Summer of 18-#43-Moving South, Problems & Paradise!!!!

Wednesday August 22nd, 2018

Today was another moving day.  We've had a hectic few days and are ready to start our journey south.

We made good time on packing everything up, and were ready to go earlier than normal.  That was a good thing because when we tried to put the slide outs in, they wouldn't move and the leveling jacks wouldn't retract.  This is all usually automatic with the push of a couple of buttons.  Fortunately, Bryan knew he needed to put hydraulic fluid in the jacks as this has happened before, and he always tries to make sure he has some in his supplies.

Bingo, the jacks came up, the slides came in and we were on our way.

Not far from the campground we went past Castle Rock, which is a lookout point that you can climb up.  We didn't have time to do it on this trip.

We hadn't got much further when one of our ceiling lights started to rattle.  This has also happened before.  I got up and tried to tighten it, which normally works.  It still rattled and then it suddenly just fell from the ceiling, and was hanging by the wires.  Not a good thing!!!!

We were just approaching the Mackinac Bridge and needed to stop to fix the light.  Fortunately there was a rest area just before the bridge which we went to.  It was a little off the road, and not visible from the road, but we managed to get there and park.

It was the most amazingly beautiful rest stop we have ever been in.

The screws holding the light up had come out.  Tempers were a little on edge, as we were both tense after the problems we had encountered already!!!

After Bryan confirmed to me that he didn't need me to help with the light, I went outside to give us both some space and take some pictures of this beautiful place.

Look at those beautiful colorful flowers with the Mackinac Bridge in the background, and a seagull in the foreground.

At the side was a small bay.

It was just a beautiful area, so peaceful for a rest area, and I walked around lost in my own little world.

Look at those colors

Suddenly, I noticed a lot of butterflies flying all around me and landing on the bushes.  The flowers were obviously butterfly attracting ones.  I was even more immersed in them, and the colors.  It really was like being in another world, and of course I was talking to the butterflies!!!

I got some closeups of the butterflies. Which is not easy for me, ha!!ha!!

There are at least three butterflies in this picture, although there were many more around.

Love this

Eventually I came back to the real world, and realized Bryan had probably finished fixing the light.  I took a picture of Lily parked in this amazing rest stop.

Bryan had finished the light, and I proceeded to tell him about the butterflies and how amazing it all was.  I think my happiness was contagious as he couldn't help but smile.  Isn't it amazing how these things happen, and we wouldn't have seen this amazing place if we didn't need to fix that light!!!

Off we went to tackle the bridge.  We paid our $14 toll fee and proceeded.

Cars queuing on the other side waiting to pay their toll.  Lake Michigan to the right and Lake Huron to the left.

There were still roadworks on part of the bridge and we had to drive on the grille part.

Here's a close up of the grid we were driving on.

We survived, the bridge is not as bad as some we have been on. 

I love the towns in Michigan.  They are all very similar and have an old fashioned feel to them.

Most of the route was like this.

with occasional peek-a-boo views of Lake Huron.

I often look at the clouds and see what I can make of them.  I can see a face in this one.  It reminds me of someone/something, maybe the abominable snowman???

Lots of red barns in Michigan.

Our drama for the day wasn't finished though.  As we were driving along we heard a noise, and I went to see what it was.  I found the freezer door had opened, and some of our frozen food had fallen out and was on the floor.  I quickly picked it all up and put it back in the freezer.  All while Bryan was driving along, quite a balancing act.  We were fortunate that it was the freezer, and not the fridge as no damage was done.  Imagine the milk falling out of the fridge, yuck!!!!

When we eventually got to the campground everything went well and we got setup in record time.  We will be at Campers Cove RV Park in Alpena, Michigan for a week, and are looking forward to some downtime.  Although there is a lot we want to do here as well, so stay tuned!!!!!

Summer of 18-#40-Lighthouses, Boats, Beaches & an Indian Burial Ground

Monday August 20th, 2018 continued- 2 of 2

After leaving Soo Locks, (see blog HERE if you haven't already read it) we went about half a mile down the road to see a lighthouse that was near the Coast Guard Station.

The John Johnston House was next to the lighthouse.

In 1988, the coastguard moved Frying Pan Island Lighthouse from the island, to be displayed next to the coastguard station here. 

We're not sure what this was but was on display in this area.

We stopped at this building a little further along the road.  It was a hydro plant but we thought the building was interesting.

We saw the research ship Lake Guardian.

The next lighthouse we went to find was by the ferry crossing to Sugar Island.

Little Rapids Cut (North Entrance) Lighthouse was next to the ferry crossing on our side of the river.

It was a strange lighthouse.

Channel Light

Ferry waiting to depart from Sugar Island

Cars debarking from ferry on our side, it was a short ride.

There was a sign by the ferry landing with a map of Sugar Island.

We watched the ferry load the cars from our side for their trip to the island.

There was a freighter coming up the river

As the freighter got closer we could see it was the MV Roger Blough

This guy was watching all the action.

We had one more lighthouse we wanted to see, it was further west on Lake Superior.  On the way, it started to rain and was quite heavy.  

Thankfully, it was a very quick shower and the skies started to clear.

Point Iroquois Lighthouse was on the Whitefish Bay Scenic Byway but we will need to explore that further when we come back to the Upper Peninsula another summer.

There were some colorful flowerbeds by the parking lot.

They attracted the bees.

Some good informational signs

The lighthouse wasn't open today and we were pleasantly surprised that someone had opened the 1950's exhibit.  

There were benches to sit and admire the view and a boardwalk down to the small beach.

Lake Superior

That is a seagull and not a dirty mark on your screen

Jan, from Petoskey, had told me to look for Lake Superior Stones on this beach.  So, like the good girl that I am, I looked for stones.

There were so many there, all different colors, shapes and sizes.  Here's what I got.  I will put them in my fairy garden.  

I did look for a Petoskey Stone while we were in Petoskey but this was the closest I got, just another rock!!!!

There was a tug pulling a barge going into Lake Superior.

Still looking for rocks!!!

Not sure what this is?

I can see a face in the tree trunk!!

We left the lighthouse and started on our way home.  We stopped to look at this old burial ground.  Here's a LINK to an article about the cemetery and the old pine tree.

On the opposite side of the road was a lake.

a model boat & lighthouse

and a statue honoring all Bay Mills Indian Community Veterans.

We continued our drive home and I tried to capture some of the beauty of the wild flowers and reeds alongside the roads.

The roads were like this most of the way.

We had another exciting but exhausting day.  

Once home, I felt terrible.  I had flu like symptoms & a bad back, which I think I got from the front seats in the motorhome. I took some NyQuil and went to bed.  Bryan had to refill his prescription box for the next week.  We both have to do this, and it takes a while with everything we take.  It's a wonder we don't rattle!!!  

Tomorrow, we would like to go and see two lighthouses in Mackinaw City but we will have to see how we feel.  We really needed longer at this location to give us a chance to have a rest day in between our outings!!!