Hello and welcome to Mike and Donna's retirement adventures.
After many years of working and taking care of family, we decided to look for adventures in other places.
Donna's retirement came at the request of her former manager (little Hitler) on 9/27/21 after 18 years with the IT vendor at the San Diego Convention Center. Mikes retirement began 46 years to the day, after high school on 3/18/22.
We have always liked cars and driving; we love to travel. We decided life on the road could be a new challenge/adventure for us.
In August (2021) we ordered a new home: An Airstream 30' Classic and a new Dodge RAM 2500 Diesel truck to tow it.
On Friday December 2, 2022, we finally took possession of it.
Have fun following us down the road.
June 30 – July 1 Missoula, Montana
Jim and Mary’s RV Park
This park came highly recommended by many other Airstream peeps; we pulled into this magical campground – after a smooth drive, even in the rain for just a bit.
With more mountain driving, lots of up and down. It’s a good thing we’ve gotten some good practice with this type of towing. Mike is the bomb!! Handles it all like he’s been towing all his life – Yayyy!!!
We’ve now driven over the Continental Divide for about the 5th time – pretty cool….The Anaconda National Historic Landmark – hum – never heard of hit but here it is in Anaconda Montana. Standing tall since 1918, at slightly over 585 feet, it is the tallest free-standing masonry structure in the world. The Washington Monument could fit inside it. For decades the Big Stack belched lead and arsenic all over the town, but smelting operations ceased in 1980, and in 1983 it was condemned for demolition. Proud Anacondans banded together and saved the Stack. It’s now a Montana State Park – but it’s a park you can’t visit, because the dirt surrounding the Big Stack is still so toxic that you’re kept over a mile away!
We understand that the weather in this area changes on a dime. We experienced that on our drive here. Sunny then rains then very cool fog clouds over the mountains. So pretty!! On to bigger things……stand by………….
June 28 - 30 Livingston, Montana
KOA Holiday
Two nights to recover from our time in the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone – LOL!!
As we meandered through Yellowstone from south to north, to exit and head into Montana, wowzer – what a white-knuckle drive towards the end!!! What goes up must come down – on the other side. Steep grades and many hairpin turns but slow and steady makes it to the bottom of the Mountain range. Whew!! A magically beautiful drive but two hands on that steering wheel!!!! One curve was SO sharp that we stopped to let another RV come up the opposite direction – so he would have room to make the turn. As it turns out, as we came down, another guy stopped to let us make the curve coming down. Now that’s how you do it!!!!
The landscape here never gets old. We were however; glad to get to our campground – which by the way – had gorgeous views of the mountain range.
2 days here allowed us to get some adulting done (laundry). We did drive through the neat town of Livingston and since we were close to Bozeman, which we’ve been to before back in 2015 with our good friends Jon and Becky Harry, we wanted to spend some time there again. Had a nice lunch outside in the glorious weather, poked around a few shops and that was that……
June 20 - 28 Moran, Wyoming
Headwaters Campground – Flagg Ranch – Grand Teton National Park
Every new destination is a chance to create unforgettable memories. Travel isn’t just about seeing new places; it’s about feeling alive in every fiber of your being, passionately and joyfully.
We’re finally here…….the drive to the Grand Teton area was breathtaking! Every curve, every turn, every everything on the road was just picture perfect…..the velvet mountains topped with whipped cream, the crystal clear skies…………just simply hard to describe in words!!! Mesmerizing…………Majestic……………Magical……………
Our trip here was even more special as our son and his family decided to vacation in the area. They stayed in Jackson which is about an hour from our campground. We were up early and up late every day. We’ll need a vacation after all this – LOL!!!
Except for one day that they drove to our campground so we could all visit Yellowstone together, we drove to Jackson, and we all piled in their rental vehicle which fit all 6 of us.
We did SO much! We walked around the very cool town of Jackson. Visited several Cowboy Saloons and had some adult beverages. Had lunch several times at some neato places – Mike and our daughter in-law Erin sported their new hats….
We took a scenic tour boat around the famous Jenny Lake. Then we drove to Teton Village for lunch and some fun for the kids. The next day, back to Jenny Lake and took the boat shuttle to the shore to hike to Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls. This place is just amazing!!
We drove the famous 42-mile loop with hopes of seeing some 4-legged animals. We saw a few – Yayyy!! We stopped for lunch at Signal Mountain Lodge right on the lake. The views just can’t be described!!
