Mackinac Island, MI (Wed.8/1- Sat.8/4)

The long trip across the UP to get here was made more fun because we tracked with Graham's mom, Ardy, as she made her way toward us from Rochester, MN. She caught up to us about an hour and a half from the campsite. The boys were thrilled to see her. We had a mishap with the fresh water when we left Porcupine Mts. and found that there was no fresh water or dump station (or showers or flush toilets or running water!) at our new spot in the Hiawatha National Forest. I know I'm pretty spoiled but yikes – that's rustic. So Graham and I left Ardy with the kids (nice welcome, huh!) and found a private campground about 13 miles away to empty the waste tank and fill with fresh water. It was tempting to snap up one of their open sites but we'd already paid for the other one and I guess I figured I had something to prove. :-) A little warm sleeping the first night but not too bad.
Woke to cloudy skies that turned to rain for the a.m. We had a nice time of family devotions under the awning – pretty and isolated site. We thought we'd postpone Mackinac Island until Thursday but when things started to clear up around noon, we decided to go. We took Sheplers ferry and brought our bikes. The boys loved the ferry and it's so neat to appreciate the island from the water.

We made a loop west on Main Street and up one block to Market Street and around, just to scope out our options. Our first stop was Fred's for cheeseburgers and fries. Then we headed out past Fort Mackinac and counterclockwise around the island (8.3 miles). Just gorgeous! We stopped to wade in Lake Huron a bit around mile marker 2 (loving those waterproof hiking shoes) and then walked the nature trail and stopped at the restrooms -- there were some taxidermied animals there to check out; Shae asked, "did these animals used to be happening?" Around the tip and almost back to start, we stopped at Devil's Kitchen cave to rest and climb. Back on Main Street, we had ice cream at Joann's -- tiramisu flavor rocks! Then a stroll through the shops -- a t-shirt for Elan, beanie baby for Kobe and magnetic rocks for Shae. Ardy and my favorite -- the Freudian slippers at Caddywampus. Graham took a speed lap around the island while Ardy and I watched the kids run around the grassy hill park at the base of the fort. Pizza for supper and a late ride home on the ferry.

I think it was Jeff D. from our Partnership Sunday School class, way back when, who built these rock sculptures on a camping trip. I thought they were so cool and Lake Superior has great flat rocks for stacking. I tried at our first stop near Duluth to make a figure but failed miserably. The boys (esp. Shae-top, and Levi-bottom) caught on though, and cranked these out in the U.P.

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, UP Michigan (7/30-8/1)

Great travel morning – the boys are doing so well! Close quarters but they're keeping busy with Adventures in Odyssey tapes, reading, puzzle/activity books, watching the map/GPS software on Graham's computer. After “sweating” up the campsite, we took a dip in a chillier part of Lake Superior but it felt so refreshing after baking at our unshaded campsite. I made our first dinner in the crockpot (sweet and sour meatballs) so besides five minute rice, that was ready when we got back (you can't beat the crockpot for that!). We hustled to try to make a guided hike with a naturalist from the park up to the old viewing spot for the Lake of the Clouds. We missed the group but did it ourselves (300 yds. up).

Then we drove to the less exhausting viewing area around the other side. While there, we looked to the west and saw Copper Peak ski flying hill and had a bout of nostalgia – Graham and I honeymooned here almost 14 years ago exactly (anniversary 7/31, honeymoon Whitecap Mts., WI with a side trip into MI). I'm quite sure, standing in this spot 14 years ago, we could not have imagined what the future would hold (4 sons, Graham's brain injury, this trip, to hit the biggies!).
7/31 More fond memories as we created new ones today – we made the one hour trip to Copper Peak and took the ski lift over 300 feet up the mountain, followed by an elevator ride 18 stories higher, near the top of the ski jump. Graham took the boys to the tippie top – I had to pass on that extra 50 feet. Incredible views, though – three states and, on a clear day, Canada too! The temps were beastly though, even hotter the further we went up. We ate our picnic inside the chalet as we talked to Betty, the volunteer who helps keep the place going, along with her husband. After chatting a bit, she went behind the counter and pulled out a slightly flawed sweatshirt and gave it to Elan.

We went up the dirt county road past Copper Peak to Black River Harbor and did a quick dip (the boys got everything but their clothes wet) and quick hike to Rainbow Falls.

On our trip back, we slipped into a little town and dropped a package at the post office in Bergland, MI. Supper was a fantastic “Perkins Breakfast” of leftovers from Sunday with the Carey's – pancakes, bacon, eggs and fried potatoes. We left Graham nursing a headache to attend an outstanding presentation on Michigan's big three – moose, gray wolf and black bear at the visitor center. It was college-lecture style but so interesting the boys' were totally tuned in and had amazing recall when I quizzed them later for Graham (even Kobe and Shae). We're getting into a routine for packing up – had the screen tent down, bikes put away, all my homey decorations stored before bed tonight.

Duluth, MN (7/27-29)

We had our first work/errand day of our trip on Friday. Graham, Levi & Kobe went to do our laundry (! - 4 loads) while Elan, Shae and I got camping and household essentials at Walmart. Then a quick trip to the grocery store (while Graham folded laundry in the back of the pickup) before we got to hook-up with our great friends, the Carey's, at Buffalo Valley campground. We were within earshot of a very active railroad track which made sleeping interesting. Elan stayed in the Carey's pop-up right between Kyle and Carston.

Saturday we enjoyed a gorgeous day on the shore of Lake Superior – the swimming was very temperate and Bart's ice cream recommendation was delicious! Graham committed our first drive by internet – stopped at red light in Duluth he got enough bars on an unsecure router to do a send/receive. Hobo dinners worth waiting for and smores of course.

