HitchHiker Forum - - - Michigan Mini III - 2012
Updated: 09/02/12
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Sunday . . .
We
departed the
The
Woodward Dream Cruise in Royal Oak at noon and arrived at the campground
office of the Little River
Casino Resort in Manistee at 4:50pm. Not taking time to do more than back into
our site, we joined the group just in time to get in the end of the line for the
5:00pm potluck. Good timing!
After
everyone finished dessert, Judy and Greg told us the optional activities
available during the week ahead. Everyone followed their own schedule unless a
group activity was planned. One of the nice things about the HitchHiker Forum
group, "early morning" is not in our vocabulary. So,
nothing planned for early in the morning. The early risers are on their own.
They made sure we knew what our group's marketing package included.
The final item on the agenda was when and where the group photograph would be made. Greg said, "now", "over by the big pine trees. That worked well.
We had 20 RVs at the M&M III. The forum gatherings are events open to all forum members so the number of RVs even includes a motorhome belonging to an administrator of our forum.
This group photograph may load slowly.
After the photograph was made,
we headed back to our site to
set-up for
the week.
Monday . . .
Today was a day with little planned. We used one of our meal tickets and gambled with the casino's money. Many times, a couple will go to the buffet and soon it is a party of six or eight or more.
The
Social
Hour started at about 5:00pm in the pavilion - a great gathering place. The
availability of the pavilion is a benefit offered by the Little River Casino.
Fred
told a person, whose name will remain unknown, that if she would drink straight from the
wine bottle he would
post it for the world to see. Wanting the worldwide notoriety, she downed a
swig. So, he HAD to post it. (With permission, of course.)
Tuesday . . .
Today duplicated our Monday activities - gambled with the casino's money.
Some people used the "free time" to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes and the Traverse City area. First time visitors to Michigan were impressed with our state.
We used one of our meal tickets for dinner - an early steak dinner in the Willows Buffet in the casino. Our group was there when the doors opened for dinner at 4:00pm so we could enjoy our steak and drive to Scottville for a performance by the Scottville Clown Band.,
The
Scottville Clown Band
The M. C. and the conductor were in costume like everyone else.
Note the
musical images on the M. C.'s coat.
You can read the entire history of the Scottville Clown Band on their Web site using the link below.
http://www.scottvilleclownband.com/content/history_of_scottville_clown_band
In part:
Since
1903, those famous clowns from Scottville, Michigan have been entertaining
millions of music lovers throughout the state. The Scottville Clown Band
consists of musicians from all walks of life and all parts of the map. They hold
just about every job imaginable, or are retired from them!
The city of
Scottville is located in Mason County, 7 miles east of Ludington. Scottville is
a friendly little town of about 1,200. Only about 16 members have a Scottville
address. The rest come from all over Michigan, parts of Florida, North Carolina,
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Kansas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania,
New York, Colorado, Texas, and California. If we missed any, sorry guys.
The Clown Band's roots date back to the start of the 1900's when a musical
group of Scottville merchants began to dress as hillbillies and entertained at
local carnivals. Soon the group became more and more popular and the costumes
became more and more risqué. World War II meant many hometown men went off to
war; it also meant the end of the band. In 1947, Scottville merchant Ray Schulte
reformed the group and created what is still known as the Scottville Clown Band.
"It's one of the highlights of my life," said Schulte about re-organizing the
group. "It's one of the greatest organizations to come to Scottville." Sadly Ray
passed in 2007.
Most
of our group sat close to the band shell waiting for the shade to cover them. We
decided to sit with Rex and Marilyn under a tree for immediate shade. We sat behind a couple who have
lived in Scottville their entire lives. As we were talking to them, Bob (one of
the clowns) stopped to talk.
Bob's
father owned the Scottville drug store and had been the pharmacist in town. Bob
followed in his father's footsteps - became a pharmacist and ran the drug store
after his father died. Bob also owned the clothing store next door
to the drug store. Later, he was the pharmacist in the local hospital before
retiring.
He showed us the items in his soft-sided wheeled upright luggage case. He told us he recently purchased a new set of cymbals, only to break a wrist. He can not play the cymbals so he plays a left handed tambourine. Fred teased him saying he never heard of a left-handed tambourine. Bob just smiled.
Bob was very proud of his collection of authentic hats for all branches of our military and the part he played in the band's salute to our troops.
He showed us the little black negligee he wears as his costume. Then, he was off to work.
Because there was no money for uniforms when the band was reorganized, the band members were told to wear anything they wanted. Eventually, the clown theme was in place.
Fred
ask one woman if he could photograph her shirt. She agreed and afterwards said,
"my children are here with their shirts also". She returned
with her two children. They each had Clown Band shirt from the year they were
born. The band generates a spirit of community.
Bob had told us that they usually have about 300 people in the audience.
Most of the HitchHikers sat near the front.
The band played very well and the comedic routines were outstanding. Bob looked great in his little black negligee.
There were a couple opportunities for audience participation. Six gals from the audience played instruments with the band. The M. C. had the guys do their part from their seats.
Kate
Smith was not available tonight so a substitute sang Kate's version of God
Bless America.
You probably had to be a senior citizen to know that it was really the way Kate Smith sang it.
If you have never heard Kate's version, click here: Kate Smith - God Bless America.wav
Also,
all six piccolo players were missing in the band tonight . So, "Kate" whistled the piccolo
parts in the "Stars and
Stripes Forever" - the official march of the United States and John Philip
Sousa's most famous composition.
"Kate" was multi-talented.
