Three Best Stops on our Road Trip 2012

On our recent road trip, three stops stand out among others:

• Lake Superior, Ontario-Mykel and I pride ourselves on not having a plan when we set out each morning of a road trip. We love to be surprised along the way. On this trip, Lake Superior was a huge surprise. We saw a sign for visitor information, but the building was closed. We both went to the washroom and then walked our dog, Meiko. We turned a corner and BAM, the most breathtaking view.

• Detroit, Michigan-We had heard about Detroit, of course, and the impact the decline of the auto industry has had on the city, but until you drive through mile after mile of abandoned buildings, it is impossible to truly understand the devastation.  I didn't take pictures of the people on purpose, after all they are not zoo animals to be observed. However, the image of the, mostly black, people walking around looking dazed will stay with me forever. There is a Barber school across from the building shown above and men of all ages were coming and going. If you could focus only on the school, it would not seem that anything was amiss on the street.  Pull back though and it is clear the school is the ONLY business left. Every other business for as far as the eye can see, is closed up.  I am not talking about old buildings that passed their prime years ago.  I am talking about closed  convenience stores, hotels, gas stations and clothing shops. It is a ghost town.  While it left us both in tears to see this, it was such a powerful visit,that it ranks among the top for its sheer impact.  

• De Smet, South Dakota-For the sheer girlish pleasure, the best stop of all (for me at least) was also a surprise.  We were driving in South Dakota and suddenly saw a sign for the Laura Ingalls site. We visited the homestead and, as shown above, the family home in De Smet. Like most little girls in the 1970s, I read all the original books and later obsessed over the TV show. I went so far as to call my parents Ma and Pa and have my mom sew me a dress just like what I imagined Laura would have worn. To stand in the author's real home was beyond cool. She was quite the strong woman and raised her daughter, Rose, to be a precocious libertarian who helped her mother publish her famous books.  

Our trip was full of amazing moments, most importantly visiting with family along the way, but these three stops hold a special place in our memory banks!