North

Today Brock and Leola showed us another part of their favorite Michigan stomping grounds.

From Traverse City we went up a peninsula that formed the west edge of Great Traverse Bay.  Our turnaround point is the point of land on the left.

This is a short ride with several planned stops.

At Suttons Bay we took time to get acquainted with ISEA, Inland Seas Education Association.  

ISEA's main concern is invasives on land but mainly in water.  

We found lunch in Northport, the last marina on the Bay.

After lunch we continued north to Lake Leelanau State Park, the northernmost point on the peninsula.  We turned around at the park entrance, retraced our route to Northport, then continued south along the west side of the peninsula on the east shore of Lake Michigan.

Our last stop was at the historic Leland Historic District (Fishtown), at the mouth of the Leland River, which Brock and Leola informed us was about 3 feet above normal level.

We shopped the near side of the river.  I did not stop in the building at the left--Dam Candy named for the small dam next to it.  I had to go into the shop called Cheese, though, and found some Michigan smoked gouda and Wisconsin smoked cheddar.  

Down the row we found the main reason for our stop here.  This is where Brock buys his favorite snack--smoked whitefish.

The rest of our trip south took us away from Lake Michigan and inland along Lake Leenanau 

then back to Traverse City.

While we wound 

and climbed along the peninsula, we passed lots of trees,

and orchards

and a few big farms.

At one point we passed a fairly large Bison herd with lots of babies.

While we were in Leland we saw this amphibious car sitting in the parking lot.

A little later it took a short cruise around the bay

accessed the boat ramp

and drove away.

Tomorrow, chores in the am, riding after lunch.

Louise and Duane