Just got back from vacation and for the second year in a row we went to the U-P (upper peninsula of Michigan). Land of the “Yooper”. This was a trip that I needed pretty badly. Work has been stressful and I was in need of getting away and out of my head for a bit. Not sure if a week was enough but man it was good. This was a road trip of over 900 miles each way – from Lorton, VA to my uncle Bill’s cabin on the northern coast of lake Michigan – just west of the little town of Manistique on the Lake Michigan shore. I wrote a little about it last summer when I tagged along on the trip with my Mom and Dad. This year, we had a larger group including Danette, Mom and Dad, both my brothers and my nieces plus my niece’s boyfriend. Danette and I stayed in our trailer to help make room.
The weather was on the warm side at the beginning of the week but cooled off to the low 70s by Tuesday. It was a really nice change of pace from the oppressive heat and humidity of July in Virginia. For the most part we spent the days quietly: reading, listening to the waves of the lake, relaxing, walking on the beach, swimming and playing cards and board games (Munchkin, Mille Bornes and Vicious Gardens). The trip was really nice and looking back I don’t think I took enough pictures.
Beyond that, the highlight was probably the mini, “vacation within a vacation”, we took up to Lake Superior to see Pictured Rocks, Tahquamenon Falls, and search for Yooperlites. (Yooperlites are rocks that glow like Indiana Jones’ Sankara Stones when hit with a blacklight). We didn’t find any Yooperlites but we had a good time looking. The sights were really lovely and we were struck by how clear and pretty the blue green waters of Lake Superior were.
On the way back we met up with our friend Steve in Ann Arbor and caught the new Fantastic four flick. It was kind of kooky but I really liked and like it more and more the more I think about it.
Anyway, it was lovely to see everyone, disconnect from the internet a little and ‘touch grass’ up in the northern woods and – I think – I am glad to be back home. Ready to hunker down as we head down the back stretch of the crazy year that has been 2025.
(Summer Reads)
Love the travel logs, keep them coming!