25 July

We're home.
Early, like by a month.
problem is, we got sick.  butch got it first and gave it to me.  we tried to get better and stick it out, but
we just couldn't do it.  I've got bronchitis and sinusitis and am on antibiotics and an inhaler, and he's getting better just by being stubborn and not going to the dr's.
On top of it, our wireless crapped out and today I gave up and went out and bought a new one.
I'll get more pics of the trip up here soon....promise.  As soon as I can breathe and stop coughing.
love you all bunches

25-30 June

Bay Mills, MI
Sault Ste Marie, MI

Driving over the Mackinaw Bridge into the Upper Penninsula, or the Yooper as the locals call it.

 

We took a boat tour through the Soo Locks, which is the way all the traffic from Lake Michigan gets to Lake Superior.

Into the locks we go.

Light 26



Point Iroquois from the water

Gros Point light (Canadian)

barge traffic



Dropped us from here

to there

They were having a tug boat parade

 

We went to Canada.

saw the Canadian locks from a park there 

this is the boat we were on the day before

 

THEY LET US BACK IN!

Lighthouses

I've missed posting some pics of lighthouses where they belong, so i'm just going to post a bunch.

Cheboygan River Light

 

Cheboygan Crib light

Point light at Cheyboygan

Mackinaw Lighthouse with bridge in background

McGaulpin Point Light
near Mackinaw

23-25 July

Traverse City Michigan

This was a really cool place.  There are 2 peninsulas here, Old Mission and Leelanua.  Leelanua is the little finger of the mitten of Michigan.  We crossed the 45th parallel several times and as all the wineries there like to point out, it is on the same parallel as the Loire valley in France, so of course, their wine is wonderful.  I had to set a limit on no more than 3 wineries a day.  Well, and 1 brewery-but that was with dinner, so it really shouldn't count. 

On Old Mission peninsula you could stand at the vineyard and see water on both sides.  Pretty damn cool.  OK, maybe the wine had some to do with it, but it really beautiful there.

Old Mission Lighthouse

Grand Traverse Lighthouse

5th order Fresnel light and fake lighthouse keeper

 



butch at the top of the Grand Traverse Light

 

the two of us in the beautiful rocks in Lake Superior

seriously, we were standing in ankle deep water there