Travel | Grandma's Ramblings

While in Mackinaw City for our 40th wedding anniversary, we enjoyed a ride on the Shepler’s Ferry. While we did not go the island, we chose a nighttime cruise “A Night of Falling Stars”. We boarded the ferry a little before 9:00 p.m. and enjoyed an hour and a half cruise as we counted the stars and enjoyed cruising under and around the Big Mac bridge. It was beautiful at night with all the lights.

Before 1957 the only way to reach Mackinac Island or to get from the lower peninsula to the upper peninsula was to take a ferry. The first commercial ferry service was started in 1878 by George T. Arnold and LB Coats providing service to the island. When the Grand Hotel opened and greater demand was made for service to the island, other ferry services opened up.

The Michigan State Ferry System operated from 1923 to 1957 providing car ferries to connect the lower peninsula to the upper peninsula. In the mid 1950’s the car ferries carried almost 1 million cars a year. There were times when they had five ferries running with a total capacity of 500 cars. The largest ferry could carry 150 cars. In 1957 when the “Big Mac” bridge was completed, the car ferries providing service across the straits were no longer necessary.

When the government purchased the “Mackinaw City” and the “Sainte Ignace” in 1940 for war purposes, the State obtained a Pere Marquette Railway boat for service at the Straits of Mackinac. The ferry was renamed the “City of Petoskey”. The vessel could carry 105 vehicles. In the winter of 1952, the Highway Department acquired the 10,000 horsepower “Vacationland”. Built by the Great Lakes Engineering Works in River Rouge, Michigan, it cost $4,745,000 and, with a 75 foot beam and a 360 foot length, became the queen of the fleet. The “Vacationland” carried nearly 150 cars and trucks. The five-vessel fleet had a total carrying capacity of about 500 vehicles.

The Shepler Ferry is quite an operation. Along with ferries to and from the island, they offer special cruises like the one we took. They offer 3-4 hour cruises on both Lake Michigan and Lake Huron that give a great view of the many lighthouses in the area. I found it exciting to start the cruise on Lake Huron and end on Lake Michigan.

We forgot to bring any jackets, and it was a little cool out on the lake as we chose to take seats on the upper deck. The lower deck provided more protection from the wind, but your view of the stars was limited. So we just cuddled close to keep warm – and since we were celebrating our anniversary, we really did not need any excuse to do that.

After World War II, Captain William H. Shepler returned to Mackinaw. He started his business by opening a snack bar for passengers waiting for the ferry. He soon saw a need for better ferry services to Mackinac Island. Thus the Shepler Ferry line was born. Over the years they have added more ferries and built a large area for customers to park and to wait for the ferries. There is parking for those who are only taking a cruise on the lake or to and from the island. There is also overnight parking for those who are going to stay on the island since there are no vehicles allowed on the island. It was fascinating to watch the employees as they quickly loaded the people who were staying on the island and all their luggage.

While I enjoyed the ferry ride and the historic fort, I must admit I would not make a return trip to Mackinaw City. For me, there was too much “tourist trap” atmosphere. Lots and lots of t-shirts shops, souvenir shops and restaurants. Too many crowds.

(Pictures of old ferries: https://northernmichiganhistory.com/)

To celebrate our 40th anniversary my husband and I spent a few days in Mackinaw City. The city is located at the tip of the mitten in Michigan at the foot of the Mackinac Bridge where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron meet. It is the stepping-off place for Mackinac Island and the Upper Peninsula.

One of the main attractions for us was Fort Michilimackinac.  Built by the French in 1715, it became the great fur trade center for the Northwest. It remained under French control until the British took control of the area after the French and Indian War. Deciding the wooden fort would be too difficult to protect, the British moved the Fort to Mackinaw Island in 1781 where they built a limestone fort. Upon the end of the Revolutionary War, the area was to be turned over to the United States. However, Britain held on to the fort until 1796.

This area was home to a Native American settlement long before Europeans discovered it. The Anishinaabe (Ojibwa) Indian tribes were some of the first known inhabitants. They considered Mackinac Island to be the sacred home of the Gitche Manitou, or the “Great Spirit,” According to legend, Mackinac Island was created by the Great Hare, Michabou and was the first land to appear after the recession of the Great Flood. The island was a gathering place for the local tribes where their offerings were made to Gitche Manitou and was where tribal chiefs were buried. Some of these graves are over a thousand years old.

