In spite of not making it to Manistee, it was a whirlwind trip....and a very full one. Each afternoon, following class, there was an opportunity to visit the area. One night we drove down to the channel connecting Portage Lake to Lake Michigan, and walked through the sand to the causeway in Onekama (oh-neck-ah-ma, not one comma).....
Another night, we visited the local quilt shop (I bought some lovely batiks, but haven't yet taken any pictures) and drove to Franfort for a lovely dinner at The Fusion.
On my last night, we went on an adventure, travelling further up the shore....
...to Empire and climbing (just a small portion) of the Sleeping Bear Dunes.
Hi Joanne! ;-)
The pictures are deceptive -- it's steep and quite difficult to climb. My hips were humming later that night and into the next day (and I was feeling very much in need of returning to the gym!)
Following a fortunate detour, we also stopped in for a peek at Leland and its historic Fishtown marketplace, before continuing on to Traverse City. What a neat place! Of course, everything was shutting down for the day (and the season)....but I would love to return there again.
Michigan really surprised me. It is very much like Muskoka - minus all of the rocks, of course! I had a lovely time, met lots of wonderful people, ate many delicious meals, and left with a desire to return. I can't really ask for more...and must give a huge thank you to everyone for making my stay so delightful, and extend a special thank you to Alaina and the two Jims for their gracious hospitality and Joanne for playing tour guide ;-)
