Wisconsin

After leaving Mackanac, we crossed the 5 mile long Mackanac Bridge, supposedly one of the longest such bridges in the world and entered the UP or Upper Penensula. We learned that people in the UP refer to themselves as "yoppers" and to people who live below the bridge as "trolls" (because they live below the bridge).

We ended up near the little town of Munising, MI (137 mile for the day). We had hoped to stay in the Painted Cliffs National Lakeshore, but 2 out of the 3 campgrounds were closed, and it was nearly 30 miles to the one that was open. So we opted to stay in Bay Furnace park which is a US Forest Service Campground - our first in this type. It was nice, with large spaces.

We've passed signs denoting the 45th Parallel a couple of times. That's half way between the North Pole and the Equator. From the weather, it seems we're closer to the North Pole.

We had intended to stay two nights and go on a glass bottom boat to see some of the sunken boats, but the forecast (and fact) was for heavy rain. After realizing this, we decided to leave and at the last minute decided to go back via Wisconsin rather than back through Michigan.

We end up in another of Michican's great state parks, Wells State Park Campground (less than 100 miles today. We're probably not going to be able to continue at this pace much longer). Our site overlooks Lake Michigan. Tomorrow we'll probably end up around Milwaukee, WI. Maybe.

Saturday, June 12

We headed into Wisconsin today.
Another state we have neither been in before. It's pretty rolling country. As we passed Green Bay (the home of the Green Bay Packers), we took a right and headed away from Lake Michigan, with a vague notion of going to a neat sounding place, Lake Wennabogo. We have ended up at one of the most elaborate state parks we have seen, High Cliff State Park. It's on the Eastern side of Lake Wennabogo on (obviously) a high cliff.

We also stopped by a YMCA and I swam for the first time in several days. I was concerned how my right shoulder would do - night before last I woke up with it hurting quite a lot. It's still very sensitve, but I was able to swim a mile with no negative consequence.

We again have a very private camp site - however there are a lot of campers (tent and towables) here with lots of families and lots of kids. It's nice to hear all the fun and see the kids having a good time.

It's still pretty cool. We bought some firewood and for a good part of the evening sat around the fire reading.

Sunday, June 13

After a very slow start (waking up around 9), we got out the map and starting think about "where do I want to go today?" We wanted to avoid big cities like Milwaukee and Chicago, so picked a spot near Geneva Lake, WI called Big Foot Beach State Park. Turns out it's not to easy to find. We go through a lot of back country 2 lane roads, but the ride was interesting - much better than the "look the same everywhere interstates".

We passed several large wind turbine projects. We counted 45 from at one location. I guess that means the wind blows here.



Big Foot Beach Park is in the town of Geneva Lake, but it is quiet and peaceful. Looks like another night of rain. It's been overcast all day - but it is getting warmer as we move further south.

Monday, June 14

Another very slow starting morning. I found there was a YMCA in town, so after breakfast, we packed up and stopped by the Y for a swim.

We left Lake Genevaabout noon, stopped for lunch just inside Illinois and started generally in the direction of Indiana. I had studied the map, and it seemed there wasn't a reasonable option to following the interstate highways through Chicago. I really had no desire to get close to the town, but we ended up doing it. It was a nightmare. The traffic was like any miserable big city. Stop and go for about 20 miles, bumper to bumper. Why people are willing to live in places like that and put up with it is beyond me. The best view of Chicago (just like Raleigh, Boston, Washington, DC or any big city, is in the rear view mirror.

The highways are terrible and the scenary is even worse.

We drove about 130 miles, almost a record for recent travels. Clara identified a National Seashore (Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore)on Lake Michigan so we headed toward it. It has to be the absolutely worst Gateway to a National Park in the country, nothing like any other place we've been. The entry corridor is ugly and within a few feet of the entry to the campground is an awful looking house with trash and an old, rusting RV. It's hard to believe that this ever qualified for such a designation as a national park.

However, the campground is quite nice once we get in it - just like most everyone we've been in.

We enjoyed a nice evening with a fire and a 2 mile bike ride to the shores of Lake Michigan - after a couple a strong drinks. Today's drive was not fun nor very pretty.


Tuesday, June 15

It was a casual drive along some back country road to Bluffton, Ind. to a state park (Quebache State Park). We had contacted a couple earlier we knew from my pilot training days at Laredo AFB, Texas who were neighbors in the mobile home park there. We had visited them once after we moved to Blytheville Ark, but had lost contact with them over the years. Clara had looked them up on the internet.

The Gallmeyers, Hank and Carolyn live in Decatur (near Quabache State Park). We called them after we got settled and they came over and picked us up and we went to a nice restaurant in Fort Wayne to renew acquaintance and talk about all that has happened over the years.

Hank had flown with the Indiana Air National Guard. During his flying career, he had flown the F-84, F-100, F-4 and the F-16. Quite a career. He retired as a Lt. Col. His civilian jobs were in quality control.

Wednesday, June 16

We take a nice slow drive back to the Lantz's - only a couple hours away. Once again, we set up in their RV Park and now wait for the wedding of the Lantz's son, Cole, to be married on Saturday.

Michigan (Phase II)

Wednesday, June 9

After a rainy night at the KOA campground, we started slowly, eventually catching the 11:30 AM ferry to Mackinac, Island.




We finally found out why some places (Mackicaw City) are named with the AW on the end and others are (Mackanac Island) are named with an AC on the end. They are both pronounced the same way, but the past French influence, in which the C and Mackanac is silent, therefore sounds like AW. They both sound the same. Somewhat like BoFort NC and BuFort SC. Although they're spelled the same and pronounced different. So much for a lesson in enunciation.

After about a 20 minute ferry ride from Mackanaw City, we arrived at Mackinac Island. It is tourist and resort destination, with lots of history, lots of t-shirt shots, lots of fudge (for some reason we never figured out), and LOTS of horses. There are NO motorized vehicles on the island (except for a police car, ambulance, and fire truck, which are hidden). EVERYTHING (even UPS) moves by horse or bicycle.


We decided before we left that we would not take bikes, but opted to take a narrated horsedrawn carriage ride so as to learn about the place and see it in short order.




Having never done this before, we scrambled to get the best seats - right up front. However, we forgot a fundamental part of riding "behind" a horse.
It was an interesting day. Mackanac Island is unique in many respects, but in some ways just like any other tourist destination.