The Band tours to Mackinac

Home of the green and the gold!

Palms Book State Park U.P. Michigan
Big Spring (Kitch-iti-kipi)

Michigan's Largest Spring.

Named the "Mirror of Heaven" by the early Indians.

I saw him at the state park! I saw him buy his day pass and take the raft out onto the the lake and steer the raft--really, he was there!

Some of the band gang having dinner together in Mackinac City--picture taken with Agnes our waitress from Lithiuania

scenes from Mackinac City

The Grand Hotel, taken from the ferry ride over to the island. It costs $10 just to stand on the porch!

Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island---no cars; truly all horses and bikes--it was very interesting to see store deliveries and restaurant deliveries and luggage transport all done by bike baskets and horse wagons

There are beautiful homes and b&b's all over the island.

The Mackinac Bridge. It's a 15 minute ferry ride from Mackinac City to the island.

So, here's kind of a funny story. Most people bike on the island. From what I heard most don't make it to the state park. Well J. and I decided to circle the island via foot. I thought it was only 8.5 miles around and that is doable. Well, we started walking for what I believe was 5 miles (based on a mile marker, though I don't know where the first one was) and still didn't feel like we had rounded the corner of the island to head back.) We had gotten into the beautiful state park, when we decided it best to turn around. We thought it possible we misunderstood the distance around the island, thinking maybe the island was 8.5 miles long making it 17 miles around--well, I had on walking sandals (Rykas) instead of the walking shoes I brought which were sitting all cozy in my motel room, a ferry ride away; and it looked like rain, and I was hungry. So what did we do? We turned around and went back the direction we came from. Many bikes came our way, but not many walkers--there were a few joggers. Sadly, we really did walk about 8-10 miles (more than the island) but only saw half of it, as it really is only 8.5 miles around:)

This wedding party had just been dropped off from their carriage ride. The waiting list for a Saturday wedding (the one and only each Saturday) is 3 years.

Back in Mackinac City--site of our band concert

Incredible band shell, sound and lights set up--very classy!

the band in concert

Bonfire Beach Party after the concert!

We sat right on the shores of Lake Huron enjoying great food, home-made brew from one of our band members, a view of Mackinac Bridge all lit up, and fire works--boy do we know how to party:)

Piper the Squeaky Clean Puppy

My Sweet Girls...

So wasn't it just three days ago when my darling daughters said they had to have strollers and bottles, etc, so they could take really good care of their babies? And they have---I was very impressed--they've been feeding them, napping them, changing them, strolling them. But now it all changed!! They were whipping their little babies at their daddy singing, "Hong Kong Phooey!"

bike ride fizzeled:(

This is how it looks when we transport our bike train--it takes a lot of effort for us to go for a simple bike ride, loading up the back of the jeep and the top of the jeep.

Our infamous bike train

Sadly though, our trip lasted from the parking lot to the entrance of the bike path:( Some bracket piece broke on J's seat and it wasn't possible to ride. We're very thankful that didn't happen while we were several miles away, or worse riding at a high speed--he would have lost control of the bike and it would have been bad; very very bad. He lost complete control when we were just slowly taking off--so I'm grateful it happened when it did. So, off to the bike shop we'll go--hopefully they'll have the part we need so we don't have to special order it. But alas, all was not lost, even with all that effort for nothing. There was a playground!

Cupcakes!

Mix it up!

More mixin!

See cupcakes rise! A very vital part of the process!

Frosting and Sampling!

My girls' beautiful cupcakes!

Taste of Rome

Still BFF after ALL these years!!!!
(we've seen each other once in the last 20 years, and just spent several hours together and it's like NO time's gone by--those friendships are rare and amazing!)

Room to Rome Dog Park marching in parade, along with my two princesses!

Quit clowning around:)

Perhaps he should have marched with the dog park group!

Car show

9-1-1 house--fire department came and my angel got to use a real hose and real water to put out a not real fire--it was a neat experience for the girls; and they hopefully learned a lot!

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

West Vaca: Badlands National Park

Amidst all the beautiful rock formations were a wide variety of gorgeous wild flowers--neat contrast!

Immediately after I read this sign, we had to stop because there was a bison just next to the road by our car. Now we literally saw a couple of hundred bison in the Black Hills, and several in Yellowstone as well. I noticed they just remained very calm, not moving around a whole lot--and they didn' t seem to mind the crowds. Well this particular guy in the Badlands was different--he looked very agitated. We were watching him (and being cautious as he was right by the road) along with a couple of other vehicles. He looked back and forth at all the cars, then his 2000 pound body started hopping up and down and then he took off running between the cars. It was quite a memorable sight!

Climbing became a major theme on this trip!

More wildlife!

Prong Horn

The prairie dogs let us walk right up to them.

More wildflowers--I couldn't get enough of them!