Previously Bob & MaryAnn\'s Michigan/Reunion Lighthouse Adventure Days 1 & 2 w/ photos
Monday Day 3 The Reunion BeginsI'm up early, and walked into town(1 1/2 mile) by myself to explore. I found a couple of places for breakfast and go back to get MaryAnn. We walk back into town (We see the Youngers heading up to Mission Point on their horse carriage and exchange greetings), and decide to eat at a local coffee shop on the harbor. Nothing fancy, a local hang out with a great view. We then walk into town and rent some single speed bikes, and cruise the circumference of the island in 70 minutes. Parched from our ride I suggest we go into Horn's Bar and I order an ice cold Guiness at 11am. Better than water! We walk back to Mission Point and spend some time on the Great Lawn with a view of the Straits. When our appetites tell us it's lunch time we go back to the far end our town to a hot dog stand we found that has picnic tables and a great view of the Round Island Harbor lights. After lunch we walk back through town and see Bill and Nancy Younger who remark that we're doing a lot of walking. (They should only know?) They head back to MP on the carraige, and after selecting some fudge, we walk back to Mission Point to register.
At Mission Point the registration line is now out to the entryway but the volunteers hustle to organize everyone, and I get though the line in about 15 minutes. At the end of registration, you pick your cruise group -red/green, port/starboard - and then go on a scavenger hunt designed to make you familar with the three major meeting places for the Reunion. After completing the Hunt you got greeted by a Younger, received a Reunion coin, and got your
goodie bag from the Crew . Back to the great lawn for a rest. Then we went back to the outdoor restaurant for a drink, then played the grass minature golf course, and celebated with another trip to the bar. Life is tough but somebody's got to live it! And I did walk into town 3x (9 miles round trip), and rode a bike 9 miles.
We then spent some time visiting the Club tables (I brought 400+ LIChapter newsletters that were put in the goodie bags, and I had a small spot to put a few brochures out about Cedar Island Restoration and the LI Challenge), and reunited with Lorie & John, John C., Ken and Byran. Ken Gebhardt was also added to our gang of 8, and Ruthie and Derith would join us when Reunion duties let them. Lorie was hosting a table at dinner so we made arrangements to meet for the opening night dinner. At dinner 400+ people queqed at the cocktail room waiting for the doors to open. It was to hot in the small area for us so we retreated outside until the doors opened. As everyone entered we looked for Lorie and John and were escorted to their table where we met the gang. Sue Brady was guarding the table. The centerpiece was an assortment of Younger products with a working fresnel lens on top to welcome each person to the table. I noticed an old HL on the table but was told by SB 'not to touch it'. We had a good time catching up with everyone, and were served a turkey dinner. The Room was greeted by Kim, Bill, and Dave. Then Harry was introduced and explained that he brought two artists with him who will design and create an HL at the Reunion. And we would all get our chance to help sculpt the piece by putting a few blades of grass, or rocks, or waves. After dinner, they announced the method for giving out the Centerpiece prizes. They wanted the baldest guy at each table to stand up. Guess who was elected at my table. They then counted to the left and right to start giving out prizes. During this time Dave came over and said it was our turn to make our mark on the Cheboygan Front Range Light. I went over and got to make some marks in the rocks. cool: When I got back to the table, I found out that the 'bald guy' at the table won the older piece that Sue was guarding. It was Burrows Island OR! An error piece! WOW! Was my luck changing. Wooooooo!
We then headed over to the bar, and got our first experience of Wayne Faust. The bar area was big enough to accommodate over a hundred people and the crew of Wackos would take it over from the first night. Wayne had this fixation with 'bald guys'. He was bald and a major part of his act was to expound on the virtues of being bald. - studly, babe magnets, etc. Everytime a new guy entered he would be welcomed to the fraternity. Sven, Wayne's sidekick, a Viking puppet with a guitar would accompany him on duets. The interaction with the group was great and he knew us by first name in the first hour. Our huge name tags helped! As we reached the 2nd hour, Wayne proclaimed he had a song about 'bald guys' and needed a group to do a chorus. Myself, John Roe, and Ken G, reluctantly headed to the stage to be abused. I spotted Terry Pepper on the barside, and we became as HL folklore will bear forth, "The Bald Guys'.
