F un stuff-we were invited to our friends Ken and Karen's cottage on Black Lake which is south of Cheboygan and north of Onaway. Karen and I worked together many years ago at the Lansing Art Gallery and have remained pals. Curiously, we share the same birthday-how often does that happen?
I got up early and went out on the dock with coffee and a camera.
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| 42 degrees with morning fog. |
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| C and I kayaking, which I had never done before. We saw a bald eagle-the first time either of us had seen one. |
Karen and Ken had a wedding in Detroit so we had the place to ourselves for a couple of days. We went up to Cheboygan for some groceries and I noticed that we were only 15 miles from the Straits. Neither of us had seen the Mackinaw Bridge in years so away we went to Mackinaw City. Despite its given name, the sign as you enter states that it is only a village. Yep, 2010 census had only 806 souls living there but over the course of a summer, nearly 1.5 million visitors stop by. The place is packed with hotels (brief home to the Mackinaw Island daytrippers), fudge shoppes, and other touristy places. The historical park includes a light house and the reconstructed early 18th century Fort Michilimackinac, both overlooking the Mackinaw Bridge.
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| The Mackinaw Bridge |
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| The Mackinaw Point lighthouse-in service 1892-1957. |
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| Mackinaw Island
We had driven in from the east via Rogers City after visiting C's aunt and uncle in Tawas. About 11 miles west, I saw a sign for Ocqueoc Falls. Hmm, never heard of them. They seemed close to the cottage so one afternoon, C and I checked them out. Turns out they were only 12 miles from the cottage. The falls are the largest in the Lower Peninsula and are quite easy to find thanks to adequate road signs. There was, however, a ton of people, kids, dogs, babies (who brings infants to these things?). Now, the drop of the falls probably isn't more than 5 feet so kids as young as 5 or 6 were flinging themselves over the top. Both C and I noticed that unlike so many other public places where anxieties over lawsuits are acute-not so here. No notice that you jump, swim, frolic or be stupid at your own risk. Neither of us knew that the falls were so small and the river so shallow-we didn't bring swimming gear. The next morning, C's birthday celebration, C says "Let's go to the falls-it's early, maybe we will beat the crowd. It looks like rain, maybe people will stay home." She was right-just 2 couples with very small children and no one in the water. C went in while I, in my beach shoes, stayed in the river taking photos. You could get quite close to the falls-how often does one get such an opportunity?
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| Looking up river from the main falls. There are a series of smaller cascades both above and below the falls. |
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| The main falls. |
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| Directly above looking over the edge of the right side of the falls. |
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| The Water Girl in her element. As you can see, the water is not very deep. She had a blast body surfing. She described the experience as rejuvenating-much more than a hot tub. |
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| Downstream looking back at the main falls. |
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| Happy 55, sweetie! |
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| Our friends catching the final rays of the day. |
Weird happenings in the North Country
One night we were checking out the full moon when we saw a bright object flash streaking across the sky. It was big, close, low to the horizon and silent. What the hell was it?
-Meteor (fireball)- Most of the witnesses were dubious-too big and close. No arc in its flight path. Just seemed artificial. It appeared, streaked then went out.
-Failed firework rocket that didn't explode-None of us heard it launch nor did we see it fade out as it dropped.
-Space junk-This didn't occur to me until I searched online for postings from other witnesses. Turns out a huge piece of junk came down that night...in Australia.
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| Artist's Depiction |
We're driving down US 23 between Cheboygan and Mackinaw City and I notice these odd plumes veering off the tips of the trees that border the road. I also see what appears to be an elongated funnel directly in front of me. C is conked out taking a cat nap so I just ignore it-getting on in the day. Probably just seeing some refraction through the windshield.
Well, I keep seeing them and wondered if at some lonely point in the road, all the power in the car was going to quit. Damn-no aerosol paint can in the trunk to X the spot. I check my watch and it hasn't stopped so when traffic let up, I slow and took a good look at the nearest plume. It's made up of tiny dots! These things are made up of zillions of little insects!!! C has awoken by this point and I ask her to verify. Yep, they're there. So who knows-gnats or "no-seeums"-why they were hanging around the trees like that and what explains the funnel shape over the road: It's a mystery.
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| Artist's Depiction
A pretty good vacation! Good friends, nice cottage, a chance to get out on the water, a birthday to celebrate, a natural water park and a couple of mysterious happenings.
Oh yes and a rainy evening, imbibing adult beverages and making up new rules for Pictionary. Good times! Many thanks to Ken and Karen for the invitation, their good company and tasty cooking.
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