Boats!

The boats started running yesterday - hooray!

Allen and I were lamenting not being able to get to the mainland to see Project Hail Mary in the theater and then, surprise - the boats started up again. We were thrilled! We both read the book and had been really looking forward to the movie. Living on Mackinac Island makes seeing movies a bit of a challenge. We often have to wait for them to stream, but this was one of those movies we knew would be better on the big screen.

I was super worried they would change many of the parts of the book I loved, but thankfully the film remained pretty darn true to the book. There were changes of course, but not so many or so large as to ruin it. (I'm sadly remembering the film version of Ready Player One here.) It would have been better as an eight-part miniseries, but overall I enjoyed it. And, because we had boats, we were able to pop over for the night, see my mom, pick up some much needed groceries, and catch the movie. 

If you are a sci-fi fan, a science nerd, or a science teacher I highly recommend the book!

Crossing

I'm thrilled that this winter has been much more like the winters of old - snowy and cold. Years ago the boats almost never ran all winter; they typically stopped on the second of January and didn't start up again until the end of March or early April. In the days before Amazon, we stocked up and we prepared. (Some of use still struggle not to stash copious amounts of everything we might need in the basement.)

Given the cold temperatures we've been having, Mackinac is lucky enough to have an ice bridge this winter. (That means the surface of Lake Huron has frozen  between the island and the mainland, and the ice is thick enough to hold the weight of a snowmobile.) Mackinac residents look forward to the ice bridge because it is the only time when our lives aren't governed by someone else's schedule (ferry boat or plane.) Not to mention this year a round-trip plane fare costs $118.00.

Now, do not take my words as a testament to the safety of the ice. THE ICE IS NEVER SAFE. Each and every time Allen and I go out there, we make sure we have information on the current conditions. Are there pressure cracks? Slush holes? Allen and I never venture onto the ice without that information. We take safety equipment with us and follow a set of self-imposed rules to help mitigate some of the risks. We've lived here for over 30 years and we never cross the ice without serious consideration. I DO NOT ENDORSE THE SAFETY OF CROSSING  - IF YOU CROSS THE ICE BRIDGE, YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK.  Now that that's out of the way...

That little blue dot was us as we went to St. Ignace this morning.

I had a doctor's appointment this morning, so Allen agreed to take me over, help shovel out the car, and the run to the grocery store to pick up a few things while I was at my appointment. Visibility was good and we could see all the way across (one of those self-imposed rules.)

Allen was nice enough to drive so I could get a few pictures, plus he had gone over earlier in the week and was more familiar with the trail. This year's ice is not smooth - not at all. There is a great deal of jagged ice causing the path to wind through the roughest patches. The zig-zagging and bumps combine to make for a fairly slow crossing; Allen said our top speed was under 30 mph (about 48 kph.) It was a busy day out there. We saw numerous snowmobiles coming and going.

This picture gives you  good view of ice piled up along the shore, as well as the Christmas trees marking the route.

When the island has good ice, lots of people take advantage of the ability to haul items across. We saw multiple loads of drywall and other supplies heading over to the island today. Hauling things yourself can save a lot of money on freight charges!

How long will is last, you wonder? It all depends; wind, temperature, air pressure, and the movements of the Coast Guard cutter all impact the ice. If we're lucky, we'll be able to cross through the end of March, but tomorrow could just as easily be the last day; only Mother Nature knows for sure. Either way, for those of us who live here, the ice is part of our lives. I'm not posting this as click bait, or an attempt to get views (my blog isn't monetized); I am simply recording this unique aspect of my life as a year-round resident of  Mackinac Island.

The "Real" World

Michigan's Upper Peninsula isn't really known for its shopping. I'm ok with that - I'd rather be surrounded by beautiful landscapes and the Great Lakes than be close to big box stores. That said, when I am in the neighborhood of these stores, I take advantage of  what's available. Sometimes though, I'm a bit overwhelmed at their sheer size!  I wonder who thought a person might need to pick up vitamins, pajamas, and an entire frozen lamb in a single stop. For the record, the lamb did not come home with us; and we're not going to discuss how much I spent at Costco. Let's just say my sister-in-law is looking forward to her cash back check.

