photo by Earl Leatherberry, from the Carload Flickr pool

It’s Day 199 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. I was back across the border again, but with a short drive. Less than an hour after I left the Capri Drive-In Theater in Coldwater MI. I was rolling up to the Auburn Garrett Drive In Theatre, just north of Garrett IN.

This drive-in opened in May 1951 as the Tri-Hi Drive-In, with parking for only around 150 cars. In 1959, it was renamed the Garrett Drive-In, then the Auburn Garrett Drive-In Theatre soon after. Around that time, they widened the original screen to accommodate wider movies and expanded the lot to around 300.

The Auburn Garrett added more parking was added in the late 1960s, bringing the capacity up to around 430. Its current, much larger screen was erected in the early 1970’s. Audio was originally provided by in-car speakers, but is now provided on FM radio.

The Fort Wayne Reader ran a story in 2006 about how the Auburn Garrett’s was dealing with the freshly implemented Daylight Saving Time in Indiana. “Last year’s 8 or 8:30 pm starting time usually let the drive-in fit both features and an intermission in before 1 am,” it wrote. “Now, the movie starts around 9:30. It has thrown off the concession side of the business, too, which is where most theaters make their profits.”

Still, owner Bruce Babbitt said things were better in 2006 than they were when he first bought the place in the 1980s. “I can remember when business was really crummy — we do more business now in a night than I used to do in a week in the 80s,” he said. “I’m just grateful for the business we’re getting and the customers who are still supporting us. They’re still driving through the gate.”

This was my fourth viewing of Spider-Man: Homecoming, which isn’t anything near the most I’ve done on this odyssey. With movies coming out quickly over the summer, I hope to see a wider variety soon.

Miles Today / Total:  48 / 25437 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: Spider-Man: Homecoming / 115

Nearby Restaurant: The closest restaurant to the Auburn Garrett is as seasonal as the drive-in. The Blue Moon offers fast food entrees, but what really matters is the ice cream. I mean, the chili dog was pretty good, but I don’t know where else I’ll find cherry ice cream that good.

Where I Virtually Stayed: There’s no place to stay in Garrett, so it’s only fitting that the closest hotels to the drive-in are in Auburn. Although there’s a Hampton Inn, always a safe choice, in Auburn, I saved some cash by staying at a very nice Quality Inn there. Fresh baked cookies are always a great start, and screened porches with rockers made the place even more welcoming. My room had all the amenities, and breakfast worked out great. This is a Quality Inn to seek out if you’re staying around here.

Only in Garrett Auburn: If you love vintage cars before your drive-in experience, little Auburn is packed with automobile museums. There’s the Early Ford V-8 Foundation Museum, the National Automotive and Truck Museum, and the topper next door, the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum housed in the old Duesenberg administration building.

Next stop: Starlight Drive-In, Maria Stein OH.

Photo from the Tri-Way Drive-In Facebook page

It’s Day 188 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. It took just a bit over an hour to drive from Wabash IN to the Tri-Way Drive-In Theatre, north of Plymouth IN.

According to its history page, the Tri-Way opened its doors with one screen in June 1953. The name of the theater, selected from public suggestions, was based on its location on what was U.S. 31, between U.S. 6 and 30. Janet Combs, who submitted the name, received a year’s family pass to the theater.

In a August 2015 article in the South Bend Tribune, owner Dave Kinney said he’s operated the Tri-Way since 1985. He said that summer had been rough, “either it’s been way too rainy or way too warm for crowds, and ticket sales are down”.

Despite the downturn, Kinney was committed to buying digital projection systems for all four screens. “It’s a rough business, especially because we’re only open six months of the year,” he said. “The only thing that keeps me going is the love of the drive-in. It’s just in your blood.”

I had written about the Tri-Way just a couple of months ago. Back then, Kinney was asking for more patrons to come by and purchase more stuff from the concession stand so he could pay off those digital projectors.

The Tri-Way has a really nifty mini-golf course, a full restaurant, plus four screens – superb for me trying to find something fresh to watch. The latest Spider-Man movie was on one screen, but I expect I’ll get another chance to see that soon, so I picked the less family-friendly Will Ferrell movie, The House. As a result, this marked the third straight night of seeing a movie for the first time this year. That hadn’t happened since January. Woohoo!

Miles Today / Total:  64 / 23888 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: The House / 104

Nearby Restaurant: I’d never seen so many beers on tap at a deli as I saw at Opie’s Deli downtown. But since it was a deli, I went for the reuben sandwich, which came with chips and a pickle just as you would expect at a deli. It was humble, tasty food at a good price, leaving plenty of cash for more beer.

Where I Virtually Stayed: Another Indiana night, another Holiday Inn Express. This one was freshly renovated. I needed to pay a little extra for a suite to get a fridge and microwave, but I’ll bet the wifi was that good throughout the place. The standard very good HIE breakfast topped off another nice HIE stay.

Only in Plymouth: According to Roadside America, local car restoration hobbyist Calvin Bailey converted Bob’s Towing to a 1950s era Mobilgas service station, complete with a dial pay phone in a phone booth, an old style police car and fire truck, and some mannequins to give you a better idea of what things looked like back then.

Next stop: Sunset Drive In Theater, Hartford MI.