July 8 area travels

Today was kind of a take it easy day. I toured around the area and went thru the ice Breaker Mackinac ( retired in 2906) .
Made a trip down tho a town named Petosky(Thats a good spelling Don) It was about 30 miles south of here. One of the ladies in the office told me it was an interesting drive. Jt was interesting. it went past two lakes that had summer homes all around them. Then it went down along an arm of Lake Michigan, very pretty scenery. Interrestingly there were several golf and ski resorts along the way because the road went thru some hilly land. The big surprise was the town. It was right along the lake.,but it showed on the map as a very small place, Veryhard to find on the map. It was anything but small, seemed like a good sized town with a nice center and a couple of shopping malls. Even had a super Walmart and Lowes,and Hone Depot. plus others. I was able to replenish my supplies in Walmart.
After I got back and ate lunch, I started out down the shore of Lake Huron. Jt was not nearlyso developed. First town of any size was Cheboygen. It was fairly big and along a river, only thing of real interest was the new, Ice Breaker Mackinac that was stationed there. I came back to Mackinaw city and decided to tour the old ice breaker (third [pic), It was interesting to see the internal working of the ship.
While I was on the stern, I took the first pic of the macinac bridge. The last pic is of the marina where the ferrys dock for trip ti Macinac island.
Tomorrrow I,m moving up to sault ste marie for two days and three nights.

July 7 trip to mackinac island

I'll try to make this understandable. Today started out cold about 55 degrees and with wind,but since I was here I decided to go ahead over to Mackinac Island.
It was an easy 15 minute boat ride over.I had expected only a tourist place, but When I got started with a Horse drawn carriage tour of the Island, I found it to be more than a tourist spot. (first part of the carriage tour was in a cart like the one in picture no,8) It became apparent that this had been an important island and stopping place since indian days before white men came. Then it was a fur trading point for the early trappers. Soon the British built Fort Mackinac to control the area and the westward access,rhen the town grew up around it. After the revolutionary war in 1797 the americans took over the fort, Then in the war of 1812 the first battle of the war was fought here with the english retaking the fort and holding it until after the peace treaty. Jacob Astor was the principal fur buyer for many years here, After the civil was,the island became a tourist attraction and summer place as the fur trade died. The army kept a post here for many years, and it was declared the second national park made. Later it was given to the state of Michigan as a park and to this day it is largely a state park,
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Now to the pics: The first one is of the famous grand Hotel from the water. The second is of the city and the entrance lighthouse from the water. The third one is the city docks with the fort on top of the hill. The fourth on is a closeup of the Grand Hotel. YOU must pay a fee to just go in if you are not a guest , ten dollars. Thats to keep out the common folk. There were two movies made here, one in 1947 with Ester Williams and a second one in 1979. They have a vip suite in the back that rents for 3600.00 per night, Elvis Prestly used to come here regularly.
The fifth picture is of the old lighthouse at the harbor entrance and Round Island Round Island is all Hiawatha national forest. The sixth pic is a hotel on the waterfront. The seventh pic is a view of the main street. The eight pic is a hotel on main street with one of the horse carriages like are used for part of the island tour. The ninth pic is a better view of this hotel. The tenth pic is anothe view of main street. The eleventh pic is a view of the state port at the east end of main street. Twelvth is a duplicate of eleven. thirteenth is firing the canon at the fort. This is just a cerimonil reenactment for show by costumed characters. The fourteenth pic is a view of the state port from the fort. The fifteenth is a view of the town from the fort. The sixteenth is three of the soldiers actors at the fort that had just put on a musket firing demonstration. Seventeenth is a pic of the fort entrance. Eighteenth is a pic of the north side of the island. tHE ninteenth is a picture of the unique three horse carts the were built by the rv manufacturer Jayco for the island cariage company to take tourists on the second part of the carriage tour of the state park forest area, some grave yards, and military areas that were used be British and American soldiers. no. 20 is of a butterfly house for a collection of butterflys=dont ask me how this fits the area, but there it is. No, 21 is another view of main street. No,22 is a view of the mackinac island bridge that connects lower Michigan with the upper Peninsula.
All in all it turned out to be an interesting day. Started out cold,but warmed up later. The town is touristty, but interesting. There are no cars or motorized vehicles, except and ambulance, and a fire truck. There aregolf carts on the course at the grand hotel, but a $500.00 fine if you get out of the course. You can see horse drawn carts moving the luggage from the hotels to the boats. Most of the seasonal labor appears to be college kids for the summer. Its a place I think Anita and Lindsay would realyl like.
After i got started,I had a good visit. Learned a lot. It surprised me how big a role this place had played in early american history.
Forgot to tell everybody I'm so far north that it doesnt get dark until about 10:15 pm.

mackanaw city july 6 2009

Today was a travel day. Had no problems with car or the trailer, except the wind really got to blowing toward the end and bounced me around a bit. The trip was interesting.i was watching the farms go by infairly flat land and thinking Michigan was really a farm state. something I had never thought about. Then about Mile 193 on I 75 the whole thing changed, THe land became rolling hills and covered with some kind of forest growth. It became dense forest forest for the rest of the way up here. At some point I saw a sign that I had just crossed the 45th parallel-1/2 way to the north pole. The day started out sunny and about 72 degrees, it became cooler as I came north until it was\53 degrees. Gradually the sky had become cloudy also. Until it was spitting rain when I got here, Now ( evening it is raining hard).
I hope it clears up tomorrow, I want to go to Mackinac island on the ferry for the day.Then Wednesday I can look around here and see some other things. I should get some interesting pics tomorow of the island and maybe the big bridge.
Thursday I am going on th Sault Ste Marie to see the Soo Canals and Go over to Canada for a Daytrip. That should produce some interesting pics also.
I will be staying at Aune-Osborn rv park at Sault Ste Marie- right on the lake by th canals.
until Tomorrow.

