Giant Block of Cheese Musuem 🧀

Next summeer, I am planning to take a trip to Northern Michigan and Wisconsin. For years I’ve been talking about going out west, but I’m generally unsatisfied with the idea of boarding an airplane, renting a car, staying in motels and mostly cities along the way. I want to be free to be driving in my own vehicle, taking the side road in search of a scenic view or a farm – or for that matter a smoldering burn barrel.

Of course the first thing tourist bureaus want you to know about is ways to spend money in these rural communities at the very ordinary clap-trap roadside stands and designated parks with their designated parking areas and scenic viewing areas with picnic tables, mowed grass, and safety railings. Generally canned entertainment like seeing that Giant Block of Cheese. Which don’t get me wrong, I’m very pro-dairy, but I’d rather see that rhamshakle old farm with the broke down ol’ truck and heap of burnt out cans and broken bottles in backyard. Spent the bulk of my time in woods and wilderness, far from humanity and others, that roadside campsite in the wilderness.

I’ve looked and it’s about 8 or 9 hours drive from Albany out to Chautaqua County where I could overnight at one of the state forests at a primative roadside campsite on a dirt road. From there it’s another 8 to 9 hour drive to the National Forests in Northern Michigan and another day to the Upper Peninsula to explore up there before heading to Wisconsin and ultimately the most farthest west part of my trip in Wisconsin. I’m think the Aldo Leopold Museum wouldn’t be a half bad place to be my final destination just because it’s a logical ending and not because I am some Aldo Leopold cultist. Truth is I don’t agree with all his views.

The thing is I don’t want to stay in crowded motel rooms or even campgrounds, though I do agree that once and while in a developed campground is good for hygiene and staying clean. Much rather have that dispersed campsite with the nearest neighbor a mile or further away. I want to have big fires and listen to the music at night – or wander in the wilderness with no one around to bother.