Back in the US of A

The Pondit left Niagara Falls, Ontario at 6:10 AM. There was not too much activity in this booming resort city at this hour. I actually had to drive a bit northeast to get to my destination. My trip across Ontario took me through St. Catherine, Hamilton, London and Sarnia. I made excellent time. It took me only five minutes in queue and answering questions to get back into the USA at Port Huron, Michigan. US Customs wanted to know who Valeria was. (My license plate is VALERIA3). I told them the abridged version of the Valeria Langeloth story and he quickly waved me through. My only re-entry issue was that the State of Michigan does not allow foreign made cars into the state from Canada. I had to leave my Genesis at the border and rent a Ford stretch cab F-250. Nice truck and I am getting 11.5 MPG on the highway. I barely made it between gas stations in northern Michigan. Don't these people know we import most of our oil? Just kidding!!! I am still driving the Genesis.

I passed through Flint and Saginaw on my way north and was ahead of schedule. I searched and found a golf course near Roscommon Michigan, Forest Dunes. I got off the interstate in Grayling Michigan after missing the Roscommon exit – huge mistake. Grayling is one big road construction site and I got detoured and finally had to rely on my Garmin to get to the course which was thirteen minutes away. One half hour later the Garmin had me turn on a dirt road. That road turned into a road that had grass growing between the tire paths. I was in the middle of the Michigan woods on roads that got more and more narrow every few hundred yard. Bushes were hitting the car on both sides yet the Garmin sent me on. Amazingly there were street signs in the woods, but all the roads said "private" and "keep out". I could not turn around and the path got smaller and smaller. Several times I had to stop the car and move small trees that had fallen across the path. My heart rate was up to 130 beats per minute and the melody from Deliverance was playing in my head. At times I had to guess where the tire tracks were! Finally I emerged on a paved road (barely paved) and was only a few hundred yards from the golf course which is in the middle of nowhere. An employee met me and took my clubs. I went in to see if I could play and the golf fee was $125. It actually was a marvelous course.
I had the bartender write me directions to get back to the highway. I again got lost but never left paved highway although the Garmin tried to get me back into the woods several times. I played my round of golf in three and one-half hours but spent two hours driving through the boondocks.
I got to Mackinaw City at 7:00 PM. I walked to Lake Michigan behind my hotel then showered and went for cocktails and dinner at an Irish pub. It is now 9:45 PM and I am sitting on my patio overlooking Lake Michigan writing this blog entry. It is still not dark.
Today I actually saw four of the Great Lakes. Lake Superior is only 30 miles north of where I am staying. I could have visited each of the lakes in one day's travel!

Here are some photos:

I am back in America as I cross the bridge at Port Huron.

US Customs. Soon to learn of Valeria Langeloth.

This is the road in the woods when it was still the equivalent of a Deliverance Interstate highway This is Wiporwill Road as it starts out along the power lines. I have several miles to go along these paths.

Part of club house and restaurant at Forest Dunes golf course.

A view of the course. I shot 88 and the temperature was 89.

My motel in Mackinaw City.

Motel room front view.

Motgel view from back porch.

The hotel next door. This is the north end of Lake Michigan.

The Pondit's feet in Lake Michigan.

Downtown Mackinaw City.

Boat at mooring.