Captains BLOG
06/13/2007
Detroit, MI Greenfield KOA/St Ignace
Odometer: 7453.6
The drive to St. Ignace / Mackinac was long and not very exciting. Flat roads, land and road work for miles and miles. Got into St. Ignace
in mid afternoon. Planned on staying at Straits Campground (state campground) but the fees were much higher then we expected. They wanted $28.00 for a site with just electricity (we would have done that) and then an additional $29.00 for a state park entrance fee sticker (good for a year, didn’t have stickers by the week or month) then an additional $8.00 per day for the tow car. They would wave that fee if you didn’t unhitch from your RV. We were surprised at all the fees and found out that the new governor had raised all the state park fees on June 1, 2007. Go figure. Anyway ended up at a lovely KOA 
2 miles down the road with full hook-ups, free WiFi and no hassle for less money. They even provided a free shuttle to the Ferry to Mackinac Island.
Captains BLOG
06/14/2007
St. Ignace / Mackinac KOA/Mackinaw Island
Odometer: 7752.5
The KOA campground was virtually empty. We had a site at the back of the campground, no neighbors and very quite. Caught the early morning Ferry to Mackinac Island. What a great place. No cars allowed (except the ambulance, police car and fire truck – all hidden away except when needed.)
Transportation is by foot, bicycle or horse. No rollerblading, skateboarding allowed. 
06/13/2007
Detroit, MI Greenfield KOA/St Ignace
Odometer: 7453.6
The drive to St. Ignace / Mackinac was long and not very exciting. Flat roads, land and road work for miles and miles. Got into St. Ignace
in mid afternoon. Planned on staying at Straits Campground (state campground) but the fees were much higher then we expected. They wanted $28.00 for a site with just electricity (we would have done that) and then an additional $29.00 for a state park entrance fee sticker (good for a year, didn’t have stickers by the week or month) then an additional $8.00 per day for the tow car. They would wave that fee if you didn’t unhitch from your RV. We were surprised at all the fees and found out that the new governor had raised all the state park fees on June 1, 2007. Go figure. Anyway ended up at a lovely KOA 
2 miles down the road with full hook-ups, free WiFi and no hassle for less money. They even provided a free shuttle to the Ferry to Mackinac Island.Captains BLOG
06/14/2007
St. Ignace / Mackinac KOA/Mackinaw Island
Odometer: 7752.5
The KOA campground was virtually empty. We had a site at the back of the campground, no neighbors and very quite. Caught the early morning Ferry to Mackinac Island. What a great place. No cars allowed (except the ambulance, police car and fire truck – all hidden away except when needed.)
Transportation is by foot, bicycle or horse. No rollerblading, skateboarding allowed. 
enough, there was an ordinance passed to allow snowmobiles in the winter – the argument was that the snow sits on top of the roads so the gas powered snowmobiles don’t actually touch the roads but ride above them. I t worked so I guess it was a good argument. It was amazing to watch the cargo being offloaded onto wagons pulled by horses. Passengers and their luggage were transported the same way. 
We walked for quite some distance and felt like we had been transported back in time. The buildings were very beautiful and well maintained. 
The hotels are huge and many had long porches with rocking chairs set up to look out over Lake Huron. (That last sentence is for you Donna Fitz.)
We toured part of the island in a horse drawn Trolley. Many people rented horses to traverse around the island and other rented horse drawn buggies and drove themselves. There are many great shops and eateries but very expensive. 
The Island virtually shuts down in the winter with only 500 permanent residents and the population swells to 500,000 in the summer months. Worth the visit if your out this way. Everyday has brought something new and wonderful to see and experience. We are truly our living our dream.
Captains BLOG
06/15-16/2007
Sault Ste. Marie
Odometer: 78104.7
Left early this morning for the 50- mile drive to the Sault Saint Marie. Got a great site at the Soo Locks Campground
right on St. Mary’s River. There is constant water traffic with all the barges and Freighters and the locks less then one mile up river. 
Took a Soo Lock boat tour and went through the locks in both directions. 
