Beginning the Final Stretches

When I realized that my phone didn’t match the wall or radio time I was perplexed.  Now, that’s odd, I thought.  Not for long, of course, but it just didn’t register at first.  For closing in on four months now, my reality has had me hours behind the time “at home”.  Crossing back into EST was an actual shocking reality for me.

We’re on our way home.  Not without a lot of fun along the way but nonetheless the adventure is winding down.

My parents honeymooned in Mackanac Island.  The only childhood family trip we attempted to the Michigan Upper Peninsula turned into a family disaster – one that we all still laugh about when we’re together.  After all these years, we worked our way through northern Wisconsin and into the “U.P.”

Being in such close quarters for these months we had found a way to make it work.  Being with family for a week got us out of our “element” and the first day neither of us recovered very quickly.  The campsite for the night was JW Wells State Park – after a bit of confusion and then some good ole’ robust arguing!  Like I said, we were adjusting…

And that was how we entered our home time zone.  Since then the feeling of finality has grown as we move on.  We’ve made it up and around the Michigan Upper Peninsula.  The first day we drove a good distance again before reaching the Painted Rocks National Lakefront.  Not able to navigate the gravel roads in the park, we headed for the site the RV could maneuver and attempted a long hike. 

With recent rainfall, the parks were wet and buggy.  The trail led through everything from a rich forest with a path blanketed in pine straw, to old hardwoods with winding roots challenging every step to deep sand and an honest to goodness beach.  We marveled at the colorful rock faces, the crystal water and the serenade of countless birds.

The big find, though, was a waterfall hidden behind a rock cropping that cascaded over the rocks above for a true “paradise” moment!  Apparently chasing waterfalls is a “thing” up here and the whole area is teaming with families doing exactly that.  The next day, we planned to hike some of the favorites ourselves and headed down the road to find our spot for the night. 

Not having reservations proved to be a problem.  Realizing all those waterfalling families planned ahead better than we and after striking out on our 3 intended options, we drove to the Lake Superior-front town Grand Marais to regroup. 

The Lake Superior Brewing Company seemed the logical place to get all the “skinny” on where we needed to try next so in we went.  Olivia, the bartender, was a hoot and kept us entertained.  (and she was THRILLED to have some Holy City beers to try!)

By local suggestion, we ended up in the lighthouse parking lot at the tip of the town with a full-on view of the Lake Superior shoreline.  We shared some beers with a fisherman or two and took a walk down the beach collecting wonderfully tumbled “worry” stones.   With a beautiful sunset and an equally entrancing sunrise the next morning, we claimed the sight as one of our top stokes of luck!

We did hike the favored Tehquamenon waterfall the next day hiking down and around the different viewing points of the Upper Falls.  Attempting a nature path there, we encountered wet hiking of a whole new caliber and both ended up slogging our way back with mud to our knees. 

Having been to Yosemite, Zion and Yellowstone with their spectacular collections of waterfalls, I guess we were harder to please than the crowds around us so when we drove to the Lower Falls and saw a long line to park, we moved on down the road without thinking too much about it. 

Having no idea again where we’d camp, we started our search earlier and drove the scenic path along the Lake Superior shoreline where a couple campgrounds had potential.  Pulling into the first one which wasn’t my optimal choice, we miraculously found a site reserved for the next night but overlooked as available to that point and we wasted no time registering and settling in.

Happy just to have a site, we had no idea what the campground offered . . . like the private beach?!  With a path from our sight straight to the beach, we spent the rest of the afternoon basking in the sun and collecting sea glass.  The evening was more of the same with another walk at sunset and some star gazing when the sky was blissfully dark under a new moon.

Having decided to head stateside to Buffalo before Canada to unload the last of the beer and alcohol onboard and avoid heavy duty tax, the last few days have taken us from beach magic to…well, Ohio!  We drove out of the Upper Peninsula with Lakes Huron and Michigan on either side and wound our way around the scenic Lake Michigan shoreline replete with a wonderful bike path that provided a much-needed afternoon break. 

Finding a “functional” campsite, the evening was less than eventful and we were back on  the road without hesitation before driving the balance of Michigan and near halfway across Ohio the next day.  With nary a county, state or national park in site, we grabbed another commercial campsite where we found another 20 mile bike path to wash the long miles of the day away. 

Today we finish the drive to Buffalo and Rob’s mom and family where the bulk of our final month will be spent.  As our years advance, so do those of our mothers and these encounters become that much more meaningful.  So onward we go into more familiar territory…on the road toward home.