Virtual vacation, Day 4

Continuing the virtual vacation. Day 1 is here. Day 2 is here and bundled with Day 3 which are here.

Day 4 dawned in Lansing. I woke just a little bit keyed up because we were going to recreate a photo my parents had taken of my dad standing in front of the house he first lived in starting in mid-1925. I’ve detailed that in a scant century of weirdness, which I posted in mid-July. After spending the morning doing that, we returned to the hotel via the state capitol building.

With both the students and legislators apparently on break, Lansing seemed to be a ghost town. We noted some architecturally interesting buildings…

…and crossing the Grand River we resupplied and headed north to Mackinaw City.

If Day 3 gifted us with the joys of road tripping, Day 4 erased those good vibes with its monotony. As noted before, US-127 changes its stripes in Michigan showing a real wannabe-a-freeway side. No decorous farms noted our passing. The road barreled past interchanges promising to take us to where most of the little towns and cities apparently went to hide when the concrete came through. Finally the highway gives up altogether, joining I-75 for the final 90 miles or so to Mackinaw City. I made a seemingly boneheaded maneuver when I missed a detour route–road construction occurred everywhere but was especially prevalent in Michigan–and in a sudden panic, turned us onto a “no re-entry” road. The ensuing journey back to I-75 turned out to be the best part of the trip as we were shunted all over the upper tip of the peninsula through small towns and beside pretty lakes before popping out on the streets of Mackinaw City.

Michigan’s road travels seemed particularly boring. Maybe we just weren’t in the right mood. On this day the weather was overcast all day. We don’t like interstates and other controlled access roads except when we’re in a hurry, and on then we usually hate them anyway due to the gridlock traffic jams slowing us down. Looking with Google Earth shows me plenty of lovely forested road in the latter part of our route. Did we just get jaded by then? No matter. We arrived with relief to our hotel in Mackinaw City, the Hamilton Inn where the delightful all-Jamaican staff welcomed us warmly. Yes, all Jamaican. We learned that evening about how one family owns most of the hotels and restaurants in town. We’re not sure if it goes that far, but the Michigan Attorney General’s office probed those businesses a couple years ago and a Public Radio article mentioned at least 20 hotels being owned by the family. We were directed to restaurant across the street where staff also appeared to be Jamaican for the most part. Interesting…