My Journey

[SSF556]

MI is an absolutely beautiful state...not sure if you are headed to the UP...it is even better. I spend a lot time in the Detroit Metro area for work and the inlaws...would have not issues moving to MI from SC.

We are headed up there at the end of this week.....will be there for work and a vacation.

Scott

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

scootr29............Yes, UP is actually where we are headed. That's been the focus of this trip.

After the day at the Ludington beach, we headed over to the Wal Mart to spend the night. Worked out great for us. Then in the morning we drove north on 31 until we got to Manistee, Michigan, not more than I'd say (30) miles. Looked like a nice place so I pulled over and checked the map. There was a state park / campground just a few miles north of town so we got ourselves a spot there. As soon as we got situated I made my way over to the showers. I hadn't had one since leaving southeast Ohio and it was definitely time. The hot weather works on you pretty good. This campground was located on Lake Michigan but didn't allow dogs on the beach so we drove into Manistee and hit a boat ramp so the dogs could swim. Manistee is a great little town with a nice boardwalk along the water and neat shops (which close really early). But it was a good evening in town and we got plenty of walking in.

This morning we got a late start and we didn't go too far before pulling over into a casino parking lot for the night. Tomorrow we will take 22 along the coast and should get to Traverse City tomorrow evening.

Downtown Manistee



Montana riding shotgun



Inland lake.



Saw this beautiiful Cobra in downtown Manistee. I talked with the owner, took a few pictures, and then asked him to show me what it would do. He laid about 100' of rubber on the road in downtown Manistee before letting up off the gas pedal, gave me a wave, and was gone. Really nice car !

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

We got a very late start out of Manistee and I wanted to spend some time at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore so I decided that we would only go a short distance until we found a spot to hold up for the night. Well we couldn't have driven more than (10) miles when we came across a casino, always a good bet for a free night and an excellent dinner buffet (not that I needed the buffet). So we pulled in and found ourselves a place in the back of the casino. This also worked out great but man the heat and humidity sucked. I really thought that we would be avoiding this in Michigan but not the case. In the evening I headed over to the casino for dinner. The buffet sucked and I passed on that. Did some people watching and found that casinos are a huge hang out for old people. Spending their kid's inheritance I guess. Slept horrible that night..........hot and sweaty.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

The following day was much better. We were actually on the road by ten and making our way north along the coast of Lake Michigan. We took M22 which is the smaller road that runs right along the coast. We made frequent stops checking out the small towns and letting the dogs have a few swims in Lake Michigan. We arrived at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore in the afternoon but were soon depressed to find that the dogs were not allowed to enter most areas. We checked out what we could from the truck...........absolutely beautiful place. I understand that this was voted America's most beautiful place. Don't know that I agree with that but it was quite nice. We spent the remainder of the day at a huge lake outside of Glen Haven, Michigan. I got in my first swim of the trip and the three of us had a blast together in the lake. Love swimming with my dogs. Then it was time to get the book out for the remainder of the evening. Nice day for sure.............

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

So after spending another unbearable night (heat and humidity) in Traverse City, Michigan, we were excited to get on the road early and spend the day either driving or in the water. We cruised through Traverse City for a bit and then got onto M31 and drove north to the Upper Peninsula (we actually made it there today). We stopped for lunch at a roadside park and went swimming in a nice little lake there. Then we continued north until we stopped to pick cherries at a small family farm. Michigan is a huge cherry growing state (I think) cause they're everywhere. The family was so nice so we stayed for awhile and chatted. Then it was north again as it was just too hot to hang out (94 degrees for the high today). And then finally we reached the Mackinac Bridge, the bridge to the Upper Peninsula, and the dividing line between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. Since it'd been so hot I decided to get a campsite for tonight and use the a/c and get showers. So here we are at Straits State Park, right on Lake Huron. The shower was great but it's been raining for the past few hours so we passed on the a/c since the temperatures dropped significantly.

Well, it's been (3) weeks getting here but we finally made it. I've talked to a few campers tonight and they all say it only gets better as you go north. So I'm excited to see what's next...............

 

[ReconZJ]

I'm enjoying your journey through your posts and photos - thanks for sharing!

 

[98roamer]

I've really enjoyed your trip report/s. The heat wave should be over very soon up there from what I can tell on Accuweather.com. My wife and I will be up there in two weeks, heading to Paradise, Mi and Blind River, Canada.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Thanks guys..............

