Note: I am dispensing with the week count because it's just gotten confusing. The count was how many weeks I had been off work, but at this point who really cares? I'll be back at San Francisco Zoo next January after a hiatus of over ten months. Our total RV time is estimated to be almost eight months.
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Michigan! The state where I was born. From zero to four my family lived in Lansing, and my memories revolve around playing in the yard with friends, a pet cat named Fluffy, and growing rhubarb. Rumor has it that my parents moved me to Maryland when the accent started kicking in, but I never lost the Michigan way of saying "melk" instead of "milk." Thirty years later, I was looking forward to a grand tour of the mitten state.
Michigan was not on our original itinerary. We received an unexpected invitation from a Santa Cruz friend whose family has a cottage on Higgins Lake in Michigan. It sort of fit in with our plans, if we didn't mind taking a thousand mile detour and delaying our New York City visit for a month. But hey, life is as flexible as it's going to get right now and it would be a shame to pass up such a nice offer. And so we missed out on the earthquake in Virginia (original plans would have us in Maryland at the time) and the hurricane across the East (would have been in New York City). Instead we enjoyed perfect weather in Michigan and thought about what a great choice we had made.
The Michigan tour took us up the west coast of the state which borders on Lake Michigan, to the mid-north on Traverse Bay, south to Higgins Lake which is in the middle of the state, then east to Detroit on Lake St. Clair, and finally south east around Lake Erie. We would have cut through Canada if I had a valid passport and our tow car had a supplementary brake system as required by Canadian towing standards. We may not have stepped onto Canadian soil, but we saw buildings on the horizon and quite a few Canadian geese. That will have to do for this trip.
Our first stop was a small town in the Berry Belt of Michigan. Michigan grows berries beautifully: blueberries and raspberries in particular. We passed numerous pick your own lots, but in the grocery stores all the berries were from California. Makes no sense.
Anyway, we found a little campground in the town of Covert with a sandy beach on Lake Michigan. It was strange because I knew we were close to a huge body of water, but my senses were not telling me so. Where was the salt smell on the breeze? The salt tolerant plants? The gulls? Instead you round the corner and there is a giant lake with waves, right next to a beach with large trees anchoring the sand. Lukas loved swimming in the waves without getting salt in his eyes. I wasn't worried about sharks sneaking up on us or riptides carrying us away. It was really very pleasant.
Until that evening, when we noticed little bumps all over Lukas's body. We did some research and learned about swimmer's itch, a parasite that reproduces in a freshwater snail host. The parasite likes to live in waterfowl, but if it lands on you then it will dig into your skin and die there. About thirty percent of people exposed to the parasite will have an allergic reaction akin to mosquito bites. The rest will have no reaction at all. For those who are allergic, the reaction may get worse with each exposure. The kicker was that much of the research had been conducted in Higgins Lake, just the place we were heading in a few days. We decided not to worry about it for the time being.
It took longer than expected to drive up the west coast of Michigan, and was less scenic than we had hoped. We made a stop at a nice RV park off the freeway just to take a driving break. The next day we made it to Traverse Bay, a touristy area with wineries, golf courses, and miles of shore along the turquoise blue Bay.
Our RV park accepted motorhomes that were at least 10 years old or newer and many of the lots were sold to permanent residents. The place was immaculate and staff was constantly cleaning up or trimming foliage. The park had a separate area for the big forty foot Class A motorhomes, while we were placed in the Class C ghetto (which was also very nice). There was a Class A exhibition when we arrived, along with a free bratwurst lunch, so of course we stopped by. These rigs were set up really posh, with mirrors on the ceiling, bidets, and two bathrooms - one with a gold leaf sink. The price went up to 1.75 million for a 2012 model. Personally, I thought they were really gaudy and would never want to live in one. But I could see the convenience of an IPod application that allows you to operate the slides, awnings, leveling, and holding tank rinse. In any case it was fun to check out these million dollar RVs, especially on a full stomach.
That afternoon we explored the Old Mission Peninsula which juts out into Traverse Bay. It hosts quite a few wineries as well as a lighthouse and beach area. The end of the peninsula was interesting because the sandbar continues underwater for quite a ways. One could wade out at least 150 feet and still be in less than a foot of water. We stopped by the Chateau Chantal winery, which is situated on a hill and has a dual Bay view of the east and west. Michigan wineries are celebrated for their Rieslings, so that's what I tried. I found it too sweet to choke down, but I'm a stuck up California wine snob so pay no attention to my review.
Our RV park accepted motorhomes that were at least 10 years old or newer and many of the lots were sold to permanent residents. The place was immaculate and staff was constantly cleaning up or trimming foliage. The park had a separate area for the big forty foot Class A motorhomes, while we were placed in the Class C ghetto (which was also very nice). There was a Class A exhibition when we arrived, along with a free bratwurst lunch, so of course we stopped by. These rigs were set up really posh, with mirrors on the ceiling, bidets, and two bathrooms - one with a gold leaf sink. The price went up to 1.75 million for a 2012 model. Personally, I thought they were really gaudy and would never want to live in one. But I could see the convenience of an IPod application that allows you to operate the slides, awnings, leveling, and holding tank rinse. In any case it was fun to check out these million dollar RVs, especially on a full stomach.
