Our Visit to Area Around Mio & Alpena, Michigan

On July 21st Bill & I took a little tour around Mio & the surrounding area. We went out for lunch in Fairview to a little family restaurant & then rode out to an Amish Furniture Store. Not that we wanted anything, just wanted to ride & look. After leaving the store, we took a little back road to the main road & saw this beautiful log home. How would you like to sit in this little addition & look out over your pond?? Mark.......do you still want that log home???? Scenery looks pretty good here in Michigan.......Lots of fishing, hunting, etc., etc.We stopped at the Mio Dam & saw these two men canoeing. They have canoe races in Grayling this time each year. Very busy place. AuSable River Festival - the AuSable River International Canoe MarathonThere were a couple of ladies & a couple guys fishing from this newly constructed handicapped pier.
Peaceful river. Look at those clouds.
On our way out we had to stop for this family of turkey. There were 12 little ones. After they crossed another momma & 2 babies came out & crossed.
Bill is picking up pine cones to help start his camp fire.
On Thursday the 22nd, Sue, my Bill & I headed for Alpena. Bill wanted to pay a surprise visit to his poker playing friend from AZ that lives in Alpena. At the intersection we had to wait for this gentleman to cross our path.
We arrived at Francis & Doris' home in Alpena shortly before noon. He certainly was surprised. He had just come home from riding his bike (they do a lot of that - his wife rides 3 miles to work every day.) He was out working in his garden. This was a picture Bill snapped of Doris' garden.
Francis and my niece Sue
After Doris came home from work, they took us on a tour of Alpena. Since he was a former postman, we knew he wouldn't get us lost! I can't remember the name of this place, but it had something to do with metal. This eagle was constructed of metal & was beautiful.
Downtown Alpena
This is a huge mound of salt that is mined under the city of Detroit & transported to Alpena to use on the roadways in the winter.
We took a tour of this museum. NOAA showing all about the shipwrecks in Lake Huron. If I remember right, there were 17 of them. Very interesting.
After our tour & museum visit, we went to a unique Saloon called John A. Lau Saloon. The food was fantastic. We ate outside in the garden area that was set up like you were eating on a street with old buildings surrounding you. Inside the Saloon the decor depicted the way the original bar/saloon looked. I hope the next person who gets there takes some pictures for me! My batteries (both sets!!!) died! It was really fascinating but I was bummed because I couldn't get pictures!
This concluded our day in Alpena. We had a fun time & it was great surprising friends & spending the afternoon with them! We will all be back in AZ before you know it!

Again, until the next "Catch Up".............The Traveling Cardinal's