Bucket lists were never my thing, up until recently. Now, I have a lengthy one demanding my attention. I want to be adventurous and try new things I had no desire to try before. Parasailing, being one of them, we had to try it. It was something new for both of us, and that was the entire purpose of our vacation. And, it seemed relatively safer than some of our other ideas on the trip. We are not sure what our lives are going to look like years down the road, so we have to take these opportunities as they come and make the most of them while we have them. I was more than excited to go up in the clouds over Lake Huron. We had hoped to go on Wednesday before zip-lining and the other adventurous things we had planned, but the weather was not on our side. The owners of Mackinaw Parasailing were more than accommodating and allowed us to come back the next morning before we headed home. We took the ‘Morning Eye-Opener’ package, which gave us a discount. This made it possible for us to grab the picture package so we would always have tangible memories of the morning. At nine o’clock, sharp, we got harnessed and secured in life jackets. The captain and crew took us out in the middle of the lake in an open boat. While we were moving towards the middle, we were given a crash course in safety. This was comforting to me. There were three groups of two planning to fly. Jennifer and I went in the middle spot. Although the air was chilly, it did not matter; we were enjoying every minute of it. Our turn was up, so we scooted to the launch platform. Soon, the cord began to release and up we went. The sensation of the ground being pulled out from under us was unforgettable. We had a bird’s-eye view of the Mackinac Bridge; we had officially seen every angle of “Mighty Mac.” The entire parasailing experience lasted about twenty minutes, but the boat ride lasted a little over an hour. This was the perfect closing seal on our vacation. The pictures tell it all; they are worth a thousand words. It was a spectacular and picturesque view with the ultimate feeling of being caught in the sails. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2016
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Jennifer and I spent parts of two days hiking in the great outdoors. One day brought more to us than we had bargained for, and the other day could not have been more perfect. Generally, the woods and I would not mix, but I was more than willing to go along to make memories with Jennifer. My perspective would soon change as the Upper Peninsula offered the possibility of wildlife I never wanted to come face-to-face with, but I will get to that soon enough. The day started out with a casual boat tour of the Soo Locks. Then we had to drive westward to get to Tahquamenon Falls. The original plan was to start at the Upper Falls and hike an eight-mile loop to the Lower Falls and back. Everything was going great; we were snapping pictures and taking it all in. The path terrain changed, and that signified the hike had begun. Since it had just rained, it was mostly mud, and I was more concerned about getting my shoes dirty (typical me). We were about two miles in when I was admiring the birds chirping and the leaves rustling. Jennifer made a joke about how it was good because if we stopped hearing the chirps, we knew we were in trouble. I could not imagine why that would be a problem, but I figured it out in ten short minutes. The woods fell completely silent, so quiet, it was deafening. The only sound to break the silence was a growl. My gut immediately told me to turn around and get out while we still could, but against my better judgment, I followed Jennifer deeper into the woods. With a few more steps, I turned to my right and saw the bear cub who had just let out a call to its mother. This was when we knew we had to get out. At this point, we remained calm and were focused on getting out. (I was still hung up on my shoes being ruined.) Pounding footsteps, large branches being snapped, and a couple more grizzly growls came from behind us. Jennifer looked behind to me to see if I was coming, and that was when the mama bear appeared on the trail. Common sense went by the wayside, and we ran like mad to get out. Running is not something I ever do, but I managed to run those two miles and get back to safety in less than twenty minutes. The potential of bear encounters are always possible in the Upper Peninsula, but I never thought we would see two and be so close to them. Needless to say, we drove to the Lower Falls, and the drive provided us the opportunity for our blood pressures to balance out. Since our day hiking did not go as planned, we set out to have a nice, calm hike another day. We stayed in Mackinaw City and went to Mill Creek Discovery Park. Here, we zip-lined and went rock-wall climbing before we set out for, what I would call a nature hike. The path was clearly labeled, with information plaques of wildlife and plants. This four-and-a-half-mile hike was redemption for the prior day’s adrenaline rush. Jennifer and I loved seeing plants we had never seen before and hearing the sounds of animals we usually do not hear at home. We traded bears for chipmunks this day, and that was about all I could handle after our close encounter. A lookout point, high above the forest canopy, gave a panoramic view of the city, lake, and over to the island. Having a clear viewpoint in the great outdoors of northern Michigan was good for the soul. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2016 Island life is so refreshing. Once we stepped on the upper deck of the ferry, it felt as though time slowed down. The extended ferry ride took us under the Mackinac Bridge. The early morning sun rays showered the “Mighty Mac” as we passed under. Although the transport from the city to the island was relatively short, it felt like we were going to a far-away place. We were stepping back in time to a slower pace where urgency was not a factor. Walking and biking are the only two modes of transportation, so that is exactly what we did. Bike rentals were plentiful, but we had done our research for the best deal. And so it began, I was getting on a bike for the first time in thirteen years. The old saying, “once you know how to ride a bike, you will never forget,” did not apply to me. I had a rocky start, but with time (about the time we were done riding) I got the hang of it. I was able to make some other people laugh along the way, so at least I had that going for me. M-185 is the only state highway to ban motorized vehicles. It runs the 8.2-mile perimeter of the island with mile markers. We set out for a leisure day pedaling. We stopped to take little hikes to various nature forms and to lookout points for a photo opportunity. Our goal was to enjoy the day and the sights the island had to offer; breaking a biking record was far from a priority. With some biking mishaps on my part and stops to make memories, our ride lasted about two hours. Our next stop on