On Wednesday morning we bid farewell to the Upper Peninsula, crossed the Mackinac Bridge southbound, and trekked along the shores of Lake Michigan.
Several towns through which we passed were in busy summer swing with people and cars everywhere, making it difficult for us to stop and sightsee due to lack of easily available parking space for our two rigs.
We had hoped to pick up a few Petoskey stones in Petoskey; we even pulled off at a scenic overlook for our science teacher to scour the shore for some of these unique rocks. Instead, he later purchased a few that had already been polished in a gift shop.
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| John looking for a stone. |
We reached Charlevoix near lunch time. Crossing the steel grated draw bridge on the canal afforded us a picturesque view of the red lighthouse where the canal meets the lake. We turned off the main road and wiggled around a neighborhood to find a space that would accommodate us long enough to grab a bite to eat on the waterfront. A light breeze, a canal view, a few boats and the drawing of the bridge made for an enjoyable lunch stop.
We wandered through some Michigan countryside, following Google's suggested route to reach our new campsite at Betsie River near Frankfort. After settling in there, we drove into town to catch the evening light on Michigan's sunset shore. A lighthouse, some boats, a beach, a marina . . . and then the "find" of the day: a high point above the shore just as the sun set. Perfect!
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| Lake Michigan at Frankfort, MI |
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| Lighthouse at sunset in Frankfort, MI |
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| A colorful boat at the marina in Frankfort, MI |
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| Boats at the marina in Frankfort, MI |
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| Sunset from atop the hill near Franfort, MI. A lake freighter and the lighthouse are visible. |
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| People watching the sunset from the base of the lighthouse in Frankfort, MI. A lake freighter passes behind and several boats are visible, as well. |
On Thursday morning we spotted a scenic overlook south of Frankfort near Arcadia. We climbed and we climbed and we climbed, and we finally reached the top. Despite the hazy morning fog that melded the sky with the water, the view was worth the effort exerted.
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| Scenic overlook near Arcadia, MI |
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| Looking south along the shore of Lake Michigan |
A long day of travel was punctuated with a stop at the University of Notre Dame. The Georgia fans had visited there last fall and insisted it would be worth the time to see this beautiful campus. Though the Basilica was closed to us at this time due to Mass, we enjoyed our brisk walk to the bookstore. The cemetery just inside the front gate is a lovely resting place: day lilies and shade trees abound.
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| The Basilica at the University of Notre Dame |
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| Entrance to the campus |
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| Cedar Grove Cemetery at the entrance to the University campus is lovely with daylilies and shade trees. |
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| Gateway to the Cedar Grove Cemetery at the University of Notre Dame |
Fortunately, it was after 5:00 PM so parking on campus was free. We found the nearest opening and pulled in. We feared the campus police were about to ticket us for parking in the wrong place, but he didn't.
Our Thursday evening campsite at Maple Ridge was a do-it-yourself place; the owners weren't home when we checked in and we left before they awoke . . . they got our $ in advance. It took us a few minutes to figure out which sites were ours as they didn't leave us any directions.
We were definitely homeward bound on Friday, taking the interstate all the way. At Bowling Green, Kentucky, we ran through the Corvette Museum before closing. For collectors and aficionados, this a must-see. Numerous models are kept here. Several years ago, the sinkhole gave way under the building and swallowed several corvettes. A few damaged ones are still on display!
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| Antique models at the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY |
Collectors can take ownership of their new models following a ceremony at the museum. These new editions are on display in the lobby awaiting their pickup. We couldn't resist noting that Mary Huber will be picking up her brand-new burgundy and black corvette on Monday. She asked us to drive it home for her; regrettably, it was much smaller than our compact Uber, so we didn't.
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| This brand new burgundy Corvette is awaiting its new owner to pick it up in a couple of days; until then, it's on display in the lobby of the museum. |
Our final night was spent at the Grand Ole RV Campground north of Nashville. Tammy, Lauren and company took good care of us. Here they show you to your campsite, have a band playing on the back porch, and offer pizza and a meal choice each night. We knew we were back in the South; that Southern drawl and hospitality are unmistakable.
From here, our foursome split off: John & Becky had plans to exchange their camper with Becky's brother before heading to the Georgia mountains to visit more family. Jamie & I took our time getting on the road for a final day of adventure.
The Lodge Cast Iron Factory Store sits a short distance off the interstate in South Pittsburg, Tennessee. We HAD to stop! We NEEDED just a few accessories to accompany Jamie's selection of Lodge products. And what better place to see new items we hadn't seen before.
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| In South Pittsburg, TN at the Lodge Factory Store |
That Lodge tabletop grill may be the next piece added to our collection . . . .
The 6% grade south at Mont Eagle was a real nail biter for me ~ what a downhill slide! Thankfully, we made it through with no problems.
We arrived in Georgia at lunchtime and shifted over onto Highway 41 where we courthouse hopped throughout the afternoon, capturing five more for our collection before dinner at The Varsity.
Nothing like an F.O. to finish off a great adventure!
We crawled into our bed at home at midnight, thankful for yet another safe trip, beautiful scenery, and the friendship of family.
