Pomba's Up North Adventure

[pomba gira]

Hey sweeties, I am up at the Soo, headed home later today. If you have PM'd me in the past few days, I'll get wit'ya when I get home! It's kind of o pain doing this on the phone. You can also text me and I'll reply right away. Love yous all!

And yes, I'm having the best of times! will share details withanyone who gives a flying fuck when I get home.

[jynxxxedangel]

The Soo is awesome. I have people up there, in Sault St. Marie. I hope the weather's nice and cool.

[bean]

Glad you are having a good time!

[Rev.Reverence]

duly noted

[Msterbeau]

Who's Soo?

[dragonluv]

Hi Sugar,

Thanks for let us know.

I am glad to hear you had fun!

Please share when you come back.

Hugs,

april

p.s. Sorry for the bad grammar.

Edited August 12, 2009 by dragonluv

[Troy Spiral (13)]

Hopefully you are still enjoying yourself. I have many a fond childhood memory of areas all over the U.P. It has been a good long time, but I do miss it.

Sault Saint Marie is "The Soo" area for them that may be wondering heavily associated with The Soo Locks. I know for some of us such terms are second nature, for others, they aren't even aware of say... the Macinaw Bridge (OMG you don't know what the Macinaw Bridge is?? =D) or the U.P. (Upper Penisula of Michigan) at all.

[pomba gira]

I'm back! The Great Impromptu Up North Adventure is officially over. All that remains now is to make it up to my critters for abandoning them for four days. LOL even Ophelia is standing up & looking at me like "where the hell have you been?"

The original plan was to spend Saturday & Sunday at the Old 27 Cabins near Clare (perfect place for a quiet little romantic getaway BTW- lifestyle-friendly, too)... but somewhere in there John discovered I'd never seen the Mackinaw Bridge. So he insisted we go up there. The bridge is utterly lovely... John made me drive across, that was a hoot. Beautiful weather so there wasn't the scary wind you hear about (wouldn'tve mattered much, driving J's exceedingly manly truck). The view out across the water is just incredible... actually cooler than the view from the Golden Gate Bridge 'cos you can see so much further. Not to mention that actual sunlight is rare at the Golden Gate and the Bay is never calm and pretty.

So, we spent the night in Mackinaw City, then J decided he might as well show me the Soo Locks since we were so close. As Troy pointed out, that would be Sault Ste. Marie for all you non-Michiganders and the locks are hellaciously impressive. I didn't realize how FAST the ships drop in the chamber. One second you're looking at this wall of steel, then just the superstructure bits are sticking up. Really fascinating. I also didn't realize there is no pumping involved, the water is just allowed to seek its own level.

Highlight of the Soo visit: dining at Antlers. Looks like a grungy biker bar from outside but has killer steaks & whitefish... and every inch of wall & beam space is covered with mounted animals. INCLUDING A TWO-HEADED CALF!!! Sorry, I have a major thing for two-headed calves. Now, I am not a fan of trophy hunting... but I must admit, the sheer number of reproachfully-staring dead animals in this place is impressive. Lions, every kind of ungulate imaginable, bears (including a smallish polar bear), a gorgeous white wolf, a 20'+ anaconda, a rhino head (which unfortunately looks totally fake)... plus the usual array of smaller native fur- and feather-bearers. Big fun, pix are forthcoming!

Anyway... I had a truly wonderful time and am so grateful to my friend John for making it happen. This trip really helped me appreciate Michigan more... there are many things I dislike about this state, even more since I feel trapped here right now with no prospects for, well... anything. But seeing the beauty of "Up North" and the wonder of the Bridge and the Locks has reminded me that there is much to love here... and that's a good thing. Although I still want to live someplace with reasonable weather.

And yes, I bought... and have mostly consumed... a truly embarassing amount of fudge. Gawd it's GOOOOOD.

[dragonluv]

Hi Sugar,

I am very happy for you!!!!!

Hugs,

april

[taysteewonderbunny]

Yay! Sounds as though funs was had!