From Toronto, we drove to Michigan on the way to the Upper Peninsula. Angie found a campground on the shore of Lake Huron near Bay City, MI. The Bay City Rollers, a Scottish pop band from the 70s, got their name from this town. Originally called “The Rollers”, they wanted to enhance the name. They threw a dart at a US map and landed on Bay City. Madonna was also born in this town.
The city sits on the bank of the Saginaw River just upstream from where it flows into Lake Huron. The River is navigable for deep-draft vessels, so there are drawbridges wherever roads cross the river. The downtown and many of the neighborhoods we saw looked aged – frozen in time from Detroit’s auto industry heyday. But there was one neighborhood on Center Street with grand homes on large lots. We learned that “lumber barons” had built these homes.
We dropped by a bar with an outdoor beer garden where a duo was covering rock classics – just a couple of retired guys enjoying their hobby in public. But the singer was quite good and the music was fun. Half the crowd turned out to be the children, spouses and grandchildren of the guitarist. The band guys were really friendly and we enjoyed getting to know them while also getting some good tips on things to see in the Upper Peninsula.
The next day we took care of some shopping and chores before stopping for lunch at a delightful Irish Pub called “Coonan’s Irish Hub”. Angie walked in the front door to get us a table on the back patio, while Hank and Charlie waited by the back fence. Everyone in the bar acknowledged her and joined in her conversation with the owner and bartender. One couple had moved here from Port Townsend. Another fellow, a local, told her this was the best pub in Bay City.
The owner brought Charlie a cup of water and some steamed chicken even before we had placed our order. He had been the local county commissioner for many years and had lots of stories about the local history and politics. We ended up buying a tee shirt and the owner gave us a gift of two coffee mugs emblazoned with the bar’s name. The Reuben sandwiches we had there were as good as any we have ever had. The bar and people of Bay City rose to the top of the list of friendliest places we have ever visited.