We did a long day trip to Yellowstone which is HUGE – the south entrance was just a few miles from our campground. Simply stunning…….Old Faithful never gets old. Up the road a bit was the Grand Prismatic Spring – wow – just wow!!!
Snow King Mountain Resort in Jackson has fun for all – an Alpine Slide, Alpine Coaster, Mini Golf, Gondola to the top of the mountain (7808 feet) and a few other things. After everyone finished the slide and coaster, we all took the Gondola up to the top. Donna who doesn’t like these things, kept her eyes closed just about the entire trip up and down – LOL!!! We grabbed lunch to go and had it at the top of the mountain. The views????
WOW……….
Rodeos and Chuck wagons are a huge deal in Jackson. We couldn’t get tickets for the rodeo, which is supposed to be fabulous, but did manage to get reservations for the Chuck Wagon ride and dinner. Way cool! You meet at the Ranch – they have your Covered
Wagon assigned and dinner table assigned. Off you go for a 2-mile trek out in the forest for a BBQ dinner, a western show, then back to the Ranch. What a great time we all had!!!
Our kids and grands left the day before us. We had planned on a bike ride through part of the Teton Park but Donna had twisted her ankle a bit a few days prior to that was nixed.
Instead we drove back to Yellowstone to get one last look at Mother Nature’s glory…..
Fabulous!!!!
June 19 - 20 Riverton, Wyoming
Wind River RV Park
One more overnighter as we continue our way to another bucket list area……
Something we don’t see very often – at least in the southern states, is a snow fence! They are all over these beautiful rolling hills. The wind whips that snow like no tomorrow, across the roads. Most of the roads up here in these parts get closed quite often.
Along our trek through the roads of Wyoming, interesting metal signs by whom??? Cool….like a scavenger hunt – LOL!!!
Just look at those snowcapped mountains!! Wow – every turn was another beautiful view – and those puffy clouds sticking out like cotton against that big blue sky……………..
June 18 - 19 Casper, Wyoming
Casper East RV Park
After being in pollen country for weeks, our poor Sandman looked yellow instead of silver.
As we made our way out of Custer, we did a stop at the one and only car wash that also
included an RV self-wash.
He’ll be clean for about 24 hours – LOL!!!
A quick overnight as we continue making our way west. Nice place with a beautiful sunset
along the mountain range…..
Beautiful drive with puffy clouds. Amazing how the terrain changed along the way. We
went from Pine Trees in the Badlands, to rolling hills that look like velvet known as the
Grasslands, to Buttes and Mountains.
It’s always fun to see a train in the middle of nowhere……
As we got closer to Casper, we noticed several metal structures along the way. One a
Jackalope and the other a Dinosaur (?) being pulled by none other than Sasquatch – LOL!!!
June 13 - 18 Custer, South Dakota
Fort Welikit Campground
Gosh the weather just couldn’t be better. It makes for such an enjoyable journey through the awesome roads of South Dakota. There’s nothing quite like the open road to remind us of the beauty in our journey. Our adventures bring us closer to nature and the simple joys of life. Every new destination is a chance to create unforgettable memories.
What??? Another quirky side of the road thing – yep – an airplane high up on a metal pole – LOL!!
We decided to take a slight detour on our way to Custer to visit Devils Tower National Monument not too far into Wyoming. Since we were semi in the area, why not? If you’re a movie buff, you’ll recognize this area as “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” did some filming here. To this day, it remains one of the most mysterious national parks, rising 1267 feet above the Belle Fourche River. It continues to hold many meanings for people including American Indians, local ranchers, rock climbers, and thousands of visitors every year.
We were excited going on to another of our bucket list places. (clap clap clap) Here we are – finally – Mount Rushmore National Memorial. We couldn’t wait to get all set up at our campsite so we could take off and partake in the majestic evening lighting ceremony that starts promptly at 9:00pm during the summer.
Surrounded by the beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota, there they are – the carved figures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. You know? You see pictures in books, magazines, and elsewhere when you’re growing up, but we have to say, until you are standing right in front of this incredible sight, you have no idea how truly “grand” it is. OMG……it almost took our breath away.
As it turned from daylight to dusk to dark, like little kids, we eagerly awaited the lighting ceremony that takes place nightly and tells about the contributions each President made during his years of service. It tells of the challenges the country was going through at the time and how their leadership helped overcome those trials. It’s a 45 minute program that includes a Ranger talk, a film, and the illumination of the sculpture. Then the audience participates in singing the National Anthem. At the end, they ask all Military Veterans – if they choose – to come down on stage and participate in retiring the flag for the evening.
