(upbeat rock music) - [Narrator] On this episode of UTR, we heat things up and celebrate summer in Michigan, UTR style.

We'll golf at The Gailes, eat silver beach pizza, go camping in Pinckney and see some classic vessels in Hessel.

Heck, we'll even eat some cheeseburgers in Caseville.

Get ready to explore the cool people, places and things that make Michigan a great place to summer.

(gentle music) - [Announcer] Along the way is where we find the unexpected.

(upbeat music) Along the way is where we take in the scenery, and often where we have the most fun.

Sure, along the way can be the place we stop to fill up or grab a bite to eat, but in Michigan, along the way becomes the place we've been longing for.

Because enjoying the journey is always pure Michigan.

Your trip begins at michigan.org.

- [Woman] A visit to the Stahls auto collection will take you back to a time when cars were more than just a way to get around.

A fantastic assortment of gas pumps, neon signs and automated music machines, dating back 150 years, that must be seen and heard.

Info at stahlsauto.com.

- [Tom] I've been around the world, but there's one place I keep coming back to, and the more I explore, the more I realize it's the place to be.

I'm Tom Daldin, and this is Under The Radar Michigan.

(lively rock music) You know, Michigan truly is a four-season state and there's more to see and do here than you can shake a calendar at.

Ah, but if summer's your thing, your choices are endless, which is why we're calling the episode, "Endless Summer", look, I'm even on a beach.

Yep, when it comes to summer, Michigan is a warm weather wonderland with more ways to unwind on the waterfront than almost anywhere else in the nation.

Heck, Michigan has the longest freshwater coastline in the entire United States.

Which means no sharks, bonus!

Oh boy.

Let's face it, we've got some sensational summer selections here in Michigan.

There's tons of outdoor eating options available and our awesome cities and towns are even more wonderful and walkable when it's warm.

So if you're really more of a landlubber than a beach bum, Michigan's got your bum covered with plenty of stuff to do on high ground.

And speaking of the ground, here's some on the sunrise side with little holes all over it.

Lumber yard!

(swooshing noise) That's right, if you wanna play a round of golf the way the Scottish and Old Tom Morris intended, you gotta come here, ah, but first things first, time for some TV magic.

Ah, that's better, I think.

(light jazz music) Well, if you're still wondering where "here" is, we're at the Lakewood Shores Resort in Oscoda, and the course of which I speak is known as The Gailes.

A golf experience that recreates the look and feel of the famed seaside courses of Scotland.

And speaking of look and feel, I felt it was time to look for someone to help me negotiate this classic course.

Craig Peters is the GM here at Lakewood, and after calculating my handicap for an hour on an abacus, we commandeered a cart and got things started.

So my producer Eric told me that if I was gonna play this style of golf that I had to dress appropriately.

Ah, is this right?

- You look fantastic.

(laughs) - All right, 'cause I notice I'm the only one dressed this way on the entire course.

- Well, you know, you're the only one with class.

- Oh, thank you, I appreciate that.

- You bet.

Now, Lakewood Shores, you've got three courses here, right?

- [Craig] Correct.

- [Tom] All right, and all beautiful, but what is different about the Gailes from any other course?

- [Craig] The Gailes, the whole concept behind the Gailes, was to recreate those courses along the coast of Scotland, kind of like, the St.

Andrews, Carnousties, Troons, and so on.

- [Tom] Right.

- [Craig] There's really nothing like it, especially when we built this back in the early '90s.

You know, it is quite a special course, I mean, you're gonna see, double greens, side face bunkers, you're gonna find them right in the middle of the fairway, most of them you're not gonna see.

- [Tom] Right, I was gonna ask you about the double greens, is that just to make you twice as frustrated when you're getting, why are there two holes in one single green?

- [Craig] Well, when they built the courses along the coast in Scotland, you know, they were limited for land, so they'd have nine holes go out, nine holes come back in.

So, they shared the green, so they just didn't have that much train to work with.

- Now did the Scottish also invent liquid scotch to help you with the frustration that you have when you're done playing?

