Michigan - Smitten by the Mitten!

Hi Friends and Family! 

We hope you are all doing well and enjoying your summer! Years ago, we briefly visited Detroit, and when we'd think of the state as a whole, the Motor City came to mind. Additionally, we'd always heard about the Great Lakes, but could not understand all the fuss about a few big lakes. Silly us! That's another reason we love traveling this way—we’re learning. ☺️

This trip through Michigan has filled our senses with lush greenery, beautiful hikes, and charming small towns. We've gained a new appreciation for the tradition and culture. And—it turns out, the lakes really are a big deal! These inland seas can be as clear as the Caribbean, and many shorelines are reminiscent of the Pacific coast. During storms, the lakes can dish out 10 to 30-foot waves and have sunk thousands of ships—many of them never seen again. As the epicenter of summer vacations in the Midwest, the lakes and their beaches provide opportunity for watersports and other activities. The many small towns, winding country roads, lush farmland, and fresh air make it easy to see why one of the state's unofficial slogans is Pure Michigan. 

 We also experienced, "first hand," Michigan's unique geography language: Mitten. ✋🏻 For those not familiar: The lower peninsula of Michigan is shaped like a mitten, and all Michiganians refer to said mitten when referencing where they live. Detroit is roughly at the base of the "thumb" of the mitten, so here's how it goes: "You're from Michigan? I grew up there!"…. "Oh really? What part?"…. "A small town called Metamora, right at the base of the thumb." Then the person holds up his left hand and points to the first thumb knuckle, and just like that, the inquirer knows exactly where this person grew up. However, it may get more complicated if two hand surgeons meet up: "I lived in Metamora…just west of the metacarpophalangeal articulation." 😜

 Our first stop in Michigan was about 40 miles north of Detroit, close to the homes of Glenda's sister, and her sister’s daughter, and grandchildren. It had been too many years since we had seen them, and we had never before met her two precious granddaughters. It was so incredibly great to spend time together after so long! What a treat! ❤️❤️

In the city of Empire, we hiked and explored Sleeping Bear National Seashore. Empire's population is 263, but perfectly situated on the water and ready to host a crowd during the summer. Kind of… the only restaurant we found was Joe's Friendly Tavern, but they were friendly! The entire town was friendly, actually: near Joe's, we spotted a closed antique shop that left hundreds of treasures outside on the sidewalk overnight, and across the street, we found a cart loaded with neatly wrapped homemade breads, cookies, and jams with a money box for honor-system payments. A place with lots of trusting and honest folks for sure! And the baked goods were delicious. 🍪

Right before the July 4th weekend, we drove through Traverse City and wished we had known to plan an overnight stay here. This popular summer destination was dressed in red, white, and blue as they prepared for the National Cherry Festival. 🍒 We later learned that we passed through just two days ahead of President Biden, who went to the all-American town and famously ordered ice cream there during the July 4th weekend. 😃🍦 Also while in Michigan, we rode a ferry to the historic Mackinac Island, where bicycles and horses are the only public mode of transportation. Also in Michigan, we searched for (and found!) unusual coral fossils in Petoskey and saw the world's largest crucifix in Indian River. 

Craig took this blog's cover photo in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where we visited the stunning Pictured Rock National Lakeshore and learned that U-P-ers—residents of the UP, spelled and pronounced, "Yoopers" have their own distinct culture. We readily adopted one aspect of their culture: their love for the breakfast/lunch/dinner staple: pasties. 😋

Our tour of Michigan is over for now, but we will continue to enjoy Lake Superior's harbor towns and scenery as we continue west through Wisconsin and Minnesota. We hope you enjoy the pictures of the all the scenes and simple pleasures we enjoyed in the Great Lake State—and be sure to check out the video for even more of Michigan!

Much love to you all! Glenda and Craig 🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♂️🐕

At our first RV campsite, our view of Lake Huron made us instantly aware that this was no Lake Lanier. For reference, Lake Lanier in north Georgia is roughly 58 square miles, and Georgia’s largest lake, Clark Hill, is 111 square miles. Lake Huron is 23,000 square miles. That’s over 200 times bigger than Georgia’s biggest lake. 😱

I was thrilled and delighted to meet these two little great nieces of mine! So precious!

