So, I might have mentioned that there was one night that was up for grabs on this li’l adventure to Ottawa (and back). This is an important element in “planning” the not-so-perfect, but-still-perfect road trip. It makes for more spontaneity, the opportunity for more stories, some discomfort, more opportunities to find the silver lining, and so on and so forth. I wouldn’t trade these random nights of lodging for the world and I think they add to the whole experience. Once, Josh and I paid $25 to sleep in a tent in someone’s backyard in San Luis Obispo. Like many airbnb situations, on this occasion we had the opportunity to meet the host, who was a fashion designer for activewear. He traveled to Bentonville once to make a deal with Wal-mart on his product. Small world! Our tent had a blow-up mattress, wifi, and more! Glamping!
So, Thursday night, we stayed in Traverse City, Michigan (highly recommend this area in Michigan, btw) after our lovely Sleeping Bear Dunes climb. I think the “victorian loft” is maybe the favorite airbnb I’ve ever stayed in. Located within walking distance of downtown, it reflected the charm of the city but was immaculate and decorated simply and tastefully with books, art, and plants. Included were wifi and a tv for us to watch after a long day of driving, hiking, and dining. Complimentary coffee the next morning. All things that can not be taken for granted with airbnb lodging (as we found out later).
Side note: I’m looking at this airbnb listing again and it the rates are now MUCH higher than we paid for one night. Josh and I normally can’t take advantage of off-season rates, because we are parents and teachers, but for this particular trip, Michigan schools were still in session, which means, apparently, we paid way less for our accommodation this night. I’m sure other aspects of our trip were affected by smaller crowds, especially in the Upper Peninsula.
Friday night was the up-for-grabs night that I keep talking about. Where will we sleep tonight? Who knows? We loved the drive from Traverse City to the Upper Peninsula. Complete with scary bridges, pasties, which are basically a handheld pot pie, scenic overlooks, and playlists, this leg of the journey had all the makings of a whimsical summer drive.
We made a few calls (when we had phone service) to settle on whether we would see “Pictured Rocks” by kayak or by guided boat cruise. We settled on the cruise based on the cost of a kayak guided tour. After seeing the people struggling with their kayaks in Lake Superior, we realized that we made the right choice for us. Stretching for about 15 miles along Lake Superior, the bold and colorful cliffs of Pictured Rocks range from 50 to 200 feet and jut out directly from the lake. The 2 and a half hour boat cruise was definitely the route for us because we were able to see ALL of that; however, if we were spending more time in the Upper Peninsula (like two weeks or a month), kayaking might be a fun avenue. The most popular kayak tour is a 6-hour “sunset paddle.” SIX hours.
We arrived at the dock at 4:45 which was the same time the cruise started to board. We quickly bought our tickets and grabbed our sunscreen and headed to board the boat. The rest was 2 and a half hours of pure beauty. See pictures below!
We now had one last box to check for the day. Find a place to sleep. Our cruise tour guide had some recommendations for camping as well as hikes to “do” the next day. He was very helpful! Based on his recommendation, and after refueling at Main Street Pizza in Munising, MI, we embarked on our campsite mission.
We pulled into the site where various sizes of RVs and pop-up campers populated the horizon of Lake Superior. We quickly located what seemed like the perfect spot for our tiny two-person tent, and Josh dropped me off to pay for it. Of course, it was already reserved according to the clerk at the clerk in the campsite office. The sun is quickly setting at this point, although in the Upper Peninsula, this happens much later (around 10:00 p.m.). The only other option is site #43, which is $41. The cutest little Upper Peninsula lady (if there can be an “Upper Peninsula lady,” she was it) was oh so not disappointed to tell me. Oh. $41. I thought it was $25. Long pause. I felt like she was telling me there was no room for us in the inn. Sun is still setting. The only $25 sites are ones you hike to. Well, we weren’t going to to that. We were were already here. They’re way over there. Another long pause. Pause. Pause. Now, we DO have our “overflow” sites. THOSE sites are $25. Ah. overflow sites. Who knew? The UP lady asked me to check it out. Come on, “we’ll go take a look at the overflow site.” Like a puppy dog on a leash, I follow the lady and hop in her golf cart to drive 50 feet to the left of the office. She shows me my potential abode for the night, and I willingly agree to reserve the “overflow” site which is really just a spot with grass on which one could throw a sleeping bag or tent (isn’t that what camping is, anyway?). Looks good to me. Done!
This was not the best night of sleep I’ve ever had. Not even the second best. But, I do know that when I fell asleep on Friday, June 7th, Lake Superior was within a few footsteps of my tent. We woke up with the sunrise and headed out to explore the twelve mile beach of Michigan’s Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. That morning Josh and I were the only people for miles and it was so worth the 4 hours of sleep, the puffy eyes, and the mosquito attacks on the hike to get there.
From Arkansaw to Ottawa 