Snowshoeing in Northern Wisconsin - Day 2

After a great "1st time snowshoeing" experience the previous day hiking Mann Lake North of Minocqua, I was ready to venture out to a new spot in the North Woods. 

Thanks to some great resources I found on Facebook and the web, I  had several spot to choose from. Theresea at the Boulder Junction Chamber of Commerce suggested 
Van Vliet Hemlocks area, or the Catherine Wolters Wilderness Area.

The Minocqua Chamber of Commerce suggested checking out Minocqua Winter Park, west of town.

Michael Crowley, author of "Life in the Northwoods" web site and Facebook  site is a premiere photographer of the North Woods, and recommended checking out areas along the Manitowish River, as well as Bond Falls, just across the Wisconsin border in the UP of Michigan. 

Given the choices, I decided to venture further north, and check out the Bond Falls area. I headed out Tuesday morning at about 8:00am, knowing I had about a 90 minute drive, and knowing that an additional 2-3 inches of snow fell overnite. Amazingly, the roads were great to travel on, even when taking some of the county back roads after crossing into Michigan. It might have been that I probably only saw 6-8 vehicles on the roads to Bond Falls too, that made the driving easy! 

The countryside was amazing.. This is what you imagine winter in the North to be - trees covered with snow and frost, with snow at least a foot deep, So many times I was tempted to stop and take photos... but I knew it would take forever to get to Bond Falls if I did.

I arrived at Bond Falls about 9:30am. Other than a couple passes by the snow plow to clear the County road, there had been noone in this area this morning.

Bond Falls is a waterfall on the middle branch of the Ontonagon River, and part of the Bond Falls Flowage. The Michigan DNR manages this 90 acrea area, and requires a recreation passport to visit and view. Noone was at the site when I arrived, so I donned my extra apparel and cameras, hooked up my snowshoes, and headed out. The 1st thing I noticed was the additional snow. The snow depth in the Bond Falls area were at least 12-16". The area also required traversing some paths which had some substantial rise/fall in them. For a "2nd time snowshoer" this took a bit of getting used to, to avoid falling on my butt.. or even worse, into Bond Falls!

The area around the Falls has been improved with some walkways, to accommodate  access by all, including special needs.

Te following photos are a few of the views I was able to enjoy on my snowshoe hike.

After visiting the falls, I head back out the path leading to the DNR entrance. Fortunately, this road and parking area was closed off.... The road was incredibly steep, and I know I would have been able  to drive in, but likely not drive out! Even the walk up the hill, in snow shoes, and with 12-16" of snow, required a substantial bit of huffing and puffing on my part (ok, I'll admit it, a couple stops along the way, to catch my breath).

I made it back to the main road, and before heading back to the car, I decided to "off-road", and try wandering free style into the wooded camp area on along the flowage. You can see, by the photo to the left, there was ALOT of snow to walk thru. After about 15 minutes, the adventurist in me disappeared, and it was time to head back to the car. It was during this time, I kept thinking, why didn't I consider snowshoeing when I was 20 years younger!

My adventure to Bond Falls had come to an end. So glad I made the drive from Minocqua. Its absolutely beautiful up here in the Winter. I can only imagine what areas further North (Porcupine Mountains in the Upper Peninsula, Bayfield area and Apostle Islands, and the many, many forest trails throughout the North Woods). This is definitely a "must do" for anyone who enjoys the outdoors, and the amazing sights of Winter in the Northern United States.



















Before I end, I would be remiss if I didn't list my recommendations and "lessons Learned" from these two days of exploration (I know, the "engineer in me" does not go away).

Planning

• Find connections thru the web (or Facebook) to areas you are interested in exploring, and ask for their recommendations
• Check out State/National Park requirements - many/most will require parking pass and hiking pass
• Plan hikes to your level of fitness - snowshoeing requires MUCH MORE effort than regular hiking!

