Windmill Island, Holland, MI

We saved the Island for our last day in Holland, and we were blessed with perfect weather to enjoy one of the top treats of our Michigan adventure. The Island is really a city park that surrounds an authentic Dutch windmill brought to Holland in 1964 from the Netherlands. This grain mill is over 240 years old. It was disassembled and shipped to the United States for re-assembly in Holland. It is named De Zwaan ("The Swan"), and it was the last windmill to leave the Netherlands.

The park contains more than the windmill: an operating Dutch Street Organ; an operating Dutch Carousel; a reconstructed 14th Century Posthouse; flowers everywhere; and Little Netherlands, a 50-foot-long model Dutch village. We began our tour with a slide show and a demonstration of the Street Organ.

The organ was a gift to the city of Holland to express the appreciation of the Dutch for the aid given to their country by the United States during World War 2. The organ is delightful to listen to, and it is a marvelously engineered device.

The park is one huge garden of flowers. We were told that in the next few weeks all the beautiful flowers throughout the park will be pulled up and replaced by thousands of tulip bulbs from the Netherlands that will emerge next spring.

The windmill, purchased by the city, is the centerpiece of the park. It consists of six floors. The miller drives his cart of wheat into the mill through a large door on the first floor and, after unloading the wheat, out a similar door on the opposite side. The second floor is the packaging floor where the ground flour is packaged into 2-pound bags for sale. Ground flour is stored in a bin on the third floor prior to being sent by chute to the second floor for packaging. The fourth floor is the milling floor. Eighty percent of the mill on this floor is the original 240 year old mill wood. The grinding floor is the fifth floor where three wooden gears mesh with two other gears on the sixth floor to turn the top stone against the stationary bottom stone.

The windmill blades are 80 feet long, six feet wide and weight three tons. Boards and sail can be added or removed depending on wind conditions. The Capstand Wheel turns the top cap of the mill to aim the blades directly into the wind. The engineering of the windmill is fascinating, and the craftsmanship is incredible. All metal used in construction was fashioned by a blacksmith. Timbers were hewed using ancient tools. Wooden gears are meticulously shaped and unbelievably durable. The entire structure is amazing.

We left the park feeling that we had been treated to a wonderful experience. We returned to the campground for about an hour before leaving for dinner at the Boatwerks Restaurant. We had an excellent farewell dinner for our group sitting on the deck next to the water. Very nice.

After dinner we made our way to Eighth Street which is the main shopping street in Holland. Each Thursday evening the city promotes sidewalk entertainment along the street. The best act we saw was the "Flying Angels", a group of four women. The show began with stationary acrobatics, then fire-eating, and concluded with acrobatics on the 'silks' high above the concrete and brick plaza on which the group performed. It was fun and entertaining.

On our way to the ice cream parlor we stopped to see a 1910 Packard automobile that had been impeccably restored. What a wonderful experience it was to see such a beauty. Ice cream is a great way to end a great day. We returned to the campground to close out the day. Tomorrow we leave the group and drive to St Clair, MI.

Wooden Shoes, Dunes, Apples & Saugatuck

The morning began with breakfast at the Wooden Shoe Restaurant. Everyone seemed pleased with what they ate and we were wide awake when we left the restaurant. It was a good thing because the next event was a sand dune ride in a 15 passenger dune-buggy with a wild college student driver. The ride lasted about 35 minutes and was a lot of fun. One of the highlights of the trip was the snake draped over the tree limb as the buggy passed under at the top of a hill. Linda especially enjoyed the moment.

We saw a lot of Michigan countryside as we traveled to Saugatuck. This charming waterside village is a tourist delight with many shops for the ladies and a beautiful marina for the men to ogle the boats. There were numerous benches throughout town for resting from shopping or whatever.

Lunch was at the Crane's Apple Orchard. This is a working orchard with a nice restaurant. Cider was served as was chili. We had a nice lunch to fortify us for the afternoon. Linda and Mem decided to see the Veldheer Tulip Gardens and Farm; the others returned to the campground.

Holland clearly celebrates its Dutch heritage. We saw ample references to windmills, Dutch food, and wooden shoes as we drove around.

Happy hour began after nap time, and we were joined by Claire, a friend of Mem and Larry. Claire lives here in Holland, and we enjoyed meeting her. Happy hour extended into the evening and ended as darkness and more mosquitoes forced us inside.

Tomorrow we will visit the Holland windmill. It is the last authentic windmill that the Dutch government allowed out of Holland. Tomorrow will be our last day with the group; we will be leaving Friday morning.

Dutch Treat Campground, Holland, MI

How we continue to be blessed with beautiful weather amazes us. There have been thunderstorms all around us and although we have seen forecasts of rain where we are, it hasn't happened. Today is another sunny and warm day, perfect for our short drive to Holland.

Dutch Treat CG is a nice place. We have back in sites that have shade trees surrounding a small pond. There is a pool, a camp store, WiFi, and full hookups. We're living well.

The trip was easy driving with a four-lane road most of the way. Jim played catch up during the last few miles as he was catching many of the traffic lights red. Even Miss Garmin was happy.

