Parade staging on July 4 Sault Ste. Marie, MI
Parade staging on July 4 Sault Ste. Marie, MI
June 30-July 1, 2021
Summer Breeze Campground
Iron Mountain, MI
$35/evening
Good Sam discount 10%
$63
Pull through/full hook up
Our final stint on I-43 N(yay). We passed through the industrial area of Green Bay then onto I-41 and ending our travels on I-141. Lots of countryside, pretty scenery. There are small towns here and there, but mostly countryside. Two odd things we have noticed yesterday and today is that lots of the country roads are named with one letter. The last campground we visited was on county road O. Then we saw DD and V…very peculiar. It’s also quite common to find stacked wood bundles at the end of driveways selling on the honor system. I believe people where we saw these stands would be honest and pay the mere $3 or $4 donation. The few towns we passed through all have a Dollar General, a gas station and 1 or 2 spots to eat. At the end of I-141 we turned left onto Route 2 west and, wow, everything and anything one could ask for is on this stretch of road…food markets, restaurants, automotive products, pharmacies…and more. There’s nothing lacking in this part of town.
Summer Breeze is not very far from the large town. We like that it is a bit off the major road and we were put in a site down by a wooded area so it was very quiet and peaceful. We drove most of the day in sunshine, until we reached the campground and as soon as I stepped out to check in the heavens opened! Thankfully it was not for very long. At our site there were quite a few light brown squirrels and little chipmunks scurrying around chasing each other. I haven’t seen chipmunks in a very long time and don’t remember them being so fast…very cute to watch.
We took a cruise around the area and as much as the town has to offer in a patronizing way with stores and the like there’s not much more of interest to us. Still we will got out and about for a while. It will be a good time to catch up on the website!
July 1, 2021
Barry has found that there are waterfalls nearby, so hopefully there’s an adventure for the afternoon. It was a nippy 63* when we woke up this morning, but promises to get up into the low 80s. We sprayed up and headed out for our morning walk. There is a really nice hiking trail where we were able to get in a good hike to get our day started.
Two of the outside compartments carpeting got wet with all the rain in which we have been traveling. There is a small hole, with a cover that always manages to move while we travel…he’s got to come up with a solution for that, and I know he will. So the compartments were opened and everything inside pulled out to allow the gorgeous dry air to do its thing. When we returned from our walk a gentleman from across the way came to us and said, “Do what you want but the squirrels and chippies have been in and out of your compartments, and they can do a lot of damage.” Oh, no! We did not think of that. So everything is back inside and closed up…with great hope that no squirrels and chipmunks got locked in 🐿!
Barry worked so hard on labeling the photos for the website, trying to get all of them in order so they coincide with the story. It was all there, perfectly done until he previewed before posting. The preview was nothing like what he had done. The pictures were eschew and out of order! How could that be? Over and over again, trying to get the program to cooperate. Neither of us will ever understand the why! The earlier postings, all done the same way, we’re done with ease. It’s not in the cards for that to happen today. He spent the entire day tweaking…over and over…only to get more and more discouraged. He finally settled for a version, not to his liking, but he just had to say enough! No waterfall adventure today 😩.
The computer was put to rest for the day and we enjoyed dinner at one of the few restaurants here that are open for indoor dining, Romagnoli’s. The service was not the best and the food was okay. With the parking lot packed with cars we expected better, but it was nice to get away from fighting with the website program and sit and enjoy an evening out. Tomorrow we move on to stop #16 and the second of the six in MI! Onward!!
July 2-3, 2021
Whispering Valley Campground & RV Park
Rapid River, MI
$40/evening
$80
Pull through/full hook up
Eighty-one miles of shear heaven on Route 2 E. The very best roads we have traveled hands down! We switched back to eastern standard time about half way into our drive. Our travels from here on will continue north and east…so good bye central time, for now! Gas and diesel prices are still outrageous with regular at $3.00 and diesel anywhere from $3.15-$3.30. Nuts!