Mike doesn’t usually like to participate in such things, but Donna STRONGLY encouraged him to do so, as this is a special event that shows respect to the American Armed Forces and gives a heartfelt tribute, and recognizes the bravery of active and retired military members.
It brought tears to our eyes…………..
The Wildlife Loop in Custer State Park is rife with the potential to see Bison, Pronghorn, Burros, and more. And yep – we saw them all – OMG! So exciting…..
The Pronghorn group of 3 was hysterical to watch. One would “play referee” while the other two did their standoff thing – shoving and pushing each other into a gully then hop out and start again.
As we rounded another corner through the sweeping hills, there stood a group of Burros with not a care in the world. They weren’t moving anytime soon so we carefully maneuvered around them down the road – LOL!!!!
The famous (at least around here) Needles Highway – a 14 mile stretch - is a winding, thrilling drive through the Black Hills that shows off some striking geological features that are difficult to imagine unless you see them in person. The Cathedral Spires shoot straight up and are simply incredible.
The icing on the cake is the Needles Eye Tunnel. OMG – we watched a tour bus inch its way through the tunnel with barely a breath of air to spare. There were about 40 people standing around clapping as they made it by. Donna got out of Journey and photographed Mike as he drove through – turned around – and came back. Then we drove through it again and continued on down the VERY VERY VERY narrow Highway which in many cases, is not a two-way road. It was a breathtaking drive but wow!!!
Marked by narrow tunnels and sharp turns, the road is a favorite for motorcycle and bicycle enthusiasts. The town of Custer is a neat western style town, similar to some of the other towns we’ve visited in the Dakota’s. It has lots of tourist shops and restaurants galore. At each corner, there are differently painted Bisson’s – so cool……The Custer Stampede Buffalo Art Auction was a public art project that was created to showcase original bison artwork by artists from around the country. It began in 2007, with the last one in 2016. Several of the herd survived the auction and that is what is seen scattered around downtown Custer. “Never Forget Your Dreams”……
The Crazy Horse memorial dream began in 1939 and is still a work in progress. Carving a dream….it exists to honor all Indigenous people of North America.
American Indian history and cultures are shared through museums, cultural programs, and the Mountain Carving in progress. No federal money goes to the building of this beautiful sculpture. They rely strictly on private funds from citizens like you and me…..
We drove through the beautiful countryside that took us through the cool towns of Keystone and Hill City. We saw typical tourist seasonal towns that were neat in their own way. Driving through more tunnels along the way was fun. Lots of local woodcarvers that do some beautiful work!!! Seems as though Sasquatch is everywhere – LOL!!!
We had our own local wildlife to view from our campsite. Daily, wild turkeys came to visit along with the same three deer. We just happened to be next to one of the Camp Hosts who made sure there was plenty of food for them to eat……not supposed to feed the wildlife so Mum’s the word from us…..
As we say farewell to the Dakota’s, we’re on to another bucket list…..stay tuned….in a few days!!!!
June 11 - 13 Sturgis, South Dakota
Days Inn Campground
A 2-night stay as we continue westward…..and jam packed with lots to see and do around these parts – LOL!! Nice campground with views of the Black Hills of South Dakota…and perfect weather – yayyy!!
Sturgis – famous for being the “biker” town and that it is…..anything and everything biker related is right here for your pleasure……
The countryside simply can’t be explained. The skies are clear – clear blue with beautiful puffy clouds and the rolling hills? You expect to see Julie Andrews singing “The Hills Are Alive” at any moment!! Along the way, as in other states, there are quirky roadside things to see. In Bowman, North Dakota, we saw just that….
On the outskirts of Sturgis, the famous Full Throttle Saloon greets you with many roadside metal sculptures and inside more things hanging everywhere than you can shake a stick at – LOL!! It is THE biggest saloon we’ve ever been in and they are still expanding it. Gotta be able to accommodate those thousands of bikers during those annual Sturgis Motorcycle rallies every August!
Bear Butte State Park is beautiful and spacious with a nice campground on a small lake. We saw a couple of Bison roaming around enjoying the sunny day.
We celebrated our 41st. Wedding Anniversary at The Knuckle Saloon. Quite the place – LOL!! The bar on one side, casino on one side, pool tables on another, and a few tables scattered here and there. The food was good though – Cheers!! Were on to more adventures (clap, clap, clap).