Larry and Mem took us on a driving tour of Holland. Walkie-Talkie communications between cars meant that everyone had a narrator. We saw the house where Mem and Larry live for 25 years, where Larry worked, and the marina on the waterfront. We were able to walk out to the channel lighthouse. Janice hurt her foot on the way out and had to return to the car, but she recovered enough to go to dinner at a classy restaurant on the waterfront, the Piper.

After dinner, the tour continued to Captain Sundaes for ice cream. As we ate the ice cream we came to the conclusion we were each tired out. The next stop was the campground. Goodnight.

Vacation Station RV Resort, Ludington, MI

We are in Ludington for one night before moving on to the Holland area. We had an 'early' start this morning as Janice and Jim wanted to go out for breakfast; Ralph and Linda were invited along. We found a Bob Evans restaurant about three miles from the campground and we had a terrific meal. Departure was scheduled for 10:00 AM, so we wrapped up preparations as soon as we returned and we were on our way shortly before 10:00.

Miss Garmin had several fits this morning. Jim has a Garmin GPS, Janice has one also, and Larry has two. Each GPS had been programmed to get us from Traverse City to Ludington. Larry had plotted his own route and Miss Garmin was constantly recalculating trying to get us back on her route. She nearly blew a transistor! On Larry's route we had road construction delays, multiple traffic lights, and a detour, but Larry led us safely and directly to the campground. As we were turning left into the campground, Miss Garmin was saying, "In 3.2 miles turn right to Vacation Station RV Resort". We like Larry.

The conscensus is that there is not a lot to see and do in Ludington unless you are into atheletics or outdoor activities like horseback riding. The ladies made a shopping trip to town in mid afternoon to see the sights and report back to the men who were 'resting'.

This campground is probably better than we appreciate because after the one we left, any one would be a step down. The 'pull-through' sites we have required a U-turn (180 degrees) to get in. Larry and Ralph had to backup to get into their sites. Fortunately they had unhooked at the registration area. Jim was third in and he was able to make the swing into his site with his truck attached.

Tonight was 'steak night', and we grilled dinner at the campsite. We are literally eating our way through Michigan. Mem provided fresh corn, Janice made a salad and Jim provided the grill. It was a fabulous meal. Bono and Charlie cleaned up all the meat scraps and agreed that we eat well.

Linda was feeling confident that she could win Phase X so we began a new game after dinner. Darkness, chill, and mosquitoes all contributed to shutting the game down and sending us to our coaches. We plan a minimum of three nights to begin and finish a game.

Tomorrow we are leaving for Holland, MI. This will be the last destination for the group. We will breakup on Friday when Janice and Ralph leave for St. Clair, MI. Jim and Linda will be heading back to Stafford, VA on Saturday to get ready to travel to Myrtle Beach, SC. Mem and Larry will remain in Holland over the weekend and will travel to Indianapolis, IN on Monday.

Sunday - A Day of Rest

Today was a down day. After yesterday's multiple activities no one in the group was interested in pursuing any serious activities. Morning came late for the ladies as they 'slept-in'. The men were upright earlier, but were moving slow. By mid morning everyone agreed that a down day was needed. Late in the morning the ladies ventured out to a shopping center to find an assortment of supplies and food. They returned in early afternoon. The men had conversed about major issues while the ladies were away. Awnings were a high priority.

The afternoon was perfect for naps and several were taken. Happy Hour (Phase I) was a little late beginning because of exercise. Larry and Mem took a short bicycle ride around the park. Linda and Jim were out bicycling much longer and saw much of the park as well. Janice did additional laundry and Ralph played on the computer. Phase I means food, and we had it in abundance today. So much food in fact that dinner was put on hold to complete the game (Phase X) that we began two days before. This was followed by a game of "Oh Hell". This was a much faster game completed before dark. We all retired to our coaches for dinner (Phase II) and sleep (Phase III).

Tomorrow we travel to Ludington, MI. Jim and Janice conspired to go out for breakfast in the morning before we depart the campground. We will miss this resort. It has been very comfortable.

Leland, Sutton Bay, Old Mission Peninsula, Elk Rapids

We covered a lot of ground today and saw some fascinating places and people. The day began with heavy rain in the early morning hours. By 7:30 AM the rain was subsiding and it had virtually ended by 8:30 AM. Departure time was 10:00 AM, and by then the skies were clearing and we were blessed with a warm and sunny day.

Our initial destination was Leland, MI on the Leelanau Peninsula. Leland was a industrial center in the mid 1800s and had a flourishing commercial fishing industry. Eight fisheries were operating out of Leland by the early 1900s. Fishtown has been restored. In its day, shanties were built along the docks to store ice, to repair nets, and store equipment. Many of these shanties remain on the Carp River and house gift shops, galleries, and other shops. We had lunch at The Cove. This restaurant overlooks the river and Fishtown. Lunch was excellent, and we walked it off by touring the docks and shanties.

