A Long, Boring And Busy Drive

Zingerman's Deli, Ann Arbor, Michigan

It's 6:30 and I am one or two sitting in the breakfast lounge at a Hampton Inn North, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It's the worst Hampton we have been in, the TV has only ten channels, the air conditioner's loud, the wifi is spotty, the breakfast bar is terrible, fried potatoes but no eggs, and the juice machine is broken. They do have coffee, big deal. 

Yesterday was only a five-hour drive but it seemed much longer as the road was packed with trucks, and traffic, and through the Cleveland area and beyond we had rain and mist, making for an unpleasant drive. The day started well, with a paddle, breakfast, and blog and we were not in a hurry to leave which was different from our usual early starts. So by 10:00, the car was packed and we were on our way to Ann Arbor, MI, to stay for a night. I thought interstate #70 was busy on our way to Kansas City but it was no match for Interstate #90, with three lanes of traffic most of the way to Michigan before getting on #23 to Ann Arbor. As I mentioned, it was raining and foggy for close to an hour, making driving even worst. We stopped once at a plaza for a Burger King, surprised but shouldn't have been at how busy it was. This is our first road trip in a long time during the summer when everyone is on vacation. 

Everything You Could Want

We arrived in Ann Arbor just about 3:00, a five-hour drive as our GPS suggested.  We relaxed in the room and I took a good nap, tired from early rising at 5:00. The one place we wanted to visit was Zingerman's Deli which we have read about and even have their cookbook. It was a scenic 10-minute drive to the deli, with an open parking spot across the street. I was expecting it to be busy like Corky And Lenny's but it wasn't, five or ten people browsing the amazing shelves for condiments like mustard, vinegar, spices, olive oil, you name it, filling the shelves on both sides of an aisle and all outrageously expensive. Besides the deli counter bursting with cheeses, bread, and meats, in the back you could order your food and they had an outdoor patio so it could have been pleasant to eat there but we passed.

Nothing You Can Afford

We then drove back to a recommended Mexico restaurant, Banditos, literally across the street from our Hampton. It was not very busy, no bar but we stayed and had a decent but not great meal. The service was efficient because our server was obviously the owner, no small talk, all business. We were back in our room by 7:30 and struggled with the TV channels for ten minutes before giving up. We read until just after 9:00 and both of us fell asleep by 9:30, rare for us. According to my sleep app, I slept for seven hours, making my goal. I don't believe it. 

Mexican Chandelier