2026 Road Trip - Day 5

Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 - Well, this turned out to be a Great Day in Michigan's Upper Peninsula! After a WONDERFUL Breakfast in Mackinaw City, I mailed some postcards, crossed The Bridge, collected Post Offices, saw deer and turkeys, and put my feet in One of The Great Lakes. After 440 miles, I checked into the Super 8 in Escanaba, MI (which is technically in Wells) at 8:45 PM:

I left the hotel at 10 - the park/beach is right across the street, with a nice view of The Bridge:

I bought some postcards, and had a GREAT Breakfast at Darrow's Family Restaurant:

Then it was time to go "Over The Bridge":

Up in Saint Ste. Marie, I'M TAKING THIS EXIT!!!:

Pretty day, with the hay-fields:

My farthest-east point was De Tour Village - no, I'm not taking the ferry to Drummond Island:

10 minutes later, working my way west along the South Shore, I stopped at The Beach (IT'S ALL FRESH WATER!!!):

A nice view, while I was waiting for someone to pull out of the Post Office in Hessel, Michigan:

I travel with Mr. Moosie, and sometimes he gets the attention:

Cool Sky, as the day winds down:

I checked into the Super 8 in Escanaba, MI at 8:45 PM:

Thank you God for another wonderful Adventure Day!

Music for today are albums that I have not heard before:

in this morning's hotel room - Freddie Hubbard - Here To Stay, recorded 1962, released 1976 album, last heard never - very good jazz:

On The Road: various - Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits Of The '80s, Vol. 5, 1995 compilation album, last heard never - very fun collection!

various - Knebworth 1990 (2 cds), 1990 live album, last heard never:

various - Land of 1000 Dances - Volume 2, last heard never - good dance tunes, a very good feeling of rock's roots. The original version of "Barefootin'" by Robert Parker (1966), which Pete Townshend covered in his "Deep End Live!" album:

various - Miami Vice, 1985 soundtrack album, last heard never - some GREAT songs, some lousy instrumentals:

various - Nipper's Greatests Hits 60's Vol. 1, last heard never - I thinned it down to 6 songs:

The Tokens - "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"
Skeeter Davis - "The End Of The World"
Little Peggy March - "I Will Follow Him"
Al Hirt - "Java"
Glenn Yarbrough - "Baby The Rain Must Fall"
Jose Feliciano - "Light My Fire"

various - Northern Stars, 2007 compilation album, last heard never. Nice concept (all Canadian artists), but I have the good songs elsewhere. delete:

various - Only Dance: 1985-1989, 1995 compilation album, last heard never. fun collection - keeps me dancing down the road:

various - Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix, 2004 tribute album, last heard never - Clapton doing "Burning Of The Midnight Lamp", Santana doing "Spanish Castle Magic", Sting doing "The Wind Cries Mary", Earth, Wind & Fire doing "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)"

Shameless Plug: if you enjoy this blog, you may like my other one about Hiking the 4,000 footers in New Hampshire/Vermont/Maine/New York:
hyperlink: dixonheadingnorth
http://dixonheadingnorth.blogspot.com/

2026 Road Trip - Day 4

Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026 - I fit in the 2 Art Museums I missed yesterday, so it was a FULL DAY. I drove north in Michigan for 382 miles, grabbing 39 Post Offices (and 2 Art Museums), and checked into the Super 8 in Mackinaw City, MI at 8:30 PM:

Down the road, and at the Grand Rapids Art Museum at 10:30

Favorites include N.C. Wyeth - The Red Dory, c. 1937-38 oil:

Asher B. Durand - View in the Valley of Oberhasle, Switzerland, 1842 oil:

Childe Hassam - Summer Sea, 1906 oil:

I then had a late breakfast/early lunch at Cracker Barrel - it was PERFECT:

Then back up the road to the Muskegon Museum of Art at 1 PM:

Favorites include Edward Hopper - New York Restaurant, 1922 oil:

Victor Casenelli - View of Venice, not dated, oil:

Alfred Thompson Bricher - Rocky Coastline, not dated, oil:

Pretty Lakes in this part of The Country:

The most impressive Post Office was in Cadillac, Michigan:

I checked into the Super 8 in Mackinaw City, MI at 8:30 PM:

Thank you God for another wonderful Adventure Day!

