OK, OK - - we’re home! Northern Michigan is known for it’s gorgeous vistas and beautiful lakes – NOT for having much wifi! That and we were busy!! Our last posting to the blog was not done until we returned home, so be sure to go back and read it also! Now, where were we??? Oh, yes - - the races!!
Sunday was our day to move from the Waterways so our little caravan moved on – actually up and over to park down the road from Mel and Donna’s log home on Carp Lake. The 2nd leg of the boat race was to begin at noon so we climbed into their van and hustled on down to the town of Indian River where H found us a good spot right in town and on a curve of the river to watch the boats race by! The day was getting sunny and warm so it was a good thing there was a gentle breeze coming up the river. And the spray from a close passing boat didn’t hurt either!! We were CLOSE!! This day’s race was 42 miles long and again started in Burt Lake. They went west thru Crooked River and Alanson, turning around in Crooked Lake, which is at the very end of the Inland Water Route. Back thru the Crooked River, across Burt Lake, thru the Indian River to a turnaround in Mullett Lake - returning once more thru Indian River and finishing up back in Burt Lake. The challenge of the 2-day course resides in the combination of lake and river waters. Drivers are required to maneuver their crafts around winding curves, thru rough-waved waters, all while watching for other boaters and docks, along with sand bars and broken stumps hidden beneath the surface of the water. There are 6 classes with drivers from ages 9 up to seniors; boats ranging from 10ft to 12ft, weighing from 290 lbs (for the 9 yr olds) to 505 lbs, and outboard engines from 15 cu in to Merc 55s. Speeds ranged from 45mph to 68 mph! There was even a class for inflatables and they had 2 orange bodies on board, steering or leaning to keep the boat level – or level as possible!!
After the race, Donna fed us well, as always! Before the sun was setting, we bid our friends goodbye again and headed south as far as Petoskey where we parked overnight for free in the well lighted, secure parking area of casino there. We “donated” our $1 to the penny slots and then went out to get a good night’s rest.
Monday started out in rain and a little fog but we finished the next leg of our journey in the sunshine to wait in line to get the next to the last non-electric camp spot available in the Platte River National Park Campground, just south of the Sleeping Bear National Dunes. This time we put the kayaks in the water up by the bridge and were both surprised at how much longer the ride was by boat than by car! We slid thru the clear waters on a swift currant most of the time and even paddled out onto the clear blue expanse of Lake Michigan. Of course that also meant we had to paddle back up stream a ways - against the strong currant to the boat ramp to take our trusty orange crafts out of the water!!
Tuesday, it was time to go exploring the neighborhood of Empire, the town just to the north. We found the beach and park complete with a petite white lighthouse. We saw signs that read Empire Bluff Trail and H agreed, after much persuading, to hike it to the overlook. He thought the sign said 1.5 miles each way but was actually the total of the round trip. To hear him whine and grump - - it was 11.5 miles each way!! The up and down hill hike was well worth the view - looking down thru the windswept trees at Sleeping Bear and the Lake Michigan shoreline. A drive further north thru Glen Arbor and around the lake there was completed with a stop at a local vegetable market that was an old blue Dodge pickup truck, parked by the side of the road, with a self serve money bucket in the bed, next to a pile of fresh picked sweet corn. Delicious!
No trip to that area can be done without a stop over at Silver Lake Dunes and a camping night at the city park in Hart. Of course, Wednesday afternoon was spent on the dunes! Thursday morning we headed down Rt 31 to US 96 and home. And you know the rest - - laundry, wash vehicles, empty trailer, weed the garden, pick tomatoes, etc, etc! Now – go read the blog that precedes this one!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Northern Michigan
It’s COOL way up this far north but at least now the sun is shining most of the time. High temps are barely into the 70’s. When our chores and errands for the day were finished, the boat was slid down the ramp and into the clear water and the bow was pointed to Mullett Lake and then along the western coastline of the lake where the water was calmer. Topinabee is the small town that is half way along the 10-mile long lake that has a public park with a new boat dock and play area. Across the street are an old hardware store and the local gas station/snack store. Too bad it wasn’t time for ice cream yet. According to some of the natives around here, Topinabee is so named because the “B” line train from Detroit Michigan used to end there – the “top” of the line. And we’ve been advised more than once that the correct pronunciation is: Top-nah-bee and NOT: Top-in-AH-bee.
