With a spectacular full moon, my campsite was very well lit through the whole night. Even better, though, the Alpena CRTC RV Park was very quiet. I slept OK and was ready to get up by 0530. Since it wasn't light yet, I spent some time reading, doing puzzles and working on Duolingo exercises. When it was light enough (0645), I walked to a nearby restroom area to fill up all of my water bottles (I'd been hydrating well over the previous day). The temps were in the high 50s so I wore a light jacket initially. For some reason, there were a lot of mosquitos (I'd noticed none the night before). Back at my car, I repacked my "travel configuration" - I felt good about the conversion times (in both directions). - water refill. Since my new camp friend, Sam, had told me I could use the kayak again if I was awake early enough, I eagerly launched from the boat launch area at 0730 and paddled downstream in the Thunder Bay River. The weather was (again) perfect (sunny and clear) for being on the water and the world was very quiet. I passed several fish camps and saw evidence of trails and fishing spots as I continued into Lake Winyah. There were plenty of waterfowl again - huge herons and egrets, along with several kinds of ducks. As I passed one beaver lodge, I heard what sounded like a family of beavers inside - that was interesting. Occasionally, I noticed some kind of shellfish floating near the surface of the water and, when I researched them later, it is possible that I was noticing Chinese Mystery Snails (invasive) or (hopefully) some native freshwater snails. The wind really picked up on the lake and I had to fight both that and the strong current to go back towards my launch point. Fortunately, the paddling conditions improved as soon as I returned to the "bendy" river a bit farther upstream, I wrapped up my second unexpected kayak excursion of the weekend at 0845 and returned the boat to Sam's campsite. By then, both he and Bill were awake and I was able to thank them for their hospitality and generosity. Before departing the CRTC, I drove over to the Fitness Center and got a biking workout - the Dutch soldiers had just finished when I arrived. This time, I used a recumbent machine I'd noticed late last night. Between 0920 and 0940, I biked 9.5 km (all the equipment seemed to be using metric measurements), which translated to 5.6 miles (a personal best for the time period). After getting done on the equipment, I took a much needed shower and got changed into some nicer clothing. I only had to return my camp key to the Services Building before I departed the base (1000). I'd looked online last night and determined that my last visit to the area had been back in 2007 - I'm so glad that I returned to see what life was like away from the airport flight line! I got on MI-32 and drove into Alpena. Before reaching the downtown area, I stopped for fuel at Murphy Gas) at 1015. Since the price was higher than I'd been seeing in the area, I didn’t fill tank all the way. Hope I don't regret that later... For brunch, I went to JJ’s, a restaurant that had been recommended by Sam and Bill. Their suggestion ended up being a wonderful one - the "iron skillet" item I ordered definitely was filling and delicious. At 1100, I paid for my meal and departed in search of some views of the harbor area (including the outflow of the Thunder Bay River). For the next 30 minutes, I explored sites associated with the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Trail, which I learned later was very prominent during my entire driving day. Next, I departed Alpena on US-23 until I could turn east on some back roads. These took me deep into a rural, marshy area with only limited access to the shore of Thunder Bay. Where there were views, I very much enjoyed what I saw. One thing I wish I'd had more time for was taking a water tour of the many shipwrecks that had settled to the bottom of Thunder Bay. I'm sure there is good diving! I followed the water until I got to an area with lots of private property - the roads turned to dirt/gravel there too. After marveling at dozens of pretty homes with waterfront views, I made my way back to the west (and the pavement again); eventually, I was on US-23 again and headed north. I was pretty far away from the Lake Huron shoreline by this point but there were some really big lakes that seemed just as good. After a little while, though, I found an opportunity to drive east on the Lake Huron Highway - this gave me a chance to follow the edge of Lake Huron again. I should mention that I was still attempting to add some birding observations for the northern counties of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and, in this task, I was relatively successful. At one point, I started noticing signs for something called the Besser Natural Area and made my way