After we worked our tails off to finish Le Chateau, we went up to Mackinac Island with Grandpa and Grandma for a little R&R. We stayed in Mackinaw City, like we did 5 years ago when Austin was born. I've decided, since this was our third time going up there (only second time on the island) that it is one of my most favorite places to visit. It's just so relaxing and beautiful! It's not very often you get to go across a ferry to an island!
The ferry ride was chilly this year and very buggy, since the bugs were thrown off schedule from our long winter, but the kids managed well and luckily, once we got to the island, the bugs magically disappeared! The weather warmed up with the sun shining down on us. My mom wanted to ride bikes around the island. We were able to bring up bikes for everyone, though Jason and I opted to rent beach cruisers (his with a basket, mine with a car seat for Erik), instead of bringing our road racers. Erik was unsure at first of the helmet and seat, but warmed up to them. Austin, just having learned to ride without training wheels a few weeks before, needed a running start each time we took off and made a crash landing every time we stopped, but he loved it! He's the reason we circled the whole 9 miles on the perimeter of the island instead of riding through a few streets and calling it good. He took off and I tried to get him to turn left into town, but he just kept going to the right (which was easier and safer at the moment) so we were on the road around the island.
It was perfect! We could ride 'til we saw a nice view of the lake or a good sandy beach to play on, or we were hungry, then we stopped and explored. Karissa did well too. I don't think her training wheels clanging along the whole way were the easiest, but she hung in there! Victoria was in heaven, as were the rest of the older riders. Lake Huron is so big, you think you're looking at the ocean!
(These two pictures got connected and I can't disconnect them! Here's out hotel water park).
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| Our balcony |
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| Austin's always first to jump in! |
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| Enjoying the docks |
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| Ferry ride to the island |
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| The start of our biking adventure |
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| Our one hill |
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| Arch Rock |
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| A side hike |
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| Water bug |
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| Nothing like ice cream on Mackinac Island! |
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| Grandpa Jim loves lighthouses! |
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You can see the Mackinac Bridge going to the Upper Peninsula in the background.
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Oooo, I want to go to there!
ReplyDeleteTOTALLY it was the best,,,i could go again and again,,great photosl fun and LOVE
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