Someone told me that all I was doing on this trip was driving around in circles. I guess that's true because I did a circuitous tour of the inner US and I'm now half way through my big circular sweep of the perimeter states. (See map here.) However, thanks to my friend, Jennifer Kate's suggestion, Betty Danger's Country Club in Minneapolis, MN took my habit of going around in circles to brand new heights. Literally. As you can see, the very eclectic restaurant has a giant ferris wheel that you can ride, eat and drink on for 20 minutes. And the views at the top of the water and city skyline are simply breathtaking So if you feel like a big wheel and are up for a "revolution-ary" experience (see whut I did thar?), take the highway to the (Betty) Danger zone. Cue song here!
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories My friends Jack and Babs Fabry took me to this wonderful restaurant in Wausau, WI. After seeing this sign, I was "amped" to meet the Taser Lady, but then found her re-volt-ting. And with those electrifying, yet well "grounded" puns in play, I will now un-plug for the day. :-)
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories I met Jack and Babs Fabry a few years ago when I photographed their Grandson Marcus Rubbo's engagement and wedding photos (link here). When they heard that I was a fellow road trip warrior, they invited me to come see them in Mosinee, Wisconsin. Well, they made me feel so incredibly welcome last year in their beautiful lake side home and charming little town, that I just had to accept their invitation to visit again. This year's festivities included lunch at the Wausau Mine Company, a trip to Mullins Cheese, home made apple pie, and a leisurely boat ride courtesy of Captain Tom Mack. I could go on and on about how wonderful these two people are, but I think the thing that really makes them special is this: they know how to live and they know how to love. Jack is 84 and Babs is at least 29. :-) But they have so much energy and passion for life that I am hard pressed just to keep up with them. Their relationship with each other is so fun, romantic and real-life, it is the thing most people search for all their lives. And because of how they live and how they love, I know I speak for many when I say that I am blessed just to be in their company. (See Amazing Faces: Babs and Jack here.)
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories When Jack and Babs Fabry took me to Mullin's Cheese in Mosinee, WI, I immediately learned three things. First, you have NEVER tasted cheese so creamy, smooth and delicious in your life! Secondly, Wisconsinites have this strange love affair with cheese curds. They actually squeak when you bite into them and let's just say that their flavor is an acquired taste. (The cheese curds that is, not the Wisconsinites.) And thirdly, when you put the Curds next to the Whey, you have a nursery rhyme. And that my friend, is a gouda way as any to end this cheesy post. :-)
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories Here's a photo that's near and deer to me. :-) My ol roommate, Tim Warner and I had dinner at the Tipsy Bear Bistro in West Branch, MI with my high school buddy, Bruce Roberts and his lovely wife. After a terrific meal, we went back to Bruce's house just in time to see these dear deer friends doing their patriotic best to pose for a phone pic. Somewhere in the evening I shared a very pleasant memory. I went to West Branch to visit my sister, Viv when I was about 13. I had a great time with all my family there, but what made it really special was something life-changing that happened. A girl I had a huge crush on kissed me. And I'm talking standing in the middle of a country road and she just planted one on me. After my head stopped swooning, I thought, "Hmmmm....so THIS is why everyone thinks kissing is such a big deal". I regret I can't remember Ann's last name - hey, give me a break, it has been over half a century - but I will never forget that first kiss! :-) (Hey, don't leave a brotha hangin here. If you have a great first kiss story, please share it.)
