Mother and Son Going to Buffalo, NY – Day 5

Michigan

The jury will have to remain out on the charm of Charlevoix, as we haven’t spent enough time here to make any kind of real assessment. One thing that is abundantly apparent is why the wealthy with giant yachts love the place: there are covered yacht parking spots with beautiful penthouses built right above them.

We needed about an hour to get back up to St. Ignace, arriving 10 minutes before the next ferry was departing for Mackinac Island. The rideover is fast and smooth as Lake Huron is glassy calm. Skies are slightly overcast, with a little blue seen here and there.

Michigan

The island isn’t packed yet. We are still early on this Tuesday, a day before the season really kicks off tomorrow. Just why Wednesday, July 13, holds special status for the day when the crowds become truly heavy is missed by me.  Having arrived so early, I feel like we’re gaining a good sense of what the island might be like at daybreak or after visitors leave in the evening, and the place is all yours. With so few people here right now, we head over to the horse-drawn carriage tour before long lines start to form.

No motor-powered vehicles are allowed on the island, with the exceptions of a police car, an ambulance, a fire truck, and golf carts which are not allowed off the golf course. Bicycles, horses, and feet are the methods of transport on Mackinac. Our two horses pulling this 5,000 pounds of cart, driver, and 16 passengers are Clydesdales. Beautiful horses until they pass wind. With the exertion of pulling so much weight uphill, the gas billows out, and this isn’t just based on observations of our two horses. Later, when we took the Boeing 747 of horse carriages, a 40-passenger 3-horse wagon, it became obvious to us that a diet heavy in alfalfa and heavy uphill exercise alleviates bloating problems.

Michigan

Very quickly, we learn of the downside to visiting this island, prices are on the high side. $18 each for roundtrip passage to the island. $18 apiece for the horse tour. $5 each for viewing the butterfly exhibit. To visit the fort is another $9.50, renting a bicycle is about $6 an hour, and to walk on the veranda of the old stately hotel is $10. All of a sudden, this is more expensive than Disneyland, and we haven’t bought a bite to eat or picked up souvenirs, fudge, postcards, or a cold drink.

Michigan

Well, seeing that I’m such a penny-pinching bastard regarding lodging, I guess I can give in and live it up, as though all this traveling wasn’t the epitome of living it up anyway. The butterfly sanctuary here is beautiful, if not a bit crowded, by the time we got here. I can’t imagine what the coming weekend might be like if their official season doesn’t actually kick off until tomorrow.

John Wise in Michigan

Unlike the bears of Yellowstone, where they want visitors to avoid coming into contact with those man-eating beasts, there were no warnings regarding the butterflies. As they landed on me, I hope this proves once and for all to my wife back home that it’s true I am made of sugar.

Michigan

What is this giant hole, you ask? The representation of the one in my heart because Caroline is not here right now.

The real answer is that Arch Rock was formed back when Lake Superior, Lake Huron, and Lake Michigan were one giant lake system called Nipissing Great Lakes. That lake system was created about 7,500 years ago when retreating glaciers and their melting ice pooled at a level high enough to carve this arch out of the limestone.

Michigan

This is on the other side of the hole, looking out at Lake Huron. Time for lunch.

Michigan

We ate at the Oyster Bar and Pub with mom and I having the open-faced white fish sandwich grilled with a lemon caper marinade – yummy. Mom also had the raw oysters, which I abstained from as my previous tastings haven’t brought me into the oyster world (yet). There are more fudge shops than you can shake a stick at, including one where President Ford bought fudge – okay, I guess. Three hours of visiting proves to be enough of Mackinac Island; we will take Harbor Springs any day over Mackinac.

Canada

Back in a steaming hot car. I should mention that Arizona weather seems to have followed us on this trip. In Kansas, we were seeing 98-degree temperatures; in Minnesota, it was 94, and today, in northern Michigan, it’s 93 with 85% humidity.

Into Canada via Sault Ste. Marie in the province of Ontario. I’m traveling with trepidation while I have my I.D. and a copy of my birth certificate, and mom has her passport; passing back into the United States these days is a daring gamble that will, at the least, infuriate most travelers. Getting into Canada went smoothly; god help us when we want to leave.