Sitting in the camper this morning contemplating where to go from here with several routes to choose from. No hurry this morning as big rains moved in last night and brought the cooler temperatures that we were longing for. Two hot dogs in a truck can suck sometimes. Anyhow, getting the campsite last night worked out perfect for us. We're camped almost underneath the Mackinac Bridge and are very close to the shoreline of the lake. Last night we drove into St. Ignace and checked out the ferries to Mackinac Island. I thought it would be interesting to head over there today but with the cloudy skies and the rains continuing this morning we'll probably pack up soon and head northwest, or maybe not. Our goal now is to visit Pictured Rocks National Seashore along Lake Superior and then go north and west towards Copper Harbor.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Today was our first day of exploring the Upper Peninsula and what a beautiful place it is. After leaving the campsite this morning we drove west on Route 2 with thoughts of making it to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. But then I saw a sign for the Hiawatha National Forest Information Center so we dropped in to get informed. And that short stop changed our route and our plans for the day. We ended up spending the afternoon hiking in the national forest. Very nice forest and parts of it reminded me of Alaska or the Yukon Territory. After that we took M123 north to Tahquamenon Falls. We haven't had a chance to see the falls yet since we got into the area late. I decided to check on the availability of campsites and we ended up staying at the state campgrounds near the lower falls. We'll probably stay here for a few nights to have a look around. Although we're not driving far each day, we do seem to be on the move plenty since leaving southeast Ohio so a few nights here should be good for us...............

 

[Jim Oaks]

You should have taken the ferry over to put-in-bay, rented a golf cart, and checked out the island before you left ohio.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Last night as we were checking in at the main gate, a retired couple pulls up in their motor home and out jumps their cat and runs straight into the forest. Well, we tried for at least (30) minutes to find their cat but no luck. Then last night the weather front moved in and man did we ever have a storm here. Torrential rains began in the evening while the cat owners were back out searching and it rained all night. All I could think of was that poor cat. But these poor people............they left their awning out and the weight of the rain water not only ripped the canvas but it also broke the metal bars that held it up. The guy said it would cost him $4,000 to replace. They left this morning minus their cat and their awning. Just made me think that I need to be more thankful.

But today was a great day for us in the Upper Peninsula. The rains finally quit late morning and we were soon off hiking to the waterfalls. First we hit the lower falls and then the upper falls, which are larger and have a drop of 51' (as I recall). I found it interesting and surprising to read that these are the second largest falls west of the Mississippi River after Niagara Falls. Anyhow, as the day progressed the clouds disappeared and we had one of those days that you just can't believe........high's around 75, no humidity, and a slight breeze all day. Wow !!!!!!!!!!

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

And part 2 for today............. so it's late afternoon and with the fantastic weather I decided to load the dogs up in the Jeep and back track to the town of Paradise, Michigan, on Whitefish Bay (Lake Superior). Now I'd read about this little diner on the internet that has world renowned fish dishes (or something like that...Google it), Brown's Fish House. So that was our first destination. We (actually just me) stopped in and had a fresh whitefish sandwich. They catch all their fish before they open and they only open if they catch fish that morning. Awesome place with super friendly staff ! They loved my dogs waiting in the Jeep so they won my heart for sure as well as a nice tip. So then we drove north to Whitefish Point where there's an old Coast Guard Station and a lighthouse. It was at the end of the road. Lots of sand dunes there and clean, ice cold water for the dogs in Lake Superior. After the compulsory swim and stick chasing, we were back in the Jeep and returned to our little spot...........

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

First off, I won't be posting pictures this evening since Verizon has limited capabilities in this area. Once I get better service I'll edit this post with a few worthwhile pictures that I got today.

So today we left the waterfalls of Paradise, Michigan and continued west somewhat hugging the coast of Lake Superior. Rather than stay on paved M123, we chose to take the unpaved county roads and take things even slower. We didn't travel far, maybe (30) miles all day. But the short drive was beautiful combined with the near perfect weather. The high temperatures today were in the 60's and with the constant winds from the lake, it felt cold enough to keep a flannel shirt on for most of the day. We made an early stop at Muskallonge Lake State Park and found ourselves a good spot to spend the night. Looking from the camper window provides us with a great view of the Muskallonge Lake and it's a short walk to the southern shores of Lake Superior. We took a long walk this afternoon along the shoreline of Lake Superior. It was quite nice as the lake was all worked up from the constant winds and the waves were rolling in as if it was the Atlantic Ocean. The beach here is a beautiful mix of polished stones, and black and tan sands, with the forest growing to within (50) feet of the water. This may be another place to spend a few days before moving on..........time will tell.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

So here's a few pictures to go along with yesterday's travels:

I liked the name of this cabin...........



Traveling along the back country roads...........



Stopped for a very late lunch at Green & Reed Bridge.........



The southern shoreline of Lake Superior

 

[rkj__]

Thank you for sharing your journey with us.