Michigan

We finish our trip through the Great White North, and find ourselves at the U.S. Canadian border. We pull up in our trusty steed, and begin the questioning process.

Turns out, a certain driver that will remain nameless was misdirected by a certain copilot who will also remain nameless and we got misdirected back to the Entering Canada border.

Border Patrol: Hello sir, where are you headed?

Me: Detroit!

BP: … Where are you coming from?

Me: London!

BP: Sir… Do you know where you are?

Me: Yeah… About to enter the United States

BP: nope

He eventually chuckled and directed us in the right direction in a very friendly manner. Very similar to the man who stamped our passports going into Canada: Cordial, professional, and friendly. I’m telling you this because we are about to go back into our home country, the one in we are citizens of, and it was a much different experience. You know that feeling of being condescended to? Well mix that feeling with the feeling of telling the truth to someone who no matter what you say firmly believes you’re lying, and that’s what our experience with the U.S. Border Patrol was. Dear President Trump, please build a wall around our border security gates so we can climb it and get into the country without dealing with the jerks in customs. Sincerely, Americans trying to go home everywhere.

Anyways, after our early morning border shenanigans, we found ourselves in Motor City: Detroit, MI. I have been to Michigan before, once when I was younger with my little brother and my grandparents. We went during the summer, so it was interesting to see the other side of the coin with Detroit being snowy and gloomy. We decided to visit the Henry Ford Museum, and were not disappointed. While at face value, you may think that this museum would be solely about Ford and their production history, to include everything that entails what they stand for and blah blah blah. When in fact, this museum is more of a tribute to the ingenuity and inventing spirit of the American people, than it is dedicated solely to Henry Ford. The museum embodies everything that he stood for: Hard work, industrial breakthroughs, and a genuine craftsmanship that is seldom seen today. There was, of course, many exhibits surrounding car manufacturing. There was an exhibit on the birth of flight, and the progression of various plane models. There was an exhibit that walks you through every decade going back to the 1900s. There was even an exhibit that highlighted various technological advances that pushed us a nation to the forefront of the world by being catalysts for the industrial revolution. If you are ever in Detroit, you have to go here. If not for you, for your kids (if you have any); there is a lot to learn at this place.

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Once we were done in the museum, we ventured our way to the Eastern Market, for some food and some local sights. The Eastern Market is similar to a Farmers market, or Saturday Market for my Oregonians out there, except it is housed inside an old structure designed and opened solely for a community market back in 1841. Huge, open, warehouse-like buildings cut into the cold Detroit sky with rich brick that have stood the test of time strongly. Despite being 18 degrees outside, the market was thriving with eager buyers, and even more eager sellers. Left and right, local farmers were selling fresh vegetables and flowers for loved ones. Beekeepers and jelly makers were holding out free samples to advertise their products. Many artists were also selling their pieces as well, and it was a very lively environment. We spent a few hours there, and then the hunger in our bellies made us begin to seek nourishment.

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You ever heard of a Dinty Moore? Its ok, neither had we. Well, that’s the signature sandwich of Michigan. A triple-decker corn beef hash sandwich with the works is basically what a Dinty Moore is. We found a local deli-restaurant just across the street from the Eastern Market named after the street it was located on: Russell St. Deli. This famous deli was home to many made-from-scratch soups and Detroit sandwiches that were absolutely delectable. We split the Dinty Moore and the soup of the day, which was Rhode Island Clam Chowder-which we picked after our new favorite state. After we had warmed our bellies and souls with this bountiful meal, we decided to head north towards the tip of Michigan.

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We spent the night up north in Cheboygan, MI. The drive was in a coat of freshly laden snow, which made the roads a little more slick than we would have hoped, but we made it to our destination safely. We woke up early in the morning the next day, with plans to head to Mackinac Island. Have you ever watched the movie, Somewhere in Time? It’s an oldie rom-com with a sci-fi twist, starring Christopher Reeves. Mickey’s mom loves this movie-so much in fact, that she named her first-born, McKayla’s older sister, McKenna, after the leading actresses character’s name in this film. Where am I getting at with this random Plummer-trivia? Well, Somewhere in Time was filmed on Mackinac Island, which is revered everywhere for its sheer beauty. The only way onto the island is by ferry, which is why we got up early. However, we got there much faster than we expected, so we had a few hours to kill. The day we happened to be in the area was none other than November 10th: Veterans Day. If you’re not a veteran, maybe this holiday just seems like another government holiday to get school off, but to a veteran, it’s a special day to reflect upon the service of yourself, and the brothers and sisters you met while in prison the military.

You also get some sweet deals from some standout patriotic companies, which is always greatly appreciated. About ten minutes away from the ferry, we found a casino that was giving away free $20 credit to any veteran, which is awesome! We tried our luck in the casino, and had a blast! It was mainly empty, so we could pick whichever machines we wanted. This was Mickey and I’s first real experience with gambling machines, and I must say, I don’t get the hype. I’d rather blow $20 in an arcade, and at least be entertained my level of skill-or lack of skill (depending on the game, I’m untouchable on Galaga), than any of the sleazy machines that rip you off in any casino. Nevertheless, We still had a great time and it was the perfect activity to do while we waited for the ferry.

We set off for the ferry, and gave ourselves a nice 30 minute cushion just in case there was traffic.

The roads were completely empty. By now there was packed snow that had begun to stick to the roads, and it was very slippery in a multitude of places. We slid our way to the ferry with 20 minutes to spare.

Only there was no ferry.

The whole town was deserted-or at least that’s what it seemed like. We pulled into the ferry parking lot, and it looked like nobody had been there in days. No tire tracks in the snow, no footprints, no signs of life in the toll booth. Turns out they only offer winter ferry rides from one side of the island, and that was the opposite side of which we were. We were an hour and a half from the other side, and the next ferry didn’t leave for another couple of hours. This would delay us almost an entire half day, which, unfortunately, we did not have to spare at the time. We said our goodbyes with Mackinac Island, with plans to later return in the future to explore this magnificent land. Maybe we will return, Somewhere in Time (I know that was bad, sue me).

Our next plans were to travel up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan before descending down into Wisconsin (pronounced Wi-sscaaaaan-sihn). Our journey went through a winter wonderland, with not much to offer but a scenic route of the Upper Michigan State Forest. Evergreens spread out along this part of the trip, and it was a very soothing, yet slippery drive. We headed for Green Bay, WI, in hope of catching the Cheese Packers play on legendary Lambeau Field before exploring the cheese state.

Cheers!

-Daniel-