Tahquamenon Falls, Michigan July 27th, 2017

Mackinac Bridge from the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse

Randy shared some pics on Facebook of Tahquamenon Falls but it was so beautiful we wanted to share more photos of that day on our blog. We started the day going south across the magnificent Mackinac Bridge that spans the Straits between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. We also had our first pasty (pronounced pass-tee or who knows what you might get. LOL). It is meat & vegetables baked in a crust usually forming a half moon shape. 

They were doing repair work on bridge, so down to one lane each way over part of bridge.

We are over half way across main bridge & look how far it still is to land!

Traffic jam on bridge as truckers speed limit is 20 mph. So on one lane each way that means EVERY vehicle is doing 20 mph!

Looking towards St. Ignace. Those are semis that you can see crossing the bridge!

Beef Pasty from Mackinaw Pastie & Cookie Co.

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse

After leaving Mackinaw City we drove back north to Tahquamenon (rhymes with phenomenon) Falls State Park on northern part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Debbie & Len had told us how much they had enjoyed the Falls on a previous trip. It was well worth the drive!  

Natural beauty in the Lower Falls.

Lower Falls are a series of 5 smaller falls cascading around an island.

Gorgeous!

Even trails back to falls were amazing.

The Upper Falls is one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi, with a drop of 50 feet & 200 feet across & 
52,228 gallons per SECOND!

Lots of steps but the falls were so worth it!

Ok we both did the first 94 steps down easily. Hard part is the 94 back UP!

We spent a long time just marveling at the falls.

The water looked like liquid amber. 
The color comes from the tannins leached from the cedar, spruce & hemlock in the swamps drained by the river.

More steps from a different viewing platform.

Joyce was smiling as she went down the steps. Randy decided he didn't need a different view of the falls.

The viewing platform that we had been on for our picture above, is just to right above falls, over the mist. Joyce thought the different view was worth the work.

She was a little flushed after she returned!

Joyce had to get her toes back in Lake Michigan 
on the way back to RV.

With the zoom on Joyce's camera we were able to see a couple of the lighthouses in the distance. This was White Shoals.

A sunset on Lake Michigan.

Wow we were truly blessed to see so much 

of the Lord's beauty in one day!

St. Ignace & Mackinac Island, Michigan July 24 & 25, 2017

Our crew at Mackinac Island
(2nd & 3rd row)

Seems we just haven't had the time to catch up the blog since our entry of March, so we've decided to start current (OK last week). We'll throw the other entries from our adventures from March thru July in, as we can get them uploaded. 

Our friends Debbie & Len, with Kay & Vaughn had traveled up to Baraboo, WI to watch the Circus Wagon parade with us. (We definitely need to get that post done as it was a blast.) Once they found we were going to Mackinac Island they agreed to venture up that way and meet us in St. Ignace. 

The blue dot is St. Ignace Michigan with
Mackinac Island just to the east.

St. Ignace is in the U.P. (Yes, we were ignorant of the meaning of U.P. being mid-westerners. It means Upper Peninsula of Michigan) We are staying at the Tiki Campground here. 

We spent one day coming up the eastern coast of Wisconsin/western edge of Michigan and spent the night at Gladstone Michigan on Sunday night. It was a pretty park on the Little Bay de Noc in Lake Michigan. 

Little Bay de Noc

View of Little Bay de Noc from the RV.

Joyce got her toes in Lake Michigan even though the
temp was rather cool that evening.

We all met for dinner Monday night the 24th at St. Ignace, and celebrated 46 years of marriage for Debbie & Len! Of course with the 6 of us, LAUGHTER is the main topic!

46th Wedding Anniversary!

Fun & friends!
(That's Lake Huron behind us.)

On Tuesday the 25th we left on the 9 am Sheplers ferry over to Mackinac Island as with that ride we got an extra 10 minute excursion to and under the beautiful Mackinac Bridge. It is the bridge that links the U. P. over the 5 miles of the Mackinac Straights (the link between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron) to the mainland of Michigan. It is currently the 5th longest suspension bridge in the world. The ferry ride over to the island took approx. 25 minutes.

