- Hi, everyone, and welcome to another edition of "Destination Michigan."

It's time to get out of hibernation mode, and look ahead at the ways that you can explore Michigan all year long - [Announcer] Support for "Destination Michigan" is provided by the CMU Bookstore.

(cheerful music) T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, maroon and gold memories, and an official outfitter of Adidas apparel at the Central Michigan University owned and operated CMU Bookstore.

(cheerful music) Online shopping seven days a week at cmubookstore.com, on campus at the University Center, and game day locations at Kelly/Shorts Stadium and the John G. Kulhavi Event Center.

(cheerful music) (uplifting music) - We start off this episode with a trip to Boyne Falls, where nature meets luxury at Lost Woods Farm.

Forget everything you know about camping because we're going glamping while overlooking the stunning Boyne Valley and sleeping in style.

From there, we venture the Tip of the Mitt to the banks of Lake Huron, where we uncover the rich history of mining in Roger City, and how it left its mark on industries across the country.

His images have documented countless of historical and exciting moments at Central Michigan University, but at WCMU Public Media, he's known as the Duke of Duke.

Get to know Robert Barclay and his love for the eclectic and soulful sounds of rhythm and blues, gospel music, and so much more.

And with spring in the air, maybe, it is Michigan after all, golf enthusiasts are eager to hit the links.

Mount Pleasant's own Doug LaBelle went from bunkers to birdie's, but more recently into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame, thanks to his love for the sport and family support.

More on his remarkable journey ahead.

If camping in a tent or camper isn't exactly your thing, like me, then maybe glamping is more up your alley.

This luxurious way of taking in the great outdoors may be just the way for you to enjoy nature without breaking a sweat or divorcing your partner trying to park that RV.

Let's go and get lost at Lost Woods Farm in beautiful Boyne Falls.

- I loved going to camp as a kid, I love nature.

I am almost 42, I do not like sleeping on the floor - [Stefanie] Wise words many of us can probably relate to.

Who doesn't love the quiet but bold beauty of nature, especially here in the stunning hills of Boyne Falls overlooking the valley and miles and miles of blue sky.

For Lauren Blanford, this is a dream come true.

- We'd gone glamping a couple times, and I was like, "We should do glamping.

We have these hills, everyone could have their own little area."

And it really just blossomed from there, and we just went with it.

- [Stefanie] Glamping is a relatively new term, but one that's resonating with many wanting to get back outside, but with some additional creature comforts.

- Glamping is combining two words, glamour or glamorous and camping.

It's really combining nature with luxury.

So you can still be in the outdoors, but you're sleeping in a bed, you're cozy.

There's a bathroom nearby, there's a shower.

There's all these different amenities, and different places offer different things.

Each tent has a memory foam mattress, nice sheets.

We always like to say it's nice sheets and nature all in one.

There's a heater for the chilly nights, a little propane heater.

And then in the hotter months, we have fans.

And then we bring you, actually breakfast tent side, and it's homemade bagels and coffee.

- [Stefanie] Lost Woods sits on 160 acres.

Right now, their accommodations include an A-frame cabin and three large tents.

They're available to rent out for most of the year.

They also just opened their new geodesic dome that you can rent out year round.

While each is a little bit different from the next, all feature cozy and luxurious insides.

- Lots of different people come here.

People come for a romantic getaway.

I've had lots of guests come with their moms, or their sisters, or as a group.

And you can rent out all of the sites altogether for a family reunion, or 40th birthday, bachelorette.

Lots of different options.

- [Stefanie] Now, each site is situated in its own private location, and includes a fire pit, heaters, and what feels like an infinite view of the sky and the stars.

- I think the views are always a shocker, just because in some ways it doesn't feel like Michigan.

There's a lot of topography here, and you can be up in the hill.

And I think people are always pleasantly surprised because glamping is new, not everyone has really set expectations.

- [Stefanie] There are so many trails to hike and explore while you're here.

Lauren says they've become a spot for people to host retreats and things like birthday parties.

They also host events inside their gorgeous old barn.

After our visit, it was really hard to leave.

The views and this property are something that speaks to your soul.

- A lot of people come here for different reasons.

Sometimes it's to be with other people, sometimes it's just to relax alone.

We can cater to whatever your needs are.

But people really come here to just relax, disconnect, enjoy the views.

