With the economy as it is, saving can be difficult. I am fortunate to have been able to save up enough to go on this trip and, with the cooperation of my employer, was able to take a month long vacation. Thankfully I am familiar with getting the most for my money and returned home with a little money to spare. For those interested, here is how it went:

BTW, all pics will expand if clicked.

Saturday, June 20th

Things got off on the wrong foot when packing took way more time than I had anticipated. I left the house at around 11AM.....argh! Fortunately, I still made it to St Joseph, MI within a reasonable amount of time and got these two pics in before night fell (at least with the first two that is...:



Sunday, June 21st

Looking at my planner on Saturday, I realized that a few lighthouses would have to be cut if I was to make it to Point Betsie before the museum closed. I elected to start out by axing South Haven and Holland Harbor in favor of getting further down the road. Since I had visited those lights on my previous vacation, I was able to make the tough decision that my first stop would be Grand Haven instead:



Continuing up the coast, I also elected to stop at Muskegon South Pierhead:

White River Lighthouse....





....provided the first opportunity for a museum visit on the trip...



...and only my second tower climb (first was Grand Traverse on 7/2/08)...

My next stop would be at Little Sable Lighthouse, where I was fortunate enough to arrive during the hours in which this beacon was open for climbing:




By the time I reached Ludington North Pierhead,



....it was obvious that I was going to miss the museum at Point Betsie, so I decided to make the trek to Big Sable Lighthouse to see if I could get in their museum before it closed. Unfortunately, after the hike, I was a few minutes late. However, I was allowed to enter the gift shop and make a few purchases....after which, I took this pic:

As I continued up the coast, I made another stop to see the Manistee North Pierhead light.....



....but elected to pass on the Frankfort North Breakwater light (saw it on 7/2/08) and head to Point Betsie. At the time I arrived, the gates would normally be closed. Fortunately however, a wedding had just taken place and the gates were still open. Seizing the opportunity, I took a few pics before departing....





As my first full day began to close, I found myself in Traverse City and stayed the night.

Thanks for taking us along, my wife Sue and I have enjoyed going around the coastline of Michigan and visiting those lighthouses many times. We just recently came down the West coastline from the U.P. and we chose had to skip a lot of them in June because it was raining very hard.

Thanks for sharing, and welcome to the Forums..

Hey, Tread...Great photos! I still have yet to get out of the South to see lighthouses. Which state do you live in? I live in one of the three as well. lol But, I used to live on the coast.

Great pics Tread22 !!!

Thanks for sharing them with us !!!

Thanks for the welcome, Paul. I am glad that you are enjoying the pics and read. As I am only going off memory, details may not be great at times though.

Sorry to hear about your rain-outs. Hopefully your next trip to the Michigan coast will be a better experience.

You know what is odd? I live in Tennessee but have never seen a lighthouse in North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, or Mississippi! Is that weird or what? BTW, in which coastal state did you reside before moving to Tennessee?

I appreciate your interest and hope that you will continue to enjoy the following pics:


Monday, June 22nd, 2009

I woke up ahead of schedule again, but as a precaution, I felt that I should pass up on the Grand Traverse and Old Mission lights. Instead, I proceeded to the Charlevoix South Pierhead light. Unfortunately, I missed the intended turnoff, and had to backtrack. Still, I did finally manage to get my bearings and take a few pics....



Even with the early start-up, my navigational woes continued as a search for the light at Petoskey came up empty. I will have to admit that I didn't try to hard for that one though....as it is architecturally bland.

My next stop was slated to be the Little Traverse light, which had eluded me in a previous vacation due to darkness. As you all know, it is privately owned. With that being the case, this is the best shot that I could get....*



After another debacle with regard to directions, I finally got myself straightened out and arrived at McGulpin Point Lighthouse. How many times can you pass a lighthouse without seeing it? Surely I have tested the limits with McGulpin! For those interested in visiting, the light is on the right side of the road. Do NOT go all the way down to the shore or turn left. I have already made those mistakes so that you don't have to.



