Steady Rolling & Growing & Cruising

The thing about summer in Michigan is there’s no reason to leave. Unless you’re one of those Very Tough People who likes the snow (of which I am not), these are the most perfect three-ish months of the year. Our summers are made for block parties, camping, kicking around Eastern Market, doing anything you can on or near the water, eating ice cream, and, love it or hate it, the Woodward Dream Cruise. So really, where else would I rather be all summer long?1

And btw, dear reader, you didn’t miss a bunch of e-mails from me this summer. I had to take a break to tend to some offline things (more on that to come!), but it’s great to be back. For this week, I’ve got photos from a road trip Up North, some bonus shots from Pride Season (which for me, never ends), and a healthy dose of Detroit party and bullshit, all shot on film. Hope you enjoy!

My friends were shocked that I’d never been camping in Michigan before this summer, and I was admittedly shocked that campsites here are so close together. This would not fly in Appalachia, where I camped for most of my life. Out there, you go into the woods to be alone, goddamnit! But after the first night, I realized privacy is overrated, at least compared to the vibes of sharing your summer with those around you.

Back in Detroit, like any true Leo, I told my friends I wanted to have a “just chill night” for my birthday, then got bored at the chill bar and decided to do karaoke instead. I’m working on making Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” my new signature song, but that second verse-into-chorus is hard! But IIRC, this was me doing Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel Like A Woman” toward the end of the night …

And, a little out of sync, I finally got my 120 from Motor City Pride back! I’m exited to try more medium format this fall, and this was a fun experiment with toy cameras, but I’m definitely looking forward to trying my dad’s old Yashica Mat.

That’s Michigan Central Station in the background, the once-abandoned landmark of Detroit’s collapse, now a revitalized business hub — still for the Ford Motor Company, because things don’t change all the way all the time — and a testament to the power of keeping our faith in the work, even when the present state looks doomy.

Somehow, it took me until this summer to realize I don’t have to hang out in cell phone lots when picking someone up from the airport, but can Google “plane spotting near me” and do this instead.

No, I did not try a Blue Taki elote, but I did try a Hot Cheeto elote, and it was … fine.

Discovering an abandoned Bed Bath and Beyond parking lot’s worth of unsold Tesla stock near me (that, surprise, Tesla allegedly didn't contact city officials about doing) was a real late capitalist treat. I hope Elon had the worst summer. Can’t wait to see what the Q3 results bring; I hope it’s some kind of karma.

Around here, The Woodward Dream Cruise is a love it or hate it kind of thing, and I have chosen to love it. It started as proper classic cars cruising up and down M-1 to raise money for charity, then grew into something of a circus, then an international phenomenon. Seriously, people fly in from Australia to see this! And yes, as someone who lives right off M-1, it can be annoying to have the streets shut down and listen to dudes who think catalytic converters are for pussies rev their engines. But every year, I walk the Dream Cruise and am reminded of how much I love this human-automotive spectacle that could only ever happen right here.

See, I really wasn’t kidding about the circus.

And last but not least, the happy place I spent much of this summer: Hanging out in the yard (I feel aesthetically obligated to mention I rent this place …) with my sweet, sweet pup in the sun.