Friday, January 28, 2011
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Bigfoot
Bizarre Beasts, pg 78
Players: Megan & Mallery
Bigfoot sightings are seemingly prevalent all around Michigan. People claim to see the large, hairy beast from the north woods of the Upper Peninsula all the way down to suburbs near the Michigan / Ohio boarder. Many theories exist in trying to explain Bigfoot such as he is an alien, an interbreed of ape and human, an experiment gone wrong and that he is the remainder of a giant great ape breed who lived 2-10 million years ago.
In my 24 years as a Michigan resident, I hadn’t managed to see Bigfoot until my recent trip to Hell, and interestingly enough, he didn’t try to escape when I went to take a picture of him. The weirdest part of the sighting was that I noticed a unique resemblance between his face and my own!
This is not the end of my search for Bigfoot. Because he has been spotted in so many locations throughout the state, I will continue to search for him during every adventure and will be sure to update after the next sighting.
Players: Megan & Mallery
Bigfoot sightings are seemingly prevalent all around Michigan. People claim to see the large, hairy beast from the north woods of the Upper Peninsula all the way down to suburbs near the Michigan / Ohio boarder. Many theories exist in trying to explain Bigfoot such as he is an alien, an interbreed of ape and human, an experiment gone wrong and that he is the remainder of a giant great ape breed who lived 2-10 million years ago.
In my 24 years as a Michigan resident, I hadn’t managed to see Bigfoot until my recent trip to Hell, and interestingly enough, he didn’t try to escape when I went to take a picture of him. The weirdest part of the sighting was that I noticed a unique resemblance between his face and my own!
This is not the end of my search for Bigfoot. Because he has been spotted in so many locations throughout the state, I will continue to search for him during every adventure and will be sure to update after the next sighting.
Satan Always on Holiday in Hell
Fabled People and Places, pg 54
Players: Megan & Mallery
Let me just start off by saying I had very high expectations for my visit to Hell. With two pages full of stories and colorful pictures in the “Weird Michigan” book, I couldn’t help but conjure up the idea that this was probably going to be the coolest place I traveled during the challenge. Unfortunately, I was wrong.
Megan was gracious enough to accompany me to Hell, and when we arrived, it was deserted. This was the first indication that my idea of Hell was a little…off. The entire town is comprised of three buildings: a general store, ice-cream store/costume shop and bar. Behind the ice-cream store/costume shop is a putt-putt golf course and several plywood boards painted with scary characters which include holes where you can insert your face for a photo op. We didn’t even venture into the buildings because I was afraid to be even more disappointed.
Legend has it that the founder of the town was being pressured to choose a name for the location. He became annoyed and told the people that he didn’t care and they could call it Hell if they wanted too. Regardless of why it originally gained the name, I am quite sure I know why it has retained it for so many years: it is comparable to Hell on earth considering there is nothing to do and doesn’t live up to its expectations!
The only part of my theory that proved to be true was that it was HOT with temperatures at almost 90 degrees, high humidity and no breeze. At least I wasn’t all wrong!
Players: Megan & Mallery
Let me just start off by saying I had very high expectations for my visit to Hell. With two pages full of stories and colorful pictures in the “Weird Michigan” book, I couldn’t help but conjure up the idea that this was probably going to be the coolest place I traveled during the challenge. Unfortunately, I was wrong.
Megan was gracious enough to accompany me to Hell, and when we arrived, it was deserted. This was the first indication that my idea of Hell was a little…off. The entire town is comprised of three buildings: a general store, ice-cream store/costume shop and bar. Behind the ice-cream store/costume shop is a putt-putt golf course and several plywood boards painted with scary characters which include holes where you can insert your face for a photo op. We didn’t even venture into the buildings because I was afraid to be even more disappointed.
Legend has it that the founder of the town was being pressured to choose a name for the location. He became annoyed and told the people that he didn’t care and they could call it Hell if they wanted too. Regardless of why it originally gained the name, I am quite sure I know why it has retained it for so many years: it is comparable to Hell on earth considering there is nothing to do and doesn’t live up to its expectations!
The only part of my theory that proved to be true was that it was HOT with temperatures at almost 90 degrees, high humidity and no breeze. At least I wasn’t all wrong!
