"48"- Days 1 and 2....getting out of town
Originally published 12/15/2022
I was very busy this week at work before I left. A bunch of projects going on and more in the pipe, with me leaving town on vacation. I put in some extra hours on the front end of the week and left an hour or so early on Wednesday. It was a good thing as we were sidelined just a few hours down the road by a flat tire.
As I had left a little early, it allowed me the time to change to the spare (in the rain I might add) and get the tire to a shop before they all closed. I went into Precision Care Tire and Auto in Portland, TN 30 minutes before closing time. I told them we were headed to Montana and asked if they could please help me. They had me back on the road before closing. All in all, we lost about an hour or so. If you're in Portland and need auto work............see these folks. Five stars.
As I had left a little early, it allowed me the time to change to the spare (in the rain I might add) and get the tire to a shop before they all closed. I went into Precision Care Tire and Auto in Portland, TN 30 minutes before closing time. I told them we were headed to Montana and asked if they could please help me. They had me back on the road before closing. All in all, we lost about an hour or so. If you're in Portland and need auto work............see these folks. Five stars.
St. Joseph, Michigan breakwater lighthouse
Our plan this trip is to go up the west coast of Michigan and photograph some of the lighthouses on the Great Lakes. We picked St. Joseph as a start. We arrived to winds of about 20 mph and temperatures of not warm. It was around 38 degrees and with that much wind it was pretty frosty. We bundled up, took our photos. Some crazy souls were windsurfing! We got back in our nice warm truck and headed on north to photograph more lighthouses.
South Haven, Michigan lighthouse
The wind comes from the west across the Lake Michigan, pushing 5 foot roller waves. More wind of course means bigger waves. Having spent so many years living around the ocean, it is so odd that these fresh water bodies actually behave like the ocean. Then again, Lake Michigan is something like 100 miles across. Waves wash over the jetties, keeping us from walking out to the lighthouses.
Cold and windy enough that the gulls are sitting it out
We continue north, stopping at Grand Haven and Muskegon, but it gets dark so early the photos were marginal at times. We would up staying in Ludington, Michigan, arriving after dark. We checked into an old school mom and pop motel out by the lake and had dinner in town. Ludington seems like a very nice town and I can see where it would be quite popular for vacations in the summer.
Pure Michigan (state slogan) and not so pure Michigan!
Snow started to fly while we were having dinner. The weather was rough today and made it difficult to be outside doing photos. I expected as much but think we have a few nice photos to show.
This wasn't a hugely exciting day, and we expect a few more like this. But I like being able to break up the travel and take in the local scenery, eat at the local restaurants, and visit places we haven't been before. It's much nicer than just pushing across the country in a couple of days. It is measured, easier, and not as exhausting. And we get to see new places!
This wasn't a hugely exciting day, and we expect a few more like this. But I like being able to break up the travel and take in the local scenery, eat at the local restaurants, and visit places we haven't been before. It's much nicer than just pushing across the country in a couple of days. It is measured, easier, and not as exhausting. And we get to see new places!
Downtown Ludington, Michigan. It's coming down!
Tomorrow, we're not sure which direction we'll head. We may shoot more lighthouses or we may make tracks for the upper peninsula and start westward. We will look at the conditions in the morning and make what I identify as a "field call". You take in the information you have at the time and make a decision.
Let's see what we decide! Be sure to check out the slide show below for more photos. See you on the next post and thanks for following along!
Let's see what we decide! Be sure to check out the slide show below for more photos. See you on the next post and thanks for following along!