http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from North America , United States , Michigan , Traverse City en-us Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:37:47 UTC Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:37:47 UTC I had a spectacular time in Michigan. There I said it. I started off on a positive note. So forgive me now if I sound a little negative about the state itself. Honestly after spending a few days there I came quickly to the conclusion that the best thing about Michigan is Brendan O'Donnel and the Tall Ship crew in Traverse City. I will fastforward through the hellish traffic around Detroit http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-309448.html This July 4th was somewhat quiet as the weeks activities have been exhausting We spent a leisurely day at the pool and then a cookout on the patio. Of course the weather was perfect all day and we enjoyed the relaxation. http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-305300.html The Cherry Festival is the largest festival of the summer in the Traverse City area. Everything in the world you can think of that can be made of cherries will be found here. We tried a little salmon with cherry sauce and merlot wine. Delicious. Of course it was a meal to remember and the cherry almond ice cream at the end was to die for One of the main highlights of the festival was the http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-305286.html We have been waiting for the weather to clear so that we could venture north to Charlevoix Petosky and Mackinac Island area. It has been raining here for over a week and today was THE day to venture out into the sunshineCharlevoix is a picturesque little village along Lake Michigan. Many famous people have summer homes here including Madonna Tom Selleck Michael Jordan and other millionai http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-305283.html It was a surprise birthday party for Bill Kennedy. He is 66 today Also it is the two month wedding anniversary of Bill and Frances and they said it wouldn't last He was really surprised and he said he had never had a birthday party in his life...................it was about time.............. and all 30 people attending had a wonderful time http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-305271.html Michigan is well known for it's wonderful wine and this region has many great wineries. We visited a few and did a little wine tasting. Of course we purchased a few bottles and some wine glasses just to prove we had been there. The Leelanau area is full of wineries. We visited the Chateau Chantal and Grand Traverse Winery. It is a beautiful area surrounded by Lake Michigan and will remind y http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-305266.html Well they are here safe and sound Off to collect the fishing equipment and licenses and hunt for the big ones Our first fishing experience was on Lake Skegemog here in Traverse City. It is a beautiful lake with lots of large bass and the mayflies were hatching so the fish were biting and taking our lures. Bill landed several big ones but Patti wasn't that fortunate. Just a few little on http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-305244.html Time is such an odd thing when you hold a definition to it. In no less than 10 Earth days Mike and I will begin our cross country travels. Being that its Christmas our todobeforewego list is exponentially more intimidating than it might've been this summer. I'm pretty sure we're both looking forward to a long exhale once we get on the train. We hope you'll stick with us for the journey... http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-228370.html Hi.Wow it was a whirlwind summer and we have not taken enough time to share it with you our friends and families. I've sat down numerous times to write some of the highlights but have struggled to complete it. It was the end of the growing season when I first started this entry now everything that was growing is under snow. Why does it always seem more difficult to do this when it's just http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-216407.html In June of 2006 a plan was launched to integrated attractive affordable housing into one of Traverse City's most desirable downtown neighborhoods Midtown. These would be townhouses. The income range buyers they were looking for were in the 30 to 40000 dollar range. What was unique about this projects was that it involved the coordinated efforts of a private developer a nonprofit organization http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-158501.html In some ways Traverse City reflects the culture region it is part of the Midwest Heartland. Its demographics reflect the homogenization of much of the region and its economy is on hold partly in transition as is much of the midwest. But seeds have been planted in the Traverse area in the hope of avoiding the specialization that historically has cursed much of the region. Not content with ch http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-158500.html For some time now there has been a lot of water traffic in the Traverse area. Goods being moved from port to port ships that have traveled through Asia through the Saint Lawrence Seeway the Great Lakes and so on find there way here. When these ships come into freshwater as opposed to sea water they release the sea water that accumulated oversees on the bilge and the organisms it carries are http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-158499.html Traverse City offers an array of recreational resources. In the summer it's water time boating fishing swimming. In the winter it's skiing both downhill and crosscountry though as Michigan does not have a mountain range its downhill is not a big draw snowshoeing snowmobiling and of course ice fishing. Music has a large presence in the area because of the Interlochen Center for the Ar http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-158498.html With a population of approximately 15000 people Traverse City is alternately referred to by its inhabitants as a town or sometimes an very small city. The comparison is understandable when you consider that 150 miles south of it is Grand Rapids whose population is 197000 and just south but much closer to it is the city of Cadillac with a population of 10000. So Traverse City is a town in c http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-148673.html Commercial expansion is problematic in the area in and around Traverse City because it is hemmed in by the large bodies of water notably Traverse Bay. In other words an efficient grid system is not possible. The expansion of highway systems offer only temporary relief as they become congested as developers build houses around them with the inevitable commercial support for them following. It i http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-146256.html Traverse City and the immediate surrounding areas desires growth but only if it is just the right amount. And what that right amount is depends on who you talk to. The developers are interested in expanding the areas around Traverse City so they can build large homes and minor commercial areas to support them. Many of these homes would be retirement or second homes. Another contingent wishes t http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-146255.html This is long overdue but I'd like to take this opportunity to let you our scattered friends know that we have indeed settled into a beautiful farmhouse in southeast Leelanau County just 8 miles from Traverse City. We actually moved in at the beginning of February but you know how moving goes. This past weekend we had a wonderful housewarming party and it was indeed very warming to have so http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-137999.html Today the area around Traverse City is known for its cherries. There are 360000000 pounds of cherries harvested annually and they celebrated that fact with the National Cherry Festival held during the first week of July every year. Other fruits are grown as well apples strawberries blueberries some plums but not peaches as they are to far north to accommodate them. These crops are be http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-137173.html Population growth in Traverse City to the dismay of many in the city and surrounding communities is in the retirement sector. People that have money often buy second homes here to which they retire. These retirees can be found in the urban area Traverse City as well as the rural areas outside of it. Young people increasingly leave the area since the growth industry is tourism which provide http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-134368.html Traverse City incorporated in 1895 with settlers arriving as early as 1840 was originally called ldquoQueen City of the North.rdquo The very first inhabitants of the area were the Ottawa Chippewa and Potawatomi Indians. Traverse City in essence was their hunting and meeting place. These three tribes were so amicable and sociable that they came to be known as the Three Brothers. White http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-134360.html Most of the politics in Michigan lean conservative though Traverse City has a liberal contingency but this is a very small percentage of the population when the surrounding counties are tallied. There is a small group of environmentalists in Leelanau County who are trying to restrict the sprawling tendencies of suburbs advocating ldquosmart roadsrdquo smaller housing etc. but the resista http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-133850.html There are several lakes in and around Traverse City. Grand Traverse Bay is right next to the city which of course gets it water from Lake Michigan. The landform features hills and flats with land holding a sandy soil some areas having clay deposits. These soils do not hold water well making agriculture more difficult as the soil does not hold moisture well. In general the climate is a fou http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-133229.html Welcome to Traverse City Michigan a cherry of a town more on that later. Traverse City covers 8.7 square miles and is the largest county in the Northern Michigan region. It has temperate seasonal changes influenced by the presence of Lake Michigan. Winters are cold with lots of snow and summers are warm. Temperatures can exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and winter temps can go http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Michigan/Traverse-City/blog-131644.html