Equipment

• Find a friend or organization who will loan (or rent) snowshoes to you. Stores in the areas you are going will likely rent equipment. This will let you decide if investing in snowshoes is something you want to do.
• Use ski poles! These help with stability in areas with branches, rocks and enbankments. (it also amps up the workout to include your arms and upper body ... I know this 1st hand!)
• Wear a backpack that includes extra outerwear (jacket, gloves, mittens, stocking caps), and emergency supplies (whistle, flashlight, matches, compass)
• Carry a smart phone. It provides emergency contact capability if needed. 
• Download apps on your smart phone that provides gps location and tracking, as well as compass (Cary an extra phone battery if possible) 

Attire

• Dress in layers - its better to add/remove layers and store extra in backpack
• Bring both gloves and mittens - gloves work best with ski poles, but if cold, the mittens will work best for keeping hands warm
• Use "gaitors" to minimize snow on your pants and boots

Other

• Take a camera. You'll want to capture the experience
• Take some snacks. The workout in cold weather burns alot of calories
• DON'T RUSH -  take time to enjoy the beauty and mother nature at its finest!

Most of all, have a great time! 

I have loaded many of the other photos I took during the Bond Falls Trip into a Picasa Album. If you are interested in viewing these, Click Here.

Snowshoeing in Northern Wisconsin

Living in the northern climate of the United States, you either have to embrace the Winter weather, or plan many trips to Florida, Arizona, or the Caribbean between November and March. This year I decided to embrace it, and experience winter sports in the North Woods of Wisconsin. Not owning a snowmobile, or cross country skis, and having this insatiable desire to explore the forests, I opted for checking out the world of snowshoeing. Being a lifelong runner, and more recently, a walker and hiker, snowshoeing seemed to be a perfect way to experience my 1st Winter in the North Woods.

The Minocqua, Boulder Junction, and St. Germain areas of Wisconsin are mecca for Winter sports in the Upper Midwest. In fact, The day I drove up to  Minocqua, the latest "Cruiserfest 2013" was wrapping up on Lake Minocqua. Literally hundreds of snowmobiles and people were traveling South on Hiway 51 Sunday, heading home after a weekend of fun in the snow.

I loaded up my Santa Fe with a bunch of warm clothing, a pair of borrowed snowshoes, a backpack, all my camera and video equipment, and headed out at 5:30 Sunday morning. The early departure was to avoid a potential winter storm predicted for portions of Northern Wisconsin in the afternoon. Of course, that meant driving on roads coated with some freezing rain until I reached Madison, Wisconsin. Once there, I checked in at my "go to" hotel - Americinn of Minocqua.

Monday morning arrived with temperatures at 30 degrees, but with a forecast for the temps to drop all day and winds up to 30 mph. Not having gone snowshoeing for an extended distance before, I brought all my winter wear to make sure I was warm... and safe. The drive to Mann Lake took about 15 minutes. Thanks to a friend who lives on Mann Lake, I was able to park at his cabin, and begin the journey from there.

To make sure I stayed warm, I had four layers on top, and under my jeans I wore my winter running pants. I wore a stocking cap, a neck gaitor, and used my running gloves (worked well with ski poles). To play it safe, I also carried in my back pack an extra running jacket, my heavy duty winter mittens, an extra stocking cap, two "space blankets", binoculars, a safety whistle, and a trusty bag of licorice. Time to head out.

The 1st step onto the lake was a bit unnerving... I'd never been on a frozen lake like this. I had been assured there was "at least two feet of ice" on the lake. As I ventured out from the shore line, I started feeling the slush I had been told about that had formed between the snow and the ice, as a result of the warm weather the past week. Each step felt like stepping in "mush". As I moved along the shoreline, I noticed open water underneath a boathouse. Two feet thick, huh?? Time to move out away from the shore, where the ice has to be good and solid! Sure enough, the "mush" disappeared, and I ventured on. Gaining my confidence that I could do this, I began to head back toward the shoreline so I could check out the landscape for animal tracks. Once again, the slush became more pronounced, and in one spot, I took a step that resulted in me sinking down, feeling like I stepped in a "weak spot" in the ice! This cannot be good, I thought. After surveying my surroundings, the "engineer in me" kicked in, and I surmised that this area was protected from the wind, and likely was prone to melting. Therefore, I should head out away from the shoreline once again. Of course, if my hypothesis was wrong, and I were to break thru the ice, I would be even further from safety! As I ventured away from the protected area, the slush went away... whew!  Onward!

