My Trip Up North-The End

Thursday dawned--you guessed it--cold and cloudy. We had planned to go to Mackinac Island today but after we looked at the weather radar and the forecast, we decided to forget it. We did, however go to Mackinaw City. I was really kind of bummed because #1-I love the Island and haven't been there for awhile and #2 It is Lilac Time on the Island and I LOVE lilacs. That is the one things I miss about Sanibel. No lilacs.

There were some lilacs in Mackinaw City so I at least got my "lilac fix" and got to "Stop and Smell the Lilacs".

By the time we got to Mackinaw, it was pouring rain. So we decided to hit some stores. Oh my, big mistake. I found so many things I wanted to buy--and did! I even got some Christmas shopping done so I guess it wasn't all bad. My favorite movie is Somewhere in Time. It starred Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour and was filmed on Mackinac Island. We stayed at the Grand Hotel one night a long time ago--one night was all we could afford! But they have a museum there for the movie since much of the movie was filmed there and many stores on the island have lots of memorabilia from the movie. Luckily some stores in Mackinaw City have books too. I found a new one that I didn't have so, of course, had to buy it. The other two things we always buy when we go to Mackinaw is fudge and Pasties. (That is pronounced with a short a not a long a!!) We always get them at the Mackinaw Pastie and Cookie Company. You can buy them frozen so we got a half dozen to bring home. Can't wait to eat one.

This is where we bought our slice of Rocky Road Fudge. Yum!!! Just because it says Murdicks of Mackinac Island doesn't mean that they don't have stores all over northern Michigan.

This is one of three or four ferry services in Mackinaw which run to the island about every half hour.

This is the ferry that runs to the island.

We then headed down to the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse to view the Mackinaw Bridge. The bridge connects the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan and was finished in November 1957 making it almost 51 years old. Before that people had to take a ferry from Mackinaw City to St. Ignace.

The Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse.

That's Mackinac Island out there in the mist. You can faintly see the Grand Hotel.

A look at the Mighty Mac.

Another view of the Mighty Mac.

I think these guys followed me here from Sanibel.

Yeah, I recognize this guy. I think I got nipped by him a couple of times trying to put him in the tub at CROW.

After we got done in Mackinaw City, we drove down to Indian River to visit the Cross in the Woods. It is a beautiful shrine back in the woods. I hadn't been there in since I was a little girl. They now have a huge gift shop, a new church, and an outdoor worship area around the cross. Very impressive.

We then headed back to the cottage to pack and eat supper. We then went into Boyne City to Kilwin's for ice cream. I opted for a hot fudge sundae made with their homemade butter pecan ice cream and their own hot fudge. Oh my!! Back to the cottage where we watched about half of PS, I Love You on DVD. I say half because the DVD player died half way through!! Grrr!!

Anyway, Friday morning we got up early to hit the road. And of course, the sun was shinning just as bright as could be. It was 56 degrees when we left at 8:45 and it was 83 degrees when we got home! We decided to come home a less direct route. I wanted to drive down along Lake Huron since that was my "old stomping grounds" growing up. So we drove through Alpena, Oscoda, Tawas, and Omer which is called "the littlest city in the US". This is where I was born. Ok, everybody say oooo, ahhhh. We had a picnic lunch between Omer and Standish, then headed south on I 75. As we were heading south, it seemed like everyone from southern Michigan was heading north. I guess that's what they do on weekends.

No, this is not due to an accident. This is traffic heading up north for the weekend!

Anyway, that is just about it for our trip up north. Oh yeah, today--guess what? When I woke up Saturday morning, back home in Ohio, it was cold, cloudy and rainy!!! Geez! Huge thunderstorms in the afternoon. And of course, more storms on Sunday. But, finally, the sun is out today (Monday) and it is beautiful--at least for the moment.
Hope you all enjoyed my trip. I did, despite the weather. Thanks, Bob, for a great week.