National and state parks

Slept in until eight this morning. What a treat! The real treat, though, was Seattle's Best Coffee and a pool in the back yard.

Near noon we headed across the street to the Theodore Roosevelt National Historic Site, which turned out to be the most disappointing national park we've been to yet. Most national parks have an enjoyable visitor's center and knowledgeable, friendly park rangers (even the more urban parks), but this one had no visitor's center and required an hour-long, paid tour only, with half the artifacts off exhibit due to construction. We were short on time and had counted on the ubiquitous visitor's center, and instead were greeted by rather uninterested employees (not park rangers?) and an extended gift shop. We had to skip the tour, but at least we got to see the house.  

And on the way out of town? All road lead to this intersection? Or at least three of them do.

We made it to Niagara just after lunch time and avoided both kitsch and crowds by going around the town and driving straight to the state park. Strangely enough, the state park parking lot was only sparsely filled, though it seemed to be the same price, or better, than the public lots on the edge of town. plus it was more peaceful.

Calvin was wowed by the falls. Of course. We hiked Goat Island, crossed the pedestrian bridge (over the rapids!) visited the observation deck and Prospect Point, and then did the Cave of the Winds attraction (no cave, lots of attraction), which was totally worth the excruciatingly long line.

Also excrutiatingly long was the line to get into Canada. Everyone wants out of the States on a Saturday night, apparently. Must be the gambling and early drinking age. But we made it, we ate a late dinner overlooking the falls from our room, and retired to the colorful lighting of that natural wonder.

I'm sure I could be wittier, or provide more information on how we made this an enjoyably educational visit, but I'm too tired, so there's always tomorrow.

Four states in a day

Up at six, out the door before eight, seven hours plus of driving to go. We have a habit of pushing through on our first day of vacation so that we can enjoy the rest of the days that much more. We made it out of Michigan, through Ohio, through Pennsylvania, and into New York today before checking in and hitting the pool in Buffalo. Calvin thinks it's pretty fun that we're staying in Buffalo. I think they need to rename the town American Bison.

First stop, Cleveland, OH, to tour the house from A Christmas Story. I've seen the movie so many times, and yet there was so much to learn. Did you know they really did stick Flick's tongue to the pole? Eek. And that Randy really was terrified to go down the Santa slide? He did not know he was being filmed when he let loose with all that screaming. Kitsch abound, it was a fun stop.

Calvin has not seen the movie yet, but he was a good sport about posing for some iconic shots.

The lighting was so bad you can't even see the elecric sex gleaming in the window!

Our second stop, far more somber, was in Mentor, OH, at the James A. Garfield NHS, the family home that he refurbished with his wife a few years before his election and assassination. This stop moved me—so sad, such a waste, so heartbreaking. A young family left behind. I think this was my first mournful historic site visit.

Less mournful was Calvin's junior ranger involvement. The national park rangers are pretty darn cool, most of them. Calvin completed three required projects while we were there (a scavenger hunt for artifacts, an interview with a ranger, and decoding a Morse Code message), and was sworn in as official junior ranger. He received a badge and a certificate, which made him that much more excited for the park we will visit tomorrow.

In addition to the ranger program, Calvin read the James A. Garfield volume of the Getting to Know the U.S. Presidents series before we left. It's a good series, and helped him prepare for some of the things he would hear and see on the tour.

Vacation, the final installment

The Fourth of July, our one final full day in the haven of the north. Jon and Calvin spent the morning on the public beach in Harbor Springs (our fifth beach of the trip, making us connoisseurs), while Lonnie and shopped the art fair and mingled with the over-heated crowd. The heat was creeping in, and so were the crowds, so we skipped the parade in favor of naps away from the sun, and nature watching from the comfort of a couch by a fan's breeze. You don't see frogs and kingfishers that way, but song birds, squirrels, and apparently turkeys, are abundant. Another delightful dinner on the breezy deck, then we headed into town to set ourselves up on the bluff over the football field for a breathtaking view the fireworks, and from that vantage point we could see not only Harbor's fireworks, but Petoskey's as well, and caught glimpses of the shows in Boyne City and Charlevoix as well.

We are home now. We drove home on the fifth, dodging violent storms that had entered the area, and arrived to enjoy the last few days of the heat emergency that had settled on our home lands. It had been hot up north, but not like it was at home. We are not used to heat in or near to the triple digits, especially for several days in a row, and for the first real time since we moved in four years ago (aside from the occasional test) we actually gave our air conditioner a workout. The good side to the heat, if there is one, is that it did not feel like a punishment to be trapped inside all day Friday unpacking, running loads of laundry, and completing the myriad of chores that always awaits those returning from vacation. We spent today inside, too, reading and playing games in the comfort of conditioned air, but the weather finally broke this evening, temperatures dipping well below the ninety degree mark while thunder rumbled outside, and our house is once again open to the beautiful night air and its soothing sounds.

