Prettier than I Expected 🌟
I left Karen’s house around 8 am to conquer the 430-mile journey to Petoskey, MI. 🏍️ Home of the 2017 BMW Riders Association annual bike rally, Petoskey sits on the northwestern tip of Michigan’s lower peninsula (comically referred to as the “mitt”) and is a pleasant little town unknowingly awaiting several hundred BMW motorcyclists to disturb it. In reality, there are so many vacationers in this town, they probably won’t even notice we’re here. 🌲🌊
Along today’s journey, I stopped at Lambeau Field to see the home of the Green Bay Packers. 🏟️ Then I paused for a couple of pictures in Manistique along the northern shores of Lake Michigan. 🌅 Finally, I took some pictures of the Big Mackinac Bridge, which connects the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan. 🌉 The south end of the bridge (Mackinaw City) hosts a quaint park that includes Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse and Fort Mackinac. Lizzie and Froggie jumped into a couple of photos. 🐸📸
I had one other unfavorable pit stop during today’s ride. A friendly police officer pulled me over. 🚔 He never said how fast I was going but definitely appreciated my bike and helmet communicator. After I handed him my police benevolent association (PBA) card, he looked at me and asked, “What’s this?” I guess they don’t have them in these parts. He let me go with only a warning to watch out for deer. 🦌
When I got to Petoskey, I checked into my hotel and connected with three other Riders Association board members and two of their spouses. For dinner, we ate at a pleasant bistro on the water in downtown Petoskey. 🍽️ To my surprise, Petoskey is much prettier than I expected. Its very clear and orderly downtown includes a cluster of boutique shops and restaurants. The architecture and buildings are well-maintained, yet host a look and feel of a time long past. 🏘️✨
After dinner, we followed the locals to the waterfront on Little Traverse Bay to see the 4th of July fireworks. 🎆 From our vantage point, we saw four separate towns launching their firework displays simultaneously. Never before have I seen multiple displays at once, and it greatly improved the whole exhibition. Happy 4th of July, everyone! 🇺🇸