Boo... Hoo! $$$

So the next morning we visited both the Old and New Presque Isle lighthouses. The new one had a really snazzy gift shop where I bought a lovely Lighthouse Scarf and some flashing Lighthouse Pins for my friends back home. They charged $2.50 to climb to the top. Oh, sure, the money was supposed to go for upkeep, but I still thought it a bit steep. Steep as the staircase to the top.

I’m not usually claustrophobic, but I did feel the walls a little to close for comfort while ascending the spiral staircase. The steps were metal and had an open grid work. Going up was a bit of a challenge. Not very high, but tiring to walk that fast. There were little windows along the way to look out, but you couldn’t open them. Pretty view at the top, but very windy. I took the obligatory “I can see my car from here” shot and a few of the surrounding grounds.

Then came time to descend. Not so fun. The optical illusion of seeing daylight through the steps was freaky. Every landing I would tap a toe out cautiously as if I would plunge earthward because there wasn’t really a sturdy step there. Oh, sure, I could have looked up while waking down, but that would have required way too much faith. So much for mind over matter. Don’t ask me to get the Holy Grail to save your life like Indiana Jones. I tapped my way down with out incident but had to laugh at how ridiculous I must have looked. Fortunately no one else was in the stairwell at that time.

The Old Lighthouse is the one that was supposed to be haunted. Nothing spooky about it during daylight. A much shorter climb and much less spectacular view. Solid cement stairs. No signs of the paranormal. Well, having to pay the same to climb fewer steps was kind of scary.

We continued on to 75 and headed south towards Flint (former home of Michael Moore, Ben Hamper and Christopher Paul Curtis!) then through Detroit (do not break down, do not break down, do not break down…) to the Ambassador Bridge. Got some cool pictures of the bridge which was amazing since we were moving. Canadian border security is less than tight, I mean they barely squinted at our DL’s from ten feet away and told us to have a nice time. Guess there aren’t many terrorists who drive vintage Vettes. Speaking of, I saw the most Vettes in the UP, probably vacationing like ourselves. But they were all newer. You don’t see many people out joyriding in the old ones, especially driving cross-country like we do.

Went to Kingsville and stayed with Mr. Right’s relatives on a channel leading to Lake Erie. Best boat name on the dock: Eriesponible. Went to get fishing licenses and his uncle said we would be fishing for Pickerel. Al and I exchanged glances. Um, we were hoping for some Walleye…
Pickerel are Walleye, you have to speak Canadian. Whew!