12 July 2011 Tue: Susan and I took off for Michigan. Flew to Chicago. A real airport screwup caused us to almost miss our plane. And one bag didn't make it on the flight so we stayed in Chicago this night.

13 July 2011 Wed: We drove to Muskegon MI via Indiana Dunes. Holed up in a swell motel.

14 July 2011 Thr: We were joined by Susan's Aunt Marion (Susan's mother's sister), her daughter Barbara, Barbara's adopted daughter Malorey, and Malorey's friend Paige.

15 July 2011 Fri: We drove to Montague where some relatives of Susan were buried. Saw a drug store/soda fountain that probably belonged to a Susan ancestor. Susan and Marion had a sundae! Then we drove on to Mackinaw City.

16 July 2011 Sat: We toured Mackinac Island. (Mackinaw/Mackinac - seemed interchangeable.) Barb and I on the ferry. Saw Steve Hamilton, an author Susan and I enjoy. Circumnavigated the island on a tandem (8.2 miles!)

17 July 2011 Sun: We took off, drove north to St. Ignace where we visited the Ojibwe museum. Vance, teepee. We had lunch at the Antler's. And drove on to Sault Ste. Marie. Where we took n pictures of ship's going thru the locks

18 July 2011 Mon: We drove along Lake Superior. Took in a lighthouse. And Tahquamenon Falls. Drove some dirt roads to visit some relative of Susan's summer home site. And drove on to Grand Marais where we spent the night. Good brewpub!

19 July 2011 Tue: Then it was on to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Where we did the Log Slide, a humongous sand dune down to the Lake. 5 minutes down, 58 minutes up. Visited Miner's Castle and Miner's Beach. Drove to Munising where Susan's Mother was raised. Ate at the Dogpatch Restaurant. Toured some family sites in town. And drove on to Marquette where we spent the night.

20 July 2011 Wed: We drove on to Houghton. Where we had lunch at The Library - extraordinary food. And drove on to Copper Harbor. Where I had pasties for dinner - not so good. No cell phone service! And a thunderstorm knocked out power for about 6 hours.

21 July 2011 Thr: We boarded the Isle Royale Queen 4 for a 3-hour trip to Isle Royale. It was a little rough. Several passengers were seasick. Even Susan and I got queasy which we don't normally. Had to stay outside. Swell room in the lodge.

I had a disconcerting experience. We were starting to star gaze. I realized that I couldn't see anything in the center of my visual field! Two ophthalmologists and one optometrist later, still no explanation. My eyesight is normal now, as far as I can tell.

22 July 2011 Fri: We took a long walk in the AM (4 miles) to Scoville Pt. And went for a sunset cruise in the evening.

23 July 2011 Sat: We took a walk in the AM. Vance. Susan. Then it was time to take the ferry back to Copper Harbor. Smooth ride this time. Dinner, room in Copper Harbor.

24 July 2011 Sun: Hit the road again. Drove thru Calumet, allegedly the richest city in the world during the copper boom. I tend to believe it - the stonework on the buildings was extraordinary. Drove to Houghton for another lunch at The Library. Then we visited the Quincy Mine, a copper mine now closed down. It was swell. Drove on the Escanaba where we spent the night.

25 July 2011 Mon: Long days drive to Lansing. Where we linked up with Tom Stanton, Susan's step-cousin. He took us to a swell brewpub for dinner.

26 July 2011 Tue: We drove to Jackson. Where we met Barb, Susan's step-aunt. We toured Ann Arbor with her. Including lunch at Zingerman's

27 July 2011 Wed: Tom joined Barb, Susan, and I for a tour of Jackson. (Barb isn't really that short...)

28 July 2011 Thr: We drove back to Chicago. I flew home, Susan flew on to a family gathering in Minnesota.