You can sleep well with the stars.

People have seen the Northern Lights here several times, which is pretty amazing.

- Lost Woods is taking reservations on their website.

You'll find detailed information and pictures of all their campsites and events there.

Also, I can confirm that Lauren's homemade bagels are amazing.

Well, changing gears now.

The "Destination Michigan" crew has learned over the years the best way to check out what our state has to offer is to really just hit the road and check it out ourselves.

Adam takes us to the northeastern side of Michigan to see a world record holder.

(relaxed music) - [Adam] Exploring the sunrise coast of Michigan meant a road trip on Heritage Route 23.

The journey took us past one of a kind roadside attractions that make this part of the state special.

Stopping to checkout this Paul Bunyan statue built in the 1950s was a must.

A few miles north, we made our way into Alpena.

Island Park gave us just a glimpse of the natural beauty found in the area.

Continuing up Route 23, a detour allowed us to explore three lighthouses, each one a bit different, but all worth checking out.

On the road again, we made our way into Rogers City, nicknamed the nautical city.

Visiting the county historical museum, we learned the history of the area and discovered they are home to a world record holder.

- It's beautiful in the summertime.

It's right on US-23, so it's, if you're going up the Lake Huron coast, you get to Mackinaw City, you drive right past it.

It's a nice little town, it's got a lot of good stuff.

Lot of boating, very popular with boaters in the marina.

Tourism is one of the big summertime industries, - [Adam] Like many coastal towns, the city is home to a unique lighthouse.

- Forty Mile Point Lighthouse got its name for being about halfway between Presque Isle and Mackinaw.

It's about 40 miles from Mackinaw, which is how it got its name.

For a good part of the early 20th century, it was one of the main navigational beacons for the coast of Lake Huron.

- [Adam] The lighthouse was constructed at the request of the US Lighthouse Board.

When the light turned on for the first time in 1897, sailors could now travel from Mackinaw Point to the St. Clair River and be in view of a lighthouse the entire trip.

- Presque Isle County was really started as a lumber area.

It was a boom community for lumber, especially in the late 1800s, early 1900s.

The lumber was the original trade for about 30-ish years.

And then in 1911 is when the limestone quarry was really started.

And then commercial operations began in 1912.

- [Adam] Located just outside of town.

The Carmeuse Calcite Operation, commonly referred to as Calcite, is a destination we're stopping to experience.

To put in perspective how big this mine is, it can be seen from the International Space Station.

- The quarry here is actually the largest open lot face limestone quarry in the world.

There's others in Europe that are deeper, but in terms of just pure area and limestone mined, Roger City has the largest in the world.

The quarry itself goes out for miles, but you can see the plant, you can see all of the buildings, and you can see a good chunk of what was mined already.

But a lot of what's currently being mined is out further out, and you can't really see that from the quarry view.

And then 1911 is when the limestone quarry was really started, and then commercial operations began in 1912.

The local group of people called the Rogers City Land Company led by Paul Heft and several other locals, they were trying to get funding for a limestone company, 'cause they knew that the limestone was plentiful and it could be useful.

- [Adam] Limestone is a mineral used for making chemicals, cement, and steel.

It is shipped throughout the Great Lakes region.

In Michigan, it is essential to the production of beet sugar.

- The limestone is just rock that was crushed by the glaciers hundreds of thousands of years ago.

And when the glaciers were seeded, created the Great Lakes, the limestone was underneath the ground.

So to get it, first you have to clear the top soil and everything to actually expose the rock.

Then you blast it out with explosives.

It gets crushed up to various sizes, and those sizes gets sorted based on their uses.

And then they get sorted into different piles, and those piles are then put on ships to go to different ports.

- [Adam] Utilizing their location on the shores of Lake Huron, it wasn't long before ports were full of steam ships carrying limestone.

- Shipping has been going up and down the lakes for decades, but Michigan Limestone got their first boat in March of 1912.

The limestone was shipping out around the same time the boat started, because they knew that if they had their own ships, they could more easily ship stone around the lakes without having to rely as much on other ship companies.

- [Adam] To streamline the transportation of raw materials, the Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company designed and invented the first self unloading ship, a design that is still used today.

The advantage of this new technology was the ships carry their own equipment on onboard to unload their cargo directly onto the dock, eliminating the need for expensive shoreside unloading rigs.