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore near the friendly town of Empire (at the pinkie of the mitten) is known for some of the largest sand dunes in the world.

A section of the dunes at Sleeping Bear are 450 feet straight down to the water’s edge. Even with this warning, we watched a continuous stream of people skip down into the thick fog. Much like walking up an escalator that is going down; climbing back up the 33-degree grade, soft sand makes for an 2-hour return time from the bottom, according to park authorities. Since many are injured running full-speed ahead going down, or become exhausted or dehydrated while returning, this area has become one of the most notorious outdoor rescue spots not only in Michigan, but in the entire National Park system.

This 460-foot sand dune is a climbing favorite for park visitors. Many people climb this misleading dune expecting an overlook into Lake Michigan. The trail is actually a continuous climb up and down many more sand dunes for over 2 miles before reaching the lakeshore.

Because of its picturesque form and location, Point Betsie Lighthouse on Sleeping Bear Lakeshore is said to be one of America's most photographed lighthouses. Often the subject of photographs and other types of art, Point Betsie seems to have inspired Craig to some creative photography as well.

Situated on Little Traverse Bay, Petoskey is another charming coastal resort community. In this town, we had lunch at Petoskey Brewing, and at the state park, we participated in a favorite local activity—searching for Michigan’s state stone—the Petoskey rock fossils…

A Petoskey stone is a rock and a fossil, composed of a fossilized coral. There is a lot of scientific detail in how these rocks are formed, but in (mostly) simple terms it goes like this: This area was part of a sea millions of years ago and after a few more million years, the sea’s coral was fossilized. Later, sheets of ice from glaciers pulled portions of the fossilized stones from the bedrock, grinding off their rough edges and scattering them all around the northwestern portion of Michigan’s lower peninsula, and in some areas of the upper peninsula.

The Petoskey on the left is dry, and on the right, a polished stone that looks much like it would if wet. Finding this unique hexagonal pattern along the lakeshores is not easy, and it's tempting to look for Petoskeys at the edge of the water, where the design is more easily seen. We learned a seasoned Petoskey seeker takes a water bottle and wets the dry rocks higher up on the beach, where no one else looks. It is lawful to take up to 25 pounds of rock away at a time from the state park, so Craig and I scanned the beaches for over an hour and found various beautifully colored and patterned stones, including, to my delight, four small Petoskeys. The day was a success!

Also in Petoskey is the headquarters and home of the very first Kilwins. “Sweet in every Sense since 1947,” Kilwins has long been a celebrated part of Americana, having earned a reputation for the finest fudge, ice cream, and candies in the business. It all started here, and today Kilwins has 146 locations nationwide.

We felt like we were in a scene from Willy Wonka browsing through the vast store that sold every imaginable confection, including $500 oversized chocolate Santas and giant, $300 chocolate Easter Bunnies. Craig holds up one of his favorites, a 10-pound dark chocolate bar. 🍫

Pond Hill Farm was an unexpected discovery as we traveled the Trail of Trees in Harbor Springs. Pond Hill Farm is a winery, brewery, music venue, petting zoo, fresh fruit & vegetable market, and brick oven pizzeria—and that's just on the day we were there. Brimming over with authentic country-life charm, the farm holds seasonal festivals and celebrations year-round on the most beautiful piece of property you've ever seen. There really weren't words for all this place had going on.

A relaxing Saturday evening at Pond Hill.

