Mackinac Island

Well, we couldn't leave this summer without seeing some of Northern Michigan.  Everyone told us to go north and they did not lead us astray. This last weekend was probably my favorite... I think.  We kicked it off right with a BNL, Ben Folds Five, and Guster concert on Friday night.  We got some BBQ in the adorable town of Clarkston and then headed to the outdoor amphitheater.  It was a beautiful evening and Jane thoroughly enjoyed engaging every stranger around us with games of peak-a-boo and silly faces.  She's a social one. Guster was good, but brief.  Ben Folds was a little disappointing, but Barenaked Ladies lived up to their reputation and delivered yet another entertaining concert.  I've always been a BNL fan, but even Chris who isn't too familiar with their music, loved the concert.  They are great entertainers.  Jane fell asleep half way through BNL, and slept soundly on Chris' chest through the end of the concert, all the way back to the car and home and right through getting changed into her sleeper.  I don't think I've ever seen her so out.

The next morning we headed up to Mackinaw and took the ferry over to the Island.  It's just the coolest place ever. There are no motor vehicles on Mackinac Island, only horse drawn carriages and bikes.  Tons of bikes!  They just line the road all the way down Bike Street... That's why they call it Bike Street.

Mackinac Island fudge is world reknown and there are Fudge shops every few stores.  I probably could have stopped in each one and just kept sampling fudge, but I maintained some discipline.

So Poppins is my new favorite store.  Gorgeous custom letter-pressed cards and signs, amazing stationary and packaging.  I wanted to own everything in it.

Isn't it gorgeous?  Some day when we're rich, we'd love to come back and stay a night somewhere on the island.

 

It was such a hot day, we stopped to cool our toes in the water.  It was here that I lowered Jane into what I thought was knee deep water at the most, and then later discovered she was up to her waist.  She didn't complain though.  She just likes being in the water.  She had to go pantsless for a while, though.

We rented bikes and rode the 8 miles around the island.  That was by far the highlight.  The scenery was breath-taking, the breeze was refreshing and the smell of pine in the sun was hypnotizing.  Plus, Jane got her much needed nap in the bike trailer.  I haven't been on a bike in I don't know how long, but I think my sit bones must be out of shape because they were so sore for days afterward.

 

I guess after being dipped in the lake up to her waist by her mom, she wasn't ready to put her feet in again.

We returned the bikes, got some food, and relaxed on the grass to let Jane climb around on her daddy for a bit, which happens to be one of her favorite pass-times.  When it's party-time, she definitely prefers her dad.  I have a feeling it will always be that way.  I just can't compete.  When she's hurt, though, she only wants me, so I guess I have that.

 

 

 

 Still doesn't love crawling in the grass.

 

We walked up to the Grand Hotel for some ice cream.  It was delicious, but melted too fast in the heat.

 

 

 

 We stayed the night in Mackinaw City and the next morning walked across the street to the Mackinac Point Lighthouse and the Mackinac Bridge.  This Michigan icon is the world's 3rd largest suspension bridge spanning 5 miles of water.

 On our way home, we stopped in Frankenmuth or "Little Bavaria".  It was intensely hot and we could barely walk around for 10 minutes without having to dive into an air conditioned store to recover.  We didn't last long, but we did buy a loaf of chocolate Babka, which I am eating right now.  Mmmmm.

 

 

 

Frankenmuth is also home of the world's largest Christmas store.  It looked pretty cheesy, but I thought they would still have some nice stuff mixed in.  I was wrong.  It's just an impressively large collection of tacky Christmas decor.  You want sexy Santa sprawled across your roof?  They have it.  How about a sparkly pink and black tree for your 13 year old girl?  Done.   Leprechaun nutcracker.  Yes, please!  Two holidays for the price of one!