Canada

Surprise, surprise, the south of this corner of Canada looks a lot like northern Wisconsin or Michigan. I was expecting bells and whistles, or at least Mounties and Inuit. Being ahead of schedule, we are now chopping up the itinerary as it was written and are in full improvisation mode. In Espanola, we turn south, and before getting to the destination that was originally considered for our overnight, a sign on the side of the road entices Mom with a pan-fried perch. A couple of miles down a dirt road, we pull up to the Lang Lake Resort.

Karen Goff in Canada

While we are here for the perch, I ask about a room; they have a cabin available. I ask about air conditioning; I’m told to open windows and that there’s a small fan. About to leave, he asks if I want to see it. I waffle about my mom needing A/C as a cranky mom is well, known as Karen. Okay, we will at least take a look. Our car follows his car up the gravel road, down the gravel road, through the potholes, not far but far enough for me to start complaining to Mom that this isn’t where we should stay. A moment later he pulls up to a cabin right on the water’s edge here at Lang Lake. He directs our attention to our own private dock.

He opens the cabin that is hot, but it’s a great little place. The view is great. The amenities are great. What about dinner? Sure, how about 8:00? We will take it. Till then, we mosey down to the dock and kick off our shoes to dip our toes into the warm water that feels a bit chilly to us. After only a few seconds, the water feels great. The sun is getting lower in the sky, and the cliffs are beginning to glow red.

Canada

Mom has a half glass of wine before we walk over to the restaurant for dinner and to check-in. Dinner is on an outdoor deck overlooking the lake just below us. Strangely, not a mosquito is zipping about. A Russian family operates the resort and the restaurant; the owner’s son is our waiter tonight.

If you are starting to think this is an eating marathon, well, eating was a primary motivator for this trip. Pizza in Buffalo, New York specifically was the draw, more about that as we reach Buffalo.

The appetizer is homemade pierogi with sour cream, outstanding. Our main course is Perch, but we have asked to substitute the fries with potato latkes, and again, outstanding. For dessert, we are both having homemade crepes stuffed with cottage cheese topped with strawberries for Mom and chocolate and caramel for mine. We pay the bill, pay for the room, tip our waiter, and within minutes, are sitting on the dock again with feet dangling in the water.

Canada

The gods of the mosquito swarm have unleashed the vermin after offering a dinner respite that was appreciated. For their kindness of sparing us earlier, I allowed two particularly thin specimens an extra moment of engorgement before running for the safety of the screened porch.

At midnight, it’s still hot in the cabin. I took a shower in the hopes of cooling off. I only turned on the cold water, which was a BIG MISTAKE. The water only flowed out of the pipes due to the crazy pressure behind it otherwise, this might have been a snowmaking machine. My head was burning from the cold, but I was cooler, even if only for a minute or two.

Tomorrow, we continue across southern Canada, enjoying the kilometer signs, bilingual English/French traffic signage, the occasional Celsius reading, and gas priced in Canadian dollars per liter. Oh, and breakfast reservations on the deck over Lang Lake are set for 8:00 a.m. Today is the worst for missing Caroline. No phones out here and no cellular coverage mean no goodnight call, meaning more missing her.

Mother and Son Going to Buffalo, NY – Day 4

Michigan

Never before have my mother or I had to deal with water that smelled worse. The strong odor of sulfur hits your nose, and then the iron in the water splashing on your lips tastes of blood. Our showers were taken quickly and felt mostly ineffectual. Bottled water was necessary for brushing our teeth.

Stepping outside, though, was a dream with blue skies and not a hint of wind, making for a picture-perfect reflection in the lake in front of our lodging. We are later than usual getting onto the road, seeing we slept in, so it’s already after 9:00 as we continue our march eastward.

Michigan

Out in the middle of nowhere, all we can do is drive, admiring the trees, flowers, and the winding road taking us over the Michigan landscape here in summer.

Michigan

In Marquette, Michigan, we reach Lake Superior again. No wonder this lake feels like an ocean; it’s 350 miles long by 160 miles wide, making it impossible to see the other side no matter the direction you look. A little turned around, we quickly righted our path and ended up at a small corner of the bay. We’re near an old platform once used for filling ore into barges headed to steel mills that dotted the Great Lakes in former times.

A local fish shop looks like it has the potential to offer breakfast. It turns out they sell fresh raw fish and nothing else. The proprietor suggests a place around the corner and up the hill called the Nordic Inn, which turns out to work fine, satisfying our morning hunger attack.