Sunday we (team effort) made the Perkins breakfast – Bart – pancakes, Lorelei – eggs and me – bacon. Graham kept the kids busy playing the golf ball game. After we cleaned up and checked out (if only it went as quickly as I write that!), we went back into Duluth to Canal Park. We decided against the William Irvin ship/sauna tour and had another round of ice cream (Tugboat, this time). After a toasty walk on the boardwalk, we had a curbside picnic and said our good-byes. Last bit of home and out of Minnesota until...??

We were supposed to head to our next campsite in UP Michigan but realized it would be after dark so we did our first overnight in a Walmart parking lot (Ashland, WI). We tried to find internet but no luck. The sleeping was just fine!

Temperance State Park, MN (7/26)

The boys found this gorge at Temperance where the river had worn into the ground leaving a cliff on either side. We would climb up the vertical face of the cliff (slight exaggeration) then cast themselves off a 40 foot drop (OK so another slight exaggeration it was more like 15 feet but still...) Levi, the author of this little piece, did a 720 off one of the sides. Elan tried and landed on his rebuttski. It was fun and we went back many times.

Schroeder, MN

7/23 – arrived at the North Shore camp site. As Kim is helping me back into the site, she notices that the bikes are just about to fall off the back of the 5^th wheel. I got out to find that the two should-be-horizontal posts that support the bikes are both bent way down allowing the bikes to nearly touch the ground. I called Yakima and learned that it is not recommended to put their racks on the backs of campers / trailers as it has a whip affect. Though this is not under warranty they agreed to FedEx a new bike rack out to the camp site. None of their hitches are designed for these additional stresses but the new one should allow us to get home (at least using it on the back of the truck's receiver hitch – though we will need to have the bikes in the back of the RV when traveling with that... no thanks to Erik the bike man for selling me a rack that will not work for the application) Sigh... well, we are still trying to figure out a bike solution, putting the bikes in the living room is going to get old quick. Suggestions are welcome...

7/25 Water and Boys

Boys are water magnets (and stick magnets, and dangerous area / activity magnets and so on) but especially water magnets. (Kobe especially so as he wants to do what his older brothers are doing but his ground clearance (water clearance) is not up to that of his bros. Kobe was in for his 2^nd time today, 2 hikes, 2 for 2). This time in Lake Superior but he wasn't too upset, so I guess the parents can't be.... We've decided to prepare for this by having the boys get swim suits on and shirts off as we approach bodies of water. This now includes “bodies” of water such as puddles and drinking fountains. These pictures show some of our many “learning opportunities”.

Going to the bathroom...

I was wondering if we should keep count how many times the boys go to the bathroom not in a “bathroom”, but it's far too frequent of an occurrence to track. It's amazing how they have to go so badly when we are a few minutes hike from out camp site... yet even then when it's that urgent they have time to find a high rock to go from...

going the distance (or for distance) with my boys... (thankfully, no pictures here)

-Graham

Grand Rapids, MN

We made it to Grand Rapids to see our good friends, the Tillman's. They live on a beautiful lake with a lot of company -- Hanna who is ten loves animals of all kinds. Here's the current count: 2 dogs, 3 Cats, 2 Fish, 2 Bearded dragons, 2 geckos, 4 Bunnies (and counting), 1 Hermit Crab, 2 Birds, 1 Frog, 2 Guinie pigs - for a grand total of 21 animals.

There is a bald eagle that nests not far away, and some of the most beautiful iron range - lake country around!

With the truck's fuel filter changed and 2 days of being fed tons of food and treated like royalty, we must be on our way to the North Shore.

Lake Bemidji State Park, MN

Our first reminder to initiate the voyage with prayer was the spat that broke out between Shae and Kobe (who put them next to each other in the truck?) less than five minutes after leaving the cabin. Everyone took a turn either expressing gratitude for the many "sending" blessings or asking for grace and help for what's to come.

As I manned the map software I got my first lesson in the "reality check" -- even though the road was marked "Lake Bemidji State Park" I directed Graham past it to the next right turn that the map indicated. The U-turn he pulled off with our 50+ foot caravan was brilliant. His challenge came in backing into the site once we arrived. With the help of some friendly Canadians across the road, we made it.

We put quite a few miles on the bikes in two days, read lots of informational panels (bogs, dragonflies, etc.), and enjoyed Ardy's homemade cinnamon bread on the beach. The boys, especially the younger ones, are working on using voices that respect the nearness of our neighbors and can't be heard all the way to the visitor center. But they are, overall, so flexible and excited -- they were ready to dive into school work our first morning!

Spicer, MN

Our time at the cabin with Kim's family (and the last few days, with Graham's folks too) was a funny transition -- when we were there, it felt like our trip had already started. But saying those last good-byes and pulling away, it's really real. Two and half weeks of precious times and a great spring board to what's next! Mom cleaned out the pantry and frig of the cabin to fill up the RV while Ardy sewed one last specially fitted RV bedsheet in case one of the boys gets a bloody nose some night.

The boys enjoyed countless tube rides with cousins behind grandpa's boat. Shae's skiing was solid with one-hand tricks and going outside the wake. Levi finally got that back foot tucked into the slalom after dropping a ski. Elan recorded the efforts of the kids to capture and research bugs and they all got into some movie making with the video camera.

If only work were always this fun! Everybody had a great attitude as Team Nelson worked to get the rig into ship-shape. Of course there was the requisite dousing of each other, dad and even Bapa. But the bugs and dirt are off and we're ready to roll!