Vacation shots

Barklessdog · July 09, 2009, 12:51:25 PM

Some pics of our vacation in Grayling Michigan which is about 40 miles east of Traverse City. I may make fun of Detroit, but Northern & western Michigan is gorgous. Northern Lake Michigan & Huron have oceon like, sandy beaches, dunes and a brilliant blue color that looks like the tropics.

My kids taught me how to manually adjust my camera foe some striking pictures - Who knew?

We stay right on Lake Margerethe at Danish Landing.

One side is the lake, which is a fairly large lake and the other side is a federal game preserve & lots of wildernes
My Daughter's took this

A picture my son, the cinematographer, took

We went up to Mission Point which is a small peninsula on Lake Huron. Best part it was wine country with several wineries having free wine tasting.
Just off the light house-

uwe · July 09, 2009, 12:55:25 PM

Tranquility!

hieronymous · July 09, 2009, 01:16:35 PM

Those are some awesome pictures! Care to pass on some tips?

Barklessdog · July 09, 2009, 01:29:23 PM

I'll ask the kids. I was always content with auto mode.

The best part is the night sky. It's amazing when your not near a big city how much you can see at night. In Chicagoland the sky is never dark really dark at night.

The downside are the bugs. We had bugs biting & crawling on us 24/7. Your car just gets smeared with them. The May Flies & Canadian Soldiers had just hatched as well (don't bite, but are in huge swarms)

gearHed289 · July 09, 2009, 03:28:38 PM

Nice! I thought you were MIA recently. Michigan definitely has some pretty scenery. Driving up the east coast of the lake in the fall is pretty sweet.

Highlander · July 09, 2009, 04:41:28 PM

Jus' chillin'...

Some very cools shots, John and family..,

Got a lot of family in that state...

jmcgliss · July 09, 2009, 04:49:12 PM

Isn't being among the pines and lakes therapeutic? We may be in South Haven next weekend for an open-track weekend at Gingerman Raceway. They sometimes have a problem with turtles crossing the track in two high speed corners. Summer means the scent of pines and hot brakes, with locally-made ice cream at night.

Barklessdog · July 15, 2009, 09:00:13 AM

Saw this artical about the Mission Wine country

http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/travel/1665777,CST-FTR-mich0715.article

Quote"This area has managed to stay a lovely, rural, agricultural place," said Cindy, a native of west suburban Hinsdale. "It's not overdeveloped. There were four wineries when we moved here 10 years ago, and there are only seven now."

Across the West Bay in the larger Leelanau Peninsula, you'll find nearly 20 wineries -- including one owned by Madonna's dad (Ciccone Vineyard). Both peninsulas fall along the 45th parallel, halfway between the North Pole and the equator -- a prime climate for certain wine grapes. Even though the wines produced in Leelanau and Old Mission are similar, the regions are different enough to be designated as separate appellations.

The picturesque East and West bays that bookend Old Mission are a big reason the peninsula's wines taste good -- and the vistas from the bike saddle look great.

In several spots along M-37, you're high enough to see water on the right and water on the left. You can keep pushing the pedals past fruit stands and syrup shacks -- where payments are made on the honor system -- until the road eventually calls it quits at a historic lighthouse and soft, sandy beach.

Nice to stumble on the unexpected.

rahock · July 15, 2009, 10:34:26 AM

I live in Michigan and I'm getting ready for a long weekend motor tripping through Ohio toward the West Virginia border. Lots of nice twisty roads and great scenery too

Great pics btw

Rick

TBird1958 · July 15, 2009, 01:10:35 PM

When I looked at the thread title I thought we were going to discuss vaccinations for overseas travel............. d'oh!

uwe · July 15, 2009, 01:21:02 PM

Other than penicillin you mean?

Pilgrim · July 15, 2009, 04:13:54 PM

I'm on vacation in Stateline, NV at the south end of Lake Tahoe. Lousy connections so this is the first time I've been able to visit in 5 days. I'll have some photos soon....

Rhythm N. Bliss · July 16, 2009, 03:38:21 AM

Isn't the mosquito Michigan's state bird?

Summer's my fav time of year, but it sure can be tough to deal with the increase in insects.
Had to deal with an ant invasion in my home today.
Glad it ain't like Michigan tho. Been there 3 times but just once in Summer.
That was more than enuf!

I love livin' on the coast in SoCal. It's like a vacation all Summer!!!

Denis · July 16, 2009, 06:55:15 AM

Those are beautiful photographs! Just think, in 6 months all of that will be under 2 feet of snow and ice!

rahock · July 16, 2009, 07:48:36 AM

Quote from: Denis on July 16, 2009, 06:55:15 AM
Those are beautiful photographs! Just think, in 6 months all of that will be under 2 feet of snow and ice!

The Grayling , Gaylord area is a pretty big snow belt, with Gaylord being at the 45 parallel (same as the north /south Korea border). Yeah it'll see some snow, but it's beautiful in the snow too.
Rick