A couple of really cute towns were nearby that we checked out – Spearfish and Deadwood.
Both are very popular in this neck of the woods and loved by the bikers. We drove on the Spearfish Canyon Byway from Spearfish to Deadwood. What a gorgeous road that will leave you awestruck. It reminded us (in a way) of the Blue Ridge Parkway – just more scenic rocks in this area. Nice sweeping curves – but those curves can also be deadly!! On all of the roads we’ve been on in both North and South Dakota, we’ve seen these signs – indicating where someone went to heaven because most likely, they were going too fast. It’s easy to do on these types of roads. When we owned our MINI’s, we lived for roads like this….
Bridal Falls – a beautiful waterfall and a nice scenic stop along the Byway.
On Wednesday evenings – in Sturgis, they have free concerts and all sorts of local food trucks. Well – we just happened to be there on a Wednesday night to partake in the festivities! First “concert” we’ve been to in………um…………..a long time – LOL!! The band was great – played our kind a music – beer was good – and we got a souvenir event cup – hehehehe…..
Onward friends – to another great adventure……………….
June 7 - 11 Medora, North Dakota –home to Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Red Trail Campground
As we traversed down and around the rolling hills and smooth highway, looking forward to this bucket list visit, interesting “road signs” kept us entertained…..
Who knew there was oil in North Dakota??? Oil wells all over the place, along with the miles and miles and miles of farm land and blue skies….just gorgeous!!! The air is SO clear…..you can see forever.
As we got closer and closer to the campground,
we could see the landscape changing……..oh….we’re getting close………..and there is the first road sign……deep beautiful canyons and the Painted Canyon Visitors Center. What scenery!!!!!! The Badlands!!! After drooling over what we were seeing, we continued down the highway to the campground…..which just happened to be the same exit as the Theodore Roosevelt National Park! We’re here………………..(clap clap clap).....a beautiful view of some of the surrounding cliffs were within eye shot of where we stayed.
We spent 3 days driving through the glorious landscape, stopping wherever we could. Our necks were sore from looking back and forth – scoping the land for 4 legged creatures LOL!! What did we see??? OMG……100’s of Bison, the most adorable Prairie Dogs at their “town”, Pronghorns, coyotes, deer, and wild horses! We’ll just let all these pictures show you what we saw…. because there are no words to describe the pure wonder of this truly underrated National Park………………...
Those horses galloping thru the fields – OMG!!!!!!! And look – that is “Airy” on top of the cliff, feeling the breeze through his hair, and keeping those darn flies off!
Not many towns between “here and there”. We went through a few that might have had a few people still living there. One in particular, had the most beautiful Catholic Church and probably the most interesting we’ve ever seen.
The Enchanted Highway – what a trip! The 32-mile rolling road starts at Highway 94 exit 27. It houses a collection of the world’s largest scrap metal sculptures constructed by Gary Greff at intervals along the highway. When we reached the end at the quirky town of Regent, we discovered that Gary owns the Enchanted Highway Gift Shop. We spent a few minutes chatting and then on our way we went – to the end of the road where lies the Enchanted Castle Hotel. In front are the latest creations…. quite the funky place…..
As we say “see ya later” to North Dakota, the memories will be forever etched in our minds!!
June 6 - 7 Jamestown, North Dakota
Jamestown Campground
Just a short overnight stay as we continue westward…….
That wind!!!! OMG…..it was killer the entire drive. The grass alongside the road was waving and shimmering like waves on the ocean. Dust clouds – Ugg. They are nasty!!!
But the countryside? Beautiful with miles and miles of farmland and grain silos at every turn. North Dakota is known for growing lots of things – wheat, soy, beans, flaxseed, and much more.
We saw tons of lakes, small and large, along the way. This area is a known migration stopover for many birds and these lakes provide the much-needed food for their long flights.
Who doesn’t love to see a train in the middle of nowhere?
We made it safe and sound – didn’t unhitch….relaxed……………………………..and did laundry
LOL!!!
June 4 – 6 East Grand Forks, Minnesota
Red River State Recreation Area
Our drive through the countryside, admiring all of the grain silos.
About an hour from the campground, was suddenly interrupted by………….what?????? You’ve got to be kidding!!!
Tornado Warning!
We did notice the skies getting darker as we rolled down the road, but thought it was just a thunderstorm building off in the distance. Well crap!!! “Let’s pull over and look at all of our radar gadgets”. Hum. Not looking good. We’re in the middle of nowhere – no safe place to pull into or under. We decided the best and safest thing was to turn around and go back about 35 miles or so, to the Rest Stop we had just been to. At least it had a solid brick building if we needed to hunker down. We rode out the nasty storm in the parking lot – checked the radar again – the worst had past – off we went – whew!!!
