June 13, 2023 🎉 Adventure day 45! It rained all night! 🌧️ 😔 We enjoyed our coffee, tea & scrambled eggs & sausage. 10:45 am out the door for our adventures. 🌧️ The rain isn’t going to stop us! ☔️ Drove through Empire, Glen Arbor & Leland’s downtown area Fishtown. No parking areas for our big dually so we looked from the windows and off to the next small town. We drove all the way up the Leelanau Peninsula to the Grand Traverse Lighthouse. Still raining but we’re prepared with our raincoats and umbrellas! Let’s explore! We toured the museum inside the keeper’s house, climbed up to the top, then inside the Fog-house building. Now feeling parched, we came across a Mobile station on the Indian Nation. Across the street a large casino! 💵 🎰 🪙 Go figure! 😂 What a beautiful drive. This is considered the rocky peninsula but we saw lots of orchards, cherries & asparagus fields. To my surprise we passed the “45th Parallel” ~ the 1/2 way point between the North Pole & the Equator! So cool! 😎 We drove through Northport, Peshawbestown & Sutton Bay.
Now over to Old Mission Peninsula! 3:40 pm we stopped our next adventure that Tim had found in the early days of planning this trip. Old Mission General Store! Oh my… as we walked up to it and double “Oh my” as we walked inside. Old, antique store that carries old unique items and we believe since nothing had prices on them that the old man at the register…the owner… makes up prices right then. We bought a Moon Pie & a small bag of Caramel Puffcorn and he charged us &10.00! 😱 Up the peninsula we go and we are excited for this one is known for its rolling hills and wineries. 🍇 🍷 As far as you could see, rolling hills with orchards and grapevines! Our first stop was at Chateau Chantal Vineyard, Winery & Inn. The drive up the hill passed beautiful vineyards and then at the top a traditional European chateau awaits us! 😊 As we entered the tasting room, ahhh it was warm & dry inside! 🤣 We each ordered a glass of wine, wondered a bit inside looking at all the wines when we saw wasn’t raining anymore. Outside to the terrace we went. Incredible, breathtaking panoramic views was truly amazing. After about 15 minutes the rain started again so time to find our next Winery. Drove a few miles down the road and lo and behold our second stop found us at Chateau Grand Traverse. 🍇🍷🍇 We each had a glass of wine outside on their covered deck overlooking their vineyards! They even gave us a free glass! So we could get used to this but we can only handle 3 in one afternoon and there’s so many on this one peninsula! Our 3rd and final winery is Bonobo Winery. It sits in a valley with rolling hills of vineyards all around it. As we entered, we were greeted by a Sommelier who took us outside on the deck to explain all the vineyards around, & why netting covers the red grape vines and that’s so the birds would not see them and eat them. She then took us throughout the building and sat us at a table with a magical view. We ordered a freshly made hummus with pita bread platter to go along with our wine. Our day isn’t over yet without a visit to Traverse City! We had to drive around a bit, looking for a place to park the truck! Finally found a spot and now we’re off to experience Cherry Republic! I was bad…. Yes they had a lot of samples out to try everything made with cherries…..and yes I took a few of each but put them in my jacket pockets. 🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️😱 We enjoyed them as we walked around the town. 😝 Last stop of the day ~ Costco. Stocked up on meats but couldn’t leave without a pizza! 🍕 We got back to the RV at 9pm and it was 62* inside! 🥶 Today we traveled 185 miles. Hot shower and our comfy bed awaits us. Good night campers till tomorrow! 😴
Leelanau Peninsula– extends 30 miles and often referred to as the “little finger” of the mitten shaped lower peninsula. Native Americans called the area “ke-ski-bi-ag” which means narrow body of water. The Leland Historic District is on the National Register of Historical Places to visit. Leland’s downtown area & commercial fishing area is Fishtown. It consists of structures lining both sides of the Leland River. These include vernacular wood-clad former and current commercial fishery buildings, most of which were constructed by the fishermen before 1930. Additionally, the district includes wood-frame vernacular buildings which are part of the historic Manitou Island ferry service. **Leelanau – is a Native American word for “A Land of Delight” and could not better describe the area.
Grand Traverse Light is a lighthouse on the tip of Leelanau Peninsula. In 1858, the present light was built, replacing a separate round tower built in 1852. A brick tower with separate keeper’s quarters was constructed at a site east of the present Lighthouse in the state park campground. (all on 1,500 acres) This first house and tower were deemed inadequate and razed in 1858 when the present structure was built. Still visible is a portion of the lighthouse foundation and the original tower site was located in 1999. Exhibits on area lighthouses, foghorns, shipwrecks and local history are located in the Lighthouse and Fog Signal Building. The restored air diaphone foghorn is demonstrated throughout the year.
The start of the summer means bundles of crisp stalks of asparagus and Michigan accounts for almost half of the nation’s Asparagus production, and can produce 25.7 million pounds each year. Along the lakeshore sandy soil and a temperate climate creates a haven for asparagus growers. More than 100 families throughout Michigan producing roughly 20 million pounds of Michigan Asaparagus annually to be distributed throughout the United States. Oceana County, known as the “asparagus capital of the world,”!
🍒Cherries 🍒 ~ They’re red, they’re tasty, and they’re one of Michigan’s most prized specialty crops! While fresh sweet Michigan cherries are only in season from late June to August, Montmorency tart cherries are available throughout the year in dried, frozen, canned, or as juices and concentrates.
The Old Mission Store – Established in mid 1800’s. This lovely shop has long served as a must-visit destination on the Old Mission Peninsula. Since the Civil War era, locals & visitors counted on Old Mission General Store and its friendly service to fulfill all sorts of unique shopping needs. Jim and Marcy Richards are the current owners. They took over from the Lardy family in 1998, carrying on traditions and the legacy of the store from years past. Massive supermarkets certainly have their perks, but there’s something undeniably charming about stepping into a classic general store. Whether you’re on the hunt for snacks, souvenirs, trinkets, or something in between, this one-of-kind general store in Michigan will immediately sweep you back to a simpler time.
Old Mission Peninsula ~ Elevation 594’ with a population of 6,068. The township is best known for its cherry harvest and its viticulture. The peninsula extends 17 miles and divides the Grand Traverse Bay into an East Arm & West Arm. In 1852, Dougherty and the tribes made the decision to move the mission across West Grand Traverse Bay to an existing Native American village on Leelanau Peninsula, at the site of modern Omena, Michigan. They gave their new mission the name, “New Mission” and the previous community was therefore dubbed “Old Mission.” There are eleven wineries on the Old Mission Peninsula sits close to the 45th parallel, a latitude known for growing prestigious grapes. Northern Michigan specializes in growing white grapes and is known for its Rieslings which grow well in the summer months and late fall which Traverse City is known for. Every October the wineries host a harvest fest. Some Riesling grapes are spared being picked in the fall to be picked when they freeze, from which Ice Wine is made. The peninsula’s only distillery, Civilized Spirits, occupies a site which has been used for distilling since the late 1800s – when it was built by lumber baron J.W. Stickney and his wife Genevive. Civilized Spirits products include: White Dog Whiskey, Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Single Malt Whiskey, and vodka – including a vodka distilled from cherries.
Chateau Chantal was established in 1986 when cherry orchards were replaced with grafted vinifera grapevines. The chateau sits atop one of the highest points on Old Mission Peninsula on 64 acres. The acreage is planted with Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Cabernet Franc to name a few!
Chateau Grand Traverse ~ Founded in 1974 is the oldest and largest commercial winery and vineyard in northern Michigan. Produces 100,000cases of wine each year. Family owned and operated. The vineyards of Chateau Grand Traverse were designed after the German wine regions of the Rhine with more vines closely planted together (1,066 vines per acre versus 750 vines that was common in the US at the time) along seven-wire parallel trellising system.
Bonobo Winery – Started by 2 brothers, opened in 2021, indoor & outdoor seating overlooking the 19 acre vineyard with 7 grape varieties. They benefit from the region’s strong fruit bearing properties.
Traverse City – As of 2020 the population was 15,678. It is the largest city in the 21 county region. Traverse City is known as the “Cherry Capital of the World.” The area is also known for their natural attractions like freshwater beaches, vineyards, wineries, downhill skiing and the proximity to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
The 45th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 45 degrees north of Earth’s equator. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean. The 45th parallel north is often called the halfway point between the equator and the North Pole. At this latitude, the sun is visible for 15 hours 37 minutes during the summer solstice, and 8 hours 46 minutes during the winter solstice.
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