Michigan is a lovely state, but aside from Grand Rapids we haven't seen many urban landscapes. We were lucky enough yesterday to stop at a little art gallery in the middle of nowhere after getting the stinkeye from a neighbor in a weather-beaten pickup truck. The artwork was wonderful, especially the sculptures made of found and reclaimed objects. We bought a fish made of an old beer can and tires.
Afterward, the waterside towns of Charlevoix and Petoskey wooed us on the way to the northmost tip of Lower Michigan. Suddenly we were fixated on a real estate posting for an abandoned church that could be converted into a house. Alas, the cold winter months are always looming round the corner.
The rain and frigid air this morning nearly convinced us to call off our visit to Mackinac Island, but the fudge was beckoning so we hopped on a ferry in St. Ignac and 15 minutes later were standing in the midst of that timeless wonderland. It really is a magical place, where horse-drawn carriages pass through the streets and cars are forbidden. There were few breaks in the rain, so our -- well, my -- tandem-bike dreams were never realized. Woe. We did get to see how fudge is made and taste test the gooey goods. After the cherry pie and cherry-chocolate malt balls in Traverse City and a handful of sweets along the way, my sugar buzz is going strong.
Good thing we're getting a good dose of exercise and fresh air, like climbing Sleeping Bear Dunes yesterday. A storm dropped down on us a minute after we made it back down...phew. The weather hasn't given us a chance to try out our tent. For now, it's relative luxury in a clean, inexpensive hotel.
With 652 miles under our tires, tomorrow we venture over the border.
 |
| I was this close to an escape, I tell ya. |
No comments:
Post a Comment