Although it’s only the middle of August, the big maple across the street is already showing wisps of color—an early but certain sign of the autumn show soon to unfold around us. Since we live in a land blessed with many trees, getting close to color is not a problem for most of us. The biggest challenge is to simply slow down and be aware of how the landscape is changing before our eyes.
I always wondered why my dad was given to traveling two-lane secondary roads. He had a penchant for seeking out a “back way” to wherever we were visiting. Now, many years later, I understand. The back roads offer unfamiliar sights, forgotten things to rediscover and a slower, saner (and probably safer) route. There’s no better time than color season to seek out some roads less traveled. I’ve been doing a lot of that recently—thanks to our summer road construction. For example, this morning I avoided the mess on U.S. 131 by coming back to Schoolcraft along Eighth Street.
The pleasant shady drive around the edges of KVCC’s campus reminded me of how colorful the drive would be in a few weeks. It also spurred some thinking about other ways to slow things down and soak in the color that’s coming our way all too soon. Taking in color around lakes or along rivers by canoe or boat is always a great alternative to speeding through a color zone in a car. Hiking or biking along the trails built on old railroad grades is even better because it has an added plus—exercise. (See Trails from Rails.) If you’re a golfer, autumn is a perfect time to enjoy your sport against a spectacular backdrop of fall foliage.
It’s not really hard to plan a color tour. Just dig out the map and hit the road. Better yet, just hit the road, wandering where the next good splash of color on the horizon takes you. But if you really want some help, Michigan’s Travel and Tourism site (888/784-7328) has lots of it. Just log on and search for “fall color tours.” You’ll find a statewide listing of routes, complete with lengths in miles, estimated peak color times, a map and points of interest along the way with phone numbers, descriptions and Web site addresses. If you’re traveling around the Midwest, you may want to check out resources for other states as well (Enjoy Illinois, 800/406-6418; Indiana, 800/677-9800; Discover Ohio, 800/282-5393).
Here are some popular routes in our area: Grand Ledge-Hastings-Battle Creek-Eaton Rapids (150 miles, mid to late October); Grand Rapids-Grand Haven-South Haven-Kalamazoo (195 miles, early to late October); Hillsdale-Homer-Sturgis (155 miles, mid to late October); Lansing, Alma, Ionia (175 miles, early to late October); New Buffalo-St. Joseph-Benton Harbor-Paw Paw (170 miles, mid to late October).
These routes are great starting points. Still, I would suggest the very best color tours are the homespun do-it-yourself affairs. But no matter how you go about the planning, this year promise yourself you’ll slow down and . . . enjoy.
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