Road Trip 2013 Day 8

Those of my friends who have traveled with me know that I have encountered a hurricane in Virginia and 2 tsunamis in Hawaii on my travels.  This trip it was a fire in the hotel adventure Monday morning!  At 6:30 am the fire alarm sounded then went off then on then off again. I am not one to panic which may or may not be a good thing. Since the alarm stopped I figured it was something minor. Until I opened the door to the hall and smelled the electrical fire smell and saw the hall filling with smoke. That's when I start to plan what to take with me and how fast do I need to leave. I checked out the window to see the fire trucks and firemen calmly carrying fire extinguishers toward the hotel laundry facilities. Hoses hooked to fire hydrants would make me nervous but fire extinguishers made me think this was not worth evacuating over. Turned out to be an electrical fire in the laundry. 

Whew!  My trip to Mackinac Island would not be delayed!  My dream of sitting on the porch of the Grand Hotel was going to come true!

I boarded the 9 am ferry at Shepler's dock and was off to the Island. The 9 am ferry takes a little jog under the big bridge then off into Lake Huron and Mackinac Island. I keep pinching myself to see if this is real. Ouch!  It is!  

After wandering a bit I got onto a tour carriage to see more of the island. 

Lots of horses here and thousands of bicycles. Very beautiful!  

And Starbucks!  And fudge! And more fudge!  The carriage dropped us off at a butterfly conservatory. 

Reminded me of my granddad who was a world renown butterfly collector. The ride around the island was informative and full of history lessons about the many wars fought to control the commerce and waterways of this area. 

I had the driver drops off at the Grand Hotel where I absolutely HAD to pay the $10 to experience the parlor and veranda where Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour filmed Somewhere In Time. It was spectacular!!!  

 
 We went up to the Cupola Bar where I could see the bridge and beyond. 

I think this is the phone booth where Christopher changed clothes in the movie. 

This was by far the best day yet on my adventure!  Today I head over the 5-mile long Mackinac Bridge to the UP and on to Canada.  Back on the road again!