This little critter pic taken at McGulpin would turn out to be an example of foreshadowing as these little guys are all over the UP. I will never forget those chipmunks running across the road with their tails sticking straight up. That was really a hoot.



*Note: The Little Traverse Light pic was taken with my Canon DC320 camcorder. Unbeknown to me was the fact that my tripod didn't eliminate all of the shakiness. The result is the pic you see here. Is it a case of "Never use a camcorder as a camera." or something else. After seeing more of my camcorder pics, please let me know what you think.

Even though I had the pleasure of making it to the lighthouse at Mackinac Point on my last trip (7/1/08), I decided to make another stop.



This time, I was able to make it into the museum,...



gift shop,.....



....and up into the tower for these pics:



They even have a drink machine advertising the light!



I wonder if the drink cans are labeled in like fashion? As I don't drink carbonated beverages (due to acid reflux problems), I may never know. :b

After taking a few pictures of Round Island, Round Island Passage, and St Helena Island lights and reviewing them, I found them to be inadequate and opted for better vantage points. Here is an example:



After crossing the bridge, I skirted the lower UP coast until I found a reasonable vantage point from which to see the St Helena Island light. Unfortunately, the pic still did not turn out that well so I will have to go back...



After taking the pic, I decided to head east to St. Ignace and board the ferry for a ride to Mackinac Island.



Along the way, I was afforded a closer look at Round Island and took a pic with my Canon DC320 to get a closeup (though a little out of focus)



...and a few with my Fuji Finepix S700. Unfortunately, the first two are rather tilted....



I was presently surprised that my Canon DC320 did give me a fairly decent shot at Round Island Passage. Perhaps the previous Canon pics were errors on my part....

After returning back to shore, I decided to continue east and found a beach from which I could see the Martin Reef light. Though a pic from a boat would have yield better results, I would have to be satisfied with the one I was able to get:



As I made my way along the UP's lower shore, I came across a few points that afforded distant views of the De Tour Reef light. This pic was a mixed blessing. While I was able to get a fairly decent closeup,........



....the moment was spoiled when my 14-year old Saturn began to have problems and would not start. Just as it looked as though my vacation was coming to an abrupt end, my car started back up and I continued on to Sault Ste. Marie where I spent the night.

Tuesday June 23rd

Though I was concerned regarding my car's problem, I was (surprisingly) able to put it behind me and get enough sleep for the day ahead. Since my car started immediately, I felt as though my problems were behind me,......but it was only a matter of time before they would recur. For now though, my car would act normally.

My first stop on the UP's upper shores would be Point Iroquois.



The museum was very informative.....



....and the climb offered some nice views. Closer inspection of the second pic will give you a glimpse of my car....though it is barely noticeable due to it's proximity to the van.



I will have more when I return from work....

I have gone on that trip 3 times. I always hit rain at some point. I went with Jenifer Selwa who is a friend of the CF. She knows the stae like the back of her hand. You have great shots and we always love a story. Keep it up.
I want to do it again because it has some of the best lighthouses.
Fran

Nice commentary, Tread. And, nice pictures. Exploring the Michigan coast is always fun. If you don't have the Penrose book on the Michigan lights it is the most helpful $15 you'll spend.

The Pepsi machine is newer to the area. Don't remember seeing it up there before. They do that is a number of areas. I recall an insert for I believe a Pepsi machine at the Fire Island light a few years ago. And, back in about 1999 I recall the first nicely done soda machine with an image of the Cape Lookout light. Think that one may have been a Coke machine.

I am glad that you are enjoying the read. Hopefully my future texts will maintain your interest as well. Michigan indeed has some great lighthouses though I am sorry to hear that rain seems to plague you on trips there. I hope that your next trip yields perfect weather. =)

Thanks for the compliments. I appreciate that. With regard to the Penrose book on Michigan Lighthouses, I do indeed have that book. It is definitely a great resource.....though I unfortunately forgot to bring it with me on the trip. What was I thinking? :b

I appreciate the info concerning the drink machines as I was wondering whether other lights had them as well. The fact that I have never been to Fire Island or Cape Lookout would explain why I haven't seen them before.