The second destination of the day was also our second peninsular: Old Mission Peninsula and the Old Mission Light. Grand Traverse Bay is a significant body of water that extends Lake Michigan 30 miles inland; it is divided into two by the Old Mission Peninsula jutting northward from Traverse City. To reach Old Mission, we retraced the route we had taken to Leland from our campground, and we returned to Suttons Bay en route to the Mission Peninsular.

Suttons Bay sits astride M-22. This village features a restored movie theater, various galleries and boutiques, and many restaurants. It has almost become a suburb of Traverse City. The main street is well kept and two bright red, old time phone booths decorate the street and attract visitors' attention. We did not see anyone making a call, but we did get a dial tone when we lifted the handset. We enjoyed our brief time in the shops and on the street.

The Old Mission Peninsular is a story in itself. This narrow 18 mile finger of land bisecting Grand Traverse Bay has a fascinating history, too long to relate here. However, the key to this land is its climate: the surrounding waters of Grand Traverse Bay, the insulating winter snows, and the cool summer growing season are uniquely suited to growing fruits. It is said, "Nowhere else on earthgrows more cherries per acre than the Mission Peninsular". Grapes grown here abundantly support an expanding wine making industry.

Route M-37 north is a pleasant drive toward Mission Light through orchards and vineyards on both sides of the road. The blue waters of the bay provide a striking background for the rows of green plants and trees. Old Mission Light stands where it has since 1870 alerting sailors to the peninsular. The light has been extinguished, but the tower and keeper's residence have been maintained. We were shocked to see how far the bay waters had receded from the shore. We were told that Lake Michigan has dropped its water level significantly in recent years, but it was visually apparent here at Mission Point.

One last stop on the peninsular was the General Store that sits on the site of the Old Mission Church. This store is a popular tourist attraction in itself, yet many visitors come to it seeking a church. The store proprietor and the staff wear period clothes and chat with customers. The store is a shopping experience with a pot-belly stove, crowded shelves, narrow aisles, and a crush of visitors. It was fun.

We returned to the campground long enough to freshen up before traveling to Elk Rapids, MI to meet Tom and Joanne. Larry and Mem had met them at Crystal Lake two winters ago. We were happy to introduce Jim and Linda to this unique couple. Joanne's home is on the shore of Grand Traverse Bay and the view is spectacular from each of the three levels of her house. In the distance we could see the Mission Peninsular where we had been earlier that day. Tom wanted us to see his home on Elk Lake where he has a beautiful location and every amenity for a relaxed waterfront lifestyle. In addition Tom has two cars of which he is quite proud: a 1948 Lincoln sedan and a 1982 Cadillac Biarritz. Both cars are in original and operating condition and very impressive. Tom and Joanne were gracious hosts providing us with beverages and snacks before we all went to a restaurant in Elk Rapids for dinner.

Saturday was a very full and enjoyable day and looked forward to an open day with no planned activities scheduled for tomorrow.

Petoskey, MI

Originally settled by the Ottawa Indians in the 1700s, the town is named for a local Indian, Petosega. The town began changing when the railroad arrived in 1873. Residents from Chicago and Detroit began moving to Petoskey and converted its industrial squalor to an elegant summer getaway. Historical buildings from the 1800s and 1900s remain in a city that realized the value of protecting them. The Gaslight District defines the downtown and shopping area.

Bayfront Park is a beautiful expanse of green grass along the waterfront. This area offers a marina, playing fields, and numerous walkways along the Bear River. We found the center piece of the park to be fascinating: a four-sided clock tower with a huge bell to ring the hour. The clock rises forty to fifty feet in the air and each of the four clock assemblies is independent of the other clocks, yet all have exactly the same time. This imposing attraction is perfectly positioned in the park entrance and provides a rallying location as well as accurate time.

Our stay in town was relatively short, yet we managed to have lunch, shop, tour the park, visit a General Store, visit a Farmer's Market, and to sit on several of the benches around town. In all, it was a very good day. Petosky is a nice city that deserves move time than we gave it. We can always return.

Petoskey, MI

Larry and Mem did some window shopping together, but Mem joined the other ladies for the serious shopping. Mem introduced us to Petoskey Stones which are fossilized coral more than 300 years old. Souvenir hunters and shoppers come to Petoskey from far and wide to find or purchase these 'stones'. Stones can be found along public beaches anywhere in the Traverse Bay region. In stores the stones are polished up and often carved into shapes and crafted into jewelry.

Petoskey, MI

Linda and Jim took a break from shopping on a convenient bench outside one of many fudge shops in town. Fudge is a popular product in Michigan. Nearly every town and attraction we have visited, to include the islands, has at least one fudge shop. Actually, it was Linda who was resting. Jim had been on the bench for sometime keeping an eye on traffic, pedestrian and vehicular.

Traverse Bay RV Resort

Our campground for the next four nights is a major step up in quality from our earlier experiences. 'Resort' is an appropriate name for this place. Those readers who have been to Crystal Lake in Florida or who have stayed at an Outdoor Resorts facility understand what this resort is like. We even have excellent wi-fi service.

