St Ignace

On to the Upper Peninsula.



Freddy says, "are we there yet"?

We hadto cross the Mackinac (Mack in aw) Bridge, the fifth longest suspension bridge in the world. The four longest are in Asia. It is five miles long.

I-75 goes over it and ends at the International Bridge going into Canada 50 miles north.

bridge ahead

This is the busiest time for the year, but it is also about the only time for construction.

One lane in each direction.













Lake Michigan on the left and Lake Huron on the right. The bridge is the dividing line.

Welcome to the UP, The residents here are called Yoopers, they live above the bridge. All others are Trolls, they live below the bridge.

St Ignace, our home for the next 8 days.















Our view of Lake Huron from our front yard.









St Ignace was a popular camping ground for the Ojibwa and Huron Indians. Fish, especially Whitefish were abundant here.

The French started a mission here.

Father Marquette was a very respected priest here. The Indians were the ones who buried him at the mission.

His actual grave.

The movie theater inside the museum depicts the longhouses of the Indians.











Birch bark canoe as the Indians made.

Huron longhouse

These belonged to the mother and all her family, children, grand children, son in laws, etc lived here.

Any trip here means a trip to Mackinac Island, so , we went on the Star Line cruise.












out pass the Wawatam Light

pass the USCG base

towards the Mackinac bridge.

we got to watch some of a sailboat race.

Most of the cruises do not go under the bridge, this one does.












The dividing line for Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.

and the back toward Mackinac Island













past Round Island Light

and Round Island Passage Light















into Mackinac Island Harbor.

The first thing you see is one of the prime modes of transportation, bicycles.

There are no motorized vehicles on this island.











Main Street

the town does boast of 17 fudge shops

The other form of transportation, horses.

Delivery truck

another delivery truck.

There are people walking the streets and their only job is to clean up after the horses. They have their wheel burrow, shovel and broom.








 our first carriage, a two horse carriage.













Fort Mackinac, a revolutionary war fort

in costume speakers

barracks

The US Post Office

The Biddle House, oldest on the island

side view

luggage being delivered to a hotel.















The Michigan governor has a Governors House. He was here today. He comes in by boat and rides in a carriage while here. No limo.

Superman's dressing room

and due to the terrain, we changed to a three horse carriage.

They carry up to 30 passengers.














entering Mackinac Island state park

which has a National Cemetery.
This National Cemetery is one of five allowed to fly the flag at half mast year around.
The others: Arlington, Punch Bowl in Hawaii, Gettysburg, and Normandy

Pit stop, time to water the horses.

Arch Rock.  Note the kayaks in the center.

Leaving

View from the high ground















Waiting for the boat














Raining on the bridge
















Back at St Ignace.












We did have time to try the local food.

The Galley offered a nice view of the harbor

and a good Lake Perch basket












and something I had never tried, Whitefish livers sauteed with onions.

Just for information, the Whitefish on the lakes is nothing like the whitefish (salt water) bought in a grocery store.














Bently's BNL Cafe

dates back to the 1950s. Some of the furniture is the same that was here then.

The Driftwood was our favorite.













Walleye Basket

and the best, "Maple Planked Whitefish"  with mashed potatoes and vegetables. yummy







I was going to hold this and combine it with the next blog but I got busy, lazy, so I will post it now.