Canada

28^th Aug – Mississauga, Toronto

Being so close to the Canadian border made it convenient to visit Toronto to see Alison’s Uncle and Aunt in Mississauga.  So we drove the car for 6½ hours, via Port Huron and Sarnia, into Canada over the connecting toll bridge.  The hot tub in the evening proved relaxing after the long drive.

29^th Aug – Rattray Marsh

In the afternoon we took a stroll around Rattray Marsh on the shores of Lake Ontario.  We could see the Toronto sky line and the CN Tower, in the distance.

30^th Aug – Toronto

We drove through Toronto city and did some window shopping in the afternoon.  Our friends Mark and Mandy from UK happened to be holidaying in Toronto with their friends this weekend too.  We

were kindly invited to join them all for a BBQ in the evening which was great fun.

2^nd Sep – Toronto Island

We took the GO Transit train into Toronto city centre and then the ferry out to Toronto Island.  Although very commercialised the Island provides a lovely setting to wander around relaxing in the sunshine.  As this was the Labor Day holiday the place was packed with families.  We had a couple of ‘fly-past’ from aircraft participating in the air show for the Canadian National Exhibition nearby.  There were a couple of sandy beaches; one of which was sign-posted ‘clothing optional’ – good thing it was a hot sunny day for them.

The views across from the island towards Toronto were pretty good, even with a mad woman leaping up and down in front of the camera.

 

“The Thumb” Michigan

11^th – 27^th August – Caseville

We spent the next three weeks with the RV parked in the back yard of our friends Charlie and Doreen.  They live near a town called Caseville on the north-west shore line of The Thumb of Michigan.  The state of Michigan is shaped like a left-hand mitten with a ‘thumb’.  Their house is right opposite Lake Huron with a lovely sandy beach down to the water level. 

13^th August – Cheeseburger Festival Parade

This week happened to be when Caseville hold their Cheeseburger Festival.  Part of the festivities included a Parade for which thousands of people came into town.  It looked like most of Michigan had turned up because Caseville population is 800.

16^th August – The Boat Race

This event was held on Lake Huron.  Contestants had to paddle a short course in their home-made CARDBOARD Boats.  This was a test of creativity, ingenuity, imagination, paddling and swimming skills.  There were a variety of classes for children as well as adults. 
Most surprisingly some boats survived their first run to be used again in another class!  However many didn’t make it past the first corner of the route.
Also on the beach were some very good sand sculptures.

17^th August – Classic Car Show

 The Cheeseburger Classic Car Show was held down near the beach with some beautifully cared for cars to be admired. Alison got to sit in one. At first she couldn’t reach the peddles until the owner pressed a button and the seat moved forward and up.
Had to make sure this little fellow didn't get run over.

 

21^st August – Octagon Barn & Petroglyphs

This area of Michigan is agricultural with fields of corn and soya beans amongst some of the crops.  It is flat and clearly an ideal place for the hundreds of wind turbines that were everywhere.  We took a drive out to visit an Octagon Barn. 

 

This was an excellent museum of by-gone days with a considerable number of old agricultural machines and implements as well as other antiques from the past – some of which we remember being used in our childhood days.

We also visited some Petroglyphs – the only ones in Michigan.  They date back to early native peoples and were discovered after a fire in the late 1800s uncovered the trees and undergrowth that had hidden them.

27^th August – Frankenmuth

This town was a 1½ hour drive south and was settled by German immigrants in the late 1700s/early 1800s.  The town’s building regulations ensure buildings are built in keeping with the ‘German-style’.  Even MacDonald’s had to comply.

 

We spent the day visiting the Town Museum, Mill and Brewing Company and tasting numerous cheeses, chocolates and wines and beers. Its a tough life being retired.

Frankenmuth is known for Bronner’s, the biggest Christmas store in the country.  Even in August we enjoyed a bit of Christmas cheer (?!). Baa Humbug said Paul.

 

Paul was interviewed by a local reporter for a TV programme.

 

 

 

 

The "Mighty Mac"

31^st July – Mackinac Bridge

We had spent the last week in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  Now we started our journey southwards and drove over the “Mighty Mac”.  This 5 mile suspension bridge links Michigan’s Upper and Lower peninsulas over the Straits of Mackinac, with Lake Michigan on the west and Lake Huron on the east side.  

Our campsite was right on the shores of Lake Huron and we could see people para-sailing over the waters with the bridge in the background.

1^st August – Mackinac Island

In the morning we took the hydro-jet ferry over to Mackinac Island which was completed shrouded in fog. We didn’t see the dock until we were within around 100ft. The Island was originally the second National Park in USA but at the end of the 19^th Century it was transferred over to the state and has been a major tourist destination ever since. 

 

The Island has kept its ‘Victorian charm’ by not allowing any motorised vehicles on the island; so it is back to original horse-power with over 600 horses on the Island.  Even deliveries of supplies are transported from the docks on the back of horse drawn wagons.




We visited Fort Mackinac which had soldiers in period costume giving a variety of presentations including canon firing.




We hiked through the woods to the arch, and also took a self-drive horse and carriage out for just over an hour which was great fun – although we did have a difference of opinion with our horse as to what was a reasonable ‘going home’ speed. We were going to visit "The Grand Hotel" but they wanted $10 each just to walk past the entrance.

