Boat Rides and Other Modes of Transportation.

 

TUESDAY, AUGUST 20 –
Helena woke me up at 5:30 a.m. on Monday 19^th so we could catch the sunrise on Lake Michigan [at Kleinke Park].  After uploading the pictures to my laptop we had coffee and breakfast and then left at 8:15 a.m.  It’s a good thing we left at that time because I completely forgot that we were going to lose an hour somewhere in Michigan along the way to St. Ignace.   

From Rt. 35 N we got on Rt. 2 E and about three hours later we had ourselves a site, with a nice view of Lake Michigan, at the Lakeshore RV Park, in St. Ignace.  After setting up the camper, I immediately connected to the Wi-Fi and posted Blog #9.  That done, Helena and I walked down to the rocky beach to check out Lake Michigan and the view of Mackinac Bridge.  Completed in 1957, the famous and impressive Mackinac Bridge is an 8,614-foot suspension bridge that spans the Straits of Mackinac to connect Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas.  Driving north on the bridge, Lake Michigan is to the left and Lake Huron the right.  The weather was absolutely lovely today – sunny with a pleasantly cool breeze.  We sat outside and made the most of it!

At 9:00 a.m. this morning (Tuesday) we took a free shuttle, courtesy of the RV Park, to a ferry dock to catch the 9:30 a.m. Shepler’s Ferry to Mackinac Island.  Here’s what we did today –


Limited to only three morning “Mighty Mac” departure times from St. Ignace, our ferry went right under the Mackinac Bridge on the way to Mackinac Island.  The close up view of the bridge from that vantage point was quite awesome to see.  Photo by Helena. 

The first thing we decided to do when we got on the island was to rent bikes!  It’s been years since I rode a bicycle and I felt like a clumsy oaf when we took off.  Fortunately, my “pedal power” memory kicked in…as did my sense of balance!  Photo by Helena. 

We biked on the M-185 Perimeter Tour – the “only highway in America where no cars are allowed.”  Motorized vehicles have been banned on the island since 1898 and our 8.5-mile bike ride around Mackinac Island’s shoreline took us “…right between dramatic forestry and the rocky shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron with majestic views of their deep blue waters.”  All transportation on the island is by foot, bike, and horse-drawn carriage or taxi.  Horse-drawn drays are used to deliver loads of food, beverages, and general supplies.  Luggage is delivered by bike or wagon.  Workers bike around the streets and scoop up horse droppings into a metal basket attached to the bike.  Photo by Helena.   

Helena, pointing out the “majestic view” of Lake Huron!  Mackinac Island is on Lake Huron, northeast of Mackinac Bridge.  The town center is on the southern end of the island.  When we started our bike loop, we went counter clockwise for 8.5 miles back to town.

Helena and I stopped several times along the way.  A nice fellow took this photo.  There were lots of seagulls on the rocks and in the water.  A flock is taking off directly behind us.

This is Arch Rock, along the bike loop.  To get up there, you have to take a different bike trail.  Photo by Helena.

Our journey on the bike loop took us a little over two hours.  We returned the bikes and then walked around town a little bit, checking out the stores and purchasing a thing or two.  We then took a horse-drawn carriage tour with another couple to see other points of interest on Mackinac Island.  This is the Grand Hotel, one of the largest and most visible landmarks on the island.  It opened in 1887 and has the longest colonial porch in the world.

The Grand Hotel’s porch.

The driver stopped the horses at the top of a bluff so we could take in the view of the harbor and the town.  At the end of the tour, I asked what kind of horses these were.  “Belgian,” was the reply.      

A section of the town center.  The ferry dock is nearby.  We got an early dinner and then took the 5:30 p.m. ferry back to St. Ignace.  Photo by Helena.


WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21 –
I had asked Helena the night before to be sure I’m up by 7:00 a.m. this morning so we could be on our way by 9:00 a.m.  When the smell of coffee didn’t make me stir, Helena, noticing that I had one leg outside my blanket, resorted to waking me up with a very slight tickle to my foot.  That got me up pretty quick! 

Over our breakfast of cereal, Helena gestured towards the dinette window and asked me if I noticed anything.  I looked outside and said – “Nice morning? The sun?”  She kept gesturing around the window.  Then I saw it!  Or rather, I didn’t see it!  No dowel!  The little stick was gone!  The pleated shades were up!  While I had been taking forever to wake up that morning, she studied the strings for the pleated shades, figured out how they were supposed to work, and fixed them.  When I attempted to lower/raise the shades later, they were tight – exactly how they are supposed to be – and it took me a while to get used to the new feel.  THANK YOU, HELENA!

