Turns out Gideon didn't miss too much! We start getting ready for the day. We don't have a long drive, but we have lots of stops today and we finally get to restart Route 2. Route 2 is very similar to Route 66. Sometimes it is a 3 lane highway, sometimes it is a 1 lane highway where you have to pass semis on the wrong side of the road and sometimes it is a dirt road (Adam went back to old maps to find the real original route 2..not just the highway as we know it now). Sometimes it is nothing but farmland for miles and sometimes it is quaint little towns with 2 gas stations and a pub. The areas we have been in are very rural and some of them are very depressed. Adam and I realized how the kids rarely see this side of living. At first when they saw trailer homes and housing which was decrepit, they thought it was unusual. Now they are realizing how common it is and how lucky we are. This led to some great conversations in the car about economic 'status' and who "deserves" what. They couldn't make sense of the luck of it all - where you are born, historical wealth, opportunities for growth... It was an unexpected but great learning moment for us all and a reminder of just how lucky we all are.
Before I left for the trip, I had 16 work meetings to get done and scheduled. I got 13 of them done. That means 3 meetings on the trip. I scheduled 2 of them for today! One from 2 - 3 and one from 3 - 4. I wanted to get them over with early and clumped them together for ease. We plan the day to be sure we are back at the hotel by 2pm so that I can get these two meetings done while Adam and the kids get to go see his sister, Erin and her family (husband Michael, children Eoin and Delia). I am saddened to not see them and at the same time relieved that while I am the kill joy who is working, they have a whole lot of fun and an amazing agenda.
Our first stop for the day is called Castle Rock. Castle Rock is another tourist trap but there is a Paul Bunyan statue inside the park. We pull in and Adam tells us to just take a picture of Paul from the parking lot through fences so that we don't have to pay to get in the park. I convince the family to just see what the park is about and see what pricing is. We find out that the park is a 176 step (this is a different count than Adam's blog, don't tell him but he's wrong) climb to the top of Castle Rock where you can see all throughout the area - lakes, mountains, roads, fields and etc. I make the executive decision to give it a shot and be adventurous. We first take pictures of Paul Bunyan, and then start making our way up the steps. Thankfully there were a few places to stop and rest before moving forward. This was especially important because some of the steps were the size of two steps so I'm guessing it was more like 210 steps. The view from the top is spectacular and we take a bunch of pictures and enjoy. The way down was easier, but also hard. You forget how many muscles are involved in going DOWN steps as well. Gideon buys his normal useless junk (a snake in the box toy) from the gift shop and we're on our way again!
Next stop is the Mystery Spot which is, well, a mystery until we get there. This is going to shock you, but turns out it's just a tourist trap where they built a building all cockeyed and then everything in the building visually messes up your brain. So balls and water run UPWARDS on a ramp, you have to stand on a slant, you can defy gravity a bit like spiderman and you get to feel dizzy and nauseous the WHOLE TOUR LONG!! The kids had a great time (especially Gideon who volunteered for everything). It was a fun little brain break. And we got to do a maze at the end. The kids lead us through the maze taking turns being the leader every time there is a dead end. The average time to get out of the maze is 10 minutes, we got out in 8. After re-affirming our better than average selves, we get back in the car and on our way!
It is now time for lunch and as I told you, we are trying new things as much as possible. So Adam scopes out a few places to get lunch. We settle on a place called Moofin Fries. They have burgers (for the boys) and grilled cheese (for the girls) and fried fish for the non-mcfarlands. Moofin is a funny play on cow and fish, but also means "a person who is a kind and caring person. Even though they may try to come off tough, they are actually adorable and soft deep down". When we met the owner, we figured out the connection. The food was really good, the place was clean and staff was friendly. We took the order to go to make good time. At this point we also decide to stop and try a "Pastie" which is a famous savory treat from the Michigan Upper Penninsula. It is essentially shepherd's pie wrapped in a flaky pastry served with gravy. Everywhere you go in the Upper Penninsula is filled with signs about these treats. They are in gas stations, hotels, shops, resaurants, food trucks..they are everywhere. Since we are being adventurous, we decide to try Hiawatha's Pasties. Adam, Abby and I all shared one and really enjoyed it while Gideon sat back horrified and ate his burger. We're glad we tried it and can now say we know what a pastie is!
We make it back to the hotel with plenty of time and I get setup for my meeting while Gideon clogs the toilet. Adam jiggles the handle and fixes it without having to get a plunger or anything - phew! Adam and the kids head out for their hike with the cousins. My work meeting goes great - in fact - the client tells me it's the best presentation they've had and the entire committee agrees and sends emails after the fact thanking me. I am not saying this to brag because if you know me, you know this makes me so uncomfortable. But I do think it's a nice time to remember that taking a break allows you to come back into work energetic and passionate again. I'll keep reminding myself how important these breaks are. After the meeting is over, I run to the bathroom for a quick pee and then flush...guess what. The toilet was not fixed. So much excitement for one day.
Adam and the kids had a fabulous time seeing the cousins. Everyone is back exhausted from a combination of physical activity and speaking with new people. We are a car of introverts after all....our social meters run out quickly. Abby begs to stay in for the night and order a pizza. We get a pizza from a local joint (not as good as moofin) but it satisfies. We get to bed early and get a lot of sleep. Best night sleep of the trip so far for me. In fact, I had that moment when you wake up and think you're in your own home and then have to re-acclimate to your location.
Summary: Pretending to see a sunrise allows for a great day. Taking mental health breaks are good for the soul and for your work. Ended the day at the Comfort Inn in Manistique, MI.