What we can discuss is the cheese isle at Kroger (or "Krogers," as we Michiganders say.) Walmart's cheese selection is abysmal, but Kroger's was amazing! I'm glad I took the time to look at the choices, because their marketing person is hilarious.

Click on the picture to make the text larger; trust me, it's worth your time. The d'Affinois sign made my day; whoever wrote those signs definitely deserves a raise. While I didn't see it quiver, it it did beckon and it was creamy and delicious.

Grand Rapids Comic Con 2025

We had a great time in Grand Rapids. The Grand Rapids Comic Con was larger than the ones we went to in Lansing and Traverse City, with many incredible costumes. Keith looked amazing in his Rebel Fleet Trooper kit, I debuted my A New Hope Princess Leia, and Keith's R2D2 was a big hit. Our friends, Dan and Kelaine, joined us and Kelaine even wore my Endor Leia kit. Next time I need to make sure to have makeup for my eyebrows. I'm use to them being invisible, but it looks really odd with the dark brown wig. 

 

The cosplay really was amazing! There were lots of things I didn't recognize, but here are a few of my favorites:

You've got to love Waldo.

(I even saw this guy!)

Chewy was so tall!

Santa Vader gave me a big hug after I called him, "Dad."

I was glad to see a number of different Star Trek shows represented. (One of these days I will put together a Yeoman Rand kit.)

Everyone loved the Black Night from

Monty Python's Holy Grail, but

this Dalek from Dr. Who was, hands down, the coolest cosplay of the day. I'm so glad we made the trip down state - it was a great day full of good times with good friends! It sure would be fun to organize something on the island. I think it would be a hoot to have Storm Troopers garrison Fort Mackinac for an afternoon!

Yooperlites!

We spent a recent weekend in a lovely spot up in the UP. We've wanted to stop there for a while, but we've been told it is usually quite crowded and very buggy. We thought waiting until fall might give us a better chance and we were right - somehow we managed to snag the last campsite available at The Mouth of the Two Hearted River. 

It was gorgeous, and totally worth the hour-long drive on sandy washboard roads to get to the campground. The shore of Lake Superior was a quick walk from the campground and it did not disappoint.

The beach is a rockhound's dream. We found a ton of interesting rocks for Allen to tumble, including this one I dubbed "The Heart of Lake Superior."

I was surprised at just how many people were there looking for rocks. There were people everywhere with scoops and buckets finding treasures. We didn't do a whole lot of searching during the day - we couldn't find what we were after until after dark.

After a beautiful sunset and a nice walk away from the mouth of the river, we broke out the black lights, specifically blacklights with a 365 nm filter, and started searching. 

We were a little worried that the beach would be too picked over to find anything, but we had great luck. Allen and I managed to find sixteen syenite rocks rich with sodalite - a mineral that glows bright orange under blacklight. (They are also called Yooperlites, but that is a trademarked name.) That's why you have to look for them after dark - it's that bright orange glow that helps you find them, and that glow isn't easy to see in daylight. These rocks, first found along Lake Superior in 2017, have become a "thing" and lots of tourists are looking for them these days.

The Mouth of the Two Hearted River was a beautiful place to explore. I'm not sure we'll go back, but it was a great spot for a fall getaway.

Camping at Brevoort Lake

We spent last weekend camping at Brevoort Lake, which is in Brevort, Michigan. I have no idea why the lake has two letter Os, while the city only has one, but it was a beautiful place to spend the weekend. Hands down, my favorite part was listening to the loons in the morning. 

I don't think I posted about it, but last year we bought a Hiker Trailer from some friends who had outgrown it. Owning a teardrop camper had been a dream of Allen's for a while and when opportunity knocked, we jumped.  We've been trying to camp, at least once a month, to get a feel for it and learn what gear we need and what we can live without.

