Ooops, was informed by my friend that I left us hanging in Wisconsin and everyone wondering if we had stalled there.  Of course we didn’t but we did have a frustrating time finding campsites, with weather and so on.  

We just trucked on through Wisconsin.  I was a little disappointed in our route change because I had always wanted to visit the Cranberry Museum and Park in that state.  We’re saving that for next time.  Went through some frustrations looking for a coffee stop.  Led to one of the more humourous moments of these few days for Jack and I.

I spotted a place called May’s with some cars outside so we put on the binders and hauled in.  Had to use the facilities so Jack and I headed right in and left C&R to follow.  A guy outside started calling out to us about bringing the rain - we went along with that because it had been following us for a while.  As we crossed the parking lot we yelled back and forth a bit - all in good fun.

Then we opened the door and walked in to an almost sleezy bar.  Picture it.  Dark and dingy.  Pool table on the right.  Bar on the left wall.  Three guys hanging over there hard liquor or beer, bleary eyes and obviously 3-sheets to the wind.  Greeted us like long lost buddies hoping to join the party. Probably because of the kibitzing in the parking lot and the hope that we had cash money in our pockets.  The bar maid was no beauty and looked like she had been rode hard and put away wet.  Sorry sight.  Not wanting to be too rude I asked if the coffee pot was on.  Nope. No coffee here.  Oh gee that’s too bad we said as we backed out the door.  It was 10 am and these guys had probably been at it all night.  We were outta there as fast as we could all scramble back in the RVs.

We finally found a café in a hotel for coffee in a town called Crandon.  Noteworthy place because it seemed to be a mecca for mud-rooters, ATVers, and red-necks in general.  Waitress confirmed it.  Would have loved to stay around for competitions starting the next day - driving all manner of converted vehicles through pits of mud, through obstacle courses and so on.  This was the stuff from TV.

Also finally got our Great Lakes Fish Fry in Wisconsin.  Fish Fries are a big deal around the northern shores of the Great Lakes.  Cheap, fresh - good food.. Choice is usually Perch or Walleye.  This day we got perch - yummy.

 Passed through more National Forest land as we made our way into Michigan and found ourselves a campsite.  Thought we had it made when we spotted a KOA sign.  We were all in need of a shower and laundry.  Turned out it reinforced our disappointment in KOAs. It was still raining so that put a damper on things - ha, ha.  Campsites were set up all wrong, water and hydro so far apart we had a hard time plugging in to both and actually took up two sites to do it.  Not level.  Laundry was tiny, in the hotel, and not very clean.  Showers had NO privacy - in hotel and part of the pool To use wireless I had to go into the hotel and sit in the lobby working on a coffee table.

Passed through another National Forest on our way to Sault Ste. Marie.  Saw some wild swans - trumpeter or trumpet, not sure of name, and lots of trees.  Filled up with gas and coffee and headed over the border.  All receipts and passports in hand.  We essentially both got waved through.  Stopped for groceries (we had been very careful not to have any fresh veggies, fruit or meat, then lunch before turning east for Manitoulin.

And that is where I will stop for today.  Gotta go do some real work!

FYI, we are now in Ontario dealing with Mom's move - will catch you up asap

Ttfn,

Julie