During the summer season the band often travelled to performances and competitions all over Ontario and the border states. We usually travelled as a group when longer distances were involved.
Our preferred mode of travel was by chartered bus. For shorter trips we often rented several full size sedans. They comfortably sat 6 and were cheaper than using vans.
On a trip to attend a highland games in Alma Michigan, 12 of us decided to pool our expense money and rent two Ford Ltd sedans. We were going to travel in a convoy but after several hours we lost track of the other car. The traffic was brutal on the highway and one of the guys knew the area well, so we took advantage of secondary roads.
I remember singing Guess Who songs as we booted down country roads towards the US border. Getting through customs wasn’t a problem – it was very late by the time we arrived at the Windsor crossing.
The fun started as we were driving through rural Michigan. We were driving along, maybe a bit too fast when we noticed a blue light flashing in the distance behind us. The guy driving decided to ignore the lights and keep going.
The light kept getting closer – there may have been a siren involved as well.
The next thing we know a Michigan State cruiser roars up along side the sedan, lights us up with his search light and motions us to pull over. There may have been a dash mounted shotgun involved as well.
The armed trouper approached the drivers side with his gun out and after establishing license and registration details asked why we didn’t pull over. I remember the response to this day. It went something like this;
Well sir, we did see the lights and thought nothing of it as where we come from in Canada, a flashing blue light means a snow plow
The three of us sitting in the back seat weren’t driving and had enjoyed more than a few refreshments. I clearly remember the effort it took not to piss ourselves laughing. A hernia worthy effort.
Luckily for us, one of the two doing all the driving was a detective with the Toronto Police. Once that was established the trouper let us go with a warning – a kind of police brotherhood thing.
Funny enough that wasn’t our only engagement with Michigan police. On a return trip from Alma we strayed off the main highway and became lost in downtown Detroit. Detroit Police, pulled us over and escorted back to the highway that would take us home to Canada. Apparently we were headed for the rough part of the city.