the island was Fort Mackinac. This took us to the nineteenth century. We saw demonstrations of the workings of war instruments, weapons, and maneuvers. The specific era was right around 1812. Jennifer and I were able to sashay down the dance line with two handsome soldiers, and it was fun to take part in an old-time Rose Dance. A tour of the fort followed. This historic ground brought an element of learning to our vacation. Lunch time soon rolled around, so we ate at The Tea Room in the forts, which is owned by the Grand Hotel. We ate while overlooking the bay and enjoyed the cool, summer breeze. The last stop on the island brought us to the Manoogian Art and Photography Museum. It was a nice end to our island life excursion. We saw historic renderings of the island and personal interpretations of iconic locations. It was interesting to me to be able to recognize some of the places in the pictures and compare them to the way we viewed them in current time. Some places looked different, while others remained absolutely unchanged. The time had come to board another ferry to come to the mainland. We had a little time to kill before it left, so the obvious option was to hit the shops. We got a few things and proceeded down the pier to wait at the docks until boarding. Reflections were exchanged between Jennifer and me. It was agreed that our day riding bikes on Mackinac Island was exactly what we needed and such a breath of fresh air. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2016 Chances are, if anyone asked me what time it is, my answer would more than likely be summertime. This is the time of year that I love, and try to make the most of it. It is the prime time to make memories with friends and go on adventures that only summer can bring, but there is a catch. The catch is that there is a college student’s budget involved. Yes, you read that right, I have a budget to stick to, and that is my story. Preparation for this trip began back in December, as my best friend, Jennifer, and I were trying to plan our twentieth birthday celebration. We originally wanted to get away for the weekend, but settled on going to a concert instead, so we could save the vacation for warmer weather. Together, we made a list of the possible places to travel to, but we ultimately decided on taking an old fashioned road trip to Mackinac Island and the Upper Peninsula. Sure, it is one of the more expensive places to go in Michigan, but we are making it work. This is our first solo trip, so the planning and funding were all on us. I knew if this trip was going to happen, we had to be smart and frugal. There are deals if you look, but you can also get burned. Finding the deals and making the itinerary helped make this trip seem more attainable. A list was created with prices, and a rough schedule was created to see this puzzle of planning come together. Planning fell on my shoulders, so I knew I had to favor both of our personalities. Jennifer is an outdoorsy person, and I would rather tour museums and historical places, so a balance had to be established. There is so much to do around Mackinac, so this was easy to figure and play around with. Between bike riding around the island and hiking in the Upper Peninsula Jennifer would be happy, and the forts and the boat tour of the Soo Locks, I would be happy. Once I figured out what we wanted to do while on vacation, I tried to nail down a schedule. I am all about planning ahead, and it is a requirement for vacationing in Mackinac. The island runs on a schedule so that forces us to run on a schedule. The ferries dictate when we have to leave the hotel, but we get to choose which ferry line we use, and obviously, we chose the one with the best offer and cheapest price. One of the available options is leaving early for the day, make one of the first ferries leaving the mainland, have a longer ferry ride to swing under the bridge, and then proceed to the island. This made the most sense because it is the same prices as some of the other ferries, but not all make this detour to see the bridge from a different angle. The tight scheduling continues on, as we trek up to the Upper Peninsula. We want to see as much as we can because we will only be up there for one day, so the timeline has to fit. Not only do we have to consider tour times, we have to account for drive times. Heading further north will bring the time crunch, but planning has forced us to recognize this. I think we have allotted enough time to take the Soo Locks tour and still have plenty of time to enjoy a hike through the falls. Each day has a jam-packed plan for fun and adventure. Making a budget is something I have never had to make, so Jennifer was a huge help in this area. A daily breakdown was created, and this will help us while we are on vacation to manage the money efficiently. We went as far to plan for fuel prices as they spike for the summer holidays. A money saver, for us, was finding a hotel that had breakfast included in the rates. This only leaves us planning for two meals a day, and we are planning on bringing along snacks as a buffer if lunch is forgotten by adventure. The biggest expense we have for this trip is the hotel, and that was to be expected, but we still managed to save some money based on the time of summer we are going. Since we did not want to be caught in the crowds that Mackinac attracts, we decided that going while most schools are still in session and before peak season begins it would equal the best deal. We are taking a gamble with Michigan’s weather going in the early months of summer, but it is worth it to save some money along the way. Jennifer was the number cruncher who made sure the things I had listed were going to fit in the budget and assured me we could do this ourselves. Our opposite personalities have always and will continue to work to our advantage. I keep us on schedule and enjoy sticking to a plan, while Jennifer is a great money manager and has a level-headed attitude. There is no doubt we will have a good time and make this vacation one to remember. We have had so many firsts together as friends, so saying that we are excited for our first trip together is the understatement of the year. Friends should make the time to go adventuring together and cherish these moments because we never know what the future holds. Vacations do not have to cost an arm and a leg. It is about making memories with friends and seeing new places together. The journey matters for something, and a good time is always guaranteed when Jennifer and I get together. It only seems right to make our first trip together a road trip because part of a vacation is packing up the car, reaching the destination, and having fun, even if it is fun on a budget. Stay Curious, Kayla And just because this is our anthem whenever we do anything together, here are The Beach Boys to bring some fun, fun, fun! ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2016 |
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