I was walking with the wind for the 1st half of the hike, so after about 20-30 minutes, I was warming up pretty good (looked as though my clothes selection plan wasn't well thought out)... But I knew it would be changing soon, when I began the trek back into the North winds. The day was overcast, so with all the white snow surroundings, and the gray skies, the scenery was limited... however, the landscape of the lakeshore provided some neat views. At one point, where the lake turned into a marsh area, I ventured back into the grasslands. Several animal tracks could be seen along the shoreline, but no animals. By now, I was starting to feel my confidence building, so I ventured off the lake and into the wooded area. The snow depth increased, not to mention the hidden objects (branches, trees and rocks). So what seemed like a leisurely walk in the woods had turned into alot of work!

I worked my way back on to the lake, and began the trek back to west, along the south shoreline... The wind had picked up, and my path was directly into it. The snow also seemed deeper along the south shoreline (or maybe it was my legs were starting to get tired??).

Part of my journey was to visit the Titus cabin on the south side of the lake. The cabin, used for many, many years as a getaway for our family, still stands proudly, albeit a bit run down due to having not been used in over 20 years.
I took some photos to document the condition of the property, and pressed on.

The "slush" was back... 6-8 inches of snow, and 1-2 inches of slush on the ice made the going a bit tougher. I worked my way across the cove, toward the "old rock" at the west end of the lake. This was always a "go to" spot as a child, when we were old enough to take the boats out on our own. Sure looked alot bigger 50 years ago!  Once again, I headed up into the woods to explore the shoreline. The fresh snow from the night before was untouched. I looked up into the rustling trees, and caught a glimpse of two eagles flying over. Sight and experiences like this make you appreciate just how lucky we are!

Time to head back to the car, so I started my journey along the north shoreline, where all the homes and cottages on Mann Lake are grouped. I couldn't help but think how nice these places would be in the middle of July.. but right now they were quiet, and no activity whatsoever. My arms and legs were definitely "feeling it" by the time I made it to my starting point. Although glad I had finally made it to the end, safe and sound,  I couldn't help but think how neat this snowshoeing experience was!

I was able to track my adventure using one of the MapMyFitness.com apps - MapMyHike. Its great for tracking time, location, elevation, and estimated calories expended. The bad news was that my smartphone battery, in the cold, would only allow it to work for half of the hike. So the trip was recorded in two segments (2nd segment was with a new phone battery).

The following is a Google Maps 3D recording of my journey around the lake.

• The 1st Half of the Hike

• The 2nd Half of the Hike

My 1st snowshoeing trip is in the books!  I took several photos along the way. They can be viewed in my Picasa album (click here to view).

Stay tuned for the 2nd day of my snowshoeing adventure - Bond Falls, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan!

2012 Fall Wisconsin Bike Ride

Its that time again... time for the annual pilgrimage to the North Woods of Wisconsin to enjoy the amazing Fall colors. I decided to spice this trip up a bit by adding a couple days of mountain biking to enjoy the scenery.

DAY 1-Sunday

After a late friday night high school football game, and an early morning Iowa Hawkeye football game in Iowa City, and pulling out of Waterloo Sunday morning at 6 am required ALOT of strong coffee! By the time I hit Dubuque, the sun was shining on a beautiful clear Fall day in the Midwest. As I passed thru Wausau, the trees were already showing the bright yellows, reds and oranges, contrasted by the evergreens.. just beautiful against the clear blue sky.

I arrived in Minocqua about 1pm. As is usually the case on visits up North, my 1st stop was at the old family cabin on Mann Lake. Although not used in years, its still stands, and provides the same magnificent views it did when I visited as a child. After taking photos of the cabin, and the colors along the shoreline, I headed back toward Minocqua, but not before scoping out some of the route I would take in the morning on my bike. As nice as the day was, I was getting more and more excited about tomorrow.