We arrived at Whispering Valley at 1:30 and met the quite amusing and pleasant owner, Mike. I walked to the office and attempted the door only fo him to call out from a window…”nope! Over here…just like McDonalds and the drive up window.” He tucked us away in site 23 and left us to settle in. There are no more than 50 sites and the camp is quite rustic. I did not see any amenities, though their website touts laundry, bath house and a cabin. There is a dump station and propane tanks behind the office. The sites are gravel pads with grass and plantings between each site to dress things up a bit and make for some privacy as the spacing is a bit tight. There are many large oak trees…great for shade, but not so much if you are looking for a satellite signal. Today we are situated as such that we were able to lock in…yay! 😁 The weather has been quite pleasant with upper 70’s.
There are waterfalls in the area so we set out to explore. Haymeadows Falls is about a 15 minute drive and part of Haymeadows Falls Campground. The GPS was an epic fail on this one. We were lead down a dirt road…there was no campground in sight. What there was though…huge black flies attacking and dive-bombing the car!! It was crazy. We backtracked and went further down the main road to find a sign for the campground. As we turned in it was a narrow drive with a few people, dry camping, along the sides. There was no where to possibly park by the entrance to the trail that led to the falls. Plus…more dive-bombing flies! We are out of here.
Our second attempt…Rapid River Falls…and once again the GPS disappoints. It led us down another dirt road, only this one is a one lane drive, with no way for two cars to pass. Praying that no one is coming the other way we finally came to a turn with a gate…”private property”…! We were on private property! Bad GPS, BAD! We thankfully were able to turn around and, again, pray no cars coming the other way. Success! I’ve had enough scary adventures for one day. 😱😱😱😱😱Back to the campground!
On Saturday we headed out to find that damn waterfall! Using Apple Maps…screw Google, as it can’t be trusted. We approached the park and ahead of us was a large 4×4 truck turning down the same private road that we went down yesterday. The owner? Another other mislead seeker? The small, but very pretty, Rapid River Waterfall was just beyond the picnic area. The closer we got we could hear it! Very nice! A couple of kiddos with their dad were literally walking around in the shallows of the water…they were having fun! Walking back to the car…here comes that 4×4! I did go to them and explain we did the same thing yesterday and she said to me 😱thankfully some place to turn around!
Our shopping list needed to be knocked out today because tomorrow’s stay is in a rural area without much in the way of shopping. Ten minutes west on Route 2 is Gladstone and a short distance from there is Escanaba; both offer much variety in the way of shopping. Lunch first. We had our hopes set on The Swedish Pantry in Escanaba…nope! Closed on Saturdays and Sundays! Really… closed on the weekend? Oddly enough, most choices were closed or did not open until four or later. Every possible fast food chain was available but not what we usually opt for. The only option was Mo’s Pub on Ludington St.; Main Street downtown. Very friendly staff and lots of open seating because this place it really big. It was hopping and we weren’t sure if it was because of the food or if it was the only option. The service was quick, our server adorable and very friendly, and the burgers cooked to order and delicious.
There are beaches nearby in Gladstone and Escanaba. All along Lakefront Drive there are places to park and enjoy and it was absolutely happening today. The lakefront is beautiful and the beach offers a net for volleyball, skateboard ramps, and tiki huts for some shade. Two marinas are available for anyones boating pleasure. There are huge, and I mean huge, playgrounds (we saw two) called Kid’s Kingdom. This area also offers summer concerts with large bleacher seating in a stadium setting. Tonight is the 4th of July fireworks celebration in Gladstone and people have already (early afternoon) scoped out their desired spot and dropped chairs saving their space! This is where it’s at, people!
Driving through Gladstone neighborhoods we find some beautiful, well kept homes. Some residents are lucky enough to be on Lakefront Drive! Gorgeous area 😊. One neighborhood closer to Route 2, on the other hand, is a mixed-use neighborhood. Yikes! We’ve never seen such a thing anywhere else in our travels. A house, then a business, a couple of houses then an auto body. Strange!
Shopping list reduction time! At Camping World we bought air filters (wrong ones 😫) and level gauge cleaner that will hopefully work. The gauges are immortalized at 2/3 full and it always makes me nervous not knowing how much grey water is in the tank. It fills quite quickly with just showering and washing dishes…adding a load of laundry is scary proposition. The shower is draining slowly so Barry is looking for a cause and solution for that. We also need something like a dowel short enough to use in the freezer to support the shelf that is sagging a bit from all of the frozen food we have pack in there.
