I finally made it to the UP…more specifically to Sault Ste. Marie. Thrilled…doesn’t adequately describe my feelings about this trip. Super thrilled. This adventure checked off several items on my bucket list. Six in one trip. Talk about efficiency…look at ME go!!! 😂 Let me share my list of items.
- Visiting the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
- Crossing over the Mackinac Bridge
- Touring Soo Locks
- Boating in International Waters
- Seeing Lake Superior
- Visiting all FIVE of the Great Lakes
A couple of weekends ago, the fam went to Homeo of Depot for a children’s activity. The kids built planes. Brilliant idea by Home Depot if you ask me. Monthly trips for the fam.
On the way home, I was telling Donovan I wanted to get to Sault Ste. Marie soon. He didn’t think Vanessa and I should do the adventure. He couldn’t figure out why I would want to visit the town. I explained…he was still questioning the trip.
🤨
I am not sure WHY he thought his opinion would deter my adventure plans.
It did not. 😜
Soo Locks
From what I now understand from the friendly locals, Soo is a nickname for Sault. Both are pronounced Soo as in a cow goes moo. That is how I associated Soo with Sault. A fun little piece of trivia for you. 😜
Living on a riverfront with locks…I have spent a lot of hours watching barges going through the locks. My favorite spot to watch them is parking my butt in the swings right in front. I like front-row seats. What I have not done…is experience the locks. I have never been through one.
When we first arrived, we went to the observation area where you can stand above the boats and watch them come through. I was like a giddy little child super excited by what I was seeing. Engineering fascinates me. So much math and science in it all. Takes smarticles. Who doesn’t love smarticles?
Boat Tour
The boat tour was a MUST. I purchased tickets for the very last tour of the day…and for the year. WOW…just in the nick of time…but right on time.
On Sunday, I said to Vanessa…we need to go tomorrow. The weather was going to be 52 and sunny. Sounded like a plan to me. It has been rather rainy here in Michigan lately. I had no clue about the timing of events…I was following Father’s timing. He was saying to me…it is time to go. So, we went.
The day before, the Canadian side closed their locks for the year. Bummer bummer. Sad about that…but thankful we could experience the American side. Normally the tour takes you through the American side first and comes back through the Canadian locks. We still got to tour the Canadian side of life despite the lock closure.
One thing about being so late in the year…the boat tour was almost empty. It was great. Very few people were on board so we had the run of the place. I was all over that boat exploring during our 90-minute tour. It was wonderful not having people to navigate around.
Archer had a great time on the tour. It was cold, but not biting cold.
Family Adventures
It is important to me to do adventures with the people I love. So thankful for the experiences I have had with my kids and grandkids. I try not to take them for granted.
Had a great convo with a local in a shop. Such a crazy life I live. She was originally from the Champaign-Urbana area…a town I have spent lots of time in growing up in Illinois. We had a delightful conversation about her childhood, her parents, her husband, and local tidbits. One of the things we shared was our love of family and the importance of spending time with them.
We were in complete agreement…having a healthy family and spending time with them…is tops. Makes life worth living. I will never forget that lady. She was a sweetheart.
Paddle-to-the-Sea
Paddle-to-the-Sea is a book written by Holling Clancy Holling. When I was a young mother homeschooling my children, we read this book. It sparked a unit study for our fam on the Great Lakes.
One of the perks of homeschooling is you get to direct your own learning. I loved changing things up on occasion by adding in a unit study on something fun and interesting.
Holling’s book planted a seed of love in my heart for the Great Lakes. This is why visiting all five of the Great Lakes has been on my bucket list.
I told Vanessa while we were in Sault Ste. Marie, we are only 20 minutes from Lake Superior. I have to get to Lake Superior and see it before we leave. It is a MUST do. Crystal is not heading south until I get to Lake Superior.
My sweet Yooper friend told me to head to Brimley. We did.
I feel so blessed. My life has been super hard following Father’s plans, but the perks are great. I have to admit that.
While Hannah and I were in NYC, she was saying how hard He was on me…but when He gave me gifts…they were TOPS.
I am in total agreement. 😍
Crutches
I ditched the crutches. Just couldn’t take them anymore. I noticed Ahnalaya was bringing my crutches to me when I walked into another room. She was mothering me. 😂
I decided to put the things in the bedroom and go without them.
Being a tourist on crutches didn’t sound like fun to me.
Before we went to Homeo of Depot, Vanessa said…we can have you get in those scooters at the front door. Emphatically, I said no.
She gave me a hard time about that.
When we walked into Home Depot, she stopped at the scooters trying to get me into one. I was pretty firm about my opinion on that idea. Vanessa was asking me if this was a pride issue. My response…it may be, but I am still not driving around in that scooter.
Behind us was a woman walking through our conversation. She stopped and shared a similar experience she had years ago. Coming in on crutches, a young employee saw her hobbling up to the doors and had a scooter ready for her. She said she felt obligated then. After riding around in the scooter, she concluded…it was very handy.
I told her…I am still not driving one of those things.
I have decided I am becoming my grandpa the older I get. 😂 🤷♀️
Have a Marvy day!!!!! It has been a wonderfully marvy day for me. Got a long nap in. Now to make some of the promised chocolate avocado pudding for the kiddos.