- [Craig] Well if they didn't, they should have.

(both laughing) - [Tom] And this is actually an award winning course?

- [Craig] It is, back when it opened, in '93, it was rated "Best New Resort Course In the United States", which we're extremely proud of, I mean, there's, there's a lot of great courses, not only in Michigan, but the United States itself, so, something we're extremely proud of, but it's a fantastic course.

- Well, the neat thing is, like you said, there are so many courses in Michigan, but there's no other course like this.

- Correct.

- It gives you a chance to go golf the way they actually do in Scotland, and you don't have to buy an airplane ticket, you don't have to get your passport updated, I mean, it's just so much easier.

- [Craig] It is, it's just a lot of fun, because it gives you a very different look than what you typically see.

Whether you're up north in Michigan, or down state.

- [Tom] So you guys are just north of Oscoda?

- Correct.

- Right, and you've got everything, actually on the grounds here that guys need, they wanna come up here and play golf, guys or girls.

- [Craig] Yes, yes, we have on site lodging, we can sleep to 304 people.

We've got hotel-style units, one and two bedroom suites, and suites with jacuzzis.

- [Tom] And you've got the Gailes, which is exceptional, can you tell I'm channeling my inner Tom Morris?

- [Craig] Yes, definitely.

- Now if he found out I was channeling him, he would roll over in his grave, because if he knew how little I know about golf.

(laughs) - (laughs) That's okay, you're doing extremely well.

- Ah, thank you, at least I look the part, at least I look good.

- Exact, hey, it's about how you look, not how you play, right.

- Yeah, and the way I play, I will need some of that, the liquid scotch.

- (laughs) - To perhaps, drown my sorrows.

- That's okay, we can take care of you there.

- Golf at the Gailes and the Lakewood Shores Resort was an absolute classic blast, Craig was cordial, the weather was wonderful, and it proved two very important things, one, we have hidden treasures around every corner on Michigan's Sunrise Side, and B, I'm a bad golfer no matter what continent I'm on, but at least I got a free bowl of soup with this hat, (laughs), okay Old Tommy Morris, help me out.

Ah, whoa.

Is this the right way?

(gentle country music) Well, this is UTR, which means, of course, it's time to eat, so we're going to head to Lake Michigan, to a little town called St.

Joseph, get some chow.

Hey guys, are they seeing any of this?

- [Crew Member] No, no, it's good.

- Okay.

You know, a lot of things inspire people to start their own business, but here's one that was inspired by a frosty cold adult malted beverage.

I'll drink to that.

Silver Beach Pizza is the place to go in St.

Joe for great people, atmosphere, pizza, and a frosty cold adult malted beverage called a Schooner.

Oh yeah, and if you need to catch a train, this place also happens to be a real working Amtrak station.

(train horn honking) All aboard!

Now, when he's not busy riding the Silver beach Carousel with me and Jill, David Costas holds down the fort at St.

Joeseph's most prominent, park side pizza party place.

Is it true that your dad started this place over a couple of beers, just like this?

- Yeah, that's the story.

(laughs) It was actually in Hawaii, on the big island.

They love to go there for vacation, and I guess the bartender pulled out a couple of these mugs, and the froth was rolling off the sides, and it's when they decided they wanted to open a restaurant, to serve beer in 'em.

- [Tom] That's what I read, the story is that your dad and his buddy, had a couple of great beers and said, "Let's open a place that serves great beers."

And they were like, "Well, we have to have food too."

- [David] Yeah, yeah.

- [Tom] So they thought, "Well, how about pizza?"

- So, yeah, we had a restaurant lease and no food, so, it worked out.

- [Tom] And these are called Schooners?

- [David] Called Schooners, yup.

- [Tom] And they're just, they come in a extremely frosted glass?

- Yes, we've spent a lot of money on the system to keep them cold, there's about 500 in rotation.

- How long has this place been a train station?

- '40s, maybe.

- Since the '40s.

- [David] Maybe earlier, could be wrong.

