OT 20: rotisserie roller coaster

[ChrisoftheNorth]

I am thinking it's actually a great bet. Unfortunately I doubt I could sell the wife on staying with 'random people from the internet' but I'm sure she'd be down to hang out if we

I'll take a look at the hotels.

Any reason that driving in from Detroit would be no bueno? It's a lot less dollhairs.

Dplac is definitely not a random person from the internet at this point. You boys are brothers of the tub.

Yea, but I get it. Explaining it to the wife is a completely different dynamic.

If we meet up IRL for drinks or whatever to break the ice, it's an easier go in the future.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Dplac is definitely not a random person from the internet at this point. You boys are brothers of the tub.

Definitely not to me But I don't think I could convince the wife to stay with people she's never met. Understandably, I probably wouldn't want to either. She'd be totally down for a up

exactly.

Let me know if you pull the trigger, we'll

Also, let me know if you want hotel reccos. Prices should be pretty fair everywhere in Feb.

[D Griff]

Definitely not to me But I don't think I could convince the wife to stay with people she's never met. Understandably, I probably wouldn't want to either. She'd be totally down for a up

exactly.

Let me know if you pull the trigger, we'll

Also, let me know if you want hotel reccos. Prices should be pretty fair everywhere in Feb.

Hmmm looking at flight times and prices I think it only really makes sense to go to Detroit and drive. it seems like any snowy destination that's nice s a small town, so this is sort of inevitable.

I'll just have to think about the drive. I've been stuck in a few white outs before, it blows and I don't think the wife would enjoy. I like this idea a lot

I haven't really been to a new-to-me area of the US in years.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Hmmm looking at flight times and prices I think it only really makes sense to go to Detroit and drive. it seems like any snowy destination that's nice s a small town, so this is sort of inevitable.

I'll just have to think about the drive. I've been stuck in a few white outs before, it blows and I don't think the wife would enjoy. I like this idea a lot

I haven't really been to a new-to-me area of the US in years.

Meatchicken is a big boring state in the winter, but at least it'll be a new experience?

Yea...TBH, I'm not sure it's worth the drive from Detroit to TC. It's flat, boring, and not a lot to stop and see. 8 hours of the trip would be driving in nothing land...but it would be new I guess.

Most of Michigan sucks. But the west side of the state to the NW and UP is epic.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Yea...TBH, I'm not sure it's worth the drive from Detroit to TC. It's flat, boring, and not a lot to stop and see. 8 hours of the trip would be driving in nothing land...but it would be new I guess.

Most of Michigan sucks. But the west side of the state to the NW and UP is epic.

The Lake Michigan shoreline is awesome.

Yep, the Lake MI shoreline and ~50 miles inland along the entire way is the only reason to come to this state. Everything in the middle to Lake Huron down to Detroit and Monroe might as well be Ohio or Indiana.

[CaleDeRoo]

exactly.

Let me know if you pull the trigger, we'll

Also, let me know if you want hotel reccos. Prices should be pretty fair everywhere in Feb.

Hmmm looking at flight times and prices I think it only really makes sense to go to Detroit and drive. it seems like any snowy destination that's nice s a small town, so this is sort of inevitable.

I'll just have to think about the drive. I've been stuck in a few white outs before, it blows and I don't think the wife would enjoy. I like this idea a lot

I haven't really been to a new-to-me area of the US in years.

Don't forget to bring Monopoly

[D Griff]

The Lake Michigan shoreline is awesome.

Yep, the Lake MI shoreline and ~50 miles inland along the entire way is the only reason to come to this state. Everything in the middle to Lake Huron down to Detroit and Monroe might as well be Ohio or Indiana.

I've always enjoyed my trips to Detroit, but I like cities.

[D Griff]

Meatchicken is a big boring state in the winter, but at least it'll be a new experience?

Yea...TBH, I'm not sure it's worth the drive from Detroit to TC. It's flat, boring, and not a lot to stop and see. 8 hours of the trip would be driving in nothing land...but it would be new I guess.

Most of Michigan sucks. But the west side of the state to the NW and UP is epic.

This is really making me

Other options are... fly to Boston and drive hours to VT or NH somewhere. The roads are probably more likely to be cleared there and New England is pretty, but it would be a lot more costly. We could go to NC Mountains and likely wouldn't see snow but could go to a place with tubing and still have some of the experience. I think the western stuff is too far/expensive.

[coogles]

4 hour drive from the airport is the only reason. And if there's a snow storm, it's not a fun drive at all and could be 6+hrs depending on conditions.

Check flights to Grand Rapids. It's only 2.5 hours drive to TC, and GR itself is a super cool city that would be worth spending a night in. And there's a lot of towns to check out on the way to TC as well.

Grand Rapids is a really nice town.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Yep, the Lake MI shoreline and ~50 miles inland along the entire way is the only reason to come to this state. Everything in the middle to Lake Huron down to Detroit and Monroe might as well be Ohio or Indiana.

I've always enjoyed my trips to Detroit, but I like cities.

