Howdy Folks,

I thought that since we all had such a wonderful time at the reunion, it might be fun to relate any fun or unusual experiences before or during or after the Reunion. Any takers?

bobo

Here's one after I returned home.

This experience actually happened when I arrived home after the Reunion on Friday evening. One of my neighbors immediately called me and said that the police were looking for me.

It so happens that I was very sick for three weeks prior to the Lake Superior Boat Tour and the 2005 Reunion. But on the Friday before, my doctor finally relented and gave her permission for me to attend both functions.

Anyway, upon arriving home I almost immediately got a call from one of my neighbors to tell me that the police wanted to talk to me. Checked my voice-mail and there were a couple of messages from the Police Department asking me to call them. I immediately did.

I appears that since no one had seen me and the neighbors knew that I had been sick and I didn’t answer the door or my phone and my car had not been moved, they called the Police Department. The police apparently were at my townhouse every day for five straight days.

I think I’d better tell my neighbors next time I leave for more than a couple of days and also let the police know what I'm doing.

bobo

Mackinac Island is a beautiful place BUT...the food at Mission Point was uniformly awful (especially that "prime rib"...ugh...), and I would not stay there again on my own...the place simply was not worth the price...the Reunion was terrific though, came pretty damn close to capturing the magic that was San Diego back in '97, and Dave Hannum deserves a Gold medal for all of his hard work.

I guess I can tell this little story now that the reunion is over. Our room was located in the straights lodge which was a nice walk from the main lodge and when we first checked in we noticed something flying around in the lobby. We thought a bird had gotten in. On closer inspection we realized it was a bat...hmmmm! As we arrived at our room and got settled in, we thought we would take a little walk around the place to see where everything was located at Mission Pointe. As we headed out the doors of the Straights Lodge (which were usually kept open due to no air conditioning) we saw a brown furry ball tucked into one corner. Yep, another bat. And when we climber the tower we were not so excited about encountering yet a third bat. I guess Mission Pointe can truly say they have bats in their bellfry.Larry and I figured they use them for natural mosquito control.
While this story isn't as exciting as Bob Otts little story I thought it was interesting if nothing else.

The build up begins well over a year in advance. You anxiously await the call in date and then it’s official. You’re in! You pay your deposit and wait. You get the occasional e-mail tickler from Dave and it wets your appetite for the Reunion, but it’s still months away. Christmas comes and goes and August is still in the far distance. You pay your next payment and wait. A few more tickler’s from Dave and now we know what the exclusive will be. Waugoschance Shoal. Awesome, just the one I hoped it would be! June comes and you’re busy with yard work but you’re starting to feel it. August is only a couple months away now. You’re all paid up. Nothing can stop you.

I tell my wife a week or two ahead, “We’re leaving at 9:00 a.m. sharp on Saturday the 27th so be ready to pack the car on Friday”. Finally, it’s Saturday morning. We make it out the door at 9:30 a.m., which is all I really expected anyway. Expecting the worst with a 4 year old and a six month old, things go pretty smoothly and we make it to Gaylord for the night by 7:00 p.m. Sunday off for a little lighthousing on the east coast of Michigan, starting at Alpena, all along secretly hoping we’d run onto some fellow WACKO’s. Low and behold, here they come at our second stop, the grounds of the lighthouse festival, John, Ken, Bryan, Lorie and John. Although our schedule’s a little different than theirs, (they don’t have to stop to feed a baby) we manage to meet up with them at lighthouses all the way up to Mackinaw City. Dinner with the Youngers. The fun begins.

