Tuesday morning we pulled out again and headed east on Rt 28 to Newberry- The Moose Capitol of Michigan. Our whole trip was to “Hunt Moose” and we’d only seen the big fiberglass ones in St Ignace and the tiny little ones in the gift shops! Now we should see some! Our first item to accomplish was to locate moose! We traveled up Rt 123 to Tahquamenon Falls State Park looking for them and saw none. But the Falls were still magnificent! The walkways to the falls have been greatly improved since our last visit and the sun shining on the tea colored water rushing over the rock steps of the lower falls still took my breath away. Searched the marshes that we passed on the way back and scanned the fields as we trekked across the back roads, but still no moose!
The answer to our dilemma should have been solved when we stopped at the Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday morning to pick up our “moose map” that was to show us where the best places for sighting moose were. The woman at the Chamber was of no help and didn’t have a clue as to finding real moose. She had never seen one! Oh well, off we went via more back roads to Seney Wildlife Refuge where perhaps the elusive moose were hiding. No luck but we sure did enjoy the wandering trails that wound in and out of marshes and ponds that held swans, ducks, an osprey AND an eagles nest. Closer to the campground we stopped to gather firewood for our pie iron supper of pizzas and blueberry pies!
Thursday morning came too quickly because Ron and Nancy had to head back downstate and their home. We packed up and also headed down state but just to the Little Brevort State Forest Campground and set up home and finally put the canoe in the water to fish. The lake was pretty but was full of weeds and no motors allowed. The sign in area posted no “senior” rates so Harry called and was told that thanks to our governor- there were no longer senior rates in the Michigan State Forests. We hooked back up and left. Just a few miles east we came across the Brevort Lake National Forest Campground - - with senior rates and parked in a good spot – wooded but yet right on the water. No electricity but the generator worked just fine and the temps dropped only down into the 50’s that night.
Friday September 12th. We would have liked to have stayed longer and fished that lake with canoe and motor but it rained again so on we went. Breakfast in Naubinway and we parked in the Straits State Park in St Ignace. It was just a short walk to the beach and a great sight of the Mackinac Bridge. We had heard of a car show that was to be in town but NO ONE up in the U P had heard anything about it. Well – it was an Antique Tractor/Big Rig Truck / Car / Flea Market Show! There was even a parade across the Mighty Mac Bridge and right thru town of 563 antique tractors and we were there to see them enter the Guinness Book of World Records! The longest parade of antique tractors!
Saturday morning we checked out town again as it had filled up overnight with huge fancy semi tractors and their matching trailers. At the flea market Harry even picked up an LED light for the motorcycle at a very good price. The rains came again during the afternoon so we caught up on our blogging and reading! Now off we go to post this and to find ketchup for our supper of hotdogs! Tonight there is to be a Lighted Parade of the trucks! But it’s raining.
