Click any picture to enlarge it.
Tower View
Right in the shadow of Ypsilanti’s famous water tower is the Tower View Stay & Go. Tower View is centrally located to all the great things to see and do in eastern Washtenaw County— just seconds away Eastern Michigan University and only a few minutes away from Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan. It is easy walking distance from EMU, Downtown, and historic Depot Town.
Kitchen & Dinning
Entrance
Joe
Tower View Stay & Go is similar to a B&B, except it’s a lot more fun with a lot more options! Want to have a special meal or gathering, ask Joe. Want a ride to the Big House? No problem! Maybe you’re coming to town for a sporting event. Joe specializes in entertaining groups. Stay here and invite your friends to a gathering. Most folks would rather eat at Joe’s than go out! It’s clean, the food is good, and you’ll feel right at home!
Kitchen
Kitchen
Kitchen
The basic package is pet friendly, has WiFi, and off street parking; includes rides to special events, and there is plenty of room to relax. Your visit and having fun while here are what is important! So if you need any special arrangements, meal plans, or entertainment ideas, let Joe know.
TV Room
Access to and from all major roads and expressways. And if you are attending an event at EMU, it’s just across the street. Tower View Stay & Go is also conveniently located to the many area hospitals. So whatever the reason you are visiting Ypsilanti or Ann Arbor, tell Joe what you need— and you’ll see why we can’t just call this a bed and breakfast!
Window Bench
Bedroom
Smokey made a bad, bad noise!
Fueled up and ready to go
0430 Monday 07.05.10
Woke and got ready to leave Knoxville. O’ Smokey is fully fueled, fluids and air all checked, and everything packed but my toothbrush and laptop.
0445
Underway
0600 Jelico Mountain, TN
O’ Smokey running good. Didn’t even need to downshift on the steepest grade. Engine temp nominal. Just starting to get light.
0730 Berea, KY
O’ Smokey made a bad bad noise! Losing power. Something must have let go. Luckily, I’m right at an exit. Coast down the ramp and into a gas station.
0745
Checked oil. Oil gone! Filled oil. It’s not leaking out. Doesn’t want to start. Decide to have breakfast at restaurant next door.
0845
Started diesel. Still not leaking. Bad noise is gone. Decide to try going again.
0900
Didn’t get far. Bad bad noise is back! Made it from gas station across the street to the Days Inn motel.
Broke down right at an exit
0915
Called Joe Golder. Joe says sit tight and he’ll drive down and tow me to Ypsi with his van. Needs to take care of a couple things first.
0930
Forecast is for record heat around 100°, Decide to rent a motel room at Dasy Inn and keep cool. Also has complimentary WiFi.
1100
Joe called. Oil change guy says he has the wrong tire on the back left. Got to go back to Sears.
1300 Sears is glad tire mistake was caught and no one got hurt! Put the right tire on the left rear and gave Joe a coupon for a free oil change for his inconvenience.
1500
Joe and his 3 dogs are on the road. Estimates it’s a 6 hour drive. It’s hot out. I’m glad to be in a room with an air conditioner.
Joe & dogs & cramped motel room
2100
Joe called. Was passing a truck. Sears didn’t tighten the lug nuts and the wheel with the new tire came off just north of Lexington, KY, about 40 miles north. Brakes and hub are wrecked bad. Joe & dogs shaken but OK. KY Dept of Safety vehicle found the tire— actually caught it on video bouncing south on the northbound lane. Joe is Having van towed to Sears in Lexington.
2110
Joe called and wants to know if motel is pet friendly.
2120
I called Joe and told him motel is pet friendly. Ky Dept of Safety vehicle is bringing Joe and 3 dogs to the motel.
2200
Joe and 3 dogs arrive thanks to some assistance from Michael Martin of the KY Dept. of Transportation. It’s cozy: Me & Joe, 3 dogs, and 1 bed. AC works good.
Axle fixed with temporary wheel
0800
Sears has 3 managers working on Joe’s van: manager in A2 is expediting the insurance claim, 1 manager is ordering parts from the Lexington store, another is on the repair work. Sears tells Joe to keep all receipts for towing, motel, meals, taxis, etc.
0830 Tues 07.06.10 Days Inn, Berea, KY
Motel has complimentary breakfast.
1130
Decide we need a room for the day. Move to room with 2 beds.
1300
Sears has the parts.
1630
Walked to a nice restaurant for dinner. Good food. Dry county.
1700
Sears called. Van is ready. Can’t match rim. Will use a temporary rim and get new rims back in A2.
