Today I learned Michigan maintains its own air quality website with a dashboard. Check it out: MiAir
Ah yes, the brave frontier of technological innovation:
The latest version of Grok — dubbed a “maximally truth-seeking” AI by owner Elon Musk — is answering controversial questions by first searching for what Musk has said on the matter. Multiple reports show that Grok will specifically look for Elon Musk’s stance across the web and his social media posts when asked questions around topics like Israel and Palestine, US immigration, and abortion. It’s unclear if this is by design or not.
In this portion of my Lansing River Trail Trail (LRT) journey I start in Municipal Lot 56 in Old Town heading south along the east and then west bank of the Grand River into downtown Lansing and stop just north of the Michigan Avenue bridge.
My second portion of the LRT transitions from a mixture of mid-density residential near the Turner Dodge mansion, and urban retail in Old Town into the thoroughly urban core of Lansing. Municipal Lot 56 provides convenient parking though it is a paid lot. Although the trail requires a temporary bypass because of work on the Brenke Fish Ladder. I proceeded south along the east bank of the Grand River. The trail then snakes its way along the river bank tucked behind commercial and manufacturing properties. Eventually, crossed to the west bank of the grand river at the Adodo Park pedestrian bridge and proceeded into downtown Lansing. I concluded my walk at the former Ottawa Street Power Station building.
Much of this portion of the trail runs along boardwalks or directly next to the river. As I’ve progressed further along the trail I’ve missed the river vistas. It’s also predominately an urban environment. Particularly around Adado Park you can see what a fantastic piece of land the park resides on, and why it is a great space for community programming. Inevitably because it is a densely populated urban public space I also encountered unhoused people. I was intrigued to encounter what I assume were sculptures created by people living in the park. Lansing, like many cities, has failed to house everyone that looks to the region for economic security and belonging. This section of the LRT also featured some fun trail art (found in the pictures below). The Ottawa Street Power Station building, like several other Board of Water and Light (BWL) buildings stands as a towering Art Deco inspired structure. The opulence evoked by the art deco styling projects a confidence and comfort with visibility from a public utility that I find lacking in many of our current institutions that make civic life and prosperity possible.
As an introduction to Lansing’s urban core I am thankful that the city maintains pedestrian and bike exclusive pathways that make encountering the city a much more pleasant experience than from a hermetically sealed vehicle driving through town.
Nice to see the cone flowers in full bloom. The bees are finches are pleased.
NWS staff will have an impossible task to continue its current level of services. Some forecast offices will be so short-staffed that they may be forced to go to part-time services. Not only are there fewer forecasters, there are also fewer electronic technicians, who are responsible for maintaining the critical NEXRAD radars. Our worst nightmare is that weather forecast offices will be so understaffed that there will be needless loss of life. We know that’s a nightmare shared by those on the forecasting front lines — and by the people who depend on their efforts.
I start my exploration of the Lansing River Trail (LRT) at its northern terminus in Dietrich Park, and work my way down to the portion of the trail that runs through Old Town.
Vehicle parking at Dietrich Park is within view of Olympic Broil, an old-school drive-in burger joint known for their (mid-michigan originating) olive burgers. The trail quickly crosses Grand River avenue, and climbs sharply up to the Turner-Dodge House before slowly descending onto a boardwalk that runs south along the Grand River’s east bank, and under the César E Chávez Street bridge in the heart of Old Town. I concluded this section just beyond the Brenke Fish Ladder in Burchard Park. From the location I stopped one can just see the Boji tower in downtown Lansing.
As a first taste of the LRT this section provides a robust sample of the types of walking/running/biking experiences found along the trail collectively. The trail changes elevation rapidly, which provides a good workout regardless of your pace. The Grand River itself features prominently, one encounters historical landmarks, and the trail includes easy access to a commercially diverse neighborhood. As the trail progresses southward the walking environment becomes more dense urban landscape. The trail also continues to hug the grand river closely for the next couple of sections. You get a little taste of everything that can be experienced further along the trail with the satisfaction that you’re doing your body some good navigating the terrain.
I took few photos on this section of the trail, I wasn’t sure at this point if I was really going to try and walk the entire trail and as I have progressed I’ve gotten more enthusiastic about documenting my experience!
