Sept. 15, 2012, Mackinac Island, MI

Harbor at Mackinaw Island

Well, it dawned sunny this morning so we headed to the ferry dock to get a ride over to Mackinac Island.  We took our bikes over on the ferry with us.  It is a great place for bikes.  While we were waiting on the ferry we watched salmon swimming around near the dock.  There were some really large ones, guess they are getting ready to spawn.  We got to Mackinac Island and rode down Main Street first, man fudge shops galore.  What is it with fudge and Mackinac Island.  There are lots of cute stores, houses, and hotels.

 Main street on Mackinaw Island

Horse and buggys

At the dock on Mackinaw Island

I guess I forgot to mention that there are no cars on Mackinac Island, only horses and bikes.  When you get off the ferry all you smell is horse poop and fudge, what a combination.  We ended up going up toward the center of the Island and saw some neat rock formations and some great bike trails.  We stopped at some of the cemeteries and searched out the oldest grave we could find.  He was born in 1791 and died in 1851.

 Biking Mackinaw Island

 Cemetary

Grand Hotel

Then we headed down to the Grand Hotel to see it, but they wanted $10 a head just to go look inside, they would refund the $10 though if you did their lunch buffet at $40 each, thanks but no thanks.  Guess just Republicans go there :-).  Anyway we headed back downtown and found a place to eat lunch for less than $40 for both of us

Lunch spot

Campsite just north of St. Ignace

Trail to Wilderness Bay

Wilderness Bay

We aren't much into shopping and so we decided to take the 3:30 ferry back to St. Ignace and then headed back to the campground.  Carol stayed at the camper while I headed out on a trail that starts at the campground called Wilderness Bay trail.  It is only about 2 miles and ends up at a bay named Wilderness Bay (surprise).  I took a few photos and beachcombed for a little while and then went back to the camper.  When I got back I told Carol I had seen Big Foot and he had screamed and shook trees but she didn't believe me.  Bet Jim would have, the camping neighbor at Seney.  I actually did see a grouse though.  I think that is the first one I have seen in the wild.  We built a campfire and enjoyed that before we ate supper and played Skip-bo, I won one and Carol won one.

Wilderness Bay

Night all.

Sept. 16, 2012, St. Ignace, Mackinac Bridge, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, MI

Java Joe's

Mackinaw Bridge

We decided to go into St. Ignace this morning and get breakfast at an interesting place we found the other day.  It is called Java Joe's and it just looked like the kind of place we would like.  Sure enough.  It was packed this morning.  We had to park in a motel parking lot nearby.  As Dave (Fluff) always says look at the number of cars in a parking lot and that will tell you how good a place it is.  Well, Java Joe's parking lot was full, of course they only have space for about 10 cars, but the place itself was packed as well, so we decided to give it a try.  Didn't get anything special, just pancakes, eggs and bacon, but it was very good and quaint as we had imagined.  After breakfast we went back to the campground and hooked up the trailer and headed for the Mackinac Bridge.  A $6.00 toll got us through the starting gate, but what a wind we had going across.  Supposedly we were to go 20 MPH but if I had I would have gotten run over.  It is a nice long bridge but we made it unscathed.  As we drove south we noticed the land changing from what we had gotten use to up in the UP, think forests to less dense forests and a lot more agriculture and orchards.  We stopped at a couple of fruit markets and picked up some apples and plums.  We got to Traverse City and checked into the Traverse City State Park about 2:00.  We had to buy a annual pass which was $28 and then the site cost $27 so it is expensive camping, but we prefer the state parks and we will have the pass for future parks over the next few nights.  We plan on going to Ludington State Park tomorrow for a couple of nights and then down to Holland State Park for a couple of nights before we head home.

Sleeping Bear Dunes

Once we got the camper set up we headed up to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and checked it out.  It is nice but not someplace I would spend a lot of time at.  On the way back to the campground we had to pick up a couple of items at a store and we found a Chinese carry-out next door so we brought Chinese back and ate it outside on the picnic table by the campfire.  Heck with roughing it.