We left Mackinac City this morning making a diesel fuel stop for Larry and Jim. We followed US Route 31 south because we were to have lunch in Petoskey, MI. When we arrived in Petoskey we could not find a location to park three coaches while we toured the community. We missed a turn in Petosky and found we could not turn the coaches around, so we continued on toward Traverse City and our campground. We will drive cars back to Petoskey tomorrow for shopping and sightseeing.

The resort offered pizza in the clubhouse at 6:00 PM tonight for those in the park. We all went and enjoyed seeing many happy owners and renters who were enjoying themselves and the pizza. It was fun and the pizza was good.

After dinner, our traveling group went to the clubhouse to plan the next three days and to begin a game of Phase 10. The game will take several days to complete because are late night stamina is virtually none existent. We adjourned by 9:30 PM each to their own coach. Petoskey is on for tomorrow. Linda and Janice are going, so Jim and Ralph are assured a seat.

Janice called Tom and Joanne Anderson of Crystal Lake and Traverse City. We hope they will call back tomorrow with suggestions about how we can get together in the next few days.

We had a rain shower late this afternoon that may have lasted 30 minutes. It was the first significant rain we have seen. Thunderstorms were is the forecast, but did not materialize.

Everyone is feeling a bit tired. We have been on the road for two weeks tomorrow. This afternoon everyone did laundry. The facilities here are excellent. We have clean beds and clean clothes for whatever comes next. We will sleep well tonight.

Mackinac Island

We had heard that Mackinac Island was a special place and today's visit to the island was all that we anticipated it would be. The morning was overcast and showers were forecast. We traveled to the ferry dock with jackets, and we were prepared for a rain that never arrived. By mid afternoon the sun had appeared, the jackets had been shed, and we were looking for shade. The weather was great the entire day.

The ferry was swift, comfortable and deposited us on the island with ease and efficiency. Close by the dock we found the ticket office for the horse drawn carriage rides. We had a 30-minute wait and the ladies used that time for shopping.

A story about horses on the island may be of interest. When the automobile was invented, one made its way to the island. The auto was noisy and frightened the horses. Citizens of the island petitioned the island governing body to dis-allow autos on the island. The governing council was happy to pass the necessary prohibiting laws. Since then, automobiles and motor powered vehicles are prohibited on the island. Bicycles and horses provide transportation. Two exceptions allow a fire truck and a police car. We had heard an ambulance was also allowed, but this was not confirmed.

We enjoyed the carriage ride. The narration was better during the second half, but we learned a lot along the way. The rides ended at Fort Mackinac. We had the option of touring the fort and we did. The fort dates back to 1780. It has been manned by soldiers from England and the United States. It was contested in the American Revolution and in the War of 1812. Some of the buildings are over 225 years old.

After touring and visiting the fort, we were hungry. The buffet at the Grand Hotel was an option at $45 per person. The Tea Room was also an option. Food at the Tea Room was prepared by the Grand Hotel staff, and was at Tea Room prices. We opted for the Tea Room, and we had a great lunch with a fabulous view of the harbor.

By the time we had walked down the hill from the fort to town, we were weary and made our way to the docks. The ferry was easily boarded and we had a pleasant voyage back to the mainland. Happy Hour and dinner were next on the agenda. We arrived at the campground to find Jim and Linda's friends Joe and Rita who had arrived during the afternoon. They would join us for dinner.

Janice had found a restaurant in town that was well recommended. "Audie's" proved to be another good choice. We left feeling we had been treated to an excellent dinner with good food, good service, and friends. The only thing left to do was to go to the edge of Lake Huron, look at a setting sun, look at the Mackinac Bridge, look at the passing freighters, and know that God has created a marvelous world, and that we are truly blessed to be enjoying it.

Tomorrow is a travel day to Traverse Bay. We will make a leisurely drive with a stop in Petoskey, MI en route. We have enjoyed Mackinac Island and Mackinaw City.

To Mackinaw City, MI

Tuesday morning came early for some of our traveling group. Mem and Linda left the campground around 8:15 AM to go to Curves for an exercise session. Thirty minutes later, Janice, Larry, Jim and Ralph crowded into the Forrester and headed for Frank’s Place. The plan was to meet at Frank’s Place for breakfast. The plan worked perfectly, and the six of us had an excellent meal to begin our day.

Coach wheels began rolling around 10:00 AM. We had to hookup the towed vehicles and negotiate the campground road out. Ralph misjudged his first turn and the coach was nose-to-nose with a huge rock. The obvious solution was to back the coach away from the rock, but the car in-tow presented another problem: backing was a ‘no-no’ without unhooking. Janice moved into the driver’s seat and, with Jim’s help guiding, she eased the coach past the rock.

The next stop was for fuel. We found a unique Marathon station that was easy-in and easy-out. The unique feature was that an attendant pumped the gas. He also washed windshields and checked motor oil. One needs to be 50 or more years old to remember when that was how all gas stations operated. At $3.08 per gallon, this service is added value that gets this station many local customers, especially in wintertime.

