#showup
I have been using this hashtag more and more recently. I like it. It's something that we need more of. We are stuck in our comfort zones. We affiliate with people "like us," but in the early 21st Century we've taken it to a dangerous extreme: we only affiliate with people that think like us.
We've gotta show up in places where we are rarely found: Family Reunions, in Church or any spiritually-expanding setting, at youth events, at our own family dinner table . . . or how about in a neighborhood where you can really do some good? How about with people with different politics than you?
This is the purpose behind the Connect Michigan project. And so far I have enjoyed seven day trips in our state, with a friend that expanded my horizons and understanding. She is taking a break from the project, which has left me in a search for new traveling companions(s). For today's ride, I invited someone that has modeled "showing up" my entire life: Martha Darr (yeah).
We went into a part of the county that Mom used to be very familiar with . . . and she, in turn, was familiar to a lot of people there. She volunteered for the Washtenaw County "Parent Aid" program during the 1980s and 1990s. She would become a friend and mentor to single, teen mothers from at-risk or low-income backgrounds. Her routine was to pick them up at their homes. They would leave their child with a friend or family, and Mom would spend the day with them, having lunch, shopping, job searching, etc.
While in the program, Mom became familiar with parts of the Ypsilanti area. Today was a sort of homecoming for her.
Ypsilanti is a beautiful city, with a lot of hometown pride. And today, it became the centerpiece of the trip. Yes, in this Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Day, Ann Arbor got upstaged. That is mostly because there is no state trunk line going through the city, as Detroit, Bay City and Saginaw have. And as Ypsilanti has.
Of all of the Michigan state highways, I am the most familiar with M-14. I estimate that, in my lifetime, I have been back and forth on the entire length of it, over a thousand times. There's not much to see, as it essentially is a freeway that connects Detroit with I-94, by way of Livonia, Canton, and the north side of Ann Arbor.
In the 1980s, I used to think that one day, M-14 would be dominated by ten and twenty story buildings . . . that it would become a corridor into Detroit to rival some of the beautiful modern towered expanses into Dallas, or Atlanta.
But it looks the same today, as it did in 1982. Except for the third lane added since then.
Chief among the landmarks along M-14 are the Northridge Church, one of the dominant mega-churches in the region, and then Domino's Farms, and the "Leaning Tower of Pizza" as you approach Ann Arbor.
I like to make a stop at least once, on each highway. But this is hard to do on M-14, with the constant heavy traffic and busy ingress and egress. I decided to take the Gotfredson Road exit and stop in to a restaurant I knew about: Karl's Cabin. I can remember, years ago, that I used to drive past it a lot. It was always a quaint little place in the middle of nowhere. "I hope this place makes it" I would think - and through the years, I still have never actually stopped there to eat.
I pulled up to the restaurant, and it was packed, to the brim. Every parking space was taken, even the handicapped slots, and the extra dirt parking lot off to the side. This was about 3:30 in the afternoon. I decided to drive on. But that's okay . . . the plan was not to eat there anyway, today.
M-14 concludes as you intersect with Barton Drive, Whitmore Lake Road, and then the Miller-Maple exit. One of the most scenic views in the state occurs, as you head east into the Huron River Valley and can see the Ann Arbor skyline off in the distance.
The highlight of the day, however, was the drive down the historic and friendly M-17, which commences at Arborland Shopping Center, and follows Washtenaw Avenue, and the Hamilton Street, to Michigan Ave, and then to Ecorse Road, where it finally ends just west of the Willow Run Airport.
In the past forty-seven years, there have been different reasons to frequent Washtenaw Avenue. The Wayside Theatre was one of only two or three theatres in the county, back in the Seventies, and you might have to make the drive there to see a first-run of something. It seems like I saw a James Bond movie there; maybe "Murder in the Orient Express" and "Silver Streak." The Kentucky Fried Chicken at the corner of Carpenter has an intense,
bittersweet memory for me. There was a Chinese buffet where I would always meet my friend Brian Salata for lunch, as well as bring the family there about once a month. And the first Wendy's in the county was about half way the distance to Eastern Michigan University, on the south side, next door to a Putt-Putt golf course that is long gone.
I was a commuter to EMU my freshman year. This made me very familiar with that end of town.
As you approach EMU, you start to see evidence of hometown pride in the Eagles' varsity sports, and soon the route takes a southerly turn along Hamilton, and then a left turn onto Michigan Avenue, which is Ypsi's main commercial strip. A couple blocks in, and we parked half a block from Haab's Restaurant and the highlight of the day (the company's website is down, as of this writing).
The atmosphere is great . . . and I immediately thought "This is just like the old restaurants." It was decked out in a St Patrick's Day motif, and the staff was very warm and friendly. Haab's is a historic treasure (which I will leave the reader to discover for him or herself!), and the food, served promptly, was delicious. Besides their family-friendly fare (inspired by the original German owners), they offer a full bar and occasional live music.