We took I-75 N to the Rt. 123 scenic loop.  The drive took us to the northern shoreline of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula where, in the town of Paradise, we could see Lake Superior.  The route then turned southward and we were driving through a forest of trees dotted with ponds and marshes.  We stopped for about an hour at the Tahquamenon Falls State Park to stretch our legs and check out the Lower Falls.

Lower Tahquamenon Falls, Tahquamenon Falls State Park, along Rt. 123.

We soon got on Rt. 28 W towards Munising and got a site at the City of Munising Tourist Park.  As it had been a little bit humid that day, I decided to take a dip in the refreshingly cool water of Lake Superior.  Back at the camper and sitting at the dinette table with Helena, we noticed dark clouds forming.  And then it poured!  We quickly closed all the windows and watched the downpour.  Eventually the rain let up and the sky cleared just enough to grant us all a very nice sunset.

Sunset following a rainstorm, City of Munising Tourist Park, Munising, MI.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22 –
The day started off cloudy, with the threat of a few more sprinkles, but it became clear and sunny as we drove on Rt. 28 W looking to get on Rt. 41 N.  Making the connection, we were now on the Keweenaw Peninsula, the westernmost peninsula on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. 

We stopped first at the McLain State Park, off of Rt. 203 near Calumet, to get a site for tonight.  That done, we then left to drive north on a woodsy and winding narrow two-lane Rt. 41 to Copper Harbor, at the tip of the peninsula.  Located here is the Fort Wilkins Historical State Park.

Copper was discovered in this area in the 1830s, resulting in a copper rush and the establishment of mining operations in the region.  The U.S. government established Fort Wilkins to help maintain order and to provide aid for shipping on Lake Superior.  The fort was eventually abandoned and the buildings on the site were used for other purposes before they fell into disrepair.  The structures on the grounds today were carefully reconstructed based on photographs and archaeological excavations.

After walking around, and checking out the nearby Copper Harbor Lighthouse, we got supper in town and then took an equally scenic Rt. 26 back to our campsite.  The sunset down Lake Superior was one big ball of orange!

Reconstructed buildings - Barracks (foreground); Kitchen and Mess Room (background).  Behind the flagpole is Lake Fanny Hooe.

Reconstructed buildings - Barracks (left); Kitchen and Mess Room (right). 
Photo by Helena.

Reconstructed buildings - Barracks (left); the two structures on the right are the Officers' Quarters.

The Copper Harbor Lighthouse, near Fort Wilkins.

 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23 –
We left the McLain State Park around 8:15 a.m. and took Rt. 203 to Hancock where I got gas.  Spotting a McDonald’s, we stopped there for coffee and to use their hotspot. 

It was another lovely morning, which made for an equally lovely drive.  Most attentive to her duties as navigator, Helena kept me on track along Routes 26 S, 45 S, 28 W, and 2 W – into Wisconsin!  Ahead by an hour now, we made good progress, via Rt. 13 N, to the town of Bayfield, on the Bayfield Peninsula.  Bayfield, a small community with a marina, shops, restaurants, and bars, is known mostly for being “…home to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, a beautiful archipelago of enchanting islands.”

At the Visitors Center we picked up information on cruise tours around the Apostle Islands and while we were there we also discovered that only one RV Park, not our first choice, was the only one with available spaces.  The lady in the office cautioned that it was really busy in the area.  Helena and I also noted that today was Friday.  I asked the lady if she could do me a favor and call that RV Park and ask them if they could hold a site for us.  She gladly made the call and they were just as happy to comply.

Back in the truck we drove to the dock and found the cruise ticket office.  Best we go and pay for our site first at the Apostle Islands Area Campground, just off CR-J, and then come back to town.  The owner at the campground was real friendly and accommodating.  He had a photograph of a black bear that was taken, he said, at the site right next to the one he assigned me.  The point of the photograph, on which the bear is saying: “Where’s the food?” is to remind people to keep their food secured in their RVs or vehicles.         

Initially planning to go on a cruise tour of the Apostle Islands tomorrow morning, Helena suggested that since the weather was so perfect today, and rain was in the forecast for tomorrow, let’s take the 4:30 p.m. tour today.  I agreed and we got our tickets.  With time to spare, we had lunch and then walked around the town for a bit.  Around 3:30 p.m. Helena went to the dock to sit in a shaded pavilion while I went back to the truck to retrieve my camera and camcorder.  While I was doing that, I noticed parking tickets on a couple of cars and then I noticed the two-hour parking limit sign, which was posted at the far corner from where I parked.  Luckily I didn’t get a ticket and had just enough time to park elsewhere.

