Day 15: July 4th with the Yoopers

We hit the jackpot getting to celebrate the 4th of July in Munising, Michigan. This small town really punched above its weight with the festivities, yet still had that small town charm.

A little early morning baseball at the RV park was the perfect outlet for the kids’ morning energy.

After that, we headed to the Munising 4th of July parade, where the kids got nearly as much candy as on Halloween. We loved their local high school “class” floats, with graduates from every 5th year. It’s yet another reminder of how old we are.

Next up, boat cruises to view Pictured Rocks, jammed into today’s agenda due to poor weather predicted for tomorrow. We split up taking two different cruises. Rob and Nicholas opted for the more intense Riptide Ride, sitting in the front row of the smaller boat for the 90-minute trip combining fast, exciting maneuvers with some sightseeing around Grand Island. Because the boat is smaller, they could fit into some of the caves around the island. They got soaked on purpose—and loved every second.

Kelly and Cooper opted for the 2-hour “Spray Falls” tour from Pictured Rocks Cruises on the bigger boat. It was breathtaking, and they also had a fabulous time.

After the boat cruises, it was time for the fire department’s water fight. This was epic. Two local firefighters wore balloons on their heads, and then the whole crew hosed each other down trying to knock them off. To our surprise, multiple times during this experience they turned the hoses on the crowd and soaked everyone, though all the spectators wearing swimsuits should have been a giveaway. It was impressive how much water comes from one of those firehoses and how quickly you can get soaked (a second time for Nicholas today).

The “greased pole” event was next, watching kids try to climb out on the pole over the water. It was amusing, but we moved on to enjoy the live bands, local food (even pierogis and something called a “Tacopotamus”) and a charity gambling game involving chickens pooping in squares.

With sunset after 10 p.m. we came back to the RV to relax before heading back out for the fireworks. Despite arriving about 15 minutes before they started, we still snagged a great parking spot and front-row seats. The fireworks display was huge for such a small town; we all left in awe. It was a super late night with everyone getting to bed after midnight, and it was totally worth it.