 The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians have worked with Mackinac State Historic Parks to repatriate ancestral human remains from Mackinac Island and Mackinaw City.  Today there is a marker recognizing the burials on the island.

Today they have recreated at Mackinaw City the wooden Fort based on pictures and articles from earliest settlers.

There was clearly a difference between the lodging for the officers and the enlisted men.

Bedroom of the commander of the fort
Bedrooms for the enlisted men

In each room there were three bunk beds with a table and benches for eating their meals. Each bunk bed held two men. Their mattress was stuffed with hay or straw. The men shared a pillow, but each had their own blanket. I can’t imagine sleep was very comfortable.

While we were there, we watched volunteers working to uncover row houses where local military people lived. The Mackinac Island State Park Commission contracted with Michigan State University to carry out a season of excavation at Michilimackinac in the summer of 1959. This project has continued every summer since then. By 1969 a full-time archaeologist was hired.

They told us they have found fishhooks, pottery, and other artifacts dating back to around AD 900. Interesting food remains, especially animal bones, are the most common item found. In comparing the time of the French occupation with that of the British, they found two different diets. The French married more often with the local Indians and shared their diet of local deer, waterfowl and berries. The British remain more separate from the Indians and tied to maintain their traditional diet as best they could. They raised farm animals and also imported salted meat.

Many religious artifacts include a brass medallion of Saint Ignatius, founder of the Jesuits. Jesuits were an important part of the community under French control. They have found buttons, shoes and even a champagne bottle. We did not stay long to watch the excavation as it was so hot with no shade around.

Our last stop in the fort was the church. The church was clearly from the Catholic French occupation as we saw a priest and a confessional. The altar area was beautiful.

As a history nut, I was fascinated by standing on a spot where so much history has taken place. First, the Native Americans, then the French, the English and finally the United States. I imagined the sounds of the various languages spoken here, the different religious beliefs and practices that took place here. It would have been great to have a time machine and go back for just a moment in time. Just a moment as I certainly would not want to live in a time without running water, air conditioning, and all the things we take for granted now in 2024.

We just returned from a four-day trip to Mackinac City to celebrate our fortieth anniversary. (I will be posting more on that later this week. Right now, I’m trying to catch up on my rest. I’m too old for these trips!)

It was a good trip – but we spent a lot of time repeating ourselves as we realized when we were halfway there that we had forgotten to pack the charges for our hearing aids. Thankfully we have a good relationship as we spent time saying “why” or “huh” and yelling the answers to each other.

Stay tuned for stories of our four-day adventure at the tip of the mitten in Michigan.

This morning my husband asked me if I would like to take a short ride through the country. My response: “Is the Pope Catholic?”

I am always ready to take a ride through the country any time, but especially in the spring when all the trees are in bloom.

So off we went for a “short” ride through the country.

Five hours and 120 miles later, we were back home from our “short” ride.

We have always loved to get in the car and head out without any particular destination – just wondering where does this road lead.

When we moved to Michigan almost six years ago, we had many roads to explore. After six years we are running out of roads around our town. Today we headed north and after about 30 miles we turned west. Heading north was not new for us. We have driven north many times all the way to the upper end of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. We have also crossed the great Mackinaw Bridge and explored the Upper Peninsula.

But after a few miles north we had never ventured west. So new roads, new adventures.

It’s amazing what you see when you get off the beaten path.

Today we saw this large rooster just standing guard in someone’s front yard.

Another family clearly loved bird houses.

Everywhere there were trees in bloom.

We loved the old bowling sign in Sherian Michigan. It appears the bowling alley is no longer in use, but we imagined all the families that had enjoyed Friday nights hanging out there.

Driving around the state we have seen a lot of stone houses. It was no surprise to find one on this trip.

We stopped for coffee and later lunch. Then we realized we had better turn back home or we would find ourselves far from home at nap time. 🙂

Heading back home we drove through Ionia, a town we have visited several times. It has an old movie theater that still shows movies. We keep saying we are going to come for a movie but have not done so yet.

Always exploring new towns, new roads, new adventures keep our heart young and our minds alert. So many of our memories are of times when we wandered off the main road and found hidden treasures and met many interesting people.

