MICHIGAN & THE APOSTLES

Greetings everyone!!  Prayers that all is well with everyone. . . Has been
great to hear from all this last week.

We really enjoyed the Mackinaw area.  So much to see & do.  Down to
the beach area downtown to see the lighthouse there & also to the west.
You could do a trip of just lighthouses!!!   So much history here.  We
enjoyed the bonfire on the beach & watching the bridge light up, they
call her the Mighty Mac bridge.   5 miles long!!

Next it was up to Sault Ste Marie to the Soo Locks.  Got to watch two
freighters go thru . .  one was 1000' long, so impressive.  The power of
the ships & the speed was amazing.  Pretty town too.  I don't think I
would like winter up there, the wind would be awful!!!

We really enjoyed our day on Mackinaw Island.  The ferry ride over on
the hydro-jet was really cool when there was a rainbow in the spray behind.
There is only bikes and horses (600 of them, mostly percherons & belgins)
for transportation.  We took the carriage ride & got to see a lot!!  The
Grand Hotel is just over the top, the Arch rock, the fort was really neat,
this is where Purdie took off when they shot the guns!!.  Scared her to
death.  Luckily a fella caught her.   She was petted all day by kids, ha ha.

Then we moved over the Upper Peninsula to Wisconsin's Apostle Islands.
Took the Tour here also to the Devil's Island caves.  Lighthouses along
the way,  Lake Superior was calm, so was a nice ride.  Caves were very
impressive.  Called Apostle because you can see twelve of the islands
from shore, but there are 22.  Winters would be brutal here.

We are now at Mike's sister Lee in Eveleth, MN.  Had to have a Pastie
first thing last night.  Lots of Finnish people up north & seen the ads all
the way here.  Like a pot-pie & ever so yummy. . . .Going to the blueberry
festival in Ely, MN today with Lee & her daughter Denise & Jace . . .

We have met some wonderful people & have enjoyed the sights.  Both
feeling good & rig is doing great!!.   Gas is more expensive up here tho!!
Blessings to all,   take care & keep in touch!!!
Mike & Dee:)

TRAVELING NORTH!

Greetings everyone!!!   Prayers on this Sunday aftn that all is well with you
and enjoying your summer . . .   We made it up to Mackinaw City this aftn
and are set up right on the lake below the Bridge.

The trip up to Michigan was just a whole lot of construction!!  We have de-
cided that the three best words in traveling are  "END OF ROADWORK"..
We stopped @ Findley, Ohio the first night & had a great site & the ice
cream bar on our walk was great, ha ha, after 14 hrs on the road.

Then it was on to Frankenmuth, Mich.  Now this town knows how to do
Christmas right!!!  I have seen ads for Bronner's all of my 35 yrs in floral
\design & was on the bucket list.  All Christmas décor for sale by the acres!!
Yes, I had to buy another ornament that I didn't need!!  They have a replica
of the Silent Night Chapel that is in Austria, so awesome.  We also found
the St. Lorenz Lutheran church that was really pretty, with the grounds too.
Then it was chicken dinner at Zehnder's.  Recommended by friends & was
great . . . enough for two meals.  Enjoy Mike w/ the chicken, ha ha.  The
whole town is done in Bavarian motif,  like Helen GA.

Then it was on to Traverse City, the cherry capitol of the US.   Went for a
drive up the Old Mission peninsula and was like we were in Napa Valley
again.  The lighthouse at the end was neat too. 

We took in the Sleeping Bear Dunes Seashore.  Now that was a sight to
behold.  450' down from the overlook to the water . . . and kids running
headfirst down in the sand . . over two hours to climb back up, ha ha...

We naturally had to stop for cherries & pasteries too.  so yum!!

Will post again after we've been to Mackinac Island & the Soo Locks.
Ya'll take care & keep in touch!!!      Blessings,
Mike & Dee:)

2015 TRAVELS TO MINNESOTA

Hello everyone!!!

Guess what?  We are back on the road!!   We are heading up
to Minnesota for a two month trip up to see family and friends.
We leave July 15th & back Sept 15 - all approximate.

My elbow has healed & I have more movement than they had
said I would get back, so am blessed.  Still have a "weather-
forcaster" tho.   lol.

Will attempt to post on this site again to keep everyone up to
date on our travels.   We love to hear from everyone as we
travel.    Blessings to all . . . . .   Mike & Dee:)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !!!

