Terri and Peter's RV Adventures

Finally, I made it to Mackinac Island, something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid. Too bad I didn’t do it back then. There would have probably only been 10 fudge shops rather than the 17 there today, and maybe only a thousand tourists a year would visit rather than the current million. Despite the throngs, it was still worthwhile and they were nice throngs. It was just challenging to navigate the sidewalks with two dogs and so many ice cream and fudge juggling tourists.

Even with the crowds, we had a very easy time parking, catching the ferry each way and doing everything we wanted to do. It’s a well-oiled tourist service machine with college kids running the tours and the restaurants. Dogs were allowed almost everywhere, and Cali and Lily expanded their transportation repertoire to include more ferries, open air shuttles and horse drawn carriages. They did quite well despite all the challenges.

Mackinac Island is car and truck free. Horses, bikes and walking are the only modes of transportation. After grabbing lunch, we took a horse drawn carriage on a 1 hour 45 minute tour. About 5% of the tour guide’s patter was substance; the rest was shtick. It was fun anyway and good to see different parts of the island. I would have liked to have hiked it but Cali’s a limiting factor and we weren’t sure what she could do. I was also hoping to get more information on the tour. I was surprised to see that the governor’s summer home is on the island. Not surprising, the island used to be a sacred burial ground for the native Americans.

We were more than ready to leave following the tour, very happy to be back at our campground for one more night. We hitched up the rig after dinner so Peter could drive to the dump site and we could have that done before we leave tomorrow. While he was gone, I took the dogs on a well-deserved run and came back to a picnic table and no trailer. While I was waiting for Peter to return, Amber, a camping neighbor, came by and we talked for a half hour about our lives and travels.

After Peter returned and we hooked back up to our site, he was on his way to the shower when he met a man who it turns out is from Lafayette. (Anyone know a Todd Keller?). He and his wife have been on a similar trip as us and he and Peter talked for an hour, just standing outside our campsite. It’s this slower pace, no particular schedule, and an open minded attitude that facilitates people meeting, connecting, and learning from one another. We realize we’re not all that different after all. It’s a lot like the olden days when people would sit out on their porches and meet and talk to neighbors and friends. Maybe this happens in other places around the country, but it really doesn’t happen where we live. That’s why we’re both so enthralled with this camping culture that fosters chance encounters and leisurely conversation. It gives heart and soul to the day and a richness to daily life.

Tomorrow, we head to a Michigan State Park 40 miles away, a very short drive! We know nothing else about the place and will be there four nights. I’ll let you know what happens.

(Above: The ferry ride back to Mackinaw City and finally back to camp)