Speaking of music . . . their song selection was a perfect match for the ambiance. I heard a continual set of Adult Contemporary Chart-Toppers like "Bubby," "How Deep Is Your Love," "I'll Always Love You," and "The Way You Look Tonight."
We enjoyed our engaging visit with the owner, Mike Kabat, and determined to return here again, with more people in tow!!
Our drive resumed as we left downtown Ypsilanti, past the Bomber Restaurant , (another Ypsi treasure) and turned into the residential area east of town, the center of what was once the Willow Run School District. These were homes that were built for the massive influx of auto workers in the 1920s, 30s, 40s, and 50s, mostly from Kentucky (nicknamed "Ypsituckians"), and which have always lent an air of Southern culture to the eastern part of Washtenaw County. When I was in politics, I visited these neighborhoods frequently, and was struck by the sincere neighborhood spirit of community and pride. I can still feel it as I spend an afternoon here.
So, the latest Michigan Connections tour is a short one, focused on Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. The glowing report on Ann Arbor will have to wait until I start a "Interstate Business Routes" project.
But for now . . . Ypsilanti has definitely had its day!
You can't lose, when you show up.
========================================
UPDATE: The Rest of M-17!
In my foray down M-17, I failed to cover a little section of West-Bound M-17, that goes one-way and covers several blocks not traversed before! At Eastern Michigan University, Mi-17 Eastbound cuts south at Cross Street, to Michigan Ave. The one-way Westbound M-17 begins at the Huron Street-Michigan intersection, at Haab's Restaurant (RECOMMENDED!).
Westbound M-17 goes north on Huron Street, until Cross Street. At that point you turn left, or westbound on Cross, during which you are going along the edge of the EMU Campus. If you turn right at Cross, you cross the river and you're in Depot Town . . . one of Washtenaw County's little treasures. The cell coverage is week in Depot Town, so that I was unable to do much live video.
There are great sites on the westbound M-17 . . . Huron Street is a historic stretch with classic churches and mansions. The Michigan Firehouse Museum is there. You can go into Depot Town and see the original Aubree's restaurant (for whatever reason, none of the spin-offs have quite the same magic). The Depot Town Dispensary is there. The old Depot is a venue for parties and events (I've performed there a few times).
I dropped in on "City Body" auto repair, because I had heard their ads a lot on the radio. Alas . . . they did not want to be interviewed!
I looked for the Pizza Bob's restaurant across from campus, where I used to have my lunch a lot, when I was a student at EMU, with my friend John Danovich. John introduced me to Hawaiian Pizza there, and I became the second person on earth to try it. We would usually enjoy a Super Sam with our lunch.
Westbound M-17 reconnects with eastbound at the famed "Water Tower."
So, that part of the project is now complete.
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: My friend Karla has returned to the project, and will be in the next excursion, up The Thumb on M-19!!
I have been using this hashtag more and more recently. I like it. It's something that we need more of. We are stuck in our comfort zones. We affiliate with people "like us," but in the early 21st Century we've taken it to a dangerous extreme: we only affiliate with people that think like us.
We've gotta show up in places where we are rarely found: Family Reunions, in Church or any spiritually-expanding setting, at youth events, at our own family dinner table . . . or how about in a neighborhood where you can really do some good? How about with people with different politics than you?
This is the purpose behind the Connect Michigan project. And so far I have enjoyed seven day trips in our state, with a friend that expanded my horizons and understanding. She is taking a break from the project, which has left me in a search for new traveling companions(s). For today's ride, I invited someone that has modeled "showing up" my entire life: Martha Darr (yeah).
We went into a part of the county that Mom used to be very familiar with . . . and she, in turn, was familiar to a lot of people there. She volunteered for the Washtenaw County "Parent Aid" program during the 1980s and 1990s. She would become a friend and mentor to single, teen mothers from at-risk or low-income backgrounds. Her routine was to pick them up at their homes. They would leave their child with a friend or family, and Mom would spend the day with them, having lunch, shopping, job searching, etc.
While in the program, Mom became familiar with parts of the Ypsilanti area. Today was a sort of homecoming for her.
Ypsilanti is a beautiful city, with a lot of hometown pride. And today, it became the centerpiece of the trip. Yes, in this Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Day, Ann Arbor got upstaged. That is mostly because there is no state trunk line going through the city, as Detroit, Bay City and Saginaw have. And as Ypsilanti has.
In the 1980s, I used to think that one day, M-14 would be dominated by ten and twenty story buildings . . . that it would become a corridor into Detroit to rival some of the beautiful modern towered expanses into Dallas, or Atlanta.
But it looks the same today, as it did in 1982. Except for the third lane added since then.
