2019 Winter in Michigan

Winter in Michigan

February 21-27, 2019

A journal kept by Susan Hanes during a winter drive through Michigan from February 21-27, 2019. Photos by Susan Hanes, c. 2019 Cover: Along the perimeter of Glen Lake

Winter in Michigan February 21-27, 2019

After undergoing a total riser replacement project in our building, Jake and I were faced with the follow-up repair and repainting of our apartment. For several days, we assumed that we could remain at home while the work took place, but when the floor refinishing man arrived with his enormous sander and the painter told us that the next step was applying oil-based paint to the moldings, we realized that we would have to vacate. Since our closets were encased in protective plastic and the furniture had been pushed to the center of the bedroom, making access to our drawers impractical, we grabbed what we could, and on a whim, headed for Michigan. Jake had been wanting to take a winter trip there and this offered the perfect opportunity for us to go.

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Thursday, February 21

to Marshall

Leaving Chicago at 1:00, we took the Skyway to I-90/94 into Michigan. While Jake drove, I worked on cancelling our plans for the next week. Three hours brought us to Marshall, where we proceeded directly to Dark Horse Brewing Company (“Making Bad Ass Beer in Marshall, Michigan”). I tried Scary Jesus Pale Ale and sampled Black Ale under a ceiling of numbered handmade mugs. We secured reservations for the night at the local Hampton Inn and then went to Schuler’s, choosing to eat at Winston’s Pub, associated with the main restaurant.

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Friday, February 22 to Traverse City After breakfast at the motel, we were on the road by 10:00 and an hour later, arrived in Ann Arbor. We drove through the campus of the University of Michigan, taking a series of photos around the perimeter of Michigan Stadium, a bowl recessed into a hillside, much of which is not visible. It is the biggest university stadium in the nation, with an official capacity of 107,601. However, it has been known to host crowds of more than 115,000 for big games against rivals Ohio State and Michigan State. We drove by the law school to see the new construction since it has been nearly ten years since we were last there. Architecturally, the quad has been maintained in the same late English Gothic style. Passing numerous fraternity and sorority houses, we found Zingerman’s Delicatessen near the old Farmer’s Market area. We stood in a long line to order Ruben sandwiches, noticing as we left an hour later that the line extended out the door. We decided to forgo going into Detroit and proceeded north through Fenton, the home of Jake’s paternal relatives. After gassing up in Flint, we passed through Saginaw and Breckenridge, where Jake’s former wife, Sue, grew up. Continuing north, we reached Higgins Lake at 4:30. We walked down to the edge of the frozen lake. Ice fishing shacks dotted the surface and snowmobiles buzzed in the distance. Jake was impressed by the extensive new residential construction and with some difficulty found the home where Sue’s family had spent their summers. We proceeded through Grayling to Traverse City, arriving at dusk. We stayed in another Hampton Inn located outside the city limits, driving three miles into town for pizza and beer at North Peak Brewery (“Brewed Up North”).

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Ann Arbor

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Higgins Lake

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Saturday, February 23

to Petoskey

This morning we turned off the main road onto MI-37, driving up the Old

decided to continue to Harbor Springs in order to see it in its winter mantle

Mission Peninsula to visit six of the 10 wineries on the Traverse City Wine

while the weather held. We arrived at 3:00 and walked the streets, finding

Trail. Finding some closed due to the hour or the season, we participated in

most of the stores open. On the way, we passed the turnoff for Boyne

tastings at four: Peninsula Cellars, Chateau Grand Traverse, Brys Estate, and

Highlands but decided not to attempt to visit it or other ski resorts in the

Mari Vineyards. The wineries on that peninsula are noted for their Rieslings

area. Returning to Petoskey, we made a quick tour through downtown,

and we bought several bottles. We were somewhat surprised at how many

stopping for artisanal cheese and gourmet crackers at Symons General Store.

people were in the tasting rooms on such a cold, wintry day. We had

We checked into our room at the grand old Perry Hotel, dating from 1889.

planned to go up to the end of the peninsula but it was already 1:30 and we

Once in our room, we chilled our wine and savored it while I monitored the

thought we’d better go on to Petoskey, as we were concerned about a

weather. At 8:00, we went down for a light meal in Noggins Pub on the

predicted winter storm. However, when the storm had not materialized, we

lower level of the hotel.

