Travels With Just One Snowbird and her friend, Findlay, OH to Port Austin, MI, Tuesday August 11. 2015

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Tuesday August 11, 2015, Findlay, OH to Port Austin, MI

The one about arriving at our destination, which is Really Port Austin, not Bad Axw as the title suggests. port Austin is not listed as a option, so, I liked the name Bad Axe, and chose it-it's right down the road.

I did Not sleep well last night, I don't know why, I just didn't. Barb woke me up at 7:15. I showered, we ate our free breakfast and continude on our trek north by 8:15.

I had to break today's drive into segments again, as Garmina didn't want to travel the way I wanted to go. First part, Findlay to Toledo. Interstate driving, again. But, another first, I have never been to Toledo, and now I can say I passed thru. There are casinos, lavishly advertised casinos, in Toledo, and I was sad to pass them by. We also passed a mega sized Chrysler car manufacturing facility, I think it was Fiat. Lots of refineries and their distinctive smell.

The next segment, Toledo to Port Huron, was more of the same Interstate view, refineries, factories, casinos. I got my first ever view of Lake Erie, although I think I might have seen that when I went to Niagra Falls. We passed two magnificently large bridges to Canada, with signs that warned, do not mix currencies when paying. As we approached Port Huron, there were many large marinas in the backwaters, and it looked kind of like any Jersey Shore beach town, with the boat dealers, restaurants, and mini golf. From their website: Located along St. Clair River, it is connected Point Edward, Ontario in Canada via the Blue Water Bridge. The city lies at the southern end of Lake Huron and is the easternmost point on land in Michigan. Port Huron is noted for its regional distinctiveness. Anthropologists assume that this is due to its close proximity to Canada. As a result many Canadian institutions and parts of Canadian culture are evident. Our last highway snugged the shoreline of Lake Huron. Lake front lots with houses and tree blocked the view of the lake, but every now and then I got a good look at Lake Huron, and pocket parks are abundant with beautiful open expanses of water. The water is bright blue in spots! We drove thru many small towns that boasted of camps.......Girl Scouts, CYO,and large family compounds. Some of these small towns had many boarded up buildings, there just isn't enough of a summer population to support them any more. Sad. The drive was beautiful.

Barb's brother Pete lives one row back from the lake in a lovely house that he rebuilt on top of the olde familye cottage. It is a beautiful house, lots of windows, a great driveway for sitting and drinking beer, beautiful flowers and tomato plants, and even a hummingbird nest. Port Austin boasts a full time population of 650 or so, and is noted for both beautiful sunrises and sunsets due to its position on the tip of the thumb of Michigan. We took a walk across the street to the lake, which, by the way, froze solidly over last winter, and I got some pictures of the houses and boat racks. I am looking forward to a boat ride, hopefully the weather will hold, and the winds will stay down. This weekend starts the annual Cheeseburger festival, and 50,000 parrot head visitors are expected before week's end. I am told this amount of visitors will cause Verizon phone lines to shut down. Imagine!!! Verizon is a secondary carrier in this part of the state, and towers are limited. I might be difficult to reach except when on wifi at home.

Time to put my feet up and crochet.

Kat out

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