Gowanda to Mackinac, Saturday and Sunday, August 2-3, 2014

We weren't originally planning on having a single big trip this summer.  Even though we've now planned a big trip to Florida, the summer is still peppered with several smaller trips, and most of these are related to Scott's interest in the War of 1812's bicentennial.  We have already been camping at Sackets Harbor, and have been to the 200th Anniversaries of the battles of Chippawa and Lundy's Lane.  When Scott learned about the 200th anniversary activities at Fort Mackinac, he wanted to go, and we paid for hotel reservations for two nights.  Even though the rest of his regiment, the 22nd US decided not to attend, we still were going to go.

However, the 29th Reunion of the 154th New York Descendants was being held in Gowanda on Saturday and Scott really wanted to go to that too.  The activities at Fort Mackinac are scheduled for the actual anniversary on Monday, so there is time to do both.  Scott was pleased to be able to participate in the reunion when Mark Dunkelman asked him to read several soldiers' accounts of the Atlanta Campaign.  He was also able to unveil his new CD project of songs "by, for, and about" the 154th New York.  He sold quite a few copies, with Julie and Anna's help.  Uncle Sonny and Aunt Delores were in from Long Island, and Uncle Doug, Uncle Duane, Brad, Henry, Grandpa and Grandma Frank, and even Grandpa and Grandma Wright attended. 

The weekend ended up being a "Mommy and Daddy Weekend" because Anna and Emma both decided to stay with Grandpa and Grandma Frank instead of facing that long car ride to Mackinac.  They left the reunion with them, and we went back to Cheektowaga (through a pretty heavy storm of rain and hail).  We repacked the car with 1812 stuff, and headed west.  After driving through Canada, we started looking for a place to stay, but every thing was booked.  We finally found a place just outside of Flint, Michigan, and it was after midnight when we were finally able to stop.

We were up today at 7:00 and out on the road by 8:00.  We still had a long way to go to Mackinac.  We stopped at an outdoors/hunting store to look for a "gun sock" that Scott could use to carry his gun on the ferry.   We didn't find one, but we were able to get some supplies we wanted.  We stopped at Subway for lunch, and finally got to Mackinac City a little after noon. 

We weren't sure how the luggage was gong to work because we hadn't stayed on the island before.  It gets checked with the ferry company and delivered to your hotel. (We think we saw ours going by on a cart pulled by a horse taxi.)  Scott had to carry the gun though, after we asked the captain what he wanted us to do with it.  

The ferry ride was short and fast.  We rode up top.  As we got a good view of the fort high on the cliffside, we could also see the Brig Niagara (from Erie, PA) at the docks below.  The original Niagara was part of the American attack on the fort 200 years ago, and it was inspiring to see her there today.  It certainly put us in the mood for an 1812 weekend.

Once we got off the ferry, Scott wanted to get to the hotel so we could stow the gun somewhere.  We hurried with it through the crowded downtown area.  We're staying at Mission Point Resort, which is about 3/4 of a mile from the ferry dock.  Once we got checked in and left the gun, we were able to take our time going back to the downtown area.  The flowers were blooming nicely in front of the inns and houses along the way.  We texted with Anna and Emma a little bit.  They were at a Frank family reunion in Springville with Grandpa and Grandma Frank.   We looked through many of the shops in town.  Anna wanted us to bring her a tie-die t-shirt, and Julie "FaceTimed" with her to help pick one out.   We're also supposed to find fudge with "M&Ms" in it, but we don't think we're going to be able to find any.  We'll certainly bring some kind of Mackinac's famous fudge home though.  When we got through the downtown area, we got some hot dogs for dinner and ate outside on the shore of Lake Michigan.

We went back to the hotel then, in order to rest a bit and freshen up.  Our bags had arrived, and our room was ready.  Mission Point Resort is quite a big complex of buildings.  

Mackinac wouldn't be Mackinac without some ordeal though, so Julie decided the next thing we would do is rent a bicycle-built-for-two.  It's a lot harder to ride than it looks.  We headed out to go to Arch Rock, and saw it from below this time.  We continued on all the way around the island, and now know that it is about 8 miles in circumference.  It is actually a pretty ride, and mainly flat.  Once we got used to riding the bike, it was still a lot of work, but we had fun.  We stopped several places to rest.  Our longest stop was at the British Landing site on the far side of the island, and we had a drink break there.  We finally made it all the way around and we are exhausted.  We had the bike out for two hours.