Mackinac Island

Mackinac area

Tuesday August 23 2016

Two of the three ferry services operating out of St. Ignace offer high speed boats, we opted for the third company which has a large slow moving boat. We enjoyed the 30 minute boat ride and soon arrived at the passenger terminal on Mackinac Island.

Our ride to Mackinac island

Stepping off the ferry you are stepping back in time, well kinda sorta. It is a seemingly quintessential journey back in time, with horse-drawn carriages and grand Victorian architecture. They could almost pull it off, T-shirts shops and bars are easily hidden behind old storefronts, the hundreds of rental bicycles and thousands of tourists are a little harder to ignore. It's the same old conundrum, you need tourists to support the dream, but tourists inevitably turn the attraction into a nightmare. 

No cars, but lots of congestion never the less.

 

That's not to say you shouldn't join the throngs of visitors, there is lots to see and do, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Most of the bikes are parked in town, ride around the perimeter road it won't be near as crowded.

I think the island is about 3 1/2 miles long

Millie and I enjoyed lunch at the Yankee Rebel Tavern, the owners are from Pine Island Florida and close in October to spend the winter down south. Most everything tourist related on the island closes by the end of October.

lunch at the Yankee Rebel

There are many overnight accommodations, but if you're going to sleep here you may as well sleep big. Stay at the Grand Hotel, It has been here since 1887 and is the largest building you see on the boat ride over from the mainland. A smaller guest room with no view is $600 a night, deluxe lake view room is $900 a night. Millie and I went back to our $15 a night parking spot at the casino!

For the rich folks among us

View of the harbor from the passenger terminal

Camping with the Kewadin's

50 mile move to St. Ignace

Monday August 22 2016

We moved about fifty miles deeper into the south 48 today. The town of St. Ignace is only about fifty miles south of Sault Ste. Marie, which was our port of entry back into the country. Instead of I-75 we drove a local road called the Mackinac Trail or H63. Our leisurely drive into St. Ignace on this local road took us past Kewadin Shores Casino. This is another Indian casino with RV parking and this one had full utility hookups for only $15 a night.

Kewadin Casino

We secured a spot for two nights and then drove into town to a Mexican restaurant recommended by the hostess at the casino buffet. We haven't had Mexican food since we left the USA in early July. We couldn't have asked for a better meal than the one we got at Jose's Cantina, it's good to be back in the USA.

The best (and only) Mexican restaurant in St. Ignace

We did a driving tour of St Ignace, which didn't take long, it's a small town. Before the Mackinac bridge was built it was the northern ferry terminal for all traffic going to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The southern terminal being in Mackinaw City. Both towns now cater to the tourist trade with gift shops and ferry's to nearby Mackinac Island.
]

Millie in St. Ignace

After our brief tour of St Ignace we crossed the Mackinac bridge to see Mackinaw City. It clearly is the more successful of the two towns plying for island bound tourists. Probably because most visitors are coming from the southern side of the state, Mackinaw City has a much larger and bustling central shopping area as well as the same three ferry companies that work out of St Ignace on the Upper Peninsula. The fact that the toll on the bridge is $8 each way probably works in the southern towns favor.

It five years to build with five lives lost, 3 iron workers, one laborer, and one diver, probably do to the harsh winters.

In the evening Millie and I walked over to the casino for some high stakes wagering. Pockets stuffed with mad money we reconnoitered the gaming floor trying to feel a vibe from a loose machine. Millie made her choice of slot machine and I picked one just across the aisle from her. Don't ask me what machines they were, they all look the same to me. We each deposited $5 in our respective machines at about the same time, and 15 minutes later we rolled the reels for the last time in unison. Total winnings=$0. Oh well, we knew that's the way it would end, they are called one armed bandit's!

Rainy day layover

The locks at Sault Ste Marie

Sunday August 21 2016

Weather was wet and windy this morning so we decided to sit tight here one more day. I spent the morning working on the blog and got six postings with pictures online.

Ore Carrier passing campground and entering Soo Locks

By noon the sky had cleared and the winds had subsided. We went out for a drive around town, went to the Soo locks visitors center and watched an ore carrier transit the locks, browsed a few of the gift shops on Canal street, and checked out the area campgrounds.

The public viewing area at the locks

The other waterfront campground is just down the shore and comparable to the one we are staying at. Both are about $30 a night for water and electric. There is also an Indian casino with a campground, their sites are $20 a night for electricity only.