I checked in at the Americinn-Minocqua, and settled in to catch some Sunday afternoon football, and to double check my route and equipment for Monday. Definitely a bit of nervous apprehension on tackling a 30 mile ride on snowmobile trails and forest roads. But as good as the weather forecast was for monday, I was ready!

DAY 2 - Monday

As I anticipated, it was difficult sleeping, so I was up bright and early. With the short days in October, the sun didn't rise until after 7am. The temperature was in the upper 20's, as I headed out around 7:30. Stocking cap under the helmet and running gloves were in order, to keep me warm until the temps climbed. Leaving from the hotel, I headed north, traveling thru the quiet residential streets. For those of you familiar with Wisconsin, Hiway 51 is the historic main North/South Hiway in the state. As I reached the north side of Woodruff, I came upon "old Hiway 51". Hard to imagine this used to be the route!

My route continued north, finally turning on to Vandercook Rd., the entrance to my Mann Lake trail route. My trail turned onto a snowmobile route which lead me to my 1st lake view - Trilby Lake. Many deer tracks along the shoreline, but none to be found. Continuing down the path, my trail dumped me back out on Hiway 51, which was not what I expected. No worries, however... after a short ride along the hiway, I took a road into a small residential area, on the west side of Vandercook Lake. Other than one man out drinking his coffee on his front porch, I had yet see anyone out this morning.

Taking a shortcut from the residential area thru the woods, I reconnected with Vandercook Rd. on the east side of the lake, back on my planned route.. whew! It was now about 9:30am.. time for a break. This spot where I stopped, I have driven past probably 30 times over the years, on the way to my Uncle's cabin... Never envisioned me being here... alone.. on a bike!

This is a good place to comment on my mountain bike. I purchased a Trek Marlin from Europa Cycle and Ski in Cedar Falls, IA. A GREAT place to do all your biking needs, whether experienced or inexperienced! It is a perfect mountain bike... called a "29er", for the larger (29" diameter) tires than a normal mountain bike, and has front shocks, helping make the ride more sturdy and comfortable. Other than the usual "sore butt" I seem to get after a few hours on a bike, this was a great purchase.  Ok, time to move on... The main "off-road" portion of the ride was now upon me.

The map at the left shows the route I took, from the Americinn in Minocqua, around Mann Lake, and back to the hotel. The portion of the ride,  from my stop along Vandercook Lake, along the West and North side of Mann Lake, and then back South, along the East side if Mann Lake was all snowmobile trails. These trails were primarily grass and dirt/gravel, making for great riding.  By now, the temperature was in the 60's, so I packed away the outerwear and enjoyed the bright sun... Some great views of smaller lakes in the area, not to mention the constant "rain" of leaves falling from the trees. As I approached the southern end of the snowmobile trail, the casual ride in the woods came to an end. The terrain became a series of  hills to climb and descend. Not a big deal, except by now I had been riding for 4-1/2 hours and about 20 miles. The thighs were burning, and as much as I hate to admit it, I decided to walk a couple of the hills to give my legs a break. Soon, Vandercook Rd. was once again in my sights (yellow post in the photo below)... I had made it thru the off road portion of the ride!




From here, it was a 9 mile ride back to the hotel. What a great experience! Even though I was feeling the effects of 5+ hours of bike riding on my body, it was a perfect way to truly enjoy the beautiful October day in Northern Wisconsin. After cleaning up at the hotel, and taking my car to scope out Tuesday's ride, I grabbed a Sub sandwich and settled in for a relaxing evening... with a couple beers, and watching the Bears on Monday Night Football!

DAY 3 - Tuesday

 After my experience with "the hills" in the latter part of the first day's ride, I decided to scrap the Day 2 ride I had planned, and adjusted the route to be more back roads, and bike trails. The map at the left is the route I took. The 1st portion traveled past some residential acreages, and Mid Lake. From there, the trail followed an abandoned railroad line along Hiway 47, and a powerline trail for a portion of the ride to the Town of Lake Tomahawk. From there, I headed West on County Road D, where I connected with the Bearskin Trail, an abandoned railroad trail, which ended back in downtown Minocqua. 

