North Again on US 31

Mary had worked painting walls and other things for KPS this summer and deserved a respite away from the toil and everyday worries of work and whatnot, ya'll know the whatnot, right? Well, being that I just returned from a pleasant northern getaway I knew she needed to go and I needed to wine and dine her, being the one of a year's retirement and all. So, I plotted out in my mind a bit of a retracing of a trip we took around 30 years ago that we took around Lake MIchigan in her Gremlin with my dog Frodo. Out first night was spent with all 3 of us sleeping in the Gremlin in an unpleasant wind and rainstorm in the parking lot of the Pentwater State Park. We returned there under much better circumstances, 75 degrees, blue sky, windy but improved sleeping accomodations 3 minutes up the road with a cottage kitchenette at the Pines Motel. We found Pentwater to be a quaint little place with good restaurants/bars, shops for Mary to drag me around to, and entertainment of the musical and people variety. We beached it with a bunch of folks, I got in some good body surfing (when I could hang on to my loose suit) and swimming, and just hanging out. We'd go back to our little abode and shower and head back to the town for dinner and whatever. After dinner at the Gull Landing Resaurant, we came upon a jam which we found to be called Tuesday night Pickers in the Park, where folks of all ages came to jam and sing. The crowd just sat and laid around and listened as the sun went down over the harbor. We caught the last bit of the sunset drinking White Russians and Bailey's on the outdoor second floor of the Brown Bear pub. We retreated to our little cabin where this being a Tuesday night there were several vacancies and a quiet northern lakeshore night. Wednesday, we had breakfast back at the Gull Landing, got to the beach early before any campers had started yet stumbling down to the beach. Waves were much calmer this day and we did the pier walk and had lunch at the beachstand. After we had enough sun we headed back to the cabin and saw that we had new neighbors, from Ohio, bless their heart and their Buckeye flag;(. We got ready for dinner and this night ate at the "famous" Antler Inn after a pre-dinner cocktail at the Village Cafe and Pub. Our waitress here was Stephanie, an aspiring musician from Kentucky, although not your typical southern gal, very sweet and we of course talked about writing original songs and music. After walking around and having a synchronistic moment running into Connie and Narda from Kalamazoo and their cottage posse up from Grand Haven at a jewelry store we sought out the jazz band that was advertised to be playing back the Gull Landing. We weaseled our way into some seats as the dinner crowd had the outdoor deck packed. We had another sweet young waitress here who attended WMU and of course we had much to talk about, that Bell's Oberon sure can start conversations. We listened to the band who were some white guys playing some mellow dinner jazz. We headed out and this night we were going to get some ice cream like everyone else seemed to be doing. There were as many ice cream places as bars which isn't all bad. This place was very dog friendly as well as visitor friendly, which was common on our little trip. They had plenty of well marked, accessible restrooms as well as poop scoopin bags handy in the parks, now how good is that? The night was upon us and we did have a long day so we had hoped we had given our Ohio State friends time to "party" while we were away. So after our ice cream walking and more window shopping we headed back. There they were husband, wife and their 2 kids, mom and pop drinking beer with the manager of the motel asking us if we we wanted to "party" or were going to crash (wink-wink). Well we closed our windows, turned on the air and the tv and faded away. We could only hear the door keep slamming of their room. the AC did a good job. That is til 2:30 in the morning when we woke to some guy yelling and swearing at someone, we think the neighbor, and saying he hated him. Then coming back and apologizing, getting in his truck and taking off. The Great, White, Weird NOrth invaded by Buckeyes. When we got up and packed up the next morning they were tucked in their room with only the beer cans laying around out front to show for their evening's fun. We were leaving Pentwater behind to those who had come for their "homecoming" celebration which was starting on Thursday. The No Vacancy sign was now up. We had our enjoyment and were on way to Manistee/Arcadia area before we jagged over off 31 to family in Mancelona/East Jordan.
