When Chuck (DaViking) mentioned that he’d secured tickets on ‘The North Pole Express’ steam train, I was giddy! This was the steam locomotive that had been used in “The Polar Express” children’s book and movie! As a nanny and throughout my early elementary teaching career, I have always gotten goosebumps […]
History and Culture
114 posts
Did you know that you can rent a four person railbike? I had no idea that there were such activities! When Chuck and I arrived in Stewartstown, Pennsylvania for a train ride, we found railbikes lined up. Jim, a railroad volunteer, stood ready as David drove the ‘train’ of bikes […]
Did you know that there are abandoned turnpike tunnels in Pennsylvania? DaViking (my husband Chuck) has previously explored the Sideling Tunnel, but this was my first time climbing into the dark passage. Join us on our caper as we look behind the scenes of an abandoned railway which later became […]
Did you know that Surfmen carried out life-saving and recovery operations around the Great Lakes starting in 1870? These dedicated heroes risked their lives daily. DaViking and I stopped at two of the five Life-Saving Stations along this deadly Lake Superior shore: Crisp Point and Vermillion as well as Whitefish […]
Did you know that there are structures and spaces beneath the streets of Seattle? I hadn’t known this and was curious to learn more. Anita, my longtime friend, and I toured these mysterious underground places. Join us as we creep through the dark tunnels beneath the streets of Seattle. Eowyn, […]
Bernida, built in 1921 won the first Bayview Mackinac Race, then went missing for decades. She was found in a warehouse, restored and in 2012 won the Bayview Mackinac race again! Join us for her 100th birthday celebration!
Traveling by our zodiac, Thor, Da Viking and I headed to Lime Island for a caper. There are only footpaths on this two and half mile long island in the St. Mary’s Seaway. It lies along the shipping lane connecting Lake Huron to Lake Superior. The 980 acre island holds […]
Da Viking (Chuck) and I have visited abandoned lighthouses on other excursions. On this day we were headed to a restored light on St. Helena Island in Lake Michigan. It had been in poor shape until Scout Troop 4 from Ann Arbor started restoration in 1986. Little did we know […]
The Badger’s motto is “BIG SHIP! MORE FUN!” We made memories on our voyage across Lake Michigan from Ludington to Manitowoc and then on our return trip several days later. The Badger Car Ferry is the last coal-fired passenger steamship in operation in the United States. My first trip aboard […]