Yes, Michigan...Oh Yeah! Part 4

Yes, Michigan?...Oh Yeah

Part 4

By John W. Vander Velden

Sunny days with cool temps, blue skies over broad expanses of water lapping on rock strewn beaches, these things might describe our time to the north.  But it seems all good things must come to their conclusion…

 

We looked one final time at the sign along the road, in front of our hotel, “Guests check in…Friends check out”.  It is a fitting slogan for our time in St. Ignace.  We had not stayed on the north side of the straits on past visits to the region -- I expect we will next time we choose to venture this part of Michigan’s wonderland.

On the northern tip of the
lower peninsula, stands this castle-like
lighthouse.

But our adventure had not ended -- merely moved south.  The morning held great promise as we crossed the Mackinac Bridge that Friday.  Entering Mackinac City we, soon found ourselves in a parking lot of another thing on this year’s bucket list -- The Old Mackinac Lighthouse.  It had been sixteen years since the last time I had walked those grounds with Nick.  The photographs I had taken in 98 left much to be desired, and armed with new equipment and good light I hoped to photograph the unique light again.

How things had changed!  The whole area has been redone.  Before the keepers quarters only housed a small gift shop, and now they allow visitors to climb the tower.  The light station is a proper museum with the keeper’s quarters restored, the outbuildings housing their own displays, and curators dressed in costumes of the lighthouse’s era, answering all questions.

Looking down on the fog horn building and
Lake Huron.

The light had been decommissioned in 1957, so it no longer sheds its beam across the straits.  With the light removed, we were permitted to climb into the lamp room -- that glass walled portion at the towers peak.  Though I enjoy standing upon the catwalks of other lighthouses, this held a different thrill.  But the lighthouse park was but half of our historical adventure, for a short walk led to Historical Fort Michilimackinac, a rebuilt replica of the 18^th century fort and settlement.  We found the history fascinating and spend several hours moving through the buildings.

 



You can almost hear the voices
of years past.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The old fort originally built by the French and modified by the British.
The site now reflects the early British era before the fort
moved to the Mackinac Island.

 

 

For those willing to spend the time,
there is much to see at
Fort Michilimackinac

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love the old style multi face
outdoor clocks.

The afternoon found us strolling the downtown of Mackinac City.  The town has changed to please the tourist.  That is more shops -- many more shops --  than we found on our past visits.  We did not walk the streets alone as we shared the sidewalks with throngs of folks that have all come from other places.  We stepped inside many interesting shops including the Mackinac Kite Store.   Last time, when Nick was small, we bought a kite there, so a return visit seemed necessary.  The store had grown over the years and handled many things it did not years ago -- games and such.  But they yet had the large colorful kites hanging overhead -- a fun place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were told since the structure had been
lived in all those years, the county found it in good shape.

 

We left the town in the late afternoon with one more stop on our agenda.  Would you like to guess what it might be?  Why McGulpin Point Lighthouse, just west of Mackinac City.  The light station has only recently become open to the public.  For nearly a hundred years the lighthouse has been privately owned.  It had been in the same family during that time and used as a home.  The present public fascination with lighthouses has fueled the county, and they have done wonders returning the light station into a place that merits a visit.

McGulpin Point made the twelfth lighthouse we visited on this trip -- sounds a bit crazy, but we enjoy them.  How they were built and of course they stand on beautiful locations.  We were able to climb seven of the towers on this trip, each with unique breathtaking views of the lake.  I managed to get some pretty good photos -- that can’t be bad.  We had not come only to see

Another set of stairs.  Who knows how many steps I
tread up and down that week.

lighthouses -- we saw so much more, but we did see some amazing lighthouses.   

We spent our final night in Gaylord, Michigan, about an hour south of Mackinac City.  The traffic in that town seemed greater than we would have expected for the location.   We were told that the bumper to bumper typical for a summer day.  I am not certain what causes the roads to overflow in that town.  As for us, it was our jumping off place for the homeward trek.

We took the trail down to the shore of
Lake Michigan to see McGulpin Rock.
A boulder of some fame that has been used for years
to measure the height of the lake's water.

Saturday morning we headed south, going a different route, moving west to Ludington.  Many times we have traveled US 31 up the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, so once we headed south of Ludington the road was familiar.  Being strangely ahead of schedule -- that just doesn’t happen -- we thought a stop in South Haven might be fun.  But arriving in the middle of some kind of festival -- tents traffic and scant parking -- sent us scurrying for a quieter local.  Saugatuck was not that place!  If we thought South Haven insane, Saugatuck had the keys to the asylum.  After getting turned around three times, we escaped planning a return on a weekday -- soon.

Well friends, we made it home.  I guess you knew that -- or how would I be posting this stuff.  1835 miles and more than 1300 photos give you an idea of the pace.  I expect it will take month to go through all those pictures – but the memories – well, they will last a lifetime.

Thanks for joining us on this journey.  Who knows where we go next – I’m certain I don’t…

(908 Words)