May 6, 2017. Springfield, IL, to Warren Dunes State Park, MI.

 

May 6, 2017.  Springfield, IL, to Warren Dunes State Park, MI.  Another day, another 250 miles.  Tonight we are in southwest Michigan in Warren Dunes State Park, a place we've stayed in 2-3 times before.  We arrived early enough to take a quiet walk around the campground.  The temperature was in the low 50s and is expected to drop to the 30s tonight.  Still, there are a large number of campers using tents.  Harvey may not be perfect, but he is warm.  We have both a heat pump and a gas furnace.  The heat pump works down to 40 degrees.  Tonight, we'll have to use the furnace.

We are 350 miles from St. Ignace, MI.  St. Ignace is the home of Straits State Park, a few miles by boat to Mackinac Island.  The prediction is for daytime temperatures to be in the 40s while we are there.  We left home a little early this year, maybe too early.  It may be too cold to bike on the island.  We might have to cozy up in a fudge shop all day for three days.  How could we be so unlucky?

We stopped for lunch at a Cracker Barrel today.  At 2:00 PM there was still a 15-minute wait to be seated.  I don't normally wait to eat.  When I am ready to eat, I want to eat now.  But, the receptionist said she didn't think it would be that long, so we waited.  The server, a nice young woman, took our order.  Then she disappeared.  Ten minutes passed, then twenty.  I was ready to leave when she brought some biscuits and cornbread to the table.  She apologized for the delay but I was in no mood for apologies.  I was in the mood to eat.  Finally, after thirty minutes, our meal was served.  I ordered chicken fried steak.  I was served chicken fried chicken. 

As I paid the bill, the cashier asked if everything was okay.  Wrong question.  "The server was good.  The kitchen was terrible," I responded. 

There was an awkward pause.  "Would you like to speak to a manager?"

"No," I said.  "I don't like to wait." 

That was today.  Tomorrow is another day. 

Goodnight.