Our trip south to the Mackinac Bridge was fairly calm. We had a long stretch of one lane driving over road construction. It was tense as we had to maintain speed and keep between the orange barrels and the low road shoulder. The good part was that we did not see any of the rain that was forecast. The bridge crossing also went well at 20 MPH. We arrived at the Mackinaw Mill Creek Campground around noon. We were assigned adjacent sites and were soon set up for a two night stay. We have full hookups and WIFI. We do not have cable TV, but the satellite works well. Mem did a great job relocating us from the Tiki site to this campground on short notice.

For those who might be confused: Whether spelled ‘Mackinaw’ or ‘Mackinac’ the words are pronounce the same way as “Mack-in-naw” (we think).

Mem, Linda, and Janice used the afternoon to shop in Mackinaw City and they did quite well. The men took the afternoon to rest and prepare for Happy Hour. Dinner was ‘in’ both at home and inside. Janice prepared scrambled dogs and everyone found a seat in her coach for a delicious meal. After dinner, we completed the Mexican Dominoes game begun days earlier and then we went to Mackinaw City for ice cream. The ladies had scouted out the ice cream parlors earlier in the day. A highlight of the trip was viewing the lighted Mackinac Bridge from a city park on the waterfront. This spectacular view is worth seeing and was a fitting end to our day. Tomorrow we plan to visit the famous Mackinac Island, rain or shine.

Museum Ship Valley Camp

We learned that if we sleep in we can skip breakfast and move right to brunch. This is especially good if brunch is at a good restaurant. Let us tell you about "Frank's Place" where we dined before going to the museum.

Jim was up early. He invited Linda to go out for breakfast; she declined. She and Mem were going to Curves for exercise. Jim saw Larry outside and he asked him if he wanted to go out for breakfast; Larry declined. He planned to have cereal for breakfast. Jim was getting desperate. He knocked on our door and asked if we were interested in going out for breakfast. We said sure, but he would have to wait until Janice got ready. He did and we headed for town.

Frank's Place is on the main street and we did not see it on our first pass. We turned into an alley looking for another restaurant that Jim had on his GPS. Janice spotted Frank's back service entrance and decided that would be a good place. We circled around to the front door and took a chance.

Frank's is a local family restaurant with a great menu, excellent service, and terrific food. Janice sure knows how to pick them! She says she did it by seeing so many cars parked in the rear of the building. With that many customers, she reasoned, the food must be good. She was right.

Jim and Ralph wanted to see the Museum Ship Valley Camp. Janice was happy to return to the campground. The 550-foot ore carrier Valley Camp now serves as a floating museum for Great Lakes Maritime History. The ship was built in 1917 and completed over 3-million miles before leaving service in 1966. Today the ship is the largest Great Lakes Museum with over 100 exhibits inside the cargo holds. We saw the engine room, the pilot house, and crews quarters. The story of the ill fated Edmund Fitzgerald is a prominent part of the museum. Two excellent videos show the history of the "Mighty Fitz" and the aftermath of her sinking. Two very damaged lifeboats from the Fitz were recovered and are displayed in the museum.

When Jim and Ralph returned to the campground, Happy Hour (Phase I) was well underway. The plan for dinner was in motion: Larry did another super job of grilling chicken breasts for dinner. Phase II was outstanding again with everyone contributing something to the meal.

A strong breeze kept paper plates and napkins airborne during dinner, and we elected to go to the rec room to play Mexican Dominoes. This is a continuation of the game started in Munising.The rec room closed at 8:30 PM, and we returned to our coaches for the evening.

Tomorrow morning we leave Sault Ste. Marie and return to the Lower Peninsula to visit Mackinaw Island in Lake Huron. It is a short trip, so we will have time to go to Frank's Place for breakfast.

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

What a great day this has been! We awoke to a beautiful sunny Sunday morning on the river. The view continues to be spectacular through the windshield of the motor home. During daylight we set our chairs in front of the coaches and watch the freighters go up and down river. Nights are cool but not cold. Days are warm but not hot. What more could we want?

Today’s activity was to go to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum and Light House at Whitefish Point, MI. The drive was about 73 miles from the campground. We rode with Larry and Mem and Jim and Linda rode in their truck. About mid way through the trip a car in front of us lost the right front wheel and the car lurched into the ditch on the right side of the road. Larry pulled over to be sure the driver was okay; he was and we continued on our way. This was the second “wheel” incident for Larry on this trip.

Historic Whitefish Point, “Graveyard of the Great Lakes”, is the site of Lake Superior’s first light house. From the wreck of the “Invincible” in 1816, to the wreck of the “Edmund Fitzgerald” in 1975, Lake Superior has shown it can be a most dangerous body of water. The exhibits are lifelike and extremely well done. We began with a film that covers the wreck of the “Edmund Fitzgerald” and the recovery of the ship’s bell as a memorial to the 29 sailors lost. Touring the museum was profoundly interesting and sad. The museum was a terrific visit and very enjoyable.

Admission to the museum included a visit to the light house and a coupon to buy fudge in the gift shop at a discount. The light house is no longer manned by a ‘keeper’. The beacon is now remotely operated from the Soo. The keeper’s living quarters are preserved and exhibited for tourists. The fudge is excellent.

