Michigan is and always has been home for me. I love it for its diversity in weather, friendly people, things to do, and beautiful places to go. Now as a parent I appreciate the safety, good schools, rural setting, and close knit communities like where I live in Clarkston. My family loves to travel and explore the outdoors with active vacations and Michigan provides a plethora of opportunities to do so in all four seasons.
My first time to northern Lower Michigan was at 11 years old when I went hunting with my dad around the Grayling area. I was awestruck by the northern woods in deep snow and felt the adrenaline rush of seeing my first six point buck in the wild. Being from a family of eight kids, this time alone with my dad for a whole weekend was priceless! Another trip as a youngster that stands out is when my Uncle Tom took me on a fishing trip for rainbow trout on the Rifle River where we also camped for the weekend. Trips like these gave me an appreciation for our natural environment and a desire to see and do more.
Once I turned 16 the trips up north with high school friends and family became much more frequent with varied activities like skiing, biking, horseback riding, canoeing on the Rifle, Ausable, and Betsie Rivers, camping and exploring the multitude of parks, lakes, and national forests in places like Manistee, Rose City, Atlanta, and The Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes. One of my favorite trips was a 300+ mile bike ride from the Mackinaw Bridge to Northville for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
In my late 20’s I earned a private pilot’s license. With this new found freedom I gained a whole new and much wider perspective of Michigan. There were many flights to Beaver Island with its beautiful beaches and rich history of King Strang. Another favorite fly-in was for brunch at The Bay Pointe Inn, a historic mansion turned restaurant on Gun Lake. Maybe the most memorable was flying into Mackinaw Island and taking a horse drawn carriage into town!
Flying also enabled me to explore the Upper Peninsula. With Newberry airport as a base I ventured over Whitefish bay (famous from the song about the Edmund Fitzgerald) and the Tahquamenon Falls with its gorgeous tea colored water against a backdrop of white snow. Another spectacular trip was flying the northern cost of the U.P; Starting from pictured rocks in Munising, then up and around the horn and landing in Hancock. Flying low, we could easily see the sandy beaches and historic lighthouses around Eagle and Copper Harbor.
Now with two young children the fun is starting all over again! Our kids love the quiet beaches on the little Traverse Bay and the Nauti-cat and Tall Ship rides with their Nana. We take annual trips to Gaylord where we love to boat and fish on Otsego Lake, golf in beautiful Michaywe, and visit the deer and Elk maintained by the city. We love nearby Independence Oaks and Deer Lake for swimming, fishing, and evening picnics. On occasion, we visit Detroit for Red-Wing games and our kids are spoiled by Nana and Pa with visits to the historic Fox Theater and Masonic Temple for classic children events. During the solitude of fall my wife and I hit the bed and breakfast circuit around the Leenenaw Peninsula where we love the panoramic views of the bays and orchards and the tasty wineries.
I believe change in Michigan should be directed towards maintaining all the things we love about it; the natural environment, the historic places and the fresh water. To do this we should embrace globalization as opposed to fighting it by collaborating and partnering with business in emerging countries. We need a balance of government support for displaced workers, cuts in other spending, continued focus on educating our young, and incentives to attract new businesses in manufacturing, tourism, and alternative energy. We need a well thought out plan that will conserve and protect our waters while taking advantage of their economic value. In doing so Michigan could establish itself as a global leader in environmental protectionism and related technology
2 Comments
I thought the article that Jim Burrum was good. I agree with his statements.
This is a wonderful article. Jim Burrum makes good points on issues that should be considered.