Experiencing America > UP Side of Life, Vol. 3 > Day 4
Day FOUR...
Saturday, July 22nd, 2023
Today was the day to head home...so...like everyother trip...this will be one of the longest days of the trip. Why go directly to the desitnation when you can drive in circles and see as much as possible. Before leaving Sault Ste Marie, we went downtown to the Lockside Diner for breakfast. Good food, and a good view of the locks at Sault Ste Marie. After the food was eaten, we walked across the street to see the ships moving through the locks and take in the views along the St. Mary's River and of Canada.
Looking over the Soo Locks.
Finally it was time to leave the Soo and head south. The next stop was to head to a cemetery in Petoskey to find a decendents grave. This allowed us to travel along what is known as the "Tunnel of Trees". The tunnel of trees is a portion of Michigan State Route 119, north of Harbor Spings, along the Lake Michigan shores.
Heading south across the Mac another time on this trip.
An over look along M-119 looking out over Lake Michigan.
SB M-119 south of Good Hart in the Tunnel of Trees.
At the southern end of M-119 you reach Petoskey. As we moved through the city to find the cemetery that we were hunting; we were graced with some great views of the Little Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan. While in Petoskey, we stopped for fudge and ice cream. This was a spur of the moment "Hey let's pull in here..." kind of stop.
Looking at the Little Traverse Bay at Petoskey.
Giant Santa and Easter Bunny chocolates at Kilwins.
Leaving Petoskey, we could head back south through the lower peninsula and make a straighter line home...or head east and further away from home...
In doing this we headed east along M-68 before heading north into Cheboygan. Along the way we found a nice winding road that was an ease to drive on, and a large fish.
A large sturgeon statue at Indian River.
Leaving Cheboygan, we headed back to the U.P. We were not the onle ones thinking of this, as we caught traffic after the north tower and crawled on to the St. Ignance causeway and eventually the toll plaza for the bridge. After getting dinner at the Mc Donald's and Subway that we have stopped at on every trip...it was time to head west across one of the most beautiful drives anywere...U.S. 2 from St. Ignace to Brevort. As we continued along U.S. 2, we pulled off at Manistique to head out to the lighthouse and walk along the causeway.
Heading back across the Mac for the last time on this trip.
The Manistique Lighthouse.
Now that it was almost 5 at night and we still had alot of mileage to go...we needed to get on the road and make our way south.
Now to State #4!!!...Wisconsin
SB U.S. 41 at the Michigan/Wisconsin State Line.
And with day four bleeding into a 5th day, and us arrving back to our homebase near 2 a.m. it was another journey in the books. Unitl 2024...
Back to Experiencing America.