Its monday, and we've passed the halfway point of our trip. Our plans have us heading north into the "UP" of Michigan, starting with a trip over the Mackinac Bridge. Last time I made this trip, it was raining. This trip, with no rain, and my "tour guide" at my side, we got out the "dash cam", only let the "tour guide" hold it and record the journey across, heading North toward Sault St. Marie.
Once across the bridge we exited and drove thru St. Ignace, the other main departure point for Mackinac Island. At 7:00am, not much activity going on, but none the less, interesting to see the workings of a tourist city at that time of day.
From St. Ignace we headed along the Northern shoreline (Horseshoe and Saint Martin Bays) of Lake Huron toward Cedarville, and then thru the UP back roads to Sault St. Marie, MI. Alot of pastures and wooded areas, but few crops other than hay...
As we approached Sault St. Marie, our route took us along the shoreline of Lake Nicolet, downstream of the Soo Locks. The river and the Locks were quiet - no ships passing when we were there (of course it was ~8:30am!), so we didn't stop to enter the National Park along the Locks.
OK, we are as far north as we can go without crossing into Canada, so its time to start heading back down thru the UP, and towards Green Bay.
The Upper Peninsula has a mixture of very wooded areas, and open pasture land. Not alot of towns, but rather "crossroads", where businesses, homes, and attractions tend to locate. One of the more interesting spots we came upon was "The Stuff Capital of the UP".... Unfortunately, it was either closed for the day, or my guess is it went out of business "a few years ago"... so we'll never know what "stuff" was in this Capitol of the UP.
Our next stop was the Seul Choix Lighthouse, on the southern coastline of the UP, along Lake Michigan. The name of the lighthouse has an interesting background... Native Americans and French explorers were traveling in canoes and later small ‘Mackinac’ boats. It was readily apparent that along the 75 mile stretch, from the Straits of Mackinac to today’s Manistique, there was only one place to seek refuge from the storms that often sweep up Lake Michigan. Realizing that the bay near the present day Port Inland was their only choice, the French named the place Seul Choix, the French name for ‘Only Choice’. The French pronunciation is “Sel-Shwa”, while locally the name is spoken as “Sis-Shwa”.
The grounds provide beautiful views of noit only the lighthouse, but also of Lake Michigan. In the photo to the right, my "tour guide" is shown here on the shoreline, with the Seul Choix lighthouse in the background.
By now, my "tour guide" was ready for another wine tasting event. The UP is pretty slim on wineries and vineyards, but my "tour guide" found one for us to check out - The Garden Bay Winery. This winery is located in the old clubhouse of a golf course, which the owner also owned. He decided to close the course, and move the winery operations into the basement of the clubhouse, and use the rest for wine tasting, receptions, and general gatherings.
As with most places, we always seem to find one or two wines we like, and this place was no different. Another bottle added to the "2011 Michigan Wine Tasting Trip".
By now, we were ready to put the hammer down, and finish the 2 hour drive to Green Bay, and relax a bit. We made a brief stop in Escanaba, MI at the Sand Point Lighthouse, and for gas. Before hitting the hotel, we thought lest try out our luck again at the Oneida Casino in Green Bay. Bad idea... we BOTH lost money!
On to the Clarion Hotel, on the bank of the canal in Downtown Green Bay. This turned out to be a great place. Good rate, next to the CityDeck , and just accros the draw bridge from Titletown Brewing Company.
We decided it was time for "double-bubble hour", and an early dinner, so we took a table outdoors. Perfect day... mid-70's and great breeze... so we enjoyed a couple beers while we watched water traffic on the canal. While eating, another couple sat near us, and asked us if we knew about Green Bay. Of course we said no, but learned the man had worked at Sartori Hospital in Cedar Falls on some sort of rotation years ago! (Small world!). They were in Green Bay to meet their son who was an engineer on a Great Lakes freighter - The Cason J. Calloway. It was supposed to dock in the canal that evening (Bear with me, this will mean something in a little bit!)
We finished dinner and decided to check out the CityDeck and Fox River Trail, just outside our hotel. This next photos shows what a couple beers do to a "tour guide". There were several different "arts" on display, along with a few establishments with outdoor seating to enjoy the view along the canal. We walked the downtown length of the walkway, before returning to our hotel.
(here's where I get beack to the two people who were waiting for their Engineer Son on the Great Lakes Freighter - Calon J. Galloway)
Just as we made it to our hotel, at the entrance to the canal you could see a freighter beginning its journey up the canal. Yes, you guessed it, it was the Calon J. Galloway! So we stopped to watch it pass by. Suddenly, two bicycles came flying down the walkway, and yes, it was the couple we talked to at Titletown Brewing Company. They followed the ship up the canal to its final unloading spot.
It was a pretty impressive site, seeing that huge ship navigate thru the draw bridges and narrow canal. And yes, their son came out of the bridge and waved to us as the ship passed by. The parents were ecstatic!
