You hear a lot about the impact of people leaving Michigan for good, but not so much about the impact of folks leaving the state to take their vacations.
I read somewhere that Michigan has a pretty significant travel debt – many more vacation dollars are spent outside of Michigan by Michigan residents than dollars spent in the state by visitors.
It’s kind of baffling to me really.
Lost, photo by Terrapin Dawg
One of the great things about being on vacation is getting lost. Not the kind of lost where everyone’s hot and cranky, but rather the kind of lost where you see things you never expected and aren’t even sure you could find your way back.
This photo from Cheboygan County, Michigan is part of a great set of photos of Northern Michigan, which Matt says is his favorite place in the world. (slideshow).
cornhole sunset, photo by bingo_todd
Winner of this month’s most interesting title…
The Cornhole Game Association says:
There are many people who have varying views of how to play cornhole or what the actual name is, cornhole, bean bag game, softshoes, etc. We have discovered the most popular way to play and have standardized the rules and dimensions so people from all over the country can play the same way.
Their forum looks at the conflicting accounts of the origins and evolution of the game. A Cincinnati native who recently moved to michigan noted …the trend is getting hot up here. They are all calling it ” Polish Horseshoes”. I just laugh and tell them that we call it Cornhole. Oh well they will get it soon enough.
The Cincinatti Enquirer says that Cincinnatian Ryan Whetstone started the Cornhole Game Association, so you Polish horseshoers may be in the wrong.
Mosquito Beach 1 – Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, photo by mandj98
So, I’m taking a brief vacation* but I’ve cued up some vacation themed photos to run while I’m gone. I hope you enjoy them.
For the first time in several years, my vacation plans don’t include the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (aka my 2nd favorite place in the world). The Mosquito Beach trail loop is probably the best trail I’ve ever hiked. Long enough to feel challenging, but short enough that you don’t have to carry the kids … too far.
James Phelps really loves the Pictured Rocks too, and he has created a great Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore set (slideshow) about which he writes:
Wild Beauty on the Lake Superior Shore Sandstone cliffs, beaches, sand dunes, waterfalls, lakes, forest, and shoreline beckon you to visit Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Hiking, camping, sightseeing, and four season outdoor opportunities abound. The Lakeshore hugs the Lake Superior shoreline for more than 40 miles. Lake Superior is the largest, deepest, coldest, and most pristine of all the Great Lakes. From the NPS Pictured Rocks site.
He has uploaded all the pictures at wallpaper/screensaver and he also has many for sale as prints from his photography web site.
*I do have a rather large house-sitter, so all you prowlers can prowl elsewhere! ;)
Ross writes:
Theater marquee on the main street of Clare, Michigan.
I’m really falling in love with my Autocord TLR again.Too bad about that lens flare (as an old SLR guy, this always trips me up). Still, the amount of detail in the original 6×6 Provia transparency just tickles me to pieces. In the jumbo size note the sign-maker’s badge, “Artkraft Lima Ohio.”
That Autocord link is my addition (autocord slideshow).
State Fair, photo by s•stop.
Here’s a photo from the 2007 Michigan State Fair (Fair web site).
Sam also has a nice set of Michigan State Fair photos (slideshow)
The 2010 Mackinac Bridge Walk takes place on Monday, September 6, 2010!
2000 Mackinac Bridge Walk, photos courtesy Michigan Department of Transportation & Mackinac Bridge Authority
The annual Mackinac Bridge Walk has been held every year on Labor Day since the Bridge opened in 1957, so, like the Mackinac Bridge itself, The Bridge Walk is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Strangely enough, Wikipedia seems to have the most historical information on the walk (which is not much). They say that the first walk took place in the early morning hours of Labor Day, 1958. and that just 68 people took that first 5 mile walk across the Mighty Mac. In the early years, it seems that the walk was sparsely attended and viewed as an annoyance until the governor was brought in to lead the walk. The walk averages 50,000 to 65,000 attendees and the record is estimated to be 85,000 when George H. W. Bush led the walk in 1992. Will we break the record this year? Seems like we should, but I wonder.
The Governor’s party leads the way at 7 AM (I think) with registered and pre-qualified joggers (details from the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness). Important things to note (according to the official site) are that traffic still moves across the bridge during the event, that it starts on the St. Ignace side, that they really recommend you figure your return transport out, that it’s FREE (my capitalization) and that there are NO RESTROOMS ON THE BRIDGE (their capitalization).
