With the task of delivering Gina to a dance meditation in the cultural hot spot of Ashville, NC, Dan, and I pointed the Subaru southward for yet another power trip. The basic idea… Leave Thursday morning, arrive in time for dinner and to check out the brewery scene that seems to be on the tips of every high fiving west Michigan beer lover’s tongue. Then, find a place to crash, and turn right around Friday for the push home with the hopes of catching last call in Lansing… Seems like a perfectly sensible plan… So Wednesday, I logged off at 5pm in TC, blasted to GR to collect Gina, and before 10pm, we were having wine and listening to vinyl in Dan’s humble abode in downtown Lansing. At the crack of 9 we were… well… starting to stir… And by 10:30, we were fed and on the road. 10 hours flew by in an blur of cement, construction cones, and finally, the dark and ominous silhouettes that are the mountains of Appalachia by daylight scattered along one of my least favorite trails… I-75… Finally, though, with the drive behind us and the the cute little community of Ashville beaming it’s bright light through the shatter proof glass of the Outback, we found a place to land… A little place called Wicked Weed Brewery.

This place was exactly what we were looking for. The beer was fantastic and they played with styles from wild (literally) to tame… They even had an open fermenter which you rarely see! With a decor that was a glorious mixture of hipsteresq art and towny pub, complete with community tables…

I was right at home… So much so… and because it seems to be a cruel Ashville brewery joke to close at 8pm during the week, we decided to stay there until they turned on the lights and forced us back into the shadows with the rest of the wild animals.
Probably for the best because we still had yet to find a place to crash. With a quick flick of the wrist, though, Danny boy wielded the magical Google machine and 20 minutes later, we were safely parked and sheltered… Perfect time to celebrate… So off we went to Jack of the Wood to finish out the night. What a pleasant city! We were met with open arms by very friendly wait staff, patrons, owners, and the local wildlife. I only wish we had more than 4 hours to spend on such an awesome place.
So closing out Jack of the Wood, we crashed back at the Downtown Inn… Which is a little on the TRUE, not ironic, retro side… complete with cracked pink Formica elevator paneling… But the rooms were quite, clean, the price was moderate, and the beds were comfy. I will definitely stay there on my next trip.
Waking up at the crazy early hour of 10am, we took in the city view from our 4th floor perch…

Then decided to grab some breakfast at the city bakery. Afterword, we decided we liked Wicked Weed enough that a Bloody Mary and, in my case, a manmossa (screwdriver with soda) would top off that brunch perfectly.

We just happened to be sitting next to the owner, Rick, and had a great chat with him about brews, pubs, and of course the Beer City USA title… Which we agreed to share and share alike… being the community minded, supporting, hugging huggers we are…

With one more good bye beer (we’ll call it a session ale to keep the judgers at bay), we hit the food co-op which I had scoped out the night before and couldn’t wait to support

Then at 1:30, hit the old dusty trail.
We (mostly stemming from my hatred of I-75) decided that we should try taking US23 which I had taken on 2 wheels a few years back all the way to Georgia. It worked out great. We got to enjoy the rolling mature mountains of the old chain while only adding an hour to our 75 route.

Rolling into central Michigan, with the 11 hour hot burn behind us, we brought the Ru in for a safe landing just in time for a much deserved pint of Michigan IPA at Dagwoods in Lansing…
Power trip…. Complete.