I've really enjoyed getting to explore places close to home. Northern Michigan is such a lovely place, and there are so many places, like Brevoort Lake, that I've never gotten to see. 

Mackinac Moment: Sunset Flight

My husband and I had doctor's appointments last week, and since the boats aren't running we had to fly to the mainland for our appointments. We were treated to a lovely sunset on our 5:45 pm flight to St. Ignace.

Fresh Air Aviation has several planes they use to "ferry" people across the Straits of Mackinac. The one we rode last week can carry seven passengers and their belongings. A round trip ticket is $108 for adults and that entitles the rider to 40 pounds (about 18 kg) of freight. If you have more to bring over, the additional weight costs $0.40 per pound. (That's why I stock up on chicken feed before the boats quit running.)

The flight takes less than five minutes and is a breeze. The only hitch can be the weather since the plane can't navigate in the fog or land on icy runways. This time of year we have to be flexible and be willing to change our plans if the planes aren't flying.

Treat

I wasn't super excited about having to catch the first boat this morning, but the sunrise brightened my day, literally.

Old Faithful Inn

Lots of people are surprised to hear my family likes to vacation away from Mackinac Island. When you live in a vacation destination, that place is just everyday life for you, so of course we want to get away and spend time somewhere else. Part of this summer's Yellowstone and Grand Teton trip involved a stay at the Old Faithful Inn. I hadn't heard of it, but it was close to the the top of my mother-in-law's bucket list.

Much of the 1903 section of the hotel looks like it did when it first opened - including rooms in which guests still have to use lavatories located down the hall. Additions were put on in 1913 and again in 1927 (where we stayed.) A few of us took a tour of the building, which was quite interesting. We learned the architect, Robert Reamer, used local lodgepole pine from the park to build it. 

Many of the light fixtures in the hotel are original. The simple fact the building survived the summer of 1988 fires is a miracle.

Unless you're inside the building, it is hard to get a feel for the sheer scale of the building! It's HUGE!

  

The main lobby is 76 feet tall!

There is even a tree house at the the top of the building's peak. Sadly, the little house had to close after several deadly hotel fires forced the U.S. government to regulate the number of exits in hotels. (Today, two are required for all public areas._ But, on our tour we learned six lucky people get to access that part of the hotel each day. Those six slots literally book up within hours on the first day the hotel begins taking reservations for the next season!

Old Faithful's eruption times were clearly posted all around the hotel. You literally walk out the front door, turn the corner, and the Old Faithful geyser is right there.

Seeing Old Faithful with my own eyes was on my bucket list, and it was incredible. It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. 

The Lady Jane

Recently the folks who work at City Hall were invited for a cruise on the Lady Jane. Richard and Jane Manoogian, the owners, often invite groups of people out on the boat. Since Allen is the director of the Department of Public Works and had a "plus one," I got to go, too. (Lucky me!)

We spent the evening on the water near the Island, finally anchoring by British Landing so people could swim.

It was a delightful evening, on a gorgeous boat, with wonderful people. Thank you, Jane; it was lovely to get to meet you!

Totality 2024

Families don't get much nerdier than mine, so of course, we had to drive down into totality (again) for this year's eclipse. The moon arrived right on time and we were treated to about 4.5 minutes of wonder.

Totality was incredible, but I was surprised at how different it looked than in the 2017 eclipse. In 2017 the sun's corona visibly moved and appeared to have what looked like swaying tendrils. This time that wasn't nearly as pronounced, but we could actually see CMEs (coronal mass ejections); it was amazing!

Photo courtesy of Craig Turpin

We spent the rest of the day watching the moon and just enjoying the warmth of the sun.

Oh yes, and taking advantage of having access to a garage. (Something we rarely have.) Since I had access to a garage and a shop vac, I spent a good part of the afternoon cleaning out the car. That may not seem like an interesting thing to do, but since I live on a vehicle-free island, I rarely have the ability to leisurely clean out my car. So I made the most of the opportunity.