Scary to say the least…..
When we arrived at the campground – right downtown E. Grand Forks, we both said to each other “this is a really strange place to have a campground”. Not knowing the history of the place, I said it looked to have been a previous neighborhood. Sure enough, after reading the pamphlet at the registration office, that’s exactly what it was – previous to the flood in 1997. FEMA purchased 500 homes and other buildings along the Red and Red Lake Rivers. Now it’s a 1200 acre recreation area which includes the campground. This is a unique blend of natural and urban. Very interesting!!!
East Grand Forks is in both Minnesota and North Dakota. Cute towns separated by the Red River. We did a bit of exploring but since we were only here 1 full day, errands took up most of our time. And besides that, the wind advisory for 60 miles an hour winds, isn’t fun to walk around in LOL!!!
Saying goodbye to Minnesota………………….
June 2 - 4 Grand Rapids, Minnesota
Pokegama Dam Army Corp. of Engineers Recreation Area
We enjoyed seeing all of the dairy farms along our drive. Lot and lots – gotta have lots of milk to make that Wisconsin Cheese….
Yep – that was a quick trip through Wisconsin – LOL!! Here’s another quick 2 night stay.
Nice small campground with only 19 sites, but……it’s right on the Mississippi River!!
We enjoyed another beautiful place to lay our heads. The Dam managed by the ACOE is not as big as some we’ve seen at other parks but still pretty cool to see!!!
We explored the historic town of Grand Rapids, with its old brick buildings – most turned in to stores – pretty cool though.
The weather was scrumptious and FINALLY we were able to open all the windows….falling asleep to the sound of all those nighttime peepers….
May 31 – June 2 Mellen, Wisconsin
Copper Falls State Park
A short 2-night stay while we continue down the road. Saying goodbye to Michigan as we hit that Wisconsin border…..a beautiful drive through the rolling roads with nothing but trees and not a car on the road for miles and miles!!! As we neared the park, the rain started to fall….but…..it was a quick storm that rolled on by – Yayyy – thank you Mother Nature….
The state park was super nice, lots of trees between neighbors, several lakes to explore, along with trails here and there. The storms rolled in again overnight and into the next day.
Finally mid-afternoon we saw that beautiful orange glow in the sky. Off we went to explore one of the trails that took us to Copper and Brownstone waterfalls. Gorgeous! Man, we just can’t get enough of these breathtaking waterfalls!!! We didn’t get to see many when we lived in CA so we’re soaking them all in as we make our way through this beautiful countryside!!!
May 20 - 31 Munising, Michigan
Munising Tourist Park
“On Golden Pond”………silence…….Then you hear the Loons……
As we made our way a mere 90-mile drive to another more northern part of Lake Superior, the road was pretty lonely – not a bad thing! Listening to our favorites songs and bopping down the highway is how we like to roll. Sometimes not a care in the world and no other vehicles to be seen – LOL!!
The forecast for rain came true as we neared our home for the next 10 days. Setting up camp is never fun when you’re trying to stay dry – LOL!! We got The Sandman backed in and took a deep breath as we swallowed up the view we had – steps from the beach and Lake Superior…..glorious!!!! Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore just a few miles away and Grand Island National Recreation Area (only access via a ferry) right outside our window –
Wow!!!!
So much to see and do – waterfalls, hiking, towns to explore and who thought Christmas came only once a year??? Here, you can go to Christmas any time you want!!! In 1938 a local man started a factory making holiday gifts. The factory, gone long ago, the town of only 400 people has a casino, a beautiful view of the lake, waterfalls, and a Lighthouse. In the winter, the town comes alive with winter activities.
We explored the charming fishing town of Munising, that has lots of amenities, breweries, shops, and amazing views of the Lake. Being this is very much a tourist town; the locals are very welcoming. The Munising Front Range Light shines a continuous red light, welcoming those sailing vessels of all types, back to shore. The Munising Rear Range Light, on the hillside across from the Front Range Light, was placed to work in conjunction with it. Both beautiful in their own way!!
A visit to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Visitors Center brought us to the first waterfall – Munising Falls. 50’ feet of beautiful water, helping all those beautiful flowers bloom along the way!
