Very soon will be off and running again. This trip has been in the planning stages for two years now I think. Have had to cancel for various reasons and am finally going to get it in. Plan on being gone for 17 days total. Reservations have been made for most nights with exception of three nights when we just "wing it". I do have an idea where we will be staying but not going to tie us into anything at this point. Michigan UP here we come.
Dutch dancing demo..
Dutch farm.
Last stop for the day was Wind Mill Island, Holland Michigan.
Tour of Wind Mill
Monday Meijer Garden, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Philanthropist Fred Meijer, he was also the founder of Meijer Grocery a large chain in the upper midwest. He donated 135 acres to promote the outdoors, namely gardening and the arts. The park now consists of over 200 acres and has grown beyond its project visitors a year from 200k to over 700K! Below are pictures of the park, art work and gardens.
America Horse, Missy fell in love with this one. Stands over 48 feet tall.
Look out think he has to.......
This horse sculpture while appearing to be made of drift wood is actually made of bronze.
Time for a quick nap!
Japanese Gardens
Listening to history.
This is a Rodin, very famous sculptor!
This Garden was absolutely amazing and was part of our itinerary, glad it was recommended and we will certainly return, maybe for one of the concerts they have annually!
Tuesday September 4th. We are at the KOA campground south of Traverse City. A very nice facility, a big step up from our last camp. Paved road, updated bathrooms, and flat campsite and cheaper! We will start the day with a smile and end it with a smile. Lots more rain last night not sure how much, lets just say a bunch! We are tired of the rain but not letting it slow us down.
Headed to Sleeping Bear Dunes via Traverse City (although not stopping there today), then up to Leland (Fish Town, AKA shopping). Stopped in Traverse City for breakfast at Flat JAcks...great breakfast.
The dunes were outstanding and the weather cleared for the rest of the day by the time we arrived.
Next a stop at the Grand Haven Rescue Station/Museum.
would have been a great day to be on the beach. Tomorrow taking my swim suit! Heck with shopping!
Leland and Fishtown
Ended the day with a smile and a meal at Joe Friendlies in Empire, (dad's recommendation was spot on!)
The two photos below are of the KOA outside(south) of Traverse City. Not a bad place to stay clean and cheap
Misson Light House near Traverse City, pretty tight stairway to the top. This was used also as a rescue station in the 1800's.
Below is our first picture of our travel to Mackinac Island. Over used, over priced area, but was pretty cool from the standpoint that there are no vehicles here, just horses and lots of horse dung! Oh yeh and a ..it load of bikes...so I felt at home...
Mackinac Bridge
Grand Hotel
Stayed at Haans Inn B and B. Nice and nicely over priced. Breakfast was very good
We took our bikes and had them packed for the overnight stay, Missy found that it was not possible to go up the stairs on her bike, would recommend the use of a bike on the Island as you can cover the island a lot quicker that walking or riding a horse taxi.
I have found that all islands of any interest each have thier own Arched Rock...
Grand Hotel, and boy are they snooty here! Missy got ran off twice for riding her bike too close to the hotel. Bikes are "Not Allowed"! Room rates here range from $320 to $2400 a night.
Missy got to steer her own horse buggy for 1 1/2 hrs. It was a blast, and I got to see the horse poop about 6 times ... boy what fun!
Ended our day with a tour of Fort Mackinac. Views from the top..
After leaving Mackinac Island we travel to Sault St. Marie, MI.
Staying at the Aune Osborne campground. The campground is located very close to the downtown area and the Soo Locks. Visiting the locks was very interesting and entertaining. The ship below is 750 Ft. long and carrying Iron Ore takes about an hour to lock through (dropping 24 feet.)
Bridge of the frieghter
Exiting the locks and headed down stream. As the proceed down stream they did pass our campground.
Areal view of the locks.
Also in Sault St. Marie is the 70 foot Tower of History, at least that was its intended purpose, it was actually a religious venture which didn't work out financially, so it was turned over to the city. There is actually no History in the tower, go figure. It's $9 to go to the top to see the river and locks below we opted out, after visiting the Corp of Engineers Soo Lock visitors Center which was free.
