Goodhart and two of the magnificent homes in Harbor Springs

Indigo Bluffs RV Park at Empire, MI is a gem--bautifully laid out and landscaped.  Judy captured some of the flavor in these photos plus a view of us at Sleeping Bear Dunes (and a separate photo describing why we didn't slide down the dunes).

May 1, 2023

On schedule, we departed Upriver RV Resort this morning, heading down the road to Southwest Florida RV Service with a list of items for repair or routine maintenance.  Scott and Keith have been our trusted service team as long as we've had the coach. They do good work and their business has flourished.  We;re fortunate they can still work us in.  We have one more day here, then head north, watching the weather closely, of course.    


May 5, 2023

Weather has been great as we work our way north.  Finished service work Wednesday morning and made it to Valdosta, GA by evening.  Next night found us in Manchester, TN.  Getting through Atlanta was normal--meaning slow--, but we sat for much of an hour on the Interstate in Chattanooga.  Never did figure out why traffic in both directions was so jammed.  This morning, we breezed through Nashville with only one brief jam.  Very heavy traffic all the way to Columbus, IN (our stop tonight).   Tomorrow, we plan to get to St. Joseph, MI and park for the night in front of the villa, while we unload the winter's worth of stuff. 

May 14, 2023

We're back in Michigan, slowly unpacking the coach and doing cleaning and minor maintenance.  Neither of us had ever attended the Holland, MI Tulip Festival despite it being so close.  So last week we made a combination trip--tulip festival and Crane's Orchard Bakery and Restaurant.  Photos below show the amazing sight of millions of tulips in bloom, while no photos would do justice to the Crane's pies  Please take our word (non-verbal sounds) for the goodness.

 

March 19, 2023

Here is an update on the last four and one-half months. 

Our intended winter home, Gulf Waters RV Resort in Fort Myers Beach was badly damaged by Hurricane Ian and the ensuing surge/flood of salt water.  We managed to locate a nice RV park in North Fort Myers, east of I-75.  All good here.

Lyle's son, Erik, lost his waterfront restaurant in the village of Matlacha from the wind and surge.  While he and his partner deal with the long rebuild, they spent several months remodeling a space at Gulf Coast Town Center, also east of I-75.  The new restaurant, Hooked Island Grill-Fort Myers, is open and flourishing!  

After several months, we ventured to Fort Myers Beach, which was so badly damaged/wiped out by the hurricane.  Although much clean-up has been done, Judy's photos on this page show how much is yet to be done.  Thousands of people lost everything.  Thousands more are suffering through a rebuilding ordeal.  

We've enjoyed visitors from the north, including Judy's son, Craig and his family in December.  More recently, Lyle's daughter, Kirsten stayed with us and former neighbors in Northbrook, IL, Bill and Sue Bowen were in the area for a month of warm.

We plan to head back to Michigan in early May.  Our "big" trip this summer is to lazy around Northern Michigan for several weeks in the motor home.  

March 22, 2023

Not all photos of Lyle and Judy are flattering (Lyle's opinion), so when we get one...

This panorama from in front of the Iroquois Hotel does not show the iconic Grand Hotel around to the left

 Motorhome Experiences of Judy and Lyle Dean Lebsack

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​Lunch with a view in Harbor SpringsType.

August 19,2023

Today's car trip was to Mackinac City for a ferry ride to the Island.  First stop was an elegant lunch outdoors at the Iroquois Hotel.  Then, we stopped at the 1690 birch hut that served as a church until Fort Mackinac was built.  Judy captured the exterior along with the rest of the scenic waterfront park, while Lyle managed a photo of the interior, complete with period manequins.  The weather was perfect on the Island and the streets were packed with pedestrians, bicyclists and horse drawn vehicles.  We took an icecream break on the way back to the ferry.  A good day!

August 21, 2023

A confession from Lyle:  Our reservation yesterday was at Thunder Bay RV, which he plugged into the GPS as Alpena, MI.  When we pulled in, it was obvious this was not the place.  He called the phone number on the reservation and the woman said she did not see us.  Turns out, he reserved at Thunder Bay Golf and RV Resort in Hillman, MI--22 miles back in the direction we came.  A later observation that Alpena is on Thunder Bay of Lake Huron and there are a lot of businesses with Thunder Bay in the name.  Surprising little swearing on his part as we drove to the proper reservation.  

Today we took a glass bottom boat tour of Thunder Bay shiprwrecks.  Interesting, although it was difficult to know what part of the wreckages we were viewing. 

From Alpena, we motored south to Charlotte, MI for the annual inspection and maintenance on the motor home.  Then, a quick day trip to Chelsea for Miles (Judy's grandson) 10th birthday party.  

Back in St. Joseph/Berrien Springs for a few days before driving the car to Rainy Lake in Northern Minnesota for a few days of fishing with Lyle's son Erik and daughter-in-law, Joanna.  

August 16,2023

Our "big" trip in the motorhome this summer is a modest ten-day journey to northern lower Michigan.  Some places we visited years before by boat.  Others will be new to us.  First night, last night was at Empire near Sleeping Bear Dunes.  For the next four nights, our base will be an RV park at Bay Harbor.  Lunch was at Bay Harbor Marina, which brought back boating memories for Lyle.









August 17, 2023

Lunch at Pearl's New Orleans Kitchen in Elk Rapids.  Among their specialties is a Bloody Mary complete with blue cheese and a real whole crawfish (positioned so it's staring at the person imbibing)  Very good New Orleans flavor a long way from the Big Easy.

August 18, 2023

Our first excursion by car today was a trip back in time to Goodhart, MI (population is listed as 540, but Lyle is betting its really 54).  The center is the general store/post office, deli, bakery and gift shop rolled into one.  Lyle's daughter, Kirsten, recommended a stop there..  Huge fresh donut holes and locally made chicken pot pies were on our shopping list.

Then, back to Harbor Springs.  Not far by miles, but a big jump culturally.  Judy was shopping sidewalk sales for bargains.  She found one store's sidewalk clothing specials started at $200.  The jacket she liked was on sale for $400.  No, she didn't.   Had a pleasant lunch on the water at Staffords.

Finally, we hit Petosky for shopping.  One store had lined rain coats for $15 or two for $20.  We were back where we belong!  


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