June 5

M is for…MOSQUITIOS and MIDGES and MACKINAC (pronounced Mackinaw)!!

Today’s adventure began at Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park. We discovered this place yesterday, and knew we would have to come back. We were there with HUNDREDS of school kids, ‘tis the season up here, to see some of the local history and play. This area does lots of logging and even has their own lumberjack show near the park. We learned the history of the Mill Creek Sawmill, one of the oldest industrial sites in the U.P. (Upper Peninsula) dating back to 1790. Robert Campbell decided that being able to cut only 12 20’ boards a day in a 12 hour day for a penny was not acceptable. So he decided to harness the power of the creek. With his sawmill, he and his men were able to cut 120 20’ boards worth 3 cents a foot in a 12 hour day! SMART MAN! We watched a demonstration of how the saw pit would have operated, and Caleb was chosen from the group to be the pit man – pulling on the lower half of the saw to cut the boards. Though he was “in the pits” so to speak, he seemed to be enjoying himself.

After soaking up history, it was time for some fun! Taylor, Samuel, Caleb and I all took the opportunity to ride the zip line 425’ hovering over the creek. It was quite an adventure, but this time mosquitoes infested the woods as we awaited our turn to fly. The last bit of excitement was taken in at the climbing wall where we scaled and repelled a 40’ wall and then climbed to the top of the 50’ watch tower for some great views!

The remainder of the day, we enjoyed the simplicity and beauty of Mackinac Island. The only way to access the island is by boat or plane, so we rode a jet ferry across the 5 miles of Lake Huron. The breeze was so brisk, the water so clear, and the jet of water shooting out the back so exciting. We could see where currents flowed in the lake as we traveled the 18 minute journey. Everyone enjoyed the wind in their hair but Andrew. He preferred to stay low and sheltered in the front of the three story boat.

The island greeted us with loads of choices. The Grand Hotel (Built in the 19^th century, the hotel boasts of having the largest outdoor porch in the world, and OH! What a view!), Fort Mackinac (relocated from the mainland), beautiful Victorian homes and a simpler way of life. Taylor stated that of all the states he has seen so far, MI is his favorite! He was announced that he WILL one day live on Mackinac Island. There are no cars on this island of 3.77 square miles. Everyone commutes with horse carriage, bicycle, or on foot. It makes for a much quieter, less polluted visit. We hiked for a mile or so to see the natural wonders of Arch Rock and took in the sites of a beautiful shoreline and gorgeous homes on these quite streets. We made a crazy dash up an insane hill to Fort Mackinac. The fort was moved to provide better safety and viewpoint. I promise you that any troops trying to advance up that hill to the fort would have certainly been at a disadvantage. Those not killed trying to advance on the fort back in 1812 would have certainly been spent by the time they reached the top!! We, however, did make it in time to see a Boy Scout troop retire a HUGE flag for the evening – a beautiful sight. With our remaining time we hiked back around the island for a quick view of the hotel and then back to the main street for a little shopping. We were greeted by loads of choices for fudge - a big deal up here (Tourists are often referred to as fudgies.), ice cream, and clothing. We had hoped to catch the 7 o’clock ferry but realized when we got to the docks that the ferry left at 6:30, so we were left having to wait for the final ferry at 8 which allowed me to try some of the local ice cream. (They guys enjoyed theirs at Soo Locks, but because I was already so cold, I was not interested.) We all nibbled a bit on the ice cream enjoyed a few chocolate confections and waited on the docks with the local seagulls. My heart was warmed as we were on the ferry ride back to witness that chivalry is not dead. A mother’s heart was made proud when Taylor offered one of his new sweatshirts to a lady who had not been prepared for the chilling ride back to the mainland.

We drove again tonight as far as we could down Hwy 2 along the coast of Lake Michigan. Towns through here are few and far between. So when we reached Escanaba, MI, we decided that was far enough. The sunset along the coast was beautiful, and we are looking forward to seeing it in the day tomorrow as we pull into WI.