Rv PIT STOP...and.... Up to MICHIGAN!

Journeyed up to the NORTHERN part of Indiana to stop and see an RV tech who specializes in our type of rig (Travel Superme) ….  Spent several days there in Bremen fixing a few things and will swing back to have an  awning motor installed. 

First set foot in Michigan, and visited Ann Arbor, an excellent  college town with great history and food.Detroit has amazingly very nice residents which complements  their bike paths in the city… 

Took in the original Ford auto factory where Henry Ford made the Model T (as well as A  thru S) The city of Detroit also has the OLDEST AQUARIUM in the country, and that place is a true GEM!

 

Frankenmuth, MI is the site of the worlds LARGEST CHRISTMAS STORE…..

Along the shores of Lake Huron to Alpena, which has spectacular bike paths along the shores of Lake Huron. By the way, when “Your IN Lake Huron, you do not want to leak any URINE!”

Up to Mackinaw City which is near the Mackinaw Bridge and the Mackinack Island….. this is the last part of  the mainland Michigan before going over that BRIDGE and being in what is known as UP for Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  Spent a day on Mackinack Island, accessible by boat only…. We took the bikes thankfully because that island, sitting in Lake Huron, has what we consider to be the BEST BIKE TRAIL we have ever seen!  The island does NOT ALLOW any cars…. Only bikes and HORSES are permitted. They have a state HIGHWAY that does NOT ALLOW CARS! Instead it is a well paved road for just bikes and horses…. This hugs the shoreline of Lake Huron and is virtually completely consistently level at perhaps three feet above the water level of the lake. The loop around the island is about 8 miles, and there are plenty of spots to stop your bike and hike up to explore other interesting parts of the island….which we did do as well.

Drove up to Sault Ste Marie (a city pronounced SUE SAINT Marie…)  that is half in the US and half in Canada. Observed the locks and went on a great bike ride along the St Mary River.

To Petoskey and along the beautiful West Coast of  Michigan (which borders Lake Michigan)  to Traverse City. Traverse City had the absolute BEST BLUEBERRY PIE ever! Crystal clear waters with lots of fish… and lots of pesky flying insects- midges in particular (Shown in one picture below).

 

 

Rode up to Leelanau State Park, very scenic with historic lighthouses… huge carp flapping around in shallow waters, with exceptionally LOUD FROGS ribbitting it up as well. Found a cool antique shop that had a very bizzare, uh... portrait(?) of Jesus wearing a tortoise shell, and some antlers and beaver bones......After all that and some wine tasting, it was prime time to catch a few winks under a tree...

 

Took in the Sleeping Bears Dunes National Park along Lake Michigan…. Although signs warn NOT TO, people of course trek down the VERY STEEP and treacherous sand dunes down to the water’s edge- and then have a very difficult time climbing back up.  There was a wedding that took place on the deck that extends daringly over the edge of the dunes.