Happy birthday U.S.A.. mundus sin Caesaribus.
I don’t think the Lansing River Trail gets the enthusiastic universal acclaim that it deserves. As someone who has lived in Mid Michigan since 2017 it has been a best kept secret I have yet to explore.
As a means of motivating me to prioritize some mental and physical well-being this summer I am going to walk sections of the Lansing River Trail and blog about it.
In each post I’ll provide some overview of the trail portion I walked, provide a bit of commentary of the experience, and provide some photos. My hope is that if you live in Mid Michigan it will encourage you to get out and use this fantastic public resource, and if you aren’t in Mid Michigan provide an additional reason to come visit!
A vision for the Lansing River Trail began to appear in city master plans in the 1970s with initial portions of the trail opening in 1975. Federal Department of Interior recognition was gained in 1981 and the largest portion of mileage was added in 1983. Steady improvements and expansion have continued through to the present. A more detailed history of major milestones can be found here. The trail’s history stands as a triumph of successful long term urban planning effort that has included private, municipal, county, and state cooperation.
The trail borders the northern trunk of Grand River Avenue that bypasses Old Town, to slightly south of Jolly road. The eastern edge of the trail runs between Pennsylvania and Aurelius roads following Sycamore creek. The western edge of the trail follows South Waverly Road until it reaches the Grand River and then follows the river northeast towards Frances Park. There are “branches” off the primary trail that extend east thru Michigan State University and ultimately terminates at Lake Lansing, and south into the Holt/Delhi Township interurban trail system. In what I assume is a frustrating reality for city planners, the trail remains an incomplete loop (though there are ambitious plans to complete the loop.)
In practice, the LRT is a green necklace draped across the urban and suburban landscape which interconnects several Lansing parks.
I will be starting from the northern terminus of the trail and working my way clockwise towards Francis park. I may also explore some of the LRT’s branches and push further into the Meridian and Delhi Township trail systems once I complete the LRT.
I look forward to sharing this journey with you and I welcome your comments or suggestions as I make my way along the trail. Happy walking!
Today’s Micro.Blog 📷 prompt is bridge, so I had to feature Big Penny: the truck munching bridge.
Took a short stroll through the MSU Gardens this morning. It’s nice to see some life in bloom:
I can’t stop watching Grok v. MAGA videos. This is brain-rot clickbait optimized for my little corner of the social web.
📺 Introducing the Fediverse: a New Era of Social Media
This video casts a compelling vision for what the Fediverse wants to be. I would also put forth Micro.Blog as a way to dip our toe into a less corporatized and commercialized web presence.
Today’s Micro.Blog 📷 prompt is hometown.
I’d venture little has changed in this classroom from 10 years ago when I took this photo.
Today’s Micro.blog 📷 prompt is gather.
Rescuing drowning children: How to know when someone is in trouble in the water.
Drowning does not look like drowning…
Micro.Blog’s 📷 prompt today is texture
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there (like mine) who grew up without their biological father as a meaningful presence in their life. You too can be a good dad.
Today’s 📷 prompt is twilight
Today’s 📷 prompt is pathway.
Of course AI is more like gasoline than a retardant:
When another X user pointed out that the image has been shown to have been taken in New Jersey and asked Grok to retract its statement, the chatbot wrote: “I cannot retract the statement, as evidence strongly supports the image being from Paramount, CA, near a Home Depot during protests on June 7, 2025. News reports from ABC7, Los Angeles Times, and others confirm bricks were used in clashes with federal agents.”
Micro.Blog’s 📷 prompt today is hidden.
Here’s a photo of a wetlands drainage pool tucked out of sight behind our street.
Micro.Blog’s 📷 prompt today is brick, so here’s a shot of my 2012 - 2014 Tallahassee home Salley Hall.
There are a lot of headlines coming out of downtown LA this week.
It’s got me reflecting on the last time I got to spend some significant time in downtown LA which was in March 2019 where I participated in a large recruitment conference and professional association meeting. I have some cherished memories, particularly of the staff I befriended at the Verve Coffee in the garment district. I also recall on my early morning walks to get my coffee seeing the rows of tents along some streets. L.A. is not a hellscape. Its a big, beautiful, diverse, and complicated region.
