Five mistakes I made on my first day of the Back To The Bricks tour

Flint Journal reporter William E. Ketchum III works on an MLive post at the IINN building in Flint after the send-off for the Back To The Bricks Heart of Michigan Tour.

The Back To The Bricks Heart of Michigan tour is an amazing experience, but like most things worth having, there's a learning curve to being able to enjoy it to its fullest. I've only spent one day on the trip so far, and I've already realized several mistakes that I've made that would make this even more fun and productive.

1. Driving alone

Driving alone can be an enjoyable and therapeutic experience, but it's best if you find at least one other person—whether it's a significant other, a friend, or one of your children—to tag along. Even though turn-by-turn GPS directions are the most efficient way to get from one place to the next, the driving directions in the packet that Back To The Bricks tour organizers put together are coordinated to give you a more scenic, perspective view of the state. Having a co-pilot that can read off the directions would have been useful for me; when I got lost on the way to Durand (the first stop of the tour!) because I got the directions mixed up, I stuck with my trusty GPS. Unfortunately, I'm missing most of the scenery on the road. Plus, you want someone to share your excitement with while driving between places—and Twitter doesn't count.

2. Not looking through my packet every morning.

When I got my bag of goodies at the beginning of the tour, I barely looked through it since I was so ready to hit the road. This is a mistake: you'll find plenty of coupons, guides, and other information that you can use at every part of the trip. My advice is to read through the packet in the morning, and put all of the day's coupons in your pockets, purse or island in your car. That way, you can save money and find your way around easier at every checkpoint without having to stop and dig.

3. Driving with air conditioning

Everyone has been friendly on the tour, really. And this 2013 Malibu that Young Chevrolet let us use is a treat to drive. But many of the participants are driving old cars, which are void of many of the luxuries that newer cars have. Case in point: I've been teased about a dozen times because my car has air conditioning. It's all in good fun, so I don't mind, but if you're sensitive to that kind of thing, be warned. Maybe even drive without the A/C on just to say that you're doing it to get a better B2TB experience. 

4. Not knowing a lot about cars.

I'm not a car expert at all, and it has shown. Everyone is still welcoming and friendly, but it's like going to a huge family dinner without knowing anyone. There have been plenty of conversations I've overheard that sound engaging, but it sounds like a foreign language because I don't know the automotive details they're discussing. Before next year, I'm going to stock up on books about cars and go to other car shows so I can be better equipped. When someone asked me if this Malibu was a "four or six," I could tell that me not knowing truly broke his heart.

5. Wearing nice shoes.

I wore one of my favorite pairs of shoes this morning, and they'll need an intense cleaning very soon. Why? Because I saw Houghton Lake, and I had to sacrifice the shoes getting in the sand to get a good picture of the water. There's also the possibility of walking on dusty roads and parking lots, so packing shoes that aren't shiny or expensive would have been in my best interests.


That's all for now. I just touched down in Prudenville for the second day of the stop, and I'm about to grab some BBQ and see State Representative Bruce Rendon speak to veterans. Tonight, I'll end up in Grayling to visit a classic diner, The Bottle-Cap Museum, and more. Stay tuned to the site and my Twitter account, @WEKetchum, for the day's progress!