Category Archives: Ann Arbor

Fall In Ann Arbor along Huron River Drive

Posted on October 31, 2019 | 4 comments

Being out on the open road in Autumn in Ann Arbor means there is a good chance you will find me on Huron River Drive.

A Fall in Ann Arbor is not complete unless a few trips is had on this roughly ten mile route between Ann Arbor and Dexter.

A good portion of the route snugs the Huron River. I found a few random spots to stop along the road to capture Autumn’s beauty. I was very careful when taking a lot these photos, as the speed is 35 mph throughout, but a lot of cars go flying through here.

I made sure to take some time, put the camera down and just reflect on what I was seeing. I just had to say it that way haha. Due to the sun angle this time of year, it can be hard to find spots with lots of light at times. I found this area by Barton Dam to be especially beautiful when it is lit up right after dawn.

My favorite part of this drive is from the Barton Nature Area parking area near Main Street until you reach Delhi Metropark. I will let the rest of the pictures do the talking. Cheers to Fall in Ann Arbor! 🍂🍂🍂

Checkout another Fall in Ann Arbor experience I love going to every year in Hello Ann Arbor Autumn! Time to Return to Parker Mill.

What Fall color drive do you like to take every year in Ann Arbor? Michigan? Or wherever you live?

4 Comments

Posted in Ann Arbor, Autumn, Michigan

Tagged Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Fall, Autumn, Autumn colors, Fall, fall colors, Michigan, roadtrip

Hello Ann Arbor Autumn! Time to Return to Parker Mill.

Posted on October 24, 2019 | 7 comments

It’s mid-October in Michigan, which means it was time for some Ann Arbor Autumn color exploration. The first place I usually head to is Parker Mill County Park on the east end of town. The park reaches its peak early on while most everything else is still green, so there was no time to waste.

My spot is on the south end of the park right alongside the wooden fence which separates the parking lot from Geddes Road. I don’t know what it is. The variety of orange, yellow, red and purple leaves plays a part. The change in elevation along the park plays a role, as does the historic Parker Mill Grist Mill in the background.

The overhanging tree limbs and the way the fallen leaves collect on the ground also paints this as an Ann Arbor Fall spot for me.

I’ll let the rest of the Michigan Fall colors to the talking.

Check out my post from this very spot five years ago in Ann Arbor: Hanging with the Autumn Leaves at Parker Mill. Til we meet again next year!

Where do you go to capture Fall in Ann Arbor? Or wherever you live?

7 Comments

Posted in Ann Arbor, Autumn, Michigan

Tagged Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Fall, Autumn, Autumn colors, Fall, fall colors, Michigan

An Ann Arbor Coffee and A Drive During the Polar Vortex

Posted on February 2, 2019 | 15 comments

We just escaped what was deemed the “Polar Vortex” here in Ann Arbor, Michigan and the Midwest. Temperatures were brutally cold never getting close to 0 degrees Fahrenheit for two days. You add in the wind and it was pure misery. That didn’t stop me from capturing the scene at dawn during an Ann Arbor coffee and a drive.

A lot of shops and places were closed during this time for good reason, but Roos Roast, a popular Ann Arbor coffee shop and roaster, was open. It was a great thing in that it gave people a place to come in and warm up and have some hot caffeinated beverages.

You could tell how cold it was based on the ice on the windows which you can normally see right through.

I absolutely love the Roos Roast coffee mugs. The coffee of choice to put in it on this morning was some basic drip coffee made from their signature Lobster Butter Love coffee beans. I always wanted to capture this mug with a Main Street backdrop. It took -16 degree (actual temperature) conditions for me to do so.

Magical. While I was capturing about a block away from the shop, I directed a couple of police officers that were looking for an open coffee shop. They had wondered where I got this cup of coffee.

No worries as I did not drink any coffee out here. My gloves were also on stand by. I took these shots and I was quickly back inside warming up. The good thing is that the bitter cold lad to a lot less traffic which enabled me to stand right in the middle of Main Street to capture.

Ann Arbor bucket list item, check!!!

After freezing with my cup of coffee, then warming up, it was time for a drive. I headed for quick stroll down Huron River Drive. I’ve mentioned this route on nultiple occassions as it is beautiful no matter what time of year. That certainly holds true in arctic like conditions.

The sun coming out in full swing did nothing for the temperature. It just magnified the winter beauty that this part of Ann Arbor and Huron River Drive gives off. Again -16 degrees, brrrr.

It was a shivering but fun morning doing one of favorite Ann Arbor activities, getting a coffee and going for a drive down Huron River Drive.

Have you ever found yourself in bitter cold conditions in your travels? Ever come into contact with a Polar Vortex?

15 Comments

Posted in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Road Trip, winter

Tagged Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor coffee, coffee, coffee shop, Michigan, midwest travel, polar vortex, road trip, Roos Roast, winter

The 2018 Coffee Moment(s) for Me

Posted on December 29, 2018 | Leave a comment

Happy Holidays to all! 2018 is almost in the books. It’s been another coffee filled year. Shocking I know! I’ve enjoyed numerous coffees via the AeroPress, French Press and various pour over devices along with an endless number and variety of specialty lattes. That is just the tip of the iceberg.

My coffee experiences this year have been confined to mostly the Ann Arbor area in Michigan. Traveling has been infrequent as we got ready for and brought another little future coffee drinker into the world.

2018 in coffee is highlighted by the Pixgram Video below. The background song choice this year is “Waking Up” by Dexter Britain. How fitting since I tend to drink a lot of my coffee in the waking hours of the day!

The cover photo honor and most memorable moment this year goes to a summer experience I had at Comet Coffee. I took part in a Japanese iced coffee tasting as part of Ann Arbor’s first Caffeine Crawl. What a day bouncing between shops, mingling with shop owners, baristas and other fellow coffee lovers. It was also memorable because it increased my interest for learning about cold coffee. In fact you have to love any coffee experience at this shop because it sits right within the architecturally beautiful Nickels Arcade right across from the University of Michigan.

All of the coffee photos in the video came from my Coffee Ann Arbor Instagram account. The memorable experiences in this little part of the world for coffee lovers seems to be endless.

Too many more coffee moments in 2019! I look forward to seeing you all in Ann Arbor and beyond out on the caffeinated open road. Cheers! Aaron

Check out the great coffee moments from last year in The 2017 Coffee Moment(s) for Me.

Experiencing Ann Arbor Fall Colors in Nichols Arboretum

Posted on November 7, 2018 | 4 comments

In all my time around Ann Arbor I had never gone on a stroll through the vast and hilly Nichols Arboretum, “the Arb”, in the Fall. I had the chance to walk the western end of the park the other day alongside University of Michigan Hospital. It sure did not disappoint.

I found myself looking up, up, up at the taller than life trees as I captured Ann Arbor Fall colors. I walked amongst 100-year-old native and exotic trees in a 123-acre landscaped masterpiece which is co-owned by the University of Michigan and the City of Ann Arbor.

Nichols Arboretum is a highly recommended spot for photographers, going for a walk or run or just getting away from it all for a few.

The Huron riverfront, vast hills and subsequent climbing, along with all of the walking trails made for a memorable Autumn experience.

Up-top the tallest of the hills I exited the Autumn beauty finding myself on E. Medical Center Drive at the hospital.

Tip: Don’t put the camera away if exiting here. I was able to capture beautiful views of the surrounding area just outside “the Arb” as I walked alongside the hospital entrances.