Touring - Through the Detroit Metro Area....Route Advice Needed

I'm in desperate need of some sound advice. I'm spending the summer in southern Michigan (a wee little town called Hudson) and I'm planning on riding into St. Clair Shores, Michigan over two days. The first day I will head to either Lansing or Ann Arbor, then continue to St. Clair Shores the following day.

The naysayers in my life (a loving yet sedentary and bike-ignorant mother and grandmother) are locals and working hard to discourage my plans to ride into the city. Like most people who do not see bike touring as a viable form of transportation, they site awful traffic and "jungle-like" neighborhoods where I might be shot for my bike as two reasons that make the trip absolutely ridiculous. This relentless nagging is bad for morale and confidence to say the least! I continue on with my plans however and was hoping someone on here could add some route info.
I have been studying my maps and was thinking of heading in on either 59 to Pontiac or US12. Please please please offer input.
Thanks.
Rachel

I have been studying my maps and was thinking of heading in on either 59 to Pontiac or US12.

Only if you wanna prove them right.

Ann Arbor to Plymouth is relatively easy: Plymouth-Ann Arbor Rd parallels M-14.
E of Plymouth, Plymouth Rd --> Hines Drive into Dearborn. I ride this route when visiting the inlaws in Dearborn - never tried heading into Det (or through Det to St Clair Shores), though.

Ask this same ? on the BikeForums Regional Discussion / Great Lakes (http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=233) and someone will tell you exactly how to do it.

And this too:

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/MDOT_MetroRegionBikeMap_238124_7.pdf
which takes forever to download...