By Dylan McDonough
After five years of living in Michigan, my family finally went to the Upper Peninsula. Some people say that you are not a true Michigander unless you have crossed the Mackinac Bridge and been to the Upper Peninsula. I had a great time with my family and I would like to share with you some of the things we enjoyed the most.
Our journey started by driving up north to Charlevoix, Michigan. One unique thing that can only be found in this town are Mushroom Houses. We got to see them up close, and I have to admit, they are pretty incredible. Earl Young, a self-taught architect, designed the structures that look like Hobbit huts or fairy homes. The homes have thatched roofs that are very wavy. Some are private homes, and others you can rent for a unique stay in Charlevoix.
That night we stayed at a bed and breakfast. Daniel and I had never been to one before, and we were excited to see what it would be like. Ms. Amber, the owner of the Charlevoix House, was very welcoming and considerate. We stayed in the cottage room and Daniel got to sleep in a trundle bed. The next morning, Ms. Amber asked if Daniel and I wanted to make breakfast waffles with her. We had a lot of fun together playing music, mixing the batter, and talking about life at the bed and breakfast. I also got to spend some time with her nephew, Tristan. It was cool to talk to another kid while I was on vacation. I learned that he wants to be a male cheerleader. Now that would be a cool sport to pursue. The bed and breakfast is located near the downtown area, allowing you to explore the town and then just walk back to your room.
Once we were back on the road, we started seeing signs for the Mackinac Bridge, also known as The Mighty Mac. We stopped at Mackinaw City to see the Mighty Mac from different views. Dad taught Daniel and I to skip stones on the water. Soon we got back on the road and started to drive across the bridge. The bridge is five miles long and the whole time we were driving I was thinking about what it would be like to climb on the suspension cords that towered way over our heads. Once we reached the end of the bridge, I realized that we had taken one step closer to becoming true Michiganders.
Once we were officially in the Upper Peninsula, there were huge billboards advertising “Mystery Spot.” We knew that we had to check it out. My dad paid admission and while I was waiting, I read the story of the Mystery Spot. It said that in the early 1950’s, three surveyors came all the way from California to explore the Upper Peninsula and came upon an area where their surveying equipment did not work properly. For instance, no matter how many times they tried to level their tripod, the plumb bob would always be drawn to the east, even if it was completely level. As they continued their research of this land they began to feel lightheaded and queasy. After everything that had happened, they were sure that they had come upon a true mystery spot. The guide finally came and led us into a house that was tilted about 30 degrees. The guide put a ball on a ramp that seemed tilted. Instead of the ball following the force of gravity, it rolled up the ramp! Crazy?! It truly is a mystery. Nope. Science can solve the mystery. You see, the ramp seemed tilted, but the truth is, we were the ones tilted. So, to us the ball seemed to be defying gravity, but truthfully, it was following the laws of gravity. The tour went on through different rooms, all having different tricks that science could disprove. It was fun to see how you could make a chair lean on a wall, or have someone look like they are leaning when they actually are standing straight. However, I could not believe they were lying the whole time and never confessed the truth.
The next couple of days were spent being right in the middle of fall’s beautiful colors. We went on one of the Painted Rocks boat tours. We cruised along the massive rock formations and could see hikers on the very edge. From where we sat, the hikers were tiny moving dots. The boat kept sailing as the guide pointed out different rock sculptures. There was Lover’s Leap, a huge arch that jets out into the water where lots of guys would jump off to show their love to a girl. However, the water is only three feet deep around the arch so most leaps would lead to death. That is how Lover’s Leap got its name. We saw a unique formation that looked like a face in the mountain and three giant slabs that jutted out called The Three Battleships. The cliffs and beaches looked really cool and everyone in my family could not wait to hike them later in the week.
We began several days of hiking by visiting Au Sable with a lighthouse near the craggy rocks. It took us a while to get there, but the view of Lake Superior was worth it. We had our lunch near the lighthouse boat shed with our legs dangling off the edge of a small cliff. Below us was slippery rocks with the waves lapping at them. It was really a beautiful sight to see the horizon and the cliffs off in the distance.
My favorite hike in the Upper Peninsula was up to Chapel Rock. It was three miles to get there, and three miles back. On some parts of the trail, we had to jump over mud, step over rocks, and avoid snaggly roots. About one third of the way was Chapel Falls, the most fantastic waterfall I’ve ever seen up close. There were so many ledges you could climb on to better see the river. Daniel had recently bought his own Instax camera and took a lot of pictures of us on vacation. He used his last pictures on that cartridge to capture the waterfalls incredible view. Onward and upward we went, hiking to achieve our destination. We kept walking further into the woods until we heard the faint sound of waves crashing against a cliff. Our pace quickened as excitement rushed through us. Beyond the dense forest was a cliff that you could walk out on. We had made it to Chapel Rock! Except we were not on Chapel Rock itself, just looking at it. On top of the rocky base is a big oak tree. How does the tree get water? Its main roots are suspended from Chapel Rock across to the cliff on which we were standing. We read about the Douglass Expedition who camped near Chapel Rock on June 13, 1840. One of the explorers wrote that it was the workmanship of the elements, and lose nothing when compared to the labors of man. When I really stared at it, I had to agree.
I had a great vacation! I loved the motel and its view, plus the trails near Lake Superior. I had a great time with my family and exploring God’s nature and glory. I would highly recommend taking a trip up here if you have not already.