Sand dunes

Sept. 17, 2012, Traverse City State Park to Ludington State Park, MI

Main business street in Traverse City

We went downtown to Traverse City this morning just to get a feel for it.  It is really a cute little town with some interesting shops.  I liked the Cherry Store best, they had a lot of free samples of things made with cherries.  There were chocolate covered cherries, cherry salsa, cherry bbq sauce, cherry trail mix, etc.  It was just a little too pricey for me.  We got back to the campground around 11:30 and since we had already gotten it ready to go all we had to do was hitch up.  We headed south again on Highway 31, and got to Ludington around 4:00 with rain threatening.  

Campsite at Ludington State Park MI

A friend, Rhonda, had told us that Ludington was a really nice so we decided to register for two nights.  We found a great site within view of a lake and set up the camper.  After setup we walked a wooden walkway over the edge of the lake and got back to the camper just before rain set in.  Had fried cube steak, fresh green beans, and tomato for supper tonight.  We had rain most of the night off and on.

Sept. 18, 2012, Ludington State Park, MI

Store in Ludington

It was still raining this morning so we went into Ludington to explore some and visited a few shops and also the local grocer.  When we got back to the camper around noon we felt that the rain would hold off enough for us to ride our bikes out to the Big Sable Lighthouse.  It was a great ride and took us a couple of hours with time to do photos etc.  It was about a five mile ride from the campsite.

Big Sable Lighthouse

When we got back I headed out to the Lost Lake Trail and hiked that, about 1.5 miles.  I am still amazed by the clarity of the water up here.  I'm convinced that is why the fishing is so much better up here than back home.  We have a few streams in Missouri that are clear, but the lakes up here are very clear and I'm convinced that the fish can see lures a lot better up here and that is why it is so much better fishing here.

Along Lost Lake Trail

Trumpeter Swan at Ludington State Park MI

We took another bike ride right before supper and then put the bikes back in the truck so we would be ready for heading south toward Holland tomorrow.  Leftovers for supper.  Hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow.  It is supposed to get into the 30s tonight.

Sept. 19, 2012, Ludington to Holland, MI

Scotty Trailer at Retro Store in Holland MI

Drove to Holland MI today and meet up with Rhonda Mayhan who lives in Holland as well as having a house in Holts Summit.  Rhonda was the perfect tour guide, even taking us to dinner at The Piper restaurant at the Holland marina area.

Dinner with Rhonda at 'The Piper'

We went to a few shops in Holland and at one shop I found a couple who were restoring an old Scotty camper.  Had to take a picture of that.  After dinner we went for a walk on the beach at Holland State Park and took some photos of the sunset.

Rhonda and Carol walking the beach at Holland SP, MI

Parasailers at Holland SP Beach

Carol and I at Holland SP Beach

Sept. 20, 2012, Holland and Sagatauck MI to Clinton, IL

Neat retro store at Saugatauck MI

We started the day with breakfast at a spot Rhonda told us about and then she led us down to Saugatauck a small village on the coast with a lot of artsy shops.  We said goodbye to Rhonda there and headed on south for home.  Spent the night at Clinton, IL (Weldon Springs State Park).

Sept. 21, 2012, Clinton IL to home

Sunset at Holland SP MI

Finally arrived home around 2:00 today. Got unpacked and even had time to pick up the mail and go to an estate sale.  I'll try and post a synopsis of the trip in a few days.

