Starting home

The first five miles of our trip home were the ones we walked this morning across the "Mighty Mac"! We then had lunch at the airport - great view and lunch, and then back here to Signature Resort. This is a picture of the putting green golf course - 9 holes. Betty and I played it barefoot. The Kentucky bluegrass is wonderful!
Tomorrow, Tuesday, we depart Northern Michigan and head south to Dundee, MI which is the Cabelis Store location with RV spaces. On Wednesday we will head to Cincinnati and the FMCA location on Roundbottom Road. On Thursday we should arrive home in Big Canoe after a long day run - if all goes well and we do not have traffic problems.
This has been an outstanding and fun trip. We all have checked off a few items from out "Bucket List"!

Signature Resort at Bay Harbor

These are pictures of Signature Resort at Bay Harbor, where we have been for two nights. This is the picture from our windshields and patios. Very pretty.














This is the back of the clubhouse which is lovely and contains a media room, exercise room, bar, meeting rooms, etc. To the right of the fence is the pool and hot tub which we have used today since the walk.


















Sculpture outside the front of the clubhouse.


















Our campsites

The Crossing

40,000 to 50,000 were expected to do the walkand there were school buses from every town we have visited in the area. The walkers are bussed to St. Ignace for the start from Mackinac City or bussed to St. Ignace from Mackinac City after walking if that is where they have transportation. Very well organized!
Approaching the 2nd tower we saw photographers on the bridge tower.

Looking down at the freighter.















How is this for looking down 200 feet from where you are walking!

Off we go...

We are starting the walk up the bridge.


















Bill and Jack

















Betty returning to Mackinac City
The sun is still rising and a freighter starts to approach through the light fog.

Sunrise at Mackinac Bridge

We arrived on the bridge just before sunrise and we were driving north on the middle southbound drive. The Govenor and her party started the walk at 7AM and proceeding her were some "Bridge Runners" who were invited to run the bridge.
After the toll booth Jack could pull the car over and we got out and Betty then drove the car back over the bridge while we walked back across the bridge.
The Mackinac Bridge is the largest suspension bridge in this hemisphere and it was built while we were in college and the building of it was truly an American feat at that time. I believe it currently is the 3rd largest in the world and is five miles long!

Tea Party in Petoskey

After attending church in Petoskey, yesterday, Jack, Bill, and Betty went off to explore another spectacular lake while I stayed behind and read and did laundry. At 5PM Jack, Betty, and myself headed off to the park in Petoskey for a Tea Party. I had never been to one before and it was fun and good spirited and certainly "All American"! Some local people had put it together who had never been involved in politics before and all were small business owners. Don't know how they managed it but "Joe the Plumber" was there as well as "Tony the Long Distance Truck Driver".

Joe the Plumber




















The Crowd


















Tea Bag Hat Lady

Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Bay Harbor - all wonderful communities

When friends say they are going to Northern Michigan, it could mean a lot of places - all beautiful. Besides the great lakes (of which they have three) there are many smaller glacer created lates that are all over and many have their "camps" or summer homes here. These homes go from the spectacular "old time money" at Harbor Springs and Mackinac Island to the "new money" in Bay Harbor which has been created in recent years and also is spectacular. Bay View is a Chautaugua Community in Petoskey with turn of the century homes like what you see in Mounteagle. Petoskey itself has a delightful downtown area which remains vibrant and walking is easy. Parks and flowers everywhere.
There is so much you can do here, it is obvious why so many summer here. One or two weeks is not enough!

Down with the sun and up with the moon!

More pictures from last night's boat ride.

Another great day and evening at Hearthside Grove!

Yesterday we spent most of the day doing the exciting things like cleaning and playing bills and a short break for geocaching. The beauty of being in Hearthside Grove even made the mundane chores pleasant! At 6pm we joined six others for a cruise at Harbor Springs ,that had been set up by the staff at Hearthside Grove,and it was a highlight of the trip! The weather was perfect for a beautiful sutset and the rising of a full moon!
Homes on the "Point" are accessable only by foot, bicucle or horsedrawn carraige during the summer.

Charlevoix

Today was a fun day in Charlevoix and we hadlunch at the restaurant you can see next to the draw bridge. The bridge opens up at both the top and bottom of the hour to let the boats pass through and out to Lake Michigan. Rather spectacular setting and even lovlier due to all the wonderful flowers!

Dinner in Harbor Springs and then checking out the boats! This sailboat is about 75 feet long!

Sunset from Sunset Park in Petoskey

These pictures were from Sunset Park in Petoskey overlooking Little Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan. The park had two levels and after watching the sunset from the lower level we tried to run up the stairs for a 2nd sunset but we were too slow - or too old!