Day in the D

"I always tell people, 'Man, I'm from Detroit! 

We don't buy s***, we build it!'" -- Kid Rock

No odyssey throughout Michigan is complete without a stop in Detroit, the state's largest and most well-known city. And with my new focus on hope and agritourism, what better place to go than to Eastern Market? This time around, I traveled with my friend Amr and allowed ourselves to get immersed in the hundreds upon hundreds of vendors. Though past the initial 5 a.m. rush right when the market opens, the sheds and streets were filled with people carrying their purchased goods, some in eco-friendly bags and others rigged them up on their bicycles. I even saw one man using a retro Radio Flyer to transport his produce to his car. 

Before I hit the Eastern Market photo highlight reel, here's an interesting fact about farming: it could actually really help pull Michigan out of its economic slump. With the unemployment rate at a startling 13.6 percent in the state, many Michiganders are turning to the state’s fertile land as a means of creating income. As a result, the average net income of Michigan’s farms has actually flourished in the hard economic times: between 2007 and 2008, the average intake for Michigan farms jumped from $1,195, 321 to $2,009, 926, an increase of more than 1.8 million dollars (United States Department of Agriculture, 2008). Talk about some food for thought!

Mums, the essential fall flower. 

A street musician performs TV and movie theme songs.

Signage from some urban farmers. 

After walking around the market for a while (and buying some much needed eggs), we decided to drive around the city for a bit, just to soak it all in. We didn't do any urban exploration (though this video series by Palladium Boots does a fantastic job of doing just that), but I was able to snap some pretty good photos of the D. You know, some people look at Detroit and see run down buildings. I look at it and see endless means of potential. 

The city is essentially a blank canvas to create something quite beautiful and to echo the sentiments of Bob Sutherland, the president of Cherry Republic I interviewed this summer, if people see others successfully putting their stake in Michigan, maybe that will give them the hope to follow suit. And through my travels for this thesis, I have learned that the people of Michigan are some of the most resolute, resourceful and hopeful people I have ever met. And I am so proud to be one of them. 

The streets of downtown.

The Ren Cen.

Beautiful, isn't it?

Gorgeous mural at the Russell Industrial Center.

While looking run down from the outside, the RIC is

actually a thriving artists' community. 

More of the RIC. 

In other thesis news, I have turned in my research paper to my committee to review before it ultimately gets turned in for final submission with the MALS program! I am so excited to have gotten oh-so-close to the finish line, though I know that once I walk across stage on Dec. 12 that Project Michigan will never end. I will  always be watching for positive news on the state, supporting Michigan-made products and most of all, continue to experience everything the great state of Michigan has to offer. Because after all, there are so many stories out there still waiting to be told. I look forward to being a voice for them. :)

I've Been Thinking...

"When wine enters, out goes the Truth." -- Benjamin Franklin

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. Not that this is a new phenomenon or anything, because I ponder things a lot. But in terms of my master's thesis and Project Michigan, the hamster wheel in my head has definitely been spinning overtime lately. It could be that I am almost at a point of sensory overload. Michigan has so much to offer -- four seasons, every kind of recreation imaginable, the people, the sights, the sounds, the food, the eclectic landscapes -- that I feel scattered. After consulting my master's program director (Dr. Linda Benson is a godsend, by the way), I have decided that when it comes time to conduct the paper portion of my thesis, I am going to pull back on the reins and narrow my topic down.

The blog itself will not change focus. I will still post about my travels and musings in the state. But for the paper, I have decided to go with two main factors I have learned in my time on the road. I have discovered that in my experience, there are two major things keeping people in Michigan: one is the rise of the agritourism industry in the state and the other is that people are generally hopeful that things will improve and as a result, possess characteristics such as optimism, resourcefulness and patience.

I think narrowing it down will help me better collect my thoughts and zoom in on a smaller piece of a larger picture. In addition to the psychological and sociological studies of hope, there is plenty of literature on wineries, breweries and farming that I will be checking out in the coming weeks. I'll let you know when I find something interesting. :)

Bringing it All Home

"Guess I've got that old travellin' bone
Got a feelin', won't leave me alone
But I won't, I won't be losin' my way, no, no
Long as I can see the light" --Creedence Clearwater Revival 

It began as a weird day in the Mitten, though I should hardly be surprised. Here it was, the second week in October and I was wearing a tank top to fend off 70+ degree heat as I drove along M33 Friday afternoon. Go figure. 

The destination was Michigan's Thumb, the last major region of the state I needed to hit to essentially have my cross-state journey completed. Known for it's rich, sprawling farmland, the Thumb is not as breathtaking as the UP or as quaint as the Sunset Coast, but it's still beautiful in its own right and it's agriculture is just as essential to the state as anything else. 

