I Made it to Oshkosh but now I need a ride from Detroit

JetHikingGypsy

JetHikingGypsy

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JetHikingGypsy
I am the travel writer who is hitchhiking on airplanes to all 50 states. I made to Oshkosh and now I'm looking for a ride out of the Detroit area.

The AOPA did a little write up about my project.
http://blog.aopa.org/blog/?p=3863

I am blogging along the way and we area making a TV series out of this for PBS (although we aren't shooting yet..not for a few more weeks).


If anyone can help, please e-mail JetHikingGypsy@gmail.com.

You can also find out more info at JetHiking.com
 
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So are you still at OSH?
 
probably not going to find many jet owners here..

good luck!
 
From her blog -

A friend suggested I visit the Heidelberg Project, a unique neighborhood that had been turned into a living art exhibit. A quick check online showed glowing reviews and I thought perhaps this might be the shining light in Detroit. The website describes it as “an open-air art environment in the heart of an urban community,” and is supported by a slew of foundations and corporations. It sounded interesting enough that I decided to check it out. Knowing what I know now, I should have stuck with the Henry Ford Museum.

I got off the bus at noon on a Friday a couple streets away from the Heidelberg Project and immediately wanted to get back on. Sure, it’s Detroit and neighborhoods are full of abandoned buildings and shops, homeless people, and crime. I’ve lived and traveled in what many consider dangerous areas (like Bogota, Colombia) but this was something else. It certainly wasn’t the cheerful image that the non-profit was painting it as.

There were several other tourists walking around snapping photos and chatting about the “art.” It was just one street that had been decorated with shopping carts in trees, random home appliances, and other discarded items. It was “trash art” and while I could appreciate the effort, in my opinion it wasn’t worth the trouble of visiting. There are certain places I do not want to be myself and I felt that I had been mislead into thinking there was some sort of safe oasis here.

I quickly left and headed back to the bus stop, determined to get out of this area as fast as humanly possible. I had a bad feeling about it and wondered why they would be recommending this place as a tourist destination. It's like ringing the dinner bell.

As I waited for the bus, a young black male started chatting with me. He was in his early twenties, and was saying how cool the project was and how he liked that they were taking junk and making it into art. He seemed harmless, but something in the back of my mind made me want to move on to the next bus stop. I considered my options, but didn’t want to go too far from the art project. There were no cabs in sight. I could look one up, but that would involve pulling out my laptop and I didn’t plan on flashing that around.

He suddenly made a leap for my bag, and I instantly gripped it and held it close to my chest. It happened too quickly for me to react. I had no time to dump the bag out, no time do anything but hold on as he punched me in the face and head again and again.

“Let go det bag!”

“No!” I shouted, knowing my camera, phone and wallet were in there - everything I needed to keep traveling. I should have let it go immediately. I should have done a lot of things but it happened so quickly. I wanted to get up and fight back, but what if he had a weapon? Just as the thought crossed my mind, he slugged me hard enough to loosen my grip a little, and was able to tear it out of my hands and take off running.

I got up and ran to the nearest bodega.

“Please, let me use the phone!” I shouted to the clerk. “I need to call the police.”

“No! I do not want the police here!” he shouted in a Russian accent.

“Please! I was just robbed!” I managed to get out. He handed me a phone and told me to call outside and not to tell them it happened there.

As I waited for the police, angry tears started falling from my face. I had a small cut and some bruises and my head hurt like hell, but nothing major.

“Get out of my store! You cannot cry in my store!” he started screaming at me and made me wait outside.

By the time the police arrived, I was just frustrated and annoyed. I was angry at myself for not investigating this area more before coming here. I could kick myself for bringing my laptop with me in Detroit. I brought all of these problems on myself because I needed to look up bus times and directions? So I could find a café afterward and put a blog post up? What was I thinking? I was in Detroit! I was angry with the guy who robbed me, with the store owner for being so cold, and with the police because I knew they would do nothing about this beyond giving me a reference number.

I didn’t give a damn about a few bruises or punches to the head. I did care that this would put a monkey wrench into my trip and that all my photos were gone. I’d have to cancel all my cards, figure out a way out of Detroit, and put my Virginia trip on hold until I could get some cash. I’d also need a new ID.

