Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Yooper Fest 2k10

Well, we made it back from Michigan on Sunday.  Once again our travel situation was a challenge but, not as bad as last year (delays on the way out and back which entailed overnight stays in Minneapolis and Detroit - YEAH!).

This year we got to the airport at 6am, which required that we got up at 4:45am.  We were notified after boarding the plane, that the oil filter light was on for one of the engines.  We thought, Ah, do what you must.  After all we upgraded to first class for the PDX to MSP.   To make a long story short, we ended up getting of the plane and re-boarding 3 times as we waited for Delta to fly in a new filter and O-Ring from Seattle or Salt Lake to complete the repair.

Not to mention someone broke the toilet on our new connection fight which caused a slight delay out of MSP to MQT.

So what does this really mean?  We flew out at 1pm, missed our connection and ended up arriving at Ross Lake at about 11:30pm.  Oh and let's not forget, our bags somehow got routed to Detroit instead of Marquette.  Less than first class service (with yellow priority first class bag tags).  Delta agreed on refunded 20K of our 25K miles for the upgrade.

The main point here is that Delta has a guy who will actually deliver the baggage.  This is no small feat as the Cabins are an hour and a half from the airport.  Which includes 5 miles of dirt roads and a small half mile private dirt road in order to deliver the goods.  The delivery arrived at 1am Monday night and we discovered the bags at the hill house around noon the next day.


View Larger Map

Again what does this mean?  No clothes for a day and a half  and a shameful episode of having to wear Dad's boxer shorts for one full day.  Not that that is actually anything to worry about, just would have preferred to salvage some of my independence and integrity.

So, on the way back home, you guessed it, another oil leak on the MSP to PDX leg.  No first class this time but, they managed to find another plane and we got home only about an hour late.  And our bags were there as well.

Anyway, the trip was great.  Thanks Mom & Dad!  Only complaint, it was pretty humid and the mosquitoes had some fun feeding on my wrists and ankles.

Animal Highlights:
One potential Yeti (or if you live in the southeast, Skunk Ape) sighting but, since we don't have proof, this one stays off the list for now.


Food Highlights:
Outdoor Activities:
  • Perseid Meteor Shower viewing from the dock
  • Corn Hole (not what you might think, compliments of the America Cornhole Association - really!)
  • Kayaking
  • Dirt Biking
  • 2.5 horse power lake tour
  • Walks
Lakes Seen And Or Visited:
  • Ross Lake
  • Cusino Lake
  • Worcester Lake
  • Canoe Lake
  • South Gemini Lake
  • Little Ross Lake
  • Lake Superior
  • Lake Michigan
  • Lake Huron
 We also decided to head out to Mackinac Island (pronounced Mackinaw) for a day of reconnaissance for next years 60th anniversary party for Mom & Dad.


View Larger Map

This is one wacky tourist town.  One main strip is about 7 blocks long and no motorized vehicles of any sort are allowed on the Island.  Therefore, there is that unique horsey smell about the place mixed with the sweet, rich flavor of freshly made fudge! We saw trash collectors, The UPS guy all conducting business via horse drawn carriers.  We even saw a midget delivering a UPS package by bicycle.

This is probably also the heaviest per capita bicycle riding town around. While walking about, we decided to to take the horse taxi from the Mission Point Resort back to the main strip.  We skipped the bikes.

We stayed at the Windermere and ate at The Pink Pony and Horn's for lunches and Goodfellow's Italian Chop House for Dinner.  The rooms were fine, the food was good and the weather was great (even though we did not have AC in the room).

All in all, the trip was too short but, we were happy to be able to squeeze this in and hang with the parental unit.

Due to the volume of photos from the trip, we have opted to insert a picasa web photo album versus posting the individual pics.  Click on the link or the album pic and have at it.

Ross Lake 2k10

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Looking for a great vacation getaway this summer? Then look no further than Island View Resort in Knife River, Minnesota. Island View Resort is your best choice for a Lake Superior Cabin experience on the North Shore in northern Minnesota. Located minutes away from Duluth and Two Harbors, Island View Resort provides a pet-friendly atmosphere in selected cabins. The resort features beautiful views of Knife Island and Lake Superior, and offers cozy lake and pine view cabins. Whether you are looking for lake superior cabins or duluth lodging, Island View Resort is sure to exceed your expectations.