DETROIT -- Where do I start?

First, I have to thank everyone involved with such a monumental task. How does anyone, really, determine the state's best Coney dog?

You, the readers of MLive.com, weighed in. And we thank you.

You helped steer us in the right direction. You picked some of the best eateries to represent your region in this very unscientific, and very non-objective survey of who has the best Coney dog in Michigan.

To all the readers, as well as reporters, editors, photographers and staffers of MLive, who came out to support this adventure. And that's what it was, an adventure -- a Coney Dog Marathon, if you will. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Also, a special thanks to our reporters:

• Emily Caswell in Lansing

• Zeke Jennings in Jackson

• Jessica Webster and Melanie Maxwell from sister website AnnArbor.com

• Ashley Woods in Detroit (who had to put up with my nonsense at the end of Day 1; I was in a comatose state after eating 11 1/2 Coneys and kept rambling on about how much fun I was having).

• Scott Atkinson (and my college buddy Bernie Eng) in Flint

• Justin Engel in Bay City and Saginaw

• John Liberty in Kalamazoo

• Todd Chance in Grand Rapids

• and Lisha Arino in Muskegon.

I hope I didn't leave anyone out. If I did, I'm so sorry. It was a great team effort.

To all the restaurant owners, managers and staff members who put up with us, and at many times during peak breakfast, lunch or dinner hours. You guys were awesome; you dealt with all the fuss, and you managed to smile, knowing this was all in good fun.

But Coney dogs also are very serious business.

That's why we recruited Joe Grimm of "Coney Detroit" ($24.95, Wayne State University Press). He managed to hang with me for a majority of the trip. And we had so much fun.

After visiting Bay City and Saginaw, two cities not even mentioned in his book, he realized he has enough material for Volume 2. (And I just might tag along.)

In all, I sampled 29 coney dogs over a three-day period. We traveled to 10 Michigan cities and 22 restaurants. And I put on about 700 miles on my car.

We did have two additions to our original itinerary.

• We added Mr. Hot Dog in Bay City because it ranked No. 2 in the Bay City poll and the demand from readers was overwhelming.

• And we randomly stopped -- unannounced -- at the Thompson Creek Turkey Farm Deli, Bakery & Cafe in Flint. Rusty, a producer from WWCK in Flint, told us about it after a radio stop. Joe and I were happy to check out a Coney dog made of turkey. A turkey dog, and a turkey topping. Yum! We added it to the list, just for the heck of it.

Along the way, we managed to eat more than just Coney dogs.

French fries, onion rings, gravy fries, rice pudding, chicken lemon rice soup, a Venezuelan Dog with cabbage and potato sticks, a hard shell taco dog and who knows what else. We washed it all down with homemade root beer.

Ok, now on to business.

Gonzo's Top 10 Michigan Coney Dogs

1. American-Detroit: Let me put an end to the debate, Detroiters and Coney dog aficionados: American Coney Island is the best in the state. I can feel the daggers now. They hurt, trust me. But I come to you without prejudice. Even though I worked a whole summer in Detroit when I was in college, I never made it to American or Lafayette (I did make it to more than my fair share of Detroit Tigers games). American's Coney dog is made with a Dearborn hot dog in a natural casing, and it is adorned with the signature "Detroit-style" Coney sauce. The flavor of the sauce, a secret like most Coney sauces, does not overwhelm you. The dog is grilled to perfection, and the combination of mustard and onions are spot on. The onions are not too small or too big. I found that to be an issue with several of the restaurants. I know, American is not as gritty as Lafayette, and the characters not something out of a "Seinfeld" episode. But, if we're talking quality of dog, American wins in my book.

2. Lafayette-Detroit: Truth be told, I had a sleepless night on Saturday. I needed to give Lafayette Coney Island one more try. It's located right next door to American (duh), and the rivalry intense. I needed to be sure. So, after three days of eating 29 coneys, I actually traveled from Grand Rapids to Detroit to taste test both dogs one more time. If we judge solely on ambiance, Lafayette wins, hands down! It was Sunday lunch time, right before a Tigers game, and the place was packed. Every seat filled. I felt at home. But, Lafayette's Coney dog fell just a little short of expectations. The spices, and the Spanish onions, left a small after taste, which took away from the overall experience. (American uses the sweeter Vidalia onions.) I wanted Lafayette to win. I know folks love the history of Lafayette, as Joe Grimm points out in "Coney Detroit." But on my list, it comes a close second.

3. Mussel Beach-Bay City: Hello! Bay City? That's right. This place near the State Park will knock your socks off. If not for the history of American and Lafayette, owner Jacquie Larner would have won. Joe Grimm was impressed. I was in heaven. She steams the Koegel Vienna in its casing, and then grills it. The sauce pays homage to the region's red sauce, and her onion rings are to die for! I'm not kidding. She cuts them all fresh, every day. She told me that people come in for her stuffed cheeseburger. I can't wait to make another trip to her restaurant to give it a try.