To quote from a reference booklet –
“Stunning natural scenery, windswept beaches, 8 historic lighthouses, nature carved rock formations, marine wildlife, and intricate sea caves – this is Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.  Twenty-two beautifully crafted islands in Lake Superior positioned off the coast of the Bayfield Peninsula in northern Wisconsin.”

It was a beautiful evening indeed for a 3½ hour narrated cruise.  We had a descriptive guide with a map and did our best to guess which island was which.  A very nice young lady seated behind us pointed out islands to us and scribbled notes about some facts.  Helena and I liked Devils Island the best – the sea caves along that island’s shoreline were gorgeous, especially with the glow of the setting sun on them.

Back on shore it was time to get some ice cream!  By then it was dark and when we got to the RV Park we used my big flashlight to set up the camper.

A boat ride on Lake Superior!  Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

Shuttered fish camp buildings on [I think] Manitou Island.

 

Lighthouse on Devils Island.

 

Sea Caves, Devils Island.
Photo by Helena.
 

Sea Caves, Devils Island. 
Photo by Helena.

 

The Raspberry Lighthouse on Raspberry Island.

An Apostle Islands sunset. 
Photo by Helena.

 

 



 

Truck and Other Adventures in Wisconsin

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13 –
Raindrops on the cabover window, when I woke up on Sunday morning [Aug. 11^th], told me it had rained, or was raining.  Taking it all in stride, as I really had no other way to be, I got ready to leave the RV Park in West Bend and return to Sheboygan via the way I had come last Friday (Rt. 33 and I-43). 

Eyeing the sky as I drove, I made a change of plan.  Since I’d already done an online check of the weather forecast for the next several days, I decided to postpone my stay at the Kohler-Andrae State Park, which is described as a “scenic gem,” to Tuesday, when it’s supposed to be sunny, or at least partly cloudy.  That decision made, I had to make one more.  So I exited the highway, parked at a shopping center, pulled out my thick RV Park directory and searched for an alternate place to stay.  

That done, I then swung by a nearby Starbucks (the first I’ve seen around these here parts!) and used their Wi-Fi hotspot while I had a mocha coffee.  From there, got back on I-43 N to Rt. 23 W to Rt. 67 N and stopped at the Plymouth Rock Camping Resort in Plymouth.

My site here is too far to pick up the Wi-Fi signal but I have cable for the TV.  I love it when I get a cable connection at my site.  I look for CNN first then check out Animal Planet, Discovery, and other programming.  My TV is a flat screen, 15-inch, I think.  It’s attached to a swing bracket which is mounted to the side of the cabinet above my “nightstand.”  The swing bracket allows me to move the TV towards the dinette area and back towards the bed.  I’m describing this because…

…holding the TV in place are two straps.  Without those straps, the TV would be flopping around every which way while I’m driving the truck.  We can’t have that...big no-no.  I turned the TV on first to test the cable connection.  All’s good.  OK, now to loosen the straps so I can swing the TV towards the dinette.  As I loosened the TV from those straps, it fell…face down!  Fortunately, the screen didn’t break, or the TV.  The long screw for the swing bracket had fallen out.  Of course!  All that bouncing around that the camper has sustained, especially in Milwaukee, jarred the screw loose. 

I let the TV rest on the bed for a little while first.  I took a walk to get this little surprise out of my system.  Then I retrieved my tool bag.  For this, you need an Allen wrench…and I have a set!  But it was awkward going for a while there.  An extra pair of hands would have been helpful, but as I was all by my lonesome, I had to make do with one hand, one knee, and even my chin, to hold the TV, keep it aligned with the bracket holes, insert the screw, and turn it with the Allen wrench. 

Taking my time on Monday morning [Aug. 12^th], I turned south on Rt. 67, connected to Rt. 23 W and headed for Fond du Lac to visit another dear relative - Aunt Tudy, my Mom’s younger sister - at her home.  Tudy and Uncle Mac (now deceased) lived for many years in Nappanee, Indiana.  We saw them, and their four children, very often when we lived in South Bend.  She’s 89 now and looks fantastic!  We had a good visit, looking at pictures and talking about family, including her extended family of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  Her daughter, Sue, lives in the area and I followed Tudy to her house for a brief visit with her and her husband, Bill.  I met Sue’s 14-year-old grandson, Tanner, and his friend, Matt.  We then said our good-byes and by 6:30 p.m., I was settled in for the night at the Fond du Lac KOA.
 

Cousin Sue, Aunt Tudy, and me; Fond du Lac, WI.

Aunt Tudy - such a dear, dear lady!
 

The setting sun peeking through a field of cornstalks.  Fond du Lac, WI.

