A Week Away and a Wonderful MIS Weekend...

Meanwhile, back at the ranch—In this case cottage—following a week back home in Illinois and then three days at Michigan International Speedway and various points thereabouts, I’m enjoying a day of doing basically NOTHING. (I’m not too sure about the structure of that sentence, but it will have to suffice as the lead for today’s post.)

It was good to be away from the lake and cottage here in Michigan for a few days as I was able to attend to many of the jobs that were way overdue in getting attended to: Lawn mowing, recycling dropped off, a visit to the DMV for a new license registration sticker, spending some time with my grandsons, and various other odds and ends. And, of course, the good wife was happy that I was there to do some of the “running” for a change. I was glad to do so.

Drove back up here in a heavy rainstorm on Thursday morning with my son as we prepared for our Friday drive over to Michigan International Speedway (MIS) for the NASCAR weekend. He and I have been doing this very thing since 2001, and each year we seem to experience new and unique things—especially out in the parking lots before and after an event.

Over the course of the years, we’ve met some very nice and interesting folks simply by having the good fortune to be parked next to them, beginning in the very early hours of race days. Spending much of the day getting to know them, to share laughs and stories with them, and to enjoy the total atmosphere of a NASCAR event with them is well worth the time, money, and effort that go into each year’s Race Weekend.

It’s good fun with my son and the people we have gotten to know over the years. Some acquaintances we have never hooked up with again, but this year marked the third straight August we parked near some good people from Superior, Wisconsin. We even purchased two of their tickets and now will be seated in their row, high up in the grandstands, for each year’s Sprint Cup race.

Now, I write from the quiet of the cottage on another gorgeous late afternoon in late August, enjoying a day of “R and R” and reflecting on the past three days and nights of all the fun, food, drink, and good times at MIS. I really can’t wait until next year! MLA