What a crazy week. We finished our work at the Upper Peninsula State Fair in Michigan and went to lake Superior to fish. On our way out of Escanaba, MI I noticed my back driver side tire the outside one of the duely was looking low. So I searched the gas station for an air hose. While I did that a feeling hit me that I should check the inside tire too. So I looked in and to my surprise it was shredded; empty of air and a mess. The outside tire showed pitting from uneven wear from driving and carrying all that weight. Where along the line from WV to MI did the tire go bad. Didn't feel a thing except I thought the roads felt bad. But in this economy all roads seem bad.
The first tire place we hit seemed to be the most popular in town and I'm not sure why. They weren't the nicest folks. So we drove down the road where we found a little place called Stropick Oil who had a Firestone sign so we pulled in. Wow what service. They got the tires and had them installed and we were on the road to Superior.
The road to Superior at one point was a hwy only used by snow mobiles in the winter. They had speed signs posted just for them. I would love to see what cop would be out there hiding behind a tree with a radar gun enforcing that law.
Grand Marais, MI has a campsite right on the beach of Superior and it is spectacular. The town is tiny and you can walk everywhere. The water was a clear as tap water and you could see clear to the bottom almost everywhere you went. We tried to catch some fish and searched out some good spots including a pier. But alas no bites.
Our time there was short since we had to get our clwn, Cousin Wes home. His first day of high school started two days later. So we drove down to Bay City to fish Lake Huron.....Yikes. The silky sand of Superior was filled with broken shells and lead up to a mucky water edge where you would get you feet stuck in mud suction. The lake was too shallow to fish from the shore and we found out that the section we were at was state park so anything we caught we would have to throw back. The park were staying at had a lagoon to catch and release but there was no fun in that. They did have a pretty board walk around the wetlands and marshes. Lots of frogs...lots of frogs. But again it was state park so no frog gigging.
Some nice folks at a bait shop told us about a nice spot to fish along the Siginaw River. We went out too early in the day (sun high in the sky) and we didn't even get a nibble. While there a state employee for the DNR gave us a packet that explains what fish were safe to eat from that river and what were not. Apparently DOW and other companies used to use the river as a dump in the 70s and 80s. Later that night Vic Jr and I went back to the same spot and caught 3 pumpkin fish, one blue gill and three rock bass. All approved to be eat-able.
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| wetlands around Huron |
Just as we arrived in Bay City on Tuesday we had to rush and get Wesley down to the Flint area since he had school the next day and his mom was meeting us there.
Little did I know that the road that had the restaurant that I dropped him off to his mother at we would see again.
Today after a great full day of fishing and playing and resting yesterday four miles from exit 118 on Hwy 75 I got a distress call from Jim and the van over the radio. He had smoke coming from a tire. One of the bearings in one of the wheels had burned out and the tired was only holding on by will. Luckily the tow company came fast and the hitch and trailer repair place was just 4 minutes away. The trailer just fit on the flatbed; in fact, two of the wheels road on the flatbed railing. This all drew more attention to the Anti Monkey but decals on the trailer and our other vehicles. We got horn honks, waves, and laughs from truckers. The tow truck drive even took a picture of the Anti monkey butt box on his truck.
As expected the axle has to be replaced but more surprises were in store. A few years ago we had a bearing burn out. The mechanic who changed the axle told us we should add more grease every 2000 miles ... so for all these years we have been pumping grease in. When they took the tires off today the entire inside of the electric brake hubs were caked in grease. All of them had to be cleaned. We also noticed the second axle had a slight bend in it and that explains why we have been going through tires like water. So with the parts on hand but not enough time to finish tonight we left the trailer with them and found and RV camp for the night. Tomorrow we will pick it up and move on.
Just prior to this when we left the park we had plans to visit a restaurant that had a big sign that advertised it sold frogs legs. That was going to be out lunch....But as we pulled in we saw in smaller letter, "On Fridays". So we had Taco Bell. Then, since we had a little time to kill we went to Cabella's outdoor store. We picked up some simple fishing jigs and supplies and met a nice older man with some advice. It was nice.
Well, here we are at the camp.
I think back to the UP State Fair. It was a nice place. six days and good sized crowds. The wind was our enemy as it always seemed to blow. Try fire acts in that. On our drive out we picked up Pastys....(pass-tees)....
Some pix from the kids:
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