This morning (Tuesday), while I was standing at the side of the camper stowing away the power cord, I saw movement and turned to find this woman standing there, holding a cup of coffee, and talking to me.  My finger did its ear-poke thing and the lady repeated herself, gesturing a little bit.  She was difficult to understand but I correctly guessed she wanted to know if the camper was mine.  She then said she was from Australia.  I asked her if she wanted to see the inside, she did, and we went inside.  I spread out my USA map and she pointed out where she and her husband had flown to - San Francisco, then Seattle – and the route they’ve traveled thus far in their rental RV.  They’ve had a wonderful trip and are heading for New York.  She gave me a hug and we wished each other safe travels.

Soon on my way I took a series of county roads through Wisconsin’s farmland and returned to Sheboygan by way of Rt. 28.  Got some groceries and since it wasn’t yet noon, I decided to drive around a little bit.  As I did that, my truck’s engine alert symbol lit up…and stayed lit.  Ohhhh, now what?  I just had the oil changed a couple of weeks ago!

I found a Chevrolet dealership and a fellow there gave me directions to the Ford dealership.  They were able to take me in right away and about two hours and some dollars later, I was good to go.  Something to do with a valve and cleaning something or other around the engine.  This can happen when the truck is over 105,000 miles, they said.  The recent oil change has no bearing on this.  On my way to the Kohler-Andrae State Park, the engine alert came back on.  Well, it looks like I had better go back to Ford tomorrow.

Today’s weather started out really nice this morning.  By mid-afternoon, clouds formed again.  I think this weather system may be typical around this part of the country and probably especially around this time of year.  It’s been cool – low 70s – but all the lush greenery everywhere is beautiful.  Walking over to the beach before dusk, I discovered that Lake Michigan was as blue as ever.

Whitecaps, seagulls, and the lone driftwood; Kohler-Andrae State Park, Sheboygan, WI.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 15 –
I don’t get up quickly enough to catch the sunrise, but I sure do get up and hustle pretty fast when I want my truck fixed.  Around 7:30 a.m. yesterday [Wed. 14^th], I was back at the Ford service in Sheboygan and back in front of the nice gentleman who assisted me the day before.  I told John that the engine light had come back on just as I reached the state park, and it was still on this morning.  We’ll look at it right now, he said.

“Right now” lasted a very long time, practically all day.  Around 10:30 a.m., John came into the lounge, asked me to join him at his work station, and explained that the mechanic took the truck out for a one-hour drive, did diagnostic testing, and finally found the problem to be with the truck’s sensor.  For part of that conversation, John typed his comments on his computer for me to read – instead of his lips – smart man!  He then typed “…a part coming from MAP,” which elicited a surprised confusion from me until he clarified the acronym to be “Milwaukee Auto Parts.”  I started laughing, which in turn puzzled John, and so I then told him that MAP was my nickname!

The part’s delivery ETA was 1:00 p.m., so back to the lounge I went, then to a pizza place next door for lunch, then back to the lounge to wait some more.  I’d left my book in the camper, but I had my iPad and they had a TV and People magazines in the lounge.  One elderly man struck up a conversation with me and showed me some carvings he had done.  Very interesting, I tell ya!  On the flat end of wooden matches, he carved and painted tiny figures of a bird, a house, a giraffe, a bunny, a pine tree, and I forget what the others were.  He’s 87 years old, wears glasses, and has big, gnarly hands.  I asked him how he did that.  With a razor, he said.  He then showed me a metal ring on which he had soldered Abraham Lincoln’s head – the head from the penny.  He said he used a special saw to cut away the penny around Lincoln’s head.  The trace line around the entire head was just perfect.  We talked about other things – he served in the Navy, he and his wife used to travel in a trailer, he lives on Wisconsin’s Door County peninsula, and he even showed me exactly where when I pulled up the map on my iPad.  His car was ready, he took my hand, wished me a safe trip, and then he was gone.  Sitting there I thought about how incredible it was that I got to meet this man all because of a problem with my truck.

By 3:00 p.m., and some more dollars later, I was back on the road.  Driving on I-43 N, the alert light did not come on.  Connecting to Rt. 42 N, no alert.  At a bend in the road, there was Lake Michigan!  “Hello, there!” I yelled.  I soon reached my next destination, the Kewaunee Village RV Park, in Kewaunee, WI.

