Another early start this morning as we had a long day of driving ahead.
Once everything was packed up, we called an Uber and headed to Midway Airport to pick up our rental car. To our surprise, the process was smooth and fairly quick—with just one vehicle change. Now that the kids are older, they were excited to have captain seats for extra space, and Greer was more than happy to claim the back row for herself. Once everyone was comfortably settled in, we hit the road.
Our first stop was Gary, Indiana, to see the childhood home of Michael Jackson, the King of Pop. The neighborhood was clearly doing it tough, with rows of modest, run-down homes and an overall sense of long-term struggle. The kids felt a bit uneasy and preferred to stay in the car—but that wasn’t going to stop me! With “Billie Jean” playing in the background, I jumped out, took a few quick photos, and appreciated the surreal moment of standing outside such a humble beginning for a global superstar.kids were too nervous to get out of the car. Then we were back on the road, heading toward South Bend, Indiana. About 15 minutes out, we crossed into a new time zone and lost an hour.
We arrived at the University of Notre Dame and managed to find a parking spot. After figuring out the payment system (they never seem to consider that foreigners may want to use the system as well), we stepped out into a bitterly cold morning. First stop: a much-needed bathroom break in the library. The campus was impressively modern, with amazing facilities. Once classes let out, it was buzzing with students.
We made our way to the iconic Golden Dome (known as the Main Building) which now serves primarily as a headquarters for administration, although it still contains some classrooms. The Golden Dome was added to the building in 1882 and most recently regilded in 2005 and used only about a fist-full of gold leaf to cover the entire dome.
Next was the university’s church—the stunning Basilica of the Sacred Heart. From the outside, the neo-gothic architecture is grand and imposing, with its tall spire and intricate detailing standing proudly on the campus. Inside, it was nothing short of breathtaking. The vaulted ceilings, intricate stained glass windows, and detailed frescoes made it feel more like a cathedral in Europe than something you’d expect on a Midwestern college campus. As we arrived, Mass was just finishing and it was surprisingly full for an 11:30am Tuesday Mass.
After taking it all in, we continued exploring the campus, eventually arriving at the Duncan Student Centre which provides a number of eating options and student activity space. We grabbed lunch at Chick-fil-A before walking around the university’s legendary football stadium. On one of the buildings nearby is the massive mural affectionately known as “Touchdown Jesus.” The artwork, officially titled The Word of Life, features Jesus with his arms raised—eerily similar to a referee signaling a touchdown. It overlooks the stadium and has become one of Notre Dame’s most iconic landmarks.
With bellies full and fingers freezing, we headed back to the car and continued on.
It was another three and a half hours on the road before we arrived in Detroit. As we drove in, it was immediately clear we’d reached an industrial city—factories and smokestacks dominated the skyline.
Our first stop was the historic Ford Piquette Avenue Plant—the original factory built by the Ford Motor Company. This is where many early Ford Models were manufactured between 1904 and 1910, and where Henry Ford also developed and tested ideas that would revolutionize modern manufacturing—most notably the moving assembly line before the plant became too small for growing demand and advancing technology.
After a quick stop at Whole Foods for dinner and a bathroom break, we headed into downtown Detroit, which has clearly undergone some gentrification. We wandered through Campus Martius Park and made our way to the Monument to Joe Louis, known as “The Fist”. This 24-foot-long bronze sculpture is suspended within a steel frame and depicts a boxer’s arm and clenched fist—symbolizing the strength, determination, and legacy of Detroit-born boxing legend Joe Louis, as well as a broader statement about racial justice and civil rights.
We continued on to Hart Plaza, a wide-open riverfront space which has clearly seen better days. It does however offer sweeping views across the Detroit River to Windsor, Ontario in Canada.
The wind was still bitterly cold, so we didn’t hang around too long. A quick stop at Shake Shack for a thick shake or frozen custard—yes despite the temperature! After that, it was back in the car for the final 40-minute stretch back to Ann Arbor, where we’ll be staying for the next two nights.