Our last event before heading back to the hotel was finding some ice cream. Heading back out in our car, we wandered the nice neighborhoods near the Downtown, and found a Hansen's Dairy shop, where we indulged in a couple double dip ice cream cones. A great way to end the day before heading to the hotel.
This last shot shows our room view overlooking the canal.
Day Four - Green Bay, WI to Waterloo, IA
The final day of the trip has arrived. No more lighthouses or wine tasting, but rather a 400+ mile drive back to Waterloo.
To break up the trip, we started with a "drive by" of the Elkhart Lake area. For those of you not familiar with Elkhart Lake, its main attraction is the Road America road racing courses. However the Elkhart Lake area also has a nice downtown shopping and dining area as well as a great lake for water sports as well. If you're looking a nice escape, check out the Elkhart Lake area.
From Elkhart Lake, our next destination was Waterloo... no, not Waterloo, IA, but Waterloo, WI. Not much here, but my "tour guide" found Jim's Cheese Pantry. You can't travel thru Wisconsin without stopping for some cheese! This place was great.. hundreds of different cheeses... and samples of many, with toothpicks next to each sample! Even though it was only about 10am, its always time for cheese!~
OK, time to bear down, and hit the road back to the REAL Waterloo! As we approached Dubuque, the gambling bug was chirping, and we had to make one more attempt to "win the big one", with a stop at the Diamond Jo Casino, on the banks of the Mississippi River. Yep, you guessed it, no such luck..... This really told us "vacation is over".... So back in the car, and onto Hiway 20, and back to Waterloo.
As we pulled into town, we made a quick stop at the kennel to pick up our dog, Chester. Even though vacation was over, Chester's excitement and waggin' tail helped make the return a good one... (That's what you have to look forward to when your kids have all moved out and on to their own lives!)
Over 1600 miles, 6 lighthouses, 3 wineries, 4 casinos.... alot visited durng these 4 days. My "tour guide" did good this trip! I may have to book her for another trip this fall!
I have posted all the photos I took during the trip and posted them in a PicasaWeb album. To see more of the trip, click here.
Day two began with the Sue and I departing the hotel under partly cloudy skies and temps in the 60's. The day's itinerary included visiting more lighthouses, checking out the cities of Ludington and Traverse City, a wine tasting or two, another casino stop, and finally ending up in Mackinaw City - at the base of the Mackinac Bridge.
We headed North on Hiway 31, passing near Muskegon, and heading to Little Sable Point Lighthouse, in the Silver Lake Sand Dunes. The lighthouse. A bit misleading, as all that remains is the light tower. The light is situated on a great sand beach, with a wonderful view of Lake Michigan, ans some of the surrounding homesteads.
From the Little Sable Light, we traveled further north, and making a stop at the Silver Sands Resort area, on Silver Lake. Looks like a popular getaway in Western Michigan, with the sand dunes lining the western side of the Lake.
After another coffee stop, we headed for the the city of Ludington, home to the SS Badger, providing daily ferry service to Manitowoc, WI. The 410' S.S. Badger entered service in 1953, designed specifically to handle the rough conditions that it would likely encounter during year 'round sailing on Lake Michigan. The Badger reigned as Queen of the Lakes during the car ferries' Golden Era in the late Fifties, with Manitowoc, Milwaukee, and Kewaunee as her Wisconsin ports of call. With little railroad freight business left in the '70's, and without ever tapping into the opportunity to serve the needs of the vacation traveler, the Badger sailed from Wisconsin to Ludington and tied up for the last time in November 1990 - signaling the end of the century-old tradition of car ferry service on Lake Michigan. However, in 1991, an entrepreneur named Charles Conrad committed his own financial resources to reinvent the S.S. Badger to carry leisure passengers and their vehicles. Along the shore where the Badger loads stands an old ferry - SS Spartan.
Time to head on and check out the Point Betsie Lighthouse, North of Frankfort, MI. This lighthouse was not open when we arrived. However, due to the Lake Michigan winds, the sand dunes have grown higher than the fencing, and we were able to check it out close up.
The lighthouse complex had completed an exterior renovation in 2010, and currently is undergoing an interior renovation.
By now it was almost noon, and we still hadn't reached the northern end of the state. So off we went. Next stop, Grand Traverse Lighthouse, near Northport, MI. This is not the original lighthouse was constructed in in 1850. However, it was razed and rebuilt in the current location to make it visible from all surrounding waterways.
The complex grounds are very nice, with access to water on the north (Lake Michigan) and eastern (Grand Traverse Bay) sides of the lighthouse.
Its that time of day, where a winery visit seems like the right thing to do. So time to head back south on Hiway 22 toward Traverse City.
As we approached Sutton's Bay, the GPS "winery finder" pointed us to the Black Star Farms Vineyard and Winery. Its a beautiful setting, from the moment you wind down the drive into the vineyard, to the time you pass by the stables and the winery.
