On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
frosty
We’re off! Last year we were on the road in our trailer for just about three months – Michigan, Minnesota, Canadian Rockies, Washington and the northern tier states. Seven new parks this time, and the last of the easy to reach ones. This post covers some of our trip west. Some short stops then a couple of days in the UP of Michigan.
We stopped to see one of my cousins near Lansing and she got an invitation for all of us to stay at a friend’s cottage on Lake Michigan so we adjusted our itinerary. We stopped on the way to the UP at Hartwick Pines State Park, which has the only stand of old growth pine in Michigan. There are only 86 acres left of the woodland that originally covered the whole state.
Our first stop was Caledonia State Park in PA. This was a new kickoff for us since it’s only 50-odd miles from home. The picture is our campsite. It was a bit crowded but still way better than a KOA. Stopping here gave us more time to gather up the last-minute stuff and time to get things organized. I think we’ll consider this for other trips. It’s not like we have to cram all our travel into two weeks of vacation any more!
We’ve been using an app called RVParky to find places to stay. I was looking for something between Pittsburgh and Lansing and this showed up. The Blue Heron Ohio Turnpike Travel Plaza was in the right place. Eleven sites with electricity, a place to fill your water tank, and a dump station. $20 a night, first come first served. We figured what the hell, it was right on our way. Road noise? Sure. But we’ve been in other places that were closer to the highway than this!
This is a the old growth in Hartwick Pines. One of the features of old growth is the lack of an understory. The canopy blocks sunlight from getting lower so seedlings and shrubs can’t get a start.
Lake Michigan, in front of the cottage we stayed in.
We took a day trip to Mackinac Island, which is accessible only by ferry, but not a car ferry – there are no motor vehicles on the island. The most impressive sight is the Grand Hotel, with the longest front porch in North America. We spent a good bit of time there then wrapped up the day with a carriage ride through the town and the adjoining State Park. This is the first sight of the Grand Hotel from the boat
Grand Hotel from the grounds
The front porch, where we had lunch.
Mackinac Bridge, about five miles long, from the fifth floor Cupola Bar
The town. Carriage taxis and bikes are the only transportation
Overlooking the town from a stop on our carriage ride
Baud
That’s what I envision when I envision Ohio.
Cool road trip.
stinger
Ain’t retirement grand?
Great set of travelogue photos! I thought my front porch was long, but I guess I’d have to add on a bit to match the Grand Hotel’s. Is the Mackinac Bridge a footbridge, or does it not go to Mackinac?
Trivia Man
Carriage taxis, bikes, and Shank’s Ponies! Went for the first time last year, stayed on Mackinac for several days. Mostly rainy but i walked the hell out of the place. Pricey but a very nice setting and some cool oddball history sites.
Finally got around to watching Somewhere In Time after seeing all the exhibits about it. Fluffy movie, its fine but not great art. Im a sucker for any time travel story so i enjoyed it.
JeanneT
Nice to see photos of my home state! For those who haven’t visited, the Mackinac Bridge (say mack-in-aw) is a toll bridge for auto and truck traffic -no pedestrians – that links Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas. It’s a beautiful photo subject in all kinds of light and weather conditions.
pieceofpeace
First time I’ve seen pics of this island. Thank you.
Ol_Froth
Caledonia State Park is pretty neat. There’s the old iron furnace (destroyed by the Confederates), Thaddeus Stevens blacksmith shop, an impressive waterfall, and the Appalachian Trail! There’s also the ruins of a WWII POW camp a few miles north of the park on the AT.
Xavier
We always choose public parks when at all possible (municipal, county, state, and Federal). Fewer amenities, but more space and scenery. And with solar power, we don’t need hookups.
Temp Decloaked Lurker
@stinger: The bridge connects the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan. There’s no bridge to the island. That’s part of the fun in going!
JDM
When we full-timed in our motorhome for 4 years we averaged about 125 miles a day. (I used to easily drive many hundreds of miles in a day.) Start off late, find a place to walk, get in early, etc. Next day, repeat.
frosty
@Ol_Froth: Caledonia, Micheaux State Forest (site of the POW camp) and that section of the AT were where our Scout Troop went hiking at least once a year. This was the first time I was there without sleeping in a tent!
frosty
@Xavier: We try for state parks too, but in some seasons and some places (Florida in February) reservations are hard to get. I prefer the space and scenery like you. We also have a solar panel and can make it about four days without hookups. Our limit seems to be the gray water tank.
frosty
@JDM: I used to drive 400+ miles a day. It’s not so easy pulling a trailer – between gas stops and lunch breaks we average 45-50 mph. And since we’re late risers and want to unhitch early that means we’re going 200-250 miles a day. It’s a slow trip across the continent!
JDM
@frosty: Thing is, even at our usual pace of approx. 125 mi/day, it’s less than a month to go across the country. If you’re on vacation you probably don’t have that time, but retired you do.