Michigan Sampler 1

Catching up with my blog. Here is a sampling of my travels through Michigan. It started with a tea party at the Michigan Welcome Center with RV friends Carol and Peggy.

Carol went on from there to visit relatives. Peggy and I went to tour the Bavarian village Frankenmuth. I've already posted a separate post about that.

Then on to the Michigan Get-Together at Ostego Lake. Left to right: Me, Louise, Carol, Sarah, Sue, Tina, and Peggy.

We had several days to enjoy sunrises over the lake,

And watched the full moon rise with fireworks!

The kayoo got some exercise on the lake,

and in the calm canals. 

We watched the leaves begin to perform their fall color change. 

Then some of us continued on to Alpena, and camped along the Thunder Bay River.

Where I found some more canals to paddle. 

We visited a Shipwreck Museum.

With exhibits about the history of Thunder Bay and the many shipwrecks that happened here. 

You can experience a simulated storm aboard this ship, complete with motion and sounds. This is where Sarah decided to pass on the boat tour... 

Carol didn't seem to be afraid. 

Until I reminded her the ship was sinking. 

Someone had to crawl through the tubes and down the slide. 

Tina graciously volunteered for the task. 

Tina, Carol, and I took the glass-bottom boat tour over some century old shipwrecks.

First we had to pass through the drawbridge. 

Past the huge stockpile of road salt. 

Past the wood flooring plant....hold your nose. 

Past the lighthouse. 

And into Thunder Bay. 

These buoys mark the locations of the shipwrecks. Diving and snorkeling boats can tie up here and fly their divers down flag.

Our boat has two rows of 3 viewing windows. 

This is what the shipwrecks look like through the glass. I don't remember the details about each one. 

 Then we went to watch cement being loaded into a freighter.

Cement is being loaded through these tubes. It has to be monitored carefully for balance. Too much weight on one side and the freighter will end up like the other shipwrecks on the bottom of Thunder Bay. 

Cement is also loaded into trucks and train cars for transport. 

The wood processing plant uses sawdust byproduct mixed with coal to furl the plant. 

Here we are back ashore: me, Carol, Tina. 

We drove around old Alpena to admire the grand old homes.

Back at the campground we all relaxed as we watched the sun go down. 

Tina, Sarah, Leslie.

Stuart 

Remi

Nicky 

 Until the last glow of the sun slipped below the horizon.

On to Mackinaw...up next.