Another journey...part 1.

Recently my wife and I drove my antique car to upper Michigan, to meet with friends and do some touring.   We had a fabulous time...

It was tough to decide what clothes to take.   Weather forecasts were "all over the place."   We both took sweaters and heavier coats, plus umbrellas and water resistant coats.  No shorts or sandals.  Both had a good supply of capris and long pants (she chose jeans and mine were stirrup pants.)  With all the extra things we took, it was good that the antique has a huge trunk!

There were a lot of sights to see, which were on our direct route to Michigan...so we did a little extra sightseeing.  First stop was in Huron, Ohio to see the lighthouse.   The original one was replaced with a more modern style, and automated.  It gave us a chance to stretch our legs, walk the breakwater part way and get as close as possible.

Not too far away was Marblehead (OH) - a traditional lighthouse.  I had been to town years before, but never got to the light.

And once in Michigan, we made it as far north as St. Ignace, on the Upper Peninsula.  Driving across the Big Mac (Mackinac) bridge to get there was an adventure.  But since we're used to driving the similar Chesapeake Bay Bridge, it wasn't a huge challenge.  The toll was a lot higher than the bridge back home, however.  And yes, the water was much deeper blue than I recall noting on any of my other travels to other places.  Hence the nickname for the area:  Bluewater Michigan.

On the way back to our hub hotel, we stopped at the lighthouse in Mackinaw City:

Notice the bridge behind it, and on the right side...

For those who wondered, with the exception of 2 days in the upper 70's or low 80's, the rest of the time the mercury (how's that for an old-time phrase?) was in the 60's during the day (or lower) and 40's at night.  In mid May, the trees were still budding, the forsythia was still in its springtime yellow dress, and the spring flowers were blooming.  The morning we left, the National Weather Service said the temperature was 33 degrees.  If you're from Michigan, you're used to it, but we aren't, and weren't.  I guess northerners are comfortable with two seasons - July 4th and Winter.   It gets cold enough in Maryland for us....but we really do have 4 distinct seasons most of the time!

For those who wondered, my outfits for most of the trip looked reminiscent of this:

I only wore capris two days - the warm ones. Local women wore them more often than I did.  But it was too chilly for me, even with my pantyhose!

In several places, we found signage alluding to the existence of the 45th Parallel, which is half way between the equator and the North Pole.  This is not something we had actively contemplated...though we both knew of its existence.  And following is the first explanatory signage we've seen with regard to it...wherever we traveled.

When you're out and about, you never know what you're going to find!

That's all for now.   Stay tuned for part 2!

Hugs,

Mandy