Day 17: Tokens, Tannins, and Thousand-Foot Freighters
Kelly collects the national park tokens at each of our stops. Getting this one (Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore) was more of an adventure than most. We learned it’s sold only at the Munising Falls visitor center, which unlike Munising Falls itself, is actually open. We were there right at 9 a.m. when they opened, but the computers weren’t working, so the person working said we could just take a couple. Super random, but Kelly got her tokens.
Our end point for the day was either two or three hours away, depending on whether we stopped at Tahquamenon Falls. We opted to indeed stop at the upper falls. These are Michigan’s biggest falls, and they’re also known as the “root beer falls” due to the color caused by the tannins in the water.
As often happens, the first attempt at this picture wasn’t great. We find ourselves saying “just one picture” to the kids.
We then made a quick stop by the lower falls.
Of course, no drive day would be complete without a mechanical surprise. On the drive to the falls, the leveling jack warning lights were flashing again, and one jack had dropped a bit for the first time since our drive day from Bismarck to Fargo. We think there might still be air in the system, so we ran the procedure to bleed them, which involves raising them all the way up (literally all the way, with wheels off the ground). After doing that a couple times, they stayed up the rest of the drive.
Randomly, as we were leaving the parking lot we watched a black bear cross the visitor center path where we had just been. It disappeared into the bushes too quickly to get a picture.
Before setting off again, we reenacted a photo from our first trip. Here’s 2020 vs 2025.
Today was Rob’s day to shine; he drove all day and did a fabulous job. The roads were pretty smooth and straight for the most part.
Sault Ste. Marie was our destination. We wanted to see the Soo Locks, connecting Lake Superior and Lake Huron via the St. Marys River. We booked the standard cruise on Original Soo Locks Boat Tours, which goes upstream from the Lake Huron side through the Soo Locks, then back downstream through the Canadian locks. That means Nicholas has finally been to Canada, but he still hasn’t touched land there.
At 5:30, we finally arrived at Aune Osborne Campground, the one Kelly has been looking forward to most. It’s right on the Saint Marys river, giving us a great view of the ships passing by. Overall it surpassed all our expectations. We saw the 1000′ MV Indiana Harbor and a cruise ship pass by, along with many smaller boats.
Rob took boys to the locks to see the ships go through from the viewing platform at the locks, while Kelly stayed back with the fire and a Kindle.
We were all bummed to be staying only one night—this spot was one of the most peaceful and scenic we’ve visited.