It was after 2:00 PM when our visit to Whitefish Point was over. We were hungry and the closest restaurant was in Paradise, MI. We stopped at the Berry Patch in Paradise; not a great choice, but adequate. We should have ordered pie and ice cream; it was their specialty.

Our next stop was Bay Mills Resort and Casino in Brimley, MI. We made a brief appearance and decided to move on. Like so many casinos, it was slots, smoke and some table games, with little else.

Back at the Soo Campground, we were just in time for Happy Hour. We gathered at the water’s edge and watched the sunset. Lunch had run out by early evening and we all headed for Antler’s about two blocks from the campground. The ladies wanted more whitefish and Antler’s had exceptional whitefish. We were all well fed when we returned to the campground to around the fire and watch the freighters cruise the river.

Each evening is a three-phase event: Phase I is ‘Happy Hour’; Phase II is dinner; and Phase III is sleep. We also have pre- and post- phases. Jim is keeper of the phases and keeps us informed about what phase we are approaching or leaving.

Phase III is now.

Sault Ste. Marie, MI

Our convoy of two coaches expanded to three as Jim and Linda became the third convoy member. CB traffic certainly increased with Jim's commentary.

Before we could leave Munising, we had to empty the holding tanks on the coaches. We had been camping three days, and we were heading toward three more days without sewer. Jim got to the dump station first followed by Larry and then Ralph. We then had to hook up the towed vehicles and we finally got on the road around 10:30 AM.

The trip to Soo Locks Campground was routine and made in perfect weather. We are on the bank of the St. Marie's River and have fabulous views of the huge freighters that travel from Lake Superior to Lake Huron and up the St. Lawrence Seaway to the Atlantic Ocean. We are near the International Bridge that connects 'Soo', MI with 'Soo', Ontario. Our camp sites are next to one another and we all are within 50 yards of the water.

Our afternoon was so sunny and warm that we found the local cruise line and by 4:00 PM we were aboard an excursion boat sailing up the river toward the Canadian locks. It was a neat experience. We saw two 1000-foot freighters go through the locks while we were out. We were lifted 21-feet in the lock to the level of Lake Superior from the level of Lake Huron. On the return trip we came through the United States lock and were lowered the 21-feet to the level of Lake Huron. The sun was warm and the waters smooth. We enjoyed the trip immensely.

Dinner tonight at the camp site was like a picnic. We moved the tables together and fixed sandwiches from fixin's. All this with great views of the river. We can't believe how fortunate we are to be here.

Munising II

It gets cold in Michigan in August. Last night we played Mexican Dominoes outside after dinner. The sun set and we noticed a chill in the air. Minutes later darkness overtook us and the chill turned to cold. The coach was comfortable until early morning. Getting up was chilly with outside temperatures in the forties.

Yesterday the wind blew hard early and subsided by mid day. Today there was no early wind; it arrived about 8:00 AM and blew hard throughout the day. Walking around the campground was difficult due to the blustering winds coming from Lake Superior. We watched several tent campers pack up and leave before 10:00 AM and saw others with flattened tents. All watercraft were held in port today; this hurts the cruise business.

Any thoughts we had about taking the ferry to Grand Island were blown away by the wind. This is no day to be on the water. We decided to find a wi-fi site in town (Falling Rocks Café), check email, and then decide what to do next. We visited the National Park Welcome Center in Munising and found much information about area attractions. In two hours we visited the Munising Falls and the Castle Rock formation on the Pictured Rocks. Winds were subdued in the forested areas. We enjoyed ourselves.

Our friends chose to see the sights of Marquette today. They will meet us for dinner.

By late afternoon we returned to our campground in time for a nap before dinner at a highly recommended (by the Ranger lady at the NP Welcome Center) restaurant about 10-miles west. We ended up meeting our friends at the restaurant since it was on their return from Marquette. The food was excellent and we had a great time.

We have the heater out. More 40 degree temperatures are forecast for tonight. Tomorrow is a travel day to Sault Ste. Marie about 125 miles east.

Munising II

It gets cold in Michigan in August. Last night we played Mexican Dominoes outside after dinner. The sun set and we noticed a chill in the air. Minutes later darkness overtook us and the chill turned to cold. The coach was comfortable until early morning. Getting up was chilly with outside temperatures in the forties.

Yesterday the wind blew hard early and subsided by mid day. Today there was no early wind; it arrived about 8:00 AM and blew hard throughout the day. Walking around the campground was difficult due to the blustering winds coming from Lake Superior. We watched several tent campers pack up and leave before 10:00 AM and saw others with flattened tents. All watercraft were held in port today; this hurts the cruise business.

Any thoughts we had about taking the ferry to Grand Island were blown away by the wind. This is no day to be on the water. We decided to find a wi-fi site in town (Falling Rocks Café), check email, and then decide what to do next. We visited the National Park Welcome Center in Munising and found much information about area attractions. In two hours we visited the Munising Falls and the Castle Rock formation on the Pictured Rocks. Winds were subdued in the forested areas. We enjoyed ourselves.

