From State College to Ann Arbor - go Blue.

After a fitful night's sleep for both of us, we got ourselves packed and ready to head out for a long day of driving.  We left State College at about 9:40, ready to tackle I-80 for way too many miles!  

Sue drove first through rural Centre County, a green, lovely drive.

Nancy took over for the rest of Pennsylvania, and I texted her girls when we crossed into Ohio - apparently, Allison always had to call Nancy when she drove into a new state on her way back to Minnesota.  We stopped at the Portage rest stop on the Ohio Turnpike for a healthy lunch - who knew that there were options other than McDonald's and Sbarro's on the turnpike??  Sue took the last leg of our drive, and we arrived in Ann Arbor at 5:40.  After the obligatory bedbug check, we unpacked and set out to drive around campus at the University of Michigan.  Following our noses, we drove past the enormous medical center as well as Sigma Chi, Bob's fraternity.  Without too much trouble, Sue found the place where Frank spent five years of his life - the Geddes Residence in the Oxford coops.

It hadn't changed much at all, although there was no reference to Max Kade on the building.  Frank lived in a German interest dorm.  It wasn't a normal dorm, though.  There were only about 30 students in the building, and when Frank started there, it was a true coop - meals, meal planning, cleaning, everything was planned and done by the students.  He actually stayed an extra semester to spend a year as RA - what a fabulous experience.

From there, we drove to our restaurant choice for the evening: Zingerman's Roadhouse.  It was almost to I-94 on Jackson.  Right away it had that Ann Arbor ambiance.  So many perky waitresses, and the food was varied and delicious. 

Roasted beet and goat cheese salad - delish!

By now, it was 8:30.  Before we went back to the hotel, Sue just had to stop at Weber's Inn, a quirky place her family stayed in at least twice during the 90's.  It was such a weird place, astro turf everywhere and a pool with kid stuff in the center of the hotel.  Half the rooms looked onto the pool, and it was easy to keep track of the kids from our room.  Amazing and fun. 

Wow, quite an update in the pool area!

Going to Michigan wasn't just about Frank.  It was a family event.  We spent four Thanksgivings here, going to the Lions game on Thanksgiving day and then having a dinner either at Weber's or the Gandy Dancer.   A wonderful family memory.