Downtown Sault Ste Marie Michigan

Return to the USA

We've returned to the USA

Saturday August 20 2016

Just like the highway west of Ottawa, today's drive was mostly through mile after mile of forest. The endless evergreen covered rolling hills where occasionally broken by the appearance of a lake. It was only when you got close to a town that you would see a few houses or businesses.

Bridge to the USA at Sault Ste Marie

We exchanged our Canadian currency at the border before getting in line for customs. Contrary to the stereotypical no nonsense American border guard, our agent was pleasant and professional. We were on our way in short order and soon found a campground for the night.

Soo Campground

We are camped at Soo Campground located on the St Mary's river in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan. We are just down the shore from the corp of engineer locks. From our campsite we can look out the windshield and see the huge ore carrying ships as they prepare to enter the locks.

Ore Carrier leaving the locks

Our Verizon phones and wireless router started working again as soon as we crossed the border.

From the campground looking across the ST Mary river towards Canada

500 mile drive across canada

Quebec City to North Bay

Friday August 19 2016

The campground we have been staying at, camping Transit has a do it yourself RV washing station. This morning on our way out, we washed our motorhome. Like the jeep, it too was caked with a coating of grey construction dirt. We still have a lot of cleaning to do in all the crevices, but it's clean on the outside.

Approaching Montreal

We had planned on bypassing Montreal and our plans didn't change as we neared the large city. I'm sure there may be many nice things to see in Montreal but if we had any thoughts of stopping they evaporated when we got to the gridlocked traffic. There is a massive construction project underway on the freeway system and maneuvering into or out of the city was a confused snarled mess.

FYI, ouest is west and est is east in French

Next stop was the nations capital of Ottawa. I think I had a mental image of it as small and quaint. When we got to the outer approaches we could see it was another huge city. Using the analogy that it would be just another big city and could never compare to Quebec we made a snap decision to ride on by. We may have been totally wrong about Ottawa, but we're not big city fans. I'll have to research it and maybe we'll get back someday.

Back in English speaking Canada, but it's all pretty mixed up out here

We stopped about 80 miles down the road in the town of Pembroke, planning on spending the night in the Walmart parking lot. After a brief rest, it was still only about 4:30 and I decided rather than sit here all afternoon we could easily make it to the town of North Bay. There would be another Walmart and we would arrive around before dark.

Overnighting at Walmart in North Bay Ontario

When we arrived at the North Bay Walmart there were already about 12-14 RV's in the parking lot. We picked a spot, off to the side but still in the front of the store. I'm always thinking about security, even here in Canada. Tomorrow, we have a reasonable distance of about 250 miles to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

Old Quebec City

Life is good!

Thursday August 18 2016

Before going to Quebec City this morning we have one chore to do. The jeep took the brunt of the wet drive on the unpaved section of road construction yesterday. It is completely covered with gray crud from the crushed (rock?) they use for road base before paving. We used the campground WiFi to find a nearby car wash, surprisingly it came clean with just one run through the wash.

 The Campground offers free shuttle service to the ferry terminal, but since we were already out I decided to go by the terminal and check out the parking. The two small city owned lots looked full but we found parking directly across the street from the terminal for $10.

Old Quebec City from the Levis ferry

The ferry was a quick 12 minute ride across the St Lawrence river and landed us right at the base of the walled old city. We walked around the small section of this historic city which is outside the great wall before boarding the Hop-on hop-off bus tour. On the tour we drove through Quebecs beautiful city park, called The Plains of Abraham. In one of the flowered squares was a bronze statue of Joan of Arc, notable to use because it is a work of art by Anna Hyatt Huntington from Myrtle Beach. Brookgreen Gardens in Myrtle Beach was created by her husband to showcase her work along with other American artists. We've seen her sculptures as far away as San Diego California.

Joan of Arc by Myrtle Beach sculpture Anna Hyatt Huntington

Besides getting a narrated tour of the city, it took us inside the walls of the citadel, this level being about 100 feet above the ferry landing below.

An architect's delight

We soaked in all the European charm of this vibrant old city, The panoramic views of the St Lawrence from the parapet walls, the narrow cobble stone streets lined with architecturally significant (if not historic) buildings, the iconic Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac hotel. Of course this type attraction needs people to bring it alive and old Quebec was awash in a sea of humanity. They were mostly tourists but still made it reminiscent of earlier times when towns people scurried about.

Interesting scenes around every corner

No visit to the old city is complete without a meal alfresco at one of the many restaurants offering sidewalk seating. Millie and I enjoyed lunch at the hotel Sainte Anne, our excellent meal enhanced with a street musician adding to the old world ambiance.

