Headed to Mackinac Island

After an action packed day in Chicagoland, I need to load up the carful of kids and head for Mackinac Island, Michigan. But first you have to get out of Chicago. To get out of Chicago you have to get your car that you blindly left with a valet who promised to keep it under lock and key. You are at this lot because your hotel has run out of parking for the day. You go back to the lot 2 days later and hope to retrieve your car. Of course, in my mind I am thinking of the scene from Ferris Bueller's Day Off when the valet heads out the back exit with the car in which he has been entrusted. The valet is asking a lot of questions when I hand him my valet ticket. Why are you asking me the color, year, make and model of my car?! Shouldn't you know this already? I let it slide and hope for the best and scan the lot. I don't see my car anywhere. I am not alarmed. Maybe they only keep the nice imports inside the locked and secured garage. I immediately visualize my 10 year old Toyota 4Runner sitting out on the street with busted out windows and on blocks. Ahhh I hear a truck, that is a 4Runner that turns the corner but not my 4Runner. "Here you go" said the valet. "No, that is not my car" I reply. "Yes, it is a silver 10 year old 4Runner with a roof rack, sunroof and Texas plates, but that is not my 4Runner." I argue with the valet as he is questioning whether or not I recognize my car. Suddenly he realizes his mistake with his broken English-Serbian accent. "Ah, yes that car is in the basement. I will go get." Off he goes with someone else's car. By the way to the person with my car only lighter and from the Dallas area, you can thank me later for keeping your car safe. In no time I hear another truck turning the corner and alas it is my truck. Yea! No dents, no dings. Wait, why is the valet hanging around? That is right, he expects a tip. Really. I just paid you 50 bucks for kinda keeping up with my car. And I was almost an accessory to a felony and now I am suppose to tip you. Sure, all is well that ends well--I hand over the 5 and look down at the gas gauge. Didn't I have more gas?!

We load up all the stuff and the kids and head out of Chicago. Well we try to head out of Chicago. I really think Google maps has an agreement with the petroleum industry because they will always route you in at least one complete circle. But we navigate the surface roads and some dicey neighborhoods in South Chicago to get on our way. You know that the neighborhood is getting a little rough when the bars on the businesses give way to boarded up windows. We found our way to the Chicago Skyway after two blocked entrance ramps and one detour. We get on the tollway and they have the gall to charge us $3.50 for what seems like 100 feet of road. But to their defense, there was a nice colorful pot of flowers at each toll booth. We pass the toll booth and see the sign "45 MPH" Really? In Texas where I am from, the tollways have an 80 MPH speed limit. Not much value for the buck if you ask me. We spend the rest of the day driving through the trees on our way to the cooler Great Lakes.

We drive across the longest suspension bridge between anchorages in the western hemisphere. The Mackinaw Bridge or "Big Mac" as it is called locally was opened in 1957. The road deck of the bridge has one open grid roadway in each direction and is shaped like an airfoil. This provides stability in winds speeds of 150 MPH. The Mackinaw Bridge is a toll bridge and costs $4.00. Melissa and I thought we might run into a backup crossing the bridge, but that was not the case. The weather is beautiful and the wind is non existent. We arrive the sleepy little tourist town of St. Ignace, Michigan.

We drive over 2,000 miles to get to "da UP", or the upper peninsula. St. Ignace has several ferries, motels and lots of parking for all the cars that you can't take to Mackinac Island. They are also know for the Pastie, a sirloin steak meat pie packed with root vegetables. Melissa grabs one at a shop next to the gas station. I take a bite and it tastes just like my pot roast.

We check into our hotel on Lake Huron. The Best Western Harbour Point exceeds our expectations with its 11 acres of landscaped lawn, two pools, a nightly campfire that is right on the lake. We are frequent guests at the Best Western so we get an upgraded room. Out our room's door, the kids run to the lake. That is where they spend the next several hours happily playing. The sun finally fades and the sky begins to light up with fireworks. We have up to 10 different shows to watch at different points around the lake. The wind is light, the temperature is perfect and the fireworks are amazing. It really doesn't get much better than this. Oh yeah--I also had a glass of wine. Off to bed we go, tomorrow we take on Mackinac Island.