Saturday morning, Gwen and I started towards the Northwoods of Michigan. That afternoon, we paddled on the gorgeous Au Sable - truly the Gem Of The North. In olden times, back when Gershom and Piper San still walked the woods of Michigan's Upper Peninnsula, lumberjacks cut white pines and drifted them down rivers all over Michigan. The Au Sable was one of them.
Today, it is a paradise for trout fishermen, kayakers, and canoeists. We canoed E 'ly of Grayling. Fall colors - brilliant reds, vibrating oranges, fluorescent yellows, deeply shimmering greens - are all around. Mallards swim alongside and Canadian honkers wing overhead. Bluejays shock the wilds as only an uncouth bluejay can do. The day was capped with a friendly dinner at Bud Hart's cottage, which is familiar to some paddlers on here.
Yesterday, we drove from Grayling to Charlevoix. Gwen's friends have a condo there with a vista of Lake Michigan. WOW! Then, north by northeast through the tunnel of trees to Mackinac City at the historic Straits of Mackinac. (Pronounced MACK-in-naw). Big ferry boats carry people, luggage, and bicycles over to Mackinac Island. NO cars. Everything here is pedestrian, bike, or horse-drawn. The only motor vehicle allowed on the island is one ambulance. Horse carriages are clopping by me all the time as I write here.
Today, we rode our bikes around and across the island. Fort Mackinac is here, (from whence we fought the British, and from whence we also had to get them out after tha War of 1812.). There's history here arse deep to a tall giraffe.
This evening, I'll have to suffer through another steak dinner and micro-brewed beer. (Moaning, wailing, and gnashing of teeth follows subsequently). Tomorrow, it's back to the world of the unwashed and reality. sigh
Today, it is a paradise for trout fishermen, kayakers, and canoeists. We canoed E 'ly of Grayling. Fall colors - brilliant reds, vibrating oranges, fluorescent yellows, deeply shimmering greens - are all around. Mallards swim alongside and Canadian honkers wing overhead. Bluejays shock the wilds as only an uncouth bluejay can do. The day was capped with a friendly dinner at Bud Hart's cottage, which is familiar to some paddlers on here.
Yesterday, we drove from Grayling to Charlevoix. Gwen's friends have a condo there with a vista of Lake Michigan. WOW! Then, north by northeast through the tunnel of trees to Mackinac City at the historic Straits of Mackinac. (Pronounced MACK-in-naw). Big ferry boats carry people, luggage, and bicycles over to Mackinac Island. NO cars. Everything here is pedestrian, bike, or horse-drawn. The only motor vehicle allowed on the island is one ambulance. Horse carriages are clopping by me all the time as I write here.
Today, we rode our bikes around and across the island. Fort Mackinac is here, (from whence we fought the British, and from whence we also had to get them out after tha War of 1812.). There's history here arse deep to a tall giraffe.
This evening, I'll have to suffer through another steak dinner and micro-brewed beer. (Moaning, wailing, and gnashing of teeth follows subsequently). Tomorrow, it's back to the world of the unwashed and reality. sigh