4. Starlite-Flint: The debate in Flint always comes down to Angelo's and Starlite. Call it the Flint version of "American and Lafayette." Nothing against Angelo's, but Starlite offers a freshness I did not experience elsewhere. Their meat is ground every day, and new sauce is being made and stirred continuously every four hours. I'm not saying other places are "not" fresh. But they do "Flint-style" the best. That's a meat topping that does not require a knife and fork like those in Detroit.

5. Virgina's-Jackson: Wow, let me tell you about the colorful characters -- they have a lot of them. They even sent spies to Flint to check out the competition. I admire the dedicate. Jackson says "Flint-style" is actually "Jackson-style," so you walk into another debate: who invented the meat toppings. Of course, when you go back to the 1920s, it's more about marketing. No question Virginia has history, and a great dog. My only drawback was the amount of onions on the dog. Next time I would go light onions.

6. Coney Island-Kalamazoo: This is the only place I ordered a second Coney dog. Mouth-watering good, Flint-style (Jackson-style) coney. But not as meaty. I like a little sauce, so it was perfect. I love watching them grill the from the street. That grill has made about 28 million Coneys over the past 97 years, according to the owner. Make sure check them out the next time you're in Kalamazoo.

7. Grand Coney-Grand Rapids: I have been to Grand Coney only twice. Once on this trip, and once about 3 weeks ago. On the first trip, the bun was grilled slightly, which I really enjoyed. I didn't notice it on this trip. They serve Detroit-style and Flint-style on the menu. They do both well. I like the Flint-style better, which is odd since I love American and Lafayette. But Grand Coney mixes its ingredients well and pays attention to detail. Plus, I love the counter, a throwback to Detroit.

8. G&L-Muskegon: A lot of history at G&L; in fact they call it a Greek chili dog, which is very unusual. And the sauce is also a combination of Detroit and Flint. A dedicated following. I ran into a man who was having dinner with his family, and he said he has been known to eat there three times in one day. "Yes," said his wife, nodding her head. A keeper.

9. Old Town-Saginaw: A former A&W Root Beer stand, this Coney dog drive-in offers both drive-in and sit down service. It's here we discover the tomato-based Coney sauce, a combination of Flint and Detroit styles. And the homemade root beer is worth the trip.

10. Angelo's-Flint: When I walked in, my shoes stuck to the floor. Then the owner told that everything imaginable has happened in that restaurant, except for the birth of a baby. "And that almost happened," he said. The mother-to-be needed Angelo's to help put her into labor. The Flint-style meat topping was a bit spicy, and I like that. I would add more to it.

The Rest

Mark's Mid Town-Ann Arbor: They do Detroit-style well. Definitely a must if you're in the area.

Cook's Hot Dogs--Grand Rapids (Dutton): The owner spelled out "MLive" using all the dogs he offers. Love this guy. And his Coneys are so close to making our top 10. No slouch. As Todd Chance noted, 100 percent all-beef hot dogs. Worth the drive.

Duly's-Detroit: It was like stepping back in time. These guys know what they're doing, and they do it well. Love it.

Mr. Hot Dog-Bay City: I understand why everyone raves. A better-than-average hot dog joint and great family restaurant. A local institution.

Bill's Drive-In-Ypsilanti: Drive-in only, the dogs are worthy a repeat visit. More Detroit style.

Michigan Coni-Saginaw: The owner showed us his special spices, but he would not share the secret recipe. There is cinnamon in the sauce. A great bargain: On Tuesday nights, coneys are 89 cents. Why not?

Max-N-Marley's-Muskegon: Love the picture of two dogs on the wall, Max and Marley. The Coney dogs were more Detroit-style, and the sauce was tasty. I would go on a repeat visit because of the variety. I ate a second dog, which consisted of banana peppers and jalapeno. I'm crazy.

Andy's Pizza-Jackson: Another solid contender that does not get into the Coney dog wars. They do what they do, and they do it well.

Dogs with Style-Kalamazoo: A favorite among the locals, Dogs with Style does not compete with Coney Island, but not many places do. A nice lunch getaway.

Sparty's-Lansing: Loved this place, and it happened to be my first stop. The sauce lacked some of the flavor compared to the others, but it was done well.

Zef's-Bay City: I need to go back. Zef's is taking Detroit-style to another level. And it's in Bay City! Check them out.

Thompson Creek-Flint: A Coney dog made with turkey meat? And turkey-flavored sauce. Works for me.

So, there you have it. Debate all you want.

Maybe go on this road trip yourself.

Tell me your results.

Email John "Gonzo" Gonzalez at gonzo@mlive.com

Follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/MichiganGonzo

Or on Facebook at Facebook.com/GRGonzo