Hello from Michigan!

I’m nearing the end of this road trip, so I wanted to send a quick update before my regularly scheduled newsletter arrives next Tuesday.

The last two days have certainly given me some stories!

Yesterday included a quick drive through Detroit, followed by a visit to The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn. From there, I stopped at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing.

But the most memorable stop came next: Hell, Michigan.

Yes, I can now say I’ve been to Hell and back!

I stopped at Go to Hell, Michigan, where I had a fun conversation with the woman who recently bought the store. She’s busy cleaning, painting, and adding new merchandise.

Even better, I became Hell’s Mayor of the Day. So, for a little while, I was running the place!

Today started with a quick visit to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids. Then I headed to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.

Ford’s unusual path to the White House remains fascinating. He became vice president after Spiro Agnew resigned, then became president after Richard Nixon resigned during Watergate.

As often happens on this trip, people added to the experience. I talked with an artist outside the museum and a volunteer inside.

Then came Cadillac, Michigan, a stop with a completely different purpose.

Cadillac appears in Johnny Cash’s “I’ve Been Everywhere.” I’ve been slowly visiting the places mentioned in the song whenever my travels take me nearby.

Cadillac became #65 of the 90 places!

I figured I should do more than drive into town and claim it, so I filled the car with gas and enjoyed some delicious enchiladas at Little Mexico 115. That should make it official!

Tonight I’m in Manistee, Michigan.

Today is the final day of this road trip.

And I have one more adventure planned. I’m crossing Lake Michigan aboard the last operating coal-fired steamship ferry in the United States before pointing the car toward home.

This journey has also moved me closer to another much bigger goal: completing all 50 states for the third time. That quest isn’t finished yet, but this trip added a big piece to it.

Thanks for following along. I hope you’ve enjoyed these updates as much as I’ve enjoyed sharing them.

I’ll be back with the regular newsletter next Tuesday! It will feature a review of this entire trip, and I'll be as concise as possible!

—Stan