If you know me at all, you know nothing is going to make my day any better than being this close to a sweet, sleeping baby pig! Thank you, Pond Hill Farms! 🐷

A quick geography lesson/refresher: The state of Michigan consists of its upper and lower peninsulas. The Mackinac Bridge (right by the red dot) is the only connector between the two peninsulas. There have actually been maps published that forgot to include the upper peninsula. Although overlooked as a part of Michigan on occasion, the residents of the UP--the Yoopers, take great pride in their land, way of life, and overall strength and resiliency. If you've never heard of a Yooper, don't feel too bad…but it may be time to learn; Merriam-Webster added Yooper to the dictionary in 2014. 🤓

The Mackinac Bridge, which is also I-75, is the only way to reach the UP from the lower peninsula. At nearly five miles long, Mackinac Bridge is one of the longest bridges in the world. Since its completion in 1954, only two cars have plunged into the waters; one was intentional, and the other happened when a woman's tiny Yugo met 45 mph winds on the bridge in 1989. (Bridge file photo)

We crossed the Mackinac Bridge into the upper peninsula, and caught a ferry onto Mackinac Island. In the late 19th century, Mackinac Island became a popular tourist attraction and summer colony. Because of its historic significance, the entire island is listed as a National Historic Landmark.

Horses and bicycles are the only public transportation allowed on Mackinac. A shipment of merchandise and supplies to the local shops and restaurants also arrive by horse-pulled carts.

Michigan's oldest church, St. Anne's Catholic Church. The rites of the Catholic faith on Mackinac Island were inaugurated in 1670, but the earliest surviving parish records began in April 1695. For decades, the parish used a historic log church for mass until 1874 when St. Anne's Church was built.

It could be said that time stands still on Mackinac Island until you notice that the horse-pulled carriage driver is scrolling through his iPhone. 🤨

The Grand Hotel, the most prominent feature on Mackinac Island, is grand indeed. Five US presidents, Thomas Edison, Mark Twain, and countless other notables have stayed here since the doors opened in 1887. The hotel became a family-run business in 1933 and still is today.

The Grand has 397 guest rooms, each individually and artfully decorated so that no two rooms are alike. The Grand also takes pride in having the longest porch in the world: 660 feet! And in case you didn't notice…that is Craig on his bicycle on the right. 😊🚴🏻‍♀️

Mackinac’s population of full-time residents is around 1000 people, but the number rises into the thousands during the summer due to an influx of summer visitors and hundreds of seasonal workers.

In Indian Springs, (close to the tip of the middle finger ✋🏻) we found Cross In the Woods very close to our RV park. Cross in the Woods is a 31-foot wooden cross and bronze figure of Jesus by sculptor Marshall Fredericks, and is the largest in the world. This area was beautiful and had a woodsy trail with stops documenting highlights of the life of Christ along the way, all the way up to his crucifixion and resurrection. Mass is held here every single day and each year between 275,000 and 325,000 people come to visit.

In the upper peninsula, Presque Isle Park in the town of Marquette was a nice place to hike near the shoreline. It was pretty cold and windy on this day, which we understand is typical even though it’s July.

Many beautiful views at Presque Isle Park.

The Black Rocks area of Presque Isle Park is a popular place for various outdoor activities, including…painting? Yes, this man had an easel set up in the frigid winds and worked on his masterpiece. 🎨🖌

Black Rocks is also where all the cool kids go to jump off a 30-foot cliff… into Lake Superior. The summer water temperatures of around 52 degrees is as warm as Lake Superior gets in Marquette. Another popular time to jump is right after the ice melts, when the water is about 39 degrees. This couple asked us to film their jump, and we did. They were supposed to jump at the same time, but the girl couldn’t quite get herself to leap at the count of three. She did eventually muster up the courage. 🥽

Pasties, (pronounced PASS-tees) "the meaty center of Yooper food," are filled with beef, diced potato, yellow turnip or rutabaga, and onion, seasoned with salt and pepper, and baked. Pasties were established as a UP staple when the copper mining rush of the early 1800s brought an onslaught of laborers to the region from Cornwall, England. They may not look special, but that may be why they are; they’re surprisingly light and packed with favor. 🥟

One of Craig’s photos of the shore of Lake Superior along his hike in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Munising.

The Marquette Harbor Lighthouse is not likely to be the last lighthouse you see from us… we see them often, Craig likes taking pictures of them, and we still have many miles to cover before we are entirely on dry land! 😀🚨😀

Three Happy Campers Tour Michigan

Goodbye for now! 🧡