Michigan

Passing the Bahrman Potato Warehouse in Skandia, Michigan I needed to stop for this photo due to the heavy sag of the roofs. It wasn’t just the state approaching collapse that I wanted to note but the fact that it was a potato barn, and in my limited thoughts about growing spuds, I’d not thought of them outside of Idaho. Such is the effectiveness of marketing and branding as Michigan is known for cars and Motown, or can you think of anything else?

Michigan

It may as well be summertime in California and Florida all year round, as the constant buzz of activity and throngs of people suggest that the crowds are on vacation there every day. Here we are moving over some incredibly beautiful landscapes in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan in the middle of summer, and there is nobody out here. This northern part of the Midwest doesn’t seem to draw in that many visitors, which is perplexing. Maybe lakes and forests only hold deep appeal to those who dwell in deserts.

Karen Goff and John Wise in Michigan

With the crazy pace of driving now slowing, we’ll hopefully take more opportunities to step out of the car together to experience the places we are passing through. Here we are on day four already, and this is the first selfie of my mother and me standing in front of Lake Michigan. Over the coming 12 days, there will be very few photos of my mother, which is a bit tragic as this was supposed to be something more than a simple sightseeing trip to New York. At 57 years old, my mom does not have much stamina for physical activity, which includes simply walking. Even 11 years ago, when Caroline and I were in America from Germany to get married, she ended up not being at our midnight ceremony on the Las Vegas strip due to being too tired when she was only 46 years old.

Michigan

I wish I was here with Caroline as there would be no doubt that we’d walk out to the Manistique East Breakwater Lighthouse there in the distance. Instead, I have to put it in the catalog of places to return to.

Michigan

I did have the opportunity to visit the Seul Choix Point Lighthouse in Mueller Township, and while I got a panorama from up the tower, it didn’t turn out as nicely as I’d hoped, so there’s this view.

Michigan

It took us until late afternoon to pass from the north of the Upper Peninsula to the south and over to St. Ignace, Michigan, where we are now. It’s too late in the day for the ferry to Mackinac Island, which we feel won’t give us enough time to visit, with the last ferry returning to the mainland at 9:00 p.m.

Michigan

Putting off Mackinac until tomorrow we decide to head down the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. Over the 5-mile-long bridge to the mainland, let’s see what we can find.

A tip earlier in the day suggested we stop to eat at the Legs Inn Restaurant in Cross Village if we were in the area. Things didn’t work out timing-wise to do so, but it certainly becomes a place to bring Caroline. Another recommendation just beyond Cross Village suggested we drive the M-119 scenic road. It was about to deliver a week’s worth of oohs and aahs.

Michigan

The road is a single lane with barely enough room for two cars to pass. Even a separating line wouldn’t fit on this narrow path as nobody could stay on their side of the road. This is the Tunnel of Trees road. It twists and turns, shaded by the canopy of leaves that blot out the sky. As we enter clearings, we have the feeling of having left a movie theatre with our eyes needing to adjust to the bright light.

Off to our right and occasionally visible through the thicket is Lake Michigan. On our left are some incredibly gorgeous homes buried in the woods. The sun is getting low in the sky, with an amber glow developing over the lake. Neither Mom nor I can believe we almost changed the itinerary to skip this part of the trip with the idea we could instead make it all the way to Maine. We are both mesmerized by the incredible place in which we have found ourselves.

Michigan

And then it gets even better. The town of Harbor Springs sits on Little Traverse Bay and must be one of the most beautiful towns my mother, and I have ever seen in America. We agree that Telluride, Colorado; Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Pt Reyes or Big Sur, California; Ketchum, Idaho, and Bar Harbor, Maine, can’t hold a candle to the extraordinary combination of elements that make this a top location for both of us.

Michigan

We drive right through Petoskey on the hunt for a motel, though we take a quick pause at a scenic overlook to grab a shot of the sunset. I should point out that this far north, the sun doesn’t actually set until after 9:30 p.m., so we know if we putz around looking at sunsets, it will be 11:30 before we check into a motel.

Drats, turned around, a wrong turn, and finally, we are in Charlevoix but not able to find a quaint waterside room. It is 10:30 when we open our door. Charlevoix in the dark, looks to hold a lot of promise for the morning, so it’s time for me to close this chapter and get to sleep. It’s midnight.

Mother and Son Going to Buffalo, NY – Day 3

Cozy Rest Motel in Luverne, Minnesota

Up and gone early again but not early enough. We are 3 hours behind the itinerary. Breakfast had to wait until we were in Marshall, Minnesota. Normally, I’d avoid Perkins, but they have the basics, and there weren’t many choices out this way.

