Another summer down.
Sep. 6th, 2018 11:38 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jennlkDB started classes last week, FCB rehearsal starts next week, and J and I did the bridge walks on Monday.
We also did the Mackinaw City tourist thing this year. We went to all the State Parks in the Mackinac district -- Mill Creek, Mackinac Point Lighthouse, and both forts (Michilimackinac on the mainland and Mackinac on the island) -- and spent a day poking around on Mackinac Island. There's more reconstructed buildings at Michilimackinac than there were the last time the kids and I went, but that was six years ago.
We drove up Saturday, stopping at Mill Creek on the way to the lodge. That evening BD made dinner (salmon & chicken, roasted cauliflower and potatoes, fresh veg). Sunday we had breakfast at the lodge (scrambled eggs, sausage, bagels with salmoned cream cheese (had to do something with the leftover salmon!)), before J and I went off to see the lighthouse and Michilimackinac, joining the group for dinner at Darrow's. Then it was off to bed early, because 4am comes at you pretty fast.
The bridge walk was different this year -- there were no buses running from Mackinaw City to the north end of the island, so the choices were walk halfway and then back, all the way across and back again, or find transport other than across the bridge and walk one way. As I knew there was no way I'd be able to do all the way across and back (10 miles! plus noodling around) and still be able to do the tourist-y things we had planned, we opted for the transport one way. Both of the ferry companies were offering one-way rides from Mackinaw City to St Ignace (or back). We went across on Shepler's, and the captain didn't turn on the rooster-tail motor, because no-one would see it -- the sun came up while we were heading over to the top of the bridge from the dock. After that bridgewalk, we went back to the lodge where we were staying and picked upmrs_sweetpeach so that we could join the rest of the group for the Cheboygan bridge walk, which is much shorter -- maybe half a mile. The Knights of Columbus in full regalia lead the bridge crossers. There are usually less than 500 walkers in this bridgewalk, and many of the locals go to the community cookout afterwards.
The rest of Monday we rested. Tuesday we waved goodbye to the rest of the group, and went off to Mackinaw City to catch the ferry to the island, despite the rain (the weather people were telling us that the rain would stop, and eventually the clouds would clear out. they were right.). The ferry ride out to the island was very choppy, and a bit longer than usual - due to timing, we wound up on one of the trips that goes out under the bridge. J did get some pictures of the bridge stanchions disappearing into the clouds. We spent the rest of the day poking around the Island, seeing the important things (Arch Rock, the Forts, Skull Cave, the cemetaries). Then back to MC for dinner and bed. We did buy fudge while we were out for dinner (SR gets a block in her fall care package). Sometime in the next few years, J wants to ride around the island. It's just over 8 miles, and flat, but it won't be the day before or after the bridgewalk. We walked 8 miles on Monday, and another 7 on Tuesday, plus riding about 4 miles.
Garage construction continues. "my" side of the wall is nearly done - it's a partial panel at the end, so J is leaving it in case he gets a damaged panel of plywood - and the ceiling in the workshop area is about half done. J will soon be trenching in a gas line out to the garage so he can run a gas heater out there - a bit more work now will save a lot of money, as gas heaters are much cheaper to run than electric - and that needs to be done before he can put the walls up in the workshop.
We also did the Mackinaw City tourist thing this year. We went to all the State Parks in the Mackinac district -- Mill Creek, Mackinac Point Lighthouse, and both forts (Michilimackinac on the mainland and Mackinac on the island) -- and spent a day poking around on Mackinac Island. There's more reconstructed buildings at Michilimackinac than there were the last time the kids and I went, but that was six years ago.
We drove up Saturday, stopping at Mill Creek on the way to the lodge. That evening BD made dinner (salmon & chicken, roasted cauliflower and potatoes, fresh veg). Sunday we had breakfast at the lodge (scrambled eggs, sausage, bagels with salmoned cream cheese (had to do something with the leftover salmon!)), before J and I went off to see the lighthouse and Michilimackinac, joining the group for dinner at Darrow's. Then it was off to bed early, because 4am comes at you pretty fast.
The bridge walk was different this year -- there were no buses running from Mackinaw City to the north end of the island, so the choices were walk halfway and then back, all the way across and back again, or find transport other than across the bridge and walk one way. As I knew there was no way I'd be able to do all the way across and back (10 miles! plus noodling around) and still be able to do the tourist-y things we had planned, we opted for the transport one way. Both of the ferry companies were offering one-way rides from Mackinaw City to St Ignace (or back). We went across on Shepler's, and the captain didn't turn on the rooster-tail motor, because no-one would see it -- the sun came up while we were heading over to the top of the bridge from the dock. After that bridgewalk, we went back to the lodge where we were staying and picked up
mrs_sweetpeach so that we could join the rest of the group for the Cheboygan bridge walk, which is much shorter -- maybe half a mile. The Knights of Columbus in full regalia lead the bridge crossers. There are usually less than 500 walkers in this bridgewalk, and many of the locals go to the community cookout afterwards. The rest of Monday we rested. Tuesday we waved goodbye to the rest of the group, and went off to Mackinaw City to catch the ferry to the island, despite the rain (the weather people were telling us that the rain would stop, and eventually the clouds would clear out. they were right.). The ferry ride out to the island was very choppy, and a bit longer than usual - due to timing, we wound up on one of the trips that goes out under the bridge. J did get some pictures of the bridge stanchions disappearing into the clouds. We spent the rest of the day poking around the Island, seeing the important things (Arch Rock, the Forts, Skull Cave, the cemetaries). Then back to MC for dinner and bed. We did buy fudge while we were out for dinner (SR gets a block in her fall care package). Sometime in the next few years, J wants to ride around the island. It's just over 8 miles, and flat, but it won't be the day before or after the bridgewalk. We walked 8 miles on Monday, and another 7 on Tuesday, plus riding about 4 miles.
Garage construction continues. "my" side of the wall is nearly done - it's a partial panel at the end, so J is leaving it in case he gets a damaged panel of plywood - and the ceiling in the workshop area is about half done. J will soon be trenching in a gas line out to the garage so he can run a gas heater out there - a bit more work now will save a lot of money, as gas heaters are much cheaper to run than electric - and that needs to be done before he can put the walls up in the workshop.