Over the years, the mine and subsequently their fleet of ships have changed ownership.

In the 1920s, they became part of US Steel.

Currently the mine is owned by Carmeuse Lime.

It is still actively mined, with mining and shipping an estimated 10.5 million tons of limestone a year throughout the Great Lakes.

- If you've heard of Rogers City, it's probably because of the quarry, but I don't think a lot of people really understand the sheer scope of it.

Just with how long it's been mining, how big it's gotten.

And it's kind of a point of pride for Rogers City 'cause it's such a small town.

So to say, yeah, we are world renowned for our limestone, it's a feat.

- Now, it needs to be mentioned that the Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company were innovative in other areas as well.

They employed an active marketing and public relations team, documenting and sharing all of what the company was doing.

The Historic Museum is lucky to have in its collection copies and newsletters and publications dating back to the early 1900s, as well as thousands of photos and hours of film.

All a tremendous resource for the history of the area.

The term juke joint usually refers to an establishment specializing in live music and dancing.

While in central and northern Michigan, "The Juke Joint," however, isn't so much a place, but an event.

A radio broadcast Sunday evenings on WCMU Public Media hosted by none other than the Duke of Juke, Robert Barclay.

Learn more about Robert and his musical journey that's been a delight for fans across the globe.

(blues music) - Well, good evening.

It is just about four minutes past eight o'clock on your Sunday night, and that means it's time for three hours of blues and soul music from "The Juke Joint."

My name is Robert Barclay.

(blues music) I went to high school in Los Angeles.

LA brings the top people.

So I got to see Jimi Hendrix several times, I got to see Janice Joplin, I got to see The Doors, I got to see the Rolling Stones.

But I go see the Stones in 1969, I was 19 years old, and I'm looking at all these long-haired photographers.

Was just seeing all these guys behind the amps, in front of the stage, backstage.

I didn't get a camera until I was 22, and I was fumbling for what I was gonna major in.

And once I started photographing, one thing led to another, and I started getting photo passes, and getting backstage sometimes, and having the chance to meet the artists.

And I thought, wouldn't it be cool if I could get paid to do this?

And eventually that's what happened.

(blues music) And I knew working for a university would be cool.

So I'm reading this magazine called "Editor and Publisher" and the one ads said, "Photographer wanted at Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan to do alumni, sports."

So I called the office, I said, I'm a photographer and I saw the ad in a magazine."

"Oh, okay, what kind of background do you have?"

"Well, I was USC's photographer."

"You were USC's photographer and you wanna come here?"

(blues music) When we moved to Mount Pleasant, I decided to buy an acoustic guitar and take guitar lessons.

Well, my guitar teacher, he goes, "Well, I do a folk music show at CMU Public Radio called "Homespun."

Would you like to come on the air and play some of your favorite records?"

I said, "Really, on the radio, on a real radio?

Wow, that would be really cool."

So he invited me in to do that, and I did that with every other Saturday night.

Then I started listening to a show called "Only Blues."

It was Saturday or Sunday night at 6:00 p.m.

Guy named Peter Aschoff came out for KUNI, out of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

And in between songs, he'd tell you a little bit of interesting history about who he was gonna play next.

And I thought, God, this is really cool.

And then he stopped doing the show.

And I said to John Sheffler, this is about 1984, I said, "We really need a blues show to replace Peter Aschoff's show."

And he goes, "Yeah, yeah, I'll think about it."

Then I'd nag him a little.

After a few months, I'd say, "Hey John, we really need to do a blues show."

Okay, okay, okay, okay, record me a one hour demo."

Music from Ray Charles.

And he talked about it with Ray Ford, who was the program director, and they decided they both loved the blues.

They said, "Well, let's give Robert a shot at that."

So on Sunday night, eight o'clock for one hour in April, 1985, I came on and did my one hour show.

- [James Brown] You're listening to the best blues and soul music at "The Juke Joint" with the Duke of Juke, Robert Barkley on CMU Public Radio.

Catch it, it's Bad.

- I started getting postcards in the mail, or letters written on notebook paper and torn out.

He said, "Hey, I love your blues show, but come on, one hour, we need longer."

That was April '85.

By October, we made two hours of it.

And then by 1988, we turned it into a three hour show.

Alright, that was Buddy Woods on a track titled "Don't Sell It Don't Give It Away."

