A Michigan Thing

07/06/2025

Kitch-iti-kipi, Michigan’s largest freshwater spring, is a 200-foot-wide, 40-foot-deep natural pool located in Palms Book State Park. It pumps over 10,000 gallons of water per minute—more than 14 million gallons daily—at a constant 45°F, keeping it ice-free all year. Known as the “Mirror of Heaven” by the Ojibwe, its crystal-clear waters reveal trout, ancient logs, and bubbling sand below. Visitors ride a self-operated raft to view the spring’s depths, drawing over 100,000 tourists annually.

🐟 Fish: Home to large lake trout, brook trout, and brown trout, often visible due to the clarity.

🚠 Raft: A manual cable-operated viewing raft, holding about 20 people at once, floats over the spring, allowing views through glass panels.

🧭 Depth Visibility: You can see all the way to the bottom due to zero sediment disturbance — the spring water keeps it pristine.

🧍‍♂️ Annual Visitors: Around 100,000–150,000 people visit each year.

Sources: Michigan Department of Natural Resources, National Park Service archives, Palms Book State Park
Photo credit to Brenda Mainz Photography & Design Company, LLC

07/06/2025

07/05/2025

The Au Sable River Canoe Marathon is a legendary 120-mile, non-stop overnight canoe race held every July from Grayling to Oscoda. It is considered the most grueling sports event in the world. It attracts elite paddlers from around the world. The race begins with a dramatic foot race to the river through downtown Grayling, then continues down the Au Sable River, with paddlers navigating six dam portages and racing through the night. The fastest teams finish around noon Sunday, with others arriving later in the afternoon. Known as “The World’s Toughest Spectator Race,” it draws thousands along the riverbanks to cheer through the night. The event is part of canoeing’s Triple Crown, and the course record is just under 14 hours. Spectators often follow the race at key checkpoints like Mio, Alcona, and Foote Dam.
It starts at 9 PM on July 26.

I will put the website in the comments. 🙂

A companion week-long festival in Grayling features parades, concerts, and family events.



Photo Credit to the Grayling Visitors Bureau and Jeff Calvary Productions.

07/05/2025

When you're at the fireworks and the hill catches on fire.

07/04/2025

Fireworks were first used to celebrate the 4th of July in 1777, one year after independence. Philadelphia hosted the first major celebration, which included fireworks, bonfires, and ringing bells. Though fireworks were originally used in Europe for royal events, they became a symbol of American freedom starting with that first anniversary. Have a great day enjoying our independence!

07/04/2025

Happy 4th of July! ❤️🤍💙

07/03/2025

Staff at the Taco Bell on Hall Road near Hayes got an unexpected surprise this morning when Detroit rap legend Eminem walked in just after the store opened for breakfast. Dressed in a black jacket, a white Makaveli t-shirt, short-brim black ball cap, and a thick gold chain, Eminem arrived alone and kept a low profile. With no other customers inside yet, only employees witnessed the brief visit. One staff member said he casually walked up and rapped his order, saying, “Lemme get a Crunchwrap, coffee no frost—this morning’s colder than your beans, but I’m hotter than your fire sauce.” He then sat quietly in a corner booth for a few minutes, sipping his coffee before leaving without fanfare. “We were all kind of frozen for a second,” said one employee. “It was really him—just grabbing breakfast like anyone else.”

07/03/2025

Michigan Central Station opened in 1914, standing 230 feet tall with 18 stories, making it the tallest train station in the world at the time. At its peak, it handled up to 200 trains and 4,000 passengers daily, especially during World War II. Decline began in the 1950s, and the last train departed in 1988. After 30 years of abandonment, Ford Motor Company bought the station in 2018 for $90 million. A massive $940 million restoration followed, creating a 640,000 sq ft innovation hub with over 1,000 parking spaces, 3 restored train platforms, and room for 2,500–5,000 future workers. It officially reopened to the public on June 6, 2024, symbolizing Detroit’s transformation and resilience.

There is no greater symbol of the decline and rise of Detroit than Michigan Central Station. The image of it's in decay was plastered all over negative stories about Detroit for years. We owe a great debt to Ford Motor Company for saving this building from the wrecking ball.

Photo credit to Stephen McGee

07/02/2025

Ha!

07/02/2025

Each July, more than 200 sailboats and over 2,000 sailors from around the world compete in the Port Huron to Mackinac Race. The event has been held since 1925, making it 100 years old in 2024. Racers choose between two courses: the Shore Course (204 nautical miles) and the Cove Island Course (259 nautical miles). The fastest boats can complete the race in under 24 hours, while others may take more than 60 hours, depending on wind and weather. The fleet is divided into multiple divisions based on size and speed, and the race regularly draws participants from 30+ U.S. states and several countries. Spectators in Port Huron can number tens of thousands on race weekend, contributing significantly to local tourism and hospitality revenue.

⛵ Overnight Tradition: The race starts on a Saturday, and most boats sail through the night, with crews working in shifts under starlit skies and sometimes wild storms.

🎉 Boat Night Bash: The night before the race in Port Huron is called "Boat Night", a massive festival drawing 40,000+ people with food, live music, and a parade of boats.

🏝️ No Cars at the Finish: The race ends at Mackinac Island, which famously bans cars—so racers celebrate their victory with bikes, horses, and fudge.

🥇 Speed Records: The race record was broken in 2017 when the trimaran Arete finished the Cove Island course in just 18 hours and 18 minutes.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Multigenerational Crews: Many boats are crewed by multiple generations of the same family—some racers start as kids and keep racing for decades.

🎈 Marker Traditions: Racers often leave pennies or trinkets at the Round Island Lighthouse near the finish line for good luck.

07/01/2025

Wild roses are a beautiful and ecologically important part of the Lake Michigan dune ecosystem. These hardy plants thrive in the sandy, nutrient-poor soils of the dunes and are often found on the backdunes—areas protected from the harshest winds and waves but still shaped by lake effects.

One common species in the region is the Rosa blanda, or smooth rose, which is well-suited to the shifting sands and dry conditions. These wild roses bloom in early to mid-summer with delicate pink flowers and are known for their smooth stems, unlike other varieties with prominent thorns. The blossoms are not just pretty—they’re also crucial for pollinators like bees, butterflies, and even dune-dwelling birds that feed on the rose hips (the fruit that forms after flowering).

Wild roses help stabilize the dunes by anchoring sand with their deep root systems. Their presence indicates a healthy, diverse landscape and contributes to the natural succession of plant life from open sand to forested dune.

The Lake Michigan dunes—especially places like Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Indiana Dunes National Park—offer great opportunities to see wild roses in bloom, typically from June through August.

Wild roses bloom across Michigan every Summer. The next time you see one, take a picture!