British social media stars Josh and Jase are headed back to England and away from their "home away from home," winding up their summer visit to Michigan.
The two from Nottingham, England, visited the state in the winter and returned July 24. They concluded their tour Aug. 17, after which Jase Riley, one half of Josh and Jase, declared the "famous Midwest nice is very, very real."
"It's time to say goodbye. ... America, you really do have a hidden gem on your hands with Michigan, said Riley on his Facebook page Jase in America and The Accent Guy (partner Joshua Cauldwell-Clarke)."And Michigan … somehow it's time for me to say goodbye to you once again."
The pair shared positive posts about the state's scenery and destinations they visited, from downtown Detroit to Saugatuck to Traverse City (where they said they had received online criticism for their visit).
Cauldwell-Clarke responded to the criticism at the time.
"We don't come to cities because we're paid to go to the cities, because we're told to go to the cities. We go there because we choose to," he said earlier this month. He added: "So when people are saying things like this — Go home — we don't have to put up with it."
It wasn't an unpleasant trip, by far, despite the Traverse City pushback.
They did a meet-and-greet Aug. 14 in Novi, where more than 1,000 fans flocked to a Planet Fitness in Novi to meet the popular content creators. The line wrapped around the building and through the parking lot. Fans of all ages, some wearing T-shirts that said "I love British boys," snapped photos and waited their turn to meet the pair.
And unlike their Traverse City visit, Cauldwell-Clarke said everyone was "so welcoming."
But the visits have ended, and Riley said he couldn't forget the time spent here.
"I genuinely can't quite get my head around the last six months," Riley said. "It all started with me seeing this state pop up on my social media and saying to Josh, 'We HAVE to go there.'"
He said they'd seen Michigan "in the depths of winter, when I genuinely questioned whether humans were supposed to survive those temperatures ... and then came back in the summer and saw what felt like an entirely different state.""The lakes. The beaches. The dunes. The UP. The cities. The food. And most importantly, the people," he said."I've been asked so many times: "Would you live in Michigan? And if you did … the Mitten or the UP?"Well, I finally have my answer."I'd buy a boat and just float between the two. REFUSE to choose. ... Thank you for becoming my home away from home."
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Josh & Jase conclude trip to Michigan, their 'home away from home'