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories I first met Tim Warner in 1974 when we were resident therapists and a home for Juvenile Delinquents in South Phoenix, AZ. Yeah, I know. Talk about the inmates running the asylum. :-) Over time we kept the Juvies from breaking out and the robbers from breaking in, became training partners for my bodybuilding contest, did a stint as roommates with a buddy who owned lots of weapons and was an angry, vocal sleepwalker, took an epic cross country road trip with buddy, Lonnie LoGreco in Tim's Ford Falcon that broke down big time in the boonies, almost sunk a girlfriend's Dad's boat in the Mississippi River, lived through a huge hurricane, carefully avoided the alligator nest on Tim's Florida property, and best of all, somehow survived all of that to get the great privilege of spending time with Tim's AMAZING family. So being able to hang out with him at his cool lake cottage in Gladwin, Michigan for a few days was a real treat. We went to The Family Diner, The Camp, Tipsy Bear, and my personal favorite, a breakfast sponsored by the supporters of a local fire department. Since Tim is a former Fire Captain, I had to get him to pose for at least one pic with the fire truck (and according to our expressions, at least one of us was...wait for it...Gladwin we did.) :-)
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories Although we played these slot machines for hours with no results :-), I did come away from the experience a very lucky man. That's because the lovely Kathy (Heinel) Bloomfield (left) and Jan (Young) Belair joined me for lunch in gorgeous Traverse City, MI at the very cool Mackinaw Brewery. As good fortune would have it, my two fellow alumni from Wyandotte, MI Theodore Roosevelt High School were volunteering at the Big Sable Lighthouse in Luddington, MI, so they were able to meet me. Kathy and Jan were a half grade ahead of me in high school (they graduated in January instead of June), so I didn't know them well because I was "a younger man". But I met up with them and their third amiga, Kathy (McConnell) Smith a few years ago at a reunion and thought, "Wow! The girls are soooooo much funnnnn!!! I got to get to know them better!" So having them go out of their way to meet up, share memories, travel stories and life updates, tell tales of the days when everyone (even the girls) hitchhiked across America, and of course, take silly photographs, reminded me of how lucky I really am. (A special thanks to Liz Reed Lancashire for taking this shot at Fustini's Oils & Vinegars - Traverse City!)
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories One of the great things about doing an inner and outer trip of the US with home bases in Michigan and Arizona (click for The Road map) is seeing wonderful friends on multiple occasions. And Steve and Judy Facione are certainly at the top of that list. I met Steve when we were going to Eastern Michigan University together. I met Judy when they first started dating. They got married and raised two extraordinary kids, Danielle Gianakis and Anthony Facione - who were so awesome as teenagers that they gave me hope for the human race. :-) Over the years we have vacationed together many times in various locations, so meeting up with them in Traverse City, MI recently for Dustin Shea and Mallory Schirr's "Best. Wedding. Ever." was epic. During the course of the festive weekend we went to Apache Trout Grill, Park Place Hotel, Beacon Lounge, State Street Grille, Morsels and Jolly Pumpkin. As usual, some great new memories were added to the vault.
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories I have known of Patti (Eshenroder) Congleton since we were in 9th Grade at Wilson Junior High School in Wyandotte, MI. We actually became friends much later on when we worked on a 35th reunion together for Roosevelt High School class of 1968. When Patti and her awesome husband, Gerry (pronounced "Gary") passed through Scottsdale, AZ on their way back from their winter getaway town of Palm Springs, CA. I hosted them at my home and took them out to show them a good time. One of the places I unknowingly picked required us to be frisked first, so I was kinda freaking out about how they'd take it. They laughed it off and treated it like it was a free massage, so I knew right then we'd be friends forever. :-) Since their "hands on" experience in AZ, we've vacationed together in Palm Springs, Sedona, AZ, Wyandotte, Lansing, MI and Grand Rapids, MI. The photo of us matching the mood of the guys in the giant mural was taken at the Lansing Brewing Company which is near Old Town Lansing. I have posted (here) some more lighthearted - or to work one more pun in, make that "frisk-y" - photos of us at the extraordinary Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids.
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories I was able to work in one last quick trip to my high school home town of Wyandotte, MI to meet up with a couple of good buddies Bert Przybylski (left) and Rich Sikes. We met up at the Mitten Pub, which is co-owned by Katey Reedy, the daughter of one of our dearly departed classmates, Butch Cox. For those of you who don't know, Michigan is in the shape of a mitten - hence the bar's name that serves all Michigan beers on tap. And because of the mitten shape you can ask anyone who has ever lived there where they are from and they will point to that spot on their hand. Pretty hand-y, huh? I could tell you how wonderful it has been to know these guys for all the years, but I don't want them to get swelled heads. :-) Suffice to say that it has been a blessing and a privilege to call them both friends.
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