First through the US lock then returned through the Canadian lock. Great boat ride on an unseasonably hot day (91 degrees) Went to the Tower of History 
which was just a tall, ugly concrete tower built to honor the history of area’s origin. Not very impressive but we toured it anyway. The church next door was incredibly beautiful and a more rewarding experience. Then it was on to the Museum Ship
Valley Camp, which is a 20,000 square foot 
Freighter that has been turned into a museum. The cargo holds were used for over 100 Maritime exhibits and the galley, Officers dining room and living quarters of the crew were all kept intact and on display. The ship is 650 feet long and 87 feet wide, no air conditioning and very hot inside all that steel. Then it was on too a highly recommended local Irish pub, The Antler’s Family Restaurant & Gift Shop in Sault MI. What a place!!!! Once you got beyond the 1000 stuffed animals – yes I said stuffed REAL animals all looking at you while you eat. It was a little freaky and kind of unsettling 
but the food was as good as promoted. The place is stuck in a time warp and is in a dire need of redecorating. After dinner it was back to the campground to watch the freighters go by. Met a great family from MI, the Solomon’s, at the campground tonight who gave us some great tips on where to visit, campgrounds and eateries. They brought us some local food to try – smoked white fish spread and Trenary cinnamon bread – both delicious. They also recommended a hamburger place called West Pier down by one of the locks. It truly is a drive-in out of the 40’s with a car-hop and the biggest hamburgers we have ever seen. Did I mention they were also very delicious. 
The Solomon’s will be in Boston for the July 4th fireworks and will be stopping for a visit with us. Can’t wait to get them to try linguica and chow mein sandwiches.
Captains BLOG
06/17/2007
White Fish Point/ Soo Junction
Odometer: 7952.7
Well its back on the road again this morning to White Fish Point Light Station. On the way stopped at the Iroquois Lighthouse overlooking Lake Superior. Was able to climb this lighthouse and get a beautiful view of the Lake, Canada and the Wind Turbine generators on the coast of Canada.
Drove the coastal route but most of the time was unable to see the lake because of the trees but nice drive anyway. White Fish Point Light Station is probably one of the most unattractive lighthouses we have ever seen. Due to the violent storms off of Lake Superior the previous 
Lighthouse had been destroyed so they built a heavy steel structure that could withstand the storms. 
The lighthouse keepers’ house was beautifully restored sparing no expense. The museum has the original bell from 
the Edmund Fitzgerald and artifacts from many of the ships that sunk due to storms or collisions (6000 to date) on Lake Superior alone over the last several decades.. The restored 1923 Coastguard Lifeboat Station Crew’s Quarters has been converted into a bed & breakfast with 5 themed rooms to rent if one were so inclined. All of the restorations at the Light Station were done by the Great Lakes Historical Society with the goal of emphasizing the importance of the Great Lakes maritime heritage. Then it is on to our next adventure. The Solomon’s family recommended we take the train out of Soo Junction
to the Tahquamenon Falls. Joel told Ron it would be OK to stay at the train station with the RV so of course we had to check it out because it is FREE. My plan was to spend the night at the nearby KOA but not my Ron. Well, 2 miles down this remote road into a gravel parking lot with a run down building near the railroad tracks in a very remote wooded area we sit for the night. Needless to say, I am nervous about being in the middle of nowhere but my hero assures me we will be just fine. 
It sure is quiet except for the buzzing of the 
millions of mosquitoes who have somehow managed to get into the RV despite all the screens being closed tight. The only consolation I have is that it doesn’t get dark around here until after 10 pm and the sun comes up around 4 AM. There is the sound of rain on the roof, which is comforting and 
I guess I’ll have to bite the bullet and try to sleep tonight.
We walked for quite some distance and felt like we had been transported back in time. The buildings were very beautiful and well maintained. 
The hotels are huge and many had long porches with rocking chairs set up to look out over Lake Huron. (That last sentence is for you Donna Fitz.)
We toured part of the island in a horse drawn Trolley. Many people rented horses to traverse around the island and other rented horse drawn buggies and drove themselves. There are many great shops and eateries but very expensive. 
