It seems as though we have stumbled into some sort of contest where the people of Michigan compete to be the nicest to us. It all started in Bitely when the motorcycle gang let us camp for free on their schoolhouse-turned-HQ lawn. We woke up to Sandy's pancakes and coffee the next day and thanked 70 year old Rusty for the campgrounds.
Not to be outdone, Donnie and Kim waved us in from a thunderstorm to sleep on their garage floor while watching the weather channel and drinking Bud Light. The garage turned out to be a pole barn, and an award-winning pole barn at that. What does it take to win a pole barn contest? The entire upstairs was outfitted with a flat screen tv and billiards. We stayed downstairs with the tools, the surveillance cameras, and the police scanner.
But Sara and Gerald are in it to win it. Last night, after we rode 10 miles in the wrong direction to get to a campsite, they packed up our bikes and drove us to the site (for anyone who thinks this is cheating, we had ridden over 50 miles already so bite me). It was getting to closing time at that point and the sun was setting. There was no way we could pitch the tent and get settled before dark. Sara and Gerald offered us their guest bedroom in their house of history. They own an antique shop and their house is filled with antiques. This is roughing it at its finest. Pizza and homemade wine and hours of laughter into the night. Showers! Beds! Eggos! I'm glad I'm with Megan who can express gratitude better than me. She can gush like no other. Sara and Megan gossiped until 1am about the Lincolns, as in Abe and Mary.
Peter and Judy are still in the running. They tried hard to get us to stay at their house, but I had already used my Hilton Honors points for a hotel in Midland. They enticed us with fancy very very fancy bikes which Megan finds hard to resist. They settled for buying us coffees at the Barnes and Noble and poring through atlases to give us the best directions into Canada. We got a voicemail this morning from them making sure we were okay and wishing us the best of luck.
Michigan gets my vote for best overall Midwest state. Not just the hospitable and socially conscious people, which could wins hands down alone, but the excellent well-maintained rails-to-trails, the respectful drivers (most are motorcyclists and know what it's like), and don't think I didn't notice the bioswales to collect stormwater in even the most rural places. MICHIGAN! CHAMPION!
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Through our business, Gull Cottage Antiques, we have been fortunate to meet all kinds of wonderful people from all over the world who come to the "thumb" of Michigan to see our great inland seas. But of all those travelers who have been kind enough to stop Megan and Melissa have, hands down, been our favorites to date. We feel blessed to have met you, rescued your weary bodies from another 20 miles without sleep and shared our home for a mere night. We were sad to see you leave so soon, thrilled to share your tales and hope to meet again one day. Travel safe! Savor each moment along the way! Your Michigan friends: Jerry & Sara Samoray
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