Michigan

After travelling for hours beside Lake Michigan, we crossed over the Mackinac Bridge from the Upper Peninsula (UP) to the mainland of Michigan.  The bridge spans the Mackinac Straits and at 8600 feet in length, is the fifth longest suspension bridge in the world. Our toll was $14 one way (you pay in both directions).  In mid span we were 200 feet over the water.  due to high winds in the straits, the speed limit for trucks, trailers and motorhomes is 20 mph on the bridge.

This is just one of the hundreds of scenic turnouts along the shoreline.  The lake is very clear and is variegated with shades of blue in sunlight.  As has been typical on this trip, the northern weather can be very sunny and pleasant in the morning hours, but if it is going to cloud up and rain, this usually occurs in the afternoon or evening.

We arrived in Traverse City on Saturday evening in time to visit Michelle and enjoy dinner at her apartment.  She has really settled in and her apartment has a homey and artistic flair.  It is great to be visiting with her.  On Sunday evening, we had an early birthday celebration for Michelle at a wonderful Italian restaurant.  It is situtated in a lovely old building which, in times past, was the Michigan State Hospital (aka hospital for the mentally ill).

In the morning we made the drive to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, on the west side of the pennisula.  We climbed a dune or two, they were hundreds of feet tall.  After getting the sand out of our shoes (Michelle was the only smart one, she went barefoot) we went on to a neat lakeside town, Leland and had lunch at the Cove Restaurant. There was a fish ladder right at the restaurant and we saw very large trout swimming along the waterway into the lake. next, we went shopping and found a neat bookstore in Glen Arbor. Michelle was going to order a bloody mary with a fish (smelt) in it but decided she did not need the extra protein.

This is an experimental shot, using a Neutral Density (ND filter), which limits the amount of light entering the exposure. In this case, the exposure time was extended from 1/500 of a second to over 8 seconds.  My goal was to smooth out the choppy seas while maintaining the integrity of the rest of scene.  Gotta keep trying . . .

After establishing our base camp at Silver Lake, between Traverse City and Interlochen, we went back to the UP to see the Soo Locks System in operation.  This system allows ships to bypass the rapids between Lake Superior and Lake Michigan.  The water level differential between the lakes at this point is about 23 feet.  The two photos below show a tugboat entering the locks on the Superior side and exiting, 23 feet lower into Michigan.

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This was a  740 foot ore ship exiting the locks into Lake Michigan.  The locks can handle ships over 1,000 feet in length.

Downtown Traverse  City is very similar to downtown Athens.  The college here is Northwestern Michigan.  There are many restaurants, pubs, breweries, wine tasting and of course, the trinket, souvenir, and tee-shirt shops.

The Boardman river runs through downtown Traverse City.  Salmon were finishing their run, and the steelhead are just beginning.  In a conversation with the local DNR representatives at the downtown fish weir, I learned that these particular salmon and steelhead live entirely in fresh water.  Salmon are anadromous, usually they are born in fresh water travel to and live for about three years, then return to their birthplace to spawn and die. These particular salmon/steelhead spend their entire lives in fresh water. This is the Boardman River, which flows through the downtown.  We saw many very large salmon in the area.

We watched the Traverse City fire department practicing their swift water rescue procedures.  They had spent the day before practicing deep water rescues.  They have about 5 or 6 rescues a year in the lake (Michigan) and the rivers in the area.

This is the Center Ice arena where the Detroit Redwings practice during the pre season and houses two NHL sized skating rinks. I watched Traverse City North Stars of the Grand Traverse Hockey league practice while Cathy went to the other rink to watch figure skaters.  There are open tryouts for the hockey team tomorrow (Saturday) but I left my skates at home.   The other rink had markings for Curling.  We quickly checked the schedule and we will not be here for the upcoming tournaments.  Gotta see curling, maybe next time.

We spent some time at the Dennos Museum, located on the campus of the Northwestern Michigan College. The main exhibit included Inuit (Alaskan) and Canadian Woodland Indian Art and sculptures, something that we are interested in, so the timing was perfect. Michelle got to see her first Musk Ox, albeit stuffed.

On to the Mission Point lighthouse, at the far end of the Grand Traverse peninsula. This small lighthouse was in operation from 1870 until it was decommissioned in 1930.

Next to the lighthouse facility is the Hessler log cabin, built between 1854 and 1856. The Hesslers sold this home in 1866.  It served as a private residence, housing for migrant workers, and quarters for a bull until mid 1878.  It was restored in 1992 and is furnished in period furniture. The Hesslers were basically imigrant squatters and could not hold land until they became citizens, which they did in 1859. They then received a land warrant, which is the next step in the process of land ownership, then,  the final step was to obtain a US Patent Deed, which they did (signed by Abraham Lincoln) in 1861.

Sunday will be race day for the us . . the Traverse City “Devils Dive” half marathon.  I ran part of the course earlier this week passing the beaches of the lake, through apple orchards, by wineries and up a couple of inclines, two 450 foot rises in 8 miles.  Going to be a fun time as rain and wind might be the order of the day.  Michelle and Cathy plan to wait for my finish at a local brewery/winery/restaurant “The Jolly Pumpkin”.  Bloody Mary on Sunday morning might be in order for them. IF I am too slow, I may have to drive back !!

Update:  I did run the Devil’s Dive Half Marathon and actually made it to the finish.  I placed third in the Masters division . . . better than I though I could do.  I will be running the Atlanta 10 Miler the weekend we get back . . . no rest for the weary . . .

 

Next stop:  Henry Ford Museum / Greenfield Villiage in Dearborn