That afternoon we explored the Old Mission Peninsula which juts out into Traverse Bay. It hosts quite a few wineries as well as a lighthouse and beach area. The end of the peninsula was interesting because the sandbar continues underwater for quite a ways. One could wade out at least 150 feet and still be in less than a foot of water. We stopped by the Chateau Chantal winery, which is situated on a hill and has a dual Bay view of the east and west. Michigan wineries are celebrated for their Rieslings, so that's what I tried. I found it too sweet to choke down, but I'm a stuck up California wine snob so pay no attention to my review.
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| Tip of the Old Mission Peninsula |
The next day Brian hit up a golf course and I dragged Lukas to the Sleeping Bear Dunes. The dunes rise 450 feet above the Lake Michigan shoreline and are created by the winds off the lake. It ended up being a very foggy day which made many of the vista points a lot less interesting. First things first, we went to the area where you can climb up the dunes. Lukas climbed up the hundred foot dune at least three times, then ran all the way down. After he was sufficiently tired out, I took him on the scenic drive to the aforementioned vista points. The picture below gives you an idea of what we saw.
We also had a couple restaurant meals in Traverse Bay, one very tasty, one not so tasty but with a great view. First I must mention that Traverse Bay is the cherry capital of the United States. So it is not a surprise to most of you that one of the first things I did while there was get a slice of cherry pie from the Traverse Pie Company. That night we went to Pearl's New Orleans Kitchen where I washed down some excellent vittles with a cherry margarita. The next night we supped at Apache Trout Grill right on the Bay. I ordered a whitefish (the Lake Michigan special) encrusted with pecans and topped with cherries. Our food did not live up to the rave reviews. But at least the view was good. And after dinner we had a lovely time at a nearby lakeside park.
The next day we had a short drive to Higgins Lake, where we would meet up with Brad and his family. Brad's great-grandfather built a cottage in 1913 on the shores of Higgins Lake, property which was incorporated into the Pinewoods Association. The woods are untouched, the cottage is simple, and everything you lay eyes on is dripping with memories and love. There is a central dining hall where everyone in the Association goes for meals. The bell is rung fifteen minutes prior to serving, so if you are out on the lake you know it is time to come in. The family owns a sunfish sailboat, a small catamaran, a canoe and a kayak, and shares a covered motorboat with the neighbors. Most of the Association families have known each other for generations and it feels like one large extended family. It is a summer camp for all ages, and we were welcomed with open arms.
Brad and Diana have a girl just about Lukas's age, and they had a great time alternately playing together and fighting over toys. And what toys there were! Vintage trucks from the seventies, buckets and nets galore, not to mention the bikes and boat rides. Diana had found some Snail Itch goo that keeps the parasites away, so we lubed up with that stuff anytime we went into the water. No bites for Lukas!
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| Olive and her Ema |
Our final stop in Michigan was Detroit. The RV was over its recommended miles for an oil change, and what better place for a tune up than the birthplace of the automobile industry? While our house was at the shop, we checked out the Ford museum. The collection pretty well covered the transition from life in the seventeenth century through the industrial revolution to today. They had tractors, steam engines, trains, airplanes, and automobiles. Unfortunately the auto section was being renovated so there were only a few cars to be seen. I found the most interesting displays to be the president's cars, including the limo in which Reagan was shot, and the bus where Rosa Parks refused to get up.
The area near Ford headquarters is quite nice, but after lunch we took a drive through downtown Detroit. I had heard an urban myth that kids in Detroit set buildings on fire for fun on a Friday night. Looking around, it seems that might be true. It is hard to convey the ubiquitousness of burned buildings within Detroit in just a few pictures. So many beautiful old buildings in ruins. The mood was gloomy and hopeless. For a pick-me-up we tried some Faygo, Detroit's pop of choice, and went to retrieve our Ford motorhome from the shop.
Covert Beach and Campground, Covert, MI: B-
Short trail to beach, woodsy, dusty, no sewer connection.
Poncho's Pond RV Park, Luddington, MI: A
Well kept grounds, nice playground, adult and kiddie pools, level cement lots.
Well kept grounds, nice playground, adult and kiddie pools, level cement lots.
Traverse Bay RV Resort, Traverse, MI: A
Fancypants, lots for sale, good location, lounge, pool, laundry, rec rooms, woods trail.
Fancypants, lots for sale, good location, lounge, pool, laundry, rec rooms, woods trail.
Pinewoods Association, Higgins Lake, MI: A+
Lake access, friendly neighbors, dining hall.
Lake access, friendly neighbors, dining hall.
Harbertown RV Resort, Monroe, MI: B-
Busy street, pool, mini golf, lots of unattended kids.
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