WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
Being retired usually means you don’t have any time to work, because you are too busy with other things. This reasoning fits me perfectly. I find myself too wrapped up in volunteering and find it difficult to even get out of town for a few days. I’ve been doing this column since 2006 and try to keep everyone informed on ways to get Out and About, yet I’m at fault for not doing that.
We recently grabbed the bull by the horns and decided to get out of town for just an overnight experience. We left last Thursday and headed north to Traverse City for just an overnight experience. We’ve been there before, but it was just passing through the area.
I’ve mentioned before that if you want to experience the true “Pure Michigan”, you must travel further north than Grand Rapids. This two-day trip proved that statement correct. Michigan is filled with many picturesque sights, but, in my opinion, the best scenery is north of Cadillac.
We booked our overnight accommodations at the Tamarack Lodge of Traverse City, located on US-31 North, right on the bay. The room rate of $99/night is, I’m sure, not available during the normal travel season. Our room was perfect and even offered a view of the bay. I highly recommend this hotel, but take plastic with you when traveling there during the summer.
For our Thursday evening dinner out, we chose the Apache Trout Grill also located on the bay. The food was excellent. I had the trout with a very tasty sauce and shrimp. Wild rice and snap-peas were included as part of the entree. My wife enjoyed the salmon with sweet/spicy sauce, snap-peas and wild rice. The meal was delicious and the view of the bay was picturesque. Apache Trout Grill is a very popular place to dine, but if you care to go there on a Friday or Saturday, you might want to remember that some patrons have had to wait up to three hours for seating. No one seems to complain, because of the excellent food and top-notch service.
Due to the fact that many folks don’t carry much cash anymore, you’ll have to accept the fact that a three percent surcharge may be attached to your dining check. Again, no one seems to complain.
Traveling north, we used US-131 to Michigan 113, north of Cadillac. We took M-113 over to US-31 and then north to Traverse City. Returning home, we used US-37 south to Grand Rapids and then US-131 south to Three Rivers.
The fall colors had already peaked, so we weren’t able to be awed by the gold in the trees, but the multitude of pine trees made up for the lack of colors.
The simplicity of northern Michigan made me proud to be a part of this great state. The friendly people you find away from the big cities makes you feel at home almost anywhere. There’s so much to see here in Michigan, I sometimes wonder why anyone would want to travel where you would need a passport. To each his own. It was great to get Out and About, even if it was just overnight.
You can’t help but see many ads on TV dealing with Lactose Intolerance. An estimated thirty to fifty million Americans are lactose intolerant, meaning they cannot properly digest lactose, a type of sugar found in milk and other dairy products.
The best way to treat lactose intolerance is to manage your diet so you avoid consuming too much milk and dairy. Your body still needs calcium, so try eating other sources, such as leafy green vegetables, tofu, soybeans and soy drinks with added calcium, dried beans and almonds. You’ll want to make room for other vitamin D-rich foods, such as eggs and fatty fish like salmon.
See you Out and About!
Submitted by Norm Stutesman