The sun was shining when I woke up this morning (Thursday).  OK, ole girl, time to get moving and get the camper ready.  The airport in Green Bay is about 35 miles from here and Helena Schmitt arrives this evening!  I did some laundry, cleaned the camper, and reorganized things to make room for her clothes and stuff.  Helena traveled with me in the camper in August 2007 from Casper, Wyoming to Lake Wooten, Washington.  She’s joining me now on the remainder of my Great Lakes trip and on the journey back to Washington.  Her flight arrived right on time and we got dinner in Kewaunee before going back to my site at the RV Park. 

SUNDAY, AUGUST 18 –
Friday morning [Aug. 16^th] Helena and I left Kewaunee at 10:00 a.m. and took Rt. 42 N to CR-S north.  Using the “Kewaunee County Area Barn Quilts” driving tour guide we found two private farms that displayed painted quilts at the top of their barns.  Begun in January 2008, “Over 125 area 4-H and FFA students worked with the community designing and painting 18 ‘quilts’ for historically significant barns.”  Since Helena is interested in quilts and has made many since 2005, it was good to know of these “Barn Quilts” so we could check them out.

"Twisting Star" quilt pattern, on a barn along CR-S, Algoma, WI.  

"North Star" quilt pattern, on a barn along CR-S, Sturgeon Bay, WI. 

We then crossed into Door County, located on Wisconsin’s peninsula, just north of Green Bay.  Driving north on Rt. 42 we connected with CR-ZZ and arrived at the Wagon Trail Campground in Rowleys Bay.  They had less than 15 sites available and we grabbed one.  We then took off to drive around the northern tip of Door County.  It was a beautiful day for a drive and we zigzagged all over the various county roads, stopping to watch cars and people get on/off the Washington Island ferry and to check out several sod-covered structures around Al Johnson’s Restaurant, which is known in Door County for “the goats on the roof.”  Apparently the owners of this Swedish restaurant have some goats and they occasionally let them graze on the roofs.  Heading back towards our RV Park, we stopped for dinner first in Rowleys Bay.

On her second morning in the camper [Saturday 17^th], Helena made coffee!  The fragrance woke me up and, having French Vanilla in the refrigerator and two mugs in the cupboard, I joined her for coffee and chat.

We got back on CR-ZZ to Rt. 42/57 and began our southward drive out of Door County and the peninsula.  As in Michigan, this region in Wisconsin is known for its fertile fields of cherry orchards and vineyards.  As my navigator, Helena traced our route and, keeping a lookout, too, she soon spotted the sign for the Orchard Country Winery and Market.  We went inside, looked around, sampled a tart cherry (careful of the pit!), various sauce, salsa, and dip mixes, and bought stuff, too.  Being that Wisconsin is also known for its dairy farms, we made our next stop at Renard’s Cheese, sampled different cheeses there, and bought more stuff.  All that sampling took care of lunch!

Back on Rt. 57 S, I spotted a Historical Marker and turned off the highway to go check it out.  We were in Namur, one of several communities in the area that had been settled by Walloon-speaking Belgians in the 1850s.  A major firestorm in 1871 devastated much of southern Door County but some of the Belgian architecture can still be seen in the area, including the Catholic Church at this historical site and the headstones from its cemetery.

The route diversion that I took put us on County Road-DK, which I decided looked a heckuva lot more interesting than the busier Rt. 57.  How about it, I suggested.  Fine by me, she replied.  So, we drove on a series of county roads on our way to De Pere.  The scenic county roads were narrower, more winding, and traversed through field after field of crop and dairy farms.  Helena did a great navigating job, making sure I made the correct junction turns as we drove south and west.  All was going well until we reached a traffic round-about, which I detest, and which also included a detour, which I had to take.  Not wanting to continue for what looked like miles on this detour, I pulled over and we studied the map and decided on other routes to take from that spot.

We eventually made it to the Apple Creek Campground, near De Pere, arriving there around 4:00 p.m.  The place was packed with weekend family crowds, but we did get a site.  Planning to do some writing on my laptop, I decided I was too tired and I also discovered we weren’t able to get any power from the electrical post at my site.  Apparently a storm had come through because we also couldn’t get Wi-Fi.  No point fretting about these inconveniences – we have a place to sleep!

This morning (Sunday), I suggested to Helena that because I wanted to catch up on my writing and try to post my next blog real soon, we should leave early and aim for a noon arrival at a RV Park in Stephenson, Michigan.  We were on our way at 8:00 a.m.  Rt. 41 N took us past Green Bay, and after a 45-minute diversion on a couple of county roads, we returned to Rt. 41 and crossed the Wisconsin-Michigan state line.  At the Welcome Center in Menominee, MI we picked up a few brochures and then headed for a nearby McDonald’s to use their Wi-Fi hotspot. 

