GRAND MARAIS, MICHIGAN – Greetings from Grand Marais!
Grand Marais is a tiny community (population 300) on the southern shore of Lake Superior. It’s gorgeous.
Half the time, the sun’s out and we sit on the beach, sunbathing, playing with rocks and driftwood, and watching sunsets.
Watching the sunset over Lake Superior
The other half the time, it’s raining, foggy, and freezing cold.
We huddle up in our camper, wrapped in blankets, around our little portable propane heater, trying to keep warm and dry.
Kate and the kids at our beachside campsite
We have a beautiful campsite right above the beach, and we’ve been here three nights. It’s been really nice to have a small rest after all the driving we’ve been doing recently.
Oh… and the campground office has open Wi-Fi, so we’ve been driving over there when it rains. We park the car as close to the office as we can. Then, we watch movies on my phone as the car gets fogged up.
The office is closed due to COVID-19, so we can’t go in. They serve their customers through a tiny slit in a window, and they require everyone to wear masks just to stand at the window and talk through the slit.
(This town seems very strict about COVID-19 overall. The gas station is the same way. They don’t let anyone in without a mask.)
Today is our last day here. We have a seven-hour drive ahead of us. By the time you read this, we’ll be on the road again.
We’re following the southern edge of the lake to a new campground we heard about from some other campers we met yesterday.
It’s supposed to be really nice. “An art community,” they said.
Hopefully, there’s room for us. We’ll see.
– Tom Dyson
P.S. I’ve decided to start posting videos of our trip. It’s easier than writing sometimes. If I can get Kate and the kids participating regularly, it’ll add another dimension to these little postcards…
Here’s our first one…
P.P.S. Here we are at Tahquamenon Falls – Michigan’s second-largest state park – this weekend…
Exploring Tahquamenon Falls, with its root beer-colored water
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FROM THE MAILBAG
One reader is encouraged by Tom’s downtown Detroit excursions… while another says Tom’s story is relatable…
Reader comment: Glad to see you explored the downtown Detroit area. A lot has been happening for the better. I loved the picture of the Fisher Building. I grew up in Detroit, and before a company moved me to the Atlanta area many years ago, my office was in the Fisher Building. And General Motors World Headquarters was across the street, connected by a pedestrian tunnel.
We were in one of the Fisher Brothers’ original offices on the upper floors. Too bad you couldn’t see those offices. Beautiful, wood-paneled walls popped open for items stored behind. We used to run over to Canada just to have lunch. Would love to have a copy of the picture you took of the lobby for my scrap book.
Reader comment: I’ve been following you since you started sending these Postcards. Your journey over the last few years has been one that many of us can relate to, in regard to life’s struggles, challenges, and ups and downs. Well, maybe not the train hopping and modern-day gypsy traveling… lol. But the most important thing is that you’ve found yourself again and are most likely helping others through these Postcards.
Tom’s note: Thanks for all the kind comments! Please keep writing us at [email protected].