Playing a little bit of slide guitar on that track.

My show is the first hundred years of blues recordings.

The first hundred years of recordings in general.

I didn't play the same old stuff.

Acoustic blues of the 1920s and '30s, electric blues from the 1940s onward.

But here is Freddie Slack in 1940, "Down the Road a Piece."

The blues began to evolve into soul music in the 1950s, with people like Ray Charles in the 1960s, with Aretha Franklin.

So I decided I'm gonna do blues and soul music.

Let's get back to some more music.

He produced a series called "Roots and Blues."

And I didn't get promo copies of any of these records, I went out and bought 'em just like you do.

I look for songs that tell a story.

The songs tell a story.

And then I look for stories to tell about the song and about the artist.

For us folk and blues fans, the cool thing about Mississippi John Hurt, after he recorded these 1928 recordings, he disappeared.

But the cool part is somebody came across him in Mississippi, in Avalon, Mississippi, because he did a song called the "Avalon Blues."

The first interview I ever did was 1986, a man named Brownie McGhee.

You've got a heck of a memory.

- [Brownie] I was born to remember.

- That's where the interviews all started.

I decided to make some arrangements to interview other artists; Luther Allison, James Brown, Chuck Leavell, Gate Mouth, brown, Wilson Pickett, John Hammond, BB King.

Occasionally they'd say, "Oh, I've told that story so many times."

But this is radio, "I want you to tell the story in your voice.

When you talk about one of your influences, I'll put a record on of that artist who inspired you."

- [Koko] First record that I remember listening to on the radio that really stuck to my ribs like red beans and rice was a song by a older blues singer by the name of Memphis Minnie.

- [Robert] Oh, I know what song that is.

- [Koko] She did this song called "Me and My Chauffeur Blues."

And the flip side was "Black Rat Blues," you remember that?

- [Robert] Oh yes, "You is one black rat."

♪ Yeah you is one black rat ♪ ♪ Da-Da ♪ ♪ Someday I'm gonna find your trail ♪ ♪ Yes I'm hiding my shoes ♪ ♪ Somewhere near your shirt tail ♪ (Robert and Koko laugh) (blues music) - [Robert] Well, ever since I was a teenager in the 1960s, I was usually the kid that had the latest records, and people, "Hey, let's go over to Barclay's house, he's got the coolest records."

And this is "The Juke Joint" on Sunday nights for the last 38 years, that's kind of an extension of me being a teenager.

Any of my friends from high school, if they lived in Michigan, they would say, "Barclay, he's still spinning those records, that's so cool."

(blues music) Well, that's Little Walter behind me letting me know it's time to close the doors of "The Juke Joint."

I'll be back in this spot with another three hours of the blues next Sunday night.

And until then, this is Robert Barclay, and I'll see ya on the flip side.

- [BB King] At "The Juke Joint," you hear everything with Robert Barclay on CMU.

That's public radio, stay tuned.

They're playing good music, they're gonna play some more.

- In 2004, Robert was awarded the Keeping the Blues Alive Award, bestowed by the Blues and Foundation in Memphis, Tennessee, for his contributions to the blues world.

He's also been honored with a public media impact award for almost 40 years of volunteering his time in public broadcasting.

You can listen to "The Juke Joint" every Sunday from eight to 11:00 p.m on WCMU, the WCMU app, or on wcmu.org/listen.

Finally, from tee boxes to tournaments, bunkers to birdies, Mount Pleasant's Doug LaBelle has a golf career full of rich experiences.

The path of success wasn't always as smooth as a newly paved card path, but with family support and the drive to succeed, Doug accomplished what very few can, induction into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame.

(relaxed music) (golf ball thuds) - My dad just didn't start golf till later in his life.

So I just happened to go to the golf course and ride in the cart, and then drive the cart, and then eventually started hitting golf balls, and then it just went from there.

- [Adam] That's how 2023 Michigan Golf Hall of Fame inductee, Doug LaBelle II remembers getting introduced to the game on the fairways and greens in Mount Pleasant.

- I think the Mount Pleasant Junior Golf was a key component of teaching all of us kids the game.

And there was lots of kids at the time, I mean, 300 plus that would sign up.

And Roy Gunderson ran it.

So we were out there with everybody else just trying to learn, that's kind of how things got started.

