Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.  July and August, 2019.

Michigan. July 2019.

I was born in southern Michigan, and lived there until I was 15… a junior in high school.  I was fortunate to have both sets of grandparents and my grandmother’s brother and sister (my Aunt Hilda) live close enough to be engaged in our lives.  I really understand now how lucky I was.  Crossing the state line into Michigan gave a feeling of coming home, although I haven’t lived there for almost 60 years.

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  July 7 and 8, 2019.

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (the “U.P.”) is incredible.  Three of the Great Lakes (Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, and Lake Huron) form its primary boundaries.  The road follows along the absolute shore, then dives into dense National Forests and out into fields of brilliant flowers. Rivers, woods, trails, wildlife refuges, lighthouses, roadside parks, restaurants, fishing, local food stands (I had to enjoy a meat pastie …. my grandmother used to make them by the 100s for church suppers when I was a kid), waterfront villages, and so much more. 

The U.P. is truly amazing.  I hadn’t been there for many years, and spent only one day driving through, but I drank in as much as I could.  I started the day where I had stopped the first night just past the Wisconsin border in the National Forest on the shores of Lake Superior, and spent the night in the shadow of the Mackinac Bridge at a beautiful roadside park on the shore of Lake Michigan. Nature at its best.

The Mackinac Bridge.  “Mighty Mac.”

When I was a kid, the way to cross the Straits between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas was via a large ferry transport.  It was fun, but quite slow, and we had to line up and wait for over an hour for our turn to cross.  In 1957, the Mackinac Bridge opened as the largest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere.  It still takes my breath away. 

Crossing it this time, I could see forever.  I spent a little time at the park on the lower side of the bridge.  The sleeping geese covered the shoreline.  Lots of opportunity to take pictures and get the feel of the majesty of the bridge.  But onward…. I must cover quite a bit of roadway today. 

Clio, Michigan.  Boondockers Welcome.  July 9, 2019.

One of the great resources I have found for an on-the-road-one-night-stay is the Boondockers Welcome group.  I have mentioned them before, but they are worthy of mentioning again.  Folks who travel themselves, but offer a spot on their property for RV travelers who need a quick stop … not a campout!   I didn’t have access to the Imlay City Fairgrounds Lavender Festival camping area until the 10^th. I wanted to get close, so I did some research and found an awesome family in Clio, Michigan with plenty of room for my trailer.  Once I crossed the Mackinac Bridge, I headed 200 miles south to Clio, putting me within 50 miles of Imlay City.

Spent the late afternoon and night in Clio with my new Boondocker friends.  Down their long drive and a great parking spot out near the shop/garage. Cocktails and snacks on the back porch and many travel stories.  Turns out they were leaving the next day with their Le Sharo RV and headed to the area on Highway 2 in Montana I had just come through!  Many comparisons and discussions of what to see and where to stay.  Great fun. And yes, there is a significance to the picture of the rock. I just can’t remember what it is.

Imlay City, Michigan.  The Lavender Festival.  Sisters on the Fly.  July 10 to 14, 2019.

My very first SOTF event!

I met the Midwest contingent from the Sisters on the Fly at the Eastern Michigan Fairgrounds campground, about 60 miles north of Detroit.  They were so welcoming, and the 4-day camp-out event was amazing. Visits to acres of lavender fields, lavender ice cream, lavender plants, and other natural plants and food.  The Sisters circled their trailers (and tents) and were asked to invite discussion about the group with Festival attendees.  Discussion and enthusiasm come naturally in this group! 

It was hot and we put our feet in a kiddie pool. The wind blew down our leader’s tent while she was speaking. Challenges. But you can see in the pictures that the smiles and obvious laughter and camaraderie among these women was awesome, and there was no challenge that wasn’t overcome.  I continue to have contact with the group and some of their very special individual members. 

Belleville, Michigan.  July 14 to 19, 2019.

Karen Monte is a Sister I met at the Lavender Festival.  I mentioned to her that I planned to drive through the Detroit area to try to locate my grandparents’ old farm and my Aunt Hilda’s house from when I was a child.  She invited me to come park on her property so I could unhitch and not have to pull my trailer through the city.  I gratefully accepted, not knowing what a fantastic stay it would be!

Karen and her husband, Joe, have lived on the same acreage in the Belleville area, north of Detroit, for many years.  It is right across the road from the river and backs onto woods.  Fabulous.  And next door on one side is her cousin, and on the other side her brother.  Kids run between the properties.  It is a joyous place.