Back at the “mobile motel”, I baked a peach crisp and we took to meet Joel and Carol, our friends we met on South Padre Island, Texas. (See our past Texas blogs and from our trip up north last fall!) They live in the UP but have a sweet little cottage out on Mullett Lake but by road it is just across the bridge (right here by the campground) and down a dead end road a mile or so. It was so good to see them again and renew our friendships. We ate and gabbed and ate and gabbed some more. The dinner, ofcourse, was delicious!
Thursday was cool again, but still sunny. H drove the half-mile up to Rt 27 and filled the tanks on the boat and the Jeep. This time on the water, we headed straight across Mullett Lake and H was calling the depth markings like a boatman down on a Mississippi river boat- only these sounding had 3 digits – like - 110! Our outing took us to downtown Indian River where, as always, we docked the boat and walked the few blocks to shop a bit. Out on Burt Lake, it was windy with quite a chop so it was back to the quieter rivers!
Friday, Mel and Donna (Mel is ANOTHER one of H’s school buddies!) were finally back home from their trip south – to Swanton, Ohio - so we spent a delightful day together. Donna and I always need more time to catch up but we gratefully took what we had! I love riding in the stern of the boat with a lady friend while the 2 old codgers in the front seats do the heavy work of driving the boat and getting us secured at any dock. This time in Topinabee it WAS time for ice cream and a stop at the local 2nd hand store for some gently used treasures. Back at the campground the day was finished off nicely with a cookout and more conversation.
Saturday was the 1st leg of the 61st Top O’ Michigan Marathon Nationals which is rated as the World’s Toughest Outboard Race and we were going to watch it from the RR bridge (right next to the campground that crosses the Cheyboygan River. The morning was gray and cool and the rain stopped just in time. The gracious owners of the Waterways Campground put on a lovely hotdog, chips, fresh veggies and homemade cupcake picnic for everyone in the campground and before we were done chowing down, we heard the whine of the 1st boat in the race. There was plenty of room on the broad span of bridge for anyone willing and each would have a good spot to see the race. We could see up and around the curve as they approached, sometimes skidding around the bend and thru a patch of weeds. We just had to turn around and look downstream, towards the Rt 33 bridge and Cheyboygan, to see then racing back – sometimes with only the bottom of the motor being in the water!
The 1st leg of the race is 45 miles long, starting in Burt Lake and running thru the entire length of Indian River into Mullett Lake and across the western shoreline. From there it is up the full length of the Cheyboygan River to a turnabout by the city dam and then returns over the same course to a finish line in Burt Lake. On Sunday, they run the opposite direction!
Back at the “mobile motel”, I baked a peach crisp and we took to meet Joel and Carol, our friends we met on South Padre Island, Texas. (See our past Texas blogs and from our trip up north last fall!) They live in the UP but have a sweet little cottage out on Mullett Lake but by road it is just across the bridge (right here by the campground) and down a dead end road a mile or so. It was so good to see them again and renew our friendships. We ate and gabbed and ate and gabbed some more. The dinner, ofcourse, was delicious!
Thursday was cool again, but still sunny. H drove the half-mile up to Rt 27 and filled the tanks on the boat and the Jeep. This time on the water, we headed straight across Mullett Lake and H was calling the depth markings like a boatman down on a Mississippi river boat- only these sounding had 3 digits – like - 110! Our outing took us to downtown Indian River where, as always, we docked the boat and walked the few blocks to shop a bit. Out on Burt Lake, it was windy with quite a chop so it was back to the quieter rivers!