I should have listened to my instincts and found some tourist to call me a cab. I should have gone to that other bus stop. I should have skipped Detroit altogether. I should have done a million things differently but I didn’t.

One “should” that I will do is share this story so that no one else makes the same stupid mistake I did by trusting the marketing hype on a website. Numerous online reviews repeatedly said how “safe” they felt, and I'm sure many unsuspecting tourists bring expensive camera equipment to take photos without realizing thieves are lurking just around the corner waiting. The website actually suggests parking on Ellery Street (where I was jumped). I don’t know what planet these people who felt "safe" are on. There's nothing safe about Heidelberg Street, even if the project tells visitors so.

I would highly advise any travelers taking public transportation to never visit this “tourist attraction.” I would recommend staying away altogether until the organization decides to use some of their donations to add security measures (which currently do not exist). After my experience, the investigating officers told me tourists should not be coming to the "trash art."

Those that insist on visiting should park their car right on the small street of art and do not venture to the next street over for any reason what so ever. Don’t even go to the corner store. This isn’t a neighborhood they are reviving: it’s one tiny street of four or five houses. These are the types of things that should be clearly printed on the website. The social responsibility that the Heidelberg Project expresses towards residents of this neighborhood should be applied to visitors as well.
 
Good grief, I wished she had asked here. I could have saved her from that junket, or provided transport.

I am impressed that the police even responded. Too many times, they do not respond the same day. Their ranks are down by ~1/3rd.

... And, THAT is the reason I carry two handguns whenever in the city. (It's quicker to chg guns than clear a jam.) Thankfully, the XDm & XDs have not (yet) jammed.
 
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People in Detroit do not make eye contact, do not look like they have anything anyone else wants, and generally speaking do not ride the bus if at all possible. The people mover is an exception to any rules regarding public transportation.

Assume at any time that someone is running the percentage on robbing you. Don't be a target and don't act naive.

/Sigh.

Detroit was my home and I miss the familiarity, but you just can't act like a tourist in the city, you shouldn't take public transportation if you can avoid it, and you shouldn't wander around alone. She could have found anyone from the very active aviation community in Detroit to walk around and show her what's what.
 
NEVER go to Detroit, unless you know EXACTALLY where you are going how to get there and how to get out. NEVER take Detroit public transit.
 
> The same holds true for at least a dozen more US cities.

+1

Things can change dramatically in one [yes, 1] block.

I'm not blaming JetHiker; but she was not using the appropriate level
of critical thinking skills. Especially; given that she admitted this is not
the first time she's been mugged.

Her posting did remind me to [re]emphasize my lecture to a business
colleague from NoVA that wants to visit next week and take in a few
Tigers' games, museums and see some of the architectural landmarks/ruins.
 
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timwinters said:
The same holds true for at least a dozen more US cities.
Click to expand...

I agree.....

It is a sad state of affairs this country has degraded to...:sad::sad::sad:

When her story gets out to the national press I am sure Jessie Jackson , Al Sharpton and other community organizers will rally to her defense and beg for the public to turn in the perp. :no::nonod::nono:..
 
True for lots of cities, but Detroit is far worse. it has half the population is did a decade ago. The place is sadly in shambles.
 
This is so sad. I hope she is OK and had her files backed up from her laptop. What a hell hole Detroit and many inner cities have become. The police can not protect you. Stay out of areas like that, please.
 
N801BH said:
When her story gets out to the national press I am sure Jessie Jackson , Al Sharpton and other community organizers will rally to her defense and beg for the public to turn in the perp. :no::nonod::nono:..
Click to expand...

Must we take every opportunity given to turn every topic possible into a political statement?
 
Anthony said:
This is so sad. I hope she is OK and had her files backed up from her laptop. What a hell hole Detroit and many inner cities have become. The police can not protect you. Stay out of areas like that, please.
Click to expand...