Now on Rt. 35 N we had a nice view of Lake Michigan to our right.  Nearing the turn to the road to Stephenson, I looked over to the lake and at that moment happened to notice a number of parked RVs off the side of the road.  Intrigued by the close proximity of the RVs to the lake and wanting to know what RV Park this was, I turned at the entrance and drove through for a look-see.  It didn’t take long for me to make my decision and inform Helena that we were gonna stay here!

This is Kleinke Park, which offers a “Gorgeous Bay View” of Green Bay and Lake Michigan.  Finding several available spaces [with electricity] just yards from the lake, Helena helped me select one with a nice level spot and guided me as I backed in.  Wasting no time, she went to get her feet wet in the water while I filled out the self-registration envelope, inserted $24.00 cash, and deposited the envelope in the metal “Pay Pole.”  I got right to work on my writing, Helena had a bite to eat, I got myself a bite to eat, went back to my writing, Helena read her book and alternated that with observations of people coming and going. 

This view of the lake as I write sure is terrific!  It’s coming on early evening now and I think it’s time to stop and enjoy the tranquility of this park and Lake Michigan!    



Our campsite at Kleinke Park, near Menominee, MI.

     

View of Lake Michigan from my camper's rear door.



Helena and her first ever wading experience in Lake Michigan.

Helena, herself an early riser, woke me up at 5:30 a.m. on Monday morning to make sure I would not miss a Lake Michigan sunrise.  She took this lovely photo - of the sunrise, that is.

Not long after the sunrise, I got right back on the laptop to upload the photos Helena and I took.  I guess I look like this when I'm hard at work on my blog!

 

Some Nostalgia and a Little Bit of Crazy

TUESDAY, AUGUST 6 –
From the Woodchip Campground in Byron Center, MI last Sunday [4^th], and by way of Rt. 131 N (through Grand Rapids) and I-96 W, I went back to the shoreline near Muskegon and turned southward once again on Rt. 31.

The highway eventually merged with I-94 W and I was passing signs for Detroit, Chicago, and South Bend – all familiar names and very much a part of my past.  We lived in South Bend from 1961-1968; I went to the Lutheran School for the Deaf in Detroit for one year in 1961; I went to a Yankees game in Chicago one day with Dad and [older brother] Welby, when I was maybe 12 or 13.  I also later saw signs for Indianapolis, and that’s where I spent five happy and productive years at the Indiana School for the Deaf.     

Spotting the telltale brown and white state park sign on the approach to Sawyer, MI, I was pleased to note that it was not yet noon.  At the entrance to the Warren Dunes State Park I was dumbfounded to see two long lines of about 50 cars.  This was totally unexpected!  Feeling uncertain and not wanting to get boxed in, I quickly turned around and kept driving on the Red Arrow Highway for about three miles.  STOP!  I told myself.  Stop and think about this.  Pulling into a gravel parking area in front of an antique store, I sat there for a few minutes.

Two points I considered:  Today is Sunday, a day when most people are not at work.  And those were all cars at the entrance; I did not see any RVs.  Isn’t it more than likely all those people are going to the beach and not to the campground itself?  Only one way to find out.  I turned back.

As it happened, there was a private RV Park across the road from the state park and I decided to stop there and inquire.  I first apologized to the owners for preferring the state park over their place, but they were A-OK about that and happy to confirm that those cars were indeed beach-bound.  The lady looked towards the entrance and with a flip of her hand said, “Oh, that’s not a long line at all!  Five minutes tops!”   

Now there were three lines and they did move quickly.  Those cars turned left to the beach and I turned right to the campground.  At the registration office I further discovered that there were plenty of spaces available.  I also learned that the campground is situated about a mile from the beach.  Not a problem.  I decided to pay for my site, grab a bite to eat, drive over to the beach for the afternoon, and then come back later and settle in for the night.

There was plenty of parking at the beach as well and that stretch of beach included a concession stand and a gift shop.  A high dune, dotted with people at the top, or working their way up or down, stood to one side and the beautiful blue Lake Michigan was on the other side.  The sun shone but it was also very breezy.  The red flags were on display, indicating hazardous swimming conditions.  There were people in the water regardless but I stayed on the beach with my book.   

Walking around later to take pictures and video, a series of flashing lights alerted me to the presence of several emergency vehicles nearby.  Unavoidably, I became a gawker and watched them rush to put two boats in the water.  Those boats ran, what I guess was a grid pattern, and then returned to the beach some 20 minutes later.  I don’t know what that was all about and didn’t linger any longer to find out.  It was 6:15 p.m. when I returned to the campground and this time there was a line of people waiting to go inside the registration office.  The first thing through my mind?  “Good thing you turned back when you did, MAP, ole girl!”

