The Nolan's on the Road

The Nolan's hit the road on Sunday and headed north with the BBB for Wilderness State Park near Mackinaw at the tip of the mitten.
We got a great campsite right on the lake with a view toward the bridge that can be seen at night with all its lights.   Mike and Riggs are standing at the edge of our campsite... we had a private piece of Lake Michigan to ourselves.  It was warm...60's..and with a nice breeze.  We grilled steaks and had a pasta dish our wonderful daughter in law, Heather, made for us to take on the road.  Delicious!

The beach was beautiful and I was able to walk out onto a spit of sand way out in the water and Mike took my picture.  What fun.  No dogs on the beach here so Riggs was sad.

We crossed the Mackinaw Bridge on Monday and it is a site to take your breath away.  No big ships but of course they were painting the bridge as they always seem to be.

 We motored up the Whitefish Point on Lake Superior and went to the Shipwreck Museum and the Light House.  The colors of the trees were outstanding and we kept saying  over and over how beautiful the red, gold and yellow trees were as we drove north.
Timothy and I had been here many years ago during a Boy Scout trip and were impressed with the Museum and Lighthouse.  It has only gotten better since then.  We viewed a wonderful movie about the Edmond Fitzgerald sinking and the bringing up of the bell.  Very moving.

The lighthouse is under restoration. Usually they let you climb to the top but not now...we will have to return.

The picture below is out of order but I can't seem to move it below...anyway a beautiful sunset on Lake Muskalogue...beach campsite, beach campfire, smoked whitefish appetizers and pasties for dinner.  A perfect Upper Michigan evening.

 The bell of the Edmund Fitzgerald was brought up from the wreckage and is displayed in the museum.  They then replaced the bell on the wreck with one that had all the crew 29 names engraved as a memorial.  Of course they were playing the song by Gordon Lightfoot.
The picture below is from the  museum and shows how the divers search the wrecks.  There are 550 known wrecks in this area of Lake Superior.  Most lost all hands and most were in the September to November time of year...just listen for all the details in Gordon Lightfoots song

 The beach at Muskalogue Lake State Park is wonderful...Lake Superior on one side and Lake Muskalogue on the other.  The angled picture below was courtesy of a log that was not straight!  Big waves but not too cold.  Looked for agates, found none, walked the beach and enjoyed the beauty...traveling to Grand Marias today...stopped and saw Don Madorski....Mark Madorski's father.  In true small town fashion the ranger at the state park knew him and told us how to get to his house...only a mile away.  Great to see him and his fantastic view of Lake Superior.      Kathy and Mike