Young State Park - Sept.1 thru 30, 2011

Looking good.

There is nothing better than a tropical paradise.

                                                                  

 

 We have finally made it to Young State Park in Boyne City. The first weekend here was Labor Day and the park was full.  That meant we had to have a craft day with the kids. This was what we worried about...it turns out the two crafts, which were a spider web complete w/spider and a skeleton made from Q-tips were a big hit!  We had about 6 or 8 kids show up which was a relief that there weren't more, and they had a good time.        

    

Big scary spider.

Q-tip skeletons are cute but not scary

                                                

  

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                                                                                                                                                                                                             Since then it has been really quiet. About 10 campers on and off during the week, and about 20 or so on week ends. We've had mostly adults so there have been no more craft hours (thank goodness), just coffee hours on Saturdays (that I can handle). 

Our friends Jim and Terri live right next to the park so it's nice to be able to visit with them when we have some free time (like when the Tigers are playing). Petoskey is about 25 minutes away so we can run in there to shop or go to the casino for lunch. So far we have held our own at the casino. We've taken a boat trip into Charlevoix with Jim and Terri and their friends Jim and Linda; our good friend Mary, who is working on Mackinac Island, has come down a couple of times; we've explored all around the area, visited with campers and have just had a great time.  Be sure and check back for part 2 of our stay here.

I thought someone said we were going someplace warm?

Hi Mr. chipmunk. Is that a wide screen??

Forty Mile Point Lighthouse August 1-14, 2011

Looking at the lighthouse from Lake Huron.

The keepers of the light. Holly is the good looking one.

The 3rd order Fresnel lens. Made by hand and beautiful.

The kitchen as it may of looked in the early 1900's.

The dining room.

Our home for the two week stay at the lighthouse.

After a week at home after Ludington, we moved on to our next assignment. The first two weeks in August were spent at Forty Mile Point Lighthouse. This is located just north of Rogers City on Lake Huron and was built in 1896 and put in service in 1897. This is a beautifully restored lighthouse. It is a duplex with the head keeper living on one side and and his assistant on the other with the light tower in between. The tower houses a 3rd Order Fresnel lens (pronounced frenell). This lens was built in 1872 in Paris. We were given a full hook up site for the coach just down the lane from the lighthouse. As in Ludington, we had a chance to meet and make new friends and talk to people from all over the U.S. and the world. I even had them thinking I really knew something about lighthouses, and that was just the people we were working with! The walk to the lighthouse was shorter and it did have one less step to get to the top then at Ludington, which made the daily commute a little nicer. Enjoy the pictures and if you are ever by Rogers City, go north a little more and see the lighthouse. We can guarantee you will not be disappointed. Next stop, Young State Park in Boyne City, Michigan.

Ludington Lighthouse July18-24, 2011

Ludington North Break Water Lighthouse built in 1926

Always on the look out for pirates and sea monsters.

The LNBW crew--Holly, Marv, Cynthia, Tracy and Sandy

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This was our home for the week we were keepers, it is located in Ludington State Park.

Our adventure began July 18 as we took on the position of lighthouse keepers at the Ludington North Break Water Light also known as the LNBW. Right after meeting our other three house mates we knew right off we were in for a great week. Four bright and intelligent women and then there was me. We had a great time, made some new friends and met people from all over the world. Italy, Nepal ( how they ended up in Ludington is still a mystery), Scotland even all the way from Holland. That's Holland , MI.  We recommend that anyone that loves lighthouse do this at least once, you won't regret it. Plus the half mile walk out and back and climbing 54 steps up and 54 down several times a day is great exercise, at least that is what they kept telling me. Next stop on this great adventure will be Forty Mile Point Lighthouse. If we had known retirement was this much fun we would have retired before we got jobs.

This is about the travels of Marv and Holly since our retirement in June of 2011. We are living in our 40' motor home and traveling where ever the winds take us. We have worked as volunteer lighthouse keepers at two different lighthouses. One in Ludington, MI. and one in Rogers City, MI. We are currently camp ground host at Young State Park in Boyne City, MI, In October we will be heading to Elephant Butte State Park in New Mexico for the winter. Be sure and check on us to see how our adventures are going.