About 1130 MaryAnn and I called it a night but the lucky handful that remained were recruited by Harry to see the birth of the Harbour Lights Cheyboygan as it was poured and pulled from it's mold.
Oh, I almost forgot. A copy of Sherman painting of the original Waugoshaunce was a surprise left on our turned down beds.
Tuesday Day 4 Reunion 2nd DayI'm up at 530. We have the early cruise. I'm going to take one more shot at my camera. I got a chance to look at Paul's camera yesterday, and I see the two pins in each corner are not right. I have three wooden cuticle sticks that I got in Target a few days ago and with a pencil flashlight in my mouth I begin to poke away. After 30 minutes success on the first one. 15 minutes more and it looks good. I try my CF card and it's still not right but a couple more adjustments and the card seats and I'm taking pictures of the lamp, bureau. Yahoooo! I'm in business. I set it up for 500 photos on my 1 gig card, so I do not have to touch it until I get home to download them.
Now I'm bursting! I can't wait to tell MaryAnn when she gets up, and all the world. The Reunion has been saved, just in time! Breakfast is a buffet with good choices, and the we must go down to the dock for the cruise. I have drawn #14 for loading so I can probably get a good seat on top.
Were off the the docks and get there pretty quick. The dock is at the end of town closest to the hotel. We get a sit on top, and there are 120 seats on top so pretty much you can be on the level you want. GLLKA is our tour guide, and Mr Schelper, himself is captaining our boat. First stop is
Round Island(the red paint glissens)
and
Round Island Passage 
(with the Pontiac Chief medallion on two sides). The boat moves and circles so both sides have a perfect view.
The
Mackinaw Bridge is next.
We get real close next, under, sideways - the Captain is photo friendly. Now out to
White Shoal 
with it's red candy stripes fading. Very impressive in person. I've never seen a tower light on a platform in the middle of water before.
Gray's Reef 
with it's antena top looks like the top of a building in NYC.
Waugoshance 
the Reunion piece in disrepair but very interesting. You need a long zoom lens to get a good shot of this one because of the reef. The last lh of the day was
St. Helena with the wonderful stories of the boy scouts and other youth groups that earn their community service time by helping restore this light.
At the end of the trip we received box lunches which 'The Gang of 8' took to a park at the end of town with a nice veiw of Round Island and Passage lights.
After lunch we take the carraige tour. Brighteyes got us discount tickets! We got to see The Grand, The Fort and The Arch from the high side.
We then introduced the Gang to the outdoor restaurant/bar for some refreshment, and then get ready for the Big Barbeque on the Great Lawn.
In between, I check back on the Cheboygan piece and convince Harry, Ric, and Christina to have a beer in the bar before the barbeque with John, Mike, Patty and I.
The Barbeque could not have been done on a better night for weather. Hamburgers, hot dogs, corn, and homemade red potatoe salad. We received a Round Island mini and another thumbnail. Cool!
Back to the bar, the crowd is close to fifty people. The Reunion crew finds some time as well as Kim, Harry, Ric, and Christina joining us.
The 'Bald Guys' do a reprise with an additional 3 guys, And Wayne promises to have a Lighthouse Wacko original for Wednesday night.
Our bedtime present that night is LH postcards and a Terry Pepper booklet of what we'll see on cruises. Thankfully we're on the late cruise tommorrow and can sleep a little later. I check my digital pictures and everything is good. The Yankees are beating Oakland. Life is good.
Continued Bob & MaryAnn Mich/Reunion Days 5-7 Con\'t