Tuesday morning started out just like Monday, only a bit colder. I think it was 26 degrees at 7:30am when I began the 2nd bike ride.The first sight to greet me was right across the street from my hotel, in Torpy Park. Who wouldn't be motivated to take a ride after seeing this view???

These images below were captured as I crossed over the waterway connecting Mid Lake and Lake Tomahawk. Continuing East I connected with the abandoned railroad right of way running along side Hiway 47. 

(Photo Tip - If you are ever looking to take great scenery photos, get up at sunrise, or just before sunset. The contrasts are memorable!)

While on the railroad path, I decided to switch over to the trail following the powerline running adjacent to the railroad path. Despite the trail having several small hills to traverse, the scenery was worth it. The image to the left shows the wetland area I passed, with the frost on the evergreens, and the sun shining down... pretty awesome site!

Passing through the Town of Lake Tomahawk, I hopped on County Road C, and taking this asphalt road West to the Bearskin Trail. This 3-1/2 mile ride was a bit challenging. The vehicle traffic was something I hadn't had to deal with up until now. The traffic, coupled with the shoulders constructed of large gravel, made the ride not alot of fun. However, the colors along the ride gave me a good excuse to stop frequently and grab some great photos. The photo to the left was taken at the entrance to the McNaughton Correctional Center.

County Road C finally brought me to Hiway 51 and the Bearskin Trail. This trail is over 17 miles long, from end to end. However, where I joined the Trail was approximately 6 miles South of Minocqua. I think I was finally learning the extent of my stamina. Like Monday, after about 4-5 hours of riding, what seemed like small hills definitely made me realize how out of shape I was. The good news was the last 6 miles was old railroad right of way, with a fairly flat grade. It was approaching noon, and I was ready to finish the day's ride. The familiar site along the trail coming into Minocqua is the Kewaga Tressel. Of course, another fabulous view of the Fall colors.

Bike ride #2 Two had come to an end. I am convinced here is no better way to enjoy the wooded surroundings and beautiful sights of Wisconsin's North Woods than by bike. Whether you are adventurous, and want to explore the countryside like my two rides, or prefer a more relaxing ride via paved/railroad rightaways, there are plenty of opportunities in the Minocqua-Boulder Junction-Lac du Flambeau area of Wisconsin.

If you are interested in seeing additional photos of my "wanderings", here's links to some online albums:

• 2012 Fall WI Trip - Bike Ride around Mann Lake
• 2012 Fall WI Trip - Bike Ride around Lake Tomahawk

Another "Rick's Travel Tales" is in the books. Next adventure planned - Las Vegas! Stay tuned!

2012 Summer Michigan Vacation

Last year at this time, my wife Sue and I decided to explore the "West Coast" of Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, to check out what all was there to enjoy. The trip was short, but we found plenty of things to see and do. Fast forward to Summer 2012 and a visit to Michigan was booked again, including a trip to Mackinac Island.

The trip was to include a day drive from Waterloo, IA to Traverse City, MI on Friday, July 20th, where we'd stay for two nights, and explore the City as 

well as the wineries and sights in the Northwest Region of the state. Sunday afternoon we would head north to Mackinaw City, our base for two nights while we visited Mackinac Island on Monday (July 23rd). On the 24th, we would begin our travels back toward Iowa with an overnight stay at the North Star Mohican Casino (between Green Bay and Wausau, WI), and then back to Waterloo thru Dubuque on Wednesday, July 25th. 

Day 1

On the road at 6am (starting time for any Smith Vacation), traveling East to Dubuque, then South to the Quad Cities to avoid as much of I-80 as possible. No way to avoid the Chicago/South Lake Michigan traffic. As usual, WAAAY congested, and some insane drivers as we passed into Indiana. To settle the nerves, we decided to take a break in New Buffalo, MI with a lunch at the Stray Dog Bar and Grille. But what has now become a semi-tradition with the Smith vacations, we arrived to find the Stray Dog closed... Due to Fire! Yes, when we pulled up to the restaurant, the building was surrounded by temporary fencing, and several police and fire officials on scene.
Hoping this wasn't a harbinger of how the trip was going to turn out, we headed on, and found the Silver Beach Pizza Co. restaurant.  Located on the edge of a park along the beaches of Lake Michigan, a couple cold beers, and a small pizza while watching the families enjoy a beautiful Summer Day revitalized us to press on.

