, brand new, by the town of Adrian Michigan... when Jeff began to do the history on his department, he did a search as was so surprised to learn that Protection No. 2 was still around. He contacted the Red Shirts and made the trip out to see if this really was the same fire piece. That was 10 years ago, and since that time, Jeff and Brenda have become very good friends with all of us. They have come out for several of our firemen's musters...

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As their anniversary approached.. Jeff asked the Red Shirts if they would consider allowing Protection No.2  to come out to the celebration. Their answer was yes, provided that Ed was willing to take it out. And we saw this as a great opportunity and were more than happy to give her a ride "home"..

As we pulled into the station, everyone was so excited to see her.... and I think they were surprised at just how beautiful she is... 

They couldn't believe that Ed had done the restoration work and she looks as good... if not better than she did so long ago....

This is not the station that she worked out of... that building was a few blocks away from the station of today... and sadly, it burned down in 1950...but the fact that she was back in the Adrian Fire house and on the streets that she once served... it was a very special moment...








As usual,,, Ed fussed over her, making sure that everything  was and is... just so...

We arrived in time for an open house that Jeff had planned. Several people aside from the fire fighters came to see her. And I think sitting there beside the modern trucks.. she held her own for sure. 











The weekend ahead is filled with all sorts of activities... tomorrow a parade... muster and banquet.... and Protection No.2 will be the queen of the ceremonies 

This is one of the original fire houses... (not Protection No.2)  but it looks very much like the house she was in. The building is now an office building, but they have kept the original look and the hose tower (in the back).. tomorrow we get to tour it, and I understand there are many things about it that are original to it's history. 

Love the weather vane.....

Mark from the Red Shirts arrived later in the day.... he was glad to see that she traveled well. Four of the Red shirts will be coming for the celebrations... plus three of the guys from our fire company .. and Ed and I... so, that makes a pretty good showing with us from the "east'>..

It's going to be a great weekend. Full of history, traditions, good friendship and adventure.... 


I am so happy to be here and share in all of this....