Along the drive, we passed through multiple small towns and I was so relieved to see despite their size, they were in full bloom, bustling with people and 'open' signs in the shop windows. Maybe it was just an effect after seeing so many vacancies in the UP, but it was a great feeling to be hard-pressed to find for sale signs and that even these pint-sized areas had punches of personality, like Comins. 

"The ghost town with a lot of spirit." / Samantha Franz

A quarry outside of Comins. / Samantha Franz

My first destination was just above the Thumb in Alpena, a city along Thunder Bay that was holding it's annual Lighthouse Festival. Though the festivities in town were not in full swing in the early afternoon, the selling point of the celebration is for guests to drive along the shoreline and stop at the various lighthouses dotting the map that have served as beacons to Michigan's sailors for generations. But, first things first: there is a small winery that does something special for the festival that I just had to check out, so I made tracks to Stoney Acres Winery. 

Founded in 1999, the winery began as a supplier for home brewers and winers before branching off into Michigan's ever-growing wine producing industry. I knew it was a good place when I was met by an official greeter. Her name was a Sugar, a plump Chocolate Lab that eagerly waited for us to get out of the car so we could pet her. When she perched herself on my lap and waited for me to scratch her back, I felt like I was back home with my own Golden Retriever. 

Stoney Acres Winery / Samantha Franz

What was really cool about the winery was their commemorative wine bottles in honor of the Lighthouse Festival. Every year, they bottle just 200 units of a wine inside glass bottles that look like a Michigan lighthouse, with the bottle and wine changing every year. Part of the proceeds go toward funding the preservation of the state's lighthouses. How cool is that? This year's was the Round Island Lighthouse that housed a red raspberry wine.  

Afterward, we made the descent down the Lake Huron shoreline toward Caseville, where some very good friends of the family (heck, practically family for that matter) were letting us stay at their cottage. Along the way, we decided to stop at a few of the lighthouses along the route in the spirit of the festival. 

Sturgeon Point Lighthouse / Samantha Franz

Tawas Point Lighthouse / Samantha Franz

The drive home was pretty uneventful, though my senses were enriched with several things that reminded me why not only is a Michigan fall my all-time favorite season, but also why October might arguably might be my favorite time of the year (well, except for Christmas).  

The small town of Harrisville had the that fallen leaf smell in the crisp autumn 

air that brought back memories of high school football 

games and late night bonfires. / Samantha Franz

Another one of my favorite things about fall is football. Many of the small towns we drove through had all kinds of best wishes messages to their high school team in their shop windows and with the Michigan/Michigan State game looming the next day, everybody's allegiances were on full display. The energy was contagious and I couldn't help but feel giddy as we continued on the road. 

When we did arrive in Caseville, we were pleasantly surprised to see my dad and my dog up there too! I always had a hunch that my dad was kind of bummed that we always had to work when these Project Michigan trips took place, so he took off the weekend to spend some time with us. All together now: awwwwww. :) 

~*~*~

The following morning, it was off to the Port Austin farmer's market, probably one of the nicest ones I have been to. The town square was jammed packed with vendors selling crafts, hand woven baskets, antiques and, of course, locally sourced produce. The whole family went, even Auggie who sopped up the sun, wind and bustling atmosphere like a fuzzy, four-legged sponge. Everybody stopped to say hello to him, pet him and make comments about his enormous paws and head. We, meanwhile, filled our market bag to the brim with goods, including Amish noodles, potatoes, peanut butter dog treats and even a 1959 Michigan license plate. With the Backyard Brawl a few hours away, school colors were everywhere, and even if you fell on neither side of the battle line, there was plenty of other schools represented, including Central, Eastern, Western and, of course, my own Oakland. 

Fall goodies

All kinds of homemade goods to sample

These are awesome. If you're ever in the area, highly recommended. 

Gourds.

Handmade baskets

Everyone's fall flower of choice: the mum. 

Auggie enjoying every second of the

 market. / All photos by Samantha Franz

Afterward, we made a pit stop at Walt's Meat Mart to pick up some pork steaks to barbecue (which Walt came over and cut for us personally), then we dropped off the boys to head out to Bad Axe. We stopped back in Port Austin on the way for lunch at a small mom and pop place called The Stock Pot (Best. Chicken soup. Ever.) before continuing on.There's a really neat antique store in Bad Axe that is more like a small village, with several buildings on site that house home goods and decorations so immaculately, that you'd think you were looking at a magazine photo shoot. 

All photos by Samantha Franz

But our time was short, since only one of the biggest college football games of the season was kicking off at 3:30, so we made our way back to the cottage in Caseville. 

You know, throughout Project Michigan, traveling has been nothing short of a whirlwind. I have been trying to fit as much as possible into a few days at a time to truly experience everything Michigan has to offer. That day,  things were a little different: for the first time since July, I went to my home base and stayed there. It was comfortable and relaxing and I felt like I could truly relate to all the people I have spoken with during my thesis. Whenever I asked the question 'Why do you remain in Michigan," the most popular answer is a close variant of the following: "This is my home. Why would I want to be anywhere else?" 