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Harbor Springs

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Sunday, February 24

Petoskey

I had been concerned about the weather since Friday morning and frequently

far. At 5:00, we adjourned to our room for a pre-dinner glass of wine from

consulted my numerous weather apps, finding the timing of the ominous

our stash. The wind had picked up significantly and we listened as 60 mph

forecast pushed back every time I checked. But we decided to spend the day

gusts rattled the windowpanes. The storm was finally upon us. Jake braved the

enjoying the cozy ambiance of this rambling hotel and not venture out. After a

parking lot to pick me up at the door for the .3-mile drive to Chandlers where

leisurely breakfast in the Rose Room with a view over a frozen Lake Michigan,

we had reservations for dinner. The wind gusts practically carried us in. We

we explored the hotel, stopping to study a series of old photographs from the

were surprised to see that we actually needed those reservations, even on

early 20th century when wealthy families from Cleveland, Detroit, and Chicago

such a night. It was obvious that Michiganders are not intimidated by the

would come up to spend the hot city summers taking in the breezes off the

weather. We had a pleasant meal of asparagus soup and halibut and shared

lake. We spent most of the day by the fireplace in the Victorian drawing room,

Hummer, an ice cream and rum dessert. Back in our room, we rounded out

sipping tea in our new insulated wine cups and making notes of our journey so

the evening watching the Oscars while the storm raged outside.

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Monday, February 25

to Ludington

We checked out of the Perry Hotel after another hearty breakfast in the

Seeing a flag waving a welcoming “Open,” we stopped for bowls of thick

Rose Room. The wind had subsided and we saw no significant snow

tomato bisque at Trish’s Dishes before continuing on M-22 to Glen Arbor.

accumulation on the car (it had probably all blown away). But it was cold—

We had enjoyed our stay there in the fall of 2010, but today we were just

the car showed 8 degrees F. We retraced our route to Charlevoix and

passing through. We decided instead to follow the winding snow-covered

Traverse City and then proceeded 16 miles along the West Arm of Grand

perimeter road around the lake. The drive was beautiful, the road lined with

Traverse Bay to Suttons Bay. There was little activity there, as most of the

snow-dusted pine trees. We continued south through Manistee to Ludington

shops and restaurants were closed for the season. We continued west 10

where we stopped for the night at a Holiday Inn Express. I can’t imagine

miles to Leland, a picturesque village of 2,000 located on the peninsula

who would have designed such a place: the trek from the sole elevator to

between Lake Michigan and Lake Leelanau. We turned down an icy lane to

our room was over 80 yards by my count. After a break, we drove four

Fish Town, one of the last working fishing districts on the Great Lakes. Today

miles through a light snow into town where we had beer and bar snacks at

we found the shanties closed tight and the lake frozen into jagged shards.

the Ludington Bay Brewing Company.

Suttons Bay 18

Leland

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Glen Lake

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Tuesday, February 26

to Stevensville

We got away just before 10:00 and were surprised to see that even the

specialist,” came from the back to greet us. She told us that Greg was

smaller state roads were totally clear of snow and ice. As we headed south

traveling but that we were free to look around and make purchases. We

through Muskegon, the traffic started to pick up. An hour and a half later we

left with four bottles of cider and a couple of pint glasses. We decided to

reached Saugatuck. Half of the businesses were closed for the season and

stop for sandwiches—and Virtue cider— at Roots in Fennville after seeing a

the harbor looked oddly bare, with no boats in sight. Suddenly, we got the

menu for the place displayed in the Tap Room. Roots (motto: “Feel

idea to go to Virtue Cider located in nearby Fennville. The business was

Grounded”) is a funky café with mis-matched chairs and tables that shares

developed by Greg Hall, who for twenty years was the brewmaster at

space with a gallery displaying local arts and crafts. We continued south to

Goose Island, perhaps the first craft brewery in the Chicago area. Greg was

St. Joseph along a local road that paralleled I-94 and took us closer to the

in Hillary’s class in High School and Jake and his family knew his family when

lake. Noticing the South Bend Chocolate Company located in an old-

they lived in Hinsdale. As we turned off the main road, we passed a

fashioned store front, we stopped for dishes of Sherman’s ice cream while

wooden sign announcing that it was closed for the season. Nonetheless, we

The Platters crooned “The Great Pretender” in the background. The

turned into the complex and parked. We walked between the two large

Hampton Inn in Stevensville was home for the night, with a room

Tudor-styled sheds in which Virtue produces a dozen different ciders, all

overlooking the interstate. We spent the evening in our room, sharing a

using Michigan apples. Jake found that the Tap Room door was unlocked

bottle of Michigan Riesling as we reminisced about past travels, Jake reading

and we went on in. As we glanced around, Katie Brodie, “hospitality

from my journals on my laptop.

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Saugatuck 24

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Fennville

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Wednesday, February 27

to Chicago

The distance to Chicago was only 90 miles, so we took Red Arrow Highway

take was that we’d had a lovely winter get-away, but when we got back we

(US 12) from St. Joseph to Union Pier, driving through Harbert, Bridgman, and

realized that the apartment was far from ready to be called home again.

Lakeside to get a sense of Harbor Country in Southwestern Michigan. Jake’s

Gathering our bags, we headed across the street to the Ambassador Hotel,

patience finally wore out and we got on I-94, the fast way home. The positive

where we would continue our escape from the mess for a while longer.

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A journal kept by Susan Hanes during a winter drive through Michigan from February 21-27, 2019. Photos by Susan Hanes c. 2019 34