Chief among the landmarks along M-14 are the Northridge Church, one of the dominant mega-churches in the region, and then Domino's Farms, and the "Leaning Tower of Pizza" as you approach Ann Arbor.
I like to make a stop at least once, on each highway. But this is hard to do on M-14, with the constant heavy traffic and busy ingress and egress. I decided to take the Gotfredson Road exit and stop in to a restaurant I knew about: Karl's Cabin. I can remember, years ago, that I used to drive past it a lot. It was always a quaint little place in the middle of nowhere. "I hope this place makes it" I would think - and through the years, I still have never actually stopped there to eat.
I pulled up to the restaurant, and it was packed, to the brim. Every parking space was taken, even the handicapped slots, and the extra dirt parking lot off to the side. This was about 3:30 in the afternoon. I decided to drive on. But that's okay . . . the plan was not to eat there anyway, today.
M-14 concludes as you intersect with Barton Drive, Whitmore Lake Road, and then the Miller-Maple exit. One of the most scenic views in the state occurs, as you head east into the Huron River Valley and can see the Ann Arbor skyline off in the distance.
The highlight of the day, however, was the drive down the historic and friendly M-17, which commences at Arborland Shopping Center, and follows Washtenaw Avenue, and the Hamilton Street, to Michigan Ave, and then to Ecorse Road, where it finally ends just west of the Willow Run Airport.
In the past forty-seven years, there have been different reasons to frequent Washtenaw Avenue. The Wayside Theatre was one of only two or three theatres in the county, back in the Seventies, and you might have to make the drive there to see a first-run of something. It seems like I saw a James Bond movie there; maybe "Murder in the Orient Express" and "Silver Streak." The Kentucky Fried Chicken at the corner of Carpenter has an intense,
I was a commuter to EMU my freshman year. This made me very familiar with that end of town.
As you approach EMU, you start to see evidence of hometown pride in the Eagles' varsity sports, and soon the route takes a southerly turn along Hamilton, and then a left turn onto Michigan Avenue, which is Ypsi's main commercial strip. A couple blocks in, and we parked half a block from Haab's Restaurant and the highlight of the day (the company's website is down, as of this writing).
The atmosphere is great . . . and I immediately thought "This is just like the old restaurants." It was decked out in a St Patrick's Day motif, and the staff was very warm and friendly. Haab's is a historic treasure (which I will leave the reader to discover for him or herself!), and the food, served promptly, was delicious. Besides their family-friendly fare (inspired by the original German owners), they offer a full bar and occasional live music.
Speaking of music . . . their song selection was a perfect match for the ambiance. I heard a continual set of Adult Contemporary Chart-Toppers like "Bubby," "How Deep Is Your Love," "I'll Always Love You," and "The Way You Look Tonight."
We enjoyed our engaging visit with the owner, Mike Kabat, and determined to return here again, with more people in tow!!
 |
| Mom, leaving Haab's. She thinks it's been 60-some years since she visited there. |
So, the latest Michigan Connections tour is a short one, focused on Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. The glowing report on Ann Arbor will have to wait until I start a "Interstate Business Routes" project.But for now . . . Ypsilanti has definitely had its day!
You can't lose, when you show up.
========================================
UPDATE: The Rest of M-17!
In my foray down M-17, I failed to cover a little section of West-Bound M-17, that goes one-way and covers several blocks not traversed before! At Eastern Michigan University, Mi-17 Eastbound cuts south at Cross Street, to Michigan Ave. The one-way Westbound M-17 begins at the Huron Street-Michigan intersection, at Haab's Restaurant (RECOMMENDED!).
Westbound M-17 goes north on Huron Street, until Cross Street. At that point you turn left, or westbound on Cross, during which you are going along the edge of the EMU Campus. If you turn right at Cross, you cross the river and you're in Depot Town . . . one of Washtenaw County's little treasures. The cell coverage is week in Depot Town, so that I was unable to do much live video.
There are great sites on the westbound M-17 . . . Huron Street is a historic stretch with classic churches and mansions. The Michigan Firehouse Museum is there. You can go into Depot Town and see the original Aubree's restaurant (for whatever reason, none of the spin-offs have quite the same magic). The Depot Town Dispensary is there. The old Depot is a venue for parties and events (I've performed there a few times).
I dropped in on "City Body" auto repair, because I had heard their ads a lot on the radio. Alas . . . they did not want to be interviewed!
I looked for the Pizza Bob's restaurant across from campus, where I used to have my lunch a lot, when I was a student at EMU, with my friend John Danovich. John introduced me to Hawaiian Pizza there, and I became the second person on earth to try it. We would usually enjoy a Super Sam with our lunch.Westbound M-17 reconnects with eastbound at the famed "Water Tower."
So, that part of the project is now complete.
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: My friend Karla has returned to the project, and will be in the next excursion, up The Thumb on M-19!!
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