Lake Michigan!!

Mackinac Island, MI to Leland, MI

8/2/13

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been a little disappointed with this blog.  I mean, it’s reasonably entertaining (I hope) and a decent record of what we’ve seen, where we’ve been, etc.   But, no tornadoes, no fires, no 4^th of July D.C. fireworks ....  But last night was a real event, even if it wasn’t a natural disaster.  I had just taken a shower and after dressing came out of the stateroom and up the four stairs to the living room, and sitting there were John and Midge Sweet and Midge’s sister, Chrise.   For those of you who don’t know, these are friends/neighbors from Inman Park.  My first thought was this was some complicated surprise arranged for me (how could it be a coincidence?) by Debi, but the truth was they were coming in on a tourist boat at the marina here in Leland MI.  Then they saw a boat from Atlanta GA – and getting off that boat was Debi!  Unless you knew what a small town this is, you wouldn’t believe how strange this was - and there was just a 30-second window of opportunity for this connection to happen!   It turns out they are spending a month at their family cottage in Northport, a nearby town, as they have for decades.  We had a great time catching up - even got in an introductory game of Maneuvers - and will visit their place in Northport tonight for dinner. 

Now backing up…

7/27/13

Left St. Ignace for the short ride across the straits to Mackinac Island – nice marina in the center of the action.  While there is plenty of touristy stuff here, it is really a beautiful and unique place to visit.  And 99+% of the island is undeveloped - the 8 mile bike ride we did around the perimeter of the island showed off some beautiful shoreline and bordering cliffs – and the Arch Rock. 

 

There’s also plenty of history – the centerpiece of which is Fort Mackinac – worthy of a couple of hours there this afternoon.    All in all, there is more to do here than I remembered from my previous visits.   Or maybe we’re just a little starved for activity.  In any case, we have decided to stay a second night.  

Speaking of history, tonight they had a vintage baseball game – set in the 1880’s.  Not just vintage uniforms and equipment, but also vintage rules and language.  Batters = strikers, out = dead.  Any ball caught on one hop, fair or foul, is a dead striker.  This made the catcher (the “behind”) an even more important fielder.   Instead of an organ, they had a live band playing the game tunes

And it is cool to be sitting on the boat, thinking about going to bed, and hearing Taps rolling down from the hill where the fort sits.  I guess it is bedtime. 

7/28/13

First, Debi went to church - historic island structure. 

Then, a real splurge - Sunday brunch at the Grand Hotel.   The last time I was on the island was 31 years ago for a conference at the hotel.  We took advantage of having grounds privileges, toured the whole hotel, wandered into the bars, played croquet on the grounds, strolled  through the gardens.  

That was followed by another bike ride through the woods, a visit to a butterfly conservatory, stops at a few galleries, and an 18 hole putting green course (very picturesque and unique).  I think we pretty much covered the Mackinac options, even if we didn’t buy fudge. 

7/29/13

We were away from the docks by 7:00 a.m. – trying to get to Charlevoix –  five hours away – before the winds got too heavy.  When we crossed under the impressive 4 mile Mackinac Bridge, we passed from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan.  I have to say, however, our first L. Michigan experience could have been better.  We knew when we left that it was a borderline day in terms of winds/waves.  Unfortunately, we landed on the wrong side of that border.  Although our fly bridge is pretty high off the water, we were soaked from the boat spray.  Water everywhere, things being tossed around the inside and on decks of the boat (including us – I was on my knees for a few moments) – but although we thought we lost a few things overboard, we found them (out of place).  So the only real casualty was a broken fruit bowl that crashed onto the galley floor – that plus a few bruises (me).  And for some inexplicable reason, Debi found all my efforts to catch and secure our belongings highly amusing – still does – she starts laughing every time she thinks of it!  This may have been the wildest ride we’ve had in 12 years of boating.  We will offer the Great lake a little more respect before leaving port in a day or two.

7/30/13

Charlevoix is wonderful – one of the northern Michigan communities whose population grows from 3,000 to 30,000 each summer.    We spent the day in extensive bike exploration.  The town is known for it’s fairybook “mushroom houses” – all built by the same guy about 100 years ago. 

Found a great bar with the first extensive draft beer menu I’ve seen in quite awhile.  I was quizzing the bartender while my neighbor was pushing his favorite - the Horny Monk.  I was about to choose another when he told the bartender to bring me the one HE liked – on his tab.  Turns out he is the owner of the Petoskey Brewing Company, so he was a bit biased.

But he was right – very tasty and we had a nice beer conversation.   I bought another one when we hit our next town – so his first-one-free marketing worked.

8/1/13

A four hour smoother (but still a bit choppy) ride to Leland.   The marina was completely renovated in 2010, a modern lounge and facilities, in front of a village that is a little gem – beautiful vistas of the cliffs of L. Michigan from our deck.  The town is somehow quaint and refined (boutiques, gourmet foods) at the same time. Touristy but authentic.  We will do extensive boat cleaning, inside and out, as we await our guests Steve and Mary (Friday) and daughter Emily (Saturday).  A great place to meet up, especially given that this is Mary’s home town. 

8/2

I need a separate section of the blog for my grumpy, though admittedly insignificant observations (see Gordon Lightfoot references).  Someone has to take over for Andy Rooney.  Near the top of this list would be this question – When did tourist stores selling knick–knacks get to start calling themselves galleries?   I like to visit galleries, but when I find that they are nothing but glorified souvenir shops…..   Relatedly, when did clever/inspirational signs (and they are EVERYWHERE) like “Welcome to Awesomeville - Population: Me” and “Life isn’t about avoiding the storm, it’s about learning to dance in the rain” get qualified as art?  Because if they aren’t art, why are they the primary inventory in a “gallery”?  Granted, we’ve purchase a few over the years, but before you could find them in 7/11’s.   I guess they are the snowglobes/coffee mugs/ashtrays of this era. 

8/3/13

Last night, the Sweets (see first paragraph) drove down from Northport to pick us up and bring us back to their lovely summer home on the lake.  It was a little jewel set back in the woods, with a boardwalk down to their beach.  A pre-dinner swim became an excuse to indulge in grilled delights, both Michigan lake trout and steaks.   Surf and turf?   Lake and steak?  John serenaded us with guitar and vocals while the rest of us followed dinner with, what else, Bananagrams (they’re everywhere!).

           

So, signing off from just another day in paradise...

Jim and Debi