My Morning Cup: Virtual Day Trip: Pictured Rocks Michigan

Yet another missed while travelling destination.

Pictured Rocks, Michigan...in the Upper Peninsula.

Which is odd because I have travelled extensively throughout Michigan...many times...even to the U.P but never took the time to go the extra miles to see Pictured Rocks.

I have stayed in Niles and picked fresh blackberries, raspberries and blueberries at my favorite U-Pick.

Have taken US 31 up the Michigan Lake coastline all the way to Traverse City.

Saw the Tall Sailing Ships in Traverse Bay.

Stayed in Sawyer and built sandcastles lakeside at Warren Dunes with "Idgy"

Taken all three of my boys to Indiana Dunes, Sleeping Bear Dunes, and rode out on dune buggies at Silver Shores.

I have hunted Fulgurite.

Fulgurites are the sand covered glass tubes that are formed when Lightning strikes the sand. The sand is instantly melted to glass and the loose sand sticks to the sides.

Example:

Have swam in most of the Great Lakes (Michigan,Huron and Superior)

Have made multiple trips (alone),with one or more of the boys, or solo with Bill
to Mackinaw City...and over to Mackinac Island on the Shepler Ferry.

Mackinaw being the English version in the city...Mackinac is the French (which the Island is named after)

Have been there in May...and June...and July...August and October.

Never winter. May need to be a Virtual Destination Day Trip itself.

The Island in Winter.

Seen clouds of the blackflies. Huge ribbons of them...so many they actually do look like clouds.

Ate and shared Reba Fudge.The BEST.

Rode livery horses with the boys around the Island.

Took a horse and buggy out solo for a day with Bill around Mackinac.

Brunched and explored the inside of the Grand Hotel and bought flowers at the flower shop.

Walked the shorelines of both the island and Huron Strait.

Sat in the chill (October) and watched the outdoor laser show in Mackinaw City.

Crossed the bridge over the strait to the Upper Peninsula.

Met and chatted with quite a few "Yoopers" (as they refer to themselves up there) and tried pasties (hand held spiced meat pie with gravy) and got the recipe.

Took the boys to Whitefish Bay and The Maritime Shipwreck Museum there.

Saw the actual bell from the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Explored quite a few lighthouses.

Collected the surf tossed round smooth perfectly round stones from Lake Superiors shoreline...and also some unusual driftwood.

But somehow never made it to Pictured Rocks.

So...without further adieu...

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

100 miles of trails,waterfalls,sandstone cliffs, sand dunes and hardwood forests. The best of everything Michigan.

Complete Tour

https://youtu.be/c9PxyGwJavY

(...the guy filming is a bit chatty...maybe even slightly annoying...you can turn the volume off or down if you want...great views and the next best thing to being there...)

Munising Falls