Ypsalanti......

....Michigan, an automotive town,
home to some famous brands, that are no longer around,
Tucker, Hudson, Kaiser-Frazier, these are a few,
I have my favorites, how about you?

Some parts of town have been resurrected,
and a lot of that is worth being inspected;
vibrant and alive, it is the living past,
this is a part of life that certainly should last.

Top: A 'hot' Hudson, in early NASCR days, this one actually raced.

Middle: Restored Depot Town, a downtown area, very nice.

Bottom: A 1948 Tucker, so advanced it never made it.

Flint...

....Michigan, a City reinventing itself,
time to put the Buick Plant on the shelf,
that plant is gone, it's been torn down,
there's something new coming to this busy town.

It's got lots to offer, here on the Flint River,

there's lots of things here ready to deliver;
everyone's welcome, noone's left out,
all they need now is a reason to shout!

Top: Some Flint attractions

Middle: When General Motors abandoned Flint

Bottom: The City and Flint River

Saginaw....

...Michigan, the city made famous in song,
catchy name, catch title, there was nothing wrong,
it's also caught in the economic drain,
but things are picking up again.

I was born in Saginaw Michigan
I grew up in a house on Saginaw bay
My father was a hardworking Saginaw fisherman
Too man times he came home with too little pay.
             From the song "Saginaw Michigan"  sung by Lefty Frizzell

Top:  Downtown in winter.
Middle: Sunrise on Lake Huron.
Bottom: An autumn walk on the shoreline.

Au Gres...

....Michigan, on Saginaw Bay,
a town where tourists like to come play,
the town owned campground is busy in summer,
and the footbridge to downtown, shown above, make access no bummer.

The fish are biting, all year 'round,
they're big and fat, had to beat pound for pound,
walleye and perch, I don't know what more,
they're out in Lake Huron, but not far from shore.

Top: The camp to town footbridge

Middle: A lucky fisherman shows his catch.

Bottom: Charity Island Light, the "keepers" house is falling in, a group is trying to save it.  Built in 1857, it's worth the effort.

Oscoda....

....Michigan, on the Au Sable River,
lumberjacks here are ready to deliver,
BUT their claim to Paul Bunyan,
is to Ol'Larry pure Bald Onion!

The town has beauty, in places and more,
a sand beach on the Inland Sea shore,
this is Lake Huron, at it's very best,
for the past couple of days, a good place to rest.

Top:  The Au Sable River at Oscoda.
Middle: The Oscoda Park beach on Lake Huron.
Bottom: The walkway near Foote Dam, a hydro-power project.
Note:  The photos weren't well behaved today!

Alpena...

....Michigan, our first visit to a Lake Huron town,
we've moved to the sunrise side of the state after going through the crown;
This is the place where cement blocks were invented;
and the Besser company keeps making machines, unended.

The harbor stays busy, when the ice is not around,
and opportunities for tourist just seem to abound,
for a serious walker, there is the Alpena-Bi Path, all along Thunder Bay,
it stretches more than sixteen miles, lots to see along the way.

Top:  Outer Harbor Light on Thunder Bay
Middle:  Alpena viewed from a nearby hill, the large building is the Besser plant.
Bottom:  Looking out to Thunder Bay and a foggy morning

Marquette.....

...Michigan, on Lake Superior, is very near the top...
...of the country, and it's not just a whistle stop.
A busy shipping port, for enriched iron ore,
eight million tons are shipped, that's not too poor.

Fifth snowiest town in the lower forty-eight,
141 annual inches, that's a lot, but it's great...
...for snowmobilers who like to ride,
and it's a source, of Marquette's local pride.

Top:  Marquette viewed from a nearby hill.
Middle: Presque Isle Point Park, near the shipping pier.
Bottom:  Marquette Point Lighthouse.

Mackinaw City....

....Michigan, a town on the edge it seems,
only a few in winter, in the summer it teems...
..with tourists - who, want to see,
the town and the island, on out great "inland seas."