Rolling Bass-Ackward Up Gravity Hill
Roads Less Traveled, pg181
Players: Erin & Mallery
One of my personal favorite attractions in Benzie County, Gravity Hill, provides entertainment and challenges the mind. If you put your car in neutral at the bottom of the hill on Putney Road and remove your foot from the break, your vehicle will begin rolling backwards UP this hill. So is it an optical illusion, or is Blaine Christian Church (which sits at the top of the hill) pulling sinners towards its doors? Local legend suggests the second, but the author of the “Weird Michigan” book is convinced it’s just an optical illusion.
Players: Erin & Mallery
One of my personal favorite attractions in Benzie County, Gravity Hill, provides entertainment and challenges the mind. If you put your car in neutral at the bottom of the hill on Putney Road and remove your foot from the break, your vehicle will begin rolling backwards UP this hill. So is it an optical illusion, or is Blaine Christian Church (which sits at the top of the hill) pulling sinners towards its doors? Local legend suggests the second, but the author of the “Weird Michigan” book is convinced it’s just an optical illusion.
From Doctoring to Dutch Cowboys
Personalized Properties, pg 126
Players: Erin & Mallery
Dewey Blocksma, a former emergency room doctor, has created unique artwork from random materials including wooden shoes, bike wheels and Jell-O cups. According to the “Weird Michigan” book, his yard in Benzie County is full of multimedia sculptures, but we found that his house sits up a hill, back off the road making all the artwork nearly impossible to view. Near the end of the driveway we did find some of his work which you can see in the picture. Blocksma’s work is also featured in the Tamarack Gallery in Omena and one of his sculptures called River Guardian, stands on the riverbank in Traverse City.
Players: Erin & Mallery
Dewey Blocksma, a former emergency room doctor, has created unique artwork from random materials including wooden shoes, bike wheels and Jell-O cups. According to the “Weird Michigan” book, his yard in Benzie County is full of multimedia sculptures, but we found that his house sits up a hill, back off the road making all the artwork nearly impossible to view. Near the end of the driveway we did find some of his work which you can see in the picture. Blocksma’s work is also featured in the Tamarack Gallery in Omena and one of his sculptures called River Guardian, stands on the riverbank in Traverse City.
Don Crossman’s Sculpture Garden, Beulah
Personalized Properties, pg 124
Players: Erin & Mallery
Using old tanks and materials found at local junk yards, Don Crossman has created numerous animals and characters that fill the front yard of his home located on US 31 between Honor and Beulah. When speaking of the figures that include Uncle Sam, Jesus and a variety of animals, Crossman says, “You put it all together, it sounds about like what I’d want in the world.” The figures have gained much attention over the years, but Erin and I found that only a few are still in his yard today. Apparently his house burned down a couple years ago and many of the figures were removed at that time.
Players: Erin & Mallery
Using old tanks and materials found at local junk yards, Don Crossman has created numerous animals and characters that fill the front yard of his home located on US 31 between Honor and Beulah. When speaking of the figures that include Uncle Sam, Jesus and a variety of animals, Crossman says, “You put it all together, it sounds about like what I’d want in the world.” The figures have gained much attention over the years, but Erin and I found that only a few are still in his yard today. Apparently his house burned down a couple years ago and many of the figures were removed at that time.
Cherry Bowl Drive-In
Roadside Oddities, pg 158
Players: Erin & Mallery
The Cherry Bowl Drive-In located in Honor is one of the last remaining drive-in movie theatres in Michigan. The theatre has been in continuous operation since its grand opening in 1953 and offers double features and old post speakers that still use the “original vacuum tube Motiograph amps”. Outside the theatre are many odd visuals including a giant hotdog, pink VW bug, giant white chicken and the backside of a car that looks as though it crashed through the fence.
While we didn’t stay for the feature presentation during this trip, I have take part in the excitement of the Cherry Bowl Drive-in several times before and it is a unique experience that is fun for all ages!
Players: Erin & Mallery
The Cherry Bowl Drive-In located in Honor is one of the last remaining drive-in movie theatres in Michigan. The theatre has been in continuous operation since its grand opening in 1953 and offers double features and old post speakers that still use the “original vacuum tube Motiograph amps”. Outside the theatre are many odd visuals including a giant hotdog, pink VW bug, giant white chicken and the backside of a car that looks as though it crashed through the fence.
