[Coldjensens]

Every time we go for a drive to see the spectacular fall colors people are gushing about, we miss them. It seems like we just go to the wrong areas at the wrong time. The Michigan fall color map is not helpful as it shows bands where it is expected color will be at, near or past peak, but not specific locations.


This weekend we took Dad on a drive up the 23 to Frankenmuth. There was a little color here and there, but not really much more than we see around our little suburb south of Detroit. Many times the more spectacular colors come from yard trees selected and planted for that purpose. That was much the case on the drive. Some really pretty yard trees. Forests with a lot of yellow and green, but not much red or orange, except small bits here and three. Pretty, but not spectacular.



Once again we will wait for the trees around here to pop and then maybe run out to Kensington or Mayberry. That is if we do not get a storm that strips the leaves away first.


We see pictures of all sorts of truly specular colors up north, but we never seem to be able to find them. Last time we went up to Taquamenon falls and there was some yellow but the trees were pretty bare and not other colors. The falls are always pretty, but not the spectacular blast of multiple colors we have seen in pictures. We have tried trips to Mio, to TC, to the UP, to Petosky. We are always too early or too late despite relying on the online color maps. Or unusual weather has stripped the leaves or turned everything yellow and brown, or. . . . This year I think we just did not go far enough north - we ran out of time (should not have wasted time stopping in Frankenmuth). It seems that we get more color around here, at least some years, than we can find by driving up north.



I think the answer might be to give up trying to find the really spectacular views that I know are out there (we have seen them on some occaisions) and just stumble on to them rather than trying the chase leaves

[Luzette]

I think you didn't go far enough north too. It's gorgeous up here in the Manistee, Benzie & Traverse City areas.

[SoCal Midwest Noobie]

I was up in the Mackinac area and in St Ignace a few weeks ago. The colors were brilliant. Id say not peak, but seeing the Mighty Mac appear over the orange was a sight to behold. Id say even there it is slower though. One thing I noticed, there are more colors in Metro Detroit than in Flint or Saginaw. Not sure if this is proximity to the lake shore or what. Really didnt start kicking in until Gaylord/Grayling. Way north. Here back in Oakland County, there is some color but the leaves are falling off beforehand. And of course, today is a torcher, 77F!

I'm going on ten years here. Not enough to be an expert on Michigan weather yet, though a slight Michigan accent is starting to kick in. ) Most locals still think my West Coast accent is "Canadian" though haha.

[michigan lizard]

Just got back from a road trip (south) on Sunday. The best colors I saw were home in West Michigan. They'll probably last only a few days, though. The winds have kicked up today, and leaves are starting to fall.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by SoCal Midwest Noobie

I was up in the Mackinac area and in St Ignace a few weeks ago. The colors were brilliant. Id say not peak, but seeing the Mighty Mac appear over the orange was a sight to behold. Id say even there it is slower though. One thing I noticed, there are more colors in Metro Detroit than in Flint or Saginaw. Not sure if this is proximity to the lake shore or what. Really didnt start kicking in until Gaylord/Grayling. Way north. Here back in Oakland County, there is some color but the leaves are falling off beforehand. And of course, today is a torcher, 77F!

I'm going on ten years here. Not enough to be an expert on Michigan weather yet, though a slight Michigan accent is starting to kick in. ) Most locals still think my West Coast accent is "Canadian" though haha.

You will never be an expert on Michigan weather. It is pure unpredictable chaos.



I grew up here - to age 24. Moved to California for 18 years then moved back 18 years ago. I am still referred to as "The guy from California" and poked at every time California or a Californian does something stupid that makes the news (which is every 15 minutes). But then in California, I was "The guy from Michigan" for 18 years. Not sure I will ever get my Michigan back. I still say "Soda" half the time and I encouraged the company I work for to establish a cry room for the younger workers (but mostly because I thought it woudl be funny to see the CEOs reaction)

[SoCal Midwest Noobie]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

You will never be an expert on Michigan weather. It is pure unpredictable chaos.

Indeed, haha. Every day is something new. On Mackinac, it was blustery, partly cloudy and rainy all at once lol. Surprisingly I didnt think the bridge was as scary as described by people with a phobia of the crossing.

I grew up here - to age 24. Moved to California for 18 years then moved back 18 years ago. I am still referred to as "The guy from California" and poked at every time California or a Californian does something stupid that makes the news (which is every 15 minutes). But then in California, I was "The guy from Michigan" for 18 years. Not sure I will ever get my Michigan back. I still say "Soda" half the time and I encouraged the company I work for to establish a cry room for the younger workers (but mostly because I thought it woudl be funny to see the CEOs reaction)

Hehe. Yeah I rarely use "pop". Ive only ever said it that way when dealing with the public. Ive always been an outlier though. I never said "soda" back in California though either but was pressured to. I said "coke". My mom's side of the family is from the south. Everything is a coke there lol. My dad's mom was from Nebraska and split the difference and said "soda pop". Not sure if that was her age or plains influence.

