Showing posts with label Port Huron. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Port Huron. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Sun On My Toes


Oh! I thought it was called "Robins NEST"!

Robin's Rest Stop GC7E3FX

That was the beginning of our adventure last weekend to Lake Huron. TaGeez and I had started the day intending to visit a quilt shop in Ann Arbor. Instead, with the need for the road under our wheels, we turned towards Port Huron and the fabulous Sew Elegant Quilt Shop. 

Really, though, it was just an excuse to continue north for a much-needed mini-adventure. I told TaGeez as we set off that I wanted water, people watching, sunlight, geocaches and a lighthouse.  He nailed it on all accounts!


100x5 Icon Challenge GC235MP

Have you cached along lower Lake Huron? It's about 30 miles between Port Huron and Port Sanilac. That's 30 miles of the bluest lake, cabins with funny names, and scenic pull-offs. Our main goal is Lexington, named for the famous Revolutionary War town in Massachusetts and once a Great Lake lumber port. Now its full of free festivals and quirky shops. 



And did I mention beaches? This was our view from Windjammers restaurant at the intersection of Main Street and Lake Huron. TaGeez and I enjoyed Alaskan cod and the best damnedest clam chowder. Poor TaGeez turned his back once and his chowder just disappeared!




After lunch (and listening to the Kentucky Derby on the bar TV), we moseyed over to the public docks and breakfront. 77 degrees, sunny with a light breeze. It sounds corny but you could feel the mantle of Winter left in a bag back in the car and the sun warming our very white toes. Too bad nobody informed Mother Nature - that water was 43 degrees and frigid! Holy frigid witch!





This sweet beauty is the mate of the one we spied from Windjammers. You may think this creature is the epitome of nature's grace, but, after we took this photo, it preceded to continually moon us. Asshole.




Windjammers on the right
Back up the hill and to the shops of Lexington. There are only 4 caches in and about town, and we just found the one outside the theater. We were surprised this little tourist town are headlining country stars like Lorrie Morgan and Kenny Chesney this summer.  I can't imagine where everyone will park.



Speaking of 4 caches... WE FOUND A LONELY CACHE! A multi/puzzle Spirit Quest in Lexington Cemetery unfound for TWO YEARS!  We were about to give up after fighting thorns, vines, standing water, and bugs, but we noticed a gold glint amongst the dead leaves. And this cemetery had a 'DEAD END' sign out front.

SQ - Lexington GC2RK6K

Back in the car and heading towards Port Sanilac, we pulled off at a number of scenic stops. Each conveniently had a scenic view and a geocache! Pure Michigan!

Secret Huron View GC5A8P1....

... and the view.

Port Sanilac is known for "a rich history with attractions such as the lighthouse built in 1886, the oldest continuously operating hardware store in Michigan, the Sanilac County Historical Village and Museum ... " 

Port Sanilac Lighthouse
We spied all three as we navigated to the beach for a little more caching. We happened upon geocache #1 of the Shore to Shore series and then one of Rattrak's Earth caches.

Shore to Shore #1 GC6W8T9

Admittedly, I don't seek out Earth Caches. Too many of them are cut-and-paste creations from Wikipedia, but we've come across some amazing ones in Ohio (Artesian wells, Berea sandstone castles), Iowa (limestone kilns, bedrock refrigeration), Massachusetts (dinosaur footprints), Washington DC (Smithsonian Natural History Museum). 

Great Lakes - Lake Huron Earth Cache GC127DA

So, when it presented itself, we acquired a clear bottle from a random trash bin, scooped some frigid water, and then stared at it on our washing machine for three days to see if it performed a trick. It did.



I think the coolest cache stop we've experienced this year is this SQ in Lakeport. Very cool bridge. It had a grated walkway with vines and ivy growing in. Luckily TaGeez was on his game for this one!

SQ - Lakeport South GC71EYR

After a long, glorious day it was time for a cold refreshment to counter the saltiness on our upper lips and the sand stowing away in my pant cuffs. We met a few new friends including an A&W Papa Burger statue and...


And Greg E. Normous Muffler Man! Yes, a Muffler Man SO close to home!


This trip was exactly the tonic we needed to take the edge off our cabin fever and stoke the road trip fires! One adventure down and two more to go this month!


Friday, July 11, 2014

ROAD TRIP! Historic Caches of St Clair County Challenge GC29AVT

Team Free Range Lobsters were tearing up the “thumb” on Independence Day!

TaGeez is on the mend, and we needed an adventure.  We met with WikidKriket and SnakeyLicks for a special tour of the St. Clair River on the 4th of July.  Caching on this gorgeous blue day from New Baltimore to Port Huron, we qualified for and found the Historic Caches of St Clair County Challenge GC29AVT.

Historic Caches of St. Clair County Challenge
Looking in the wrong place

TaGeez for the find!
Happy 3000th find, Sweetie!

TaGeez, WikidKriket and SnakeyLicks

The cool thing about this challenge is that you must find 5 of the 7 oldest caches in St Clair County to qualify.  Best part?  5 of the caches were Virtuals!  We spent the day locating historical markers about ship builders to ship wrecks, International underwater train tunnels, Edison’s railroad time in Port Huron.

Miss America x 10 GCJ6TA

Right on the St Clair River

Back in Time GC7C90


We drove up the (almost looked fake) blue St Clair waterways, roadside dotted with small Independence Day festivals and holidaymakers.  Lunch was at the awesome Marine City Fish Company – large window in front framing the passing freighters heading to the Blue Water Bridge or down to Detroit.





What is more fitting than immersing ourselves in Michigan’s maritime history on this important holiday?

 
Marine City

View from No Canadian Fish GC2H4N1

Brought my Ghost (Virtual) Geocoin for every stop

Turning Point 211
This is cool - it's a Canadian Virtual that can be
grabbed from the American side!

First Benchmark of the Day!

View of the Blue Water Bridge from the
Lightship Huron


I love these old caches – especially the Virtuals and the traditionals with the original logs.  To scroll back and see log entries from a decade or more ago…. To know that these people’s words have survived so long in the Michigan elements…. To walk in others footsteps learning the coolest history and experiencing the coolest sites – awesome!

Young Thomas Edison and the Blue Water Bridge

Young Thomas Edison and the Blue Water Bridge

Thomas Edison Depot Museum
Kriket doing her ode to Stand By Me

Watching freighters under the Blue Water

Standing under the Blue Water Bridge
Yes, that's Canada

Appropriately enough, the Virtual is called Hold Me Tight GC7C96

Lovely series of Maritime-themed parks along the riverfront

We took time to read - and appreciate - everything

Our final view of the riverfront park before we headed home to
frozen custard and fireworks

The Historic Caches of St Clair County Challenge is just one of many “county challenges” in Michigan.  Alongside the 2 TaGeez and I will complete on our way to Midwest GeoBash in two weeks, we will have 6 of the 10 needed to qualify for the Michigan Counties Metachallenge GC30JWA.

White pins are required Virtuals
Purple pin is the Challenge cache

Totals for the Day:

12 Caches total (11 American and 1 Canadian)
1 Milestone (TaGeez’s 3000th)
7 Virtuals
1 Challenge + 3 puzzles
3 Benchmarks
4 Freighters + 1 Lightship
Anchors, ships’ bells, boats, trains, tunnels, lighthouses, bridges and docks
4 fish dinners

5 custard desserts (had to bring one home to Fiona)