A Day Tour of Detroit

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So we went out to a karaoke bar with Saf-T and Melissa last night. They had $1 Amberbocks so it didn't take long before we were all singing the songs and having a great time. Next morning we regrouped and made our way to Gross Pointe, along Lake St. Claire, to see where Detroit's rich people live. The crazy part is that next to these mansions is ones of Detroit's toughest neighborhoods... literally across the street. So as we're cruising, I see the lights of 2 cop cars in the rearview and I knew why. Bryon didn't wear his helmet today, because he was told that like Ohio and Pennsylvania Michigan had repealed the helmet law. The Police officer corrected him by telling him that it hadn't passed the state Senate yet. Luckily, after trying to dig up some dirt on us and finding nothing, the cops let us off with a verbal warning.

So we were off to Hitsville U.S.A. to learn about Motown music. But unfortunately, it was closed on Sunday, and so was the pawn shop featured in Hardcore Pawn, which I was particularly disappointed about. So we heard about this polish neighborhood that had declared itself its own city called Hamtramck. This was where the original cadillac factory was which propelled Cadillac's name as a quality luxury vehicle. We had some authentic polish food at The Polish Garden restaurant and met some great people that were starting a charter fishing company in the Florida Keys. They loved what we were doing and wished us well. One of the best parts about this trip is to see how interested and excited people are about what we're trying to do and the looks we get when they see us riding with gear packed high on the bikes.

After the food, we hit a car show on Gratoit street. There is something nostalgic about seeing these cars and knowing that they were probably built by some of the people that were at the show, or maybe their fathers. If you looked up pride in the dictionary, there should be a picture of a Detroit native riding his restored Chevelle super sport down the road.

We decided to roll the sleeves up and get dirty. We set off for the west end of Eight Mile, where only Eminem was brave enough to go to find Detroit's roughest areas. Once we got there, we had a Faygo soda which is proudly made in Detroit. We paroozed some neighborhoods and really it wasn't that bad. Everyone we talked to in the city was really nice and helpful. Then we went downtown and checked out Tigers stadium. We got back to the house before sunset and now we're back relaxing and preparing for our jaunt to Chicago tomorrow early.

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Photos

Razed
There was a house here, now just charred remains and partial structures of the houses on either side. The old guy on the porch across the street said it burned down a few weeks before. He then told us how to get to the Polish restaurant where we ate lunch

Detroit's Finest
This would make my dad cry tears of envy

Ernie Harwell
He was the sportscaster for the Tigers for decades. I was told that he was a distant relative of my Great Uncle Bill Harwell.