This land of 10,000 lakes is a bit shy by my count here on State Road 23. We pass a few lakes here and there, but we are driving by a lot more corn. The prairies seem to be primarily farmed for beans and corn, though a smattering of wheat can be spotted here and there.

Minnesota

The ground becomes hillier, and there are more trees, but we’ll be halfway up the state before dense forest replaces farmlands. As I look out at this landscape, I can’t help but think of Caroline and what her interest would be in stopping to admire the view. I don’t have the impression that my mother much cares one way or the other, but even though she’s never been to Minnesota before, she’s already seen enough and is ready for the next thing.

Minnesota

While signs point to lakes on side roads, Mom is more excited about seeing Lake Superior, so we press on.

Minnesota

We passed from Duluth, Minnesota, into Superior, Wisconsin, where the call for something to eat couldn’t be ignored any longer. Lunch wouldn’t be complete until Mom satisfied her craving for frozen custard, so we stopped for two cones. Onward to the lake.

Minnesota

Stops along the random smaller lakes are few, but I have to capture some kind of photographic record to share with Caroline so she can dream with me about our return someday to these beautiful lands.

Minnesota

There’s so much to see along the road but so little time to explore it. Our lack of spontaneity due to expectations of places we must visit in Buffalo is making us chase over the landscape as though the journey to our destination is of little consequence. I have to give credit to my mother-in-law that no matter how often we want to stop to check out the details of where we are, she’s always a good sport and happy to learn about the local environment.

Minnesota

In the distance, we get a glimpse of Lake Superior where these iron-rich waters are flowing into.

Karen Goff in Michigan at Lake Superior 2005

Just north of Herbster, Wisconsin we stop to dip our toes into Lake Superior. Probably because of the heavy snow and harsh winters that the region has a reputation for, I was expecting the lake to be on the icy side. Here on a small beach only a few feet wide and bordered by a grassy area with some trees, we are offered nice views and a short walk next to the warm water of a lake that looks a lot like an ocean. The major difference between this and the Pacific is our need to remain vigilant against mosquitoes, flies, ticks, and the myriad other flying or jumping pests instead of sleeper waves and sharks.

Minnesota

We’ve been on State Route 13 South, which is actually traveling north up toward the Apostle Island National Lakeshore drive before turning south near the top of the peninsula. That, though, will not be where we will be going today as the itinerary is little more than a document of general direction. So we cut off on a side road that will deliver us back to civilization where food can be found because, believe it or not, Mom is thinking about food and doesn’t want to be late for dinner.

We think we’ve figured out that Armor-All contains a sugar that’s behind the reason why thousands of flies swarm the car when we stop. This is no exaggeration, just one tire had more than 50 flies on it in under a minute of stopping. All the plastic surfaces are attracting them, too. Mom tried spraying DEET bug spray on the car, but it seems these flies are impervious to its poison, or they’ve learned to thrive on it. I suppose if I’d simply not stop in these inconvenient places to take photos we wouldn’t have to suffer the bugs. I’m wondering how in the world I agreed to do this.

Michigan

Skipping the Apostle Islands, we are soon passing through Ashland, keeping our eye open for something that looks appealing for dinner. Our stop has conditions that stipulate the place must feature walleye. Well, we’re not seeing it, which is obviously frustrating, Mom. Bitterly, we drive on. Finally, there next to the road is a small Inn that seems promising.

I walk in to check the menu as Mom waits in the car, not able to be bothered because she’s certain my hunch is wrong. I’m greeted by Mike, the owner of the Kimball Inn here in Hurley, Wisconsin, near the Michigan Stateline, who tells me that beyond sandwiches, BBQ, and burgers, they have fish, starting his list with Walleye. I tell him he needn’t continue as that’s what my waiting mother wants. Mom is fetched, and we sit down to a great fish dinner. Neither mom nor I are the slightest bit disappointed, nor are we still hungry.

Michigan

Mike suggested we take the more scenic M28 across Michigan instead of the two we’d been traveling on, and before we knew it, we were entering the Eastern Time Zone. We are two hours further east when I pull into The Edgewater Motel in Three Lakes, Michigan, for a lakeside room costing a mere $43, including tax. I’m exhausted after so little sleep over the past three days and 2,000 miles. No time for dessert and nowhere to find something anyway. Goodnight.