Frieghter passing our campground.
Sailboat Race on the river...
Aune Osbourne Campsite.
Left Sault St. Marie and headed toward Paradice, MI, the home of the Shipwreck Museum on the Great Lakes. Private donations fund the Museum and the research behind the shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. Visited the Museum, which houses the recovered bell from the Edmund Fitzgerald, recovered in 1995, 20 years after its sinking.
Toured this lighthouse
Museum
Bell from Edmund Fitzgerald.
Diving gear used to recover the bell.
Following day, Monday headed to the Tahquamenom Fall, stayed at the State PA
ark which is located at the lower falls. Hike to the Falls, both Upper, which consists of a series of 5 waterfalls, and the Upper, one large water fall.
Missy still has not seen her moose! Still looking!
So a little behind on photos and updates sorry. Its Sunday morning and we are actually at Carolyn and Eric's in Green Bay. Without any web service and the sim card crashed on my phone its been a challenge. The photos are loaded will add narrative when I get time...After the Tahquamenom Falls area we headed to Munising, MI about a 3 hours drive. Planned to spend a couple nights in the area although we had no reservations and ended up at the Munising Tourist Park. Got stuck in the overflow area but at least we had grass and close to facilities. The pictured rock area is another of the areas that you really need to spend more time at, more than 2 nights. Decided because our short stay here we would take a sunset cruise which passes the Pictured Rock Shoreline.
A 2 hour stop at the National Ski Hall of Fame in Ishpeming MI. $5 entry fee. Its a very neat building filled with the biography's of a lot of people I hadn't heard of. Was pretty educational though as it covered the history of ski. A lot of displays and artifacts from the early days of skiing. Actually Ishpeming i s the home of a family of five boys who were very successful in ski jumping and were pioneers in the sport.
Ski Patrol Display
Missy showing her stuff!
A gem in Calumet MI is the Keweenaw National Historic Site. They have a great interpretive center which displays the life of the copper mine family and residence of the era. We discovered this in our National Parks Book and were close. Glad wee stopped as we spent almost 3 hours here. Not a lot of pictures sorry...
Probably the highlight of our trip was our seaplane trip and visit to Isle Royle. We departed from Houghton, MI at 0800 and us along with 4 others were took the 40 minute flight to the Island. Was a smooth trip aboard a 1952 De Havellen, Beaver, Seaplane...What a blast!
No vehicle or domestic animals allowed on Island. All camping is primitive, if you want to get somewhere its by boat or walking...18.5k visitors a year. Island is 45 miles long 9 miles wide and has a population of moose of about 1600 with 2 wolves. Park Service will be introducing more wolves into the ecosystem in the near future.
Hiking trails very primitive with rocky and marshy land all common.
Trails well marked. We hiked in all about 10 miles with a quick stop for lunch and departed at 1600 hrs. If we weren't limited on time would have spent much more time here and stayed over night a few nights (in a tent). Rooms at the lodge are $250 a night with a two night minimum stay..
Unfortunaltly did not see a moose, but saw tracks and one that was crashing through the woods adjacent to our hiking trail...oh we did see pictures from someone who did see a moose...does that count.
End to a great day...we were tired..
Fort Wilkens SP where we stayed in Copper Harbor also has the Fort which was built there in the early 1800's...what a gem....wow is all I can say... was very educational and very well presented, a must see for anyone in the area..
Copper Harbor Lighthouse...need a boat to visit...
Eagle Harbor
Light Harbor Light House, we didn't visit the inside, just walked around, discovered that after about 10 light houses they are all pretty much the same.
Jam Pot Bakery, which is on Hwy 21 North of Eagle Harbor. The bakery has been in operation for 34 years by an order of Catholic Munks...spent about $50 here on bakery products...
Lake Superior Coast on our return to Copper Harbor.
Took the Brockway mountain road back to Copper Harbor, about a 30 minute trip to top from Eagle Harbor, with great views on the top of Copper Harbor..
Final night at Fort Wilkens State Park, home bound tomorrow..
