The techno-tot is all smiles as we enter the fort on Mackinac Island. I was smiling, thankful we made it up the hill of doom. For those of you who know, that is quite a climb up the walkway to that point. For those of you who have never been there, its a steep cement walkway up the side of the hill, about 200 yards at a gradient that would put most cars, and this wanderer, in a low gear climb. The t-k has all the enthusiasm and energy of a child. This dad had it too, just the reality was a tad different then the idea.
I am tired just looking at the pic! Trust me though, its worth the journey. I should start at the begining of the day, thats where this stage of the journey begins. So we can step back to a couple days before and the wild idea I had.
We were planning on going to the Farm, do some work cleaning out the house and cleaning up around the farm. I said, in a fit of tiredness and nostalgia, hey, after we meet my da and do all that on Friday, lets go to Mackinac. We had a ton of fun at the fort and the t-k would love it. Better yet, lets go to the island and see the fort there!
Better 1/2 got that look and said you know, we went to the island about 20 yrs ago for a poetry festival(thats a whole nother blog post). I said yeap, and before that, I went there as a kid and we rode our bikes around the island and then across the bridge on Labor Day(another post there too~it was quite the sheeple trip!). Better 1/2 went there when she was a wee lass too, did about the same stuff(another example of us doing the same things I kids and another long post). So it had been what.. 30 yrs since we did the fort? Heck gammie hadnt been there since the 60's. Time to go!
So with a nervous crew of gammie, better 1/2 and t-k, we loaded up on the ferry(I could live on boats) and off we went on a clear morning. It was cool, no one puked and they seemed to enjoy the ride. We arrived and off we headed toward the Big Hill.
The t-k is wearing a hat he found in the old house. My Grandpa used to wear that hat, it is cool and weird that t-k latched on to that and asked if he could have it and then promptly put it on his head and wore it almost all weekend. He did find a cool soldier's hat at the fort that he switched to when we got back to Mackinac City. But still, he was making a connection and it was pretty neat.
So we did the fort, and it was a ton of fun, better than I remembered. We watched the soldiers drill and then they had a mock court martial and did a shooting demonstration. They also sang a few songs and were very entertaining. This pic was the best and the bugler was really good.
The fort was super cool and worth every penny. We all had a ton of fun and by noon had experienced exactly what we had planned. Of course, there was plenty more daylight, so we went off exploring and had a ton more fun, but that is a post for another day. The big thing was the fort. Check out a link to their website, here.
That portal to the fort is an entrance to the past, a time travel portal if you will. Sounds corny and cliche when you say it like that. I sound like a brochure! It is that though, an entrance to a time at the island from the 1880's and historical museum that is cool. But it is more than that to me as well.
Stepping through I was taken back to when I was a kid and the first time I was there. I was fascinated, big suprise there, by everything we saw. But what caught my eye and held my attention, was the t-k exploring. I kept watching him, probably more than anything else, and he was so taken by everything he saw. The wonder in a child's eye, seeing something new and exciting. That is what made my day.
It was fun to share that with gammie too, she was just as excited as the t-k. Better 1/2 and I got to share the fort, and that was just putting more awesome on the pile. It was super fun for everyone. For me, that whole time travel thing happend again and it was weird and cool. I can see it start and now, I am looking for it. It is a feeling that, if you feel it, you know it. It is.. addictive and worth all the hard work to get there. That was but a hlaf day, there is even more to come.. stay tuned.
Who knew ghosts were about 3 feet tall and had blond hair?
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