The Island virtually shuts down in the winter with only 500 permanent residents and the population swells to 500,000 in the summer months. Worth the visit if your out this way. Everyday has brought something new and wonderful to see and experience. We are truly our living our dream.Captains BLOG
06/15-16/2007
Sault Ste. Marie
Odometer: 78104.7
Left early this morning for the 50- mile drive to the Sault Saint Marie. Got a great site at the Soo Locks Campground
right on St. Mary’s River. There is constant water traffic with all the barges and Freighters and the locks less then one mile up river. 
Took a Soo Lock boat tour and went through the locks in both directions. 
First through the US lock then returned through the Canadian lock. Great boat ride on an unseasonably hot day (91 degrees) Went to the Tower of History 
which was just a tall, ugly concrete tower built to honor the history of area’s origin. Not very impressive but we toured it anyway. The church next door was incredibly beautiful and a more rewarding experience. Then it was on to the Museum Ship
Valley Camp, which is a 20,000 square foot 
Freighter that has been turned into a museum. The cargo holds were used for over 100 Maritime exhibits and the galley, Officers dining room and living quarters of the crew were all kept intact and on display. The ship is 650 feet long and 87 feet wide, no air conditioning and very hot inside all that steel. Then it was on too a highly recommended local Irish pub, The Antler’s Family Restaurant & Gift Shop in Sault MI. What a place!!!! Once you got beyond the 1000 stuffed animals – yes I said stuffed REAL animals all looking at you while you eat. It was a little freaky and kind of unsettling 
but the food was as good as promoted. The place is stuck in a time warp and is in a dire need of redecorating. After dinner it was back to the campground to watch the freighters go by. Met a great family from MI, the Solomon’s, at the campground tonight who gave us some great tips on where to visit, campgrounds and eateries. They brought us some local food to try – smoked white fish spread and Trenary cinnamon bread – both delicious. They also recommended a hamburger place called West Pier down by one of the locks. It truly is a drive-in out of the 40’s with a car-hop and the biggest hamburgers we have ever seen. Did I mention they were also very delicious. 
The Solomon’s will be in Boston for the July 4th fireworks and will be stopping for a visit with us. Can’t wait to get them to try linguica and chow mein sandwiches.Captains BLOG
06/17/2007
White Fish Point/ Soo Junction
Odometer: 7952.7
Well its back on the road again this morning to White Fish Point Light Station. On the way stopped at the Iroquois Lighthouse overlooking Lake Superior. Was able to climb this lighthouse and get a beautiful view of the Lake, Canada and the Wind Turbine generators on the coast of Canada.
Drove the coastal route but most of the time was unable to see the lake because of the trees but nice drive anyway. White Fish Point Light Station is probably one of the most unattractive lighthouses we have ever seen. Due to the violent storms off of Lake Superior the previous 
Lighthouse had been destroyed so they built a heavy steel structure that could withstand the storms. 
The lighthouse keepers’ house was beautifully restored sparing no expense. The museum has the original bell from 
the Edmund Fitzgerald and artifacts from many of the ships that sunk due to storms or collisions (6000 to date) on Lake Superior alone over the last several decades.. The restored 1923 Coastguard Lifeboat Station Crew’s Quarters has been converted into a bed & breakfast with 5 themed rooms to rent if one were so inclined. All of the restorations at the Light Station were done by the Great Lakes Historical Society with the goal of emphasizing the importance of the Great Lakes maritime heritage. Then it is on to our next adventure. The Solomon’s family recommended we take the train out of Soo Junction
to the Tahquamenon Falls. Joel told Ron it would be OK to stay at the train station with the RV so of course we had to check it out because it is FREE. My plan was to spend the night at the nearby KOA but not my Ron. Well, 2 miles down this remote road into a gravel parking lot with a run down building near the railroad tracks in a very remote wooded area we sit for the night. Needless to say, I am nervous about being in the middle of nowhere but my hero assures me we will be just fine. 
It sure is quiet except for the buzzing of the 
millions of mosquitoes who have somehow managed to get into the RV despite all the screens being closed tight. The only consolation I have is that it doesn’t get dark around here until after 10 pm and the sun comes up around 4 AM. There is the sound of rain on the roof, which is comforting and 
I guess I’ll have to bite the bullet and try to sleep tonight.
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