Friday, Mel and Donna (Mel is ANOTHER one of H’s school buddies!) were finally back home from their trip south – to Swanton, Ohio - so we spent a delightful day together. Donna and I always need more time to catch up but we gratefully took what we had! I love riding in the stern of the boat with a lady friend while the 2 old codgers in the front seats do the heavy work of driving the boat and getting us secured at any dock. This time in Topinabee it WAS time for ice cream and a stop at the local 2nd hand store for some gently used treasures. Back at the campground the day was finished off nicely with a cookout and more conversation.
Saturday was the 1st leg of the 61st Top O’ Michigan Marathon Nationals which is rated as the World’s Toughest Outboard Race and we were going to watch it from the RR bridge (right next to the campground that crosses the Cheyboygan River. The morning was gray and cool and the rain stopped just in time. The gracious owners of the Waterways Campground put on a lovely hotdog, chips, fresh veggies and homemade cupcake picnic for everyone in the campground and before we were done chowing down, we heard the whine of the 1st boat in the race. There was plenty of room on the broad span of bridge for anyone willing and each would have a good spot to see the race. We could see up and around the curve as they approached, sometimes skidding around the bend and thru a patch of weeds. We just had to turn around and look downstream, towards the Rt 33 bridge and Cheyboygan, to see then racing back – sometimes with only the bottom of the motor being in the water!
The 1st leg of the race is 45 miles long, starting in Burt Lake and running thru the entire length of Indian River into Mullett Lake and across the western shoreline. From there it is up the full length of the Cheyboygan River to a turnabout by the city dam and then returns over the same course to a finish line in Burt Lake. On Sunday, they run the opposite direction!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Up North Again
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!
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!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Our international cruise
Now, we all know that a plain old “boat ride” should not necessitate documentation for a whole blog page. However - this one does! We have been attempting for the last several years to get my now ex State Farm Boss, Dana and his wonderful wife Chris to join us on a boat ride up the Detroit River and back. When you are a great agent like he is and a busy family man besides – that is a VERY difficult feat to accomplish, but it finally happened. And what a perfect day it turned out to be!
H slid the 20ft Citation into the beautiful aqua blue water of the Detroit River at Trenton, Michigan, just north of the bridge that goes out to west side of Grosse Isle, a long narrow island graced with many beautiful, grand old homes, some from the late 1800’s, and most of which have boathouses or at least boatlifts extending out into the river. Once past the lengthy Isle, H and Dana maneuvered the boat into Canadian waters on the right side of the river and we passed under the stately Ambassador Bridge which leads from downtown Detroit USA to Windsor, Ontario Canada on the south east side of this expansive curving river. (Imagine- going SOUTH out of the USA to arrive in Canada!) At the same time we passed a freighter headed to some distant port farther up the coast of Michigan or maybe even Minnesota or Wisconsin. We cruised up the river past the waterfront parks, homes and even the distillery where Hiram Walker is distilled. Up past Peche (Peach) Island, where H and I once anchored overnight in a protected little cove, and then out onto the sparkling Lake St Clair and NE to another favorite spot of ours – Belle River Ontario where we secured the boat in the great little marina and after reporting in to customs, walked 2 blocks to town for lunch. Edna’s Café is just a small family run restaurant with great food, good prices and an extremely good-natured owner who waits upon you personally! His wife Edna assists him but we don’t think she speaks much English!
