Around lunchtime, we stopped at a roadside rest area. It was an attractive area, as are all the UP roadside rest areas with picnic tables, grills and trails. Michigan does a better job with rest areas than other states we have visited. At this rest stop, Tioga Creek, there was a trail marker that led to a water fall. We walked along the 1/10th mile trail single file most of the way, looking at the creek and the wild flowers along the banks. A mixture of Indian Paintbrush, Buttercups, Daisys, and Black-eyed Susans made for a pleasant and peaceful walk. We then went back to the VIEW to have lunch.
A pick-up truck pulling a trailer with farming equipment on it was stopped across from us with a puddle of coolant under it. James checked to see if they needed help, but they had already called for assistance. This was a remote area, but a busy one. As we were about to leave, a woman came up to our RV looking worried, and I put the window down to see what she wanted.
She said she didn’t want us to leave because she was afraid that “those men” with the disabled pick-up truck were going to rob them! Her husband was in the restroom and she was uncomfortable by herself. We assured her that the men only wanted to fix their truck, and since the rest stop was busy with travelers, she didn’t have to worry. She thanked us, and anxiously went back to her car to wait for her husband.
We headed north after lunch and a rest, and as we were driving through the town of Chessel, there were crowds of people crossing the street, and we saw signs for a Strawberry Festival. And, across the street was a VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) sign advertising a dance. We pulled into the parking lot of the VFW and went in to inquire. After talking to the Commander, we had permission to park in the parking lot over night. We parked and went to the festival. We were so impressed with it, that it is featured in the Vagabonds Profiling Small Town America this week. There were activities planned for two days, with food, crafts, music, and raffles.
A fast-moving thunderstorm drove everyone from the park. The wind picked up and vendors were having difficulty putting their booths down, and signs were flying around the grounds. We went back to the VIEW to get ready for the dance.
The next morning there was a long parade. I took several pictures of the entries in the parade, but my favorites are of some little girls who were standing near us. One tiny girl in a sun bonnet and jumper would wait for a group playing music, and her little feet (in matching flip-flops) would march along in time. The other picture is of two sisters, dressed identically with their hair in long braids down their backs, stood in awe as the Strawberry Queen and her Court rode by, waving to the crowd. Perhaps the little girls were dreaming of the time when they might be the Queen!
After the parade, we went back to the park. We each had a huge strawberry shortcake ($4), and danced a few times to the music of a local band before we left to pack up. Invariably, when there is music to be heard, the Vagabonds feet seem to move on their own.
Driving through the back roads of the UP, we frequently saw white painted strips approximately 10’ wide across the roads. These are “cross walks” for snowmobiles. There are trails all through the UP, and where ever they cross a road, the white paint lets drivers know snowmobiles are allowed to cross there, and gives the snowmobilers a legal right to cross the roadway. In some places, ATVs also use the trails that crisscross through the forest.
That night we stayed in the city park of Bruce Crossing. They have a campground that accomodates a dozen RVs, and even have electric and water hook-ups. The payment is on the honor system. $10.00 for the night and the dump station is free. Showers are $3. If you don’t want to stay but just use the dump station, the charge is $5.00. We picked our site and settled in. There was only one other RV there--it looked like it was a perminent resident! Thirty days at a cost of $300 is inexpensive rent anyway. By night there were about 6 campers in the park. All were 5th wheelers except us. James suspects the other overnight campers were local to Michigan and we were the only interstate residents for the evening. The cool evening was most enjoyable and we felt the frogs ‘peeping’ in the swampy area adjecent to the park were personally serenading a welcome to the Vagabonds.
We were almost into Wisconsin before we passed into Cental Time. As usual, we will keep our watches on Eastern Daylight time — and our schedule. It is easier on our systems that way, and if we want to call home, we check our watch — not our cell phones (cell phones switch time automatically) for the time.
We stopped at a Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest roadside area for lunch. When James went out to get water from a hand pump, he was attacked by vicious mosquitoes. It reminded me of a road trip my family took when I was a little girl and my grandmother was traveling with us.
We stopped at a beautiful picnic area for lunch. No one else was there and we wondered why. We were barely out of the car when a horde of black mosquitoes attacked us. We ran back to the car — and so did the mosquitoes! As my father drove off down the road, we were slapping and squashing mosquitoes that had gotten into the car with us!
We stopped for the night at Day Lake Campground in the National Forest. The park had over 50 empty campsites, so we had our pick. After a swim, and BBQ pork chops for supper, we watched a movie and went to bed.
The American Vagabonds are off tomorrow, still heading West, toward Minneapolis. Joan’s great-nephew is performing with the Blue Knights Drum Core there, and we have tickets!
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