Saturday, June 8, 2019

Day 4: Michigan Road Trip

Let me tell you I am loving the laid back atmosphere of this island and no cars thing is nice too!  Of course when you cross the street you must dodge the bicycles and horses but just love it here.  While it isn't a big island with a ton to do, we have all enjoyed it so far.  Today was an early morning . . . and by early I mean we had to meet our guide at 9:15am . . . so it isn't that early for normal adults.  Today I had a surprise for Colin, and he was eager!  Our first stop was to Fort Mackinac
Each morning Fort Mackinac fires a cannon when the fort opens.  It just so happens that today is the start of the season so I signed him up!  Actually I had planned this trip for earlier in the week and when I found out first cannon firing was today then I reworked our trip.  Cleaning the cannon . . .
Waiting for the signal . . .
BOOM!
Colin really seemed to love the process and I am glad I am able to surprise him with these types of experiences.  After the cannon was fired, we were able to enjoy Fort Mackinac before the general public arrived so that was nice too.   The weather and views are just perfect today!  The crowds quickly arrived too.
Next up was bicycle time.  Since there are no cars . . . actually there are 4 on the island but for emergency purposes only . . . bicycles rule the island.  It is an 8.2  mile ride around the perimeter of the island so we were ready to explore.  We can all rides bikes so no worries.  If you are worried about the distance and route let me say that my parents (in their 70s) had no problem what so ever.  It is very flat with only one incline.  It was an absolutely beautiful day and once we were out of town the ride was super easy.
We stopped often to enjoy the views.  Speaking of the roads . . . just like driving a car.  Most people were good about staying on the correct side but there is always that one group . . . or maybe it is easy to get distracted with the views too.
Here we are . . . it was so much fun!
Just a random tulip growing on the side of the road.
The ride was worth it and probably my favorite part of the trip so far!  We had a late lunch at Seabiscuit Cafe which was very good.  At lunch Colin decided he wanted to ride bikes again so he could see how fast he could make the trip.  You know because us old people were so slow.  We actually did the loop in 2 hours 15 minutes with many stops . . . including him throwing rocks.  I said sure . . . it is that safe of a place that I was comfortable setting him free on his own.  The only rule was to call me at mile 7 so I could meet him to pay for the bike rental.  With that one stop he managed to circle the island in 44 minutes and 53 seconds.  We barely had time to get to our hotel room and relax and were back out there to meet him.  We ventured out for more fudge tasting . . .
Have I mentioned fudge yet?  This place is know for the fudge and well, I have tasted a lot!  My body might be in shock from all the sugar!  Some are better than others and I am determined to find my favorites by tasting as many as possible.  There were a few main shops with multiple locations on the main street so we loved bouncing around for samples.  It was so neat to watch them making it too . . . honestly I wanted to run my finger through it.  My dad was always willing to go with me for a free sample too.

1 comment:

  1. It is important (a requirement, in my opinion) to taste all flavors of fudge available - glad you and your dad are doing that!

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