Michigan
A great package of strong diverse memories awaken in me
When the State of Michigan is brought up
The first time was in the fall of 1960.
My family and I were on our way to Kincheloe Air Force Base
After living in Japan for three years
My first experience was arriving over a newly opened and very stormy Mackinaw Bridge
It was blowing snow and I clearly remember we had to wait for the bridge
To be opened to traffic
It also cost a fortune to cross when it first opened
The bridge itself is a wonder and I have been over it many times both ways
I would attend high school first in Rudyard and then at Loretta in Sault Ste Marie
The UP in the early fall is a place of incredible color and rapidly cooling temperatures
It was a very green area with beautiful forest and what seemed to be millions of deer
I-75 was built when I lived there and once while racing along a back road
With my sister in pursuit
I buried my father's car almost to the door in the soft sand bed of the new interstate
I learned to drive on highway 129 (the back road into the Sault) and drove it often
I went to the drive in for all night movies with many a girlfriend and usually my sister
We also went dancing many times in the Canadian Sault and
Experienced vinegar with our French fries
I helped build a small brick southern Baptist Church on what is H63 now
But was the main road then
I went swimming in the short and coldish summers near Brimley with girlfriends
Played football at Engadine, De Tour, Cedarville and Pickford among other places
I have camped at Trout Lake with a dear friend at the time and
Seen bears running across roads
I have driven both highway 2 and 28 across the UP then and once with my wife
In all the years I do not think it changed very much
Closed minded people who not just disliked you but let you know
Of their strong dislike for you
The reason they disliked you was that you were not from there
I went to Mackinaw island with girlfriends and then later once with my wife
It is a unique tourist island that should be visited once with a grand hotel
Despite some good moments I did not have the best of high school experiences
With no friends to remember
Linda and I owned our first real home in Lansing,
A small red brick home where we actually laid the sod
While living in Lansing my wife and I opened our modest home
To unwed mothers for the Catholic Social Services
This was quite an experience for us and had a big influence on our future life experiences
We went to Detroit and saw Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar
When all the performers could do was to sing, not perform
We even visited the Playboy Bunny Club and went to Hudson's Thanksgiving Parade
Later my wife and I would own a home in Interlochen for a short while
This was a beautiful area known for the international music camp
When we were first married we lived in Eaton Rapids and in Moon Lake,
Where we had a trailer, mobile home if you will
Our second daughter was born in Eaton Rapids and we often went to Jackson,
Later to see friends and to the harness races
Once we took my favorite aunt to see a harness race and
She was mortified when a horse fell and had to be put down
Jackson had a fine State Fair that we enjoyed
State Fairs are wonderful and maybe one of the best things I remember about Michigan
The Iona State fair is one of our favorites
Tiger Stadium was the place I remember having my best times later in life
We went to an incredible double header there and saw
Jack Morris pitch against Roger Clemens
There was a long rain delay but did not matter was a wonderful time
We had obstructed view seats that were far better than any other seats
I remember the feeling of thinking I was sitting right on top of Bill Freehan
After the Army we went back there and it was still Michigan and evil came roaring out
The best thing in that period of time for us was coaching kids in flag football leagues
Some of those children are now grandparents and still remember me with love
We have a daughter, her husband and our grandson who live near Detroit in Rochester Hills
Once we spent the whole day with Nikki at the Detroit Zoo and had the most wonderful day
There was a great butterfly exhibit and we took pictures of two fabulous eagles
We walked under visible swimming polar bears, wow
Michigan will always be a painful place for me to think about
It is a beautiful state with harsh winters and hot summers except in the UP
Autumn can be physically glorious and Traverse City is a very lovely city
The apple orchards and the golf courses around Traverse City are very nice
Still we have travelled every inch of this State and probably not go back except to briefly visit our daughter