Joe and Karen built a large gazebo in the back yard.  Home to evening dinners and lots of gatherings.  They spend most of their waking time outside, either under the shade trees or working in the vegetable garden, on the yard, or some other fun project.  They are such great people, and draw from 50 years of marriage and large families to keep the entertaining stories coming.   I pulled my trailer through the field and into the yard, and set up my little homestead.

And her she-shed!  It was originally a 100 year old chicken coop.  Joe and a friend restored it, leaving the original frame.  It is a wonderful little retreat!  Every morning we had coffee under the trees in the yard.  Karen showed me around the area, and I was able to stay long enough to attend the “picnic.”  About 40 friends and their families, most of whom had attended school together all the way back to elementary, then high school graduation.  The type of memories and conversations that only come from long-time friendships.  I was honored to be there.

And other Sisters from the Lavender Festival stopped by when I was there, continuing the fun!

Grandma’s Farm.  Southfield, Michigan.  July 14, 2019.

On my way to Karen’s from Imlay City, I found myself driving through the Southfield area of Detroit, which is where my grandparents’ farm was in the 1950s and 60s.  Not really a working farm, but acreage with planted fields of trees and flowers they sold for extra income.  A paradise to visit in summers when I was little.  My cousins and I used to play in the shade of a huge willow tree at the head of the drive.  And sell great bunches of the most beautiful gladiolas to passers-by heading to the cemetery up the road on Sunday afternoons.

Much of the area is now developed, and we knew that when the property was sold, the new owners took down the little house and built a new one.  But I found it!  There was the “new” house, a 1960s brick rambler.  The original stone shed was still there behind the house, and the row of tiny pine trees my grandpa planted along the drive are now 40 feet tall with 10-inch pine cones.  The owners weren’t home, but I was able to sit in the long dirt driveway, take some pictures, and visualize “the way it was.”  Our brains and memories are miraculous.  It was like I was really there 60-some years ago.  Check it off the list.

Detroit and Highland Park, Michigan.  July 17, 2019.

While at Karen’s, I planned an excursion into the city to the Highland Park area of Detroit to see what condition my Aunt Hilda’s old house was in.  Joe spoke up and said he was born in a house in Detroit not too far from Highland Park, he would like to drive by it, and wondered if I would mind his company.  Perfect!  We set off the next morning.  He actually had in his hand a copy of his birth certificate with the address of the house where he was born.

Detroit is about a half hour from Joe and Karen’s Belleville property.  We drove through Joe’s  “birth” neighborhood.  His house and others on the street had been replaced by an industrial park, but the next street was intact, and he had many memories of people that lived there and the neighborhood church, which was the hub of life in that time.

On to Highland Park.  My aunt’s house was in decent condition, with a new coat of paint.  The houses on either side were also good, although there were some burned out homes further down the street.  The consequences of old places in this particular metro area.  I spent so many wonderful hours in that house (and in the original Aunt Hilda’s Attic) when I was a kid.  Took a picture on the front porch.  Fun to see.  Check off another.

Joe and I also tracked down The Noshpit, a vegetarian deli that had a food truck at the Lavender Festival.  The best, most amazing, beet Rueben sandwich!!  If you are ever in Detroit, treat yourself!  A small place with a monstrous single-plank table and bar.  Worth seeing!

Joe and I took a drive through downtown Detroit on our way back to Belleville.  It is good to see that the city itself is recovering and there is lots of activity.  Drove past Wayne State University and the entrance to the bridge that connects Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, Canada.  (Trivia fact:  Canada is south of the United States at this crossing.)

Monroe, Michigan.  July 19, 2019.

I left Karen’s early in the morning, headed south and then east. 

I was born in the Detroit area, but my family moved to Monroe in 1950.  I lived in the same house and went to school with the same kids until we moved to California when I was a junior in high school.  I still get notices for the Jefferson High School reunion committee in Monroe!  We lived near Lake Erie, where I learned to swim and fish.  And form lifelong friendships.   

I felt it necessary as I drove south to find the house where my brother and I grew up, and wander the neighborhood.  A small house, but comfortable.  The woman who lives there now gave me the tour, and was interested in knowing some of the house’s history.

The area is much the same, and most of the houses are still beach-type small houses.  I also found the building where both my brother and I started kindergarten.  Back then, we walked a mile to catch the school bus, and took the bus to a number of different school buildings scattered around the county that usually had two or three grades in it.  My brother actually attended second grade in a school room attached to the local fire station, so his schoolwork was interrupted every time the sirens announced a fire.  A little boy’s dream.

And I stopped for pizza at Detroit Beach Pizzeria, which is still open (third generation owners) and serving the world’s best pizza.  Amazing.  Keep moving south!!