Our friends chose to see the sights of Marquette today. They will meet us for dinner.

By late afternoon we returned to our campground in time for a nap before dinner at a highly recommended (by the Ranger lady at the NP Welcome Center) restaurant about 10-miles west. We ended up meeting our friends at the restaurant since it was on their return from Marquette. The food was excellent and we had a great time.

We have the heater out. More 40 degree temperatures are forecast for tonight. Tomorrow is a travel day to Sault Ste. Marie about 125 miles east.

Marquette, MI

Today began early with howling winds buffeting the motor coach and waking us up about 4:30 AM. By 5:00 AM it was clear that the awnings were taking a beating from the wind and that the noise was going to prevent further sleep. Ralph closed the main slide to reduce the stress on its awning and then he went outside and closed the window awnings. Several folks were out working to secure tents in the area immediately to our front next to the water. Winds continued to shake awnings and coach until subsiding from heavy to light around 6:30 AM. Dawn revealed significant white caps on the lake and the winds continued at reduced intensity.

There was no group activity plan for the day and everyone decided for themselves what to do. Jim and Linda were pretty tired from the previous week in Sturgis and the drive to Michigan. They planned to rest and relax. This seemed to suit Larry and Mem as well. We didn’t want to stay at the campground on a sunny and warm day, so we planned a trip to Marquette, a town about 35 miles west of Munising.

Christmas, MI is en route to Marquette, along Route M-28. The first store on the left is a Christmas Store with everything to decorate for Christmas. Janice did some minor shopping in the store and some major listening: the lady in the store. Ralph stayed in the car and read a book. Christmas also features one of several Kewadin Casinos in the Upper Peninsula. The promotional literature extols the hotel rooms, restaurants, and the gaming opportunities offered at each of the five casino locations. We noted, as we passed by, that there were multiple RVs in the parking lot.

M-28 west runs along the shores of Lake Superior. State parks, scenic overlooks, and pathways allow extensive public access to the beaches. We stopped several times to walk in the beach sand and see the waves crashing against the shore. Janice ‘dipped a toe’ in Lake Superior. She has now dipped in two of the five Great Lakes. We were surprised at the number of children swimming. Apparently they were oblivious to the cold water and cool, windy air.

A staff member at the Marquette Welcome Center provided maps, directions and sights to see . We collected brochures and pamphlets about the area and the state. We learned the Upper Peninsula is known as the “5-Star Wilderness” and that 150-named waterfalls are key attractions. Hiking is a major activity and is necessary to see many of the attractions not available by road. One booklet lists 55 “Finest Attractions and Unique Experiences” in the UP.

Marquette is home to Northern Michigan University and located in the middle of the UP. The county boasts about 80-miles of uncrowded public beaches, that it is one of the two Olympic Training Centers in the United States, and that it has the largest wooden covered arena in the country. We were impressed by the beauty of the shoreline drive and Presque Isle Park. We saw two of the seven light houses in the county and the Ore Docks, one active and one abandoned.

The Ore Dock is memorable. Huge ships (hundreds of feet long) bring ore to the dock. The ore is unloaded by conveyors that take it to the top of the dock (hundreds of feet high) and transfer it into (hundreds) rail cars. The trains move it to who-knows-where. The size of the ship, dock and train are truly impressive.

We ended the day cooking steaks at the camp site with Larry being chef on the grill. We are eating large!

Munising, MI

We left St Ignace and the Tiki RV Park and Campground soon after 9:30 AM. Apparently ‘Tiki’ is not as strange a name for this part of Michigan as I had thought. The park sits on previously named Old Indian Burial site. In 1957 gravel was removed from the site and the bones of 52 Huron or Ojibwa Indians were removed and displayed as a tourist attraction. An anthropologist determined the burial was over 300 years old. The bones were reburied on tribal land in 1973, and the park was renamed Tiki RV Park.

The drive to Munising was about 120 miles and we arrived shortly after noon with a rest stop along the way. Part of the trip was along the coast of Lake Michigan on Route 2. This is as scenic a drive as one could imagine. Fortunately traffic was light and we could enjoy the splendor of the water and the coastline. We later turned northward through some highly forested terrain that was also tranquil and has a beauty of its own.

Munising is a seafaring town on Munising Bay and Lake Superior. Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes and the lake with a history of treacherous storms and shipwrecks; more of that later. We drove through the town en route to our campground: the Munising Tourist Park Campground. This is a city park with about 70 RV sites. Our location is terrific: we are clustered on four sites with three RVs in a triangle formation and a wonderful view of Lake Superior. We have water and electric hookups and the park is convenient to town.

Jim and Linda arrived about mid afternoon. They had spent three weeks in South Dakota and thoroughly enjoyed Bike Week at Sturgis. Bike Week is a ‘happening’ event and the stories they tell are hilarious and entertaining. Happy hour began soon after Jim finished setting up his coach.

