Hulsebus Family Dream: Aug 17, 2008

After 3 nights in a Green Bay, Wisconsin hotel it was back in the RV and "on the road again." We headed northeast into the "U...P" which is the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We drove until we were getting hungry then saw "Bob" in Manistique, Michigan. Both Cindi and I have fond memories of going to Bob's in our youth. Some of you may be able to relate... "Bob's Big Boy" that is. Well now it's just "Big Boy" but apparently they've maintained the rights to use the famous character holding a big boy hamburger over his head. Not only did we eat there but we also stayed in Manistique as well.

In the morning we headed to Kitch-iti-kipi (aka Big Spring). It is an amazing emerald-green spring that is 200 feet wide. We used a wheel attached to a cable on a large wood raft to reach the middle where we looked down into the 40 feet crystal clear, 45 degree water. Bubbling up from the bottom is a constant flow of about 10,000 gallons of water a minute.

Cindi got a shot of 3 ducky bottoms in the air. ???

Our next stop on the UP was the Upper Falls of the Tahquamenon River made famous in Longfellow's poem based on Ojibwa legends, Hiawatha builds his canoe "by the rushing Tahquamenew." These falls, nearly 200 feet wide, are the 2nd largest east of the Mississippi River (Niagra being #1). The falls have a distinct amber color which is from the tanin of cedar trees along its banks.

After a beautiful drive on the scenic route along Lake Superior we ended up in Sault Ste. Marie. This is at the south eastern tip of the super Lake Superior just across from Canada. Actually this is the first time the kids have seen foreign lands with their own eyes. Our RV insurance covers only the 48 states so we stayed on the US side. We settled in to the Soo Locks Campground right on the water where huge freighter vessels went by. Tanner and Sterling shot their sling shot and guns while Peyton spent some extra time fishing.

Across the water is Canada!

The next day, Saturday August 16, we went to the Soo Locks (picture below):

I was very surprised to learn that the Soo Locks are the busiest locks in the world. They also include the largest lock in the Western Hemisphere (?Panama Canal?). The federal government took possession of the property in the 1870's and is run today by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The locks are necessary because Lake Superior sits about 21 feet above the St. Mary's River which connects Superior to the lower Great Lakes. We did get to see one of the locks operate, albeit only on a tour boat, but we did get the gist of it. Guess what the tolls are to go through...

FREE!

We then headed south to St. Ignace where we decided to stay a the RV Park and rest up for our big day outing to Mackinac Island. Cindi took the kids out to the beach on Lake Huron and used the metal detector for the first time. They had fun searching but only found tinfoil and a can. Peyton still has the best find... a gold ring with his bare pirate hands. We spent a good part of the night watching the Olympics. I love the Olympics! The USA is doing well as is China and it is great to see Great Britain bring to the homeland a good share of gold, silver and bronze. This would be as good a place as any to say that the University of Southern California has sent 362 participants to the Olympics representing 51 different countries, more than any other university. If USC were a country it would rank 12th all-time in number of gold medals. This is when Cindi rolls her eyes and wonders if she should have just written this blog entry herself.

On Sunday we boarded the Shepler's ferry boat and motored over to Mackinac Island. This is a beautiful island where the only motorized vehicles allowed are the fire truck and police car. The streets are busy (it was a warm sunny Sunday) with horses and buggies, tons of bike, and lots of walkers. We brought our 3 bikes and rented a tandem which Cindi and Peyton used. We leisurely made our way around the 8.2 mile loop along the shoreline around the entire island. We stopped lots of times on our way around; looked for rocks, found a snake, saw Michigan's governor (her summer house is on the island) and simply created great memories! Once we arrived back in the Victorian main town we decided to eat lunch at the Seabiscuit Cafe. After lunch we wander our way from fudge sample to fudge sample finally purchasing some Butterfinger Fudge at the best spot. The boat ride back was fun! Since Peyton was on the back of the tandem all day (not steering but providing much welcomed horse-pedal-power) once we got back to mainland Peyton had to show Tanner and Sterling how he can now ride a bike. He's getting awesome!