Four days of hanging with fellow lighthouse collectors and its time to head for home. After a year of build-up, it just goes by way too fast. I’m in quite a funk as we head back on the ferry. I don’t want it to be over. Having some fellow WACKO’s on the boat helps prolong things a bit, but alas, when the ferry lands, everyone scatters. Over to Old Mac for a quick visit. Hey there’s some familiar faces, Derrith and Ruthie. We climb the tower together but an antsy 4 year old, who doesn’t like to listen to the boring old tour guide talk has had enough. Not even a chance for a formal goodbye. Back to the car for a stop for a burger, fill up the car at $3.49 a gallon, and it’s off to Holland for the night. Along the way, every car that passes gets a glance to see if I recognize them as Reunion attendees. Same with every car that enters the rest areas. I just can’t believe it’s over. I just don’t want it to be

So the beds were a little softer than I like. The food? Well, it wasn’t the Four Seasons. Those pancakes! But I doubt anybody lost weight over the week. Waking up and being able to walk a few steps and see a lighthouse? Can’t beat that. And the fellowship? Everyone you had a meal with was on the same page as you. Lighthouses, and Harbour Lights in particular. You just couldn't beat it.

All in all, worth every penny and then some.

THANKS DAVE AND COMPANY!

Mike

Another experience on my way home.

In keeping with the theme of this thread, here’s another story. Do y’all remember getting back to Shepler’s Dock in Mackinac City? When I arrived, I gazed at what must have been thousands of pieces of luggage. Most of them black – just like mine.

I was bound and determined after over an hour of searching that I would paint my luggage with iridescent paint or graffiti. When I arrived in Traverse City for my flight, I walked past a gift shop – and low and behold! They had a 3 piece set of luggage with lighthouses all over each piece. I immediately purchased them and asked the manager to ship them to me. She agreed and my problem was solved. JUST WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT REUNION! I don’t believe I will have any trouble finding my luggage again.

bobo

Mike, you and I must have been sitting beside each other during the dinner on the lawn. I was sitting beside a guy who was there with his wife and 2 kids, and wasn't your oldest daughter the girl who Bill got to pull the winners during the breakfast?

Well, our story had downs, but also many ups. My big issue during the reunion was unexpected. Many years ago, I was tested for allergies. You know, the stick test on your back so you can't scratch the test results? Anyway, I am a 3 season allergy person, at least in the south. I take my daily allergy pill and I am usually ok, unless it is pollen season or one point in the fall. So, my hubby and I packed our bags and gleefully started our journey by car to the reunion. A two day drive, so the first day we survived the pouring, hard-driving rain in the mountains. We made it to the border in Michigan and stopped at the rest center. Now, my nose starts to itch. I figure I am tired and just ignore it. Well, as we drive farther and farther north I start to really notice all the birch trees. Guess what, I am pretty allergic to those. But, I'm a tough cookie, so I figure I'll push on. By Monday night on Mackinaw Island, I am now miserable. Finally, Tuesday on the afternoon boat trip we find we actually have a decent cell phone signal and call our house since my parents are babysitting our 2 year old and potty training her as well. They search the house and only find droplets in the nasal spray bottles. Not a good sign. My favorite pharmacy is not near my house, but close to my employer, so I have my mom call my pharmacist, transfer the prescription to the closest drug store to the house, they pick it up and head on over the the local UPS store. Of course it takes two days to ship. So, this puts us at Thursday. Luckily, we do not have to be anywhere right after the reunion, so we hung out until mid-afternoon until the horse drawn UPS delivery arrived. I must say that the staff at Mission Point was very understanding, but it is humourous to realize my delivery was made by a horse-drawn cart.
The ups at the reunion were fantasitc. We won the Hoosier lighthouse quilt, which is fantastic as well as an opportunity drawing and Mike's daughter drew my husbands name to make a mold during Harry's seminar section. All in all we had a fabulous time. I second what has been said about the food. Nothing to write home about, but I made up for it in Frankenmuth at the brewery there and the chicken dinners. Plus, Bronners was Christmas Disneyland as Dave Hannum had suggested. In fact, my Bronners order made it home before we did. Thanks again to Dave and his family, the Kisers and everyone else who helped out in various ways.

Bad news Bob. I saw someone else's lighthouse luggage leaving the Mission Point on Thursday. By the time the next Reunion rolls around, we'll all be using them! ROTFLMAO

Yes Eric, that was us you had dinner with.

Mike