Sunday, 21 July 2019
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| today's route |
On the road
I've noticed that, although Michigan's roads are otherwise in pretty good shape, especially compared with Ohio's, they seem ambivalent about those extra lines highway departments put in your lane when they don't think you have far enough visibility to pass another car. Meaning, they don't use them very often. Over and over I've seen curves that can absolutely not be seen around (though I don't know what it's like in the winter when the deciduous trees have done their thing) and not a do-not-pass line or even a sign in sight. And this road is no exception. Not much help for drivers.
I crossed the 45th Parallel again.
Daylilies grow around here like wildflowers. Actually, I think they are wildflowers.
I passed through Atlanta, "Elk Capital of Michigan."
I heard an interview on Outdoor Magazine with the local public radio station of a game manager for MI Dept. of Natural Resources (I'd have said DNR except I met some tourists in Indiana who had never heard that abbreviation; they said they were from North Carolina, and I assured them NC had one too - all states do, surely). Anyway, he was talking about Chronic Wasting Disease in the Michigan deer population. Apparently it's spreading through the deer population and there's some concern it could also spread to cattle and even to humans who work with infected animals. Taxidermists, for instance. Not something I'd given any thought to.
I drove through Gaylord, "The Alpine Village." I was certain there'd be photos online so I didn't stop for my own, and there are photos online - just not any I can reproduce here. So choose "Images" under your favorite search engine and you'll see how they've tarted up their town. They have a sister city in Switzerland.
I crossed the 45th Parallel yet again.
The majority of volunteer clean-up crews seem to be doing it in memory of someone, which is actually a nice memorial, when you think about it.
I only got about 4 hours of sleep last night for some reason, and today I'm having a really tough time staying awake. It almost got a little scary at times how sleepy I was. Where's a roadside park when you need one. And then, switching through the radio stations, I found one playing "The Moonlight Sonata" - not what I needed.
Clare
I made a special trip down here just to go to the original location of Cops & Doughnuts. Remember I mentioned them on my first day in Michigan? Well, here was my chance.
I first spent a couple of hours at the local laundromat, walking the dogs a couple of times while I waited for the machines. Then I drove a few blocks farther into downtown for the bakery.
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| Cops & Doughnuts |
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| outside ... |
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| ... and inside |
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, the local police force stepped in when this bakery, in operation since 1896, was closing and they bought it and ran it. They still do. I think the original bakery was in the white building, and they've since bought the brick building next door and are using it for extra eating space.
For me, I gotta support a business that spells "doughnuts" correctly. I bought a blueberry turnover for tomorrow's breakfast and a cinnamon roll for lunch today. It was really good.
I saw some flyers posted in several businesses alerting the public that in August Clare would be host to the Blues, Brats and Brews festival. I'm really wishing I were going to be in Michigan in August, though I'm sure Wisconsin will have festivals of their own.
I passed a church (don't know what flavor because I was too busy reading the sign) with a sign that said: "Religion leads to Hell, Only Jesus Saves." I have to believe they weren't thinking clearly about what they were writing - religion leads to Hell? On a church sign?
A clean-up crew along the road was called Up Dog Your Local Weenie. I have no idea.
I came up this way because, not only did Camp Cadillac have room for me to stay a couple of days, but it's also in the town of Cadillac, which I had to visit to see if it's as luxurious as the cars. Tomorrow.
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