Ive never gotten any anti-California backlash here. I do know it exists though. There was a Royal Oak politician who ran for the state legislature a few years ago and her opponent poured it on thick how she was "from Hollywood" lol. I think thats because I think people who move here must have family here and there couldnt possibly be any other reason they'd come here willingly lol. I do have relatives here but they are in Ohio and Indiana lol. Again I think most people just assume Im from Windsor lol.

The Michigan accent seems more muted compared to the Great Lakes accent in Chicago or Cleveland. I loved hearing the locals talk up north, it starts to sound more Minnesotan. Of course these are all generalizations. I know and have met many southerners here and people from all over.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by SoCal Midwest Noobie

Indeed, haha. Every day is something new. On Mackinac, it was blustery, partly cloudy and rainy all at once lol. Surprisingly I didnt think the bridge was as scary as described by people with a phobia of the crossing.



Hehe. Yeah I rarely use "pop". Ive only ever said it that way when dealing with the public. Ive always been an outlier though. I never said "soda" back in California though either but was pressured to. I said "coke". My mom's side of the family is from the south. Everything is a coke there lol. My dad's mom was from Nebraska and split the difference and said "soda pop". Not sure if that was her age or plains influence.

Ive never gotten any anti-California backlash here. I do know it exists though. There was a Royal Oak politician who ran for the state legislature a few years ago and her opponent poured it on thick how she was "from Hollywood" lol. I think thats because I think people who move here must have family here and there couldnt possibly be any other reason they'd come here willingly lol. I do have relatives here but they are in Ohio and Indiana lol. Again I think most people just assume Im from Windsor lol.

The Michigan accent seems more muted compared to the Great Lakes accent in Chicago or Cleveland. I loved hearing the locals talk up north, it starts to sound more Minnesotan. Of course these are all generalizations. I know and have met many southerners here and people from all over.

It is fun to walk across the bridge on Labor Day. If you walk on the grate, or step out on the pathway along the outside edge all the hair on your body stands up (and you get yelled at by the guards). Last year, I won a lottery for two tickets to tour the towers (on top of the towers). We did nto eget to go because i was sick most of the summer or dealing with family issues. We are going next year.



We moved back for family reasons, but ended up very glad we did. The good things about So Cal have degraded and the bad things have exploded. We found a lot of positive differences here. Everything is cleaner (parks, roads, public bathrooms - everything). Water and trees are nice to have around. Even winters and mosquitos were more tolerable than I remembered. People are less welcoming and it is hr to get accepted into social circles, but also people would and do give you the shirt off their back if you are in trouble - regardless of whether they know you or not. As an added plus Detroit has become about the best City in the nation. Beautiful architecture, park areas, lots of fun and cool things to see and do, and just enough of a crowd to be fun without being annoying.


Of course the comparatively almost free real estate is also an added plus. So is the massively lower cost of living.

[MichiganGreg]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Every time we go for a drive to see the spectacular fall colors people are gushing about, we miss them. It seems like we just go to the wrong areas at the wrong time. The Michigan fall color map is not helpful as it shows bands where it is expected color will be at, near or past peak, but not specific locations.
...
We see pictures of all sorts of truly specular colors up north, but we never seem to be able to find them. Last time we went up to Taquamenon falls and there was some yellow but the trees were pretty bare and not other colors. The falls are always pretty, but not the spectacular blast of multiple colors we have seen in pictures. We have tried trips to Mio, to TC, to the UP, to Petosky. We are always too early or too late despite relying on the online color maps. Or unusual weather has stripped the leaves or turned everything yellow and brown, or. . . . This year I think we just did not go far enough north - we ran out of time (should not have wasted time stopping in Frankenmuth). It seems that we get more color around here, at least some years, than we can find by driving up north.

I think the answer might be to give up trying to find the really spectacular views that I know are out there (we have seen them on some occasions) and just stumble on to them rather than trying the chase leaves

It doesn't help that the weather was a bit skewed this year; in our area (south east of Alden), the colors also delayed turning to their brightest colors until late in the season. We were still in fall colors until last night- we woke up and all the leaves are gone from the storm that just passed through. Now digging in for the inevitable white paratroopers that are massing in the west.

[DTWflyer]

Fall colors were brilliant when they popped this year, but it was only for 48-72 hours at best and varied a lot by location.

Up north, colors were generally kind of late. and downstate it was a very quick turn this year it seemed.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by DTWflyer

Fall colors were brilliant when they popped this year, but it was only for 48-72 hours at best and varied a lot by location.

Up north, colors were generally kind of late. and downstate it was a very quick turn this year it seemed.

We had some decent color nearby, but immediately around us, the leaves just kind of fell off the trees.



The best color nearby is always yard trees selected specifically for their fall color. Most of the nearby forests are primarily yellow. We usually have to drive a bit for a nice mix with bright reds (not always, once in a while get some some great reds in the local forests, but it is rare). This year, we did not see any of the stunning miles of color anyplace. But we had some absolutely amazing sunsets