>We continued following our path from 30 years previous on US31 going into Manistee for a quick walk through the downtown and their Riverwalk which is quite impressive that goes all the down to the lake. We got back on the road, actually taking a little detour to M-22 so I could surprise Mary with lunch and a great view at Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course. The guys and I had golfed there and had a couple of great sunset dinners there in years past.
I knew it would be a great day for it as it was crystal clear. The food had always been superb there and it did not disappoint. Really a dramatic point there the northwest shore of Lake Michigan. After lunch we headed up through Frankfort and drove past the Lake Michigan site where I proposed to her back in 1982 near Hesh Fisk's dome cabin.

From there on past The Cherry Bowl Drive -In, Interlochen and around Traverse City back on 131 to our destination, Mancelona, and Sister Suzanne's and Lilly's place. As usual we were welcomed warmly and River the dog was literally bouncing on and off of us with wild exuberance. The next morning Sue had a Farmer's Market in Bellaire so she spent the evening preparing and packing her truck. She was taking a fresh load of veggies from her friends co-op garden plus her usual jewelry and Mrs. Morrison's pepper jelly. She would do well and sold out of all the beans and much of everything else. Mary and I had Lilly and took her over to Grandma and Grandpa Linc's as my mom was waiting patiently for our visit. We were to meet Sue after market at the Bellaire Bar but not before a visit to Brownwood Acres near Torch Lake. Lily had to see the animals there and we had to buy some of their famous wares. Grandpa Linc bought lunch at the Bellaire Bar for us and we were headed back to rest up as Saturday was another market morning in Boyne City. Before we did that Mom and Sue made us dinner at the East Jordan abode Friday night and we had some good laughs as usual. Back at Sue's she again prepared for market the next day. Friday night it rained hard up north and brought on a moist, warm Saturday. Sue was gone again by 7 and we slept in til 9. We made it to market by 11 or so and Sue had again done quite well with sales. Mom was her pepper jelly sales help. Mary and I bought some squash and apricots and Sue gave us some leftover lettuce and squash. Of course we were hungry after all the work of packing up the truck and had to eat so we hit a little deli in Boyne City that hit the spot. It was there that another moment of synchronicity hit as Lily met a daschund named Lilly from Detroit that she was petting and holding. So the heat was upon us and we had promised Lily a dip in a lake, well hey there is a little public beach in Boyne City on Lake Charlevoix we discovered just around the corner from the deli and the SOBO gallery we checked out that Sue had some of her jewelry at where two gentlemen were picking on guitar, fiddle and mandolin. In a matter of minutes were on the beach again where Lilly, Grandma, Aunt TeeTee Mary and Suze were swimming. Grandpa Linc hung out in the car keeping up on the latest breaking Sports news. Soon it was time for Mary and I to end our little vacation and head back south for home and the what is and whatnot.We all said our goodbye's and gave thanks for all that we are lucky to have, especially one another. Much of this trip brought back memories of past trips to the north of Michigan, the call of the wild and it's great lakes. Some nostalgia trippin of many times with our own girls when they were young up in these parts. Some memories recall just Mary and I many years ago in a little car with little money and a dog named Frodo. Some that we shared with Mom, Suze, Uncle Jerry and Janni, golfing, shopping, driving these same curvy, twisty roads as Lilly would say, looking for fresh produce to cook up. Much has changed-family members passed, grown up, moved on or just not part of this trip but the countryside, the woods, the lakes and rivers have not changed so much. They remain the constant of Michigan lore. They are the lure that brings us back searching for the wood smoke of a summer evening, the musky farm smells, the quality of the crisp night air, the dramatic visualsof the dunes, the shooting stars of August in an incredible night sky of wonderment. This nature will remain for more memories to be made by those who follow and more connections to be thankful for if we appreciate it for what it gives us, if we take care of it as we should. I enjoyed the this time with you Mary, in Michigan again.