O'Smokey hooked up and ready to be towed to MI
1800
Joe took a taxi to Lexington Sears to get van.
1930
Joe is back. I have the tow bar ready on the front of my little pick up. We’re hooked up and ready to roll. Van doesn’t have AC. We are going to wait until dark to travel so the dogs won’t be too hot.
2050 I-75 Northbound
Cool enough to drive. On the road in Joe’s van with O’ Smokey in tow.
0100 Wed 07.07.10 Cincinnati, OH
Unbelievable middle of the night stop and stop traffic jam!
0200 North of Cincinnati
Looked like traffic was moving again— then a couple minutes later it’s jammed up again. Dang. Could have gotten on an alternate route.
0300 Dayton, OH
Traffic finally moving again. Longest traffic jam I can remember— and in the middle of the night. Nothing bad— just miles and miles of construction. Obama buck at work!
Been thinking I should bike more. Careful what you wish for!
0500 Ypsilanti, MI
Arrived safe and sound at Joe’s place.
1100 Fri 07.09.10 Ann Arbor, MI
Sears reimbursed Joe for all his expenses related to the wheel coming off. They also ordered some rims to replace his custom rim that can’t replaced.
1800 07.25.10 Ypsilanti, MI
Joe’s rims arrived and Sears has installed them. Joe likes them better then the ones he had before. A story with a happy ending. Ain’t that nice? Interesting to have dealt with a corporation that didn’t make you hire a lawyer to get them to do what’s right. Good for Sears.
A couple weeks after Joe's misadventure, Sears replaced the busted wheel with 4 new rims.
Noisy Front Porch
08.17.09
Travel
I’m just leaving Joe’s and heading north to TC. John and Jerry say they’ll be in Traverse City today. The past three days I’ve blitzkrieged a project for Joe because I need to leave today. Actually, yesterday would have been better. As it is, John and Jerry are going to reach Jann’s house before I will.
Joe's French Doors
Doors for Joe’s Porch
Decided to stay a couple extra days and do one more project for Joe. Joe found some heavy duty french doors doors at the Ann Arbor Reuse Center. Putting the big doors up on the open end of his porch will finish enclosing the porch space and make it more useable. The problem with his porch is that it is so close to Washtenaw Ave that the noise from the traffic is unbearable. The configuration of the porch makes it like a ‘big ear’ that channels noise right into the house.
I framed in the entrance on his front porch, made a door jam, and hung those big suckers. A door jam is a simple structure made out of 3 boards, but to get the doors hung right, those boards require a lot of math!!
I also used three colored panes from the church windows over the doors. The colored glass ties the look of the doors together with the rest of the front windows. Turned out great.
Joe's New Front Doors
Old Bucky 2009
Bucky
Bucky isn’t any better. She doesn’t act like she is in pain, but if I give her pain killers, she moves around more— a lot more. I’m anxious to get her to her vet in Lake Leelanau. Dr. Harrison has treated her for her thyroid deficiency, and provided an improved treatment for Bucky’s incontinence problem that began way back when she was four. I trust he’ll give me the best advice and her the most up to date care.
08.11.09
Travel
John hasn’t arrived yet. Looks now like we’ll just be meeting up in Traverse City and then maybe doing something from there.
Am enjoying seeing my friends here in Ypsi, but I am looking forward to leaving soon. Other than helping Joe put in the windows, I have resisted getting involved in anything else!
Bucky
Bucky has taken a turn for the worse. She was looking good before I left NC— and was fine in TN. But since getting to Ypsi, her hind legs aren’t working right. I’ve been carrying her hind quarter up the steps while she still uses her front legs.
Some days are better for Bucky than others, but she is trending down. Her regular vet is up near TC, so I’ll get him to look her over. I’m afraid it’s time to do something. I certainly don’t want to see her miserable just to keep her alive.
07.31.09
Route taken to Saylersville, Ky
Salyersville, KY
Spent my birthday in the coal hills of eastern KY. After visiting with the Dougherty clan in TN, I stopped there to surprise my friend, Kim Hoskins. Kim is good company and has a sparkling intellect.
This was my first time in that neck of the woods. Eastern Kentucky is pretty country. From there I drove north on US 23. Nice road! Think I’ll go that way again sometime.
We had an impromptu birthday celebration— just sitting on her big rap around porch and talking. I really enjoyed Kim’s new home. It’s a great place. I even got
Very nice wrap around porch
I didn’t get to enjoy any exploring on foot. My knee is still stiff, but feeling much better. Stopped taking pain meds. Most of the pain is gone and it doesn’t get worse when I sit for a few minutes. My cousin, Mark in TN said I hurt it sleeping on his couch which is too short. He said he’s done the same thing.