People on a high dune at the Warren Dunes State Park, Sawyer, MI

People on the beach, along with the ever present and food-seeking seagulls.

Just another view of Lake Michigan through my truck's window.

It turned out to be overcast, yet again, yesterday [Monday 5^th] but I’m very happy that I had a great beach day on Sunday at Warren Dunes - my final Lake Michigan state park in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.  I’m not finished with Michigan yet!  There’s the Upper Peninsula to visit later this month.

Getting back on the Red Arrow Highway, which soon became Rt. 12 S, I crossed into Indiana!  My first stop – the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Visitors Center.  They also have a WIFI hotspot so I lingered there for a while before heading out to the Dunewood Campground.  There are no hookups at this campground.  Reservations are not accepted.  It’s first come, first served.  You select your site and you self-register.  There were plenty of sites to choose from and, with my Access Pass, I got mine for $9.00.

The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, located between Michigan City (IN) and Gary (IN), is about 15 miles of beach, dunes, marshes, bogs, forest, and a wide variety of birds and wildlife make their home there.  There are eight access points to the beach and each has its own parking lot, the largest with 600 spaces and the smallest with 26.  The National Lakeshore also shares a section of beach and dunes with the Indiana Dunes State Park.  Unfortunately, there’s an eyesore right in the middle of this long stretch of shoreline.  Its name is “industry.”  There are two steel mills, a power plant, the Port of Indiana, and railroad tracks.  Thanks, however, to the diligence of long ago environmentalists and conservationists, and the wisdom of several state and federal legislators, much of this ancient and irreplaceable landscape was designated a national lakeshore before industry could do more damage.

Today, Tuesday 6^th, I took a route diversion from Lake Michigan (via Rts. 20 E and 331 N) to get a site at the South Bend/Elkhart North KOA in Granger, IN.  Shortly after I arrived I started doing some laundry, checked emails, and watched some TV.  I’ve relatives to visit in South Bend tomorrow!

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7 –
Around mid-morning I got back on the highways that I had been on the previous day, reversed direction and drove towards South Bend – heading there to visit Uncle Bob (Mom’s brother) and Aunt Jan.  Since I was a bit early, I drove around and managed to find our house on Woodmont.  I traced the route I rode my bike on when I went to the drug store to buy Superman comic books or a chocolate soda.  Except for the Kroger, it’s all different now, what with all the chain stores and restaurants. 

I got to Bob and Jan’s by 1:00 p.m. and had a most enjoyable 90-minute visit with them.  They’ve lived in the same house for nearly 60 years - the same house where they raised all three of their children - and the familiarity of that cozy home was exceptionally comforting.  It was good to see them once again.

Uncle Bob and Aunt Jan, South Bend, IN.

Heading next for Chesterton, IN, I got there by way of Rt. 2/20 W and I-94 W.  The sky had been threatening rain all day and just as I got back on the road, it poured!  It was a torrential downpour my wipers were barely keeping up! 

Following the directions to the Sand Creek Campground I found a roadblock.  It was still raining and I was tired, mostly from the stress of driving in the rain and straining to read street and road signs.  My “grey matter” was all tuckered out and my sense of direction in this kind of weather usually goes kaput.  I looked around and decided I’d find help from somebody in the nearby Animal Hospital.  I found help alright and with new directions in hand, arrived at the campground in no time.  I was told to pick any spot on the big grassy field and just as I set up the camper and sat down at the dinette table, the sun came out.  It was late afternoon and the sun’s rays were angled just right it made the raindrops on the bright green grass and leaves glisten.  It was so pretty.  It was also short-lived.  There was a boom, I jumped, and it poured again. 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 8 –
This morning I decided I had better go to a RV service facility and get the camper’s rear lights checked out and fixed.  I found out last week that not only was the right-side brake light still malfunctioning, the back-up light on the left side wasn’t working either.  The fella assisting me discovered that the plug for the back-up light had disconnected and the prongs on the plug for the brake light were dirty.  He cleaned both, we tested both, and they checked out OK.  No charge, he said.

Back on I-94 W, heading for Chicago, it wasn’t long before I was surrounded by trucks – more trucks than cars, it looked like!  Since I don’t have GPS, and I had a stop to make in Chicago, I accessed Mapquest online a few days ago and copied directions for the journey through this metropolis.  It was quite a sight, the Chicago skyline to my left and Lake Michigan on my right.  It was beautiful to see and I was so glad it was a beautiful day as well.  Not a drop of rain on this day! 

