At 8:43am we crossed back into the United States. 5 minutes later I received my first spam call in weeks. Welcome home!
It was a gorgeous day as we road the remaining 50 miles to Mackinac Island through Lake Huron without another boat in sight and not so much as a ripple on the water. The only sound for hours was us slicing through the blue waters following the GPS track until we were able to decipher the Mackinac Bridge in the distance. Just as we were in the home stretch we were swarmed by these annoying flies who seemed to be trailing us all the way from Canada. Not able to out run the “illegal aliens,” we took turns attempting to suck them up in the dust buster to no avail. The boat needed a good power washing later in the day as it was speckled in little black carcasses.
Excited to be on the island for the first time in our lives, we walked down Main Street to the sights of horse drawn carriages and tourists pedaling alongside on the windy streets. It was so refreshing to hear the plod of hooves as opposed to horns blaring or engines revving. The homes lining the streets were something out of a storybook with their ornate facades and floral landscapes. Taking in the landscape, we stumbled upon the Somewhere in Time gazebo. It was a perfect selfie moment.
Since it was such a beautiful day, we decided to take the bikes for a spin around the island. Only 8 miles around, we were able to circumnavigate the entire island and soak up the magnificent terrain and awe inspiring rock formations that made visiting this island a truly fascinating experience. In addition to the natural beauty, along the beach were remnants of the war torn history of the island. The backdrop was littered with spectacular limestone formations chiseled out over thousands of years by the wind, waves and receding glaciers. Arch Rock towered 15 stories over the Lake Huron shoreline as we scaled up 240 steps to catch a view from the top.
Taking a few breaks along the way up, we arrived totally out of breath but totally enthralled by the natural wonder in front of us. Devil’s Kitchen was equally as captivating and a relief to me that it was conveniently located along the shore and didn’t require any additional cardio exercise to explore.
On the ride back around the island, we decided to meander into Fort Mackinac and take a trip back in time. The fort was strategically built high on a bluff and captured by the British at the beginning of the War of 1812. Never regaining control, it was only relinquished back to the United States 15 years after America’s Independence. Attempting to kill time while waiting for the cannon demonstration, Duane challenged me to a game of checkers. I lost and had to follow through on the bet and mention his awesome gaming skills and superior intellect right here on the blog.
While we were out, Renee and Pierre aboard Shoreline Traveler arrived into the harbor. That night we had drinks and snacks as we recounted our travels since we parted a few days earlier. We were happy to finally be able to travel with fellow Loopers and filled each other in on our experiences along the adventure so far. They had engine issues and were significantly delayed which allowed us the opportunity to meet them once their rebuild was complete and they were able to move on. Renee had since named the problem engine which required a complete overhaul “Stinky.”
Rain poured down all the next day so, decked out in our best rain gear, we headed off to the historic Grand Hotel for brunch. The 19th Century hotel was the epitome of wealth. The grandeur of the front porch, which boasted to be the largest in the world, made you linger outside even in the dismal weather.
Every inch of the interior oozed the gaudy extravagance of centuries old prestige and privilege. Dripping as we walked on the green plush carpets, we tried to quickly dry off in the bathroom which was an experience unto itself. Duane was wondering what was taking me so long as I plopped down under the heat lamp with my feet up in the Ladies Room and lost track of time staring at all the gold fixtures and decor.
The spread at brunch was comparable to a lavish wedding and absolutely phenomenal. I definitely ate my money’s worth in shrimp and oysters. We topped the day off with drinks at the Cupola Bar and a walk around the grounds before hopping in our personal horse drawn carriage back to the harbor.
The winds on Lake Michigan were forecasted to be gusting well over 25 knots so we decided to stay one more day. I actually think we were both secretly excited about the development and additional time to explore. Awakened once again by the bugle sounds of Reveille coming from the fort, we quickly had breakfast and got ready for the new day. We set off early to bike through the island this time– instead of around the exterior– and see what we could find.
Skull cave is one of the island’s oldest geological formations carved out by the waves at the base of a limestone cliff. Duane can see the resemblance to a skull, I can not …even when I squint. Just prior to the cave, nestled under the protective branches of huge oak trees was the cemetery of fallen soldiers from the War of 1812.
Passing through town we stopped to purchase some fudge and tourist sweatshirts to add to the collection. I’ve been a walking billboard for weeks advertising all our prior destinations now that the weather is less than desirable and my summer attire inappropriate to keep me warm. Catching up with Renee and Pierre on the dock, we had some drinks and finalized our itinerary for the next day.
Listening to our last 10pm rendition of Taps echoing from the fort, Shoreline Traveler and Bella Donna had plans to depart for Lake Michigan in the morning. Praying for calm waters…