I tore myself away from work in great torment, as it was the opposite of what everyone else would do.

And after few beautiful adventures driving down to Florida, sleeping in rest areas, and befriending all the Raccoons along the way.

I was looking at the map, and suddenly, remembered how a New York radio station used to say: “Relax, you’re living on an island”.

I looked at a map of state of Michigan, and it finally dawned on me, that I am already surrounded by beaches.

And don’t really need to drive to Florida, it is not like it is a big island or anything.

In the same moment, I understood, why Michigan dislikes OH-HI-YO.

Because it is the anchor that tehers it to Terra Firma, if it wasn’t for Ohio, Michigan would be the best island in the world.

Everyone ignores Indiana, nobody is quite sure why, it is as if it simply does not exist.

Most people if they think about it, think it’s by Montana, but Michiganders never mention it, like at all.

Outside of Indiana Jones... I’ve never heard anyone mention Indiana, nor seen any signs pointing there.

So, Ohio is literally the only reason, why Michiganders are always suspicious and kind of unhappy.

If Ohio, suddenly disappeared, there’d be Tiki bars, Hula dancers and smiles … everywhere.

I myself for one, would never wear a shirt, if I could help it, winter on a big island sounds pretty warm.

It is a little known fact, that the name Oh, hi, yo, is a mixup, it was a child’s drawing of a Tractor, that was misinterpreted.

The big rear wheel was misread as letter O, the tractor cabin was read a h, the I was the happy little exhaust sticking up, and the front wheel was misread as the other “o”.

It isn’t known if the politician was unhinged, or if it was the child that was that bad at drawing a tractor.

Please don’ misunderstand, I have nothing against Ohio, I switched busses there once, on a trip to New York, and thought is was lovely place.

But, yah, I can totally understand native Michiganders; so close to living on an island, and yet so freaking far.

I originally never intended to drive down to Florida and The Keys, which are little islands.

But I got on the i275 Highway south, and decided to keep going forward, to see what is there… beaches!

And now I did the same thing but in the opposite direction, somehow ended up on 96 north and that became U.S. Route 31.

And seemingly ended at US-10, which led to Ludington, where I enjoyed my beaches the most.

The near by Nordhouse Wilderness is a precious and charming place, if not downright magical to be honest.

But it is rough, it is a long walk, and it is up hill both ways.

There is at least one family of Black Bears, and as I found out in the only hot flash of my life, a Hog Nosed Snake.

Supposedly it does not bite, but not let it gum you, or whatever you call it, as you both get iterated – he is said to mildly venomous and swelling may occur.

And as you can imagine, sand is everywhere.

It is a little known fact, that lake Michigan Sand, is actually where the name Sandwich comes from.

You’ll figure out why, exactly, when you bring lunch to a windy beach.

Aside from the enormous Ancient Dunes, that do not exist in Florida, no way.

The thing that makes Lake Michigan, on the Michigan Side special, is the sunsets.

No matter where you go, you get a perfect front seat, to watch the sun set over the infinite lake horizon.

The whole beach, which is almost 300 miles long, and it is rarely cloudy, the lake somehow blows all the clouds away.

If you get a good camping spot, you can watch the sun set over the lake, by a bonfire, cooking dinner, with the sausage stick in hand.