Detroit got too fancy for what it is. It used to be a lot more fun, but now it's just a shitty city with overpriced bougie crap everywhere that feels like any other city, except worse service and experience. I miss the days of going to hole in the wall places that survived against all odds due to an owner's unwillingness to quit. "grit" or whatever. That's mostly gone now. It's clearly attempting to be NYC in prices and experience, but it's nowhere near delivering.

In the midwest, I VASTLY prefer the old mining cities/towns along the west and UP. Traverse City being the largest, but south to Luddington, Muskegon, Grand Rapids, then north to Charlevioix, Petosky, Harbor Springs, and the UP Mackinaw City, Sault St. Marie, Marquette, and up to Houghton and Copper Harbor. Tons of history, revived by modern people who just like the more rural setting, it's a neat trend emerging that's revitalizing these areas.

If cities are the desire in the midwest, Chicago is way better than Detroit. Hell, I find Toledo more fun than Detroit. Ann Arbor is also superior.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

4 hour drive from the airport is the only reason. And if there's a snow storm, it's not a fun drive at all and could be 6+hrs depending on conditions.

Check flights to Grand Rapids. It's only 2.5 hours drive to TC, and GR itself is a super cool city that would be worth spending a night in. And there's a lot of towns to check out on the way to TC as well.

Grand Rapids is a really nice town.

It's the only other city I'd move to in Michigan. The city itself is awesome, with a fantastic location close to Chicago and all the neat Lake Michigan shoreline towns. Plus it's hilly with a lot of nature. 5/7 place overall.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Yea...TBH, I'm not sure it's worth the drive from Detroit to TC. It's flat, boring, and not a lot to stop and see. 8 hours of the trip would be driving in nothing land...but it would be new I guess.

Most of Michigan sucks. But the west side of the state to the NW and UP is epic.

This is really making me

Other options are... fly to Boston and drive hours to VT or NH somewhere. The roads are probably more likely to be cleared there and New England is pretty, but it would be a lot more costly. We could go to NC Mountains and likely wouldn't see snow but could go to a place with tubing and still have some of the experience. I think the western stuff is too far/expensive.

Yea, I'd hate for you to go through the effort for a experience, which I think flying into Detroit and driving to TC would be, especially for a long weekend.

What about Milwaukee or Green Bay?

[wap]

I've always enjoyed my trips to Detroit, but I like cities.

Detroit got too fancy for what it is. It used to be a lot more fun, but now it's just a shitty city with overpriced bougie crap everywhere that feels like any other city, except worse service and experience. I miss the days of going to hole in the wall places that survived against all odds due to an owner's unwillingness to quit. "grit" or whatever. That's mostly gone now. It's clearly attempting to be NYC in prices and experience, but it's nowhere near delivering.

In the midwest, I VASTLY prefer the old mining cities/towns along the west and UP. Traverse City being the largest, but south to Luddington, Muskegon, Grand Rapids, then north to Charlevioix, Petosky, Harbor Springs, and the UP Mackinaw City, Sault St. Marie, Marquette, and up to Houghton and Copper Harbor. Tons of history, revived by modern people who just like the more rural setting, it's a neat trend emerging that's revitalizing these areas.

If cities are the desire in the midwest, Chicago is way better than Detroit. Hell, I find Toledo more fun than Detroit. Ann Arbor is also superior.

Just chiming in to agree with the bolded. Those old iron and copper mining towns up there are pretty places to visit. I'd add Duluth, MN and Superior, WI to your list of cities up there worth visiting. In general, not necessarily for Griff's current trip plans...

Also, +1 on Toledo being a nice little city, along with Cleveland. Both are surprisingly pleasant places to visit, with world class art museums.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Detroit got too fancy for what it is. It used to be a lot more fun, but now it's just a shitty city with overpriced bougie crap everywhere that feels like any other city, except worse service and experience. I miss the days of going to hole in the wall places that survived against all odds due to an owner's unwillingness to quit. "grit" or whatever. That's mostly gone now. It's clearly attempting to be NYC in prices and experience, but it's nowhere near delivering.

In the midwest, I VASTLY prefer the old mining cities/towns along the west and UP. Traverse City being the largest, but south to Luddington, Muskegon, Grand Rapids, then north to Charlevioix, Petosky, Harbor Springs, and the UP Mackinaw City, Sault St. Marie, Marquette, and up to Houghton and Copper Harbor. Tons of history, revived by modern people who just like the more rural setting, it's a neat trend emerging that's revitalizing these areas.

If cities are the desire in the midwest, Chicago is way better than Detroit. Hell, I find Toledo more fun than Detroit. Ann Arbor is also superior.

Just chiming in to agree with the bolded. Those old iron and copper mining towns up there are pretty places to visit. I'd add Duluth, MN and Superior, WI to your list of cities up there worth visiting. In general, not necessarily for Griff's current trip plans...

Also, +1 on Toledo being a nice little city, along with Cleveland. Both are surprisingly pleasant places to visit, with world class art museums.

