This trip was inspired by one of the radio ads in the fine arsenal of “Pure Michigan” advertisements. I love Michigan, and it doesn’t take much to sell me on this beautiful state. But these Pure Michigan ads are pure genius…pure enjoyment…pure road trip daydream bliss. I stop what I’m doing to listen to the ads when I hear them each weekday morning. I am easily mesmerized by the music, Tim Allen’s voice beckoning me to visit various Michigan locations. For the past few weeks, I have been hearing this one on US 12, the Heritage Trail and Coldwater Country.
“We go this way to school, that way to work, one way home. Before we know it, we’re stuck in a routine. So when our days start to run together, let’s take a left instead of a right. Instead of the direct route, let’s take the scenic route…to Coldwater Country on the southern edge of Michigan, along Route 12 the Heritage Trail. Coldwater Country shows us the unexpected is just what we’re looking for. So belly up at the diner for an old fashioned root beer; get hooked catching walleye and bluegill on two chains of lakes. Watch the gladiolas grow and grow. Let the kids stay up late for a drive-in movie, and save room for a slice of Amish Berry Pie we’ll never forget. Sometimes when we go off the beaten path, we find something worth coming back for. Right this way, to Pure Michigan.”
Having been convinced to take the Heritage Trail, I started a Trimble map and trip plan, adding various POIs and then forming the route to one end, then the route (we were going to go east to west), and back home.
Here is the route and all planned waypoints (all possibilities of things to do, not necessarily see and do them all!).
Above is the trip plan I created using my Trimble Outdoors web account.
Click the link above for a bigger map.