Day Two – Ann Arbor to Houghton

This morning we attempted to leave the hotel around 8 AM but we ended up leaving at 8:30. We discovered there was a Anna’s Place restaurant near our hotel. They have a 100% rating on the Find Me Gluten free app. I ordered a waffle and Rachel had scrambled eggs and sausage. It was the first time I have had a waffle in a restaurant in five years. It was great.

Gluten free waffle

We headed out of Ann Arbor. Our route took us a little through the city of Ann Arbor. We drove by their stadium which was huge. We also saw a couple of their buildings but we did not do a drive through campus.

We headed north for 2 hours 30 minutes and then made a stop at North Higgins State Park. This was a nice park. People were swimming, the restrooms were very clean, they had bike paths. Rachel put her toes in the water. After leaving the lake area we did a 1.5 mile hike on the Upland Nature trail. I enjoyed this trail as through out they had signs about what they were doing with the trees and signs explaining the different variety of trees. The trail went up hill slightly but it was nothing hard. We did not pass anyone else walking on the trail while we were on it. We did see people on bikes though. The trail was mostly shaded and there were minimal bugs. It was a good way to get out of the car and stretch our legs.

North Higgins Lake State Park

On the Upland Nature Trail

I was trying to sneak a picture, but they noticed…

Looking up at a bunch of pine trees

After that stop, we did not stop again. We went on the Mighty Mac bridge, then headed west, then north. We passed the Michigan Tech campus and even though we knew Jonas was outside we did not stop…We arrived at the hotel around 8 pm. Once we got settled I ordered dinner from The Studio Pizza. While we were waiting to pick it up I went to the hotel pool with Rachel and enjoyed the hot tub for a few minutes.

Crossing the Mackinac bridge

On the Upper Peninsula, getting closer to Houghton

Our child is out there somewhere

Throughout our drive today I noticed the scenery changes. Lower Michigan was flat and farmland. As we went further north it was still flat but wooded. Once we crossed the Mackinac bridge and heading a little west it started becoming more hilly. In a way it reminded me of Maine as you drive and you can see water from the hilltops.

Day One – Virginia to Ann Arbor

This morning we left our house around 7:50 AM to get Annie to the kennel and then begin our drive up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to pick up Jonas from his summer programs at Michigan Tech and vacation in the state of Michigan.

Last summer we drove from Virginia to Colorado for a week in Colorado staying at two different places. We drove 12+ hours each day so this current trip already does not feel as exhausting for the drive. However, like the other trip I feel as though I have to pack so much, in particular for this trip where we are entirely in hotels and not condos and two of us have significant “food allergies”. Our car is packed. At least when we fly somewhere we just make do but I admit that since we are driving I feel I can bring more stuff, or that since we are driving I should bring XYZ…so, because of all that packing I was up until 2:30 AM and woke 4 hours later.

We arrived at the kennel at 8:40 AM. Annie was extremely happy to be there. We made the mistake of not putting her seatbelt on her and as a result I spend most of the 50 minute drive with my left arm stretched over the seat to get her to sit down.

Someone was excited

Train spotted near the kennel

After dropping her off we began our route. I attempted to catch up on sleep. Around 10:30 we stopped at a Sheetz for provisions and this is when I decided I needed to start waking up. At this point we were in West Virginia. We then continued driving and our next stop was not until 1:55 pm when we stopped at the first service center we reached in Ohio. Rachel promptly got out of the car because she figured there would be claw machines. Rachel is a claw machine addict and she is pretty good at them but she did not have success here.

Claw machine girl

We left the rest area and our next stop was our lodging in Ann Arbor. We crossed into the state of Michigan at 5:03 pm. I have an old work friend that lives in Ann Arbor so when I found out we were going to stay there I made sure our lodging was close to her. She picked me up and took me to her place which was close by. Her place overlooks a farming field. It is neat as you are in an urban area but then a couple of minutes later you feel like you are in a rural area. We spent the time visiting, working on a puzzle, drinking wine, and complaining about accounting professors from eons ago. I told her I may have to keep an eye out for cheap airfares so I can go and puzzle with her. My family does not share my love of puzzles and they are more fun to do with another person.

Welcome to Michigan!

Field by my friend’s place.

Selfie with cornfields behind me.

This is mid-way through our puzzling. We forgot to take a before picture.

This is when we stopped. I could have continued all night.

My friend and I.

She returned me to the hotel around 9:15. At this point Rachel was in the hotel pool so I went there and sat with her. Had there been a hot tub I would have put on my suit but there was not one so I just watched her. We left the pool area around 9:45 to return to our room. I promptly got ready to go to bed as I had felt exhausted from all the packing and getting ready for the trip. We may not have have done much at all today but I had a great time.

Rachel. Lover of hotel pools.