The Michigan Department of Transportation has a photo gallery from past Mackinac Bridge Walks. A photographer named Chuck contributed one of his photos from the bridge walk to Wikimedia, and he has a nice gallery of Mackinac Bridge Walk photos. A search of Flickr finds some bridge walk pics as well (hopefully more after this year’s walk!). Do you have more links? Post ’em in the comments and please share your story/photos if you walk this year!
I should add that on September 16 from 7:00 – 7:30 AM, there will be a “Bike Across the Mighty Mac” event sponsored by Mackinaw City Chamber of Commerce. If you’re up in the area, there’s also a Truck Parade of Lights from 8-9 PM on September 15th.
Michigan and Trumbull was the address for professional baseball in Detroit for 104 seasons. From 1896 when Bennett Park opened, until the last game at Tiger Stadium in 1999, Michigan and Trumbull was the most famous street corner in Michigan. Tiger Stadium by Irwin J. Cohen takes you on a visual tour of baseball in the Motor City from the beginning of the Tigers franchise to the historic final game played at Tiger Stadium. The pages are filled with photos (some never before published) of the stadium and Tiger legends from Cobb, Gehringer and Greenberg right up to Kaline, Lolich, Trammell, Gibson and others.
 The World Series went a full seven games and games three, four, and five were played in Detroit. Each game attracted the same 53,634 attendance numbers. (Author’s collection.)Click above photos for a larger view! |
 Affable slugger left fielder Willie Horton hit 36 home runs in 1968. In game five with St. Louis ahead three games to one, Horton made the most memorable defensive play in the history of the ballpark when he threw out speedster Lou Brock trying to score from second on a single. (Courtesy B&W Photos.) |
Tiger Stadium by Irwin J. Cohen is available from the publisher online at www.arcadiapublishing.com or by calling 888-313-2665.
View other excerpts from Arcadia Publishing’s Michigan books at Michigan in Pictures!
On a more editorial note, I had originally thought when I requested these photos that this would be part of a requiem for this grand old ballpark. It still may, but with Tiger icon Ernie Harwell pushing a plan to redevelop Tiger Stadium as a smaller ballpark and museum complex, maybe not!
You can follow Tiger Stadium news at Absolute Michigan.
I See Spots, photo by docksidepress.
As near as I can piece together, Matt was driving home from up North along Elk Lake Road, south of Elk Rapids. Since he was driving, they HAD to stop when they came upon this whole field of sunflowers, like endless smiles in the late afternoon sunlight.
…and yes, it’s available in wallpaper /background size.
Art Museum, photo by I am Jacques Strappe.
Over at the Ann Arbor Area Crappy Camera Club, Matt Callow posted an announcement from ArtServe Michigan. They are seeking:
…quality photographs that capture and document arts and culture in Michigan: the buildings where arts and culture takes place, artists at work in their studios or participating in festivals, community arts projects, arts and cultural activities indoors and out, arts educators in their classrooms, individuals of all ages engaged in arts and cultural activities, art festivals, audience moments, performance pieces, etc.
They hope to gather photographs from every county of the state to be included in a photo montage during the ceremony of the 2007 Governor’s Awards for Arts and Culture and for use in the event program. Photographs are due by September 14, 2007. Please click through for details on format and where to send the photos!
Marjorie says that this photo (which I think you should check out big) of the University of Michigan Museum of Art was taken during the Ann Arbor (likely in 2004) and that the kids of Ann Arbor are missing a slide as the sculpture has been dismantled. It was taken with a Holga, one of the many fine toy cameras, trash cams, cheap plastic point-and-shoots, pinholes, dollar store disposables, and junk store cameras wielded by the Crappy Camerians. Heck, they even discussed the merits of a Pop Tart Camera!
ArtServe Michigan is a statewide organization that builds support for the arts, artists, arts education, and cultural activities. They champion the arts across the state through advocacy and education programming and services to individual artists and cultural organizations and seek to support artists and arts organizations by increasing cultural audiences, linking businesses and the arts, and standing up for arts in education and state arts funding.
Michigan in Pictures 