michigan - part 2

The morning of the 4th of July, Stacy very generously offered to keep my kids so Shawna and I could ferry to Mackinaw Island, take a nice bike ride and have lunch. Mackinaw Island is an island (in case you didn't catch that in the name). that doesn't allow cars. It has an 8 mile loop around the island that we biked. It is quaint and sweet and very strange at the same time to think that there's no cars there. And people live there year round. And the lake freezes over. And lots of other weird things that I thought about. Why can't I just enjoy the quaintness and cuteness instead of thinking about what happens if there's an emergency or how do you bike in the snow or all that kind of stuff. But it was such a sweet little trip.

The last day we took a boat trip to a neighboring lake via other lakes and rivers and had lunch and played on a "beach" there. Again, the kids had a great time and did such a good job. The last evening Stacy, Shawna and I took a little sunset cruise for about an hour sans children. Ah, bliss! 

Shawna and I drove back to camp and got there around 10:30pm Night 4. To be honest, I'm glad I wasn't here the first week. It's a really different assignment. It gave Ben the time he needed to do what he needed to do w/o feeling guilty about not seeing us. 

Thank you, Santen's for sharing your house and your food and your boat. Someday when we don't have an assignment, I'd love for us all to go!

We had lunch at a hotel. Outside they were having a "rock skipping contest." The Guinness World Record holder for rock skipping was there. No lie. 51 skips. I felt honored to be in his presence. Or at least within 100 yards.

Shawna's super yummy grilled cheese sandwhich.

You could also tour the island by horse and carriage. Or be the garbage man by horse and carriage. We saw him but I couldn't get a picture turning around while riding my bike w/o a helmet. I prefer safety when there's no ambulances and you have to ferry back across to the main land.

The horses are cute. But not the poop that you have to dodge while riding bikes.

More tubing

We drove the boat to get ice cream one night. There's a lock that you have to go through that raises and you get a little wet.

Sophie lost her ice cream privileges and ate veggie straws instead. Some of us had ice cream and we took our leftover House of Pies pie - strawberry, raspberry and cherry. WOW!

She really wasn't all that sad. I caught her at a funny moment.

Relaxin' on the way back.

In order to avoid getting wet from the locks, Sophie hit the deck . . . in the total wide open of the boat.

Ben & Ted hiding to avoid a few drops.

A little bridge game they played on the swing bridge.

Two very tired little people.

Two good buddies.