At Tractor Supply we picked up a plunger for the shower clog. It has a wooden handle so a length of that will serve as the support dowel…he’s a thinker!! Last but not least grocery shopping at Elmer’s County Market…I love supporting the locals 😊. Elmer’s is a wonderful market filled with great produce choices and everything else on our list. We finally came back with zippo left on the list!
Fuel for the Honda
The Pantry Truck Stop
Rapid River
10 gallons
$3.18 (ridiculous!)
$34.56
Plunging the shower drain caused a deteriorating odor-blocking membrane and hair (who knows if the prior owner ever cleaned the shower and sink drains; probably not) to be brought to the surface. Pretty gross 🤢. Now baking soda and vinegar is percolating to hopefully finish off the clog. Fingers crossed.
These past few evenings being where we are is WONDERFUL! It’s daylight savings time, big time. Dusk happens at 9:45! Loving it 😊.
July 4-5, 2021
Sunrise View RV Park
Bay Mills Resort & Casinos
Brimley, MI
Pull through/full hook ups
Picklemans 1 Stop
Newberry, Mi
60.65 gallons
$3.09/gallon (a bargain)
$187.34
I must say the roads we have traveled around the Upper Peninsula have been pretty nice. Today 117 and 221 brought us further north and almost to the Canadian border. We passed by a few little towns with lots of for sale signs on homes and a couple of businesses. There’s a lot of undeveloped land between these little towns with Manistique being the largest. It’s teaming with motels for patrons heading to the Keywadin Casino. We stopped in Newberry for fuel. $3.09 for diesel was the lowest we have seen in a long time; probably not since Tennessee. Fuel prices have been ridiculous!
Brimley takes its 4th of July celebration seriously! The main road leading to the RV park, a few short miles away, was closed to traffic for a parade. We were advised that the road would be closed for the entire day and were given directions to detour around the festivities. It only added about 15 minutes more, so it was fine.
The RV park was nearly full. 120 sites, mostly full hook ups, dirt pads with grass in between. They also have laundry, showers, bathrooms and a dump station. Upon checking in I was given the choice of 5 available sites. 103 was available and long, but when we got there it was occupied. Back to the office! Another RV had vacated #108 so we moved in, set up and then found that the power was horrible. The generator kept kicking in to compensate for the low voltage. Maintenance arrived to try to assist but we were told the park needs an upgrade, management has known about it for years, but chooses to do nothing to rectify this issue. The park was not originally set up to supply power to big rigs, like ours. Back to the office! We were invited to check out all the remaining sites, check the voltage and take any we preferred. Site #15 was decided upon. It was the lesser of the evils and we moved in. Barry also found that removing the surge protector helped the RV itself to compensate for the crazy low voltage.
Once we felt comfortable with leaving the RV and the electrical issues we decided to go to Sault Ste Marie. Every recommended restaurant in Brimley was closed either due to a shortage of help or to enjoy the festivities. The short 15 minute ride seemed uneventful until we came to a parking lot filled with decorated vehicles of all sorts, including a boat on a trailer, lining up for (YAY…not 😩) a parade! The closer we neared downtown people were lining the streets with lawn chairs…literally hundreds and hundreds of people gathering for this parade. And, here too, every recommended restaurant was closed. Mallory’s Pub was the only one open on the parade route with a one and a half hour wait. This is not what we were hoping for and chose to leave.
Heading back to Brimley we decided to stop at Applebee’s. It was open with lots of cars in their lot. A 25 minute wait due to a staff shortage…we see it everywhere and it’s a shame. It’s a serious problem in this country. 🙁 The restaurant had limited seating because there were only four servers for the entire, quite large, restaurant. Kudos to those working!! They did a fabulous job of doing their best to accommodate their patrons and apologize for the wait over and over. Even the hostess pitched in as I saw her taking food to customers and cleaning tables. More kudos to the kitchen staff for delicious food delivered quickly.
RV update: the shower drains perfectly and the black water gauge is currently behaving. The grey water gauge continues to not cooperate. Going to switch to Tide liquid because we never had this issue till I switched to the pods. It’s the only change I have made so maybe…..