So I just took it easy so it would get feeling good enough to drive without pain. But I did get some good writing done which is always a plus to me.
North to MI
Route up US 23
Left Kim’s place at 0400. Drove up north on US 23. Hit rush hour in Columbus instead of Cincinnati, which was shorter and less stressful. The drive across the farmlands of OH was very picturesque. Stopped in a mid OH town for breakfast.
The roads through the farmlands were in very good condition, and I found if I wasn’t careful, I get rolling along above the speed limit. As of my birthday, my plates are officially expired. So that was even more incentive than usual not to get pulled over.
I drove behind a truck for quite a way because he wouldn’t go faster than 55, but at a light in a small town, I lost him. As I got back out in the country again, there was a woman in a car behind me that was right on my ass. I got annoyed and pulled over and let her by.
It was a beautiful sunny morning. Bucky’s head was in my lap. Had a good classical station on the radio. Looked down and had let my speed get up to 70 mph! I immediately slowed back to 55. As I decelerated around a curve, there was a State Trooper turning around! The trooper roared off ahead of me and pulled over the lady I let by.
Joe's House
Ypsilanti
Arrived in Ypsi just after 1100.
Ypsi is the loudest place I’ve been since I left Ypsi. It’s really quite amazing.
Joe is in good spirits. Had a pleasant first evening. He cooked a steak birthday dinner for me and invited a few friends like Frank and Sandy.
07.19.09
Travel Prep
I should be on my way to MI to update my license info. All my stuff is packed and I’ve been ready to go for days.
Weather
All of the sudden, the weather has been great here. Usually by July the heat here in NC is oppressive, but the past few day it’s been great and has made it hard to pull away, but I’m certain it will change shortly.
House Sitting
One thing I’m doing is leaving things so I don’t need to come back here for a while— unless the place sells. Depending on how things go, I’d really like to do a tour that includes time in northern MI and maybe a swing through TX.
I’ve also used the good weather to get things done around the house so I’ll have less to deal with if I have to come back to Sanford and decamp Club Todd in a hurry.
07.08.09
Writing
I’m still learning to write— probably always will be, but I feel I’ve struggled to a new plateau from where I can see how to better manage story elements and layers of meaning. I am experimenting with short stories to gain some feedback and also feel a sense of accomplishment— which is a long time coming on a novel project.
House Sitting
Had a good visit with Todd. Yard sale business was slow, though we did sell some. Seemed like most of our sales were to the neighbors— some Todd never really met before.
Bob the Kitty was glad to see his old pal Bucky. Bob likes to head-butt Bucky— and everyone else he likes.
Todd brought a batch of his homemade Jerky. Man was that good! If he gets tired of tooling, he could do jerky!
Was pretty sorry to see Bob and Todd heading back to Chicago. I don’t mind living here alone, but it sure was fun having them here for company and sharing some meals.
Travel
In other news, John Rike called me from Texas yesterday. We are planning to meet in MI during the first or middle or late part of August. Told me he has a pop up camper. We don’t have an itinerary yet, but John has always wanted to explore the UP.
I’m getting ready to pack for the trip to MI. I plan to go to Knoxville, then stop in Ypsi before going on to TC.
Joe's New Windows
06.01.06
Replacing Windows
Joe had some leaky old windows in the little mud/laundry room on the back of his house. Since buying the houses here on the corner, he has taken out the door that separates the area from the kitchen. Looks better and is more usable, but there were some big old windows that lost a lot of heat during the winter.
Joe has tried to save on heat loss by keeping them covered with plastic during the winter. But the real solution of course is changing them with something better. Well, he found something better and it was just a matter of putting them in.
Old windows removed
I tore the old windows out first saving as much of the original material as possible.
The new windows are a little larger than old ones. Fortunately, the header ran across the entire wall and no rebuilding of the opening was needed.
Opening from inside
I framed the opening for the new windows. The new windows fit right in.
On the outside, since the windows were larger, I had to rip new trim boards.
New window in & trimmed
The inside was easier to trim. The old trim had framed the whole space, so I planed the pieces and only had to rip the side pieces to make it fit back together. I found some pine to help match the middle pieces.
New windows with trim & marble sill
A really fun part of this project was that Joe has collected some marble and we decided to use some of it to make a heavy duty window sill that he could use for plants and art. To use the marble, we had to rent a saw and cut it. The effort was a new one for me.
Finished project
A little paint and what a difference a day makes!
.