I'm from Memphis and I avoid Detroit. The inner city in Memphis has, while still not Malibu, CA, made great progress in the past 2 decades. The neighborhoods that have rebounded were revitalized mostly from grassroots efforts within and in spite of local policymakers. I have no problem driving into Orange Mound and having a late night dinner at a place that makes great chicken wings. Still need to be vigilant and it's still not the best neighborhood in town. 20 years ago, I didn't even like to drive by it in daylight or visit the amusement park that adjoined the neighborhood. Some things they were doing were virtually free and went a long way towards distracting people to investigate more positive things, like community picnics and community gardens. Not to go too SZ here, but it doesn't take large injections of public funds to turn a city around.
 
timwinters said:
Must we take every opportunity given to turn every topic possible into a political statement?
Click to expand...

I respectfully disagree.

1- It is not political, unless you mix racial with political..:dunno:
2- It is the simple fact that if the tide was turned all hell would break out..:yesnod::wink2:
 
> great progress in the past 2 decades.

Actually; Detroit has been making progress in the past 20 years too. Really.
Businesses are moving into the city. Young singles & couples are moving
downtown. Good restaurants are multiplying. Entertainment options are
increasing. Heck; I've got a buddy that's now an empty-nester and trying
to move downtown ... and there is a waiting list for lofts/condos.

The bad news is that with the flight of the lower middle class to the
suburbs or elsewhere ... the demographics of Detroit are increasingly,
Have's (prey) vs. Have-Not's (hunters).

>> it doesn't take large injections of public funds to turn a city around.

I concur. The current mayor is trying to shepherd his resources and secure
what he can afford to secure/defend. Sadly; it sux if your neighborhood
is one that is not chosen/identified for security resources or relocation to
one of the areas being defended/secured. It's the sad reality of limited
resources. I'll say no more to stay out of the SZ.

I am weak. I cannot resist saying more ... carefully ...

The usual carpet baggers recently arrived to protest a gun store in the
city. The neighborhood showed-up to support the gun store, not the
carpet baggers.
 
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I was born in Detroit and raised there part of my life and I do not enter the city proper without being armed - even when illegal... I will take my chances with a jury over a gang banger...
 
Dr. O said:
I was born in Detroit and raised there part of my life and I do not enter the city proper without being armed - even when illegal... I will take my chances with a jury over a gang banger...
Click to expand...
I get nervous driving on 75 (N or S) after the "Detroit City Limits" I can have a full tank of gas and think "I hope I don't brake down here....here....here...here (and goes on until I see the next city)

Fun fact - Toledo was almost in Michigan but Ohio/Michigan lost (I'm not sure who won/lost the battle but it was in the 1800's. Google "Ohio/Michigan war"
 
Michigan lost the Toledo War. Ohio kept Toledo. As a consolation prize,
Congress gave Michigan the Upper Peninsula. I guess that could be the
definition of win-win, eh? <g>

Geography trivia: There is one tiny peninsula (Lost Peninsula) that belongs
to Michigan, but can only be accessed from Toledo:

http://tinyurl.com/MichigansLostPeninsula

 There is a similar bit of geographic madness in Minnesota; their Northwest
Angle, only accessible from Canada:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Angle
 
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I don't plan on heading back there any time soon. When I called to follow up on the report, the investigating officer was on vacation. It's a lost cause.

I'm in New England now...heading to Boston this weekend and then I'm looking for a lift from there. I'd love to visit NH, VT, and Maine but I'll go anywhere (except Detroit).

It was a new laptop and camera, so I lost all the photos from the trip. Everything else was backed up.
 
JetHikingGypsy said:
I don't plan on heading back there any time soon. When I called to follow up on the report, the investigating officer was on vacation. It's a lost cause.

I'm in New England now...heading to Boston this weekend and then I'm looking for a lift from there. I'd love to visit NH, VT, and Maine but I'll go anywhere (except Detroit).

It was a new laptop and camera, so I lost all the photos from the trip. Everything else was backed up.
Click to expand...

That is awful. If you end up here, I'll give you a ride. I can't really take you anywhere (flying is expensive) but I can fly you around and show you the downtown San Francisco area from the air. That includes surrounding wine country, beaches, and Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, etc.
 
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