Traverse City, Michigan

September 11, 2023 – Traverse City

 

Ready to leave our lovely hotel in Oak Wood Terrace, skipping the non-complimentary breakfast.  It is really raining – you know, water falling from the sky, something not seen often in Tucson.  The plan was to circle around to the west, then south of Chicago but Emmy, our GPS, was giving us some very strange instructions, so we turned her off and navigated the old fashioned way – by instinct and maps.  For the most part, we took I-290/294/94, part of which were tollways – we think!  At some point, the traffic maps showed trouble ahead, so M put us onto surface streets as a get-around.  Once past the problem areas, back on the freeway and into Indiana and then Michigan.

 

The rain eased, but did not stop, by the time we reached Grand Rapids and stopped for lunch at a Big Boy Restaurant – a favorite chain that seems to be disappearing.

 

On to Kalkaska to see Sandy and Dave.  Sandy’s having some health problems these days but seems to be on the mend, which is good news.

 

Drove to Traverse City for our 4:00 check-in at our Center City Lofts rental.  A neat little place with bath, kitchenette and living room on the ground floor, and the bed upstairs in the (what else?) loft.  Good internet service; TV is not on the cable, though, streaming only.  Dinner was easy: left-over Lou Malnoti’s salad and pizza.

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