MICHIGAN TRAVEL TIPS
FROM
THE HOLOGLOBE PRESS
(The 25th Edition)by
Victor Edward Swanson,
Publisherwww.hologlobepress.com
RULES OF USE
The reports and stories contained on this Web page have been put together with information taken from "The Victor Swanson Fabulous Files of Places to See in Michigan and Wisconsin" and with information obtained from operators and staffers of tourist attractions and from press releases, Web sites, and other sources. The reports and stories are provided as a public service by Victor Swanson and The Hologlobe Press. Almost all persons and entities, such as staffers of radio stations, may freely use the materials; neither AAA Michigan nor any employee of AAA Michigan may use, distribute, download, transmit, copy, or duplicate any of the material presented on this page in any way or through any means.
- - - Travel Thoughts for Everyone - - -
Welcome again to the "Land of High Thought," that place which might seem vague to you if you only take the high road or the low road or if you continually rely on global-positioning equipment to find the local corner market or if the streaming sounds from that little pocket computer have you unaware of what it took to hitchhike from Saginaw in four days.
When you travel on foot, on a bicycle, on a motorcycle, in a car, in an SUV, or in something else, even a train, you might get somewhat lost in thought and dream up such a sentence as that which opens this edition of Michigan Travel Tips, but, then again, you need not travel to get lost in thought and dream up such a sentence as that which opens this edition of Michigan Travel Tips, and, anyway, if you were lost in thought or other matters and were dreaming up such a sentence as that which opens this edition Michigan Travel Tips, you might miss seeing something that you might have been looking for or you should have been looking for, and that would not be good. To me, there are an uncountable number of things that people can do while traveling in Michigan that lead to them missing out on seeing something unique, little or big. Of the many possibilities, I present two stories about traveling in Michigan that should illustrate what I mean about missing things, and all that I say is based in reality or real places in Michigan, really.
Let us look in on the Boon family, a family who has no ties to a town called Boon, which is in Wexford County of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and is near William Mitchell State Park. The Boon family is Kevin, who is the father, Ellen, who is the mother, and Clyde, who is a boy and the son of Kevin and Ellen. They are riding along in recently bought vehicle. Since it is summer, the air-conditioning system is running so that there is no chance they will become even slightly uncomfortable because of the heat of the sun. They have been on the road about twenty minutes since having a late lunch.
Kevin is driving and talking. "The module could be the problem. Did you run a test of the sync pulse?" He rubs his nose. "You're sure?" He has to rub his nose again. "As you know that sync pulse can really cause flaky effects if it's off. Of course, you could have an intermittent connection. A slight vibration could shake up the wiring or a connector or several connectors. You'll never find the problem unless you can duplicate the exact vibration situation." He looks down at the speedometer and realizes the cruise-control device is operating properly. "You're down in that salty air, too. You'd better reexamine the ground connectors, too. The male connector might look good, but there might be just enough surface corrosion to be a problem."
Meanwhile, Clyde is lying down on the back seat and looking up at the inside of the roof. As always, each ear is stuffed with an earplug for a hand-held digital player. Clyde is flipping through the list of songs, nearly bored with all. He's thinking about spending time downloading new songs, but he is too lazy to do it now.
Sitting in the front seat--in the passenger seat of the front seat--is Ellen. She has the seat set back so that she can lean back, as if in the recliner in the gazebo back home on a Friday evening while running a DVR recording of an afternoon soap opera. Since she has no big Media-Center screen in front of her to watch, she has her eyes closed.
Kevin exclaims, "That's one reason I don't get involved with that brand. Of course, everything is being made cheap as we rush to create the lowest quality possible in everything--simply to keep prices down and churn throwaway product." He adjusts the mouthpiece for the PCS phone. "You know, I'd like to have one of those satellite phones. What?" He holds back a cough. "No. Those remote phones that work with low-orbit satellites. The last I knew they cost several thousand dollars just to buy. Then, there's the monthly charge. But you can be anywhere on the planet."
It happens to be eleven minutes and twenty-three seconds after three o'clock in the afternoon.Let us look in on Liz and Jonathan, who are also traveling in Michigan on this summer day. Jonathan is a family attorney, and Liz works in real estate. Their trip together happens to be their first, and this trip happens to be a one-day trip, a type of trip that some people take every so often..
Bored, Liz says, "Mom liked the blue better than the green. But green is her color. I'm not a green person. It's not my color."
Jonathan is pacing along the side of the car, going from the front to the back and the back to the front, something he has been doing for the last half hour, though at times he has stopped and scanned the horizon. Finally, he responds, and he responds softly, "Yes." His mind is on other matters. The car is parked on the shoulder--a grassy shoulder--of a side road that runs parallel with a freeway, which is getting some use, being run on by three or four vehicles a minute, more of which are heading north than are heading south. If it were raining Jonathan and Liz would have to sit out the rain inside the car. Fortunately for them, the weather is dry, and since the weather is dry, Liz can have the passenger door open and can sit on the passenger seat with her legs sticking out of the vehicle. She looks over her shoes again and notices a scuff mark on the toe of the left shoe. While reaching for a facial tissue, she hears the musical theme that indicates a telephone call is coming into Jonathan's phone.