I was doing really well with my directions…until I missed a merge onto Lake Shore Drive, which follows the shoreline of Lake Michigan.  Now I was in downtown Chicago, me and my hulk of a truck camper among this tight horde of swarming cars and people!  Relax, Hon-Bun.  Just stay north and turn east towards the water.  Lake Shore Drive will materialize somewhere.

Back on track I soon reached Greenview Avenue, parked nearby (now that was a lucky find on this narrow one-way street!), rang the doorbell, and received a warm hello from Jakob, the Archivist at the Leather Archives and Museum.  He was expecting me, based on earlier email correspondence, either today or tomorrow. 

Traveling with me, from the very moment I left home on June 2nd, and securely tucked away inside my truck, were items I was now getting ready to pass on to LA&M.  There were materials my friend Philip wanted to donate and, knowing that I would be driving through Chicago on this camper trip, he asked if I would drop them off for him.  Additionally, since I was the recipient of leather and denim vests that had belonged to my deceased friends, Ernie, Bill, and Justin, I agreed with Philip’s suggestion that I donate these vests to LA&M as well.  I had had these pin-studded (and quite heavy!) vests since 2004 and parting with them today was quite emotional.  But they are now in good hands and in a good place! 

Jakob said I was welcome to see the exhibits in the museum – no charge!  So I walked around (and learned a thing or two, too!) and Jakob even showed me the [Staff Only] Archival area, including a room full of donated leather vests.  In response to my question about the pins on the vests, he said everything will be left intact, including the name tags.  Nothing will be altered, removed, or sold.  What a wonderful place and a fascinating visit this was!  Thank you, Philip, for the suggestion! 

On my way once again, and looking for Sheridan Road, road construction screwed me up and I was making a series of wrong turns here and there.  I also had a hairy moment when I approached an overpass that measured at 12’6” – the height of my truck camper comes to just under 12 feet!  On Sheridan, finally, it was a most lovely drive – long and winding through Chicago’s northern suburbs.  I couldn’t see Lake Michigan but it didn’t matter because I was treated to miles of big, beautiful homes along both sides of that road.  They looked like mansions really!

I soon reached Zion, IL and got a site at the Illinois Beach State Park.  I’m now on Lake Michigan’s western shoreline where, instead of the sun setting below the water, the sun rises above the water.  To see that, I will have to get up early.  I’m not too sure that’s gonna happen for this non-morning person!

FRIDAY, AUGUST 9 –
Aw, I missed the sunrise…by about an hour, give or take.  It was about 7:30 a.m. and at the beach there was me, some folks walking their dogs, and several small groups of teenage runners and joggers.  There was also a man close by who might have been their coach.  A summer camp group?  High School track hopefuls?  I don’t know but I enjoyed watching them sprint on the sand.  

Lake Michigan's shoreline on the Illinois side; Illinois Beach State Park, Zion, IL.

Early morning sprinters, graced by the morning calm of Lake Michigan.

I learned something yesterday.  When I registered for my site at the state park I asked the lady in the office if she knew whereabouts in the area I’d find a WIFI hotspot.  She said McDonald’s.  Dang!  All this time I’ve been traveling and McDonald’s is everywhere!  I had no idea!  Yesterday I had a Chocolate Chip Frappe while checking my emails.  It was pretty good.  This morning I had a mocha coffee.  I really should avoid the stuff at fast food places so maybe Diet Coke should be my beverage of choice in the future. 

I got the truck fueled up and then about 10 minutes later, on Rt. 32 N, I crossed into Wisconsin and headed towards Milwaukee.  Route 32 cuts right through Milwaukee’s downtown and northern suburbs and this turned out to be one wild drive.  The streets in Milwaukee are in terrible shape and my zigzag of a route took me through an assortment of potholes – some patched and some not - road detours, road work areas, bumps and more bumps, parked cars and bicyclists on MY lane, a raised drawbridge, and one overpass that measured 12 feet plus some.  YIKES, but I made it under and through that one and, once my heart steadied, yelled at myself “Don’t do that again!”  I drove as slowly as I could and hit the brakes many times, but every friggin’ bounce made me cringe.  I was muttering under my breath – “I’m sorry, Truckie.  I’m sorry, Lancie.  You’re crazy, Mappie!”  On the plus side, I got to see downtown Milwaukee and many more big beautiful homes north of the city…and the occasional glimpse of Lake Michigan off to the right.

Eventually, I got on I-43 N and then Rt. 33 W, heading for West Bend, WI.  As I had done on so many weekends in Michigan, I decided to do the same this weekend - leave the shoreline and stay somewhere inland.  I have a site for tonight and tomorrow at the Lake Lenwood Beach and Campground, in West Bend.  Their lake looks like a pond to me, but they have a beach!