Still have kin up there; 140 years ago the family settled in Muskegon County. I think I’m down to one aunt and cousin still living close enough to call Casnovia home, but still out in the country.
The dune buggy rides at Silver Lake were a great thrill. When it reached the top of a dune and then accelerated backward the screams were profuse. Great fun!
I grew up in Kalamazoo, and my parents and brother are still there. Our family vacations and skiing or camping trips always involved heading north in Michigan or up into Canada. We passed through those areas north of Grand Rapids many, many times. It was generally understood that once we passed Baldwin, we were truly on our way and at the beginning of “the north country”. Somewhere around Baldwin or White Cloud, we’d stop off for an ice cream cone - unless it was a ski vacation. I’ll never forget the red flannel underwear signs hanging in Cedar Springs. What a great part of the country!