Intriguing Indiana, wicked Wisconsin AND a sticker...

My first error in planning our big journey made itself sneakingly clear this stop in the fact that I ASSUMED that Michigan City was in Michigan. Well, it turns out that it's actually in Indiana, which is really close to the Michigan border, but like in horseshoes, close doesn't count so we didn't get the opportunity to put the Michigan sticker on our map this trip. Indiana was visited last year and our sticker has adhered very well since then.

We did get to put the Lake Michigan sticker on, though,  because on Saturday evening I made sure we actually saw and touched the lake in order to qualify. It was amazingly huge, aqua-blue and clean.

Beautiful Lake Michigan with the pier light in the distance.

We arrived at the lake just prior to sunset and we were able to snap a few good shots before we lost the final rays of the sun. It was a gorgeous evening and the breeze off the lake cooled the warm temperatures significantly.

Proof that I earned the Lake Michigan sticker!

Sunday turned out to be a warm sunny day. We were able to sleep in for the first time with no particular place to be at any specific time - those mornings are as nice as those that are jam-packed with sightseeing. We eventually made our way out to get the Jeep washed (George can't stand a dirty car) and had lunch at The Lighthouse Restaurant. Yesterday's dinner at Fiddlehead's offered a much better meal, but eating out always trumps fixing something in the RV.

After lunch, we returned to Lake Michigan to visit the Old Lighthouse Museum. The docent was very knowledgeable and apparently loved sharing all of it with us. We did learn a few things, which makes the visit so much more worthwhile.

Augustin Fresnal

We knew about the Fresnel lens and that it was invented by Augustin Jean Fresnel, but we did learn that it is pronounced -Fre nel'- the "s" is silent. I love knowing the correct pronunciation of words..so weird.....

Another thing we discovered was that the Michigan City Lighthouse is the oldest remaining lighthouse in Indiana, and it had an "appointed" female lighthouse keeper, Harriette Colfax. Sadly she was forced to retire in 1904 when she turned 80 years old. Other women have run lighthouses, usually when their spouse was ill or died, but Harriette was appointed by the US Coast Guard, possibly due to pressure from the White House....she was the cousin of Shuyler Colfax, President Grant's vice-president. Go figure, politics as usual, even back then.  CLICK HERE  for the story of Harriette Colfax and the Michigan City Lighthouse.

Me....

The Lighthouse, a duplex with the shared kitchen in the basement.

His favorite pose

A view from the top of the lighthouse.

A photo of George and his distant relatives.

After a trip to Walmart and a home-cooked dinner, we were ready to raise our jacks for our next destination - Wisconsin, but not until after a good night's sleep.

The drive to Oakdale, WI from Michigan City, IN was not a very pleasant one. We were stuck for over an hour in the heart of Chicago and traversed many bumpy, potholed roads. Many of our Nation's interstates, bridges and tunnels are, sadly, in deplorable condition. The heavily traveled roads are not adequate for the 21st century and their antiquity is obvious.  I was actually afraid to drive under some of the bridges in the Chicago metro area - now, you all know I didn't drive....I should correctly state that, "I was afraid to be in the passenger seat while driving under some of the bridges in the Chicago metro area." My stint behind the wheel could happen at any time - have patience.

Chicago skyline...and traffic.

Amazing! A commuter train runs between the north and southbound lanes of I-80/90 with stations every few miles.

The day ended on a high note with our overnight destination greatly exceeding our expectations. We are in a beautiful, lush green, squirrel filled, KOA that is immaculate and quiet. We have total privacy and our closest neighbor is the owner's home, located about 400 feet away. With how tired and cranky we are, we are very content for the solitude.


Deep thought for the day:  “because he had no place he could stay in without getting tired of it and because there was nowhere to go but everywhere, keep rolling under the stars...” ~ Jack Kerouac