I have spent next to zero time in Wisconsin and Minnesota. I'm really bummed by that. I really want to plan a trip around lake MI at some point. I've been talking about it since we moved here last year, I just need to

[ChrisoftheNorth]

I have spent next to zero time in Wisconsin and Minnesota. I'm really bummed by that. I really want to plan a trip around lake MI at some point. I've been talking about it since we moved here last year, I just need to

I really want to do a trip north of the lakes into Canuckland, through the UP, and then down through meatchicken someday. Or vice versa.

Also really want to do a big dirt road tour of northern Maine, too.

YES! I've heard the Canadian side of Lake Huron is fantastic. A "dream" trip I've been planning in my head is leaving TC and heading north into Canada through Sault St. Marie, then follow Huron down to Toronto, from Toronto to Montreal, Montreal to Quebec City, QC to Prince Edward Island, then Prince Edward Island into Maine to Portland, Portland through NH and VT to Buffalo, Niagra to Sarnia, then home. Would probably take a month or more, but would be epic.

I'm not sure there's a ton on the north side of Superior other than Thunder bay, but a Lake Superior circle drive would be outstanding as well.

[wap]

Just chiming in to agree with the bolded. Those old iron and copper mining towns up there are pretty places to visit. I'd add Duluth, MN and Superior, WI to your list of cities up there worth visiting. In general, not necessarily for Griff's current trip plans...

Also, +1 on Toledo being a nice little city, along with Cleveland. Both are surprisingly pleasant places to visit, with world class art museums.

I have spent next to zero time in Wisconsin and Minnesota. I'm really bummed by that. I really want to plan a trip around lake MI at some point. I've been talking about it since we moved here last year, I just need to

Pop dat cherry on the 'Yoda with a trip around Lake Meatchicken?

[SAWCE]

I flew to Minnesota to with a gal I'd never met in person once. Oh to be young again.

[wap]

Just chiming in to agree with the bolded. Those old iron and copper mining towns up there are pretty places to visit. I'd add Duluth, MN and Superior, WI to your list of cities up there worth visiting. In general, not necessarily for Griff's current trip plans...

Also, +1 on Toledo being a nice little city, along with Cleveland. Both are surprisingly pleasant places to visit, with world class art museums.

I have spent next to zero time in Wisconsin and Minnesota. I'm really bummed by that. I really want to plan a trip around lake MI at some point. I've been talking about it since we moved here last year, I just need to

Pop dat cherry on the 'Yoda with a trip around Lake Meatchicken?

[ChrisoftheNorth]

I have spent next to zero time in Wisconsin and Minnesota. I'm really bummed by that. I really want to plan a trip around lake MI at some point. I've been talking about it since we moved here last year, I just need to

Pop dat cherry on the 'Yoda with a trip around Lake Meatchicken?

Doing it in winter would be interesting. Not sure how much there is to see/do. I was thinking it would be an epic trip to do in late September/early October.

We're going dog sledding in the UP in early Feb, that might be the first trip.

[wap]

I really want to do a trip north of the lakes into Canuckland, through the UP, and then down through meatchicken someday. Or vice versa.

Also really want to do a big dirt road tour of northern Maine, too.

YES! I've heard the Canadian side of Lake Huron is fantastic. A "dream" trip I've been planning in my head is leaving TC and heading north into Canada through Sault St. Marie, then follow Huron down to Toronto, from Toronto to Montreal, Montreal to Quebec City, QC to Prince Edward Island, then Prince Edward Island into Maine to Portland, Portland through NH and VT to Buffalo, Niagra to Sarnia, then home. Would probably take a month or more, but would be epic.

I'm not sure there's a ton on the north side of Superior other than Thunder bay, but a Lake Superior circle drive would be outstanding as well.

We did a version of this a few years ago but in reverse (Quebec City --> home via north of Lake Huron then through the UP and down the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan) and it was fantastic. Sarnia was quite a nice town.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

I flew to Minnesota to with a gal I'd never met in person once. Oh to be young again.

[wap]

I flew to Minnesota to with a gal I'd never met in person once. Oh to be young again.

[SAWCE]

Married/committed relationship life is good and all, but man the Tinder days were wild.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

YES! I've heard the Canadian side of Lake Huron is fantastic. A "dream" trip I've been planning in my head is leaving TC and heading north into Canada through Sault St. Marie, then follow Huron down to Toronto, from Toronto to Montreal, Montreal to Quebec City, QC to Prince Edward Island, then Prince Edward Island into Maine to Portland, Portland through NH and VT to Buffalo, Niagra to Sarnia, then home. Would probably take a month or more, but would be epic.

I'm not sure there's a ton on the north side of Superior other than Thunder bay, but a Lake Superior circle drive would be outstanding as well.

We did a version of this a few years ago but in reverse (Quebec City --> home via north of Lake Huron then through the UP and down the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan) and it was fantastic. Sarnia was quite a nice town.

Sarnia is my favorite border crossing from SE MI to Ontario. Never spent much time there tho, would like to fix that on one of our trips.

We put all plans of going to Canada on hold with COVID. Don't want to people there, also don't want to get stuck at borders.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Married/committed relationship life is good and all, but man the Tinder days were wild.

I got married before tinder existed. Kind of wish it was around so I could have had some wild times before.