After a traffic backup, a detour, and 11 hours on the road, we pulled into the parking lot at the Travelodge of Traverse City. After checking in, it was time to check out our 1st casino stop of the trip - Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel. Our usual luck prevailed, and we left down $25.... Having gambled our dinner money away, it was time to find an ice cream shop to at least have dessert! Day 1 is in the books.

Day 2 

The focus of Day 2 was the Art in the Park festival in Petoskey. Petoskey, MI is located about an hour north of Traverse City, along the eastern shores of Lake Michigan. Our drive, in some off and on rain sprinkles, took us along the coast of Lake Michigan, and the city of Charlevoix. Even at 7:30am, Charleviox was already filled with people, admiring what appeared to be a custom car rally along main street. From Charlevoix to Petoskey, was a fabulous bike trail, passing thru park areas, beach fronts, and wooded landscapes. Those of you who enjoy biking trails throughout the countryside, Western Michigan and particularly the Traverse City to the Petoskey area is one to check out. 

Since we left Traverse City early, we decided to scope out a breakfast stop in Petoskey before the Art Festival opened. Found a little shoppe - Roast and Toast,  to grab some coffee and sweet roll.

Downtown Petoskey has alot of specialty shops and with a great waterfront park. Nestled on the edge of the downtown shops and the residential homes is Pennsylvania Park, where the art vendors were assembled for the Festival. Everything from framed art, and photos to jewelry and pottery was on display. It was an overcast morning, and mid-60's so it was a great morning to check them all out. 

After some jewelry purchases, we loaded up to head back down toward Traverse City. The rains started moving in... Good excuse to try our 2nd casino stop of the trip - Odawa Casino and Resort. Another $10 invested into the local community!

From Petoskey, we headed back down to Traverse City, and up the western side of Grand Traverse Bay near Suttons Bay. It was time to check out some local wineries. 1st stop was the L. Mawby Winery. This particular winery focused on sparkling wines. The "fan favorite" here was "Sex" - a Brut rose sparkling wine... The story goes that several people, after tasting it, said it was "better than sex", so they decide to rename it just that - Sex!



From L. Mawby, we traveled a few miles to the Forty Five North Winery. Located in Leelanau County, this winery is on the 45th parallel, the same as the Bourdeau region of France. Shortly after our tasting was finished, two bridesmaids groups arrived in limos.... Time to move on! 

Not far away, in Leland, Michigan, is a place called "Fishtown". Located along the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore, this little village has a quaint harbor, as well as several shops, restaurants and galleries... even "Rick's Tavern" at The Cove restaurant, dockside to the Carp River. After some photo taking and some souvenir shopping it was time to hit the road back to Traverse City. 

Dinner plans for saturday night was The Mackinaw Brewing Co. Located in downtown Travese City, it is one of 2 breweries serving hand-crafted brews and a wide variety of food. After a couple beers and a tasty sandwich, it was time to head back to the Travelodge... Day 2 was officially in the books.

Day 3

Day three's goal was to check out the Mission Peninsula North of Traverse City, and then to wander the roads north thru Harbor Springs, checking out and wineries and any interesting sites along the way, before winding up at our hotel in Mackinaw City. With our usual early start (7am), our plans called for finding a little cafe for breakfast. Our drive started up the Mission Peninsula coast line of the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay, then inland, to the Old Mission Lighthouse. Of course, only a couple possible places that might serve some sort of breakfast, weren't open. So we opted for exploring the Old Mission Lighthouse, and the coastline around it. The water level in Grand Traverse Bay was extremely low, allowing you to walk 1/4 mile out from the lighthouse. We came upon a gentleman sitting on the bench overlooking the Bay. He explained he's the volunteer Lighthouse caretaker for the week. His role is to do grounds maintenance, answer questions by visitors, and oversee the grounds, after the park closes. Sounds like an interesting experience!

