Part one of our road trip adventure began in the western part of North America. We now continue to the Midwest, starting in Texas. The Minute Maid Park in Houston is a great example of the longevity galvanized steel can provide. The fact that the zinc-iron alloys become harder and more scratch-resistant than the substrate steel proved to be an additional benefit of choosing HDG over other methods when considering the millions of spectators that have come in contact with the steel handrail. For a photo op, swing by the Wing Dingers restaurant in Canton and get your picture taken with The Waterfall of Peace, a 14' high, six-fingered artistic hand waterfall. The waterfall feature poses the most significant corrosion problem for the steel sculpture and hot-dip galvanizing was the clear solution to defend against an integrated water element and provide patrons and visitors an aesthetically beautiful design for years to come. Cars naturally get dirty on road trips and long drives, so roll up to Whitewater Express Car Wash to get your vehicle squeaky clean before its next adventure. A fun fact, most interiors of car washes use hot-dip galvanized steel with some aluminum due to the large volumes of water that is used while washing cars.

In Tusla, Oklahoma, make a pit stop at the Gathering Place ONEOK Boathouse that benefits from the increased corrosion protection of a duplex system of paint over galvanized steel. Do not make the mistake of passing though Tusla, OK without visiting the iconic 72-feet tall Hard Rock Guitar. It was very important to The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino the internal frames to the guitar, the most critical parts that hold the structure together, do not rust and have the longevity that the hot-dip galvanizing process provides. Up north in Kansas, there are a few interesting galvanized structures in the state. The Flying Turtle sculpture in Wichita stands as an attraction for the community at the Aley Park Pool, while the Topeka Children's Discovery Center Canopy in Topeka uses galvanized steel to create a clean look that blends into the surrounding environment while requiring little to no maintenance and providing a long-lasting solution to corrosion.

Continuing north, make a few quick stops in Omaha, Nebraska to see some galvanized projects, including the “Eggs” sculptures at Modern Arts Midtown, the O! Dude at the Omaha Chamber of Commerce Courtyard, and the Aksarben Inner Rail Parking Garage Façade at Aksarben Village. Traditionally thought for structural components or highly corrosive environments, hot-dip galvanizing is gaining recognition in the art community as a method to preserve their designs and avoid unsightly and destructive corrosion. As you cross into Sioux Falls, South Dakota, take a swing by Great Shots, a golf driving range to hit some golf balls. Hot-dip galvanized steel was specified for areas of this project for the added long-term protection against the harsh environmental changes in South Dakota. The 30,000 BPH Transport Conveyor in Hampton, Iowa uses 60,000 pounds of galvanized steel, is the longest in the industry at 130-feet, and also the highest capacity mobile conveyor on the market. The main body of the conveyor consisted of hot-dip galvanized steel as a cost-effective insurance policy against corrosion. Hot-dip galvanized steel also provides a uniform, clean and durable look that is professional in appearance at all times to the DFS Oskaloosa in Oskaloosa, Iowa. The galvanizing process provides an excellent, reliable coating system to help protect the structure from the corrosive industrial atmosphere surrounding the grain elevators and eliminates the need for future expenses in painting for corrosion protection.

The Great Lakes area has many interesting galvanized steel structures as well. In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Minnesota Vikings Legacy Ship is a great example of the use of galvanized steel in a community project, while The Guardians - The Wary and the Fierce in Mankato is a marriage of custom, artistic galvanized steel, purple LED lighting system, and a fog machine hooked up to a tube system. Over in Wisconsin, the Harley Davidson Museum in Milwaukee uses hot-dip galvanized steel because of its durability, long-life, and quality – making it the natural selection to serve as an honest representation of the elements of Harley Davidson engineering.

Take a stroll along the Shoreline Park Pier in Tawas City, Michigan to reconnect with the rich history of the region and recall back to a much simpler time. Because of the ever-changing climate of Michigan, from hot, humid summers to harsh, frigid winters, hot-dip galvanizing was the perfect choice due to its durability so that countless generations to come could enjoy all of the benefits Saginaw Bay could provide. For a more exhilarating destination, The Pine Mountain Ski Jump at 176-feet tall is one of the highest artificially created ski jumps in the world, located in Iron Mountain, Michigan. Ontario, Canada has many galvanized steel projects to see, however two artistic projects stand out, including the Sam the Record Man project and the Canada 150 Moose Sculpture. Hot-dip galvanized steel is very beneficial to the support of artistic projects as it has great corrosion protection performance, a key component of the projects' longevity, and helps to keep the projects maintenance free and on display for many years. The EdgeWalk at the CN Tower in Toronto is an iconic, galvanized project. The use of galvanized steel was chosen for its robust nature, excellent durability, and aesthetic appearance. The protective qualities of galvanizing will prolong the lifespan of the walkway and give it a reassuringly solid appearance.

Next, visit Branson, Missouri, to stop by the Silver Dollar City and ride one of the world’s tallest drops on a water raft ride in the Western Hemisphere, the Mystic River Falls. Galvanizing is critical in preventing corrosion of the steel used in the water raft ride in order to provide safety to the guests of the park. The Kansas City Chiefs Drum Platform is a fine example of the contributions the duplex system provides to sports facilities. Illinois also has a variety of galvanized projects to showcase. In Chicago, stop by the Chicago CTA's 95th Street Red Line Terminal to see the galvanized outdoor canopy, then swing by Ottawa, Illinois to the Inclusive Playground to check out the way hot-dip galvanizing protects the railings placed to assist the children on ramps to access the all handicap accessible equipment. In Indiana, it is the longstanding expectation of the library being available to all that led to Porter County's decision to galvanize the steel used in the Porter County Library Plaza. The use of galvanizing will ensure that the county library gateway will open its book shaped doors for many generations to come. Parkview Tree Canopy Trail located at Promenade Park in Fort Wayne, Indiana employs hot-dip galvanized steel to provide clean, safe, and sustainable corrosion protection in its park. Lastly, stop by Holiday World in Santa Claus, IN to take a ride on the Voyage, a galvanized structural steel rollercoaster.

Part three of the series visits the southern states to see how hot-dip galvanizing provides superior corrosion protection in marine environments.

Share your summer road trip pictures of galvanized projects with us by posting them to our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram accounts, tagging the AGA in your pictures, or using the hashtag #GalvanizeTour. Have fun out there this summer!