This is the southern end of the Mackinac Straits bridge,
the other end lands on the Upper Peninsula edge.
to go to the island you'd take a ferry,
or snowmobile in winter, but it would be scarey.

Top: The Mackinac Straits Bridge - southern end.
Middle: The Lighthouse Point Light (notice it's made completely of stone).
Bottom: The Village of Mackinac Island, no motor vehicles allowed, only horse carriages, bicycles or snowmobiles in the winter.  The entire village is on the National Historic Register.

Traverse City....

...Michigan, a place where I'm a fan,
it's a must for a cherry pie lovin' man!
360 millions pounds, of cherries, every year,
and grown and picked and sent right from here!

It's a lovely place, from the beach at West Pier,
to the farm lands and orchards that are so near,
and when autumn comes and the colors glow,
please take my word - this is the place to go.

Top:  The beach at West Pier City Park.
Middle: Ripe for the picking - Montmorency cherries (pie cherries).
Bottom: The tall ship Manitou - tourists take trips in the summer.

Cadillac...

....The City, not the car,
this is one place, that should receive a star!
Lake Cadillac and Lake Mitchell, connected by canal, near center.
which freezes before the lakes, then thaws for the rest of winter.

This is the home of Christmas trees and parts for water pumps,
once the center of logging, now the place just jumps.
In winter this is the snowmobilers dream, with snow,
but a small warning, the temp is ten below!

Top:  One of the cities Welcome Signs.
Middle: Lake Cadillac and a part of downtown.
Bottom: Sunset on Lake Mitchell.

Big Rapids....

...Michigan, Home of Ferris State University,
a rural and intown campus, made just for study,
it must be a nice place to learn,
while others just have time to burn.

On the Muskegon River, the town is fighting back,
the last train has stopped dead on its track,
the railroad closed down, took Big Rapids off the route,
engine 1501 stand empty and mute.

Top: The Muskegon River.
Middle: The "dead" train.
Bottom: On the edge of town, a nice ride.

Muskegon....

....Michigan, home to Brunswick, for those who bowl,
Great Lakes port too, for things you need to know.
The city sits between two lakes, Michigan and Muskegon,
those two long fingers, shown above, are there for a reason.

The winters are cold, lakes fill with ice,
so sometimes January isn't so nice;
two Miss Americas are celebrated here, with cause,
and the man who painted the Coca-Cola Santa Claus.

Top: Muskegon Harbor from the air, shows the north and south piers.
Middle: The harbor frozen in winter, shows the lighthouses at both piers.
Bottom: The South Pier Light, shown in better weather.

Holland....

.....Michigan, known as the Tulip City,
rich in Dutch heritage, and it's mighty pretty;
the annual festival features everything Dutch,
the flowers, food and drink, just everythings almost too much.

There are other things done here too, let's make the rounds,
H J Heinz make pickles here, annualy over one million pounds,
the factory has been here since eighteen ninety seven,
but when it's Tulip Time the place is close to heaven.

Top: A welcome sign.
Middle(top): Some of the local flowers.
Middle(bottom): The City park.
Bottom: Farm field, these are grown for bulbs.

Kalamazoo....

....Michigan, original home of the Gibson Guitar,
and A.M. Todd supplied peppermint and still are,
ninety percent of the worlds supply, and that's a fact!
It's a real busy place that we've found, it's good and it's not an act.

The city named in lots of songs, Glenn Miller had a good one,
"I've got a gal in Kalamazoo", still sung on occasion, a long run.
Phamacuticals made here shipped all over the place,
an Aircraft "zoo", and lots more to behold, the place is an ace!

Top:  The city after the first snow of the season.
Middle: A WWI Spad, at the aircraft zoo.
Bottom: A walk in the park, looks inviting.

Tomorrow:  A "tulip" special - can you guess? (how well do you know Michigan)