We headed back to Sault Ste Marie on Monday afternoon after a good morning rainfall. We have had our fair share of rain over the past week. The weather is beautiful and in the mid 70s. Ashmun and West Portage (the main roads) that were cluttered with parade patrons were all back to normal. All the stores and restaurants were up and running as usual. West Portage was now full of tourists visiting the shops and restaurants. Barry and I headed to Soo Locks and we were fortunate to get there as the two tour boats were about to take a few guests for a cruise. We watched the lock fill and the boats head out. 👋👋👋 At the other end of Portage there was another huge ship open for tours, but we just got some snap shots and left the downtown area. We headed back toward Brimley and about 10 miles more west we visited the outside of Point Iroquois Light House and the shoreline. It definitely is being monitored, but going inside was a “no can do” for visitors, like quite a few things in this area. Our last stop of the day…Mission Hill Overlook. The views were spectacular looking over Spectacle Lake and Lake Monocle 🧐. On our way back we stopped at a home selling wood and for $5 picked up a nice bundle of wood for a campfire. Still very strange to us having a campfire when it’s broad daylight, but we did it!
July 6-9, 2021
Mackinaw City/Mackinac Island KOA
Mackinaw City, MI
$54.72/evening
$164.16
Back-in/full hook ups
Just a one hour journey on horrid I-75. Once we approached the Big Mac suspension bridge the traffic backed up a bit nearing the toll booth. $14 got us entrance onto the
27,372 foot-long (5 miles) bridge and across the straits of Mackinac. As we drove over the bridge down below we could see, even in the haze, the ferries making runs to Mackinac Island. The Island is definitely on our bucket list while we are here.
The KOA was just a short distance from the bridge and downtown. The campground boasts a very nice camp store with a variety of items, all of which if you choose can be ordered by texting your needs and will be delivered to your site. The owners are very friendly and helpful. Our site, 20F, was a back-in so we dropped the car at the office and were escorted to and assisted into a very cozy area with lots of trees. Lots of trees equals no satellite. They have only analog cable so there’s lots of fuzz 🥺. We have many options for watching the boob tube, so we can always make due. On the brighter side the internet is superior! There are 86 RV sites available. Many would have been more satellite-friendly and two of them offer a cement patio, table and chairs, fire ring and a grill for $72/evening. I now know I should be asking for/requesting these better sites.
After a bite to eat we took the short ride to downtown and browsed the many stores along “tourist trap lane” noticing so many of them were exactly the same. There probably were at least six stores offering t-shirts, sweat shirts and every toy item kids would be begging parents to buy. (I did find a very much needed rain jacket.) Same with fudge and ice cream shops. There had to be six or more on either side of the road. The one we walked into was very cool. We watched fudge being made and behind closed doors, probably refrigerated, a young lady was making chocolate covered apples. We found a blacksmith off the main road who will be able to repair one of Barry’s antique fireplace tongs. Back on the Main Street we came upon a hardware store on steroids where we will be able to buy a replacement for the problematic shower drain. Barry is hoping for a better strainer system than what is there now, but it requires measurements first. And, we found a hatchet! Now Barry can splinter some of the bigger pieces of wood for kindling…who’s a happy camper???
Before heading back we stopped in Dixie Saloon; a recommended highlight. We cozied up to the bar only to be very entertained by one of the barmaids singing along with the music playing in the background. She was belting out that song, Sweet Caroline!! Soon after Jack, a guitarist and great singer, took over for the piped in music. He was very good 😊. While we sipped and listened to some good tunes we were also watching the TV to see tomorrow will be a washout. I’m really grateful for that rain jacket now! It’s predicted to start raining around 9 PM and continue until early morning on Thursday which is our last day here. Time to get things done on the RV tomorrow and Mackinac Island on Thursday!
We did stop on our way back for fire wood and managed an early evening campfire. And, sure enough, when 9:00 came around so did the rain 🌧. Night all!
Wednesday was a complete washout. It was 57*, windy and heavy rain…all day long. We used the fireplace to warm the RV. Never did I think it would be such a wonderful thing to have on an RV for summer travels!! Barry dropped off the tongs for repair, bought ferry tickets ($27/pp) and bought a shower drain cover to solve that issue. A bit of provisioning was done, laundry and then we headed out for dinner. We enjoyed some really good white fish and perch at The Hook, lakeside. We were lucky enough to be seated on the enclosed porch but the rain and wind really deterred the view. It was so very windy and it was pouring. Hoping for better weather for our trip to Mackinac Island tomorrow 🤞.