- [Tom] When did your dad turn it into a funky, cool restaurant, with beer?

- [David] We are going on nine years in August.

- [Tom] You couldn't ask for a more beautiful location, I mean, you've got the train pulling up, you've got that beach right in front of you.

- Oh yeah.

- There's families outside playing, there's the splash pad out there.

It's the perfect place for a business.

- It is the perfect place, all this wasn't always here, this used to just be a field.

You know, the carousel wasn't over there.

So, everything kind of, fell into place nicely around the restaurant.

- It must be neat working here, 'cause your dad started the place, what's the most rewarding thing for you?

- Really around here, it's nice being such a big part of the community.

Just, kind of, knowing everybody, we take part in a lot of fundraisers, we feel like we're very involved in the community, and, that's it, I really love this town.

- [Tom] Then suddenly, the train pulled in, the place filled up, and the love for Silver Beach Pizza was everywhere.

What brings you here today, the beer, the pizza or the train?

- The pizza, it's gotta be the pizza.

Oh it's pizza.

- Pizza all the way.

- We started coming here about two months ago, and fell in love with it, we try to get here about once a week.

- Great food, close to the beach, what more could you want?

- So you came here all the way from Colorado for the pizza?

- Absolutely, it's the best pizza east of the continental divide.

- You know, the location's great, but I think, you could have an average pizza if you wanted to, but the fact that the food is great and the location is great, is like a double threat I think.

- [Tom] Speaking of double threats, what about the beer?

- That's what makes it a triple threat.

- [Tom] Oh!

- We've lived here for three years, it's a great place to bring people, to enjoy the atmosphere, I love the food.

- [Tom] Is it too close to the beach?

Do you ever get sand in your pizza?

- Not thus far.

(laughs) - [Tom] Even if half of your family didn't work here, would you love this place still?

- Oh my God, yeah, the pizza's the best.

- It's the food, it's the service, look around.

- It's a jump, we don't even go to the beach, we come here.

- [Tom] I will tell the beach.

- [Woman] It's okay.

- So, I understand something very special just happened.

- Yes it did.

(laughs) - What?

- We got engaged.

(laughs) - We got engaged.

- Oh, I thought you ordered the meat lovers pizza.

- (laughs) Oh yeah, the meat lovers pizza is the best.

- Right, let's see a big hug, come on, let's see you do it, like you like each other.

Very nice.

So whether you drive, take the train, or even swim to shore, Silver Beach Pizza will faithfully fulfill all your carbohydrate needs.

And not only did I get a frosty cold schooner, I got my own custom T-shirt too, bonus!

Hey you guys what's up with this?

You want to put that back?

Ah, that's better.

Well now it's time to wander the earth, like Caine and Kung Fu at a Michigan State Park, and we picked a great one for you!

Anybody ever tell you to go take a hike?

Happens to me all the time, so I decided to do something about it.

The Pinckney Recreation Area is a hiker's paradise in Southeast Lower Michigan, that offers mile after mile of wonderful wilderness and cozy campsites.

If you're on the lookout for a place to get away from it all, that's not all that far away, this is a state park you need to peruse.

But, before I take a hike, so to speak, I'd better check in with Park Manager, Chuck Dennison.

I'm pretty impressed, I looked at a map, and you could probably see this park from outer space, it's that big.

- [Chuck] This is a large park, it's 11000 acres, two counties, and four townships, so most of the park property's in Washtenaw County, some of it's in Livingston County.

- [Tom] And you bet, how many lakes are in this place?

'Cause I looked at the map and I lost count.

- [Chuck] Well, from the glaciers coming through here, there's 20 named lakes in the park, and there's 10 boat launches to access those lakes.

- [Tom] Well that's what's so neat about this place is, you're within an hour and a half of 80% of Michigan's population.

- Right.

- In southern Michigan.

And to have this kind of wilderness right on your doorstep, on your backyard is incredible.

