Snowy Range Pass

Snowy Range Pass

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Crossing into Michigan’s lower half


3 Aug 2018

It was time to head further south in Michigan. Our rough plan was to explore the western shore along Lake Michigan.  First, we had to cross the Mackinaw Bridge.  We have done this before during our full time period and know that at times the bridge can be closed due to high winds. This time that did not happen, it just was a bit slow due to maintenance on the bridge.  The bridge is the 20th longest bridge span in the world and the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere.  It is roughly five miles long and once a year in Sept you can walk across it.







Our first stop was at Big Rock Point for lunch with a water view and some history.  The big rock was used by Native Americans of the Ottawa tribe as a meeting place each spring.  For us, it was a nice place to enjoy lunch.







As we continued south, we crossed a draw bridge in Charlevoix.  We decided to stop and find a place to park to see some of the waterfront. We found a spot across from some rather unusual homes.  We found out that they were a bit of a tourist attraction themselves with tours going by as we were walking around. You can rent them for a vacation, if you are in the area.







A short walk found us at the harbor entrance light where we spent some time watching boats coming and going on a nice summer day. Then it was time to move on.







In order to spend a few days exploring the area, we needed a campground near enough to Lake Michigan to explore the shore line. Most campgrounds were fully booked, but Anneke worked her magic and found the Turtle Lake Campground, which mostly catered to seasonal campers, but could give us a spot for two nights. Part of its online reputation is that it is very hard to find and that proved to be very true but find it we did and enjoyed two nights in this hidden gem. One surprising feature was the huge size of the sites.  If you need a paved spot, this is not for you, but if you have a horse with you, they even have a section just for you.



4 comments:

Sherry said...

That house looks like a toadstool. It’s cute! Great job of finding a campground at the last moment in the summer in Michigan. Amazing!

Nickie and Jim said...

Looks like a nice day, all-around. The Mighty Mac is one heckuva a bridge ... as long as it isn't windy!

Paul and Marti Dahl said...

Where does one put a horse in an RV? I have enough trouble just fitting in all my bride's shoes... :cD

Gypsy said...

I crossed that bridge once and was so worried beforehand. It was a breeze, with little or no traffic early in the morning. You are in a beautiful area.

Has it started to get cool yet? Snow will be here before you know it! :>)))