Feeling international in French speaking Quebec

All too soon it was time to go, settled into the deck seating on the ferry across the St Lawrence we had one last look at this world heritage treasure.

Plumbing repairs! why me?

300 miles to Quebec city

Wednesday August 15 2016

Today was another driving day. We departed Sugarloaf Provincial Park near Campbellton New Brunswick at 8 am. Our destination for today was Camping Transit, a campground just outside Levis, Quebec. The trip was 300 miles and we did it with one stop for fuel and lunch. First part of today's journey was through the Appalachian Mountains, the second half was along the Saint Lawrence Seaway, both territories were very scenic. All the traffic that was going north with us yesterday dispersed in New Brunswick. Traffic on Quebec Provence roads was light, lots of road construction, the jeep and the motorhome are very dirty.

One of the many views we had of the St. Lawrence seaway during today's travels

We arrived early in the afternoon, which was a good thing because I have a priority repair to make. When leaving the campground in New Brunswick this morning I could not dump my grey water tank. The valves on my tanks are operated remotely via a cable. When it comes to RV tank systems, I think simpler is better. The more complex the system, the more there is to go wrong. And believe me, you don't want anything in your holding tank system to go wrong!

This panel must be removed to access plumbing

I dismantled the water hookup bay to gain access to the valves, I've done this several times since owning this coach so was familiar with the procedure. I freed up the stuck valve, lubricated the cables and slides and reassembled the whole mess. I think I will start shopping for replacements valves and have them onboard for future adventures in holding tank repair.

Easiest way to work on these valves is take the whole section of piping out.

Our location here was picked because; it is convenient to the ferry to Old Quebec City and it had good reviews online. We stayed in the campground after the plumbing repair, let Maggie play in her pool, had dinner in the motorhome and went for a walk around the campground.

Other than the campground owner who speaks good English we have done no more than say hello to the other campers. We are deep in French Canadian territory, and it is the first language here. During our drive today we figured out some of the highway signage that we need to know. Neither of us has any working French language skills, just a few single words. I can usually figure out details I need, for example, pay at the pump refueling in French uses the same steps in the payment process as in English language service stations.

We have WiFi for the first time in two days, $2 a day for both our computers, not a bad deal. It was pretty fast this afternoon, Millie said it was slowing down this evening. That is a common occurrence nowadays in WiFi equipped campgrounds, everyone starts watching video's at night, Netflix, hula, YouTube, many, many streaming sites to choose from.

Tomorrow we take the ferry to Old Quebec City where we will ride the hop-on hop-off bus tour.

On the road to new adventures

On the road to new adventures!

Tuesday August 16 2016

We drove about 300 miles today from Marco Polo Land Campground in Cavendish on Prince Edward Island to Campbellton in New Brunswick. We can throw a rock into the Provence of Quebec, which is just across the Ristigouche River.

Provence of Quebec in the background

We missed two turns on our way across the island, once I corrected by turning around and once I just rerouted on a different road to the same end. Actually it was a very appropriate start to our new adventure, we're on our own again and finding our way along the highways and byways of Canada.

Confederation Bridge from Prince Edward Island to New Brunswick

We topped off the fuel tank before leaving PEI, the route we were taking north through New Brunswick looks like the road less traveled on the map, the Trans Canada highway is on the other side of the Provence along the Maine border. Much to my surprise the two lane road was pretty busy, probably one of the most heavily traveled roads we've encountered here in Canada.

Hwy 17 up the east side of New Brunswick

We stopped for lunch in the town of Miramichi, We purchased our meal at a Sobey's grocery store and ate it in the motorhome in the parking lot.

Open all year this is a ski area in winter

End of our travel day found us on the north end of New Brunswick Provence. We had a choice of Sugarloaf Provincial Park and a Walmart parking lot. I had no reservation and decided if the park had a site with electric we would stay there, if they only had no service sites or no vacancy at all, we would boondock in the Walmart parking lot. They had a nice pull through electric site for $31 so we are overnighting in the park.

We only receive one TV station here, and it's a French language one at that.

Second day in a row with no WiFi. Will try to get blog postings online tomorrow afternoon.

Our last day of the RV Caravan tour

Monday August 15 2016

We drove to a village on the south shore here on PEI. Summerside is a few miles west of Confederation Bridge. The eight mile+/- link to the mainland has a claim to fame, but I've forgotten what it is. I think it might be the longest bridge over water that freezes.

Longest bridge over water that freezes

Anyhow, Summerside is a small harbor town, not much to see, just a tourist area by the small boat marina. After walking around a bit we drove to the business side of town where we walked around a mall, ate lunch at Wendy's and then made our final stop here at, where else, Walmart!

