They boys and I drove from north central Michigan to Marquette on the Upper Peninsula. We spent most of the day in the motorhome, either driving or with me on the phone for a BOE subcommittee meeting. After the late start on Wednesday, we had to rush across the Peninsula in order to beat Jenny’s flight. We only beat her to the hotel by a few hours. Just enough time for us to grab dinner (blessedly, MI has dine in service) and hit the pool and hot tub at our hotel in downtown Marquette.
There are few places I have been that are more beautiful than the Upper Peninsula. I could have spent the whole trip just driving around looking at the natural beauty of the forests and lakes and the crumbling relics of the UP’s mining and manufacturing past. The perfect union for a trail runner who grew up in Youngstown Ohio in the 1970s and 1980s. A great place for our first stop on the first family road trip.
Even with all the driving, there were those little moments of joy that are the reasons I so love the long summer road trip.
One was after dinner Will hopping on one of those bike racks popular in hipster towns that look like a bike, and turning into his personal bike. He pedaled away as if he were on Lance Armstrong’s EPO regimen. Lucas, of course, had to join him and then give it a try alone. They laughed and giggled and couldn’t have had any more fun. Not could I have.
The other was a classic “Lucas being Lucas” moment. Lucey loves to explain things to anyone and everyone. He also loves to argue, especially with me. Over the last month or so, his tact has been to offer me two options, from which I get to select one. The options are always some version of “Dad, you have two choices either you let me do what I want to do and you get a birthday present from me or you don’t let me do it and you don’t get a present. You decide.” This hasn’t exactly been a winning strategy for him. When arguing over something (ice cream before dinner, I believe) on the way to Marquette, he changes tactics completely. “Dad, I agree with you …, but lambie (his stuffed animal) disagrees…”. Lambie then proceeds to lay out an argument (for ice cream before dinner) that is remarkably similar to Lucas’s. I love this kids brain.
The boys were ecstatic to see Jenny when she arrived. Off to the campground tomorrow.
Boys Cooling Off during the BOE Meeting 
The Boys Being More Patient than Me during the Long Wait for Dinner 
Will Turning a Bike Rack into a Bike 
Will Turning a Bike Rack into a Bike 
Lucas Joining Will on the Bike Rack
Professor No More 