Sept. 11, 2012, Picture Rocks National Lakeshore

Au Sable Lighthouse

We left Munising this morning and headed east along the shore of Lake Superior mostly within the Picture Rocks National Lakeshore.  We only drove about 45 miles before we found a nice campsite at a national park campground and set up there.  We picked this campground because we could hike to Au Sable Lighthouse from here.  It was about a 4 mile hike total, which was more than enough for Carol, but what a great hike it was.  We started out on a trail that paralleled the shore of Lake Superior and finally went down to follow the beach.  What a great hike.  It was a gorgeous sunny day and we marveled at the flora and fauna that we found, also the rocks and shipwrecks and the lighthouse itself.  The temperature was about 80 degrees and the wind was blowing so it was great conditions to start with.   We learned on our boat trip yesterday that Lake Superior is the largest body of fresh water in the world.  It is larger than all the other great lakes put together.  If one were to build a swimming pool 5 feet deep the water in this lake would cover an area the size of the continental United States.  Now if that isn't fascinating I don't know what is :-).

Along the lakeshore of Lake Superior including shipwreck

After we finished our hike we drove into Grand Marais to see if we could buy some firewood.  On the way we stopped at something called a log slide, where logs were slide into the lake back in the late 1800's and then made into rafts and pulled to Grand Marais by boats to a lumber mill.  We also stopped at Au Sable Falls.  We liked Grand Marais.  It is a very quaint little town with some lovely homes and businesses and a very nice RV park.  It would be a nice place to stay on future trips if we make it back this way sometime. We found some wood but by the time we got back to the campsite we decided it was way too windy to light a campfire.  We ended up grilling a delicious ribeye steak, and made up some salad and fried potatoes and rolls and had a supper fit for a king.  It was one of the better meals we had so far.

Will it hold?

Au Sable Falls

Maple leaf on birch log found at Au Sable Falls

I forgot to mention that we drove into AuTrain last night and found a place recommended by Paul (camphost at Pete's Lake) to buy some pasties.  No they aren't something strippers wear to cover certain places.  These are a little similar to a pot pie, kind of a turnover that is filled with potatoes, meat, onions, and carrots.  Well, we were really disappointed in those.  Carol got a chicken pastie and I got a beef pastie and neither one of us liked them.  We are beginning to believe that people up here eat for sustenance and to ward off the cold instead of for the enjoyment of eating :-).  After we ate last night we went for a walk on the shore of Lake Superior and got some great sunset shots which I forgot to post last night so will post here.

Sunset at Munising Bay

That's all folks.


Sept. 12, 2012, UP of Michigan

The leaves are starting to change color.

We headed out of the national park today and went south toward Seney National Wildlife Refuge.  It turned out to be a great day to visit the refuge.  We found a campground close by called 'Big Cedar' and dropped the trailer and then went over to the refuge.  Visited the visitor center and walked the nature trail there and then drove the auto loop.  It was about 6:00 before we got out of there and then got back to the campground and had brats and chili dogs for supper.  Our camping neighbor came over to enjoy our campfire with us.  He is from Cincinnati and was on a search for 'Big Foot' in the area.  He said he had seen one and wanted to get a photo of one so other people would believe him.  Carol didn't sleep well tonight.  I wonder why :-).

Trumpter swan at Seney



Sept. 13, 2012, UP of Michigan

Presque Isle passing into the Soo Locks

Well we had plans to float the Manistique River through Seney National Refuge today but the morning dawned cold and rainy so we canceled those plans and hitched up and headed for Sault Ste. Marie.  We aren't sure where we will end up tonight just playing it by ear.  We got to the Sault and visited the Soo Locks and watched a couple of ships go through.  It wasn't all that interesting.  We did find a good little place for lunch down there though called Penny's Kitchen, the volunteers at Seney had recommended it.  We finally found a place with some descent food.  It was much like Panara Bread, on the same order.  We visited a few gift shops down by the locks and I found a new wide brim hat for hiking.  After finishing up downtown we drove out to check out a city RV park east of the locks on Portage Street.  It was too much like a parking lot for us and we headed south toward St. Ignace.  We found a nice uncrowded national forest campground and set up then drove downtown to check the ferry lines to Mackinac Island.  It was still cloudy and cold but the forecast is looking up.  Got back to the camper and had leftovers for supper.