Music for today:

in this morning's hotel room - Bill Evans - Complete Fantasy Recordings (Disc 2), 1989 album, last heard 4/28/2021:

On The Road: Stevie Wonder - Fulfillingness' First Finale, 1974 album, last heard 6/30/2024 - very cool:

Loggins & Messina - Full Sail, 1973 3rd album, last heard never:

Lake Street Dive - Fun Machine: The Sequel [EP], 2022 album, last heard never - KILLER VERSION of Bonnie Raitt's "Nick of Time":

The Cure - Galore, 1997 greatest hits album, last heard 6/30/2024 - very good stuff:

Jerry Garcia - Garcia, 1972 1st solo album, last heard never:

Steely Dan - Gaucho, 1980 album, last heard 6/30/2024. I really like Steely Dan:

Jimmy Buffett - Son of a Son of a Sailor, 1978 album, last heard 1/23/2019. you know, Jimmy Buffett:

various - Son of Frat Rock!, 1988 compilation album, last heard never - FUN COLLECTION

Shameless Plug: if you enjoy this blog, you may like my other one about Hiking the 4,000 footers in New Hampshire/Vermont/Maine/New York:
hyperlink: dixonheadingnorth
http://dixonheadingnorth.blogspot.com/

2026 Road Trip - Day 3

Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026 - I was able to take today a little easier. After "Saturday Morning Bible Study" (on Zoom, ending at 9), I drove northwest in Michigan for 271 miles, grabbing 30 Post Offices (and 1 Art Museum), and checked into the Days Inn in Norton Shores, MI at 6:30 PM:

I crossed into Michigan at 11:07

I saw nice "town signs" in Hillsdale, Tekonsha, and Marshall:

In Galesburg I stopped for a little gift for Wendy and me:

In Burlington I yelled "CONGRATULATIONS" to a fun wedding party!

I made it to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum at 3:30 (they close at 4):

a lovely painting by Thomas Hill - Mt. Popocatepetl, Mexico, ca. 1880 oil:

They also have a cool exhibit on the Gibson Guitar Company, which started out in Kalamazoo before moving to Nashville:

At one point I texted my sister Cary: "Making my way through brownies-and-M&Ms, as I make my way across the country":

Of course there is the occasional detour:

After 271 miles, I checked into the Days Inn in Norton Shores, MI:

Thank you God for another wonderful Adventure Day!

Music for today:

in this morning's hotel room - The National - High Violet, 2010 album, last heard 8/16/2025. They are from Ohio, and have a song "Bloodbuzz Ohio":

On The Road: The National - First Two Pages of Frankenstein, 2023 album, last heard 8/15/2025:

Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive! (2 cds), 1976 live double-album, last heard never. lousy - sometimes The Past should stay in The Past:

Yes - Fragile, 1971 album, last heard 6/30/2024 - GREAT ALBUM:

Neil Young - Freedom, 1989 album, last heard 6/30/2024 - EXCELLENT:

Cream - Fresh Cream, 1966 debut album, last heard 6/30/2024. Excellent Classic Rock:

Elton John - Friends soundtrack, 1971 album, last heard 6/06/2021. lovely songs:

Grateful Dead - From the Mars Hotel, 1974 album, last heard 6/30/2026. you know, The Dead:

Jimmy Buffett - Fruitcakes, 1994 album, last heard 6/30/2024. you know, Jimmy Buffett

Shameless Plug: if you enjoy this blog, you may like my other one about Hiking the 4,000 footers in New Hampshire/Vermont/Maine/New York:
hyperlink: dixonheadingnorth
http://dixonheadingnorth.blogspot.com/