The wine tasting area was PACKED, so other than a quick photo, we left without a sample. Ok, this not having a "refreshment" before 2pm each day on vacation was getting old, so it was mandated "FIND A BREWERY!" My "tour guide" obliged and we headed for the North Peak Brewing Company in Downtown Traverse City.
The building is ocated in an old converted warehouse on W. Front Street, a couple blocks from the "main downtown drag". Trying to save some room for a dinner in Mackinaw City, we tore into an order of nachos to go with our beers. Defintiely hit the spot, and stirred up the "shopping bug" in the "tour guide." Time to explore some of Downtown Traverse City.
Cherry Republic, a store dedicated to all things cherry, was our shopping spot. Amazing what they can do with cherries! Candy, jams, wines... you name it, they had it.. made from cherries!
While "the travel guide" scoped out the cherry store, I took a few minutes to survey the main street area. Looked like a nice place to spend a day shopping, drinking, and eating. Across the street was the Mackinaw Brewing Company. Had it not been late in the afternoon, another beer definitely was in order!
By now its 4pm, and time to start working north on our two hour journey to Mackinaw City. But not without testing our luck again at Turtle Creek Casino near Williamsburg, MI. They were having a slots tournament, and even though all we could win was free play at another visit, we decided to give it a try. No, we didn't win the tournament, but after that experience (banging the "spin" button constantly for five minutes), I cannot figure out how all the 65+ year olds can play in these tournaments, and not end up with a wrist injury! I was able to leave the casino with more than I came in with (not much, but still ahead), and as was the case at the casino on Saturday, the "tour guide" lost again!
Finally, we pulled into Mackinaw City, with dusk settling... no dinner tonite... we splurged instead wirh Dairy Queen Blizzards in Downtown Mackinaw City!
Mackinaw City, and the Comfort Suites. As we checked in, the desk agent asked if we wanted to upgrade to a jacuzzi suite, and being the cheapskate I am, I said no. Once she saw I had just joined the Choice Privileges Program, she decided we needed that suite, and gave it two us at no extra charge!
With all the Summer sports at Waterloo West High School finished, it was time for our annual summer getaway. This year, the trip was to circle Lake Michigan, and explore the State of Michigan, with stops at lighthouses, wineries, and other interesting points of interest. This was a LONG trip.. over 1600 miles in 4 days. But hey, if you want to find new places, you need to do some exploring!
The 1st day took us from Waterloo, traveling I-380, then I-80 along the South side of Chicago, before heading up along I-94 toward Holland, MI. Its been YEARS since I have travelled thru East Chicago, Gary, and Michigan City, IN, and things still are the same... In their heyday, these were bustling, heavy industrial centers for the Midwest. Today, the area shows the remains of those days, with many run down facilities still standing. But the cities are working to revitalize this area, including new casino resorts, near the lakefront. Oh, and did I say how much I hate the heavy traffic on I-80, and around the south end of Lake Michigan??????
Given that we lost an hour due to daylight savings time, we opted to skip exploring South Haven and Saugatauk, and head to Holland, MI. Our 1st stop (other than our obligatory coffee stops) was "The Big Red" Lighthouse, on the breakwater leading into Macatawa Bay in Holland.
Access to the lighthouse was by foot, passing by some bay side homes and B&B's along the canal leading into the bay from Lake Michigan. This was a saturday, and boats were constantly passing thru the canal out onto a calm Lake Michigan.
After making it down the pathway along the canal, we came upon our 1st lighthouse of the trip - "Big Red".
The Holland Harbor Lighthouse is undoubtedly the best Great Lakes light house of all. Known as the Big Red it is situated on Lake Michigan. This light house is unique in its own manner, not because of the spectacular light from its bright red color against the backdrop of the sky or water but because of its amazing history of how people stood to preserve it and restore this mast piece which has been part of their history for a long time.
OK, so it dawned on us at about this time, we had not yet "celebrated" the trip with a refreshment! So our priority switched to finding a winery in the area. I set my GPS to "ding" when we were within 5 miles of a winery, and it didn't take long for us to find the Fenn Valley Winery and Vineyards, in Fennville, MI. Fortunately, there was room for use to do some wine tasting.
The tasting only took about 15 minutes, so we decided to grab a couple glasses and relax with some wine and a great day (partly cloudy and in the upper 70's). My "tour guide" enjoyed this part!
By now, it was almost 4pm, and we still had a ways to go to the hotel... and our 1st casino stop of the trip! Gun Lake Casino, in Wayland, MI was a good choice! I ended up walking out ahead (the "tour guide wasn't as lucky).
OK, now we are wearing out, and had yet to eat, so our 1st nite's dinner was furnished by "Chili's in Grand Rapids"..... onion strings with jalapenos, quesadillos and margaritas helped replenish us enough to get us to our overnite stop in Coopersville, MI... 550 miles for Day One.... A good start to our getaway!