Columbia Station, Ohio.  July 19, 2019.                                                                                         

Thanks once again to Boondockers Welcome, I pointed toward a place on private property not too far south of the Ohio border, near Cleveland.  My goal was to overnight there and get on the road to visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park the next morning.

The property is named Forsythia Forest.  On a pond, with trees and deer.  Wonderful stay.  The woman who owns this property is a retired NASA engineer, and was a delight to talk with. 

Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Ohio. July 20, 2019.

I am making an effort to visit as many National Parks (and National Forests, Beaches, and other National designated spots) as possible during this year.  I had not heard of this park, but it was on the list, so off I went.

This marvelous park is a refuge for native plants and wildlife, and provides many opportunities for hiking and observing waterfalls and the Cuyahoga River as it follows the historic route of what once was the Ohio and Erie Canal.  The park was actually created as the Erie Canal deteriorated and the land was cleaned up. I spent a few hours driving through and stopping to observe some of the beauty.  Every National Park offers a unique insight into the local area.

This is one of those times where I couldn’t take pictures and drive. So credit for the stolen pics from the web goes to the Travel Guide. Hmmmm.

There was also a group of restored “company houses” that are now used as the Park Headquarters. And a beautiful conference center that was once some wealthy entrepreneur’s home.

A Little More Ohio

I headed a little north and followed the shore of Lake Erie. Along the way I passed through some Amish country and delighted in seeing the laundry hanging on the lines and the buggy transportation.

There were also a number of houses and farms that I felt compelled to capture. And crops and another “road less travelled.” And of course I couldn’t pass up Lynne Street. Sidenote on Lynne Street: I drove down into the little park and discovered it was a dead end with no turnaround. I spent 45 minutes jockeying a few inches at a time to get going the right way, but eventually I made it. I needed the practice.

Pennsylvania.  July 20 to 30, 2019.

Allegheny National Forest

My sojourn into Pennsylvania only brought me to a small piece, but it was memorable. I managed to get to the Visitor Center in Warren, Pennsylvania that evening.  I don’t usually travel that far in a day, but for some reason I continued to follow the south shore of Lake Erie and kept pushing until dark.  Now I needed a place to stop.  So….. I parked behind the Visitor Center, which was closed for the day, and is also located on the same site as the Police Station.  Safe spot to sleep for the night and make coffee in the morning waiting for the Visitor Center to open.

I was able to get some maps and local info, and directions to the campground in the Allegheny National Forest.  Now….. this is my kind of camping!  Primitive campsites in the woods.  The only National Forest in Pennsylvania, established in 1923.  And still pretty much the same, I am sure.  Dirt roads, hills, and views of the water.  Dutch oven cooking over a campfire.  No cell service or internet, but I was told by a Ranger that if I drove down the road, turned left, and drove to the top of the hill, I would be at an overlook that had a great view of the river and the dam upstream, as well as a cell signal.  He was right!  So when I needed to make a call, that’s where I went.  Otherwise, I was blissfully disconnected from the world.

I loved this campground, and ended up staying for 9 days.  An enjoyable respite from travel and civilization.

Warren, Pennsylvania.

The town of Warren is about 15 miles from the National Forest.  It is an early- to mid-century town that has maintained its pride and character and kept most of its houses in great condition.   I make notes along my journey of places I might like to live.  And Warren, Pennsylvania is on the list.

Warren Library

Most towns have great libraries, and Warren is no exception.  Of the nine days I spent in the area, I spent three of those days at the library.  Pleasant area downtown in a wonderful old building surrounded by beautiful gardens.  I also spent time driving around the town, through the neighborhoods, and along the river.

And paying homage to my dad’s favorite meal, I followed a local’s advice and went to the Train Station Restaurant for “the best liver and onions”. And it was!

Tire and Glass Shops

I had a flat tire in Warren. Was able to inflate it enough to get to the tire shop, and was thinking I might need to buy a new tire….. or a set!  But Warren Tire (locally owned since the 1930s) was able to find a strange piece of metal, remove it, and repair the tire.  For less than $20.  Yeah!!

Then I decided to ask for a local recommendation of a glass shop that could put Hilda’s front window in.  The window still had the huge mystery hole that happened in South Dakota! The tape was still holding, but I had been carrying the replacement glass with me since I was in Minnesota, so thought I should get it installed before it broke!  And….. Warren Glass…. Another local shop with lots of that down-home character, was able to do the job.  Again, for less than $20.  Double yeah!!!

On to New York State.  July 30, 2019.

A Sister I met in Michigan at the Lavender Festival contacted me to say she would be in Watkins Glen, New York on July 31.  Was I interested in joining her?  Of course.

I hated to leave Pennsylvania, but I must move on.  So I made a reservation, hitched up Hilda, and headed down the road.