By : NEETA KOLHATKAR
CHICAGO, USA :
While travelling long distances by road, in India, wasn’t new to me, the idea of my first ever “road trip” to Michigan, USA, definitely was. And so, imagine my excitement when during an assignment in Chicago, my Palo-Alto based sister, Smita, suggested that we drive along the picturesque lake Michigan to visit the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, and follow it up with a visit to the forest! The prospect of that 350 mile “road trip” after my exhausting assignment seemed so thrilling that without a second thought to our “chalk and cheese” personalities, I told her that I was in.
As a journalist, whose job over the decades has entailed covering news stories from the hinterlands, for which I often have to take off on the spur of the moment, in trusty old, yet rugged SUVs, with a camera crew and loads of camera equipment, managing everything on a budget based on my designation in the news organization, this road trip to Michigan State, I figured, would be very different. For starters, Smita, a meticulous planner, would have none of the dashing around that I, as a journalist, have gotten accustomed to, in a frantic bid to file my news stories first. Being the organized person that she is, there would be little room for impromptu stuff, I thought. On her part, Smita had not only carefully researched everything well in advance, but she had also shared the itinerary, hotel bookings as well as all the sand dunes related information with me, before we met at my hotel in downtown Chicago. Smita ensured that she arrived a day prior to our journey so that we could spend time stocking up beforehand, on stuff that we would require for our “road trip.” A quick trip to Target where we bought a few knick-knacks was followed by another stop for some snacks to nibble on such as protein bars, dry fruits as well as fresh fruits, and we were all set.
Next morning at Chicago O’Hare International airport where the car rental was located, we were taken to a car park from where Smita chose an SUV – the Nissan Rogue – for our road trip. After completing the insurance formalities and checking the vehicle for any damages from the previous renter, we tossed our bags in the boot of the Nissan Rogue and set off on my first ever road trip in the United States of America! Shortly after pulling out of the airport’s parking we pulled up at a gas station to top up the Nissan Rogue’s 55-litre fuel tank and since the gas station had a very good convenience store I ordered some black coffee to sip along the way. Smita was already enjoying hers from Starbucks. Merging on to the Interstate highway took us a while due to the heavy traffic, but to me, it seemed pretty much like an everyday occurrence that we experienced on our Indian roads. Soon, the traffic was behind us and our Nissan Rogue was finally able to stretch its legs on the highway.
I was seated next to my sister in the Left Hand Drive (LHD) Nissan Rogue. Back home, as a journalist in India, sitting next to the driver, often meant doubling up as a navigator, at least in the pre-Google Map days. And asking for directions was pretty simple too – just manually roll down the SUV’s window (yes, that was a thing) and ask strangers on the road for directions to get out of the city. Invariably, most strangers were happy to help. But in the Nissan Rogue, we had just keyed in our destination on the massive 12.3-inch infotainment screen and Google Maps provided us with turn by turn directions. As we drove along the highway, I couldn’t help but reminisce about how comparatively, there was a lot more human activity on Indian roads. From the daily wage workers waiting along the main roads for work to the mechanics of car workshops along our highways to the restaurant staff scurrying about in tiny restaurants, dhabas and chai tapris in Indian towns and villages, there always seemed to be buzz around it all. On the other hand, finding shops, restaurants and well stocked super markets even in the smallest towns and villages in the US was easy peasy.
While being driven through the highways that were lined with Maple and Cedar trees, I was reminded of our highways in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. However, the best part about a road trip in America was not only experiencing their well laid out, smooth, and pothole-free roads but also getting to gawk at their well curated and postcard perfect homes and buildings. It was everything one expected America to be – spick and span, with crisp fresh air, and oh-so-technologically advanced! The one thing that I was truly grateful for was the absence of musical horns that heavy truck drivers, in India, often use, especially at night, to stay awake during their interstate travels, but which can be an irritant for many.
