Oshkosh, and on to Baraboo!

     Yet another nice day greeted us, and we headed north to Oshkosh where we had read about their large and welcoming dog park.  We finally found it, after going around several detours.  Seems like half the roads in the city are torn up and under construction!  Really nice, huge, and well maintained by the local prison inmates!  Not many dogs there, but Dudley and Rosie thoroughly enjoyed themselves and tired themselves out.
       Not having been on the internet yesterday, we drove over to the Oshkosh library, took our computer inside and took advantage of their high speed wireless.

        We then went to see what Oshkosh is most famous for, the Experimental Aircraft Association museum.  Each year, the biggest experimental airshow in the world is held here in Oshkosk, and they have a magnificent museum with an adjoining grass strip (and that is situated next to the real airport).  The hangers shown above are actually part of the museum, and are filled with vintage aircraft--unfortunately, they are not open until May for public display.  After dining in the RV for lunch, we went inside and enjoyed the various exhibits and aircraft on display.  Burt Rutan and his brother Dick are honored with a wonderful display of some of their world famous aircraft, including their rocket aircraft that has circled the earth from space and the ultra-long range aircraft that has circled the earth without refueling.  They have an interesting 15" film on the rocket aircraft, and as it is shown on the movie descending, the actual full scale model shown in the picture above (the white and red aircraft with the stars) has its parts move in synchronization.  Pretty cool!

 

       Jim saw quite a few aircraft he had never seen "live" before, including the British Mosquito fighter, an F-89 fighter, and a fascinating WWII rescue aircraft that participated in numerous actions in all theatres of the war.  The photo at the left is Becky in front of an early American Airlines aircraft, as a WW I Spad flies overhead.
        We arrived in Baraboo about 4pm and Jim's brother Kermit got some quality time with Dudley and Rosie.  We visited Kermit's wife Dorothy in the nursing home where she is at in Portage, and then had a delightful tour of the famous Wisconsin Dells.  For those who don't know, the largest concentration of waterparks in the world is located there, along with numerous miniature golf courses, roller coasters, and other family amusements.