Friday, August 24, 2012

Charlevoix

The drive from Mackinaw to Charlevoix is highlighted by the Tunnel of Trees, where M-119 passes through dense woods, single lane.  Satan's Altima was a joy to drive on the winding narrow lane, and we saw fox, deer, chipmunks and other wildlife along the way.  None of them flat in the road either.

Yes, that is a state highway.  Florida would kill all the trees and put in a cloverleaf.


The Charlevoix Riverwalk.  While Jacksonville, a city of nearly a million people, struggles unfathomably to breathe life into its waterfront district, communities all along the Michigan shore, like Charlevoix (population 2000!), seem to have it figured out.  Our Downtown Riverwalk looks like Beruit compared to this idyllic scene.




From the air, (via a picture ganked shamelessly from Wikipedia), Lake Michigan to the left and up, and Loeb Bay and Lake Charlevoix to the right.  This picture was taken in 2007, and you can see the waterfront we visited was under construction then, there in the lower left.


Orient yourselves, people.  Yes you are seeing this right, my fancy nice pictures of the waterfront are pictures of Charlevoix's back door!  I understand the main drag is equally as picturesque, although we didn't get there.



Looking out into the marina/harbor toward Lake Charlevoix and Loeb Bay


Seagulls flew around us, but it was obvious that no near-homeless cracker-tossers were allowed to placate the beasts and create bad habits, so for the most part, the birds left us alone.


An amphitheater even.  See what happens when people pay taxes?  Amenities!


Slugg-O tried in vane to catch the seagulls.


A boat returns to the marina after a day on the lake.


We ate at this table; Subway from across the street.  That is the same seagull.


There were people all about on this beautiful day.  I'm sure the scene is much different in January.


Great Lakes water could pass for Caribbean clear.  This duck seems to hover in 10 feet of crystal water.


Did I mention there was a bike shop n Charlevoix?  (Foreshadowing of flaming babies to come!)

1 comment:

Steve Reed said...

I've never been up that side of Michigan, at least, no farther than Saugatuck. Looks nice! You're right -- I can't imagine FDOT ever tolerating that highway. They'd make it sixty feet wide and put in streetlights and clear all the vegetation for 100 feet on each side, and god knows what else.