"Hello," Jonathan soon says. "Yes. We're still here." He stops pacing and turns toward the south and squints. "Oh." His squinting is of no use. "At least another twenty minutes. Oh, great." He hears the reason for the delay. "An accident, and you got to get the vehicle out of the way of traffic--on the freeway." He listens, trying to determine how truthful the story that he is being told is. "You happened to be about there right after...."
Liz is hearing half of the conversation and hoping for good news. "Terrific," she says, dejected.
"Then, you have one ahead of us." He wipes away some type of dust particle from the windshield. "I understand." He winces, though not in pain. "Yes. As soon as you can. Thank you." He closes up the phone and puts it back in his shirt pocket. "He won't be able to get here to change the tire for another twenty minutes at least."
"I heard."
"You'd think they've have two trucks and drivers on duty--at least."
So, what can be made of the events in the two stories?
The first story is a logic puzzle, as is the second story, and the first story is designed to make you wonder what the results can come about through the actions of the three individuals. Because Kevin is driving and talking on the phone and not driving only, he is less likely to notice something that he could point out to Ellen and Clyde to see. You should realize by reading the story, I have not hinted where in Michigan the Boon family is, so what might be missed can be anywhere in the state, and one of the missed things can be the Fish Ladder Sculpture, which is at Leonard Street and Front Street in Grand Rapids, and another of the missed things can be the Michigan Historical Marker that is at 333 South Park Street in Kalamazoo (the marker is entitled "First Women's Club in Michigan" and has text that, for one, talks about Mrs. Lucinda H. Stone, who was involved in setting up women's clubs in the country in the mid-1800s). (By the way, I wonder how many people have noticed or paid attention to the Michigan Historical Marker that exists at the northeast corner of the intersection for Michigan Avenue and Outer Drive in Dearborn--it is a marker entitled "St. Joseph's Retreat" and is sort of hidden by bushes, but I always notice it when I pass by it on my ten-speed bicycle.) Certainly, Clyde, while lying on the backseat, is no help in detecting something to see. For example, if they were driving on US-41 in Keweenaw County of the Upper Peninsula, he would not be able to see before his parents would the "Keweenaw Snow Thermometer," which is a 32-foot-high snow gauge set up along US-41 in Keweenaw County (if he were to see it first, he could shout and point and maybe win a "first-to-see-it contest"). Clyde, though looking up, would not see any eagle flying in the sky above, if they were in the Seney area of the Upper Peninsula, and if they were somewhere in the Lower Peninsula and there were any hummingbirds along the road, darting from flower to flower, he would not be able to see them and maybe give at least his mother a chance to put her face against a window in an attempt to see the hummingbirds in time. Of course, Ellen has the biggest chance of missing everything. When a person's eyes are closed and if the person is not really familiar with the area in which the person travels, the person misses everything, and, in this case, she can miss seeing a schooner called Madeline, which is a replica of a schooner that people might have seen in the mid-1800s, is based at Clinch Park Marina at Traverse City, and sails waters near Traverse City, such as the West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay, and she can miss seeing the building that houses the Gerald E. Eddy Discovery Center, which is at the Waterloo State Recreation Area, which is at Waterloo (of Jackson County in the Lower Peninsula), and, in fact, she might not even know she is anywhere near the Waterloo State Recreation Area, and she might not see the building that is the Frank Murphy Museum, which is at Harbor Beach (of Huron County in the Lower Peninsula) and which, generally speaking, is open to visitors only during the summer-tourist season (which runs from the Memorial Day weekend through the Labor Day weekend).
Upon seeing the second story, you should have been able to easily make assumptions, based on the facts presented, and deduced what might be the results of the situation. You should understand what time of day it is, though that information was clearly not given in this story, since it was given in the previous story. Using facts presented, you should have surmised that Jonathan and Liz are waiting for a service-station truck or a "wrecker" and have been waiting for at least a half hour for help, but they could have been waiting for more than a half hour. In this story, time spent waiting has cost Jonathan and Liz dearly, and their time of having to yet spend more time waiting will cost them more. Because time is wasted, by Jonathan or Liz's inability or whatever to change a tire, they can end up missing the opportunity to see a place that they wished to see, and one place that they might miss seeing is the Leelanau Historical Museum, which is at Leland (of Leelanau County in the Lower Peninsula) and is only open till late afternoon on the days that it is open, and they might miss out spending as much time as they would like at the Shrine of Pines, which is near Baldwin (which is in Lake County of the Lower Peninsula) and see the wood creations made by Raymond W. Oberholzer, such as pieces of furniture and chandeliers.
It seems I have made my point about why people can end up missing out on seeing as much as they should while traveling in Michigan, and, of course, what you make of all the thoughts presented within this edition of Michigan Travel Tips is up to you.