.......................

After leaving Point Iroquois, I proceeded to a light that captured my imagination from the first I had heard of it....Whitefish Point. Of the lights I have seen, this definitely deserves a spot in my top 5. Even though not all buildings were open to the public, there was a lot to see. I suppose that Whitefish will bear a certain significance as it was my first skeletal tower.....and was the first lighthouse that I had visited where I heard the fog signal.



In addition to the overall appearance of the site, there were enough engaging activities to last an entire day. In the building on the left of the picture below, there was a nice movie shown about the Edmund Fitzgerald. At the right of the pic, the keeper's house can be seen (I do have a better pic of the keeper's house but the 8 image limit won't allow me to post it here.).



In it is housed a nice museum.....gotta love the attention to detail on the figure. At first glance, he looked almost real...



Behind the keeper's house is another building that houses a few nautical artifacts. The guide here was very friendly.



Though the observation tower, oil house....



...and Coast Guard facility....



....were off limits, the gift shop was an easy target. :b



.....and the icing on the cake......a visit to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum!

After visiting Point Iroquois and Whitefish Point, one could easily get spoiled by the relative ease with which the aforementioned lights could be accessed. With the next light, the only thing getting spoiled may be that sack lunch you brought. :b For a 1995 Saturn SL1 with just enough clearance to stick my head under the car sideways, the road to my next destination was a complete nightmare. Almost 20 miles of potholes, rocks, mud, and occasional tree limbs litter a one lane obstacle course whose only boundaries are ditches and weeds. This is the path to the Crisp Point Lighthouse. Any of you that are thinking of attempting this endurance course should give yourself plenty of time and, for heaven's sake, don't try this in a subcompact car. :0 Needless to say, I took plenty of pictures.....but have narrowed it down to just 2:



If getting to the lighthouse was a task, getting out was even worse. According to my Michigan gazetteer, the roads appeared to be paved.....Somebody forgot to tell the logging companies about that. :0 The result was almost 30 miles of winding mud roads that seemed far worse than anything I encountered on the way to Crisp Point. At one point I had to navigate between potholes, machinery, large piles of brush, and severed logs to continue on a short stretch of road. It appeared as if I would surely get stuck,...but thankfully that situation was averted. Making matters worse was the fact that none of the roads were marked......and my gas tank was getting close to "E". After what seemed like an eternity, I finally came out on a paved road. Under normal circumstances, I would have ended up in Canada but somehow I stumbled upon the road that I was seeking! I was happy enough to kiss the asphalt,....but there was a lot of trip left and it was way too early for that kind of commitment. :b

Once the mud road debacle had run it's course, the day was half over. My next destination, the Grand Marais Range lights would thankfully pose very little difficulty. While the rear range was close to the parking area....



....the front range required a short hike....



...past the Light Keeper's Museum (which was unfortunately closed).



Before departing, I decided to take one final pic before heading to the next lighthouse on my list.....

I love your sense of humor and writing. Thanks for sharing not only your pictures, but your dialogue as well.

Sandy

I really want to see Big Sablee. Its probably the one that I want to see the most outside of the South. Probably tied with Fire Island.

Still great pictures. I agree about the road to crisp point. I didnt drive it but it is just as hard to sit there and hope a pot hole dosnt swallo you up. I went to Big Sable 2 times. the first time we got there about sundown and the second with great blue skies. It was a rough walk with the mosqotos. We took the beach going and the road coming back. It felt like there was no end in site to the parking lot.

Car troubles while on vacation is a common theme for me, too. That's why I missed Grosse Point when I was in Illinois in June.

Someday I would like to see Crisp Point, perhaps on a GLLKA cruise.

You need to understand that the trail to Crisp Point is actually an improvement over what used to be . . . . memory tells me that at one point you had to walk the last portion to get there. At least you didn't comment on the monster black flies so you may have lucked out on that one.

I cracked the windshield on my van on that road. Really wished I had our Jeep, but oh well . . .

