Another Road Trip with Adam

He's so intense when he drives. Does it really require that much concentration to drive these days? I can't remember what it was like to be a new driver; 1979 was a million years ago. But surely there were smiles, grins, laughter, something other than grim determination on my face during those first few long-distance drives.

There was some dramatic improvement in the entertainment on this trip. Adam brought along his MP3 player, and we hooked it up into the car's tape deck so we could listen to his favorite selections. As Navigator, it was my job to make sure the music played correctly. It was more relaxing than looking out the window at the traffic zipping around us.

To Adam was given the task of determining our destination. He chose Muskegon. I think he was hoping to go to the Lake shore, but the temperature, combined with the wind, would've made that somewhat uncomfortable, so we opted for the downtown area instead.

Downtown Muskegon was rather barren and empty, which was a surprise for a Saturday afternoon. I'd been visualizing crowds walking around the Square, enjoying the relatively warm day - but there was no one but us. It was eerie.

So we walked the Square, trying to make up for the missing crowds, posing with some statues, taking pictures of others. The Central Square is essentially a monument to the Civil War. The Square is surrounded by some very pretty buildings, most of which were funded by this gentleman named Charles H. Hackley, a "lumber baron, who applied his fortune during his lifetime to create a city of distinction. His gifts included a library, hospital, and art museum of the highest quality, the first kindergarten and the first manual training school in the state of Michigan, and the park towards which his bronze now gazes." [as stated on the plaque next to his statue]

It is a beautiful little town square, which makes it all the more sad to see it so empty. I sincerely hope something comes along to bring Muskegon back to fiscal exuberance.

"I consider that a rich man to a great extent owes his fortune to the public." - G.H.Hackley, August 18, 1900.