I always kind of felt at each level, I was like, "Okay, I've had success at each of these levels."

I kind of felt like I was pretty good till I went to the next level, and then realized maybe I wasn't as good as I thought I was.

But I think that only just instilled the determination to try to get better, to be able to compete at that level.

And then the whole sequence starts over again as you get to the next level, to high school, to college, to the professional level - [Adam] With a regular PGA Tour stop about 100 miles from Mount Pleasant, Doug could catch a glimpse of some of the premier players of the time.

And that experience fueled his imagination, and sparked a dream to one day join the touring pros.

- It was probably in that eight to 12 range that my dad had kind of taking me down to the PGA Tour event that was held at Warwick Hills in Grand Blanc, Michigan.

And I just remember just really following the players, just the whole setting, people watching these really great players.

I kind of felt like I'd like to do that.

And so that's kind of where the professional aspirations really kind of first were ignited.

- [Adam] After a successful high school career as a Mount Pleasant oiler, Doug challenged himself to become a more complete player.

The path he chose took him to the University of New Mexico, where he'd learned to navigate the whipping winds of the Southwest.

But as his college career was nearing completion, Doug wasn't sure he still wanted to pursue a career as a professional golfer, but a familiar location offered him a chance to reignite his passion.

- I think every golfer at times gets frustrated with how they're playing, because most of the time you're not succeeding, you're failing.

So how do you have the inner strength to forge ahead when you just kind of wanna give up?

In 1997, the summer before my senior year in college, I was burned out, I was ready to kind of like, "Yeah, this is it, I'm probably not gonna play professional golf."

And I was home during the summer before I go back to school, and I went down and tried to Monday qualify for the PGA event at Warwick Hills, and I qualified.

So here I am playing in the Buick Open in 1997, a tournament that I came to watch as a kid.

Kind of really reinvigorated my love for the game and the determination to wanna get there.

So I think that experience was placed in a very, very timely part of my life.

Because if that wasn't there, I may not have ever turned pro.

I don't know.

- [Adam] As a professional, Doug competed in some of golf's most prestigious events, including the US Open and the British Open, but a couple of other tournaments also stand out.

- It was 2006, and I had some seconds and some thirds and played well in some tournaments, but I just hadn't broke through to win.

And to kind of get your PGA Tour card, you really need to win.

This was the closest level to the PGA Tour, the biggest level that I've ever won on.

And I mean, what an awesome experience.

I mean, just, it was really special.

I mean, my dad and my brother flew down, and some of my dad's friends.

I think I was two shots back going in the final day, but played really well the last day to end up winning by two.

And then the 2012, here I am now married.

As a father, it was pretty emotional.

The sacrifice that my wife makes to kind of handle things at home while I'm on the road, I mean, it's just, it really does take a significant other that's willing to do that.

Kind of pre family and then family were the two wins, so much different.

- [Adam] In the realty business now, Doug still hits the links on late nights.

But on a brisk late October afternoon, former superintendent at Saginaw Country Club, Jerry Faubel, legendary player and coach, Jean Murray, and Doug LaBelle II were inducted into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame.

- Just an honor to be included with those great players from Michigan.

I mean, Mount Pleasant Country Club, right here where we are right now, is where I grew up.

I mean, that's pretty special.

I mean, it means a lot, but by no way do what I expect to be there, it's really whether they, based on their criteria, whether they deem me to be in there.

And they did, so I'm grateful.

- And look who's joining me right now.

Doug, you have had quite the career on the links that's taken you to, really all corners of the world.

What an accomplishment.

And I wanna know, what kind of advice do you have for somebody who might be watching, dreaming of going pro in golf?

What would you tell them?

- Well, first of all, I would say they need to love the game.

You gotta love the game if you're gonna do something that much, that often.

But I mean, I'd say the key components of that is they have to be self-motivated, they gotta be disciplined.

I mean, you've gotta work hard, you've gotta have a thick skin, but you've gotta be willing to put the time in.

- Absolutely.

- But if you don't love the game, then it's gonna be difficult to do that on a regular basis.

Those are my probably key components that I would say to do that.

- [Stefanie] Got it.

Well, good advice, thanks for being here.

- [Doug] No, thank you for having me.

- Well, that wraps up tonight's edition of "Destination Michigan."

Thank you all for watching, we'll see you again real soon.

(uplifting music)