Mackinac Bridge from ferry.

The Mackinac Port Authority boats keeping an eye out for the bridge painters.

One of the painters waving back.

Mackinac Island is around 2500 acres and does not allow automobiles on the island. In the 1870s a "horseless carriage" was brought to the islands and the locals said it scared the horses, and made too much noise and smell. So now it is a auto-free tourist destination that we all enjoyed. They have the shortest highway in Michigan as it goes around the island and is approx. 8 miles.

They have over 400 horses on the island that do everything from tours to delivery of guests to hotels, to moving luggage and food items all around the island. As one tour guide explained they have 4 veternarians on the island and just one doctor, so you know who's health is more important! It was also made famous by the movie "Somewhere in Time" with Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeves which took place in the famous Grand Hotel.

The beautiful Grand Hotel

We all went to Seabiscuit Restaurant for a delicious breakfast once we reached the island. Then we arranged for our time to take our carriage ride tour. They start you on a carriage thru town pulled by a pair of horses, and drop you off at the top of the hill at the Surrey Hills Museum. From there you catch a larger carriage pulled by 3 horses that take you to Fort Mackinac. After you are through at the Fort you can catch a ride back to the Surrey Hills and catch another carriage back to town to complete your tour.

Our driver Tom, had been a retired school teacher, till he wife
"suggested" he get another job. LOL

Had Randy & Len stand besides this carriage (called a "Roof Seat Break") to show the amazing height!

Joyce standing by the 1903 Omnibus

One of the stops on the carriage tour was Arch Rock.

Joyce, Vaughn, Kay, Len & Debbie at Arch Rock

Beautiful set of three dapple grays.

Our carriage pullers, left to right, Bubba, Mike & Bart known as "The Mafia". Each of the trio teams had nicknames. Their driver Luke was a knowledgeable guide.

Len & Deb at Fort Mackinac entrance

Kay & Vaughn at the fort

Gorgeous view of harbor from the fort.

Preparing to fire the cannon at the fort.

The harbor was full of sailboats from the "2017 Bayview Mackinac Race" from Port Huron, Michigan to Mackinac Island.

The various sailboats, flags & crews were fascinating.


We loved seeing all the various horse-drawn wagon, carriages etc. There were also horses you could rent to ride, along with hundreds of various bicycles.

Freight wagon

With all the horses they need LOTS of hay.

Notice the cart behind the wagon. It's loaded with luggage,
that's been wrapped with plastic wrap & shipped over from the mainland.

This young cyclist thought she'd ride between the wagons
but got caught in a squeeze play! LOL

The island does have one fire truck, one amublance and one police car on the island in case of true emergency. But mostly the police ride bicycles.

Police cruisers parked at side of station.

Flowers on the island were GORGEOUS!

Riders checking out fowers in front of Grand Hotel.

A riot of color.

Almost every home had a beautiful flower bed in front.

Beautiful old home with lovely baskets of flowers.

All the flowers seemed to be on steroids here.


On our carriage tour the driver mentioned that there were 18 fudge shops(most were same shops just different locations) on the island. Then he said they all offered free samples but if you tried them all you'd be sick. Joyce decided to take up that challenge. Since she didn't get an early start she only made nine shops before the end of day! LOL

A few of Joyce's fudge shop stops.

Ahh the life of a dog on the island... your own cart!

A great place for childhood wonder!

As the Shepler ferries only run till 9pm, there was a line to board returning to St. Ignace or Mackinac City. All the ferries were making the trip in and out of harbor.

The view of the Mackinac Bridge was beautiful
as the sun was setting on our return trip.

This was the type of ferry we rode to the island and back. 

After our "black cloud" week (which will describe in a later post) it was so sweet to have wonderful friends to make us laugh! We are so thankful to have such wonderful friends to catch up with our travels and enjoy the time with us. We are truly blessed!