The G Drive Episode 3

M-13 and M-15: Bay City and Saginaw

It was our first venture into long, flat, monotonous stretches of farmland. It was also our first day-trip in Eastern Standard Time. We knew we had to get moving, and keep moving, before the sun got too low. We combined our two longest drives so far, each about 75 miles long, into one single outing. And . . . it was our first time out in chilly conditions. All of these factors combined to make a trip that was perhaps a little too rushed, with not enough time to stop and explore. But there were some very cool highlights. We saw enough to get ideas for future drives along intersecting east-west routes . . . and we crossed plenty of them! We also confirmed that Karla and I can drive for hours and not get on each other's nerves. This is a huge prerequisite moving forward. Each trip develops it's own theme. And this one turned out to be: convenience stores . We found ourselves touching on topics that were a little more heated, a little more exercised, than ever before. But tha...

Victory Tour: M-3 and M-5

Yesterday was the second venture of Michigan day trips with Karla. It also was my birthday. The result was an insightful, and sobering experience that equated to one of my most memorable birthdays ever. I call it the "Victory Tour," because the path of the two long, straight drives forms a letter "V" above the Metro Detroit area. And in the case of the first leg: Gratiot Avenue. it represented a facing of my rural, Washtenaw County fears. According to a lot of news reports through the years (and we all know what to think of modern news reporting), parts of Gratiot border some of the most at-risk and depressed areas of Detroit. But Karla, of course, is unphased by this, a trait she shares with someone else that would surprise you, and who you may get to know better during the course of future journeys. I was impacted by national events of the past week. Our goal is unity, so I will not delve much into issues that divide. But I will say that the national news made...

Thoughts on a Tragedy

Our day-trips throughout the State of Michigan are a feel-good project. We're looking for the good, everywhere we go. We're building connections, creating friendships, listening, understanding, laughing, learning. Speaking for myself, our mission is to stay away from the inflammatory, divisive issues plaguing the nation. But when there is a tragic incident, involving an inappropriate response from law enforcement/public safety officials, occurring at an intersection that Karla and I just traveled a week or two before, it is not something we can turn away from. The question becomes: how to respond, without stirring up partisan strife? The story in question is in this morning's Free Press. I'm a rural guy learning to trust and enjoy the city: all of it. I believe the answer is in making connections, getting near other people, "showing up." But now, a teen aged boy that I might have waved at last week, as we drove down Gratiot, is no more. Also this m...

Michigan by the Numbers

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