July 15, 2021 – Garden, MI
Sat, July 10, 2021
We did not rush leaving St. Ignace. Even though we have only stayed a few days in the area, we have developed an affinity to the area. We felt a calming aura while here; the pace is slower, the people genuinely pleasant and weather fantastic this time of year. We did a quick stop at the Family Fare Supermarket, hitched up the car and headed west on US-2W for Garden, MI., bordering Hiawatha National Forest. At 114 miles, this will be one of our shorter drives and interesting destination address; 17.5 Road.
We arrived around 1:30 PM and quickly set up. We’re getting our RV setups and breakdowns down to a science and can do it quickly. We spent the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying Bay Ridge RV Park and Campground nestled in a cove on Garden Bay. Garden Bay couples to Big Bay De NoCable and then Lake Michigan.
On Friday, we traveled to Munising and took a 2-hour sunset cruise tour of Pictured Rocks, a National Lakeshore managed by the National Park Service.
Pictured Rock are vast sandstone walls and coves created from groundwater and springs rich with minerals such as iron, copper and lime that leak out of cracks in the rock and trickle down its face. This creates steep multicolored walls or cliffs along the shores of Lake Superior.
It was the first of the nation’s four national lakeshores to be established. The others are Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. All are tied to the Great Lakes, with Apostle Islands and Pictured Rocks on the south shore of Lake Superior and the other two on Lake Michigan.
Pictured Rock Gallery
Folks we met in South Haven recommended we see Kitch-iti-kipi, Michigan‘s largest natural freshwater spring. The 10,000 gallons a minute flow continues throughout the year at a constant 45 degree F which is much cooler than the natural springs in Florida (66 °F to 97 °F ). It is located in Palm Book State Park near Manistique. We visited on Saturday.
Sunday we continued west to the Door County area of Wisconsin, specifically Egg Harbor.
Today’s Thought
Upcoming Trip Schedule
Sun, July 18, 2021
egg Harbor, WI
Egg Harbor Campground
We will spend 3-days exploring Door County WI.
Miles from last stop: 216
Wed, July 21, 2021
Oakdale, WI
Oakdale KOA Journey
This is one of three overnight stops on our way to the South Dakota Badlands.
Miles from last stop: 216
Thu, July 22, 2021
Jackson MN
Jackson KOA
This is two of three overnight stops on our way to the South Dakota Badlands.
Miles from last stop: 251