After five hours of not really going anywhere, we arrived home tired but happy. What made the trip so much fun? Not really the trees – though they were beautiful – not the unique old signs – though they were interesting – not the coffee and meal – though they were good. What made it so much fun was just being together and enjoying another day of life.

What special treasures have you found when you got off the main road and wandered down a road unknown where you were headed?

The New Year is also the time I celebrate my retirement. My last day on the job was January 4, 2013. Each year as I reflect on the years since my retirement, I am always reminded of how God has given me much more than I asked for. 

Those of you who follow my blog know my story of being diagnosed with a very advanced and very aggressive breast cancer in 2003. When the doctors gave me little hope to survive, I asked God to let me live until I could retire and have two years with my husband to enjoy traveling and just being together.

My husband was a pastor and I worked full time. This meant we had little time to travel as my job kept us at home Monday through Friday and his job took much of the weekend. 

When I retired, I had almost made it to the ten-year survival date, a date which my doctor had said I had little chance of making. So, I continued to pray for those two years of retirement to enjoy with my husband.

This year God has given me not just two years to enjoy but I am now beginning the twelfth year of retirement. It goes without saying I am one very grateful woman.

Eleven years. I have lived to see grandchildren graduate from high school, college and law school. Seen the birth of great grandchildren. Watched my youngest granddaughter grow from a tiny little baby to become a teenager this February. It has been a joy to be able to travel and see so much of our great country. 

And to just do nothing. 

My husband and I have aged these past few years. We both move much slower and a nap in the afternoon is almost a requirement.

Sometimes my husband complains about getting old. I quickly remind him it is a blessing that we have lived to have aches and pains. Becoming an old woman, to me, is an answer to prayer.

I look forward to another year of retirement and although our age has limited just how much we can travel, we hope to make a trip this July to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. 

Last week my husband and I returned from a quick trip from our home in mid-Michigan to southern Illinois. We had gone south for the funeral of my sister-in-law who died just ten days before her 91st birthday.

Returning home, I was so anxious to sleep in my own bed. All that morning as we drove home, we talked about how we would make a pitcher of iced tea (we had not found a good glass of iced tea the whole trip), sit in our recliners and enjoy a movie. Then it would be so great to sleep in our own bed again.

We arrived home at noon and enjoyed that glass of iced tea and relaxing for a little while in our recliners. That afternoon a friend came with some awesome split pea soup and peach cobbler. She knew we would be tired and wanted to give us supper so we could just relax.

However, she had been talking with my husband and my daughter and they had told her that I had not been feeling well and they had tried to get me to call the doctor. She was a nurse and she would not leave until I promised I would call the doctor to get an appointment.

Earlier in the month I had a sensation that I was going to faint while I was at the grocery store. A few weeks later it happened again while I was at home. I was often experiencing the sense that my heart was racing and had a few moments of chest pain.

Years ago, I had breast cancer and the surgeon had apologized to me after the surgery. He said I had so many lymph nodes that were cancerous that he had done a lot of nerve damage in his attempt to get all the cancer. Followed by 32 radiation treatments not only on my chest wall, but on my neck front and back has left me with a chest full of scar tissue and long-term pain in my left side.

Thus, my hesitation to call the doctor. However, as my friend pointed out, the pain was worse than normal and the heart palpitations and episodes of feeling faint were new. Mainly to get her, my daughter and my husband to quit lecturing me on the need to call the doctor, I called that afternoon for an appointment.

I thought I would get an appointment for later that week. When I described why I wanted an appointment, they gave me one within the next hour. Before I could change clothes and get ready for the appointment the doctor called me and asked me to describe what I was feeling. He then told me to go to the emergency room immediately and tell them he had sent me.

Long story – short. After several tests I was admitted overnight and had a stress test the following day. It was my husband’s birthday. We had planned to go to our favorite steak restaurant. Instead, we spent the day in the hospital with more tests.

So – instead of relaxing in my recliner and watching a movie, I spent six hours in the emergency room having several tests run. Instead of sleeping in my own bed, I ended up sharing a hospital room with another patient who had the television on until midnight. Instead of enjoying a great meal and wishing my husband a happy birthday, I spent the day with more tests. My husband spent his birthday sitting with me and running errands during the time I was just resting and waiting on test results.

