06/30 to 06/30 - Pine Ridge Campground - Birch Run, MI

06/30 to 06/30

Pine Ridge RV Campground  

With two fuel stops, the trip actually took 5¼ hours.

Today's long ride was okay with two memories that stand out. The first which also could be said of Ohio was the beautifully kept properties and homes that lined the highways and streets traveled. Manicured lawns and lots of acreage. The second feature that catches one's eye is the amount of farmland that stretches to the horizon. Primarily corn and wheat, these crops line either side of the highway usually to the horizon. Very picturesque and so typical of rural America. Again, the homes are beautiful although perhaps not the owners of the farmlands. Again, I found the trip a pleasant one based on the beauty of the surroundings.

A "triple trailer" usually seen in the western states require permits in that state, are strictly regulated and only allowed on specific routes.

Entering "Pure Michigan." Put into use in 2006 to boost tourism, I prefer to call Michigan The Great Lakes State.

Michigan is the only state in the U.S. that consists of two peninsulas; these connected by the awesome Mackinaw Bridge. Bordering four of the five Great Lakes: Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie, the state does deserve its nickname, The Great Lakes State. No point within the state of Michigan is more than 6 miles from a body of water. Michigan has an estimated 65,000 inland lakes and ponds. This puts any person in the state within a distance of six miles from a natural water source.

Another factoid which made for a great riddle when I was a kid; if you travel south from Detroit, Michigan, what is the first country you'll enter. Answer is Canada. From Detroit, Michigan, you will cross the Detroit River and enter Canada. Specifically, you will reach Windsor, Ontario, which is located directly south of Detroit. This is one of the few places in the continental United States where traveling south takes you into Canada.

A very inviting, wooded campground with 204 beautiful and spacious sites. A perfect place to celebrate my first of three campground in a state I've never visited. One down, eight to go. 

For our overnight stay, Dan/Mel and I were able to be neighbors. This made it very convenient for Dan's and my morning coffee get-togethers.

Nice as the sites were, I find this annoying predicament all too often. After the usual curse word or two, it's "what were they thinking? One doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to know "water" doesn't run uphill. So, there was a little extra work to emptying my tanks.

Even though we were here for an overnight, Mel chatted with a neighbor who suggested Tony's I-75 Restaurant. A 9-egg omelet? A BLT with a pound of bacon? Desserts that "4 firemen can't finish?" Check out the menu. So we went.

In New York, we call this a Diner.

We shared White Cheddar Garlic Cheese Curds: Deep-fried golden brown bites of cheesy Wisconsin heaven served with a marinara dipping sauce.

I had the largest bowl of Mac N’ Cheese I ever saw:  ​Macaroni with a rich and creamy blend of white cheddar sauce topped with a cheesy blend of parmesan and cheddar-jack. The fork shows relative size.

That's it; the best I could do...tomorrow night's dinner.

With "Got Bacon?" on the back of every server's T-shirt and up to 11,000 pounds of bacon used weekly, this was a bacon lover's heaven.

Once again, through Mel's research, we were able to catch an evening cruise after dinner on the Bavarian Belle Riverboat departing in Frankenmuth, Michigan's Little Bavaria on the Cass River. Frankenmuth was founded in 1845 by German immigrants from Franconia (Franken), Bavaria (Muth). The town's architecture reflects the heritage.  Nearby is Bronner's Christmas Wonderland: One of Frankenmuth's most famous attractions is Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, the world's largest Christmas store. It covers 27 acres and offers over 50,000 Christmas decorations and gifts.

The ticket office for the cruise sits among over 40 unique stores and attractions in The Riverplace Shops, designed to resemble a quaint Bavarian village.

The $16.00 ticket offered a one-hour narrated tour which turned out to be what I thought was one of the most informative, well-delivered narrative given by a tour guide, Captain Jene.

For over 20 years, the Bavarian Belle Riverboat, has been a family owned and operated authentic stern driven paddlewheel riverboat.

The family brought the Bavarian Belle from Arkansas to Michigan in 1999 and carefully restored the 150-passenger vessel.

The family: Captains Mitch, Jene and Stan

The best viewing was from the upper deck. Snacks and beverages were available for purchase and for $2.00/bag of popcorn passengers also provided gulls and mallards food as they followed the boat.

The live and pre-recorded narrative in a most pleasing voice, Captain Jene gave the history of Frankenmuth, the Cass River upon which we sailed and the incredible story of the dismantling, delivery from Arkansas to Michigan and the reconstruction and renovation of the Bavarian Belle.

As the dam ahead of us prevented our tour further south, we made a 180º turn and headed up the Cass River. The Covered Bridge (Holz Brücke) was built in 1979, spans the Cass River and connects downtown Frankenmuth with the Bavarian Inn Lodge. It's Michigan's largest covered bridge.

The detailed description of the history and construction of this 230 ton, 239 foot covered bridge given by Capt. Jene left me in awe. Read about it HERE

The Bavarian Inn Lodge

The Boat Well or "wet slip" where the Bavarian Belle is moored during the winter months.

Star of the West Milling Company originated in Frankenmuth over 150 years ago. 

Its tall silo stands out with communication towers...

...occupying the top. The flag is 15x20 feet. Watch the one-minute video about the 11th largest milling operation in the U.S. HERE.

Other than the commercial properties along the river, the tour and Capt. Jene continued with detailed history of land use as well as nature's inhabitants usually seen along the river. Woodlands and parks slowly drifted by as we paddled to a turnaround point and headed back.  The next day we were headed to Traverse City, Michigan for a 3-night stay. I hope you'll join in on the adventure.

"There’s something uniquely relaxing about a riverboat cruise; the slow pace of the journey, the rhythmic sounds of the water, and the ever-changing landscape that drifts by, all combine to create a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life." - Unknown