By now, it was 11am, and time for our 1st wine tasting stop of the day at Chateau Grand Traverse . This winery also manages an Inn for those looking for accomodations perched high on a hill overlooking vineyards, orchards, and spectacular views of Grand Traverse Bay. With Sue's tasting done (I had alot of driving to do that day), and a bottle of wine purchased, it was time to start working our way back to Traverse City, and North to the Harbor Springs area. There were some amazing homes, condos and resorts in this area along Lake Michigan.

Our next winery stop of the day was a neat place - Harbor Springs Vineyards and Winery. 

This place started as a family farm, that was opened to families to visit and enjoy the farm experience. From that, a farm market was opened, selling all organically grown/raised farm products. The farm evolved further to include a restaurant that served meals made from product grown on the farm. The farms next step  was to start a winery! The server we had was from Virginia, and had applied to be part of this farming experience. He plans to graduate this year, and intends to return to the Virginia area, where he hopes to, with his parents, build and run a similar farm there. Here's a few photos from this experience!

From here, we hit the "Tunnel of Trees" (Michigan Hiway M-119). This route hugs the eastern shoreline of Lake Michigan through a dense forest. On one side you get glimpses of old summer cabin homes tucked back in the forest and on the other side you get brief glimpses of the Lake Michigan shoreline. This is a very narrow and twisty road and is literally one of those roads that you always see photos in travel magazines that make you crave to drive down. You look ahead of you down the narrow tunnel of trees road and cannot help but wonder what will be around the next curve.

And sure enough, suddenly, as we exit the Tunnel of Trees, the Legs Inn appears. Legs Inn is a "monument to nature." Built on a high bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, it is unique and mysterious as seen in its architecture and decor. The fantasy-like atmosphere of this medieval looking stone, timber and driftwood landmark was created by one man, Polish immigrant, Stanley Smolak. He fell in love with Northern Michigan and its people, many of them Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and decided to settle in Cross Village in 1921. We had to stop and check it out... and have our 1st "Polish" Bloody Mary - Potato Vodka, extra spicy, and swizzle stick loaded with stick sausage, olives, and a dill pickle!

Time for the final leg (no pun intended) of the trip up to Mackinaw City, and our hotel - Holiday Inn Express, and of course our usual "Sunday Night pizza" at the Mackinaw City Pizza Palace. Day 3 is in the books. Day 4 - Mackinac Island!

Day 4

The morning started out with our ferry ride to Mackinac Island. We chose the 8:00am ferry, as it is one of two rides that diverts from the direct route, and makes a pass under the Mackinac Bridge. It was a gorgeous morning, with clear skies. Monday Morning was also the day where the the Chicago Yacht Club's 104th Race to Mackinac sail boat race. The boats started at 3pm on Friday, and sail round the clock until they reach Mackinac Island. As we passed under the bridge, you could see several sail boats from the competition. We learned that over 350 sail boats participated, and from the looks of the the Mackinac Island Harbor after noon, they all made it (and were celebrating BIG TIME)!

As was anticipated, the Island's main street is quite the site. Being early, it wasn't totally filled with people, so you could see the homes, shops, and resorts, in all their splendor. Horse drawn carts delivering supplies for the day were all over. Really interesting! Since it was to be a hot day we opted for the carriage tour of the Island rather than the bike rental. As we would see during our tour, having to climb some pretty intimidating hills (had to stop and let the horse rest on the way up), it was a good choice!


We exited the carriage tour when we arrived at Fort Mackinac. Amazing views from the walls of the Fort, and some really interesting displays of the life at the Fort when it was operating. The photos shows the demonstration of the firing of one of the original cannons (no, no cannon ball was fired, just the process for cleaning, loading and firing).






From the Fort we walked to the arguably the main attraction of the island - The Grand Hotel, and its sprawling porch overlooking the town and the Mackinac Strait. The facility and the grounds are stunning. Of course to enjoy all of it, you either need to have a hotel reservation (upwards of $400 per night), or pay $10/person to wander the hotel lobby, the front porch, and the hotel grounds. We opted for the latter.... The porch has amazing views, and the breeze was comofrtable. Definitely a place you would hang out alot, if staying there (Note the Coca Cola vendor on the 3 wheeled bike).