While we didn’t stay for the feature presentation during this trip, I have take part in the excitement of the Cherry Bowl Drive-in several times before and it is a unique experience that is fun for all ages!
The Alpine Slide
Added Challenge
Players: Erin & Mallery
Although the Alpine Slide at Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville is not included in the Weird Michigan book, Erin convinced me that it was worthy of being featured in the competition. It is the only Alpine Slide in Michigan at 1,600 feet long, with a four-minute chair lift ride to the top of the mountain and a two-minute ride down the slide.
In addition to the Alpine Slide, Crystal Mountain features a water park, bike rentals and many other fun activities for families to partake in during the summer months. New this year, the park has added a paintball park to the amenities they offer. Following our two trips down the Alpine Slide, we took a time to shoot a few balls at the target range, and convinced the Crystal Mountain staff to let us borrow the white paintball suits for a quick photo shoot. Now I’m not sure why one would actually wear one of these white suits during a paintball match, but they provided a good laugh none the less.
Players: Erin & Mallery
Although the Alpine Slide at Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville is not included in the Weird Michigan book, Erin convinced me that it was worthy of being featured in the competition. It is the only Alpine Slide in Michigan at 1,600 feet long, with a four-minute chair lift ride to the top of the mountain and a two-minute ride down the slide.
In addition to the Alpine Slide, Crystal Mountain features a water park, bike rentals and many other fun activities for families to partake in during the summer months. New this year, the park has added a paintball park to the amenities they offer. Following our two trips down the Alpine Slide, we took a time to shoot a few balls at the target range, and convinced the Crystal Mountain staff to let us borrow the white paintball suits for a quick photo shoot. Now I’m not sure why one would actually wear one of these white suits during a paintball match, but they provided a good laugh none the less.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Giant Grasshopper: Real Art, Fake Lore
Personalized Properties, pg 167
Players: Erin & Mallery
Not far from the Kaleva Bottle House, hidden away in Kaleva's Centennial Park, we found the Giant Grasshopper. A local welder and 2,000 Lutheran Brethren High School students created the masterpiece along with several other projects that were intended to renovate the small town. The sculpture was built to commemorate the town's Finnish heritage, but as it turns out, the legend behind the grasshopper turns out to be fake!
The grasshopper was actually hard to find as it is camouflaged in tall weeds along the tree line. If you are in the area and looking for the grasshopper, good luck! If you live near Kaleva and own a weed whacker, it would be greatly appreciated if you helped eliminate the weeds!
On a side note, if you are traveling through Kaleva and have the privilege of visiting the Kaleva Bottle House and the Giant Grasshopper, you might as well head up the road to see this train. As you can see, I had an extremely hard time catching the train, but Erin is in great shape and had no problem!
Players: Erin & Mallery
Not far from the Kaleva Bottle House, hidden away in Kaleva's Centennial Park, we found the Giant Grasshopper. A local welder and 2,000 Lutheran Brethren High School students created the masterpiece along with several other projects that were intended to renovate the small town. The sculpture was built to commemorate the town's Finnish heritage, but as it turns out, the legend behind the grasshopper turns out to be fake!
The grasshopper was actually hard to find as it is camouflaged in tall weeds along the tree line. If you are in the area and looking for the grasshopper, good luck! If you live near Kaleva and own a weed whacker, it would be greatly appreciated if you helped eliminate the weeds!
On a side note, if you are traveling through Kaleva and have the privilege of visiting the Kaleva Bottle House and the Giant Grasshopper, you might as well head up the road to see this train. As you can see, I had an extremely hard time catching the train, but Erin is in great shape and had no problem!
Kaleva's Bottle House
Personalized Properties, pg 129
Players: Erin & Mallery
Built of 60,000 glass bottles, the Kaleva Bottle House was finished in 1941 by a former bottle company owner, John J. Makinen. Makinen's family lived in the house for many years before the Kaleva Historical Society purchased it in 1980, but Makinen died before ever spending one night in his eccentric creation.