 

2^nd August – Rendezvous Fair

The weekend was the 18^th Century Rendezvous in Mackinac City (many towns have these events during the summer).  It commemorates the Fur Trapping and Trading days and people dress in period costume and engage in re-enactments of particular events for the region.  In this case it was the fighting between the local Militia and Native Indians with some British troops, playing bagpipes? thrown in for good measure.  We followed the skirmish, which included the firing of canons and muskets from the Marina into the shopping area with Indians taking cover behind parked cars – which then set off car alarms. Highly entertaining for all concerned!  There was also some (pre-agreed) ‘looting’ from the shops with the bounty being presented to participants later in the weekend.

 3^rd August – Travel South

We drove from Mackinac City to Honor along the western shoreline of Michigan.  This region is well known for growing cherries but it has to be said if you are a Golfer then this area of Lower Michigan is the place to go, as we lost count of how many golf courses we passed.

4^th August – Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

We spent the day visiting Sleeping Bear Dunes.  In places these sand dunes rise 450ft above Lake Michigan.  At one overlook on the scenic drive, the slope down to the water appeared to be almost vertical.  We watched many people going down the sandy slope, swim in the lake and then make their way, laboriously, back up the 450ft climb arriving red-faced and breathless an hour or so later.

We decided to wimp out and opted, instead, for the 100ft sand dune climb further down the road.  We did this bare-foot and half way up discovered the sand was red hot.

Afterwards we visited the villages of Glen Haven and Glen Arbor.  At Glen Haven we walked down to the beach where some people were swimming.  We dipped our toes in the waters of Lake Michigan but it would need to be a lot warmer before we were likely to get further into it.

5^th August – Bass Lake

We took a quick drive around the area checking out the village of Interlochen and Turtle Lake.  In the afternoon we did a 3.6mile hike through the woods around Bass and Otter Lake in the Dunes Park.   
 

At our camp fire that evening we enjoyed the company of Marv and Betty who were staying in one of the cabins in the campground with their two grandchildren.

6^th – 9^th August – Tubb’s Lake

We drove further south to a series of inter-linked lakes, one of which was Tubb’s Lake with a campground right on the lake edge.  We are now spending the next few days exploring the 3 larger lakes via the various channels.

Michigan - Upper Peninsula

24^th – 27^th July – Michigan – Upper Peninsula

And so we arrive in yet another state – Michigan – Hurray! (33 now)

We found a peaceful spot by a lake (Marion Lake) in the National Forest to do kayaking and fishing for a couple of days. 



On the Saturday we took a little excursion out for a couple of hours to Bond Waterfall and found some pasties to eat on the way.  Apparently pasties (as in the Cornish variety) are part of the culture here – yummy!

Those living in the Upper Peninsular call themselves ‘Yoopers’.

On the Sunday we travelled on to Munising on the Michigan shoreline of Lake Superior.  (Three American states share the Superior shoreline).   It wasn’t the best of weather when we arrived and we sat in the RV watching the trees being blown by the wind and the anchored boat being tossed about on the waves of the Lake.

28^th July – Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Next day the weather front had passed through and we had a pub lunch, sat in the sun overlooking Munising harbour – eating more pasties. 








In the afternoon we visited a couple of waterfalls on the edge of town and then went back to the harbour to board for our evening cruise of Pictured Rocks shoreline.

The shoreline stretches for nearly 40 miles and the boat trip is the best way to see the ‘Painted’ cliffs.  The sandstone cliffs rise up to 200 feet in places and are stained with the colours from elements, such as copper and iron, from the water seeping out from above.  There were carved sea caves, arches, sandy beaches and cascading waterfalls. 

29^th – 30^th July – Sault Ste Marie

Our next journey took us through the Hiawatha National Forest along route 28 which is described as the ‘most curve-less’ stretch of road in Michigan – which means there are a lots of straight bits, the longest stretch being 25 miles.  It was this area that inspired the H W Longfellow's poem The Song of Hiawatha (Part XXII - Departure) – “By the shore of Gichie-Gumee, by the shining Big-Sea-Water, at the doorway of his wigwam ………..."

The town of Sault Ste Marie is where the waters of Lake Superior empty into Lake Huron via the rapids of Saint Mary River.  The USA town has a sister city of the same name in Ontario on the Canadian side of the river. 

Travel between the two countries is over the International Bridge.  The bridge was opened in 1962
and measures 1.9 miles with around 1.9 million vehicle crossings each year (which must keep immigration and customs busy).

Our campsite was right on the side of Saint Mary River and we watched the freighters sail pass.  On one occasion we saw a big freighter take on an extra crew member. 



A tug kept pace at the side of the freighter and a man (the pilot) jumped from the small boat onto the rope ladder and climbed up without either boat changing speed.

As we were on the banks of the river Paul thought it would be rude not to go fishing, he came back with a 4lb Northern Pike. More fish for supper.

The Soo Locks are the means by which ships and boats bypass the rapids and travel the 21 feet differential between the two Great Lakes.  The first Locks were built on the Canadian side back in the late 1700s but were destroyed in the War of 1812.  The next Soo Locks were then built on the US side in 1853 and have been
re-constructed/refurbished over the years to their present day operation, which is now fully automated.

We spent an hour one morning on the viewing platform watching a 1000ft freighter going through one of the Locks.  The 1200ft lock emptied the water in less than 15 minutes which was very impressive.
Later in the evening we did an evening dinner cruise.  This took us along the shoreline of both side of the river below the rapids where there were many lovely water front houses.  We then went through the locks up the upper part of the river which was more industrial, and then back down through the lock again for a close up of the rapids where there were several people out fishing in their boats.  We had a lovely evening enhanced by the company of two ladies, Rita and Sandy, who we shared the table with (and a sense of humour).