So that Saturday afternoon, I stopped looking at Michigan as a tourist and instead, as a resident. The fuzzy feelings of home came flooding forth as we all watched Michigan State defeat Michigan, as I shot a BB gun rifle in the backyard with my dad and as I ate a home cooked meal with my family. That sense of belonging and that reassuring feeling of comfort is what truly makes someplace your own and it's no wonder so many people are staying put. Michigan has so much to offer that it is easy to make it a home. 

~*~*~

The following morning, we loaded up our respective cars and made the journey back to Warren, my own home. Here's a photo highlight reel of the trip back:

Outside Leipprandt Orchards in Pigeon 

Mmmm apples. 

Point Aux Barques Lighthouse

Harbor Beach Lighthouse

Fall color. :) / All photos by Samantha Franz

In the coming days, I plan to spend some time in Detroit and of course, I will have my camera and video recorder on hand. In the meantime, some parting shots from the Thumb:

Fishing in the Au Sable River

Signage in Bayport, a huge fishing area in the Thumb

What more do you need? :)

In the Stock Pot. Check out the info here. 

The water tower in Elkton. Yeah, makes me smile, too.

Look out, boys. I'm a pretty good 

shot. / All photos by Samantha Franz

427 Miles

"Not all who wander are lost." - J.R.R. Tolkien

Well, this was it. After countless miles logged, hundreds of pictures taken, and four days in the most unique and beautiful scenery I have ever come across in the state, it was time to make the 427 mile trek from Escanaba to Warren. No small feat, indeed. We woke up early with the intent of getting as much road time as possible with few distractions. This sounded like a great idea in theory....until we passed this. 

Cooking like Mama? Yes, please. / Samantha Franz

After a rather unsatisfying hotel breakfast, I was craving something a bit more substantial, as well as a hearty cup of coffee. The atmosphere was warm and cozy and every square inch of wall space was covered in various clocks for sale that were coordinated to go off at different times throughout the day. The clock by us even featured a four-piece band that dropped down at a quarter after the hour to play the theme from "Phantom of the Opera."

I have picked up on a two culinary revelations while in the UP:

1.) Yoopers love their coffee. Every place I have driven through, from the bustling college towns to even the smallest of former mining havens, has at least one mom and pop place to get a cup of coffee. And I have never, ever been disappointed by any mug I have experienced. 

2.) Scandinavians make really, really good pancakes. 

The interior of The Swedish Pantry. / Samantha Franz

Swedish pancake with spiced peaches. 

All together now: Yum. / Samantha Franz

The Swedish Pantry wouldn't be the only distraction on the way home, but you know what? That was okay. I don't like traveling with tunnel vision. Even though our sights were set on home, I think it's important to keep your eyes open to what's going on around you, because you never know what you are going to come across. Like Mackinac Trail Winery in Manistique, a small but charming "blink and you'll miss it" family-owned winery right off the marina that has had so much word of mouth success that they are looking to expand to other locations, including Michigan wine Mecca Traverse City. I had a nice chat with Krista, the daughter of the owners who filled us in on the business' expansion, as well as pointing us in the direction of where the wine was made...just  across the parking lot. 

The tasting room...

...and where the wine is made! / Photos by Samantha Franz

Our final pit stop before St. Ignace was the Cut River Bridge, which we spent quite some time looking for, only to realize that you literally drove over the bridge on M-2. Oops. 

 All photos by Samantha Franz

By the time we reached St. Ignace to recharge our batteries, it was about 2:30, so we were actually making pretty good time. And of course, no trip to the UP is complete without a pasty, so we made sure to stop at Suzy's Pasties to bring some of the goods home. Then, just as quickly as the week seemed to pass, we approached the Mighty Mac once again. I crossed it with a small tinge in my heart. Though we were still hours from home, I felt like the trip was already over. I missed it already, as I watched the Yoop grow smaller and smaller in the rear view mirror, a montage of memories seemed to flash before my eyes: accidental off roading, the agate beach, the ocean-like majesty of Lake Superior, the small towns and the kind and hospitable group of people that are a breed all their own. 

Traverse City offers the most to do, the sunset coast is full of hidden treasures, but I have to say of all my extended stay trips, the UP has been my favorite. I really look forward to coming back and really spending some quality time with our fellow Michiganders above the bridge. 

Highlights of the day:

After 231 steps at the Cut River Bridge, we were treated to this view.

One last view of the bridge before returning to

 the LP. / All photos by Samantha Franz

It is now the early days of October and I think I have one more extended stay trip in me: the Thumb. In the meantime, I will begin to craft my Project Michigan research paper to supplement my blog and before you know it, I will have a master's degree in hand come December. It's crazy to think that at 24 I'll have two degrees, but let's not get to far ahead here. There's still plenty of Michigan to experience. See you soon!