Do you realize that I 75 has a lock at one end – the Soo
Locks in Sault Saint Marie Michigan and keys at the other end – a whole string
of them just south of Miami Florida! Go
ahead – get out your U.S. map and see for yourself! Last winter in Florida, H and I passed over or under that hectic,
traffic jammed roadway a lot and managed to stay off of it as much as
possible. Heading north into the tip of
the mitten of Michigan we tried to do the same - until we reached Grayling
Michigan. In the highway’s defense –
that section of cement north of Grayling and south of the city of Mackinaw, is
the prettiest stretch in the entire 1700 miles of it!
In order to stay off of either I 75 OR US 23 we chose to
drive state roads that led north on our annual trip “up north” - especially
since H and I had our own wagon train going – him in the truck, pulling the
trailer and me in the minivan with the boat.
Rt 50 is dotted with small farming towns and the Victorian town with an
Indian name – Tecumseh. Rt 52 is lined
with farm fields and small towns w/names like Chelsea and Stockbridge. A left turn onto Rt 21 in Owosso, led to
gently rolling hills and an easy traveling expressway - US 127. Farmlands gradually gave way to tall pine
forests!
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| Higgins lake south beach |
Just south of where US 127 joins with I 75 are two of the
prettiest and largest lakes in the state of Michigan. Houghton Lake is Michigan’s largest inland lake checking in with
over 22,000 acres of water and is over 5 miles wide in some areas. Higgins Lake, just to the north, is somewhat
smaller at only 3 miles wide, but has clear blue water and has been proclaimed
by National Geographic Society as the 6th most beautiful lake in the
world! We parked for 2 nights at the
West Houghton Lake Campground, which is a Passport America campground. The “facilities” are old but used to be kept
up much better. The road needed grading, the grass needed cutting and the
“facilities” needed cleaning! Neither H
nor I remembered smelling so much sulfur in the water before! We spent our two hot afternoons, out
exploring the circumference of both lakes with stops at most of the small
township parks and the 3 state parks – 1 on Houghton and 2 on Higgins. On future visits – either the north or the
south state parks on Higgins would get our votes!
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| Boat ramp at Houghton lake |
On our only morning there and before the heat of the day set
in, we slid the boat in the water at the DNR boat launch that was across from
the campground and cruised by the cottages and homes along the waters edge. The
waters were calm in the bays on the south side of the lake so it was a nice
ride. Part of the time we trolled for
whatever fish might choose to sample the generic taste of the rubber lures we
tossed out over the water. Only one
lunk of an underwater creature latched onto my lure. It hit like a big dead log and never fought until I had it almost
to the boat. It was no bass. And it was not a feisty bluegill
either. I had hooked a 20-inch, toothy
pike and H does NOT like pike in his boat!
He slid my knitted water bottle sleeve over his hand, grabbed the fish
right behind its ugly head, carefully removed the hook from its mouth full of
sharp teeth and then quickly flipped that slimy thing back into the water!
