Rouge Factory Tour

Today we used the last of our three ticket package and boarded the bus bound for the Ford Rouge Factory Tour.     No photography is allowed on this tour - to keep from distracting the employees they tell us.     This is a place I would have loved to have my little camera with me.    Truth be told, I did take my phone out at one spot.....but chickened out before I took the picture.   I envisioned lights flashing, bells clanging, and security running at me as I clicked the picture.   I'm a chicken.

We were lucky today, only 3 other people were on our bus so we had the two movie theaters and the self guided assembly line tour to ourselves.    I loved the first movie, hated the second movie "experience" (think LOUD noise, BRIGHT strobe lights, several screens playing at once, etc.) and was totally fascinated watching the assembly line moving along smoothly below us.

We were met at each section of the tour by an orange shirted employee placed there to show us which way to go and to answer any questions we may have.     After the two movies we entered an elevator and were taken to an observation deck to get an overview of the Ford facilities.    Pictures were allowed there.

observation deck

fall color on the "green" roof and walls of the assembly plant

When we saw all we wanted to there, we reentered the elevator and the doors reopened on a raised observation walkway above the active assembly line.     We were on our own to walk and look down at the workers, working.     No pictures, no leaning over, no calling to the people below, no dropping things on their heads, no spitting.

We both found it utterly fascinating,  watching this ballet of people, robots and slowly moving parts  produce a shiny new truck every 53 seconds.    We spent quite a long time walking along and stopping to watch robots carefully fitting windshields, workers fitting headliners in empty bodies, seat belts being installed, entire assemblies being moved over our heads from one area to another.    The computer controlled machinery worked seamlessly, forklifts whizzed by, lights blinking, to restock bins as they were emptied....On and on and on.    Pretty cool.

Legacy Gallery

Once we'd had our fill, we exited through what they call the Legacy Gallery and boarded another bus for the return ride to the Museums and our Jeep.    When we got back to Beluga, I discovered that the Rose Robber had struck again.   I just love that guy......

they smell as good as they look

Our time here has been very interesting.   We're so glad we came, these three venues were very worth our time.   I don't know which I enjoyed most...each one had something unique to offer.

We leave in the morning, heading east again, our next stop is Pennsylvania.   Fall has been beautiful here in Michigan but the word "snow" has been mentioned in the weather reports so.....

these maples in the campground are just divine