Thanks Sandy. I know that sometimes I have a tendency to make long posts, so I try to make things as interesting as possible. =)

I can't blame you for wanting to see Big Sable. It truly is a great location. I can't stress enough how much I love the hike up there. If you are into camping, there is a sizable campground at the park entrance. Be sure to get there early though as the slots can fill up quickly....especially on July 4th weekend.

As for Fire Island....I share your desire to make the trip over to see it. Perhaps my next vacation (if there is one) will allow me to go there.

It appears that we had similar experiences at both lights. My first trip to Big Sable was around sunset...and I am sure that you noticed that the weather was nice for my second trip. We do differ with regard to the hike as I felt that was the best part. Call me crazy, but....:b

Sorry to hear that you are plagued by car problems as well. I was hoping that my misfortune wasn't being felt by other members here. :0

Speaking of Grosse Point, every single time that I attempt to go there, I never fail to miss seeing the museum. Unfortunately, I found that it is closed on the week of July 4th. Perhaps I should schedule my trip for another time. It is hard to break old habits though as a July 4th weekend trip to Chicago is an annual pilgrimage for me.

As for Crisp Point, taking a cruise would be a lot easier than the path I chose. If you are having problems with your car, Crisp Point is not the place to get stuck.

Well, the worst part for me was the bumpy ride on the logging roads leading out of Crisp Point and toward the lights at Grand Marais. If the road to Crisp Point used to be as bad as that series of "roads", I definitely would not have looked forward to it.

As for the huge black flies, I did encounter a few of them. They weren't a major problem though as I ran to get away from them. I feel sorry for the poor saps that were behind me since they probably got the short end of the stick. :b

Another item that I forgot to mention is the fact that my car got stuck in the sand. Fortunately a couple of guys gave me a push. I would have mentioned this earlier except that my horrible ordeal with the mud roads seemed to overshadow the other problems.

I am sorry to hear about your van. If not for a bit of good fortune, that might have happened to me.
.............


By the time that I reached the parking area for Au Sable Lighthouse, the museum and gift were closed and had been for quite a while. Despite this, I wasn't going to miss seeing the light and began the fairly lengthy hike to reach it. Along the way, I happened across a nearly tame chipmunk that I probably could have hand fed. However, I had no extra food and hadn't eaten since breakfast. I wasn't the only one hungry though. Mosquitoes were seemingly fighting each other to grab a spot in the cafeteria line (aka my sunburned arms and legs). Running did seem to help, but these healthy mosquitoes weren't amateurs and even managed to land on me despite my valiant attempts. If you are at Au Sable and see a man bobbing his head like a pigeon and swaying to and fro like he is on a rowing machine while running, that will probably be me trying even harder to thwart these pesky insects. :b Once I reached the grounds, the mosquitoes cleared out and I was able to take a few pics unmolested:



Rather than take to the road leading back to the car, I opted to skirt the shoreline. Apparently the mosquitoes had no desire to fight the wind currents to snack on me and I experienced no further problems until I reached my car. I could tell that they hadn't forgotten about me though as I was swarmed when I finally returned. Yes, I was definitely feeling the love. A few of them even tagged along for the trip to the hotel in Munising.....kinda reminds me of paparazzi....though without cameras. :0

Wednesday, June 24th

The day began with a slight backtrack to Pictured Rocks State Park. Due to incomplete research on my part, I had assumed that the Grand Island East Channel lighthouse could be seen from that point. Though I was wrong, the trip wasn't a complete loss as the ranger did give me directions to a vantage point where the light could be viewed and I took this pic with my Canon DC320 camcorder....



After arriving back in Munising, it wasn't long before I came across the Munising Front Range. Hampered by a no trespassing sign, I was forced to take a pic that included an array of telephone wires.....Oh well.....



As I left the front range, I almost immediately spotted the rear range and took a pic of it as well.....this time without those annoying telephone wires....



After departing from Munising, I tried in vain to locate the Grand Island Harbor Rear Range light though admittedly with time being a factor, I must admit that I gave up a bit too easily. :b
Continuing westward, I had very little problem locating the Marquette Harbor light however....