The best way to see the Pictured Rocks within the Lakeshore is to book a boat tour with the local National Park Concessionaire. There are multiple trails that are long and three dry campgrounds (no services) within the Lakeshore, but they don’t give you the views! And WOW – WOW – WOW – the sandstone cliffs, beaches, sand dunes, and waterfalls – spectacular!!! The power of Lake Superior shapes the coastal features and affects every ecosystem, creating a unique landscape to explore.
Lake Superior over the years has claimed many ships and lives. Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tour explores two historical shipwrecks, along with cruising by Grand Island and its historical Lighthouse, and all the beautiful cliffs, caves, and beaches…..Wow…..just gorgeous!
The Pictured Rocks National Seashore consists of many miles of……breathtaking beaches, hiking trails to those beaches, with gorgeous waterfalls along the way. We did as many hikes as we could – in between the rain days…..but that left us to hike in MUD to several locations – LOL!!! Was it worth it??? Hell yeah!!!! “You better not drive down that road or it will cost you $300 for me to tow you out. Okay, thanks! We’ll keep going down this road to the other trail marker”……. Each hike we took through the Hiawatha Forest was as if we were in an Enchanted Forest. So gorgeous at every turn with breathtaking plants, ferns, and flowers shooting up from the moist ground…after their winter sleep.
Oh, those sand dunes!!!!! Wowzer……we’ve had NO problem getting our “steps” in!!!!
A day trip in the opposite direction took us to the charming town of Marquette, located on Lake Superior (still) – Lake Superior is HUGE!!! Marquette is a major port, primarily known for shipping iron ore. We visited the Ore Dock – both the original not being used and the one currently in full operation. It’s amazing how these work!! (Google it for more information). We had a great lunch overlooking the Lake and the original dock. Like so many other Michigan towns, Marquette is home to a historic harbor Lighthouse. Another beautiful sight helping to guide those ships to port…..
Grand Island Recreation Area – rustic and remote – just across the lake from our Campground, was fabulous to spend a day biking. The “paths” were a mix of gravel and mud pits that take you to the most spectacular views of the lake, Pictured Rocks, and pristine sandy beaches… There’s not much on the island with the exception of a few rental cabins and camping spots – very remote!! There are a few existing structures (cabins) owned by the Hershey family. We found a beautiful beach to sit, have lunch, and take in the breathtaking views of Lake Superior once again. Waterfall beach didn’t disappoint……after 15 miles on our bikes, we were ready to head back to the ferry. You miss the last one and guess what? You’re spending the night “somewhere” on the island
LOL!!!!
When Cornish miners migrated to Michigan's Upper Peninsula in the 1800's, they brought with them their beloved national dish: the pasty. The Finnish miners that followed adopted these meat pies as their own (easily transportable for long subterranean days!), and the pasty became such a large part of the regional culture that there's an annual pasty festival in early July. In this recipe, beef, rutabaga, carrots, onions and potatoes are essentially steamed within the crimped, D-shaped dough pocket that's slit to allow just enough steam to escape. Of course we had to try one, and we did while waiting for the boat tour.
Michigan… We will miss you in many ways…..those sunsets!!! Wow – Wow – Wow….. the Caribbean colors of the water…..hunting for special rocks……. Bugs.... and those Enchanted Forests.
May 14 - 20 Paradise, Michigan
Tahquamenon Falls State Park (rhymes with Phenomenon)
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they called gitche gumee
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy
With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more
Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty
That good ship and crew was a bone to be chewed
When the gales of November came early
The ship was the pride of the American side
Coming back from some mill in Wisconsin
As the big freighters go, it was bigger than most
With a crew and good captain well seasoned
Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms
When they left fully loaded for Cleveland
And later that night when the ship bell rang
Could it be the north wind they been feelin
The wind in the wires made a tattle-tale sound
And a wave broke over the railin’
And every man knew, as the captain did too,
Twas’ the witch of November come stealin’
The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait
When the gales of November came slashin’
When afternoon came it was freezing rain
In the face of a hurricane west wind
When suppertime came, the old cook came on deck sayin’,
“Fellas, it’s too rough to feed ya”
At seven pm a main hatchway caved in, he said,
“Fellas, it’s been good to know ya”
The captain wired in he had water comin’ in
And the good ship and crew was in peril
And later that night when his lights went out of sight
Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Does anyone know where the love of God goes
When the waves turn the minutes to hours?
