A Day For Shepler's Ferry, Mackinac Island, The Mackinac Bridge, A Shrine And Nun Dolls.

When you drive 8 hours north to Michigan you might as well take a day and head up to Mackinac Island, the land that time forgot.  In order to get there you have to hop on the ferry from Mackinaw City to the island.  Our generous ferry captain today gave us a little more bang for our buck by driving the boat around the Mackinac Bridge.  Everyone else seemed thrilled about this bonus trip.  Being stuck on the bottom of the boat longer than expected and heading towards the bridge made me want to puke, but thankfully I was able to hold it together and not create any major scenes. 
We decided today was a good day for our trip to Mackinac because it was the end of the boat race from Chicago.  Two years ago we just happened upon this event and were able to get into the Grand Hotel and look around.  Typically you would have to pay just to get on the porch of this hotel, but because of the finish line party there we just sort of roamed around for free.  Whether or not this is technically ok with the hotel is up for debate, but it worked again this year.   
After hours of walking around in what was some pretty intense heat for Northern Michigan we decided we might as well go all out and head for the bridge.  I loathe the suspension bridge at home and this is a super sized suspension bridge.  Luckily I apparently got all the crazy out of me on the first ferry ride and managed to hold it together for the roundtrip on the bridge.  Since we made it through all that it seemed only right that we stop by the Cross in the Woods on the way home.  It’s hard to feel like a trip’s complete without seeing what I believe is the largest crucifix in the world and the largest nun doll museum in the United States.  The girls probably could have spent all day looking at the nun dolls.  The gift shop at the shrine is also pretty entertaining.

Too close to the bridge for my liking :(

Seriously what is the deal with this creepy sculpture of Gerald Ford?

Maturity at its finest.

Love Arch Rock and the cool hike back down to town from here.

Lots of walking and lots of sun make for some exhausted little ladies.

It is so hard to explain to kids how to look through these.

Checking out the marker for a scene from Somewhere in Time.

What's vacation without walking up hundreds of steps?  Gabby counted just over a hundred and then started over, but we're pretty sure she was only counting every other step.

Riding on one of these all the way from Chicago sounds like pure misery to me.

They loved this seat last time too.

Checking out the fancy finish party.

Trying to figure out chess.

How could you not take pictures of these guys?

And she's out.

View from the top on the way back. 

Heading back from 2 minutes in the UP.

WORST JOB EVER!!!!!

She insisted on having her picture taken in front of all these.

Gabby adored the Sister of Perpetual Adoration because of their pink habits.  Mom thought they might take a vow of silence so I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have a prater of joining their order.

Before all the walking and steps.