Note: Bob told us that they had 200 members on the roster. Usually, about 50 show up for the performances.
The
banner on the front of the stage indicated that the proceeds from tonight's
performance was going to help support the Alzheimer's Association.
Pirates collected the bounty.
Bob
was everywhere - the cheerleader for the band.
Some of the younger members of the audience danced or just looked cute.
As the M. C. introduced the presentation of flags
for all branches of our
military, each flag was
carried in front of the stage.
As each branch's flag was presented, Bob wore the appropriate hat for that
branch. He even became an airplane for the Air Force.
The audience stood to show respect for each branch of our military.
Everyone
should remember the Pep Band from their school days. This Pep Band played the
fight songs for numerous schools - including Michigan, Michigan State, Central
Michigan, Notre Dame and others. Then they turned the Michigan "M" upside down
and did a farce of the University of Wisconsin's fight song.
But . . . the funniest "comedy act" was an audience participation skit that could not have been more hilarious if planned. We know it was not planned because Ron, a member of our HitchHiker group, was the random victim. And, the M. C. could not have known where Ron lived.
Greg made the center photograph below of Ron and the band member from his seat closer to the stage. He gave it to Fred for use in our Web site. The last photograph shows that Ron survived the excitement. The text below the photographs was posted by Greg on our HitchHiker Forum. What is not mentioned is that the song was . . . "The Stripper" an instrumental composed by David Rose, recorded in 1958 and released four years later.
One of the evening's highlights occurred when Ron received a lap dance from a band member only slightly slimmer than me. As you can see Ron REALLY enjoyed the attention bestowed upon him by the dancer. He relished it. After his lap dance, the Clown Band MC was saying how much Ron appeared to enjoy the close and intimate performance. He asked if he was excited. Then, he asked Ron where he was from. His answer, of course, was "Climax", Michigan which brought the house down with laughter. Greg
We had a fantastic time at the Scottville Clown Band performance. If you have the opportunity, go to one of their performance.
Wednesday . . .
Many of us were going to spend the day gambling with the casino's money and using one of our meal tickets - are you seeing a pattern here. It sounds a lot like yesterday.
But, Harold decided to set the example for the rest of us and did some work. I don't think anyone followed his example. We were at M&M III to have fun.
(FYI: A little later Karen did let Harold get off the roof and have some fun.)
Ladder
golf was on the agenda for today's Social Hour. We had the usual combination of
players and spectators.
See, Harold is off his HitchHiker's roof.
If
you did not have a new truck you wanted to drive everywhere, you could call 24/7
for a ride on the shuttle .
The shuttle driver would take you anywhere on the grounds.
Paul and Dottie's new ride.
At 8:00pm, we caravanned to the First Street Beach for a view of the setting sun.
It was a beautiful way to end our day.
Thursday . . .
Many of us went to the casino to 'use up' the last of our casino money. After 'using up' (sounds better than losing) our casino money, we had time to make some photographs of the inside of the casino.
Fred tried to negotiate permission to photograph the Players Window - not the betting floor - security said "no". He could not use his camera in the carpeted area or shoot into the carpeted area. The security people suggested a photograph of the fireplace.
This
fireplace greeted you as you walked in the front door of the casino.
These gardens were located under the glass dome inside the casino.
The outside gardens were surrounded by buildings - the casino, restaurants and resort hotel.
These folks found a place to
rest until lunch.
The group decided to go to The Willows for our Farewell Lunch. Many thought the dinner food was partially 'left-over' from the day's lunch. So, we got fresh food by going for lunch. We had lunch all week at the Willows - the food was very good - you could order off the menu or use the buffet.
Fred used the wrong setting on the camera. So, if you look a little yellow, it's
not the food.
(His camera broke after six years of use. He is using a
ten+ year old camera during the M&M III and is not very happy.)
The schedule for the afternoon called
for games and socializing.
This looked like a deep conversation.
In between conversations, some people played ladder golf.
Steve
tried to get the group to participate in Karaoke. He was not very successful
convincing any of us to sing. Steve sang several solos - more than he expected.
While he was singing one song, Suzy, unknown to Steve, mimicked every move he
made.
Previously Suzy had refused to sing. After mimicking Steve, she stepped up to the Karaoke machine and sang.
By
the end of her song, she was really getting into the spirit.
We enjoyed the sunset so much Wednesday night, most of the group headed for the beach again to see a sunset.
Unfortunately, what you see above IS the sunset we saw tonight. The clouds totally covered the sunset. To be honest, we were not expecting much. So, there was no great disappointment. Just sitting on the shore of Lake Michigan was fun.
Why waste an otherwise perfectly good evening -
let's go wading in Lake
Michigan.
Friday . . .
Today was departure time - M&M III is history. We wished each other 'safe travels' and said good-bye until the next time our paths crossed.
Some of us were heading home. Some could not head home because they were home - they live full-time in their HitchHiker.
Traveling to the next HitchHiker forum gathering was on some people's travel plan. Like typical RVers, they will make many stops along the way to enjoy some of the sights in Michigan and other states on their route. RVers always take time to enjoy the parts of our beautiful country they travel through between destinations.
As
for us, we were stopping at Houghton Lake to spend a few days with our daughter
and her family. Besides being invited, we know we are welcome there because
Steve installed a 30amp outlet on the garage for us. During the next week, we
thought about them at home working as we sat in front of their cottage enjoying
the water lapping against the seawall.
On behalf of all
those who attended the M&M III, we thank Judy and Greg for being our 'event
leaders' again this year. We appreciate your work organizing the M&M gatherings.
We had a great time.