The winds picked up on our way back across the corner of the lake and it’s a good thing we were traveling with the wind instead of against it! As the boat danced on the waves – H and D were getting bounced, while Chris and I had a much smoother ride from the back seats. Yep, she did get wet tho, whenever the wind caught the spray from the boat! As we returned downriver, H kept to the Michigan side and we were able to view downtown Detroit and its array of buildings, up close, especially the shiny glass cylinders of the GM Building. Once past the city and the steel mills on the south end, we made a gas stop before weaving back between the shallows of the many islands in that section of the river and re-entered Canadian waters to view Boblo Island. This island once held a popular amusement park and now is occupied by huge mansions and is accessible only by ferryboat from Amherstburg Ontario. Duffy’s Tavern is right across the channel from Boblo Island and is the main US-Canadian customs point for boaters on the south end of the river. A refreshment stop was called for which then needed a walk along the main street to view the nicely refurbished downtown area, complete with artfully arranged floral pots on the sidewalks and the gigantic overflowing hanging containers on most of the utility poles. Our stroll thru downtown was topped off by returning to the boat via the old Navy Fort area which very wisely was turned into a riverside garden, full of many multi colored blooms and a walkway which wound thru it and then alongside the channel of swift moving aqua water. Once back aboard we entered the very northern tip of Lake Erie- just to say we did and then D with chart in hand, guided H thru another set of shallow waters, back to the Michigan waters and the boat launch in Trenton. Traffic on I75 flowed easily as did more conversation from both the front and the back seats! Back home, we gave D & C a very quick tour of my garden and flowerbeds and off they rushed to their next exciting event – their son was playing in a tennis match and needed his best cheerleaders there!
Keep watching. In a few weeks the “mobile motel” and the boat will be back on the road again for our next adventure!
H slid the 20ft Citation into the beautiful aqua blue water of the Detroit River at Trenton, Michigan, just north of the bridge that goes out to west side of Grosse Isle, a long narrow island graced with many beautiful, grand old homes, some from the late 1800’s, and most of which have boathouses or at least boatlifts extending out into the river. Once past the lengthy Isle, H and Dana maneuvered the boat into Canadian waters on the right side of the river and we passed under the stately Ambassador Bridge which leads from downtown Detroit USA to Windsor, Ontario Canada on the south east side of this expansive curving river. (Imagine- going SOUTH out of the USA to arrive in Canada!) At the same time we passed a freighter headed to some distant port farther up the coast of Michigan or maybe even Minnesota or Wisconsin. We cruised up the river past the waterfront parks, homes and even the distillery where Hiram Walker is distilled. Up past Peche (Peach) Island, where H and I once anchored overnight in a protected little cove, and then out onto the sparkling Lake St Clair and NE to another favorite spot of ours – Belle River Ontario where we secured the boat in the great little marina and after reporting in to customs, walked 2 blocks to town for lunch. Edna’s Café is just a small family run restaurant with great food, good prices and an extremely good-natured owner who waits upon you personally! His wife Edna assists him but we don’t think she speaks much English!
The winds picked up on our way back across the corner of the lake and it’s a good thing we were traveling with the wind instead of against it! As the boat danced on the waves – H and D were getting bounced, while Chris and I had a much smoother ride from the back seats. Yep, she did get wet tho, whenever the wind caught the spray from the boat! As we returned downriver, H kept to the Michigan side and we were able to view downtown Detroit and its array of buildings, up close, especially the shiny glass cylinders of the GM Building. Once past the city and the steel mills on the south end, we made a gas stop before weaving back between the shallows of the many islands in that section of the river and re-entered Canadian waters to view Boblo Island. This island once held a popular amusement park and now is occupied by huge mansions and is accessible only by ferryboat from Amherstburg Ontario. Duffy’s Tavern is right across the channel from Boblo Island and is the main US-Canadian customs point for boaters on the south end of the river. A refreshment stop was called for which then needed a walk along the main street to view the nicely refurbished downtown area, complete with artfully arranged floral pots on the sidewalks and the gigantic overflowing hanging containers on most of the utility poles. Our stroll thru downtown was topped off by returning to the boat via the old Navy Fort area which very wisely was turned into a riverside garden, full of many multi colored blooms and a walkway which wound thru it and then alongside the channel of swift moving aqua water. Once back aboard we entered the very northern tip of Lake Erie- just to say we did and then D with chart in hand, guided H thru another set of shallow waters, back to the Michigan waters and the boat launch in Trenton. Traffic on I75 flowed easily as did more conversation from both the front and the back seats! Back home, we gave D & C a very quick tour of my garden and flowerbeds and off they rushed to their next exciting event – their son was playing in a tennis match and needed his best cheerleaders there!
Keep watching. In a few weeks the “mobile motel” and the boat will be back on the road again for our next adventure!
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