Boating

My boating adventures were soooo much fun!!  I met up with my classmate/friend in St. Ignace, Michigan which is just across the Mackinac Bridge.  He already had his boat in the water.  I wheeled my bike over to the dock, he put it in and away we went!  The first thing we did was what I wanted to do more than anything:

Approaching the Mackinac Bridge

Sailing under!!

Under the bridge looking up

Looking between the bases of the tower.  Looking at the bottom of the Mackinac Bridge!!

We then kept on heading West a few miles from the bridge in Lake Michigan to a small island, St. Helena Island.  This island has a lighthouse!  The island is a land conservancy and is open to the public but the only way to get on the island is to anchor the boat and then paddle up in a small raft.  My friend does not have one...yet, so we just circled the island.

St. Helena Light on St. Helena Island

We then headed back and under the bridge again and on to Mackinac Island!

The Grand Hotel as seen from the boat.

Approaching Mackinac Island public marina

My friend docked the boat, we unloaded the bikes.  We rode into town and had lunch then we took off on the road that runs around the perimeter of the island.  After we circled the island, we rode to some places inland on the island.  In all, we rode 20 miles!

A little cave

Arch Rock

View from Lookout point

All too soon the sun began to set and it was time to head back to the mainland. 

Sunset over Lake Huron

We got back to the marina in St. Ignace and it was dark when we got back.  We (as well as all boats coming in) were greeted by a Fish and Wildlife officer to see if we had any fish, which we did not.  My friend unloaded my bike and backed his trailer in the water and loaded the boat.  He pulled it out of the water.  We were talking for a few minutes and the fish officer came over and asked us where we were from and we told him that he (my friend) lives nearby and I am from here and that we are classmates, etc etc etc.  He showed us 2 minks who have taken up residence in the marina and sometimes even in their patrol boat!!  They were so cute!  I had already put all my stuff in my car so I wasn't able to take any pictures of them.  My friend's 6 yr old son was completely exhausted!! At 10:30 my friend said, "well, I have a 20 minute drive home so I better get going!"  HA HA HA!  I had a 4.5 hour drive home!  After he got home, got his son in the house and put his boat away, he called and we talked for a little bit which helped me pass a little time and be more awake for the drive.  I think I thanked him 400 times!!!  It really was fun. 

This turned out to be a really great day!!  It was sunny, the water was calm, it was almost warm enough (it doesn't get as warm in the Upper Peninsula as it does here and even less so out on the lake).  My friend said that the only other day that he thinks was better as far as calm water was the 4th of July.  Wind is what could have cancelled this trip.  Because the water was so calm, he was able to go fast!!  He could ride into the waves made from the ferries, his son loved that!!  If the water had been rough, we would have just passed under the bridge and then straight to the island but we were able to go all over.

We now only have a few days left of being bums and then we will be meeting up again in the classroom for our LAST semester!!!!!!

Another thing I got from yesterday - BIKING  DOESN'T HURT!!!!!!   I biked 20 miles and it doesn't make my heel hurt!!  Even when I got home after my 4.5 hour drive, my heel did not hurt.  I actually rode the bike again today - 8.5 miles. 

Runner Nerd
sailed under the Mighty Mac!!