Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Traverse City with Lee & Sara

We left Bill and Gail at Harbor Springs and traveled to Traverse City where we met up with another couple we had originally met on the Trent-Severn Waterway. Lee and Sara live in Traverse City. Traverse City is at the end of a 30 something mile long bay off lake Michigan. We decided to make the trip (4 hours additional each way) and it was well worth it. We found out how small a world we live in when we found out that they have been going to St. Simon's island in Georgia at approximately the same time we have been for the last number of years and have a unit in the same condos where we go. Sara's family also once owned the Glen Ella Springs hotel & restaurant where we would go for dinner from Lake Burton. Sara would vacation there with her family as a child.

Traverse City was having a film festival during this weekend and we were able to get a spot on the wall where we could see from our aft deck the movies being shown on a giant screen.



Since they had a car there, we visited all of the sights in the area. We drove to Sleeping Bear Dunes and climbed up one of the dunes. All along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan is sand beaches and sand dunes. This is due to the prevailing winds from the west driving the waves against the rocky shoreline. It is very difficult to climb in soft sand but the local track team was running sprints (eight times I think) up and down the dunes. We tried to keep up but found out just how out of shape we are.


The view from the top was very nice and we made much better time coming back down. The sand was hot and Stacy had blisters form between her toes.



We drove to a different vantage point and saw other dunes with a beach at the bottom. People were going down 450? feet to the beach and then climbing back up. This would have done us in for sure.


We then went to Point Betsie lighthouse and toured the lighthouse and surrounding area. On the beach we were able to find Petosky stones. These are stones made of hexagonal fossils that are only found in this area.


We had an early dinner Sleder's, one of the oldest continuously running saloons in northern Michigan (125 years). Traditionally, first timers must "Smooch the Moose" so Stacy complied.


Travese City was also having a wooden boat show so Lee and I went to see the boats while Stacy and Sara went grocery shopping. Stacy picked up a few items from a local farmer's market next to the marina as well. They have some of the best sweet corn in this area so Stacy went to work on it when she got back.

On Friday nights the main shopping street is closed off and all of the shops put out items for sale. There is live music and food and it seems more of a carnival atmosphere.

Another couple we and Lee and Sara had met along the way, Bruce and Susan on Gulf Cart came into Northport at the entrance to Grand Traverse Bay. We made arrangements to pick them up and tour some of the local wineries. Northern Michigan produces some good wines (or at least they say so. We don't drink enough to be a good judge of this) and these small wineries are all local family run businesses.

We left Traverse City on Monday and traveled to Leland where we met up with Gulf Cart again. They are planning to go down to Frankfort with us and then cross over the lake to Wisconsin where they will store their boat for the winter and continue the loop next year.

It was good being able to visit with Lee and Sara. We had visited with them a number of times during our travel through Canada and they were a delight. We look forward to seeing them again at St. Simon's or Sanibel where they spend most winters.

3 comments:

Dana Ray said...

That looks wonderful! Take a look at my blog. I've been posting about a trip I'm on with Dad to the west coast. You've been in Victoria before, haven't ya'll? We're in Victoria until tomorrow morning then we're going to Seattle.

Anonymous said...

Hey sea travelers. I have so enjoyed keeping up with you on the Blog. It is amazing how many places you have been. I had no idea the trip would take you some many different ports. And so beautiful too. It is fun to see where you are as I sit here at desk day in day out..
I am looking forward to the fall, some cooler weather and maybe taking our boat down to the coast for a few days.
I haven't emailed because I seem to have the wrong address, it won't go through.
Look forward to seeing you when you get back.

Anonymous said...

Well, Sarah is going through the DT's, because she hasn't heard a yall in 4 days! Great blog, hope you are safe and enjoying the good life