It was nearing noon, so time for lunch and a few refreshments. The walk down the hill reaffirmed our choice not to rent bikes, as we passed several who were already walking their rentals on the climb up the hill. One of guides on the carriage tour recommended Goodfellows for a good place to grab a lunch. It had covered outdoor seating along one of the downtown side streets. Most enjoyable having some cold beers and a sandwich, while watching the sites and sounds of the downtown.

It was time to do the unavoidable - shopping. Couldn't leave the Island without some "Island wear"... By now, it was getting hot, and crowded... So after a few stores, and a t-shirt and sweatshirt in our possession, we set out walking along Main (Huron) Street, past the Harbor, and the other Inns and bed and breakfasts on the Island. I mentioned earlier about the sailboats heading into the Harbor. By now it was packed. Although you can't see it in the photo, many of the yachts were now floating parties. Definitely a good time being had by all!

After another cold beer at a roadside restaurant, in front of the Mission Point Resort, it was time to head back to the Ferry Launch, and head back to Mackinaw City. The Island was an amazing attraction, and a must see for everyone.

The heat and the sun definitely wore us out. So after picking up some famous Mackinac fudge to bring home, we headed back to the hotel to crash. Day 4 is in the books!

Day 5

Day 5 began the journey back to Waterloo, traveling through the Upper Peninsula and Northern Wisconsin, and stopping at the North Star Mohican Casino Resort near Bowler, WI. This Northern route back to Iowa is a wonderful drive. You start with a trip over the Mackinac Bridge (a must for everone), followed by a drive thru the Upper Peninsula (UP), enjoying the beauty of the North Shore of Lake Michigan and the limitless acres of forests








We opted to take a slight detour North up to the shores of Lake Superior, and the town of Marquette, MI. Like many of the cities on the Great Lakes, Marquette has created a fabulous green space along their harbor, with downtown shops and restaurants overlooking the harbor area, and trails that provide a scenic bike ride (or walk) along the Lake up to (and thru) Presque Isle Park. We stopped to enjoy Bloody Marys at the L'Attitude Cafe. The cafe is right across from the harbor , and provides a great view of the Lake.



From Marquette, we headed Southwest into Wisconsin, to our overnight destination - North Star Casino Resort, near Bowler, WI. This was a first for Sue and I, staying in a casino resort (other than in Las Vegas). This resort is between Wausau and Green Bay, with the closest town about 10 miles away. So whatever you need or want, it'd better be at the casino!

After checking in, we joined their rewards program, which, with the overnite package, and the fact we were "seniors" (over 50), we were able to each get $20 in free play. So we burned up the slot machines for a couple hours. It was definitely "Senior Day" there. We had to be the "youngest" Seniors in the place!

Of Course I happened to sit next to an 88 year old lady who told me I was good luck for her (she it a $75 win after I sat down). She told us "we had to do the buffet with their fried chick and fabulous stuffed peppers". We decided quit while we were ahead, and take her advice. We sat down to eat (and of course have a couple "cold ones") with all the other seniors before calling it a night. The good news was Sue had parlayed here $20 into $130, and I was still up $10. All in all a nice relaxing Day 5.

Day 6

The final day of our trip arrived, with a drive from Bowler, WI back to Waterloo. Nothing special planned the day, other than just "getting home". We started off with breakfast at the Casino. Being earlybirds, we and two others had the place to ourselves. Huge plates of food... definitely a good start for the day.

I couldn't leave the casino without one more trip to the machines, and matching Sue's luck. Sure enough, the magic casino fairy blessed me with another $120, ending up $130 for the stay, and Sue up $100. Definitely a nice way to end the vacation.

We arrived home to the 104 degree temperatures about 3pm, in time to rescue Chester (our dog) from the kennel. It was a wonderful get away. If your're ever looking for an area in the Midwest that will surprise you with its scenery and entertain you with its offerings, check out Western and Northern Michigan, and of course Mackinac Island. You'll be glad you did!

If you are interested in seeing more photos from our 2012 Michigan Trip, click here