The searches all say they’d have made Whitefish Bay
If they’d put fifteen more miles behind her
They might have split up or they might have capsized
They may have broke deep and took water
And all that remains is the faces and the names
Of the wives and the sons and the daughters
Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings
In the rooms of her ice-water mansion
Old Michigan steams like a young man’s dreams
The islands and bays are for sportsmen
And farther below Lake Ontario
Takes in what Lake Erie can send her
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know
With the gales of November remembered
In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed,
In the maritime sailors’ cathedral
The church bell chimed ‘till it rang twenty-nine times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call ‘Gitche Gumee’
Superior, they said, never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early…
Gordon Lightfoot
Welcome to Paradise where waterfalls, shipwrecks, and blueberry festivals are big…bigger than life. We pulled into our campground with the excitement of two little kids – knowing we would be seeing/hiking the Lower and Upper Tahquamenon Falls – also known as The Root Beer Falls. The color of the water is created by the leaching of tannins from the cedar swamps which feed the river.
We couldn’t check in to the campground until mid-afternoon – we arrived a bit early. Being as it was lunchtime, we decided to make our first stop to the Tahquamenon Falls Pub and Brewery. With The Sandman in tow, off we went 20 miles up the road to get our first experience of the area. Yum………..their own Blueberry Ale was outstanding!!! This state park is HUGE and covers 50 thousand acres.
Yooper Perfume?? What you say??? Oh….bug deterrent!!! We are stocked – LOL!!
The Falls – both Lower and Upper – breathtaking – there are no words for how mother nature has provided us with such awesomeness!!! We hiked all over and just couldn’t get enough!! The North Country Scenic Trail also runs through this area. Oh the glory of it all…….
On the several hikes we did in the area, beautiful wildflowers were just starting to pop….
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum was a bucket list item for us. The beautiful Lighthouse was standing tall, watching over the waters that took so many lives, many years ago. On a clear day, Canada was just across the lake from Whitefish Bay. We watched a ship proudly make her way thru the small strait. The sunsets were spectacular from the beach. Beautiful driftwood laying half buried from many of the strong storms that occur in this area.
There is no lack of wildlife in the U.P. We kept our eyes peeled for Moose, but sadly – we saw none. There were plenty of other critters to enjoy!!!
We get a kick out of road signs up this way as many are unique to this region. Many were just funny.
If you live in the area during the winter, and you want your mail delivered to the mailbox, what do you do??? You put it on top of a 10’ pole – LOL!!!!
This was probably the 2nd most remote area we’ve ever been to while on our adventures.
We were happy we came well prepared as there were no grocery stores – just glorified convenience stores and one small gas station that did have diesel. There were a few local restaurants and shops that were a combination of a post office, building supplies, and hardware items. Closest area for shopping is about an hour away. “You’ll have to go to the Soo if you want anything else.” said everyone we asked.
We've found most locals to be friendly. They seem to think all is "faaaantastic"!
This is what “Pure Michigan” (their state slogan) is all about…….
May 5 - 14 St. Ignace, Michigan
Tiki RV Park
One thing we’ve learned about being on the road is we’re out of our “comfort zone” almost on a daily basis.
Evidence shows that people are at their best, physically harder, and mentally tougher, after experiencing some of the same discomforts our early ancestors were exposed to every day. But the more miles we’ve put under our wheels, the easier it’s gotten to live on the road…. We realize that we ARE living the American Dream!
A beautiful blue-sky day, with no wind - a perfect driving day…………. perfect because????
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Here we go – over the famous Mighty Mac – The Mackinac Bridge!!! Whoo Hoo…. well, that was fun – not!! Construction (no big surprise) had one lane closed. Squeeze!!!!! Those grates??? Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle... Slow and steady with a great party line of trucks and cars behind us LOL…..we made it to the other side safe and sound – Whew! That was some white knuckling for Mike. We both needed an adult beverage after this anxiety building drive!!!
We’ve now arrived in “Yooper” land – the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) of Michigan – The Yoop! Michiganders’’ that live below the Mackinac Bridge are known as “Trolls”. Tourists are known as “Fudgies”. There is plenty of fudge, t-shirts, and adventure to be had…
Happy Cinco de Mayo! Wonder if there any good Mexican restaurants where we’re headed????? Yep…. we found one – Cheers!!
The Tiki RV Park was another great place with a small view of Lake Huron from our site.
Only a couple other RV’s here – again it’s not quite camping season up here as most things open in mid-May or Memorial Weekend.