Locks tour boat going from Lake Huron to Lake Superior in Soo Locks

Sept. 14, 2012, St. Ignace MI

Mackinac Bridge from a scenic overlook in the UP

Woke up to a cloudy sky this morning so decided to do laundry and go to the library today instead of going out to Mackinac Island.  I'm at the library now and it has cleared up and is very nice now.  Is supposed to be warmer and clear tomorrow so we will go out to Mackinac tomorrow.  We like the campsite we have so will stay there until Sunday.

Sept. 3, 2012, Enroute Door County Wisconsin

Campsite at Potowatomie State Park near Sturgeon Bay

Not much transpired today. It was just a day of driving. Couldn't really have told we weren't in Missouri except for some of the town names that we came across and every once in awhile we would see a swampy area or a group of spruce trees.

Carol's favorite thing

Sept. 4, 2012, Door County Wisconsin

Eagle Bluff Lighthouse at Pennisnsula State Park

We took off this morning hoping to make the rounds of “Door County which we pretty much accomplished. We had both heard a lot about Door County from fellow RVers and friends over the past few years so this was our chance to see if it was as good as everyone made out. I do have to agree that is is a pleasant place to visit, but it is almost wall to wall gift shops and eateries. Every little town along the shore line is filled with tourist attracting shops. This is pretty much what the folks up here depend on for their livelihood though. To top that off they only have about six months to make a go of it. We took the route up that was basically the one that ran along the west shore line. Our first stop was a farm type market and like all good tourists we were suckered in. We ended up buying some cherry strudel, Door County mustard, dried cheeries, and some apples. The next little town we went to had a bunch of gift shops. I can only take so much of this looking and I had to go find a place to sit down while Carol browsed. We did get a little garden ornament though so we were again suckered. We also found a library with wifi so I could post to the blog. After this we went to Penninsula State Park and did a light house tour there that was quite interesting. I climbed a tower and got some photos of Green Bay.

 Green Bay

Our truck from the tower

I didn't realize there was actually a Green Bay, I thought it was just a football team. Carol called a place called the Square Rigger in Jacksonport and made reservations to go to a fish boil tonight at 6:00. Anyway, after this we headed on north up into Door County and soon found ourselves at Sister Bay and so we had to stop at a place called Fred and Fuzzy's for a snack. We didn't want to eat too much since we were scheduled for the fish boil at 6:00 and it was already 2:00. I had a beer and Carol had ice tea and we had an appetizer of deep fried curds, and I must say they were excellent. Since Dave was the one to tell me about this I had to give him a call while we were there. After this 'snack' we headed north again visiting an art gallery where many people have painted their names on the outside of the building and some more gift shops, but basically driving and taking in the scenery. Once we reached the north tip of the peninsula we turned back south and diverted over to the east side of the peninsula and visited Bailey Harbor and Jacksonport, before we got to the Square Rigger. The fish boil was part show and part eating. It was fun watching them cook the potatoes, onion, and fish, but to be quite honest when everything is boiled it doesn't have much taste. It was kind of bland eating. Oh well, we had to try it. Carol is the fish eater and I much prefer good meat but overall it was fun.

Lunch at Fred and Fuzzy's

Fish boil

This looks like the way I start a fire

We got back to the camper in time to play Skip-Bo.


Sept. 5, 2012, Door County Wisconsin

Did a little bit of driving around Sturgeon Bay today and got familiar with the town, also did laundry and went to the store.  This morning though we mostly rode our bikes around the park and when we got back from town I hike the Hemlock Trail while Carol stayed at the camper and tended the fire.  I saw a young fawn on my hike but not much else of consequence.

Taken while hiking in Potowatomi State Park

Sept. 6, 2012, Door County Wisconsin

Ridges Sanctuary

We headed north again today to explore a few areas we missed the other day. One on the things about traveling is that it is a little like a box of cracker jacks with a prize inside.  We found a place that we were completely unaware of called Ridge's Sanctuary  which is basically a natural preserve run by an non-profit and is interesting to hike and we found quite a few wildflowers there.