Players: Erin & Mallery
Built of 60,000 glass bottles, the Kaleva Bottle House was finished in 1941 by a former bottle company owner, John J. Makinen. Makinen's family lived in the house for many years before the Kaleva Historical Society purchased it in 1980, but Makinen died before ever spending one night in his eccentric creation.
Kampvilla RV Park's Big Yellow Dinosaur
Added Competition
Players: Erin & Mallery
On Sunday, June 20th, Erin and I completed eight challenges (six from the book and two that we added), starting with a picture of the Big Yellow Dinosaur at Kampvilla RV Park in Bear Lake. Now we are still trying to figure out why the dinosaur didn't make it into the Weird Michigan book, but I'm sure after the letter I wrote to the editor that it will appear in the next edition.
Of course I am partial to the dinosaur considering I woke up to him in my front yard for more than 10 years, but locals and tourist alike always look for the dinosaur when heading north on US 31, 4 miles north of Bear Lake. Many people stop to take pictures with it every week, and its glowing red eyes spook them when driving by at night.
By far the coolest roadside oddity if you ask me!
Players: Erin & Mallery
On Sunday, June 20th, Erin and I completed eight challenges (six from the book and two that we added), starting with a picture of the Big Yellow Dinosaur at Kampvilla RV Park in Bear Lake. Now we are still trying to figure out why the dinosaur didn't make it into the Weird Michigan book, but I'm sure after the letter I wrote to the editor that it will appear in the next edition.
Of course I am partial to the dinosaur considering I woke up to him in my front yard for more than 10 years, but locals and tourist alike always look for the dinosaur when heading north on US 31, 4 miles north of Bear Lake. Many people stop to take pictures with it every week, and its glowing red eyes spook them when driving by at night.
By far the coolest roadside oddity if you ask me!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
The Legend of the Petoskey Stones
Ancient Mysteries, pg 27
Players: Beth & Mallery
Petoskey stones are a type of fossilized coral and appear to be covered with hundreds of tiny, radiating suns. The unique stone is Michigan's state stone and can only be found in the northern part of the state.
While visiting Beth in Petoskey, she took me to a secret beach where we hit the jackpot of Petoskey stones! Unfortunately, we didn't take a bag to carry the stones and Beth had to carry them in her shirt...see the pictures!
Players: Beth & Mallery
Petoskey stones are a type of fossilized coral and appear to be covered with hundreds of tiny, radiating suns. The unique stone is Michigan's state stone and can only be found in the northern part of the state.
While visiting Beth in Petoskey, she took me to a secret beach where we hit the jackpot of Petoskey stones! Unfortunately, we didn't take a bag to carry the stones and Beth had to carry them in her shirt...see the pictures!
The Competition...
The ‘Weird (Arizona/Michigan) Challenge’ started when Beth moved across the county and discovered the ‘Weird Arizona’ book. She decided to try and visit every place mentioned in the book, and when she told me about her idea, I decided to join in and challenge her. While Beth has a head start on the competition, I am not afraid because I now have a strategic plan in place. Along the way, both Beth and I will take pictures at each place listed in our book and then blog about the adventures. With over 170 adventures listed in the ‘Weird Michigan’ book, plus the additional adventures we add in along the way, it is sure to provide exciting pictures, entertaining stories and lots of fun.
Here's how it works:
1. Buy the book "Weird Arizona" or "Weird Michigan."
2. Create a blog.
3. Hit the ground running folks. Go to all the weird places in the book and take a picture at the sight.
4. Blog about your travels and post pictures so everyone can get jealous about how cool your life really is.
5. Whoever goes to all the places in their book first (with complete blog postings and pictures to accompany EVERY sight) wins.
AND THE GRAND PRIZE IS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Winner picks the destination of the next friend trip from the places in the "Weird USA" book.
Here's how it works:
1. Buy the book "Weird Arizona" or "Weird Michigan."
2. Create a blog.
3. Hit the ground running folks. Go to all the weird places in the book and take a picture at the sight.
4. Blog about your travels and post pictures so everyone can get jealous about how cool your life really is.
5. Whoever goes to all the places in their book first (with complete blog postings and pictures to accompany EVERY sight) wins.
AND THE GRAND PRIZE IS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Winner picks the destination of the next friend trip from the places in the "Weird USA" book.
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