Looking at the weather outlook for the next week or so, we decided to take off for Mackinac Island the day after we arrived. Our first trip there last week with our friend Gretchan – well – we froze our asses off – LOL!! It was cloudy, windy, foggy, and just not fun…. We had the perfect weather this 2nd time around and spent most of the day having “Mansion envy” - drooling over the houses once again and admiring The Grand Hotel.
Did you know that the movie “Somewhere in Time” was produced on the Island? It was originally supposed to be filmed at the Hotel Del Coronado, in San Diego but the Del wasn’t available.
Expensive is the key word as mentioned in our previous entry. Oh yeah – the Hotel CHARGES $12 just to walk in – what???? We didn’t pay when we were there last week only because they had just opened that weekend. But come on! Pay $12 to mill about and then spend an ungodly amount on food and drinks???? Hum……all in all we loved it and would not discourage others from visiting as it is truly a magical experience!
Being as we were only about 50 miles from Sault (pronounced SOO) Ste Marie – both a US and Canadian city, we took off to visit the US side first because………………. that’s where the SOO locks are and that was a bucket list item for us. What a fascinating site to see!! We were lucky enough (without having a schedule) to see 4 ships go through. They have been referred to as one of the great wonders of the world and are still the largest and one of the busiest waterway traffic systems on earth! Wowzer!!! The locks consist of two canals and four locks that allow vessels to safely traverse the 21-foot drop in elevation of the St. Mary’s River between Lake Superior and Lakes Michigan and Huron.
So many lighthouses in this state! We had to pick and choose which ones to visit as some were pretty far away…. Point Iroquois didn’t disappoint. It was “sort of” on our way back to St. Ignace. Unfortunately, it wasn’t open inside yet for visitors – still early in their season darn it!! But it did give us an interesting tour of some Indian Tribal communities along the way. We had no idea that the state of Michigan was so enriched in Indian culture, many of which are federally recognized.
Oh Canada – here we come!! Another bucket list as neither of us had ever been there.
Passports? Check. Security questions passed, Check!! We bypassed visiting the SOO locks as the Canadian side is only used for recreational and tour boats. First stop was the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre (museum). Pretty neat place filled with over 30 vintage back country firefighting planes……
Not wanting to wander TOO far into Canada (very unfamiliar territory and mostly scenic terrain for miles and miles), we decided to drive up the coast a way via the Trans Canada Hwy. Our stop for the day before turning around brought us to Harmony Beach Ontario with stunning views of Whitefish Bay along our route! And…. some very interesting road signs.
We thought gas was expensive in the US????
We heard there’s going to be an awesome sky event??? Could it be?? Check off another thing on our bucket list? The Northern Lights!!!! We scoped out a dark place near the McGulpin Point Lighthouse – another cool Lighthouse – we haven’t seen one yet that isn’t awesome!
Another neato place in the same area was the Headlands International Dark Sky Park but decided it’s better for star gazing than Northern Lights viewing. At McGulpin Point, we waited and waited and waited……but the clouds and bugs kept rolling in. Damn it………. nothing – nada – uggggg…. We’ll try again as this super-duper event is supposed to last for 3 nights.
Like waiting for the 4th of July fireworks….boom….boom….boom…..we headed out for yet another chance of viewing the Northern Lights. The sunset was breathtaking as we watched a ship go by. The sky grew darker and then………. the magic started to happen!!!
OMG!!! Is this really happening??? We jumped for joy like two little kids…. everywhere we looked, more colors exploded in the sky. Truly a moment we’ll never forget. After hours in the cold, the sky cleared and back home we went.
But wait??? Are there more???
OMG…. the sky exploded again. It was a cold night, but we couldn’t tear ourselves away from that unreal scene happening all around us – WOW!!!! Like ghosts moving in the wind, it just got better and better….
The town of St. Ignace is home to the world-famous Castle Rock. It rises 200 feet above lake level. It was an ancient lookout of the Ojibway Indians. Oh boy – Donna doesn’t like open heights!!! But we climbed those 170 steep steps anyway and voila – beautiful views of Mackinac Island, Lake Huron, and miles of other scenic views!
The North Country Scenic Trail is 4800 miles and travels through 8 states. Part of it is in St. Ignace very near where our campground was. Off we went to explore the beautiful forests of Michigan….
If you love the outdoors, water, blue skies, and Caribbean style waters, then Michigan is a trip you should plan. You won’t be disappointed!! Except for those damn midges that hatched while we were here….and they are EVERYWHERE….they don’t bite but they sure are annoying. Mate already….then go away – LOL!!
