FTJ, Entry 118: Pure Michigan...Boredom?

We have not blogged in quite a while, mainly because there was not a whole lot to say. After the wondrous Badlands, we whipped through the rest of South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, landing in Michigan...in the middle of nowhere: the Upper Peninsula (that separate part of the state right above Wisconsin). Jesus Mary and Joseph, it is remote -- and sooooo BORING. I liked one comment I saw online that I will steal to describe the Upper Peninsula.: "Unless you are in the witness protection program, there is nothing here for you." Precisely how I felt about the "U.P." The Yoopers, as the locals are called, apparently live there solely to fish, hunt, and ride ATVs and snowmobiles. Blecch. Sounds like hell on earth to yours truly.

Beau adds: While we breezed right through southern Minnesota, it was through some of the most beautiful, picturesque rolling green farmland you can possibly imagine. Boring, but beautiful. I think Laura napped thru most of it because there are no pictures of it. DANG!

We stayed in the most remote part of Yooper land just long enough (one night -- we shortened our stay) for Beau to see the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum and the locks in Sault Sainte Marie, known as Soo Locks. Whoopee.

Okay, the story of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior was interesting...along with all the other stories of wrecks and the courageous lifesavers out on Whitefish Point. (Hey, Beau enjoyed it.)

As the sign says, since navigation began on Lake Superior, there have been more than 550 wrecks. More vessels were lost in the Whitefish Point area than any other part of Lake Superior. Apparently, there is more congestion here and more visibility issues from fog, forest fires, and snow. Add that to the fact that the lake can build up some huge and dangerous waves -- can you spell disaster?

Whitefish Point on Lake Superior was the site of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, made famous by the singer Gordon Lightfoot. And if you have never heard of this song or of Lightfoot, you are culturally illiterate. (Just kidding, of course. You're just younger than us. And it pisses us off....)

The light at Whitefish Point.

Bell from the Edmund Fitzgerald.

A beautiful Fresnel lens from the lighthouse.

On the Whitefish Point beach, Lake Superior.

Giant rudder from the ship MM Drake.

Some photos from Soo Locks, in Sault Ste. Marie, right across the river from Canada. The locks allow ships to travel from Lake Superior to other Great Lakes -- Lake Michigan.and Huron. Amazing technology, first installed here in 1855.

Soo Locks.

In the Soo Locks visitor center. The photo is an aerial view of the locks.

"Aw" Fudge!

Our next stops were Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island. Back to civilization, huzzah huzzah! 

Here we found out that we would announce ourselves as tourists -- "Fudgies" -- if we pronounced the "c" at the end of the name of the island -- Mackinac is pronounced MackiNAW. Another educational lesson. Begs the question: Why not just name the damned island Mackinaw? Jeesh.

Oh yes, why "Fudgies"? BECAUSE THERE HAVE TO BE 40 FUDGE SHOPS IN MACKINAW CITY/MACKINAC ISLAND. It's ridiculous.

Fudge to the left of me, fudge to the right of me. For god's sake, enough already. There were big butts and big guts (ours included) up and down every street. Stop eating the fudge, people!

The tourists must buy fudge by the ton, apparently. But why they need so many shops, and how they support all of them, is beyond me. You would think some retail diversification would be good for the area -- and the tourists' waistlines.

You can tell I am a bit cranky. Been that way since we crossed the Mississippi River and headed east. I miss the West.  

Oh give me a home, where the buffalo roam....

But I digress.

Going over "Big Mac" -- what they call the bridge over the Straits of Mackinaw.

Our site at the Mackinaw City KOA -- nice park.

We spent a day at one of Mackinaw City's bigger tourist attractions, Colonial Michilimackinac, the site of a French fort dating from 1715 that became the major fur trading center of the Northwest until it was relocated to Mackinac Island by the British in 1781. It is now the site of the longest, ongoing historical archaeology program in the United States. Every summer since 1959, archaeologists have been excavating and analyzing discoveries from Michilimackinac.

At historic Colonial Michilimackinac. Again with the different spelling. Annoying.

Where is Beau's hand and why is this lady smiling?

It was very cold and windy the day we visited.

Beau and I think a sedan chair like this should be offered to us upon our arrival back in Stamford. You know, parade us around the neighborhood like visiting dignitaries. Then call 911 for the porters.

The ferry to Mackinac Island.

 

Big Mac from the water. It is an amazing structure -- the third longest suspension bridge in the world. It is the longest one between anchorages in the Western hemisphere. Beau seems to remember that the ferry boat pilot said the piling supports for the main towers are in 300 feet of water.

Nice view of the Mackinac Island shoreline.

 

The magnificent Grand Hotel on the island, where they filmed Somewhere in Time with Chris Reeves and Jane Seymour. A romantic place and a romantic movie. But they charge touristos like us 10 bucks apiece just to go inside and gawk. We passed...

 

The Grand, which at dinner requires ties and coats for gentlemen and dresses, no slacks, for ladies, is aptly named.

Some other photos from our trip to the island, and the carriage ride we took. No vehicles are allowed on Mackinac Island, adding to its quaint beauty. I think they said there were 300 working horses on the island. There are people whose job it is to run around with wheelbarrows and shovels to clean up after the creatures. The air on the island is quite fragrant, as you can imagine.

 

The typical look of an inn on the island. They are just drop-dead gorgeous, like the entire town.

 

Seabiscuit Cafe, where we lunched on the island. (How funny that I captured a Weight Watchers commercial on the TV by accident. A quest to stop the fudge?) The photo of Seabiscuit in the corner is significant, in that the original owner of the place-- a vet -- was there for that race and is behind Seabiscuit in the photo.

Love this shot of Beau and Buddy sleeping. This happens every morning.

We are now in Traverse City, Michigan. Kind of a nice place. And the park we are in, on Silver Lake, is one of the nicest we have been to yet. But the weather on the way here was depressing. First rainy day we have had in months.

On the Old Mission peninsula above Traverse City, alongside Lake Michigan.

Mission Point Lighthouse.

Lake Michigan was pretty low. Not sure why.

In one week, we will come full circle in our grand adventure -- back to the Karp's driveway in Stamford, Connecticut. We are SO excited to see all our friends and family. But we did not miss this cold damp weather. Yuck.

See all of you soon.

Tanks, Panky