Hey everyone; 

I would like to thank everyone for the prayers for my elbow.
The surgery went well, taking over two hours, 30+ stitches,
two pins & 2 figure 8 wires.  Needless to say it is sore!!  The
stitches come out next Wed, so shall see how it goes.  Can
do a lot left handed from the years in floral design, so am not
totally helpless.  Pray for Mike having to do so much extra.

We got the rig emptied with Jacki's help & drove it to the
dealer for all the maintenance repairs after the trip.  I am go-
ing to miss the rig.

Has been wonderful to see everyone again.  Will enjoy
spending time with family & friends as I am not allowed
to do much.  Am not going to promise Christmas cards this
year, see how I do.  Am so thankful I left my tree up from
last year, ha ha.

Want to thank everyone for following the blog as we
journeyed over 14,000 miles, plus another 10,000 miles in
my truck.  We saw a lot of amazing sights, met a lot of
wonderful people & will  enjoy it over & over through my
pictures. (which exceeded 15,000)   Pray I can share them
with you sometime.

Love & blessings always,  Mike & Dee

WE'RE HOME!!!!!

Hey there . . .   I don't know where to start. . .
first off,  we had a wonderful time in Natchez.  Really liked
all the history and the antebellum homes were awesome.  The
campground was right on the river so could watch the barges
pass.  steamboats were cool.   We were able to spend an aftn
with a former coworker of mine,  and they showed us Vicksburg.

We made really good time heading east and stopped at a camp-
ground in Bremen, Ga.  I was taking a picture and turned, tripped
on a raised piece of asphalt & went down HARD.

 My first ambulance ride!!!!  The elbow is broken and  3 stitches
in the one finger.  They released me to see my Dr here in Franklin.

Dr Kessler will be doing surgery this aftn or Fri aftn.  I  ask for
prayer that he will be able to fix it. 

In the meantime,  we will try to get the house opened up & some
heat on.  What a mess!!!  On top of that, the credit card got
hacked this morning!!!  We should have stayed on the road!!!

Will post a final time once we get settled at the house.  Hope you
can make this out as doing one handed with the left hand.  Its
the right elbow.  Pray you are all doing well.

Love & prayers,   Mike & Dee

TEXAS & TEMPS !!!

Hey there!!!   How is everyone doing?  Everyone staying warm??
What a bummer w/ this cold front.  We stayed in Dallas longer than
planned as the winds were awful!!  This rig don't do so good in the
high winds!!   Luckily we were at a really nice campground just
east of Dallas.  Time to rest and also met really nice people,  Ben
& Tammy Davis who were just starting full-time.  They will have
a blast.  Every full-timer we talked to wouldn't do anything else!!

While there we took a day & went to the Geo Bush Presidential
Library.  Never been to one, so we really enjoyed it.  You can see
from the pic that the Oval office desk was pretty cool!!  Good
thing I wasn't talking to Obama, ha ha ha!!!

We have made it to Natchez, MS & will wait out the cold snap
here.  We are right on the Mississippi River.  Can watch the barges
go down river.  A nice campground & hope to do some  "good-
eatin".  I love gumbo!!!

Hard to believe we only have a week or so left before we back in
Franklin.  Will take a bit to get the house open & things unpacked.
Will do another post when we get there

We pray everyone is doing well & we are always glad to hear from
you.  Stay warm & keep in touch!!!

Love & blessings,    Mike & Dee:)

TOMBSTONE & CARLSBAD!!

Hey everyone!!   How are you all doing?  Really good we hope.  All
as glad as we are that the election is over???   Yeah . . .

We had a wonderful time w/ cousin Suzanne & a super fun time in
Tombstone!!  Dee got pulled from the crowd for a shoot-out skit.  What
a hoot!!  At least I got the bad guy, ha ha.  Purdie got called a "fur-bie"
and was a hit w/ the crowd.   They really have the tourist thing down to
an art, but Mike loved it all.  Boot Hill & the Courthouse were all inter-
esting.  We had a really pretty day too.   Lots of pics!!

We headed to Carlsbad and went thru El Paso.  Got close to the border
and glad we did no stopping!!  Pretty country even tho so very barren.

We stopped at Guadalupe Nat'l Park & the mountains are really pretty.
Now Carlsbad Caverns was another of those "over the top" fun times.
Took lots of pics, the formations were breathtaking & the park does a
super job on letting you see so much!!! 

We head for Texas tomorrow, so will be few days on the road.  Pray
the weather holds for us.   Enjoying the cooler weather a lot. . . .

Prayers that all is well w/ everyone.   We love to hear from Ya'll!!
Love & Blessings,    Mike & Dee:)