Remember: Be sure the spare tire for your vehicle is inflated as it should be and know how to quickly and safely change a tire so that you do not miss out on seeing something in Michigan while traveling in Michigan.
Your travel tips in Michigan are:
The Fish Ladder Sculpture, at Leonard Street and Front Street, Grand Rapids, Kent County, the Lower Peninsula.
The Frank Murphy Museum, Harbor Beach, Huron County, the Lower Peninsula.
The Keweenaw Snow Thermometer, along US-41, Keweenaw County, the Upper Peninsula.
The Leelanau Historical Museum, Leland, Leelanau County, the Lower Peninsula.
Madeline, Clinch Park Marina, Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, the Lower Peninsula.
The Shrine of the Pines, near Baldwin, Lake County, the Lower Peninsula.
William Mitchell State Park, the Cadillac area, Wexford County, the Lower Peninsula.
Waterloo State Recreation Area, Waterloo, Jackson County, the Lower Peninsula.
- - - Public Service Copy for Broadcasters (four pieces) - - -
Number One:
The 2005-2006 winter is gone! Yet, if you look hard, you might
find a bit of snow or ice on the ground somewhere--somewhere--in
Michigan; for example, you might find what looks like snow outside
an ice arena--snow that was scraped off an ice-rink surface.
Really, though, don't expect to find enough snow for good skiing,
and don't expect the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame and Museum,
which is at Ispheming, is closed for the season. Generally, the
museum is open every weekday and Saturday during the year.
And every spring there is something new to see at the museum;
this year, there are new exhibits related to the Hall of Fame
members for the "Class of 2005," one of whom is Erich Sailer,
who is known as the "yoga of ski racing." It was during an event
of April 28 and April 29 when the new members of the Hall of
Fame were inducted into the Hall of Fame. Although it's warm,
keep the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame and Museum in mind.
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Number Two:
Over the last several years, a lot of renovation work has been
taking place at the Detroit Institute of Arts in Detroit, and although
the construction project can be called a "major project," it may
not be as "major" a project as that taking place at the Grand Rapids
Art Museum at Grand Rapids. A completely new building at a
new location is being built in downtown Grand Rapids for the
Grand Rapids Art Museum. The project was started in late 2004,
and it is supposed to be completed this fall. Currently, the museum
is at 155 Division Avenue in downtown Grand Rapids, and one
special exhibit, there, now is "Modern Art and Recent Acquisitions
from the Museum Collection," which will be at the museum till
June 4. That exhibit is something to see now! This fall, the Grand
Rapids Art Museum will be all new, and there will be even more
to see at 101 Monroe Center. Remember, this art museum is also
known as the "GRAM."
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Number Three:
While traveling in Michigan, you probably give no thought to the
Michigan "acts," which are laws, that pertain to motoring and
vehicles in Michigan. The "Michigan Vehicle Code" or "Act 300"
became effective on September 23, 1949, and it is the main law
pertaining to such topics as operating vehicles, licensing vehicles,
and licensing drivers. The "Motor Vehicle Service and Repair
Act" or "Act 300 of 1974" focuses on, for instance, repair facilities
and mechanics. The "New Motor Vehicle Warranties Act" or
"Act 87 of 1986" has the rules about warranties for new vehicles,
and the focus of the "Aftermarket Crash Parts Act" or "Act 158
of 1991" is the using of aftermarket parts for repairs, and the
"Used Motor Vehicle Parts Act" or "Act 119 of 1986" regulates
the buying or receiving of used parts by repair shops. And those
are some of the Michigan "acts" that you probably think little about
while enjoying safe traveling in Michigan.
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Number Four:
On July 2, 1994, many people gathered at K.I. Sawyer Air
Force Base of Marquette County in the Upper Peninsula to see
the last big-time air show given there, and soon after that, the base
was closed down as an official "Air Base." Since the Air Base
was closed, the K.I. Sawyer International Airport has been
opened, and other developments have taken place, and these days,
for instance, people are working to make the "K.I. Sawyer Heritage
Air Museum" a permanent museum at the airport. The "K.I.
Sawyer Heritage Air Museum" does exist today, but it exists in
only limited fashion, or it is open only to people who make special
appointments with the operators. Soon it is hoped by the operators
of the K.I. Sawyer Heritage Air Museum that the museum will be
another important museum in the Upper Peninsula. For now, they
want you to know the K.I. Sawyer Heritage Air Museum is up
and is in operation.
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- - - Contact Information - - -
The Hologlobe Press
Postal Box 5455
Dearborn, Michigan 48128-0455
The United States of Americacopyright c. 2006
File date: 10 April 2006
Date posted: 10 May 2006To see the next edition of Michigan Travel Tips,
click on: Travel #26
To see the previous edition of Michigan Travel Tips,
click on: Travel #24
To see the catalog page for Michigan Travel Tips,
click on: Travel
To go to the main page of The Hologlobe Press,
click on: www.hologlobepress.com
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