AN AFTERNOON ON THE M-22

 A series of essays....

~~HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!~~
CAN YOU FIND THE ORANGE WITCH?

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

As Michiganders, it’s possible we have, at least, heard about the drive along the M-22 if not taken it several times in our lifetime.....and, plan on taking it as often as possible; it’s just that beautiful! Michigan 22 is striking to the senses all four seasons of the year as it hugs the Lake Michigan coastline and traverses picturesque communities with quaint bed and breakfast establishments of yesterday to sprawling golf courses rising above the lake that could liken the experience of playing eighteen holes on a Scottish course in the Highlands.

 

 

Earlier this year, Dan and I decided to start a journey at the beginning of the M-22 in Manistee County and follow the 116.7-mile stretch of highway from Manistee into Benzie and Leelanau counties before reaching Traverse City, the county seat of Grand Traverse County, at its end. This amazing scenic drive makes up a portion of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour which encompasses portions of Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin, as well.

BLAUFRANKISCH VINES ON THE RIGHT AND
SLEEPING BEAR DUNES BLUFFS IN THE DISTANCE

This past weekend our focus was picking Chardonnay grapes with old and new friends on a beautifully maintained and much loved vineyard that overlooks Crystal Lake in Beulah, Benzie County, and offers a stunning view of the Sleeping Bear Dunes Bluffs in the distance to the north in Leelanau County.

Heading off to Michael and Nancy’s vineyard early Saturday morning in the dark along with Dan, Leo, Dan’s brother, and his wife, Susie, the goal was to lift the nets off of the fruit before sunrise when the harvesting would begin. Donning an amazing amount of warm clothing and tucking small ‘warmers’ in our footwear and gloves, we secured small, very sharp clippers and began a simple but well choreographed leap-frog routine down each row of vines, gently tossing juicy clusters of ripe grapes into small bins to be picked-up and their contents emptied into large, white bins. 

With more people coming to help harvest as the day progressed, nearly thirty people worked long and hard to fill-up the twenty large bins that were systematically placed in a large truck to be taken to Left Foot Charley in Traverse City and blended into some of the finest wines in the area. Eighteen local growers who do not have wineries themselves produce grapes and sell them exclusively to LFC. These growers help produce wines that are defining terroir in their appellations with their notoriety spanning far beyond their Northern Michigan borders. Our small team of harvesters proudly contributed eight tons of Chardonnay grapes towards this admirable cause last Saturday!!!

1) EDEN HILL VINES

APPELLATION: Benzie County

PLANTED: Chardonnay, Blaufränkisch

ACREAGE: 5

GROWN BY: Michael and Nancy Call

In an effort to help relax and stretch our weary muscles, on Sunday Leo drove Dan, Susie, and me south on the M-22 and introduced us to some very interesting places and sights that lie just beyond the ribbon of concrete that connects the town of Frankfort with the community of Arcadia. 

RELAXING IN THE CLUBHOUSE

A VIEW FROM THE CLUBHOUSE

HAPPY HALLOWEEN
FROM ARCADIA BLUFFS

After stopping to sip drinks at the clubhouse of the world famous Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course and admire the scenic views, we stepped outside to find ourselves taken in by the tall grasses, undulating terrain, and European influences of this amazing golf course that overlooks the shimmering beauty of Lake Michigan. 

A FAMILY OF SWANS

SOMEONE'S HOME

Heading north once again, Susie pointed out that the new marsh boardwalk hovering over the Arcadia Marsh Nature Preserve had been opened recently and we should check it out. Totally handicap accessible, this boardwalk stretches across the center of Arcadia Marsh Nature Preserve that extends over 273 acres. The preserve sits on the doorstep of the village of Arcadia and stretches across to St. Pierre Road where a handicap, portable toilet is located.

BIRD NESTING SANCTUARY

SUSIE ENTERING A MAGICAL PLACE

THE SUN HIGHLIGHTING THE
ARCADIA MARSH NATURE PRESERVE

This walk is easy and a nature lover and birdwatcher’s dream. Walking along, the four of us heard the equivalent of someone taking a large oar and slamming it, repeatedly, against the water. Upon looking closely across the marsh, we could see what we believed to be a Trumpeter Swan in the distance taking flight just above the water, slapping its wings against the surface of the marsh. The sound still echoes in my mind as this large and powerful beauty rose fifteen to twenty feet above the water, circled the area several times, and flew over the boardwalk to a family of swans on the other side of the marsh. Spectacular!

Continuing to follow the M-22 north to Frankfort, Susie explained that a gentleman by the name of Ed Moody has been carving pumpkins there for over thirty years and has a huge display of his carving talent in front of Stormcloud Brewing Company. Driving by Mr. Moody’s home first, we stopped to meet the man and his giant pumpkins. A jolly man, dressed in denim and orange, with a mustached smile all lively and quick, we knew in a moment it must be....”Pumpkin Ed.” What a delightful gentleman he is! 

'PUMPKIN ED'

HUGE PUMPKINS IN FRONT OF
PUMPKIN ED'S HOUSE IN FRANKFORT

ED'S CARVING SITTING IN FRONT
OF STORMCLOUD BREWING COMPANY

Ed Moody’s work has become a local tradition and 'giant pumpkin' farmers come to the Frankfort Fall Festival each year to enter their ‘giants’ for prize money for growing the largest pumpkin. As the ‘giants’ are weighed, Ed watches from the driver’s seat of the tractor and calls out its weight to the crowd. Some might say that the winning pumpkin is not necessarily the star of the giant pumpkin contest, but the man carefully maneuvering the tractor is. These pumpkins are now donated to Ed to carve as they regally sit in his front yard each year. 

With the bold, orange sun (highly appropriate I must say) swiftly sinking over Lake Michigan and our tummies full of good eats and handcrafted beer at Stormcloud Brewing Company, we decided to head back to the house, the final remnants of daylight surrounding us. With one last glass or two of wine in hand and warm conversation filling the room, we joyfully recapped the day’s adventures and Dan and I vowing to return soon to snowshoe along a few of the trails that branch off of one of the most iconic stretches of highway in Michigan...the M-22.

SUNSET OVER LAKE MICHIGAN,
FRANKFORT, MICHIGAN

ICONIC ROAD SIGN

Copyright © 2019 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

Photos Copyright © 2019 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved