Sunrise - Crossed the Mackinac Bridge to Northern Penisula of Michi...

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September 27, 2018 Thursday

Enjoyed the sunrise at Wilderness State Park where my campsite had a picturesque beach view. With the nights getting longer I'm going to sleep earlier, so no problem being up early for the sunrise.

My first stop was at the Headlands International Dark Sky Park where you can stargaze without interference from man made lights. There is an observatory and a big grassy area for viewing the night sky.

I wasn't planning for drinking some beers so early in the day, but the young man in the gift shop told me about a great brewpub in the area, Biere de Mac. I sampled a cream and an oatmeal stout and a Belgian style farm ale. Since the beers stimulated my appetite I enjoyed a black bean burger and some sweet potato fries. The friendly bartenders gave me lots of tips for places to see on the Upper Peninsula. One was into rocks and hiking like me, so we had some good times exchanging stories and I learned something about the fossils I found the day before on the beach.

I got ripped off when I stopped for gasoline in Mackinaw City. The sign read $2.79 at the top of three prices that display their gasoline prices. Unfortunately I didn't read the small print that it was for propane. It was obviously done this way to deceive motorists. Also they didn't have self serve and had service station attendants to pump your gas and clean your windshields. The price was actually $3.399 for regular and I was surprised when the clerk inside told me my total. That was the most I'd ever spent to fill up my gas tank I'm pretty sure in my life. Being almost on empty, my total was $55.50. Afterwards I noticed all the other gas prices in town were 30 cents cheaper.

The next stop was the lighthouse and beach on the northern most tip of the southern peninsula where one can see the picturesque Mackinac suspension bridge. It is the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere and opened for traffic on November 1, 1957, my birthyear. The toll of $4 was for those going north across the Straits of Macinac. The crossing was a bit scary being so high above the water. Only one person has actually ever gone over the railing in a vehicle. A 31 year old woman driving a Yugo plunged 170 feet to her death in 1989.