Shepler Ferry Service is one of the two options for a quick 25 minute cruise to the Island. They have a very efficient service! There are two large parking lots; one for day trippers and another for overnighters. Shuttles bring patrons to the ferries, everyone is loaded on to the ferries, and off you go! If you are able to get on one of the earlier ferries you get an additional tour under the famous bridge and a history lesson on the building of the bridge in spite of the deepest depth of the water being 300 feet! The engineer, Dr. David Steinman, designed this magnificent structure. Construction began May 7, 1954, was completed in 1958 and took 48 months. Amazing! The bridge actually is the dividing point between Lakes Superior and Huron. It was very chilly this morning and with the wind it made it feel down-right cold! We opted for inside so our view of the bridge above, I’m sure, we’re not as grand as the upper deck view.
Mackinac Island is a true wonder! To me it’s Block Island, RI, on steroids! The only gas/diesel powered vehicles here, though, are emergency vehicles. Horse and buggy or horses and carriage along with bicycles are the only mode of transportation allowed on Mackinac Island. Along with renting bikes visitors cans also hire a horse by the hour, or even rent your own horse and buggy. Options for all 😊.
Main Street was exploding with tourists! Seriously, thousands crowded the sidewalks and streets enjoying this magnificent piece of heaven. So much fun! First things first! Tickets for the horse and carriage tour of the Island and the Butterfly 🦋 Garden ($42/pp). We had an hour to spare so walked Main Street and grabbed a coffee at one of the many breakfast shops. Along Main there’s a lot of what we saw in Mackinaw City…the same fudge shops and many, many places to purchase apparel. There is also no shortage of a variety of restaurants.
At 11:30 it was time to board the carriage. We were stuffed onto a bench seat, and off we went. The first half of the tour was landmarks to include the Biddle House, now a National Historic Landmark, which was built on Market Street before 1800 as a house and fur trade shop. Market Street is just one block up from Main Street which is along the Lakefront. From Market Street we moved on to Cadotte Avenue passing by the governor’s summer home and the stunning Grand Hotel built in 1887 (rooms starting at $300+/evening…ouch!). The hotel has, over the years, added more and more suites with none like any other and now has a total of a whopping 397 uniquely designed rooms. Grand is not the only place for overnight accommodations. There are many options littered all over the Island giving visitors a variety of choices. On the opposite side of the avenue patrons can enjoy a round of golf ⛳️ on the The Jewel course added in 1994. Our next drive by was the horse stables, where we were advised the horses are very lovingly cared for and fed a variety of an abundant amount of nourishment. They only work the morning or afternoon shift and are actually given breaks during their time on the roads. After climbing a hilly road we paused so they could relax for a few minutes and take that break.
Next stop was the Butterfly Garden! We love butterflies 🦋! It was a lovely greenhouse structure filled with plants, water features and butterflies! Butterflies everywhere! My guess would be over a dozen different varieties. We spent a bit of time taking in all there was to see…and warm up! There’s a young lady stationed at the door who very gently removed one of these graceful gems off Barry’s shirt before allowing us to exit.
Back onto a buggy! This one, different from the, last having a team of three horses rather than two, and much more spread-out seating. This part of the tour was mostly on roads throughout the state park where no camping, fires, or picking of flowers or plants is allowed. Hefty fines can be imposed if you are caught doing any of the above. The only campfires allowed are by the Girl and Boy Scouts that visit the Island over the summer, and we were brought by that designated area. We passed by a few cemeteries that were moved from the lakefront to the back of the Island so they were not one of the first few sights seen when approaching the dock from the ferries. Planning not being the best…the tomb stones were moved first and situated. When it came time to move the bodies…oh my…whom goes where? So, no one knows if any of the remains are where they should have been placed. We also stopped off at Arch Rock where we took in the beauty! It’s a geological wonder that towers above the water and is more than fifty feet wide with a magnificent view of the Lake. The tour ended at Fort Mackinac where people were standing in a long line waiting to enter. It also appeared that dining may be available at the top as there were huge yellow umbrellas that looked like they had been placed on a deck. We passed…not enough hours in the day. We took the short, downhill walk back to town and had lunch at Millie’s Pub…not a very long wait and delicious sandwiches.
I wish we had more days to spend and explore! One day is not enough to take in the beauty and history this gem has to offer!