- Yeah, well you're right, most people in Southeast Michigan can get here in an hour, or less, and they don't have to fight the traffic to go up north, and they can make a day trip out of this park, and virtually do anything they wanna do out here, outdoor wise, so-- - Well, I understand that you are famous for your trail system here, you've got, how many miles of trails?

- Got over 40 miles of trail, and really we're a destination for trail users, mountain biking is really big, more recently trail running, and, of course, hiking, cross country skiing in the winter time.

We plan on doing a little camping tonight, which should be an adventure, because I haven't done that in a while, but how many different campsites you got here?

- Well, we've got three different camp grounds, Crooked Lake camp ground was where we're at now is 25 sites.

We've got a hiking camp ground at Blind Lake, it has 10 sites, and then we have a modern camp ground, over at Bruin Lake camp ground.

- So you got like, modern, and you got rustic, and then you've got wilderness camping?

- Well it's, yeah it's somewhat like wilderness camping, it's pretty unique for southern Michigan, to be able to hike in to a camp ground, and hike out again, it's basically, you can't drive to it, but with the property that we have here, you can actually do a loop trail, and do a 17-mile trip, and camp in-between, so.

- I haven't seen one of these showers or bathrooms at this camp site yet.

- Yeah, you're not gonna find 'em here, this is a rustic camp ground, it doesn't have electric, it's got basic facilities, got a hand pump for water, and a vault toilet.

- So rustic.

So rustic is just another way of saying, "nothing", right?

- Yeah there's not much here, other than a spot for you to set your tent and picnic table, camp fire, that type of thing.

- Well, before we hit the trailhead and conquer the great unknown, first things first, time for me to set up the official UTR campsite.

(upbeat rock music) Ah, perfect.

Now, time to strap on the bare essentials, and head out.

Now rule number one with hiking is you always take more than you need, 'cause you never know.

(sighing heavily) Hey, I gotta rewrite that rule.

Well, after a little purging and repacking, we met back up with Chuck to work up our legendary UTR appetites on an awesome hike.

I'm actually glad we're camping tonight, because after doing, we are doing the full 40 miles, right?

- [Chuck] Is that all we're doing, 40?

- Oh, anyway, 'cause I'm sure gonna need, I'm gonna need four hotdogs, eight s'mores and a good night's sleep.

With the sun sinking fast and a few miles notched into our belts, we headed back to camp for brats, s'mores and a few of my famous, super scary, campfire ghost stories.

And after a great meal, a good scare and a few hardy laughs, we turned in for the night.

Hey Jim, was that you?

- [Jim] No - [Tom] Eric?

- [Eric] Nope.

- [Tom] Oh boy.

(gentle classical music) The next day we woke refreshed, feeling alive, and ready for another fun filled day exploring this great state park.

So, if you're wondering how far you have to go to find awesome wilderness in Southeast Lower Michigan, Pinckney Recreation Area, that's how far.

Well, now it's time to head up to the UP and see some classic vessels in Hessel.

If you like wood, water and a wonderfully nostalgic event, have I got a happening in Hessel Harbor for you.

Now, how do you start this thing?

That's not it, oh doh!

We're at the Les Cheneaux Islands Antique Wooden Boat Show, and it happens every summer in August.

Classic boat enthusiasts and onlookers come to Hessel from far and wide to witness these little floating yachts from yester year.

Shirley Jewell is a committee co-chair for this great event, and when it comes to making this classic happening, well happen, she's a real gem.

One thing I didn't get, at all, until I got here, is when you see these boats, you fall in love with them instantly.

- Right.

- I mean, and you've been doing this for a while, right?

- This is my sixth year as co-chair of the boat show.

- But the boat show's been for-- - [Shirley] 39 years, and the festival of arts, this is their 40th anniversary, but I've coming to the show for about 20 years, and fell in love with it, and the boats, as does everybody else who comes and sees them, they're incredible.

- Every boat I see I want.

- I know it, I know.

- I mean, because they don't, I mean, they're making some boats like this, but a lot of these boats are from the '30s, the four, some are from the 1800s?

- [Shirley] Right, we have a number of boats that go back to the late 1800s, early 1900s.

