Vacation Album

This is the last posting of photos from our recent vacation. If you don't enjoy looking at other people's vacation pictures you might want to close this window now. Ashley, you are excused from looking at these since you already sat through the entire showing of Dale's photos and mine!

Do you ever ask someone to take a photo of you and your family with your camera when you travel? I ask. I give a bit of direction but I am often surprised when people want to back up lots, point the camera toward our legs or completely miss the background! But with digital you can take a peek, then ask someone else later! I am also quick to offer to take a photo when I see people photographing each other. Most people seem to appreciate the offer and trust me with their cameras.

These photos are in no particular order because that seems to take more time and planning than I want today. The Mackinac Bridge is beautiful and quite long for a Midwesterner. The last time I was there Jay had his driver's permit but could not be encouraged to drive across. It is a beautiful area where the Upper Peninsula meets the lower part of the state. . . two very different lands!

It was fun to explore the U.P. We chased a couple of sunsets, enjoyed the food, the scenery and the sense of humor that comes from Yoopers. We did drive up to Sault Ste Marie to visit the Soo Locks and spend a little time on Lake Superior.

The best surprise of the trip was a wonderful Art and Cultural Festival in Cleveland. It was not in our plan but when we headed the wrong direction we stumbled on the Tremont Historical District. We decided to park the car and enjoy the discovery. It was a beautiful park lined with many artists and church booths selling food. There was a stage with a great variety of local entertainment also. As always we tried something new to us and ate perogies as well as cabbage and noodles. The locals were so friendly and happy to have Iowans there to visit.

Our afternoon at Sleeping Bear Dunes was quite an adventure. According to the printed materials we found the largest of all the dunes. WHY? I have no good reason! The last time I was there when the kids were little I am very certain that the dune was not this tall! I do not remember being so winded. I do not remember my ankles hurting and my calves burning!

I walked up most of the way to discover we were not at the top but that we could now see the rest of the steep dune! I heard others swearing at this point but I was conserving my breath so I did not! Dale went the rest of the way to the top and I was there to photography his running descent.

Dale follows the rules. He is cautious and considerate when out and about. I guess that's why I thought this photo was pretty funny. This is on the shore of Lake Erie and the rocks were very slippery, even a bit slimy. Dale had not seen the sign but we had both been out on the rocks with our cameras and lots of other people. We were safe.

I took this photo of Dale at Progressive Field when we went to watch the Cleveland Indians play. I think I am learning more about setting my focus when I want to blur the background, or I just got lucky. See the blanket on the guy in front of Dale? Those are the free blankets. We each got one. It was a very fun night.

This was a wonderful morning bike ride on Mackinac Island. It was a gorgeous day and we enjoyed the bikes and scenery as we rode around the perimeter of the island. We were advised that horses have the right of way so we rode carefully! When we got off the bikes we picked up our fudge and headed toward the boat for the short ride to the mainland.

It truly was a wonderful vacation. Even when we got lost we had fun. I love to travel and it's a bonus that Dale and I travel so well together. Now it's time to start planning for the next one!