Today was the only day Wild Bill had off from work, and we decided that even though we had no one to go trail riding with, we'd drive over to St Helen and check it out. I'm so glad we did! We haven't been over there in years, and it's so different from what we remember!
St Helen is only an hour's drive away, down M-55 and Old 55. It seems to be a very complete small town, with a sparkling new grocery story emphasizing "fresh" foods, drug store, auto parts store, dollar store, power sports shop, storage yards, builders, eateries, and lots of Mom and Pop-style motels and cottages. The outsides of these places all seemed well mowed, trimmed and painted, suggesting that business is thriving, and why shouldn't it be? Most of their clientele consists of dirt bike and ATV riders, perhaps a few visitors to Kirkland Community College, maybe some hunters in the fall, and snowmobile riders in the winter. A room or cabin need not be fancy, just clean with a comfy bed, a shower, heat and a/c and a convenient location, and I'm sure most, if not all of these places provide it! Also there is a bare-bones place to park your camper or RV right across the road from one of the main trail heads--what could be more convenient?
It was fun seeing all the ATV's, side-by-sides and golf carts toodling down the sides of the streets in town! Although the day was chilly with a few short showers here and there, people were out and about enjoying the day. Most of the businesses were open, as should happen in a town that draws many tourists! After stopping at the very friendly St Helen Power Sports to buy a map and ask a lot of questions, it was time for lunch. We passed the Hen House and the Peach Pit and chose the Firehouse Bar and Grill. They were hosting a party of some kind on the fireplace side so we ate in the bar side. I suggest you bring a small flashlight to read the menu because it's very dark, especially on such a cloudy day. But the food is great, as is the service. The decor is what I'd call "firehouse chic," as opposed to being so over-the-top that it's distractingly tacky. The waitress station at the bar has a sign that warns patrons to stand back 500 feet and there are a few fire truck touches but no obnoxious flashing red lights, sirens or bells. Drums in a corner and a dance floor indicate life music, Friday night "bonfires" (we guess in the other side, where the fireplace is) and reference to a Saturday night "foam party" indicate lively entertainment. But on a Sunday afternoon, parents with kids filled the booths along the walls and middle-aged men lined the bar watching the Tigers game on the big-screen TV's. There is an old fire truck parked at the north end of the parking lot, looking dusty and retired, and we wondered if they get it running for local parades or the yearly Firemen's Memorial Ceremony in Roscommon, a few miles away.
Other things we noticed about St Helen included the Charlton Heston Academy. At first I chuckled and said this must be where all the local gun-hunters send their kids to school, but then I remembered that Charlton Heston did frequent this part of Michigan "back in the day." I've seen photos of him, along with some of his Hollywood friends, at a small ski resort in Ogemaw County. A Google search confirmed that he is, indeed, from the St Helen area and inherited a Christmas tree farm near there when his parents passed away. The Academy is slated to open right after Labor Day this September.
Now the parts that make St Helen worthy of praise from the Gimp: in a word, the town is LEVEL. Hardly any steps or stairs to be seen anywhere. If you can get around on an ATV, UTV, golf cart or snowmobile, you can enjoy this town in exactly the same way as everyone else! Sidewalks and parking lots are even, curbs are low. Locals are used to seeing out-of-towners and are friendly and welcoming, unlike some tourist towns that we won't mention today.
Bottom line: if you love the outdoors and have some mobility issues, there's a good chance St Helen is the answer to your search!
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