It was a driving day all the way. Other than a couple of pit stops for gas and a snack we drove in and out of the fog for 386 km up to the top of The Mitten to Mackinaw City.  From here we cross the Mackinac Bridge to the U.P. and head due west to Iron Mountain, which is right on the border with Wisconsin.

The Mackinac Bridge is the only link between the Upper Peninnsula and The Mitten.  We have been told it has a $5.00 toll.  They must rake in a lot of money since all the folks in Michigan must cross it to get from the top of the state to the bottom. Why the smaller portion of the Upper Peninnsula wasn’t just added to the state of Wisconsin, I don’t know.  It would have made more sense really.  But, I’m sure it was a case of, “My land is my land and I’m not moving my border just because it is logical.”

The I-90 that we travelled through New York was a toll highway.  It started about 50 miles east of Saratoga Springs and went right across to the Canadian border at Buffalo.  Every exit/entry point has toll booths. When you enter the freeway you are given a little card.  On the card are the names of all the accessible cities with their freeway exit number and the cost to get there.  If you go all the way from one side of the state to the other it will cost you $11.60.  We started part way along and left before the end and our cost was $10:40.  You hand over your little card at the booth when you exit, the person can see where you entered the freeway and you will charged the stated fee. It is a pretty slick system.

Since we were travelling northward once more we noticed more color in the trees again.  The fog would lift for awhile then sock in.  The sky was a low grey all day.

We passed a little island in Lake Huron; shrouded mysteriously in the fog.  John stopped the truck and I clambered down the bank to take a couple of pics.  That was the excitement for the day.

This entire coastline is one small holiday town after another.  Everywhere there are cottages to rent.  There are some lovely sandy beaches and quite a few State Recreation areas and parks.  I think it must be booming in the summer – a very busy holiday and fishing area.

They also have a plethora of skunks.  We drove by so many dead skunks it was ridiculous.  Since New Brunswick most of the road kill has been skunks, raccoons, and porcupines.  We have seen two dead deer, a couple of birds and quite a few squirrels (we even hit one in a town.  John didn’t even see it.  It ran out of the ditch on my side and right into the truck.  No chance at all) .  But the smell of dead skunk just seems to clears away and we see another one.  Poor things.