Yesterday, I set out on a research trip. For my final paper in one of my classes, I have to research the economic development strategies of a town in Michigan. I chose Adrian, a small town of 22,000 about an hour away from Ann Arbor. The city sits away from all major highways, but after looking at Mapquest, I just knew that I would have no problem getting there. Well, I was wrong. I drove down 23 and connected to 12 with no problems, and I knew that my next turn down 52 would be around Saline. I drove through Saline and then past it, and I never ran into 52. I turned around thinking that I must have passed it already. I drove back into Saline and turned down Milan Road. In my experience, Michigan does a poor job at marking roads, so I proceeded down this road thinking that Michigan’s poor marking of roads would not fool me. Fool me it did! I ended up driving through the boonies of the counties of Washtenaw and Lenawee. I just kept driving and driving and driving. I figured that I would find my way and was bound on all sides by things I knew, like 23 on one side, I-94 on the other, and the Gulf of Mexico in the direction I was heading! Yes, eventually, I would find my way out. I faced many forks in the road, and I just made it a point not to take the dirt road option. The barns kept fooling me because I would see an elaborate set of them and think that there was Adrian. There was not a single gas station where I could stop and ask for directions (Yes, no gas would have prevented me from hitting the Gulf, in which case I expected all of you to be helping out in the manhunt for my car and me in the middle of nowhere), so after a good 30-45 minutes and many wrong turns, I called for help. Elizabeth graciously guided me out of my predicament. It turns out that I was far from where I needed to be, running parallel to the appropriate road the entire time, but one of the roads I passed linked me up with the road into Adrian.
Luckily, my inclination for punctuality put me on the road, oh, four hours before my scheduled meeting, so my country ride hurt me in no way and even ate into the ridiculous amount of free time I had. While I intended to get there early so that I could explore the city, I had plenty of time to do that and so many other things. I made my way into the community college and the historical museum for tours. I still had free time, so I had lunch, put in gas, and killed some time in Walgreens. What did I learn in Walgreens, you ask? Did you know that they are now selling birthday cards from your favorite sitcoms, and when you open them up, they play the theme song? Wow. They also have an eleven-game set for only $9.99; the games include chess, checkers, and the like. For such a competitive spirit, who knew such happiness could be found in one box? Not me. I almost bought it.
Anyway, the little town is actually quite beautiful, and while the town has obviously been hit by the movement away from manufacturing, they have some amazing assets with which to work on economic development. They have a nice courthouse; a beautiful downtown; historic housing districts; three colleges; many parks funded by their own endowment; an opera house; and a symphony orchestra. Few small towns can boast of such great quality-of-life indicators. Here are some pictures of this hidden gem, which I hope to take friends to soon (in the infinite amount of time I have before I leave):
Well, this post gives me an opportunity to announce the newest segment to my blog…drumroll, please: FRIEND OF THE WEEK! This week’s winner is clearly Elizabeth. Thank you very much for saving my life. I could have been stampeded by a herd of cattle out there, but instead, I live to tell the tale in my blog. Make sure to put it on your resume under your “Major Awards” section, and feel free to use me as a reference.
