Trip to Michigan

I promised to take Elaine on a short vacation, so about a month ago, we decided to go to northern Michigan and take a look at the changing colors of Fall.
We were on our way to Petosky, having booked a room at the Perry hotel, when I remembered that we had a couple of Chapter members living in Baldwin, Michigan. We decided to pay a visit to Norm and Jeannette Theil. Since I had just had our chapter newsletter printed the day before and still had them in the trunk of the car, we would also hand deliver it to them.
Well, a few miles out of Ludington and heading east towards Baldwin, Elaine gave them a call on her cell phone. Jeannette gave us directions, but Elaine failed to write them down, so we did our best to recollect the roads and landmarks, but after half an hour or so, decided we’d better make another call. However, we were so far into the sticks, communications weren’t possible, so we continued to play it by ear with no luck. After twenty or so more minutes we tried the cell phone again. Jeanette did her best to give us new directions and after several minutes finally saw a little tiny “Theil” sign hanging on a pine tree and knew we were close.
Several years before, while working at the Bailey Generating Station, I was talked into bow hunting by Warner Kraft, (we were both Ash & Auxiliary Operators) so we headed for Baldwin for two or three years in a row. We both loved Baldwin for it’s wilderness setting, fishing and many acres of hunting. That’s where I shot my first deer with a bow. I remember very well that the arrow hit the bulls eye. So perfect was the shot that when Warner and I finally found the two year old buck, we couldn’t even find the wound. It was that experience which, after retelling the story, that John Reddick, Gary Serviceman, began referring to me as “Ass Shot Averill”. Very embarrassing.
Anyway, we finally did locate Norm and Jeannette. Two Frontier people living in the 21st century if there ever were two. Although I had never met either of them before, they welcomed us into their Norm built cabin as if we had. It was a brisk day, and a blazing fire was going in the wood stove. Jennette fixed us a cup of coffee and we all had a good chat for half an hour.
I was really impressed with the cabin. It was out away from town and surrounded by enough cut, dried and ready to go fire wood to keep them warm for several years. There were two indications that they hadn’t entirely got away from it all. There were two EMT trucks parked close by used by them both to handle emergencies in the county. Also, in the house was every electric communication device known to man, from C.B. radios to computers.
Norm is the President of the Snowmobile Club in the area, and Jeanette puts together the newsletter.
After saying Good by to these unique and wonderful SOAR Chapter members, we headed for our hotel arrangement. Our room was overlooking a Lake Michigan harbor and even had a balcony. That evening, we went north on Michigan Highway 119 to pass through the famous “tunnel of trees” which was spectacular. After a good night sleep, we looked around the city of Petosky, and then in the evening, went to Cross Village to eat at the famous Legs Inn where Polish food is the specialty. What a memorable meal! Pierogi, bigos, kabanosy, golabki, kielbasa and sauerkraut. I tried a brand of beer that was new to me. A Polish beer called Ococim Porter. A meal in itself. Anyone know where I can buy some?