there (following signage). When I arrived (after following an old dirt road), I parked in the lot for the Rockport State Recreation Area (Presque Isle County) and started exploring the trails and beach access points. For some reason, this beautiful shore area was nearly deserted, with only a few sunbathers and paddleboarders visible when I reached the water's edge (1200). There were some rocks piled (cairn style) on each other and I was surprised that they stayed so steady. I'd noticed a sign about a nearby shipwreck and, with help from a young lady who had just landed in her SUP, I figured out that a white buoy in the distance designated the spot where people could find the sunken ship. Wishing I had my kayak at that point... Departing from the beach, I started walking on a trail that purported to be a one mile loop that took me into an old area of the village of Bell (abandoned). I found a monument to the man who'd made the Besser Natural Area a reality, a stone chimney (but no house) and some amazing views of Lake Huron from Bolton Point. I got rather close to the shipwreck buoy - that was a treat but I still didn't have a way to access it... During my hike, I found lots of bird species (including a dead blue jay). Meanwhile, the sky started getting rather overcast - dang. I reached my car at 1255 and started driving north in the direction of Presque Isle. I made a stop at the Kauffman Homestead in Grand Lake - while there, I was treated to bagpipe music (a man was playing in front of a church for a funeral or wedding) and an encounter with a living descendant of Kauffman himself. The story of the family apparently revolved around their ancestor surviving a shipwreck nearby (Bell Bay) - when the survivor walked ashore, he made his way to Burnham's Landing and settled permanently. What an interesting story! Continuing north, I reached Presque Isle Front Range Light Park, where I took a walk between the old keeper's home and the beach itself. There were other lighthouses in the area and I stopped at a few, including the Old Presque Isle Light and New Presque Isle Light. The Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Trail signs were everywhere and I gladly digested all the historical tidbits they offered. Most of the lighthouses were open to the public for climbing but I had places to be so didn't take advantage of that opportunity. Instead, I stated west again (1345) and found US-23 again. With my coastline exploration complete, I was able to open up my Subaru's motor to 65 mph on a smooth two lane road. I did have to worry about deer coming out of the woods along the road but there was hardly any traffic at all. The sky seemed very big because the land was flat and the trees weren't very tall. I passed through Rogers City and P. H. Hoeft State Park before I started seeing signs for something called the "Forty Mile Point". When I realized there was a lighthouse there, I stopped to investigate. This turned out to be a good idea because I had a chance to walk down to the beach to see an actual shipwreck that had washed on land many years ago. The wooden planking was gradually deteriorating but the outline was still very obvious, I also explored the house where the lighthouse keeper managed the fog horn. A bit further from the shore, I found signs for the Huron Sunrise Trail (which bikers can use to travel to the lighthouse over the the seven miles from Rogers City) and walked a little of it. Before getting back in my car, I also visited the Glawe School, which had one room and lots of period relevant artifacts on display. After I left Forty Mile Point (1445), I only stopped once (at a scenic turnout on a high bluff above Lake Huron). I thought about attending Mass but learned that there wouldn't be any Vigil services nearby. With questionable weather approaching, it is probably better to wait until tomorrow anyway... I reached Cheboygan by 1520 and sought out the Cheboygan Brewing Company. Once inside (1530), I ordered a flight of beers and had a nice time talking to the staff. The beer was good too! When I finished (1630), I drove a short distance out of the Downtown area and found my lodging for the night, the Monarch Motel (1645). The place seemed to be mostly self-serve but I did end up meeting the lady who owned the little "inn" (I think it had about eight rooms). Rain clouds were threatening and I decided not to go out for a hike on a nearby bike trail I'd learned about - by then, I'd more than met my step goals for the day. Instead, I cooked dinner in my room and caught up on charging my electronics (they'd gotten very depleted from my camping overnight). For the rest of the evening, I did some planning for Mackinaw Island, worked on Duolingo exercises and watched movies. I felt very ready for bed at 2230. What a heck of a day on the shores of Lake Huron!
