Reflections

from Michigan Blue Magazine - Summer 2021

Discoveries

Son Rise, Son Set

M y 2020 birthday was among the best I’ve ever had. It started with a knock on my hotel room door at 7 a.m. Standing in the hall of the lovely Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island was my oldest son, exclaiming, “Birthday ride time!” Although it was early, how could I turn down that kind of invitation? In just a few minutes, the two of us were spinning along Mackinac Island’s eight-mile shoreline loop, taking in a sunrise highlighted by slivers of tangerine and swathes of violet. The quiet Straits of Mackinac gleamed in shades of lilac and deep navy as we pedaled along.

This was the fourth morning of a biking adventure my family and friends were enjoying. Planned every August by my husband, last year’s trek started in Gaylord, cruised along the gorgeous North Central State Trail through Wolverine, and headed on to Cheboygan and Mackinac Island before hitting Petoskey. We would end in Boyne City.

After leaving the island on that glorious morning, the riders (my good friend and I weren’t biking, as we served as support drivers and chefs) pointed their bikes in the direction of Petoskey, along another converted rails-to-trails route — the North Western State Trail. By noon, they had pulled into their designated lunch destination, where my friend and I had set out a picnic lunch for the whole entourage. This was a favorite stop. Alongside the Maple River in Pellston, a gently moving ribbon of ice-cold water meandered past our picnic chairs and flowed beneath the bridge the cyclists would soon be on as they made their way to Petoskey and Harbor Springs. Cruising along the rails-to-trails was truly idyllic. Birdsong, evergreens, hardwoods, silvery-white birches, and signs of yesteryear were abundant. In Brutus, for example, a quaint vacant shack just off the path had aging red-and-black-painted letters on the side that read Post Office, Brutus.

My friend and I joined the bikers in Petoskey, and at dinnertime our group indulged in a delicious dockside meal at Stafford’s Pier Restaurant in Harbor Springs. The Champagne (thanks, friends!) went down smooth, in the same way the sailboats glided past us on the water. The mussels-and-clams appetizer, served with garlic toast, was the best I’d tasted in a long time — and isn’t everything better outdoors, especially when you’re looking out to a beautiful view? An after-dinner wander through Harbor Springs (those charming Victorian houses — architectural jewels!) led us past puffy peppermint-pink hydrangeas and lemon-yellow and raspberry-hued dahlias, as well as flower-filled window boxes. Then my husband, sons, and I were off to the boardwalk in Petoskey’s Spring Lake Park, across from our hotel. An early evening birthday saunter led us past water lilies, great blue herons, yellow warblers, darting fish, and wavy green grasses, and put me in heaven. If I were to see an eagle, my birthday would be the most memorable yet, I thought. Just seconds later, my younger son pointed to the still-cerulean blue sky. “An eagle!” he whispered. And I made a birthday wish.

A jaunt over to a beach near Bay View delivered the most perfect Lake Michigan sunset. The action-packed day had come full circle, and I stood on the rocks with my two sons, taking in the sky’s tangerines, violets, and golds, which illuminated the calm waters of Little Traverse Bay.

Just about anywhere outdoors in Michigan is a good place to be on your birthday, especially if it’s on water. For me, being with my guys in that Petoskey-area paradise was the icing on the cake.

Volume 16 | Issue 3 mibluemag.com

PUBLISHER: John Balardo

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Jason Hosko EDITORIAL EDITOR: Megan Swoyer COPY EDITOR: Anne Berry Daugherty CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Jocelyn Anderson, Maureen Dunphy, Jamie Fabbri, Ron Garbinski, Jeanine Matlow, Giuseppa Nadrowski, Jeff Nedwick, Dianna Stampfler, Patty LaNoue Stearns, Chuck Warren, Julile Bonner Williams, Khristi S. Zimmeth

DESIGN ART DIRECTOR: Austin Phillips

ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR: Alexander Shammami CONTRIBUTORS: Jocelyn Anderson, Ashley Avila Photography, Maureen Dunphy, Meagan Francis, Scott Leader, David Lewinski, Beth Olson, Molly Reddish, Carl Sams, Beth Singer, Tony Soluri, Patty Lanoue Stearns, Kat Stevenson, Martin Vecchio, Hallie Wilson

SALES GENERAL INQUIRIES: advertisingsales@grmag.com

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Jenn Maksimowski ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Todd Anderson, Jessica Laidlaw, Renee Looman, Maddy Messerly TO ORDER REPRINTS: Receptionist, 616-459-4545 PRODUCTION

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR: Jenine Rhoades SENIOR PRODUCTION ARTIST: Robert Gorczyca PRODUCTION ARTIST: Stephanie Daniel ADVERTISING COORDINATOR: Amanda Zwiren ADVERTISING DESIGNERS: Daniel Moen, Amanda Zwiren

WEB

DIGITAL STRATEGY DIRECTOR: Nick Britsky WEB PROJECT LEAD: Matthew Cappo WEB PROJECT ASSISTANTS: Mariah Knott, Luanne Lim, Bart Woinski

IT IT DIRECTOR: Jeremy Leland CIRCULATION

DIRECTOR OF AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT: Michelle VanArman

CIRCULATION MANAGER: Riley Meyers CIRCULATION CUSTOMER SERVICE: 866-660-6247

MARKETING

MARKETING & EVENTS DIRECTOR: Mary Sutton MARKETING & EVENTS INTERN: Aubrey Wilson

ADMINISTRATION

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS: Kathie Gorecki PUBLISHING & SALES COORDINATOR: Kristin Mingo ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATES: Natasha Bajju, Andrew Kotzian, Katie West

PUBLISHED BY GEMINI MEDIA, LLC CEO: Stefan Wanczyk | PRESIDENT: John Balardo

Michigan BLUE magazine is published quarterly by Gemini Media. Publishing offices: 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331, Grand Rapids, MI 49503-5098. Telephone 616-459-4545; fax 616- 459-4800. General email: info@geminipub.com. Copyright ©2021 by Gemini Media. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Michigan Blue magazine, 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331, Grand Rapids, MI 49503-5098. Subscription rates: one year $14.95, two years $24.95, three years $34.95, U.S. only. Single issue and newsstand $5.95 (by mail $8.95). To subscribe or to order back issues, please contact Circulation at 866-660-6247. Advertising rates and specifications at mibluemag.com or by request. Michigan Blue magazine is not responsible for unsolicited contributions.