As I sat in the hospital room waiting to hear what the tests would reveal, I reminded myself that while we can make plans, life can quickly force us to change those plans. The only sure thing we can count on is that God has promised never to leave us.

Each day we should enjoy the moment, take the time to smell the roses.

Thankfully I was able to go home after just one day in the hospital. I am wearing a heart monitor for the next two weeks to be followed up by an echogram and more tests. As of now they tell me the lower chambers in my heart are adding an extra beat all the time. The upper chambers are adding an extra beat randomly. They have given me medication to slow my heart down. This may or may not be anything serious.

I’m trusting that all will be well. But regardless of the outcome, I will be smelling the roses each day and thanking God for all His blessings to me.

On a recent trip to Ludington, Michigan I saw some interesting signs along the way.

1. from a restaurant: “Our fish come from the best schools.”
2. from an ice cream parlor: “This is a happy place…if you are crabby, go home.”
3. from the trail to the Big Sable Lighthouse at the life saving station: “Be prepared to go out, not to come back.”
4. on a plaque in an antiques store: “4 out of 5 Great Lakes prefer Michigan.”
5. on the door of an used book store: “Each time you read a book, a tree smiles, knowing there is life after death.”

It has been a month now since I finished my physical therapy. My therapist warned me that I would need to keep doing my exercises at least two to four times a week if I wanted to remain strong and have less pain.

So far, I am exercising every day. Eventually I will probably move to just two to four times a week, but I am so glad to be free of pain that spending a few minutes each day in exercising is a small price to pay for this new life.

One of the things I struggled with beside the pain was just being able to walk any distance. It has been so great to be able to shop for groceries or go to the mall and walk with my husband.

However, we recently attempted a walk that was probably not one I should have tried. We went to Ludington, Michigan to see one of the lighthouses there. Since moving to Michigan four years ago we have made it our mission to see as many of the lighthouses here as we can. This was the beautiful lighthouse, Big Sable, located on the shores of Lake Michigan.

French explorers first called this place Grande Point au Sable. This area, approximately nine miles north of Ludington was a landmark for sailors on Lake Michigan. In 1856 Congress gave $6,000 and the Michigan Legislature donated the land for a lighthouse. However, it was not until the end of the Civil War that Congress again gave money – this time $35,000 – and construction began in 1866. The lighthouse was completed in 1867.

We were all prepared to drive to see this lighthouse. However, on entering the park that surrounds the lighthouse, we discovered we would have to walk to the lighthouse. The walk is 1.8 miles. The rangers assured us it was a level walk with benches along the way. Knowing this would be quite the challenge, we nonetheless decided to do it.

At first it was nice. A beautiful sunshiny day with a cool breeze from the ocean, we enjoyed the beginning of the walk.

My husband climbed the sand dunes to get a closer look at the Lake Although the path was level, believe me walking in sand is not an easy thing to do.

About halfway up the trail I began to have strong doubts about the wisdom of attempting this. My husband offered to turn back. But I had committed to this, and I was determined to finish it. I stopped at every bench along the way to catch my breath. Just when I thought I could not go on, the lighthouse appeared in the distance.

Finally, we made it! I was proud of what I had done but was scared at the thought of making the walk back. My husband, who is 82, was tired but confident he could make it back. I was not so sure that I could.

This man is amazing! Still full of energy when we reached the lighthouse.

We sat by the lake and enjoyed the view while I gulped a bottle of water and ate a candy bar. After almost 30 minutes it was clear I was afraid I would not be able to make it back the 1.8 miles. My husband asked some of the workers at the museum and gift shop if someone could drive us back. Their response was: “The only way you get a ride out of here is in an ambulance.”

Faced with no other choice we started back down the trail. Although there were benches along the way, there were several places where the benches were very far apart. My legs were holding up fine, but my poor heart was not. About halfway back I began to have difficulty breathing. At one point I leaned on my husband and tried hard to get a breath. Other walkers on the trail asked if they could help me, but unless they were willing to carry me, I did not know what they could do.

Just when I thought I could not go on, we saw the end of the trail. Exhausted I sat on a picnic table for almost 30 minutes before I could go on.

We calculated our distance when we got back to the car. It was 1.8 miles there and back but when you added in the distance from the parking lot to the start of the trail we had walked over four miles.

