Tuesday August 22, 2017

It Was a Dark and Stormy Day!!

We wake up to a very different day from yesterday. Instead of sunny, it is cloudy and looks like rain. Instead of doing a bit more walking on the Canadian side, we decide to cross the border and take care of an errand this morning. Our border crossing starts out with comedy in the form of the customs agent as I say it’s good to be back home and he says this is Michigan, not Utah.  That point clarified, we are cleared through and then come to another booth that says stop here. We think it is an agricultural inspection or some other border check but instead it is a toll booth. Three dollars and fifty cents, Welcome to the U.S.A. The first place we go in the U.S. is Wal Mart. The RAV needs an oil change and we spend the next hour and a half waiting for it to be done. Our tire pressure is checked and they vacuum our front carpets. We should be good now until we get to Utah. Errand complete, we go to downtown Sault Ste Marie and have lunch at Franks Diner. I have a walleye sandwich and Carol has a Reuben.

Take Me to the Pilot

We then go out and brave what has become an extremely blustery day. We walk to the Soo Locks and watch as a large freighter comes in. We can’t believe how cold it is. The wind must be blowing 40 miles an hour. Only one thing to do and that is check out the local brew pub. The Soo Brewing Company is very nice inside. They just serve beer and there is free popcorn, pretzels and peanuts. We share a table with Greg and Nancy from Holland, Michigan.

New Friends Greg and Nancy

We end up sitting and talking with them for several hours before having to head on down the road. Carol had two IPAs which are becoming her beer of choice. I enjoyed a couple of stouts. It is a quick and very straight drive to the town of St. Ignace where we will be staying tonight. Before checking in to our motel, we go to the Star Line Ferry dock to buy our tickets for Mackinac Island. We opt for the classic boat which is a little cheaper than the fast hydro boats but we just do not see the point in rushing across the lake to the island. Tickets for tomorrow bought, we check in and have the rest of our pizza from yesterday for dinner with a Dark and Stormy, the last of our New Brunswick beer. We pack our backpacks for the island so we will be all set in the morning. We are not doing any backpacks, it just seems an easier way than luggage to bring our belongings to the island. That is all for today.

Expenses                                                                                                                                         Oil Change 27.00 USD                                                                                                                   Lunch at Franks Diner 14 USD                                                                                                       Beers at Soo Brewing Company 16 USD Wayside Motel 78.79 USD