Hobelman Family: Mackinac Bridge and Michigan's Upper Peninsula

On our quest to retrieve water from all 5 Great Lakes we started our way up to Lake Superior. To get there we would have to cross The Mackinac Bridge. This frighted me a little bit.
When I was 17 my boyfriend, his friend and I were headed out to the lake and missed our turn. We drove off the road into a creek full of water. We knew we were looking for a gravel road so when we saw two reflectors we thought that was marking the road. We were 17 and in the country reflectors mark driveway's, roads and all sorts of things. I never thought that it would mark a creed bed. It was about a 15ft drop off and we landed upside down in the water. I was stuck upside down in my seat belt under water for what seemed like forever. The life flashing thing? Yeah, that happened.
I had never fully gotten over the fear of bridges over water. Until now!!!
My dad is a History Channel junkie, so when he saw a show on the bridge he thought it would be a great thing to show me and the kids. I was a little freaked out after that. I know that the shows play up all the bad stuff but come on. You really want me to drive on grates that I can see through??? I don't think so! While in Saginaw my Cousin Sharon told me everything would be just fine, and if I stayed in the right lane I wouldn't have to hear the humming of the grates. Oh, and the lady that was in the car that blew off the bridge and drown was in a Yugo and I have an Expedition so I would be fine. Wow, Thanks!

On our way to The Mackinac Bridge.

Everything was going great so far. My hands were gripping the steering wheel so tight just in case there was a wind gust I would be prepared. (It wasn't windy, it was all in my head)

THEN LOOK WHAT HAPPENED!!! THEY CLOSED THE RIGHT LANE! WHAT WAS I GOING TO DO NOW??? HOW COULD THEY, I WASN'T PREPARED FOR THIS!

The video camera was recording at the time and there were a few choice words for the road crew but it all worked out and I felt great. It wasn't as bad as I had envisioned it in my head. I have learned to live in the moment and just be. The ride back across was so much better. I actually let my Dad drive so I could enjoy it fully. I even let my kids stick their heads out the window a little bit so they could look down through the grates at the water. (I did it too!)

Sault Ste. Marie is at the northern most point of I75. This is the closest place we could get to Lake Superior.

I have found that The Great Lakes are not as easy to get to as you think. For Lake Superior we found a neighborhood that we could see the lake, pulled over and asked a man walking how we could get to it. He pointed to an alley that we could walk down.

...and told us we could park anywhere along the street. He was so nice!

The colors were so brilliant!

This is me collecting the water! OMG that was the coldest water ever!

Kaia

Lake Superior

It was super cold, especially standing in that alley. The wind was crazy cold! It is a saying to never say never. Well, I can say I will NEVER live that far north!