Summerside harbor

Back at the campground we had about an hour to let Maggie play in her pool before going to the activity center for a game called Playing Card Bingo. We all anti'ed up our Canadian coins for a total of nine pots. Neither Millie or I won anything, just like our luck with the lottery!

After Bingo we had a cookout and social gathering at Joe and Brenda's RV. Just about everyone came to the spur of the moment get together. It would be Millie and my last chance to see everyone and say goodbye because we are not going to the last stop of the tour. The group is traveling back towards Maine for 246 miles. They will gather one last time in Saint John, New Brunswick.

There is a farewell dinner planned in Saint John and the next morning everyone goes their separate ways. The are a couple people who are separating from the group here in PEI. One couple is taking the ferry to Newfoundland, another is from Ontario and heading home. Millie and I are going over the top of Maine and heading to Quebec City.

Island bus tour

Sunday August 14 2016

Early start this morning, we had to be ready to board the bus at 7:45 am. As painful as it is to get up before the sun, we can struggle through that and get ourselves ready. My big worry is, will Maggie go outside and relieve herself before we leave for most of the day. Oh, did I mention it was raining this morning, Maggie like most dogs are not happy about going out in the rain. I know she is knows when we are going to leave her, and sometimes I think she procrastinates on purpose. Maybe she thinks we won't leave if she doesn't poop.

I know how lobster traps work, I'll stay in the nice dry bus.

The tour today was through the countryside, the north shore National Park and a commercial fishing harbor where we had a demonstration of how lobster traps work. We spent about an hour at Green Gables Farm. I don't know what I'm not comprehending, but I just don't understand the fascination with Anne of Green Gables. The island has created a whole industry about this storybook character. Even stranger is all the Japanese tourists who come half way around the world to visit Anneland!

Spellbound by A of GG, Japanese tourists wander aimlessly around Anneland

We had lunch at a local restaurant, the owner got started in the cooking business by making strawberry jam and substituted booze for the sugar in the recipe. His restaurant has a gift store with jars of jam's and preserves pickled with different flavors of alcoholic beverages. I just report whats given to me folks, but it must be working for him, he's been in business for thirty years.

Millie's fancy lunch

Last stop was an Ice cream factory, we all got double scoops of ice cream before the self guided tour. There was no production today but they had videos at various points on the manufacturing tour. They also make their own T shirts for the gift store and had the silk screening machinery on display along with a video of the process. I was vaguely aware of the operation but it was interesting to see all the details of making a multi color printing.

T shirt printing room at Cow's Creamery

After we got home Millie went and did laundry, I let Maggie play outside while I cleaned the windshield and front of the motorhome. One more day here on PEI and we say goodbye to our caravan friends. There is officially on more stop, a return to Saint John for a farewell dinner, but several people who are traveling in a different direction after the tour are saying goodbye from here. Millie and I are going west to Quebec City and are among those ending the tour here.

Anne of Green Gables

Somebody please just shoot me now!

Saturday August 13 2016

The scheduled activity for today is a bus trip to Charllotetown and attending a musical at the Confederation Center of the Arts. The play is, Anne of Green Gables and as early as yesterday afternoon Millie could sense the pending gloom. We have a combined eighty some years of marital experience and I knew I would go and not complain, she knew I was doing my husbandly duty and had zero interest in the play. I mean, it should be obvious to everyone, this is a musical stage production of a chick flick.

I don't know who broached the subject but once verbalized it didn't take a second for Clay and I to volunteer to skip the play and come home to walk our dogs, who would be in the motorhomes all day. We went to town in the jeep and did our own driving tour of the harbor and arts district before parking. We had plenty of time to walk around the arts district and do some women's style shopping which is 90% browsing and 10% buying.

Monument to Canadian soldiers of World War One

We've all eaten so much seafood up here in Canada that we were ready for something different. We chose a Chinese/Cantonese restaurant. The girls and I got Sweet and Sour Chicken and Clay got spare ribs. Everyone enjoyed their meal and soon it was time to head to the theater.

Confederation Center of the Arts

In the lobby we chatted with some of the others from our group, Clay and I were the envy of the men for having such understanding wives. When the crowd started going into the theater, we said our goodbyes and headed for the exit. We barely made it out the door when Jim came running out, saying he was going with us. On the way into the theater, his wife Thelma said she would be fine with Millie and Rebecca and for him to go home with us.

Maggie was glad to see me, she ate, took care of business, played ball and now she and I are waiting for Millie to come home on the tour bus. Life is good!