The
state of Michigan is nature’s showcase any time
of year, but in the fall, Michigan’s beauty just plain shows off. To
get the full effect of Michigan’s spectacular fall color, a road
trip is essential. And, directions for the optimal fall road trip are
simple: Go north.
If
you want something more specific, we’ve found a couple of treasures
tucked near the end of East River Road in Oscoda, just before you
splash into beautiful Lake Huron.
Oscoda
is a quaint town about 15 miles north of Tawas on US-23, surrounded by
the natural beauty of the Au Sable River and Lake Huron. Drive time
from the Detroit area to Oscoda is about three-and a-half hours.
The treasures we found, are two
specialty shops owned and operated by sistersDebora Hamlin and Sandra
Kowalski.
“The
main business at The Enchanted Blooms Garden Shop, is designing and
planting perennial gardens,” said owner Debora Hamlin. “When
customers ask about the plants outside the shops, we let them know
they are available for sale in pots out back.”
Rubber
stamping supplies, candles, floral stationary, antique wind chimes and
“Wel-come” garden stones are just a few of the other gift items
sold at Hamlin’s shop. The sisters also customize window boxes for
summer cottages and take orders for personalized gift baskets which
start at $25. According to Hamlin, one of the best-selling items in
the shop, especially appealing to male customers, is the decorative
glycerin soap available in an array of colors and scents, like Rain
Forest and First Love.
Cozy
café
Just
across River Road, which dead ends one block away, where waves
soothingly lap the shores of Lake Huron, is the Garden View Coffee
Mill. The first thing you notice here are the oh-so-good aromas of
fresh-baked goodies and gourmet coffees, like sour cream coffee cake
and strawberry-rhubarb pie.
This
cozy cafe seats about 25 people. Its cheery atmosphere allows even
strangers to chat like old-time friends.
Sisters,
Debra Hamlin (left) and Sandra Kowalski, relax in Sandra's cozy cafe,
Garden View Coffee Mill, in Oscoda, Michigan.
“We
went for the nostalgia look of the 1940s,” explained Kowalski. The
sisters studied numerous magazines for deco-rating tips. Kowalski’s
husband, Karl, and stepson, Jason, refinished old, mismatched wooden
chairs and painted them bright red, adding color to the shop.
Fresh-cut flowers adorn the vintage fruit-and-floral cotton
table-cloths. Kowalski plans to expand the coffee mill to carry a line
of gourmet foods and specialty cooking utensils.
One
of the nicest compliments for the sisters is when local customers
bring visiting family and friends to see what the locals call their
“special place.”
Oscoda
is also home to a variety of wildlife from Great Blue Herons, and Red
Foxes. You may spot a Snowy Owl, or even a Bald Eagle in this
unspoiled Northern getaway. Watching wildlife in their natural habitat
is a year-round activity in the Oscoda area, primarily because of the
vast forests, and AuSable River.
In
fact, locals say the best way to experience an Oscoda fall is in a
canoe on the AuSable. If you’re not a canoe enthusiast, the River
Queen of Oscoda can do the paddling for you. This paddle wheel
riverboat, six miles west of Oscoda, offers two-hour trips that wind
leisurely down the river while you relax and take in nature’s
bounty.
River
Road Scenic Byway, just off U. S.-23 in Oscoda, mixes color, wildlife
and delightful surprise encounters with the AuSable. Several spots
along River Road offer access to foot trails and lookout points.
Speaking
of lookout points off River Road Byway, that’s where the ThreeOlBags
were when our photographer Sharon Hegwood, came running back to the
trail, where Sandy Campbell and Linda Sparkman (the other two bags)
were.
“You
missed it! You missed it!” She had our attention, and continued
excitedly, “I was sit-ting on the wall, and, it was so pretty. The
sand dune went this way,” she said as she visually indicated the
downward slope of the dune with her hand. “And the tree line came in
from both sides. And, there was this open expanse where I could see
the water, then, all of a sudden, there he came!”
She
had spotted a Bald Eagle as it flew majestically over the AuSable.
“It took my breath away!” she said.
Treasured
moments like this one make it easy to forget the rest of the world,
and your problems, as the quiet, leisurely pace of Michigan’s north
country eases its way into your heart.
According
to The Encyclopedia Britannica, Oscoda is the birth-place of
the legendary Paul Bunyan. There’s a huge statue of this lumberjack
and Babe, his famous blue ox in town. There’s also a Lumberman’s
Monument about 14 miles west of Oscoda on River Road Scenic Byway,
honoring contributions of the lumbering industry to Michigan’s
prosperity. The monument is a few feet from a majestic overlook you
won’t want to miss.
The
area is also home to The Gailes, an award-winning golf course, some of
Michigan’s best fishing, antique shops, cross-country skiing and
snowmobile trails.
Stay
overnight
With
so much to see and do in the area, you might want to spend a few days
here. If so, you’ll find plenty of overnight accommodations, and
restaurants along US-23. The well-maintained highway follows the shore
of Lake Huron as it passes through Oscoda. Cabins, cottages and motels
dot the shore-line, offering unbeatable views. Room rates start around
$60. Restaurants, like the AuSable Inn on State Street, serve
every-thing from pizza to filet mignon. Prices average $10 for dinner.
The
ThreeOlBags are Linda Sparkman, Sharon Hegwood and Sandra Campbell of
Garden City. They write about travel for the Observer & Eccentric
News-papers.
Garden
View Coffee Mill – 120 E. River Road in Oscoda. Open 9:30 a.m. to 5
p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sun-day. Closed Monday. Take
a cruise: The River
Queen of Oscoda offers two-hour trips that wind leisurely down the
AuSable River. while you relax and take in nature’s bounty. Sisters:
Debora Hamlin
(left) and her sister, Sandra Kowalski, relax in Sandra’s cozy cafe,
Garden View Coffee Mill, in Oscoda.