Driving along, I noticed American highways displaying hoardings with strong political messages – an indicator of their thriving democracy, at least for the time being! From time to time Smita would inform me about the places that we were driving through. She had chosen to drive through Indiana as it offered a more scenic view. At one place, for instance, she told me to take a closer look at the white and red coloured houses with the windmills. This place was called “Holland,” and was located in Cass Township, Dubois County, Indiana. Platted by a German migrant, Henry Kunz, on the lines of Dutch houses, the people grew tulips there. But that’s not all. “Holland” also continues to have a post office that has been operational since 1856.
Having visited Chicago a few times, earlier, for work, I had on a previous occasion, walked along Lake Michigan with my American friend, but this time around what was incredibly fascinating was seeing the third largest lake of the five Great Lakes of North America, that bordered Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana in its true majestic beauty from the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes forest. The view was just spectacular – enough to take anyone’s breath away. It was here that we also learnt about a famous parable that gave the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes its name.
Road trips are notorious for bringing back memories and strangely this drive reminded me of a scenic road trip that my friend and I had taken from New Delhi to Punjab which had large expanses of green fields along the route. As I sat in the front passenger seat of the Nissan Rogue, quietly, I soaked in the moments, some of which remain permanently etched in my mind. On yet another road trip to Punjab, my friend and I, had seen seven Peacocks in a straight line, in a large field, a truly rare, magical, and unforgettable moment! As luck would have it, our road trip too wasn’t devoid of a magical moment! Smita and I, witnessed something incredible – a huge bird swooped down, picked up its prey, and flew across our car right in front of us, and all of this happened in what seemed like a fraction of a second. Smita later informed me that the bird was in fact the ‘Bald Eagle,’ famous for its extraordinary diving speeds!
Through most of our drive, the weather was cool and from time to time, there was also a slight drizzle, just the kind of weather that I truly enjoy, but Smita wasn’t happy about the humidity. Now, Michigan’s cold weather is conducive for growing not just cherries but also lavender, apples, and grapes, and small boards, along our route, announced that we could indulge in some cherry picking, and we did just that. After a quick tour of the plantations which I consider myself fortunate to have seen, Smita and I, purchased some fresh cherries and lavender from a local farmer.
We reached the Empire Lodge which Smita had booked for us prior to our ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) as we had left rather early, which gave us time to follow the 9 point trail. After halting at the visitors’ centre, we proceeded to Pierce Stocking Drive. There were nine points along this trail with scenic spots and short walks. The last point was the steepest sand dune which Smita said she would attempt the next day. We then drove to Glen Haven town’s supermarket, picked up stuff and drove back to the Empire lodge for dinner. The lodge had a fully functional kitchen with a cooking range, dinnerware, silverware, and a coffee maker, not to mention liquid detergent and drinking water. Our rooms also came equipped with a coffee maker, filters, a refrigerator, and a microwave – something that hotels in India should really consider providing to their guests.
Over the next few days we spent our time driving around according to the plan that Smita had drawn up. One morning, I discovered that Smita had gone rogue! The early riser that she is, Smita had woken up at the crack of dawn and driven the Nissan Rogue up to an island all by herself. I, the nocturnal owl, ended up staying back at the lodge, trying out the different bicycles that they had on offer. On another day, we drove up to the Grand Traverse Distillery in Traverse City, where Smita had to sat inside the Nissan Rogue for the entirety of time that we were there, attending a Zoom call, while I coolly sipped a single malt that was made there. Yet another day, saw us take the Empire Bluff hike, and later we walked up to the beach to view the sunset. All the places here were well-connected by road, we merely had to park the Nissan Rogue and follow the trail. On our second last morning there, we drove to the Old Mission Park in Traverse City. This was quite a scenic drive where we visited the lighthouse. There, we learnt about the 45th Parallel, which is the Celtic point between the Equator and the North Pole. That day, as I stood there taking all of that in, little did I know then that within a month of this beautiful ‘Road trip,” in the US, I would find myself on another trip to the Amazon forest!
Looking back, what an adventurous and unforgettable “Road trip” it turned out to be along with my sister. Now, that the “Road trip” bug has bit me, it really makes me want to live out of my suitcase like a nomad, and cover the length and breadth of America in a four-wheeler.
