Rob spent many years in the woods and surrounding areas of Mio, MI when he lived there. We will be revisiting some of those places and a few others while we are at the Mio Pines campground before our trip downstate. The weather is amazing and is calling us so we pack up boots, walking sticks, snacks, water and go see what new adventures we can find.
Do you ever drive along the highway and notice how many places we take for granted and fail to see the beauty? I think we are all guilty of it. So as we are driving and we see a place that is inviting, we accept the invitation to step inside and take in the wonders as they unfold. That’s exactly what we did when we stopped at the Huron-Manistee National Forest. It’s very large so you may get many invitations along the way. Now I ask you, how can you resist losing yourself among all this. Even Baxter couldn’t resist letting the wind blow through his hair.
Having whetted our appetite to take in the sites of these towns that all seem to have something special to offer, we drove on to our next stop which was the Tawas Point Lighthouse in...Tawas! It didn’t appear to be very busy but considering all the country was going through I’m sure many people stayed home. Lighthouses are so fascinating. I always wonder what it was like years back when the lighthouse was used to bring safety to the vessels traveling by. Each lighthouse is unique in its engineering and purpose. We worked up an appetite doing all this exploring. Luckily Desi’s Taco Lounge wasn’t far away. This restaurant has been there for many, many years and today was no exception. We had no problem putting away more than our share of tacos.
Since we don’t get this way very often and the day was still young, Rob suggested we drive over and see the Lumberman’s Memorial in Oscoda. It’s a beautiful park overlooking the Ausable River high banks. It’s definitely worth your time to plan a visit there if you have not been there.
Lumbermen’s Monument is a monument dedicated to the workers of the early logging industry in Michigan. Standing at 14 feet, the bronze statue features a log surrounded by three figures; a timber cruiser holding a compass, a sawyer with his saw slung over his shoulder, and a River rat resting his peavey on the ground. The granite base of the entire statue is engraved with a memorial that reads “Erected to perpetuate the memory of the pioneer lumbermen of Michigan through whose labors was made possible the development of the prairie states.” It is also inscribed with the names of the logging families who dedicated their time and efforts to the industry in the area. It was built in 191, dedicated in 1932 and is managed by the USDA Forest Service.
The next day Rob decided to take me on a tour of some of the dams and waterways in the Oscoda area. Each spot has a displayed function and history. We visited three that day, I believe.
Located above the Foot Site Damon the AuSable River, along River Road National Scenic Byway, the three-acre site is owned by Consumers Energy Company and is maintained and operated by the Township. This is adjacent to the area where the privately owned AuSable River Queen docks.
We just couldn’t stand it any more. All the water, beautiful weather, and no one around. We had to go canoeing. There were many rentals places to choose from but we didn’t have to go far to find one more than willing to get us set up with everything we needed. With canoes paddles in hand we step into the water and gently get in the canoe with the greatest of faith that we will come back dry. We only saw one other canoe on the water and that happen to be some fishermen early on. What a way to forget the troubles of the world and the hustle bustle of the day. And to top it off, the trees changing colors on the water was very brilliant considering they were just starting to change. This was a blessed day.
As dusk was settling in it was time to call it a day. We found ourselves ready to relax and take in the memories of the past few days. Nothing special was planned for our last day in Mio so we had no special plans. We decided to check out a few old landmarks to see if they were still viable. We drove to Luzerne MI. It happened to not be far from where we were staying. It is an attraction to locals as well as those passing through. Thinking we would stop by the local historic restaurant for lunch was a big mistake as it was very busy and we didn’t feel like waiting around. Instead we found a trail that led to a boardwalk that went through the woods. All of the sudden we weren’t hungry but felt the need to see where the boardwalk went. So glad we did. For the many times we have been through town we had no idea the boardwalk was there. We found fall colored trees, a flowing River, an unusual drainage system, horse trails and a sure sign of fall. It seemed the perfect way to end our Michigan vacation.
As much fun that we have had and captured so many sights and memories, we were ready to be on our way. After all, we had a wedding to go to....in fact, 2 of them. The time has come to secure everything, pack up, and move on down the road tomorrow. We are looking forward to seeing our families before we head southwest.
2020 has been a very crazy year and I hope you are all staying safe and sane. Some days it is a challenge but one sure way to beat that is to go outdoors and find someplace new to explore. Let the wind blow your hair and the sun shine on your back. And while out there, don’t forget to look up, it’s amazing out there.
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