Wednesday, May 27th, we continued our journey heading North. It was raining, so we took our time and stopped for lunch at Zenders Inn in Frankenmuth, MI. We ate in their small dining room they called the Cow Path. It had 5 booths and was decorated with a Bavarian theme and is famous for its Fried Chicken and Stollen Bread. It was delicious.
After lunch, I walked around this little shopping village while Rob took a nap.
After Rob was well fed and rested, we traveled on to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake Michigan. When we pulled in the parking lot, we noticed a school bus parked and a couple of busses pulling in behind us. If you look close, you can see the kids on the dunes. They look like little ants. We decided to enjoy the view from the RV and then head on our way. Soon it really begin to rain hard. We arrived in Traverse, MI and eventually found our campground. With every stop we made, we noticed that we were having to put on more layers of clothing.
Thursday, May 28th, we drove around Grand Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan. The fog was very thick after the previous day of rain and our visability was bad. We toured the Lighthouse at the tip of Leelanau Pennisula at North Point. Then onward we went to Mackinac City. After getting checked into the campground, which was on the edge of Lake Huron, we stopped in a Pancake Restaurant and was immediately informed that they were expecting 150 fifth graders to arrive. We smiled and told them we would come back another day. We went to a small resturant down the street and had our first Pasty. This is a meat and vegetable mix, baked in a buttery crust. It is a very popular dish in northern Michigan and very tasty.
Thursday, May 29th, we boarded a Hydro-Jet Ferry to go over to Mackinac Island.
As you can see in the above picture, the only transportation on the island is by horse and buggy or bicycle. No automobiles were allowed.
This is the horse and carriage that took us around the island. It was cool, when we arrived, but as the time passed, it warmed up some. In the afternoon, we found an empty bench on the main street and we sat in the sun and watched the people go by on the bikes and in the carriages. Rob found an Ice Cream Shop near our bench, so we indulged ourselves in that pleasure. Since this must have been the last week of school for everybody, there were lots of kids on field trips.
This is what we first saw as we got to the island.
Sunday, May 31st, after attending a church in Cheboygan (15 miles from our campground) we traveled across the Mackinac Bridge to the upper penninsula. It was 44 degrees at mid morning and we heard that it was 84 degrees in Murray. There had been freeze warnings out for the past two days. We also discovered that Michigan had giant mesquito's and it was almost impossible to be outside near the lake. They loved to bite us southerners.
Thursday morning we boarded a boat for a three hour cruise up the Wisconsin River.
At one point, we got off the boat and walked back into the land between the rock formations.
This was one of the most enjoyable things that we did on our trip. The water and rock formations along the shore were so pretty and the sun was so warm. It is good to be back in the warmer climate again.
This is a picture of the Soo Locks, where Lake Superior and Lake Huron meet. The water level in Lake Superior is 21 feet higher than Lake Huron.
Monday, June 1st, we headed west to Paradise, MI to see the Tahquamenon Falls. You will notice the caramel color of the falls, which is caused by Tannin leached from plants.
Tuesday, June 2nd, we continued west to Munsing, MI and went on a boat cruise to see the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. 
This was a three hour, 37 mile, cruise on Lake Superior. The lakeshore was beautiful.
Later that afternoon, we went on a tour of Iron Mountain Iron Mine in Vulcan, MI. We dressed up like miners and traveled 2,600 feet through drifts and tunnels to 400 feet below the earths surface.
After lunch, I walked around this little shopping village while Rob took a nap.
After Rob was well fed and rested, we traveled on to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake Michigan. When we pulled in the parking lot, we noticed a school bus parked and a couple of busses pulling in behind us. If you look close, you can see the kids on the dunes. They look like little ants. We decided to enjoy the view from the RV and then head on our way. Soon it really begin to rain hard. We arrived in Traverse, MI and eventually found our campground. With every stop we made, we noticed that we were having to put on more layers of clothing.
Thursday, May 28th, we drove around Grand Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan. The fog was very thick after the previous day of rain and our visability was bad. We toured the Lighthouse at the tip of Leelanau Pennisula at North Point. Then onward we went to Mackinac City. After getting checked into the campground, which was on the edge of Lake Huron, we stopped in a Pancake Restaurant and was immediately informed that they were expecting 150 fifth graders to arrive. We smiled and told them we would come back another day. We went to a small resturant down the street and had our first Pasty. This is a meat and vegetable mix, baked in a buttery crust. It is a very popular dish in northern Michigan and very tasty.
Thursday, May 29th, we boarded a Hydro-Jet Ferry to go over to Mackinac Island.
As you can see in the above picture, the only transportation on the island is by horse and buggy or bicycle. No automobiles were allowed. 
This is the horse and carriage that took us around the island. It was cool, when we arrived, but as the time passed, it warmed up some. In the afternoon, we found an empty bench on the main street and we sat in the sun and watched the people go by on the bikes and in the carriages. Rob found an Ice Cream Shop near our bench, so we indulged ourselves in that pleasure. Since this must have been the last week of school for everybody, there were lots of kids on field trips.
This is what we first saw as we got to the island.
Sunday, May 31st, after attending a church in Cheboygan (15 miles from our campground) we traveled across the Mackinac Bridge to the upper penninsula. It was 44 degrees at mid morning and we heard that it was 84 degrees in Murray. There had been freeze warnings out for the past two days. We also discovered that Michigan had giant mesquito's and it was almost impossible to be outside near the lake. They loved to bite us southerners. 
Tuesday, we spent the entire day at the Ford Museum. It was so big and so interesting. The car in the picture above was like the first car that Rob's dad owned.
This is a motor bike and the motor was built by Briggs and Stratton.
This is Rob admiring one of the many old cars.
This is the chair where Abraham Lincoln sat when he was shot at the Ford Theater in Washington D.C.
This is the largest steam engine ever built. It looked like a giant train.
Monday, we visited Greenfield Village at the Henry Ford Musuem. Rob is taking a short rest on the edge of a covered bridge.
This is the picture of Thomas Edison's Laboratory. The chair where Thomas Edison sat during the 50th anniversary celebration of the light bulb had been nailed to the floor by Henry Ford, and it has not been moved or set in since then.
We drove down to the River Walk in Holland and had lunch. Rob took a nap and I did some reading along the river side. It was such a nice peaceful afternoon. Then we returned to the campground and quickly realized that the Memorial Day Weekend crowd had arrived. I couldn't believe how many people (children and dogs) had arrived. What had happened to our peace and quite? We spent three days here and left Sunday after church to drive across the state to Detroit.
Friday, we visited Nelis' Dutch Village. It was fun watching these senior citizens dance in their wooden shoes. One of the ladies told us that they wear 7-10 pairs of socks to keep the shoes on their feet while dancing. They were pretty good. One of the ladies was in her 80's.
While Rob was enjoying the old RVs, Carolyn rested on this bench with a lady who tried to teach her what to do on a RV trip. Notice the deck of cards in her hand and the cigar in her mouth. Haven't see Carolyn try either of these so far. Wednesday afternoon, we departed for Michigan.