Sunday evening July 5 2009

The first picture is of the covered bridge leading to the Bavaian Hotel. IT was fabricated on land by a 70 year old man and his son over two years, while the foundations were being put in by another commpany. The bridge is put togather entirely by pegs except for the nails in the shingles on the roof. When the bridge was completed on land, it was jacked up and put on rollers, then a block and tackle assembly was fastened to a capspan on the other side of the river and two oxen turned the capspan for twelve days to get the bridge across the supports, when it was across, it was lowered into place.
The second pic is of bronners christmas store. This store is open all year around sellling nothing but christmas things. they have anything you can imagine for christmas. Although the pic doesnt show it this store covers an acre and a half, it wraps around it an elbow shape. Big place.
I think i've about looked Frankenmuth out. Tomorrow I'm moving to mackinaw city for three nights and plan to go over to mackkinac island one day.
Thats it from here for today.

frankenmuth sunday July 5 in am

Sunday morning
I didnt post last night because the internet was down here.
This town is like a fairy tale or something from disneyland. Every fairly new building is in the Bavarian style, even Mc Donnalds. I have included some pics today and will try to send somemore tonight. The last pic is of a hotel,restaurant, and outdoor beer garden on the main street. The one above it is of Zenzers chicken restaurant, gift shop,etc. (almost every business has a gift shop). The one above that is a view across the river of a tourist shop area. There are parks and open spaces everywhere. The next one up is a view of the walk along the river. Talk about turning a sows ear into a silk purse. THis is a dike that the corp of engineers built in 1955 to keep the town from flooding during the spring melt. Its a really beautiful walk. The third one from the top is a view across the river to the Bavarian Hotel,another large open space. The second one from the top is a front view of the Bavarian hotel on the other side of the river. There is an old time wooden bridge that connects this hotel and a town park to the main part of the city. Pics of bridge tonight. The first pic is the HENRETTA II of Fraankenmuth. Its a nice boat that takes about an hour tour of the river with the usual spiel about the area. i went yesterday afternoon and it was interesting and pleasant.
I'm really glad I came here. John Zimmermen (Betty's son) had said it was an intereting place and he loved it. (He is working up in Saganaw at a hospital there, but is gone to Texas right now so I missed him).
I'm going out today to look around the town some more. Its a small town with a population of 2400, but every sreet is tree lined and the homes are all neat with well groomed lawns. The town parks are very well kept, and even the local schools look very nice with soccer fields,baseball diamonds and the local high school football stadium look nice. It main street usa as one would imagine it. The one major exception is the White Star milling company just off of the main street. Its a typical flour mill and stands out. They are the major miller of Michigan White wheat tha goes to many bakers including Sarah Lee.
Until later.

July 3 2009

Missed a day yesterday (July 2) because the owner at the koa where I was staying didnt like the idea of me uploading pics while they were trying to handle reservations on their dsl line. Seem he was on the end of the line and it really slowed down.
Yesterday I went ot the Gerald ford museum in Grand rapids. It was inpressive, The pics were taken there.
The first pic is of the memorial outside.The second
is the cabinet room in the white house. The third is his oval office. The fourth is the presidential seal in the lobby, The fifth is a piece of the berlin wall. amd the last is the outside of the museum. There were a lot of things from his trips, and his wifes gowns,and news stories pertentant to his time in office, Well done , but not terriably exciting.
Left this morning for Jellystone park in Frankenmuth. No problems arriving, a fairly easy drive over, Haven't had a chance to look around yet, but this seem to be be a nice well run place. Fireworks tonight.Going to be here until the ninth and then I'm going to Mackinacaw city until the 13 th when i plan to go on up to Sault Ste Marie.
Until Tomorrow,

July 1 at Ludingdton

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Went to Ludington today. Weather ws still cold and it drizzled all day. Temp was 53 at beach in Ludington. Not a nice day wind was off of the lake at about 10 mph.
The first pic is of Ludington state park and the dunes, it was a shame that the weather was so cloudy that you could barely see the dunes. As far as i could see these dunes are better and more of them than the dunes at Cape Cod.
The second pic is of the harbor entrance and the lighthouses marking it. The haze and mist make it hard to see. There was a ship out in the lake, but you cant see it in the pic. There wern not many bathing suits at the beach.
The last series of pics are taken at a place called
White Pine Historic Site. It was a collection of buildings that had old items in them pertaining to the theme of the building. The little building needs no introduction.The next one is the hardware store and looking down the street. The next one is of the fireouse, it had several old engines inside. The last one is of some historic statue that was taken from in front of the town hall andd refurbished. THe place was interesting in that it indicated the loging backkground of the area in the late 1800's and life in the area at the time. I didn't know that there had been a maple syrup business in the area in earlier days.
Ludington seems to be mainly a tourist type town. The down town was full of little shops and cafes. Many of the homes in the area were tucked back in lanes or small roads leading to them. However it was a clean well laid out town and seemed to be well maintained.
If it had not been such a miserable day this would have been a good visit.
Tomorrow I plan to go to Grand Rapids and the Gerald Forde museum.