Showing posts with label road trip. Show all posts

Planning The Road Trip

Here are a few miscellaneous notes on the latest in electric vehicles and worthy destinations to which to drive said vehicles.

Vehicles

Alpha Motor Corporation

It just sits in your garage while you admire it. When it's sunny out, you can pull it into the driveway, and admire it. But do not drive it anywhere.

Meet the Alpha Montage! It's a neat-looking car, but the fine print indicates that it won't be a street-legal car, which is good, because it means you don't have to worry about someone scratching it in a parking garage. On the other hand, you can't drive it anywhere except your driveway. Maybe you can afford a ticket, given that this car will cost $500K.

Fortunately, the company has other options if you don't have a half mil burning a hole in your pocket and you like to, you know, drive your car places and do stuff. They will offer the more down-to-earth REX Utility Vehicle ($52,000) and the SAGA Sedan ($48,000). These two will turn plenty of heads and you'll still be able to retire at 65.

None of these cars appear to be for sale yet, but you can reserve one today, and cross your fingers that Elon Musk doesn't buy the company and run it into the ground before yours is delivered.

Rivian

Rivian has a development center in Plymouth, MI, as well as other places in the US. Amazon has made a deal with them to create a fleet of delivery vehicles. I saw one of them the other day, so it's becoming a reality.

The Rivian R1T, pulling a trailer full of gasoline and unrecyclable plastic.

Not gigging as an underpaid Amazon delivery driver? Consider one of Rivian's cool R1T pickups instead. At night, with the lights on, they look like spaceships.

GM

Driving a Cadillac Lyriq is like having a really expensive watch - the rest of your wardrobe better match, or you just look like a doofus.

I love the look of the new Cadillac Lyriq. Their commercials indicate that its drivers must be young and rich and super attractive. I may be super attractive, but I'm not young or rich, so I'm going to call GM and ask if it's OK for me to buy one. It's not cheap ($63,000 and up), but I could own one and still retire at 65.

Places to Go

I didn't know that the Belle Isle Aquarium existed, but it does, and it remains completely waterproof thanks to the efforts of the Bell Isle Conservancy.

Do you need a place to "go"? Swing by the two-story outhouse in Cedar Lake, MI, and pick your level!

I'd like to drive my Cadlillac Lyriq to the House of Automata, but unfortunately, it's in Scotland, so unless these new electric vehicles can float and paddle, I'm out of luck.

Up North in October

Road Trip!

We've been to Frankfort, MI and the surrounding area many times in the summer, and J and I headed up last week to see what's different in the fall.

We took a detour through Manistee and walked along the river and visited some shops. It was a bit cold and rainy, so we didn't stay long. We stopped at at the Arcadia Overlook on our way from Manistee to Frankfort.

During our day out touring the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore, we enjoyed some rain and sunny weather, often together.

We hiked to the top of the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan at Pyramid Point, where we saw a complete rainbow - both ends and the entire arc were visible. I wasn't able to get a picture of it, because the lens on my camera wasn't wide enough to capture the whole thing. We also drove the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, which we had driven by many times in the past, but had never visited.

The leaves were just starting to change in most places, so we didn't get the full-color treatment we were hoping for when we planned the trip a few months ago. But the views and cold air were new and refreshing.

On the day we were leaving Frankfort, there was a small parade through town and we stayed to watch and hit some Frankfort shops before heading home.

The snow fences are one difference between Frankfort in July and October.

At the Pyramid Point trailhead, there's a sign that let's you know what you should or shouldn't do. I find it a bit ambiguous - for example, if a pet is on a snowmobile, is that OK? If I need to take a nap under the trees to rest from a long hike, is that considered camping?

The "left" part of the full rainbow. The fixed focal-length lens I had on my camera could get this much in one shot...

Here's the "right" part of the rainbow. If you put the pictures next to each other and blur your eyes, you can see the whole thing.

You will not be the least bit surprised to know that people were indeed going way down towards the bottom. Sadly, we didn't hear any cries for help. Maybe next time.

At the parade, the "pet costume" section featured this human dressed as a hamburger, leading some "french fry" dogs. She didn't have any ketchup, although her bun hat does appear to be sesame seed, which helps.

Uncle Spokes the Clown displayed whimsy and expert bike navigation as he greeted his fans. At the beginning of the parade, he had seven other clowns in his basket, who exited in the classic "Volkswagen" manner.

There's a lot to see here. Fortunately, this float remained parked in town for a while after the parade so we could read everything. There were no prizes for floats that I'm aware of, but if there were, this would be up for "Most Thorough".

An evening picture at the pier. The man on the pier has several fishing lines in the water, and there were some pretty significant waves.

The obligatory sunset photo. Note all the benches lined up on the beach, and the snow fences ready to be rolled out. The benches are normally spread out over the beach, but they are collected before winter and stored together.

Happy Winter to Frankfort! See you next year.

Frankfort 2022: Photos

An evening double rainbow captured with a fisheye lens. The second rainbow is hard to see - it's above the more visible one.

A spider whose web was near one of the doors to the condo we stayed in. This was taken with a macro lens.

While were in town, I signed a ten-year lease for these posts in Lake Betsie. The ropes are already attached, now all I need is a boat.

Photo memories from Frankfort aren't complete without a shot of the iconic lighthouse.

Actually, this is the lighthouse.

