Road Trip: 2009: Michigan

There is risk in not having lodging reservations.


Jim wanted Lake Perch and it didn't much matter how far he had to drive, he was going to have Lake Perch. Lake Perch is only available in this part of the country and today is the day Jim decided we needed to find Lake Perch.


I thought getting a room and then finding a restaurant would be a good idea. When we found places to stay and there weren't any restaurants with potential for Lake Perch we drove on.


We wanted to be on the water so when we found restaurants but no appropriate lodging, we drove on. It was getting late and we were getting closer to our stop at relatives for tomorrow night. We caught a visitor center volunteer closing up and he gave us a list of lodging options but also told us about his favorite place to get Lake Perch, just down the road.

I decided we would make sure we took care of the Lake Perch requirement so we drove 4 miles and had a wonderful dinner of Lake Perch at the Happy Hour Tavern. We had already called some of the local lodging options and none had rooms or didn't allow dogs. Following dinner, now relaxed and happy with the Lake Perch requirement met, we headed on down the road to a small community on the water and saw a potential place to stay. I went into the office. Their power was off but they "thought" it would come back on soon. They had a room. Then, the final question, "Do you allow dogs?" Answer "no".


I sighed. The manager asked "how big?" I said "big, but well behaved and we never leave her alone", then smiled.


We got the room, right in downtown Leland. Abby and I took a beach walk and the power came back on. This is a perfect place for tonight.



This morning when we first started out we stopped for coffee and a visit with a family friend from Winnetka days. Mary Jane Schultz was my brother's grade school teacher and stayed friends, and traveled with my mother over the years.

It was great fun to see her at her home in Hermasville, Michigan and meet her sister and her dog.

It was a short visit but the perfect start to the day.