Swimming and playing on the public beach in Harbor Springs

The colors of nature: two goldfinches and a cardinal

Even the squirrels were hot

Turkey in the front yard

On the bluff over the stadium in Harbor Springs, the bay in the background

The boys playing on the football field before the fireworks

Fireworks in Petoskey and Harbor Springs

Fireworks in Harbor Springs

Vacation, part 2

We're now relaxing in Harbor Springs. Enjoying the company of well-loved family, playing putt putt in Petoskey, driving the Tunnel of Trees, swimming the surf of Sturgeon Bay, hiking the nature preserve behind the brewery-to-be (and why couldn't it have been in time for our trip???), and boogie boarding the waves of Little Traverse Bay from Petoskey State Park. It stormed over night last night, which is why we had such monstrous waves today, but we've had nothing but enjoyable weather during our waking hours. This is what summer should be.

Pirate's Cove, in Petoskey

Back up in Wilderness State Park for a swim in our favorite spot—Sturgeon Bay

Hiking Spring Lake Park and Round Lake Nature Preserve, in Petoskey

Eastern Garter Snake

Brown Snake

Eastern Kingbird (and nest)

Mute Swan (invasive species)

Ring-billed Gull, watching us swim in Petoskey State Park

Camping Michigan, 2012

Although we are still on vacation, enjoying beautiful Northern Michigan away from the heat at home, we have come to the end of our first real camping trip, and enthused enough to label the trip with a year, because we are already planning an even longer trip for next summer.

This year's trip was three night's long, spent with friends in Wilderness State Park in a camp site that was nestled between the lake and the pine forest. It was beautiful and peaceful, and even had pretty clean bathrooms and showers, and the weekend was practically charmed. We slept in tents, we cooked over a propane stove and over a fire, we listened to the waves at night, or the wind in the trees, and we swam in the lake at almost every free moment.

We also took the boat to Mackinac Island for a day. We brought our bikes with us and biked the eight miles around the Island, stopping many times to explore and play, and half way around to eat lunch with the sea gulls. We visited the Grand Hotel (from the outside, of course), the Governor's residence (also from the outside), and Historic Fort Makcinac (also, outside), and we hiked the Island's hills to see the traditional geographic sites, like Arch Rock and Skull Cave. We took a horse-drawn taxi, we enjoyed a seafood dinner, and we brought home a box of Island fudge. We came home on almost the last boat, and watched the sun setting behind the Mackinac Bridge.

And who can go camping without a little hiking? Wilderness State Park has some beautiful hiking trails, and, armed with camera, binoculars, bug spray, and nature books, we spent an afternoon exploring one of them. One of the great things about our weekend was that the afternoons were warm, and the evenings were cool, but it never really got too hot or too cold. Of course, woods hiking requires long pants, socks, and shoes, and it left us sweaty and tired, but we were rewarded with some exhilerating wildlife sightings: Green Frogs, butterflies aplenty, moss and wildflowers, towering trees, chipmunks, squirrels, deer tracks, a Yellow-Bellied Sap Sucker, and a family of Belted Kingfishers playing together over the pond. Awesome.

We marked our final night with popcorn over the campfire, and our final morning with eggs on the campstove. After packing everything back up we took one last dip in Big Stone Bay and headed south to our favorite stop in Harbor Springs, and that is where you will find us still, hiding away from the heat wave smothering our own city back home. And so the vacation story is to be continued.

Tenting with a view of Big Stone Bay.

Pouring over nature books and taking notes.

Hiding from the few sprinkles that fell just after we set up camp.

But it doesn't say 'no seagulls'.

Splashing around in the bay.

Art we found on the beach.

Roasting our first dinner over an open fire.

Roasting our first dessert over an open fire.

Watching the sun set over Big Stone Bay.

On our way to Mackinac Island.

On the boat to Mackinac Island.

Island fudge!

Setting out on our bike trip around the island.

Mile one, we stopped to explore the stoney beach.

Nearing mile 2, we stopped to enjoy Arch Rock from the bike route.

Around mile 3.

Nearing mile 4.

Mile 4, half way around, we stopped at British Landing for lunch.

Actually an 'unposed' picture.

Back in town, outside the Grand Hotel.

Playing in the sprinkler at the Governor's Island residence.

Outside Fort Mackinac.

At Skull Cave.

Above Arch Rock.

Above Arch Rock.

Marquette with a seagull on his head.

The main street on the island.

Taking a horse drawn taxi.

Watching the sun set behind the Mackinac Bridge on the boat ride home.

Hiking Wilderness State Park: Green Frog,

Monarch Butterfly on Swamp Milkweed,

Moss,

Belted Kingfisher,

Identifying wildflowers,

strange, strange, birch tree,

Kingfishers playing,

and a chipmunk.

Cooling off in Big Stone Bay.

A game borrowed from the camp office 'book nook'.

Watching one last sunset over Big Stone Bay.

Morning on the bay.

Eggs for breakfast.

Heading out, looking a little scruffier than when we arrived.

Polo match in Bliss.