The plan was to relax today and eat in tonight. We wanted to take a boat cruise tomorrow into Lake Superior to see the Pictured Rocks. Janice called and made reservations and she was advised to call again in the morning to confirm because strong winds were expected and the cruise could be canceled. This warning moved us to call again and change the reservation to today when the sun was shining and the seas were calm.

The cruise was very enjoyable and informational. The narrator explained much about Lake Superior and the town of Munising. Both have a colorful history. The Pictured Rocks are multi-layered rock formations along the southeast coast of Lake Superior. The cruise lasted about three hours and we saw some spectacular colors and formations on the outbound voyage and a different perspective of the same rocks on the return. It was an enjoyable time. The waters of Lake Superior are worth special mention for their clarity and colors. We are told the water is very cold and we were surprised to see children jumping off the rocks and swimming along the route.

Several restaurants were recommended to us by the staff at the marina and we randomly chose Sydney’s. It was an excellent choice. Five of us had fried white fish in a basket which was a great follow-on to the cruise. By the time we returned to the campground, darkness had arrived and we were all ready to retreat to our coaches for the night.

Today was a very good day.

St. Ignace, MI

The drive to St Ignace was supposed to be easy and it was. We left Frankenmuth about 9:30 AM and the first stop was for fuel at the I-75 intersection. Gasoline was on the east side and diesel was on the west side of the interstate. Larry and Mem went west and we stayed on the east side. Fortunately, we finished about the same time and met at the I-75 northbound ramp.

St Ignace is 210-miles from Frankenmuth via I-75. The highway passes through some uninhabited areas as it snakes its way through forests and widely dispersed small communities. We enjoyed another sunny and warm day. The wind increased intensity as we moved north and the coach was buffeted occasionally from the driver’s side. The Mackinac Bridge (“Mighty Mac”) awaited us just south of St Ignace.

The bridge is phenomenal! It is five miles long and crosses the Mackinac Straits connecting the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan. We were required to cross at 20 MPH because of the cross-wind. Later we learned that the bridge opened November 1, 1957 and that it is the third longest suspension bridge in the world. The straits connect Lake Michigan and Lake Huron both very impressive bodies of water.

Our campground has the unusual name of “Tiki” which seems strange for the Upper Peninsula. The campground is not among the best or worse we have seen, and we can accept its shortcomings for one night. Tomorrow we will journey west to Munising, MI.

Frankenmuth II

Frankenmuth, MI is “Michigan’s Little Bavaria”. The town was founded in 1845 by a group of fifteen German-Lutheran missionaries who came to this area to teach Christianity to the Chippewa Indians. Franken refers to the province from which the settlers came, and Muth means courage in German. The name means “Courage of the Franconians”.

Today’s Frankenmuth is a tourist resort destination host by the 4,900 residents who are proud to maintain their German heritage. The town is immaculately clean, ala Bavaria. Shops are plentiful and shopping is continuous. Numerous restaurants beckon the hungry and for the seafaring a one hour river tour aboard the ‘Bavarian Belle’ is waiting.

Two attractions that were of interest to us were: Bonner’s Christmas Wonderland for the ladies and Michigan’s Own Military & Space Museum for the men. There are many other attractions in the area, but our interests were limited.

Two nights and one day are enough to see and do Frankenmuth. We will leave Tuesday morning for St. Ignatius for an overnight stay.

Frankenmuth, MI

Day two on the odyssey to Michigan began with a beautiful sunrise and cooler weather. We got underway at 9:00 AM and the first priority was for us to get fuel for the coach. We took on 66.4 gallons in a 75 gallon tank. That is as close to empty as we ever want to be.

We thought the drive to Frankenmuth, MI would be relatively easy; we were wrong. A combination of heavy traffic, rural roads, and road construction made the trip long, tiring, and frustrating. At times we felt like we were spinning our wheels and the trip would be endless.

Frankenmuth is a quaint town that fully celebrates its German heritage and has become a vacation destination for visitors from Michigan and around the world. Shopping is encouraged and the main street is easily walked.

Jellystone Yogi Bear Park is a classy place and we have excellent sites. Dinner was plentiful at the legendry Zehnder’s restaurant. Fried chicken is a specialty and we ate very well … all you can eat.

We were too tired tonight to do much after dinner. We walked the covered bridge in town and hit one gift shop. Tomorrow is another day.

MI Trip Day 1

We have been traveling for a week, but have not had a wifi connection so we have not been able to post the blog. We will try to catch up.

August 11

This was a travel day, not a fun day. We launched our trip to Michigan at 7:30 AM; we did it again at 7:40 AM. We forgot the holding bracket for the new GPS that was making its maiden voyage on this trip. A quick trip back to the house solved the problem. We met Mem and Larry at Zion’s Crossroads at 9:00 AM, as planned, and we were on our way moments later.

The trip was uneventful until a bear cub chose to walk across four lanes of traffic right in front of Mem and Larry. Traffic was able to stop and the cub made it safely to the tree line and disappeared.

Some four hundred miles later we arrive at the campground in Chillicothe, OH. Two back-in sites were reserved for us, but there was no one in the office when we arrived. Mem got a map and Larry found the sites. We settled in and had a relaxed dinner and evening.