There’s no place like home

Oh auntie em, there’s no place like home.

Time to go

Today ends an unforgettable vacation, unforgettable because of the awesome scenery.  The weather is very chilly, probably low 60s, the sky is grey and the lake is choppy.  Visibility is fairy high today as I can almost see the Grand Hotel from my room.  I’m still thinking about going back over there before I leave but then it’ll put me a few hours later to get home and I really don’t want to meet up with any deer driving down the highway through the pine forest.  BUt, the hotel is calling my name for some reason and I may want to answer the call.  After all, it is the biggest and most popular thing on that island, that and the fort that I didn’t see either, and I need pictures of it.  The wind is blowing cold though and I have no coat to wear.

Oh well. I may just wait til September to get shots of it. By then, the leaves will be changing and I can catch a ride to all of the lighthouses.  Another thing I missed this trip.

Check out time. Chao

Friday

Rain in pouring down here.  I’m so glad it is raining because I want to go shoot some pics of the lighthouses.  Rain would make for a more moody shot.  Fog was all around me a few hours ago but it is gone now, unfortunately.  Guess I should have gone out in my jammies instead of taking the time to get dressed first.

The ferry is still tking people over to the island so I may just grab a ride after I eat lunch.  Need to find those lighthouses though.  IT’s why I am here, to shoot lighthouses.

I’m not sure what it is about hotel beds but I sleep so soundly when I vacation.

Chao for now.

Finally made it here

The drive was long, almost eight hours, but it was an easy ride.  My GPS was great. I din’t have to look at a map the entire drive because the GPS does the work for me.  ”800 yards, turn left,”  the voice would say.  I was amazed and totally impressed. I wish I had invented that.

There are lots of pine trees here and the temperature is chilly, 70s.  I got here late so I had to get a room pretty quick before they ran out.  I am not familiar with this area so I just picked the first hotel I came to.  Wish I hadn’t done that.  Driving to the bridge tonight to take pics, I discovered more motels for a much cheaper rate, and they are nice motels.  This is a very clean area.  Lots of shops to visit tomorrow.

My room is right on the water where sea gulls fly around waiting for food.  I may give them something tomorrow so I can get some good photos of them.  Im still working on night photography but it’s not great yet. I still notice a lot of lens flair and and focusing on the wrong thing so Im not getting exactly what I am seeing just yet, especially in photos with the moon as the subject.

I have a jacuzi in my room and it was the first thing I did when I got in here.  Now I feel kind of fluish again.  I think I am just in need of sleep, I hope.

Tomorrow morning, Im off to the island.  The ferry picks people up at the marina and

drops them off at the island.  From there a horse and buggy can give a ride around the entire island, which is what I will do.  When I am finished there, Im going to go to the carnival down the road to get some night photos of that.  I hope they turn out.

Many people are visiting this area this weekend.  There is also a car show that I will go to tomorrow.  Wish I wasn’t alone but then again, it’s not so bad.  I already miss home.

Mackinack Island

I’ll begin my journey at home, 6:23AM.  I jsut went to sleep and here I am packing to leave for Mackinack Island, Michigan.  I should have packed last night but I was thinking I’d sleep instead.  I laid it all out and laid myself down for a good nights sleep but it only lasted about two hours.  I watched TV until about three AM and finally fell into dream land.

Now, I am packed and ready to walk out the door,  thinking about the traffic I may get caught in at Castelton and am trying to talk myself into waiting until rush hour is over but the longer I wait, the later it will be when i arrive in Mackinack.  I don’t want to get there after dark considering I have to still get a room. :/

More later!