We’re UP NORTH!!! Left sunny southern Michigan on Sunday morning and played follow the leader all the way up US23/I 75 to the Indian River exit and followed Rt 68 to Rt 33 and the Waterways Campground which will be the parking spot for the mobile motel for the next week. I drove the Ford pickup and pulled the trailer; H pushed from behind in the Jeep and pulled the boat. A man’s gotta have his toys! We have the kayaks and the bikes also! It was an easy ride with a most pleasant stop for lunch at the Hilltop Truck Stop and Restaurant at exit 270 in Waters Michigan where we met my high school classmates – Beth and Glenn who live 8 miles west of that exit. Matter of fact – I’ve known Beth since we were in grade school.
We awoke on Monday to the sound of rain pitter-patting on the roof so we did what all campers do in the rain - - - went to town and played tourist! We’ve been to Mackinaw City many times but the view of the Mackinaw Bridge is still inspiring and we HAD to take yet another picture of it and the restored 1892 Old Mackinaw Point Lighthouse that watches over it. This time we stopped at the free Mackinaw Museum and learned even more about the engineering wonder, known fondly as the “Mighty Mac”, that was built between the years of 1954 and 1957. In and out of a few of the tourist shops including the Mackinaw Outfitters and we finished up with lunch at Scalawags for fish and chips before wandering back to Cheyboygan and a stop at the old junk shop in town.
Tuesday was again cool with more clouds busily coming and going all morning. As soon as I got out my lawn chair and my knitting, Beth and Glenn arrived and we were all anxious to get the boat in the water and go exploring the river again. They have lived “up north” for the last 10 years and have never been on the “inland route”. We happily obliged and headed for Mullett Lake, approximately 2 miles from the campground. Crossing the first 1/3rd of the lake to get to Aloha State Park was easy because we were running with the wind. Crossing back – into the wind - was another story! A bit bouncy and a bit wet in the back corner of the boat when the bow spray was caught in the wind! Back in the Cheyboygan River, it was a much quieter ride so we passed by the campground and took our passengers up and back on the Black River and further on the Cheyboygan River to town so we could stop at the locks and explain how they work. It was almost 5pm and the lockmaster was ready to go home but we watched one last boat come into and arise out of the dark slimy, mossy pit called the lock.
Back to the campground for delicious steak grilled by Glenn and H, while Beth and I chatted more and prepared the rest of our dinner which included juicy red tomatoes and other fresh veggies from our garden at home. Their trip home was to be about an hour so we shared hugs and promises of future times together and sadly let them head out. Evening chores are now completed, the full moon has climbed into the clear sky and we have called it another GOOD day of camping!
