St. Clair, Michigan (1000 Trails Membership) - June 1st - 12th, 2011

Blue Water Bridge

Tunnel Explosion Memorial

Lighthouse Beach Park

International Flag Plaza

Thomas Edison Depot Museum

Fort Gratiot County Beach Park

This is one of our 1000 Trails membership parks where we pay an annual fee and then we can stay for free up to 14 days.  To Bad, Michigan has only 2 of these parks -- This one and one in Buchannon, -- in the southwestern corner of Michigan.   We were lucky to have the 90 degree days because that made the pool even more beautiful. The lodge was nice with an excercise room, large TV, ping-pong table, table games and a laundry facility.  We were able to visit with friends and some family while we were there and had dinner at a very nice restaurant right on the St. Clair River called the Voyageur, in St. Clair, Mi. where we watched the huge freighters pass by.  We visited Port Huron, the St. Clair River walkway near the Blue Water Bridge that goes into Canada, and just a north of there Lighthouse Park Beach where they don't mind that dogs swim in Lake Huron.   We also adventured a little further north of there and discovered another fairly new beach on Lake Huron called Fort Gratiot County Park. Some what interesting park because of an memorial and historical marker there for the 22 men that die in an intake water tunnel explosion back in 1971 that happen near this park. The facilities were very nice and the beach always have little stones that wash a shore. Try to drive though Marysville, Mi. but it was torn up for road constriction.                              We will probably will return to this 1000 Trails Park sometime this summer!!

Welcome Woods Campground in Hastings, MI (May 26 - 31st), 2011

Charlton Memorial Museum

Charlton Main St.

Upjohn House & Carriage House, Now Gift Shop

Hastings Memorial Parade

Lots more rain!!!!  Even heavy on the graduation party we attended.  However, Memorial Day was salvaged and we went to the shortest parade we had ever seen in downtown Hastings, Mi.  I will say it was short and sweet but the parades are always an nice way to get the community together to show their support. Found an do-it-yourself dog wash and give our golden Buddy a much needed bath and then we sat in on and watched the Hastings H.S. Alumni Baseball game in the 90 degree heat.  We also visited the Historic Charlton Park Village a few miles east of Hastings; but it was already closed by 4:pm so we were not able to visit inside the shops and buildings.  It was like  Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Mich. but on an much smaller setting and there was no entrance fee.  There was a historic village, gift shop, demonstration shops, big stone Museum     (all moved here from area communities with a lot of history behind them) & a recreation area with a flooded beach and boat ramp on the Thornapple Lake/River , but that didn't stop the picnicers and beach goers since it was so HOT. The Charlton Park was also an Prehistoric Site called "Indian Landing".  "It's worth the stop to see and learn once it dries out"
We are now headed to one of our membership parks on the east side of Michigan near St. Clair.

                                To learn more  Go To: www.charltonpark.org

Lansing Cottonwood Campground, MI (May 17 - 26), 2011

The Family Together

 

Airport Good-Byes

Airport Good-Byes

Our main focus for our stay near the East Lansing , Michigan area was to get our daughter Kelsey packed and ready and to see her off to Valencia, Spain for her study abroad program.  The weather wasn't the greatest -- lots of rain.  But she was able to pack her things and we moved them into our storage unit; but because she could not sublet her room in her rented house, we left her larger items in the room. In between the rains we were able to see the largest Art & Craft Event we have ever been to in East Lansing, Mi. over the weekend. Its amazing how many talented people are out there!!  Anyways, we ventured to Rochester, Mi. for our annual dental check ups and had a great dinner and good time with the whole family and Kelsey's friends at Sagebrush in Lake Orion, Mi. --" The Best Mexican Restaurant" around.  We were also able to visit with Mike's mom and sister and our nieces & nephews down in Trenton, Mi.  Kelsey got off OK on the flight keeping her main luggage down to 50 lbs. -- of course after juggling some things once we got to the airport scales.  She made it safe and with an peace of mind there after a two hour delay on the plane and tolerating a two year old sitting behind her kicking her seat and making lots of noises on their overnight flight. .   .  As the miserable rain fell in Michigan, we managed to keep busy after her send-off and it was time to move on to Hastings, Mich. where we had a graduation party to attend and to visit brother Dan!!!