Last week I took a sort-of-spontaneous trip with my Mom and Dad as they were passing through town on their way to the U-P to stay at my Uncle Bill’s cabin on the north shore of Lake Michigan. Side note: It’s funny how “The U-P” – The Upper Peninsula – is such a common term to people from Michigan, but for anyone outside the Great Lake State, it might as well be a different language.
This trip used to be a summer staple when I was growing up. But after we moved to the DC suburbs back in the 80s, the trips became less frequent until they stopped altogether around the time my brothers and I started college. I remember one night probably in 2017 where I went on a romantical journey on google maps to see if I could find it. I remember starting at the sat pics on my computer and making a resolution that I would try to go back again someday. Well that day happened in 2019. Since then my parents have been going back (most) every year and so this year I decided to go with.
It was just me and my parents this go round. Danette had her first week of “Back-2-School” and Marcus wanted to spend his last week of summer with his friends.
First stop was in Ann Arbor to crash overnight with our old friend Steve then to “Bill’s Drive In” in Ypsilanti for hot dogs. This place is a staple for my Dad. Must have, number 1, top of the list. 3 chili dogs with onions and a homemade root beer. Boom. This stop alone makes any ~8 hour drive to Michigan worth it.
We also squeezed in a trip to the Vault of Midnight (where I picked up a cool RPG) and caught little concert at the Ark in Ann Arbor. Breakfast the next morning with my uncles at “the Bomber” in Ypsilanti and then back on the road, bound for the U-P. Along the way, I snapped a few pics, including one of the Mackinaw Bridge crossing Lake Michigan and another from a quick stop at Moofinfries for lunch.
The Cabin itself is a haven of peace. Back in the day, there was no running water, no electricity, and not even a bathroom—just an old-school outhouse. But since 2015, it’s been upgraded with bathrooms and power. Still, the vibe remains one of serenity, with the sound of waves, the smell of spruce and cedar, and a chance to truly unplug for a while. Another visit with family before they headed back to their lives.
During our stay, we caught the Perseid meteor showers and the tail end of a solar storm, which let us witness the Northern Lights for a few nights— bucket list item checked. To the naked eye, the lights weren’t that spectacular, but the long exposure on the iPhone’s “night mode” really made the lights pop.
My old dog Pebbles died on Thursday. I was sad not be home for that but also grateful that Danette and Marcus were there for her on her last day.
I flew home on Friday from Escanaba a cute little town on “Little Bay de Noc” about 50 miles west of where we were staying.
Very Nice!
Well put. We looked for the Northern Lights last year (there were rumors that they might be seen) but no luck (so jealous!). Sounds like a great trip.