- And the care that the owners give them is incredible.

- [Shirley] And you can be a mile away from them, and when you hear their engine, you know it's a woody.

It has a completely different sound than any other boat.

- Now, how many boats are in the show?

- We have 162 that are registered.

- Wow, and they come from how far away?

- [Shirley] They come from Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, all over, four, five hundred, six hundred miles.

- [Tom] How many people actually come to this event?

- [Shirley] We generally have between six and seven thousand people that come to the show.

- [Tom] To little Hessel, Michigan.

- To little Hessel, Michigan.

- Which is, what's the population of Hessel?

- In the summertime it doubles, and in the winter time, the Les Cheneaux Islands, which consist of Cedarville and Hessel, we have a population of probably about 3000.

- Wow.

- Pretty incredible.

- [Tom] How do you pull off an event this size then?

- We have about 300 volunteers, for 39 years this show has been run strictly by volunteers.

We start planning it in January, meet once a month, and the show is put on in August, and we get paid with a crew shirt.

- Oh wow, you get a shirt.

- That's right.

- I worked this event and all I got is this lousy T-shirt.

(laughs) - But everybody does it because we love the show, we love the community, and all the proceeds from the show go to sponsor the Maritime Museum and the Historical Museum.

- Not only do these little classic cruisers come in all shapes and sizes, I found out, so do their owners.

So, did you get your wife with this boat?

- If you don't have a wife, you can afford a boat.

- (laughing) - If you have a wife, she better be part of the boat.

- I have to ask you a quick question, and be honest, do you own this boat or does the boat own you?

- I think the boat owns me.

(both laughing) - Well, when something, this has gotta be a labor of love, so, when you love something this much, it's almost like a mutual thing.

- [Man] Absolutely, I think we should find you one.

- [Tom] Deal.

(laughs) How much you want for this one?

- Oh we could probably work something out.

- No, I don't think so.

(laughs) This fantastic flotilla, features some of the coolest, classic and vintage boats I've ever seen.

If you you wanna do some aquatic time travel, treat yourself to the Les Cheneaux Islands Antique Wooden Boat Show in Hessel, and if you want to have as much fun as we have here on UTR, plan your own UP adventure, all you have to lose is your lack of love for the UP, after that, it's a wonderful and wild ride, yee haw!

Major Tom to ground control, can we please turn the gravity back on?

Oh, thank you.

Well now it's time to head up to Michigan's thumb for a place that's paradise literally every summer.

Now you're probably wondering why I'm wearing this really crazy, wild shirt, believe it or not it's my mother-in-law's favorite shirt, hi Liz, but that's not the main reason I'm wearing it.

The main reason is because we're in the Cheeseburger in Caseville Festival.

(crowd cheering) Right, right, high five me, thank you.

- Try to get it.

- Thank you.

- There we go.

- Take that Caseville.

Since 1999, every August, the small town of Caseville becomes Key "North" Michigan, when hoards of people show up to share their love for Jimmy Buffet, Cheeseburgers, and gaudy beachwear.

Chamber president Steve Lauers invited me to this year's festivities, Tell me, before we get started, what do I, do I call you big cheese?

Head cheese?

- Head cheese, head cheese, they call me yeah, head cheese.

- I have to admit, when I got to town first, I was a little worried, 'cause I have the loudest shirt in town on, until I saw these buses, this is incredible, is this your bus?

- [Steve] This is my bus, yes.

- [Tom] How did all of this start?

- We had a lady by the name of Lyn Bezemek, and we were looking for somebody to come up with a nice idea, to where we could generate some, get some more people in Caseville.

And she came up with a tacky idea of a Jimmy Buffet style theme.

- So, some people say, that a woman's to blame, for the Cheeseburger in Caseville Festival, and I understand that's you?

- Correct.

- This was your concept, this was your brainstorm.

- Yes, at the time we had a chamber president.

- Right.

- Who's just as goofy and wacky as I am, and he challenged me to come up with something, - I like her.