Cana Lighthouse

Our main destinations though were Cana Lighthouse, and Whitefish Sand Dunes, but we ran into a couple from St. Louis in Bailey's Harbor and they said we had to see Cave Point right next to Whitefish Dunes and it turned out to be another cracker jack prize so overall it was a fun day with lots of surprises.  We got back to the camper and had supper with a fire and some more smores for Carol.

Cave Point near Whitefish Dunes State Park in Door County

Sept. 7, 2012, Enrounte Upper Pennisula of Michigan

Campsite at Pete's Lake NFS south of Munising MI

It was rainy this morning when we got up and we managed to get a little brake where it was just drizzling and got the camper put up so we could head out.  Traveled in the rain today and ended up at a national forest campground about 12 miles south of Munising, MI called Pete's Lake.  It is a very nice place right next to a lake and we managed to get set up before another downpour of rain hit us this evening.

Pete's Lake

Sept. 8, 2012, UP of Michigan

Kayaking Pete's Lake

Had coffee and pancakes for breakfast and then headed to Munising.  Wouldn't you know it, we ran into an estate sale and had to stop.  Carol found a pearl necklace for a dollar.  She keeps hoping they are real pearls.  I doubt it :-).  We explored for another campsite that we can move to tomorrow and I think we will head for a town campground because it has water and electricity and we need one and would like to have the other.  We ate at the Navigator Restaurant in Munising.  I really wouldn't recommend it as it is kind of pricey and the food wasn't all that good.  We got back to the campground about 3:00 and I got the kayak into the water and paddled around the lake.  It is amazing how clean and clear this water is up here.  I can easily see the bottom of the lake at 4 and 5 foot depths.  At least it looks like 4 or 5 feet but may be deeper than that.  I may get another chance to kayak in the morning if the weather is nice and Carol decides to sleep in.

On Pete's Lake

Sept. 9, 2012, UP of Michigan

Campfire at Pete's Lake

I went kayaking again this morning while waiting for Carol to wake up.  We liked this camping spot so well we decided to spend another night here and just fish.  There was a small store just outside the campground so we went over there to get fishing licenses.  The owner's have been here for 15 years and they have a little bit of everything in the store, but I guess that is what customers want since it is about 12 miles to Munising.  The owners were very friendly and helpful.   When we got back to the campsite I got the fishing gear ready.  Carol went to the fishing dock with her worms and I headed out in my kayak.  She caught a couple of small perch.  I caught about 8 small mouth bass, one of which may have \been legal (14“) a few perch, a couple of rock bass, and an 18” northern pike.  The pike wasn't legal either, has to be 24“.  I do have a 'the one that got away' story.  I had cast outI'm not a fish eater anyway so I just catch and release.  We had a great campfire this evening and just cleaned up leftovers for supper.  We got to know the camp host (Paul) here pretty well and chatted with him for about a half an hour.  He was saying they would be needing some camphosts for the area next year since some of theirs were leaving.  This campground is run by Recreational Resource Management which bids on the campsites and then runs them for the forest service.  He said they have full hookups and get $8.25 an hour for their work which is better than most campground hosts get.  They are full time and they winter in Quartzite.

Pete's Lake

Sept. 10, 2012, UP of Michigan

Picture Rocks National Seashore

Picked up camp this morning and headed into Munising.  We ended up taking a cruise up the coast of the lake to see Picture Rocks National Seashore from the water.  It was a 3 hour cruise, but the sun was blazing hot and the water was choppy.  Reminded me of a fishing boat I went on down at the gulf coast many years ago.  I was miserable when I got back from that one.  Luckily this one wasn't that long.  We're now camped at Munising Tourist Park, a campground run by the city.

Old lighthouse at Grand Island at opening of Munising Bay