Because of the activities of the previous day, I woke up in Munising and was not well rested. Derek, the tire rescuer, had given me advice on how to take in the Pictured Rocks. If I wanted to hike, I could do one of those and see the rocks from above. This could be great hiking, but I would only see a portion of the rocks. The other way was to take a cruise on Lake Superior, which would enable me to see the rocks as a panorama, but I would be led through a path rather than choose my own way. I chose the boat and I am glad I did. The Pictured Rocks are vast and stunning, a natural wonder akin to the Grand Canyon, only with a majestic Great Lake included. But their remoteness means they are less well known. The mineral deposits along the cliff faces seem like impressionistic paintings, while the water is stunningly clear. The crew advised me where to sit for the best photos, and the captain pointed out some of the more remarkable features. It was a delightful and surprising morning.
After the cruise, I wandered around Munising town, took in the National Park Service shop, then headed to the beach that had been recommended during the cruise. At this point, a storm was threatening, so the sky was quite dramatic during my long beach walk. I waded in the clear water and wandered the beach largely alone.
By the time I returned to my car, the rain had started. I had taken in all I could in Munising town, which was my furthest point west in the UP. I headed back along the enclosed, forested road toward the lower peninsula. The enclosed feeling of the road was even greater in the gloom of the storm, so I called my sister as I drove and, by the time we finished talking, I was near St. Ignace and the sun had returned.
I can see why friends advised that St. Ignace is more charming than Mackinaw City. I was hungry when I arrived, so I stopped for a pastie, a specialty in the UP. It was so filling (admittedly, I added in a brownie), that I decided to take a walk along the town’s main drag. There were a number of higher end stores, but I was not feeling much of a desire to shop. So after exploring a bit, I spent some time figuring out where I was going to spend the night ahead. I had been given lots of advice about Michigan’s western shore–Lake Michigan–which is built out for the tourist trade. However, I misread one of the key articles and booked my hotel in Traverse City for the night. It was not until I was on the highway southwest of it that I realized this would cause me to miss the Petosky/Harbor Springs/Charlevoix area, a real highlight. Once I arrived to my Traverse City motel and settled in, I realized I would be challenged to circle back north the next day, given that I was meeting more friends further south. It’s always good to have something come back to, but I was sorry to have blanked on this.