- that would bring people in to town.

- Yeah.

They told me that just today alone, the parade is 70000 people.

- Probably over the 10 days of the festival now, we have reached 200000 through Caseville.

- In a city that's less than 900 people.

- Yes.

- That's absolutely amazing.

- Yes.

- So, if I understand they invited me up here today, because it's Wednesday, and Wednesday is the parade of fools.

- Correct.

- Coincidence?

(upbeat banjo music) Okay, well, glad we got that straightened out.

Now, most festivals have a parade, but Cheeseburger in Caseville's Parade of Fools takes the cheesecake.

It's part Margaritaville, part Mardi Gras, and chock full of fun.

Okay, first of all, who does your hair?

- That would be me.

- Oh, it wasn't the Cheeseburglar, or anybody?

- It was not the Cheeseburglar.

- What do you guys call yourselves?

- Cheeseburger party girls.

- The Cheeseburger girls.

- The Cheeseburger girls.

- Party girls.

- I love it, and you're here to?

- [Girls] Party.

- Very nice, I wouldn't look good in that outfit though.

What's the theme of your float, besides the fact that it's terrible?

- That's it, "World's Worst Float."

- Is this your float?

- It's all our float, yes.

- Well said, do you live here in Caseville?

- Yes I do.

- What did you guys do before the Cheeseburger festival here?

- Ah-- - Just sit around waiting for it to happen?

- Absolutely.

(laughs) - Are you in a float?

- Yes.

- Yes we are.

- Is it far from here?

- It's right over there.

- Oh, that's a porta-potty.

Now, does Mr.

Buffet know that you guys are doing this?

- He sure does, yes he does, and he was extremely excited about it when he was playing at DT last year in Michigan, he, one of the lyrics in Cheeseburger in Paradise, was Cheeseburger in Caseville.

And then we thought that was very cool.

- Well as you've gathered by now, we at UTR love our festivals, but festivals involving food, now you're talking.

And I'm telling you, I couldn't think of a better way to ease into the main attraction, than a good old fashioned cheeseburger eating contest.

So you almost won the event, you got any advice for me, what should I do?

What's your secret?

- Well, I just dunk it, and when it was in my mouth, I was drinking water to make, help me swallow it.

- So grab one, dunk one, eat one, while you're grabbing the next, you're dunking that one, and, it's very confusing.

- Yeah, it is.

(laughing) - So, before we start, you got any advice for me?

- You will lose.

- I will lose, okay, that's good advice, thanks, thanks for the advice.

- Yep.

(bouncy music) - Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention please, we're filming for a television show today, called Under the Radar Michigan, I'd like you to do me a big favor, I'd like you to scream like crazy when I win, okay, let's practice, right now, let's practice, oh look, I won.

(crowd cheering) Okay, thanks.

Well apparently cheeseburger eating contests are more about quantity than quality, but Cheeseburger in Caseville is all about quality, quantity, and gaudy beachwear, this festival's got it all, you gotta come check it out!

I lost my shaker of salt, have you seen it?

- Yeah, well we've got plenty actually, got plenty of salt, oh yeah.

Well, that about wraps up our first ever Endless Summer Special, hope you enjoyed it.

Now get your family, get out there and enjoy Michigan's warm weather whenever you can.

Well how'd I do fellas?

(light switch clicking) Hello?

(light switch clicking) Fellas?

(light switch clicking) Mommy!

(gentle music) - [Announcer] Along the way is where we find the unexpected, along the way is where we take in the scenery, and often where we have the most fun.

Sure, along the way can be the place we stop to fill up, or grab a bite to eat, but in Michigan, along the way becomes the place we've been longing for.

Because enjoying the journey is always Pure Michigan.

Your trip begins at michigan.org.

- [Woman] A visit to the Stahls auto collection will take you back to a time when cars were more than just a way to get around.

A fantastic assortment of gas pumps, neon signs and automated music machines, dating back 150 years, that must be seen and heard.

Info at stahlsauto.com.

(upbeat rock music) (piano music)