Looking back I am not sure that was a smart thing for us to do – but I am so proud of the fact that I did it.

Before my physical therapy there is no way I could have done that. I was in pain for a couple of days afterwards – more sore than pain – but I recovered and I DID IT!!!

I have not posted anything for almost three weeks (have you missed me?). In case anyone was wondering, here’s my story.

In 1971 Hasbro/Romper Room created small egg-shaped figures that “wobble” from side to side but return to an upright position. Their slogan for these toys was “Weebles Wobble but They Don’t Fall Down.” Inside each weeble is a small weight. When the toy is tipped to one side the weight will cause the toy to “wobble.” Gravity soon brings the toy back to an upright position.

For the past few years, I have experienced chronic pain throughout my body. At first, I just thought it was arthritis creeping up on me or perhaps damage done to my body from the many chemo and radiation treatments I had as a cancer patient almost 20 years ago.

Along with the pain, it has become more difficult for me to stand for any length of time and to walk any great distance. My husband and I have always been active, but this constant pain and difficulty walking was beginning to make me depressed. I began dreading growing old and living a limited lifestyle.

My clothes also did not seem to fit properly. My tops always hung to the left and anything with sleeves would find the left sleeve longer than the right. No matter how many times I tried to straighten my tops – they refused to remain straight and even.

Finally, my granddaughter told me “Grandma, you wobble when you walk.” I felt like those little weebles – bobbing from side to side as I tried to walk straight. On uneven ground or climbing stairs I even wondered if this “webble” would fall down.

At my last doctor’s visit, I pointed out to her that a rib on my left side was sticking way out. She gave a closer examination and determined that my left leg is shorter than my right and because of that my spine has slowly been tilting to the left. Thus, why my clothes do not fit properly and why I “wobble” when I walk.

Diagnosed with scoliosis, she sent me to their physical therapy department for further evaluation and treatment.

First order of business was to add an insert to my left shoe to begin to even out my legs. We have had to slowly raise the height of the left leg because my therapist said too much of an increase all at once would only make things worse.

My first few visits to PT were basically sitting, lying while they did adjustments to my pelvis, my spine, and my hips to try to bring me back into proper alignment. After four weeks of therapy, three times a week and more inserts in the left shoe, they have declared I am back in proper alignment.

I have four more weeks of PT where we are working on building strength into my muscles so that I can retain the proper position of my pelvis, spine and hips. My therapist told me I will need to continue these exercise three to four times a week for the rest of my life if I want my body to keep the right alignment. They can make adjustments to my spine, but it is the muscles that will hold that alignment.

While doing the physical therapy and learning to make other adjustments – such as losing my recliner for a more straight-back chair, using the right size pillows when I sleep, wearing shoes all the time (which I hate), adjusting my computer so that I am not looking up or down at the screen which is hard on the neck, I have been too busy to blog.

Honestly, I have thought about not returning to my blog and I have mixed feelings about it. But here’s goes my story of my absence – and I do hope some of my followers have missed me.

Driving north from our home in Michigan we took a quick stop at Gaylord to try to get a peek at the elk herd found there.

The City of Gaylord maintains an elk herd and while there are several places to view them, we stopped at the Patrick Mankowskil Park. There on 108 acres the city staff provide the herd with corn, hay and sugar beets. Named after the man who was instrumental in raising funds to create this area to get a chance for a look at the elks, there is a plaque honoring him for his service to the City of Gaylord.

We only saw a few elk here. We were told the best times to view them is in September and October when the bulls are trying to establish mating rights with the females. April and May were also recommended as good times because the elk are active during the daylight hours eating the new green growth.

A short drive from downtown Gaylord is the Pigeon River Country State Forest that contains one of the largest free-ranging elk herds east of the Mississippi. However, we were on our way further north and left this viewing spot for another trip.

I did a little research to see what the difference is between elk and reindeer. I found that both are types of deer with the elk being larger than the reindeer. Both female and male reindeer have antlers, but only the male elk has antlers. Elks are found in North America while reindeer occupy the colder artic regions.

Many enjoy elk meat, and I am told it is very healthy as it is lean, low in fat and cholesterol, and delicious. You can even order elk meat on Amazon.

I am not sure I am quite that adventurous, but have any of my readers eaten elk meat? If so, did you like it?