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!

Notice Dave's civilized new lid.  Back to his 1st grade hair style.

Can you see the USA in the rocks below?






Don't ask! Who knows why Sterling does what he does!

A friendly bat outside one of the shops.

Off to Jellystone Campground to see Yogi!

We're Back!

Good Sam was right.  We did vanish off the face of the earth for a few days!  Sorry about that!  (For those of you just joining our blog see the "Save the Hulsebus Family" link in the right hand column).  Whenever I have to work for GMS I am so busy I don't have time to write.  Well, I have a lot to catch you up on.  I have decided to once again do a picture Journal.  (Basically, I'm lazy and a picture journal requires less writing.)  We spent most of our time in the Door Peninsula of Wisconsin.  It is an amazing area and we really enjoyed our relaxing time there. We stayed 2 nights at a great RV Park north of Sturgeon Bay, WI.  (Peyton loved the 2 giant slides into the pool).

After a ton of practice and a lot of running back and forth by both Dave and I, Peyton has finally learned to ride his bike.

He does get easily distracted (notice him staring at the camera).  I think in the next week he will be totally on his own!  Hurray!
No, he didn't learn how to drive a tractor.  This is a milk farm in the Wisconsin Door Peninsula called Hill Top Dairy Farm.
This was a great interactive farm!  You can watch the cows being milked and read all about the milking process. 
They even had homemade ice cream.  It was really yummy!  Peyton thought so as well. Although, he did get more of it on his chin then in his mouth.

They also had a really cool corn maze.  It was huge.  There were 4 different maze paths you could choose.  They were all over a mile long some closer to 3 miles.  We all did the easier black course and then Dave and Peyton tackled the harder blue one as well.  I think we were in the maze course for over 2 hours.

Dave was trying to be very patriotic with his mohawk and the flag... GO USA!
We drove up the Door Peninsula to a town called Fish Creek.  It was such a quaint little town and would be a great place to spend a relaxing weekend.  We had been told that we needed to attend a fish boil, a great lakes culinary tradition.  It is pretty much exclusive to this area.  
The settlers of the last century came to the wilderness to seek their fortunes in the heavy timbered forests and bountiful waters of the peninsula.  Out of their resourcefulness and spirit of cooperation, the fish boil evolved as the fishermen and farmers provided sustenance for groups of hungry lumbermen and settlers.
The cooking process has stayed exactly the same as it was when the settlers ate this great meal.  The fish used is locally caught Whitefish and is cooked in stainless steel kettles over an open wood burning fire.  During the cooking process the fish oils naturally rise to the surface of the water.  Immediately before removing the fish from the kettle the master boiler will throw #1 fuel oil directly onto the fire beneath the kettle resulting in a tremendous burst of flames that force the water and fish oils to boil over the rim.  This signals the end of the cooking process and the beginning of your dinner.

After the show you get your seat and hand the waitress your ticket.  She brings out your meal.  We ordered one fish boil and one rib dinner.  Peyton got a burger.  Dave and I split half ribs and half fish.  Both dishes were delicious!  They really were fabulous.  The fish melted in your mouth.  It better since it is covered in melted butter.   It came with potatoes, coleslaw, onion, and bread.  I can honestly say it was one of the best fish dinners I have had.

After you finish your delicious meal you get to top it off with a piece of cherry pie!  What a yummy night! 
On our walk around town we saw this beautiful sunflower.  Peyton looks cute next to anything.
The sunset in Fish Creek was gorgeous.  We walked out on the boat docks to enjoy it better.  We took a few pics and headed back to the RV.  We drove to a state park nearby to camp for the night.  

The next morning we were eager to be on our way so that we could get back into cell service and get to Green Bay to wait for Tanner and Sterling to arrive.  On our way we stopped in Sister Bay for breakfast.  We were told by some locals to go to a Swedish restaurants for some Swedish pancakes.  

If you look closely you will see that goats hang out on the grass roofs.  Peyton thought it was quite cool.

The pancakes were delicious!

Later that afternoon we arrived in Green Bay.  The hotel that GMS scheduled us at was right next to the famous Lambeau Field where the Packers were about to play their first pre-season game.  There were green people everywhere.  They say Green Bay has the most loyal fans and I would have to agree.  The whole city was dressed for the occasion.  The Bret Favre situation didn't seem to affect this group.  Dave decided to get into the spirit and had his mohawk done in green and yellow.  

I have no idea who this guy is, but everyone was taking their picture with him.
With Dave's new do we fit right in.  This is our friend Jay.  Peyton, Dave, Jay and I walked around and checked out the tailgate scene.  We got to talking to a ticket scalper and talked him into selling his 45 dollar tickets for $15 each.
So we bought them and headed to the game.  On our walked we received a call from a bunch of my other friends at GMS.  They all decided they wanted to go so we bought 8 more tickets.  

Our tickets were on the 40 yard line.  They were really good seats.  Jay and Dave sat in row 36 and Peyton and I were in row 41.  The rest of the group were scattered all over the stands.  The only problem with my seats was that Pey and I were right behind the no shirted, hairy back, overweight, male, self proclaimed cheer leading squad.  The cracks got so distracting that Pey and I moved up to the handicap row (with permission from the security guard).

Although Green Bay lost to the Bengals we had a great time.

The night only got better!  A few hours later Tanner and Sterling arrived at the hotel!   They flew into Chicago and were picked up by my good GMS friends Dorian and Tessa who live in Chicago!  I can not thank them enough for getting them to us safely!  Not to mention that the boys adore them and had a great time on the ride to Green Bay.

The next few days I worked in Green Bay....not to exciting!

In closing I need to thank Pop and Dee Dee (Dave's folks) for all their help with the boys while in Granite Bay.  I also need to thank Jana (Dave' sister) and Tim Krumal and family, Kathy and Chuck Bixby and family, and Betsy and Jim Burman and family!  We love all you guys!  Tanner and Sterling are going to post a few pics and write a short review in the next couple days, so stay tuned!

Thought of the day:  note to self... picture journals do not take less time!