Ohio

When we are on the road we get a little lonesome for friends. That is why it was so nice to spend time with our friends Linda and Dan Miller who live in Sandusky. This is the third time we've been to Sandusky. Dan and Linda are the parents of our pastor's wife Lisa. Today was a travel day and we drove on the toll road. When we pulled up to the booth to pay our fee, the toll taker yelled at us for taking up too much room with our trailer. Welcome to New York! Whatever happened to Minnesota nice?

National Scenic River

After the hustle and bustle of the campground with the 4th of July, we were happy to go for a small kayak trip on the Pere Marquette River. We saw muskrats, many dragonflies, turtles, birds and deer. A spotted fawn got separated from the doe and was bleating for her to come back. We hope she came back and found her! Tomorrow is a travel day. Al didn't want to travel today because of all the holiday traffic. It is hot and humid today-not my kind of weather.

4th of July

Of all the years that I've been to 4th of July parades, this is the first time I've gotten a pint of ice cream! Al and I split it. There is a wholesale ice cream distributor, House of Flavors, in Ludington and they gave out thousands of pints of ice cream at the parade. Otherwise, the parade was typical. For $50 each you can board the S.S. Badger car ferry and travel up and down the coast from 9-11 p.m.. You can watch fireworks from the deck. We checked on tickets and all 600 were sold!

Freedom

This morning we got up early and drove to Ludington State Park. We hiked the 4 mile round trip to the Big Sable Point Lighthouse. It was just the waves, wind and Al and I. There was such a feeling of peace as we were able to experience this wonderful place. At the lighthouse we met some charming people who volunteer to run the lighthouse in the summer. They were thrilled to hear about the journey that we have undertaken. It was a special morning!

The Dam Broke

In 1888 the dam broke and wiped out the town of Hamlin. (Miraculously, no one died.) Now Ludington State Park is found in the same area. The dam was rebuilt and broke again in 1912-it now seems to be solid! The dam provided power for a sawmill that made cedar shingles. The shingles were pulled by mules on a tramway down to Lake Michigan. Other logs were floated down the Big Sable River. Much of the lumber was shipped to Chicago and Milwaukee to provide for those boom towns.

Sculpture Garden

We continue to travel south but will be in Michigan until after the 4th of July. Ludington is a city right on Lake Michigan with wonderful beaches and nice walking trails. It has a state park to the north and to the south. At the waterfront they have a newly developed park. The photo is of the sculpture called Reflections by Irina Koykhanova. It represents the past of the lumbering schooners, the present of the pleasures of boating and the future of the winds of change.

Interlochen Arts

We went to a concert at the Interlochen Arts Center. Three amazing musicians joined together to make some original music. The group does not have a name but goes by the musician's names. Bela Fleck-banjo, Zakir Hussain-tabla (percussion) and Edgar Meyer-double bass. The concert takes place on the campus of the Interlochen Arts Camps. Kids who are studying music were all over the campus. We talked with four delightful students who are aspiring artists. They are 4 of 2,500 who will be at the camp this summer. This is where they come from and what they are studying: Chicago-theater, Peru-opera, Florida-dance, Michigan-opera.