Due to a shortage in time, I elected not to tour the museum but did the gift shop. The time I saved by not touring the museum turned out to be helpful later on.....

Before completely leaving the area, I elected to take the short drive up to the Presque Isle Harbor Breakwater light and got near enough to take this pic:



With the car engine still running, I jumped back into my car and forged ahead to my next destination: Big Bay Point Lighthouse.



Normally, my timing is absolutely terrible, but today I was extremely fortunate as I arrived 5 minutes before the last tour would take place! YES!!! One of the tour perks is the tower climb, which not only afforded decent views of the oil house and privy....



....but also an up close look at the lens itself!....



After the tour was complete, I took the path down the hill (left of the lighthouse) to the fog signal building....



....where a dock could also be seen nearby.



As I left Big Bay Point, I couldn't help but think about how fortunate I was to have the opportunity to make the tour. My feeling of elation would pass shortly after I arrived at my next stop however.....

Great pictures! It must be wonderful to be able to take a month long trip. Your mosquito story reminded me of Assateague. Fortunately, there they sold repellent in the tower, so the trip back to the car wasn't so bloody.

Very nice. Thanks for sharing a wonderful trip.

Judy

I was very fortunate to have been able to save up. If everything hadn't fallen into place, there would have been no trip at all. As for the mosquitoes, I was too busy cutting corners with the time and finances to get any repellent. Perhaps if I take another trip I will make sure to add that to my list of things to bring.

I am glad that you are enjoying it, Judy. Here is the next entry:

By the time that I reached the Sand Point Lighthouse (in Baraga), it was around dinnertime (though I didn't eat). After walking the grounds and looking at the lighthouse and oil house,



I quickly walked back to my car in an attempt to proceed to the next lighthouse. Unfortunately, my car wasn't in that much of a hurry. I turned the key......and nothing happened. Again.....still nothing. After popping the hood, I checked the vital signs and it appeared as though my car had flatlined. Fortunately, a family of Ojibwas was also there and, on their way out, asked if I needed a jump. Though they didn't have jumper cables, I was prepared with a set of my own. After correctly attaching the cables, my car started right up. I thanked them numerous times for their help but would later find that the battery had absolutely nothing to do with my car problem.....

It was night by the time I reached Houghton and I stopped there for the night.

Thursday, June 25th

From Houghton, I proceeded across the bridge...



...to access the lighthouses on the Keweenaw Peninsula (actually an island though). To start out, I opted to go in a southeasterly direction and, after getting turned around a few times, finally arrived at the Jacobsville Lighthouse. Not wishing to take chances, I left my car running and walked to the door to get permission to take pics. A note on the door stated that there was a $5 fee for taking pictures and getting my Lighthouse Passport stamped. Apparently nobody was home, so I stuck a $5 bill in the door and took these pics:



Keweenaw Lower Entry light was nearby, so I took a few pics of it as well; first a distance shot...



...and then a bit closer:

Keep posting... you are doing a fantastic job of taking us along on your Lighthouse adventure with you!! I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this thread and sharing the adventure with you.

So what did the car problem turn out to be?

Starter solenoid?

Things like car problems always adds to the adventure although we could live without those surprises! Great pics.

Judy

Great photos and narrative!
Brings back good memories of our trips to many of these lights. Crisp Point is a challenge but well worth the effort...such primitive unspoiled views and shoreline!
We fought the black flies at Au Sable...they were so bad that I couldn't endure another 20 minutes to wait for the museum to open. I really really wanted to climb the tower but I was dancing and swatting and was so bitten up unfortunately I surrendered to them.
Will definitely return earlier in the year or make sure the wind is right!
Those county roads up there are just fantastic...my husband and I joke about it often. Here in Wisconsin most of our county roads are paved. The first one we encountered was on our way to Gran Marias-it started out paved and then suddenly pavement stopped and you were on the mud road!
What we go through to see our beloved lights....!
Thanks for sharing with us-I enjoyed it immensely!