One evening, we had a very silvery sunset. It was not what we expected to see, but it was very pretty in its own right.

On the last night, we had the best sunset of the trip, with the trademark orange colors.

Interlochen

---

M leads the seniors at the marching demonstration.
He is this year's Drum Major.

The boys got back from Interlochen a few days ago. Here are a couple pictures. M is the incoming Drum Major, and K is playing in the Symphony Orchestra this year. They've both done some pretty outstanding work!

K and some of his fellow musicians

M walking onto stage for the band concert. It was
not going to be made public until that evening,
but the boy behind M was voted by his bandmates as
the 2018-2019 school year's Drum Major.

From left to right: 3 former Drum Majors, M (the incoming Drum Major),
and 11 DMCs (Drum Major Candidates) are introduced to attendees of
the marching demonstration.

Frankfort 2017 Pictures

---

I have a lot of lighthouse pictures, and lots of sunsets, too. Here are some of my favorites from Frankfort, MI, in July of 2017. Click on the pictures to make them bigger.

Somewhere over the lighthouse, bluebirds sing.

Frankfort's famous Sunset Drive-In.

This boat appeared to be constructed of all metal.

The storm is rolling in...

The storm is REALLY rolling in. Note the
lighthouse in the bottom left corner of the picture.

Meanwhile, in better weather at the mini-golf course,
M and K hit the links with long-time family
friends H and R. We've been vacationing with their
family most of the last 10 years.

The sky glows at sunset near the pier.

Our best, and orange-est sunset.

---

Jackson High: Retrospecticus

---

I had occasion to visit my alma mater, Jackson High School, last week. M's high school jazz band played there on Wednesday evening. Mom and Dad made a short trip over to join me, and we looked around the building and listened to first-rate jazz.

I had to get there early to drop off M, so I wandered around the halls and checked out the current state of the building. Many things looked familiar, but many looked new.

The center stairs.

The long hallway on the third floor.

The short hallway on the third floor.

An imposing building...

What appears to be a front entrance are doors that I maybe
went through a few times in the three years I was student here.

When I was in orchestra, there were no windows in this room.

Interlochen 2016

---

Both of the boys went to Interlochen this year for Pioneer High music camp. M participated in his third camp, and K completed his rookie year.

M has been practicing all summer to try out for the drum major position. He and 8 other drum major candidates (also known as "DMCs") practiced 5-6 days per week, 2 hours at a time, in the weeks leading up to their Interlochen trip. On Saturday of band camp, they auditioned in front of the combined bands. All DMCs are Juniors: the newly-selected drum major will act as an assistant of sorts this school year, then will take the official role next year as a Senior.

Their work this summer was exhausting, sometimes sunburning, and even bee-stinging, and their muscles and characters were built over the course of their practices.

The combined bands performed a marching demonstration for all the parents, family, and friends who showed up Sunday to cheer them on.

During the marching demonstration, the DMCs were introduced and recognized for their hard work and perseverance. DMCs will be expected to take leadership roles in the band for the next two years, sometimes doing the less-fun chores, like cleaning up after the band, putting away uniforms, or moving equipment.

M takes his turn leading the group at the marching demonstration. Each DMC led a portion of the program.

All orchestra students participated in ensembles with their fellow musicians. Here we see K and his group getting ready to play their piece, Scherzo by F. David.

These are all the cellos waiting to walk onto stage at the Kresge Auditorium at Interlochen. The band, orchestra, and choir campers represented all the different music groups at the school, and covered a wide range of experience and talent.

My high school held band/orchestra camp at Interlochen way back in the day. I stayed in this cabin each of the three years I was up there (1983-85).

---

Pictures from Frankfort 2016

---

Happy Birthday, K!
Before we get to the pictures, let's wish K a happy birthday! Around 6:00 am, I went to get some birthday donuts, and as I was returning home, I saw a beautiful rainbow. What a start to K's 15th year on the planet!

A rainbow especially for K.

Frankfort 2016
This year, Frankfort looked remarkably like last year. We did get some new pictures though.

El Berto's, a Mexican restaurant in Elberta, was a new stop for us (and one we'll return to).

I tried paddleboarding a few years ago and had problems staying upright. This year, with calmer and shallower water, I was able to get around like a teenager.

The Point Betsie Lighthouse. We've talked about going there for years, and finally went.

The current light assembly at the Point Betsie Lighthouse. The casing reflects light very efficiently. The lightbulb it uses is about the same as a household lightbulb.

This is the glass case that housed the previous light at the lighthouse, and is shown in the museum in the lighthouse's main building.

This is the foghorn building at the Point Betsie Lighthouse location. The foghorn is steam-powered.

M and K show their effortless paddleboard skills.

M gives K a ride on the paddleboard.

I snorkled around and found a bunch of flat rocks, which I built into this tower. For a few moments, I was the skyscraper mogul of the beach.

The first day we were there, it was windy, and that brought out the parachute boards. The parachutes in the air are pulling people through the water.

M goes to great lengths and mild heights to capture his subjects.

We had a nice full moon one night. M got a great picture of its reflection to counter all the attention we give to sunsets.

A panoramic view of the water from an outlook in Elberta. Click on it to see a bigger version. Picture by M.

The Frankfort lighthouse and pier. Picture by M.

The walkway down the beach and to the pier. It's oddly absent of people. Picture by M.

Obligatory Sunset Pictures
You knew they were coming. Here they are.