From the Editor—
The 2019 Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism took place almost a month ago in Acme Michigan. As I’ve written previously, all but a must for anyone interested in getting ahead of the coming evolution of Saline as a destination venue with the advent of our (latest) new hotel. [1,2]
I say “Acme” Michigan because that’s the more accurate way of locating Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, where the program was held. Since I was driving there, it wouldn’t have done to enter vague information into my iPhone Xs “Maps” app before setting out onto what was anticipated to be just under a four-hour, fifteen-minute route. [3]
With temperature above freezing, light precipitation was limited to that annoying experience you have when you can’t go without wipers on, but the pulse setting seems too much. That started to change to snow and evidence of accumulation around Flint, markedly worse by Saginaw. Around Grayling, road surfaces were visible only by the two tracks of vehicles that had traveled it before me on westbound M-72.
At some point routed onto county roads then, I started wondering how someone would get along if they ran out of gas in an area that appeared to be mostly farm land, irregularly punctuated by an old house, here and there, set far back from the thoroughfare. Glad the gas tank on my 2004 Chevy Avalanche was still well over half full — and that it had literally been serviced two days prior by one of my trusted local mechanics.
Siri put me back on M-72 about ten minutes out from the conference center. I remember taking note of Voice Motor Sales in Kalkaska. They’re a new car dealer for Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC vehicles, with a dedicated Service Department expert in all of the above. [4]
Fast forward to my departure from the Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism this year, around 2:30pm on Wednesday March 6. After loading camera gear into my truck, I started the engine and headed out of the Grand Traverse Resort.
Before I was out of that lot, the Battery light on my console illuminated and I noticed the dashboard gauge read just over thirteen volts.
I’m pro-active about changing the batteries on all of my vehicles at proscribed intervals. But it was delivering just over eleven volts when I saw next saw the Voice sign on my way home. A decision to stop to merely inquire of their service department would mean commitment; once stopped, the electrical system in this condition didn’t have what it would take to crank back to life again. [5]
Two things made that choice a whole lot easier if not obvious. The first was a long, aggregated experience with Chevrolet, including what is now Suburban Cadillac on Jackson Road dating back to the 1980s when they were Rampy Chevrolet. The second was, most specific, was my personal dealings with Bill Chrispin Chevrolet here in Saline, and including Bill Chrispin himself on occasion. [6,7]
My decision to pull into Voice Chevrolet couldn’t have taken more than the time involved to consider navigating a left-hand turn off of M-72 into their lot on what I later found out was one of their busier days for service appointments. After literally making up my own parking space in a lot still being cleared of falling snow, I was greeted by Service & Parts Manager Carl Schlegel in their new car show room just before 3:00pm.
Around 4:15pm I was back on the road, on my way home with a new alternator under the hood. Between then and now, I haven’t spent a moment of worry on quality of that part or the workmanship behind its placement in my Avalanche. In fact, it’s only now that I’m stopping to recall that this is what I relied upon four days ago from my round trip to cover the President of the United States in Grand Rapids. [8]
As you might expect, the 2019 Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism put a lot of focus on branding from the perspective of practitioners who’ve given it a great deal of thought. The end user appreciation of this came to me after — without my stopping to think about it for any time at all.
References
- Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism (home page).
- “Here’s A Look Back At 2018 For Clues About What Are Likely To Continue As Some Of The More Important Stories Of 2019” Dell Deaton (December 31, 2018) Saline Journal.
- Acme Township (home page).
- Voice Motor Sales (home page).
- “How often should I replace my car battery?” Eric Baxter, How Stuff Works.
- Suburban Cadillac of Ann Arbor (home page).
- Bill Crispin Chevrolet (home page).
- “Grand Rapids rally for President Donald Trump appeared to put Michigan front and center of 2020 re-election campaign” Dell Deaton (March 29, 2019) Saline Journal.
