I've always wanted to be in Bear Lake, Michigan for their annual festivity called Bear Lake Days. I never quite made it, always arriving early or late for our vacations there. This year it turns out that BLD was scheduled the weekend of my 75th birthday and I mentioned to my brother that I'd love to be there this year especially, what with double the incentive.
Some time ago he asked whether I'd like to go. Tom had even suggested a vacation with Bob would be great. Tom offered to cat- and dog-sit. So we planned a short weekend trip, from July 12 to July 15 and I reserved a room at Motel Bear Lake.
By the time we got back yesterday we had driven 1167.8 miles.
I'll post select pictures from the trip - all fond memories for me - and they'll be in the order I took them.
Friday, July 14
We arrived at the motel at about 6PM on Friday, July 12. We left Bob's house at 8:30AM so the trip took longer than usual. I-23N between Ann Arbor and Flint was a construction zone and therefore a parking lot. We probably wasted an hour on this section of highway.
Motel Bear Lake advertises themselves as "retro" and the décor is probably 1960's for the most part. The room was comfortable and clean with two queen beds and two sinks. The mattresses were the softest we ever slept on.
I wanted to see the new May Buell Park near at the Public Access area across from the Dayton Bear Lake Outing Club. It was just recently (June 14) dedicated. I remember her; she was the editor of the Manistee County Pioneer Press newspaper which served Bear Lake. The park is located where her house stood.
It's directly across the road from the Dayton Outing Club.
Sunset later that day was gorgeous across Bear Lake, This shot was taken from Hopkins Park.
And this shot was taken near the Bear Lake sign facing MI-31. Neither of us look that happy ... but we were.
Saturday, July 13 (my 75th birthday)
We started the day at the Lakeside Café, one of our favorite eateries anywhere. They know how to do breakfasts and the service - and servers - are wonderful.
Here I am, 75 years old, and getting a little worse for the wear. The Beatles hoodie was a gift from Tom. Anyone who knows me knows that the Beatles are an important part of my life, then and now.
Bob bought my birthday breakfast: two eggs, toast, a pancake and coffee. Delicious!
Then on to Pierport where we walked along the shore of Lake Michigan. We are both too young to remember the piers but not the wooden uprights which remained in the lake for some time.
Bill
A nice sand castle remained from an earlier construction.
On the road (off MI-22) the cherry trees are still loaded with fruit. Why?
Bob
Back at the motel we rested a bit before moving on. Lots to get done in just a couple of days!
There were few people at the motel early in the day and that's understandable. But while the pool was empty when I took this shot, it was busy later.
Bill
The BLD Car Show
The car show was held in the parking lot of the Bear Lake Bar. The bar was closed and looked like it was out of business. The building on the right is the rear our motel.
The Dayton Bear Lake Outing Club
The first cottage is the one we owned when Bob and I were kids. Here's a quick walk-through ...
The Cherry Hut
It seems like every year we vacationed in Bear Lake as a family we managed a visit - or two - to The Cherry Hut in Beulah.
Great food but 2024 prices are nothing like the 1960's! A veggie sandwich (delicious!), French fries and Cole slaw (with tip) was over $22.
Bob got a slice of their famous Cherry Pie Ala Mode - and it's to kill for - but at $4.75 for just a slice of pie (without ice cream) I had to pass.
Bear Lake Days Parade
Bear Lake always has their parade in the evening. This one stared at 8PM. This is the scene at about that time. Quite a crowd had already gathered. The parade met near Bear Lake Middle/High School and would pass us from left to right in this shot.
How does a tiny village of this size put on such a massive parade? Bear Lake's population in 2022 was just 335 and surely there were a thousand in attendance. I suppose some of the number were "outsiders". At least two were from Farmersville and Germantown, Ohio.
The Fireworks Show
What an amazing display of pyrotechnics! I suppose it' didn't last more than twenty minutes but it was continual and powerful while it was running. We stayed at the motel which was near and above the place where the rockets were launched. I understand they fire them off from a barge placed near the shore.
Here's a wide-angle view ...
That's the Blarney Castle gas station in the foreground.
Here's some of my favorites ...
Quite impressive. I was close enough that the concussions pounded me. Bob stayed closer to our room and parked himself in a chair to watch.
Sunday, July 14
Milkweed is in bloom at Bear Lake, far exceeding the sparse crop we have here. And yet I did not see a single Monarch butterfly.
Bob
We visited a boat launch at a public access spot on the Big Bay.
Bill
Bob
Bill
This is a view looking back towards the Dayton Club from a walk we took along Lakeside Avenue.
Credit: Google Maps
Bob walking north on Butwell Road. He and dad and I used to do this daily when we were on vacation.
Sumac in bloom.
Frankfort Light
What's a trip to Bear Lake without a visit to Frankfort Light? We must have seen it a few hundred times and yet it's still a spot we return to.
Bob
Bill
Arcadia Overlook
Arcadia Overlook - we always called it Lookout Point - is another spot we've been to a hundred times. We never get tired of this view.
Sweet Vibes
Tom I visited this ice cream shop several times - last year with Parker - and it was called Papa J's. It's probably under new ownership now. At least the name has changed to Sweet Vibes.
The ice cream shown above was cherry with almond flavoring and chunks of chocolate throughout. This visit, without a dog, we were able to eat inside rather than at a table at a nearby park.
With our trip coming to an end, we took a walk along S Shore Drive. Earlier clouds broke and we were left with a beautiful evening. But we returned to the motel and watched A Man Called Otto on Netflix. We were worn out ... not to mention hot.
Monday, July 15
Back on the road by 8AM, we arrived home before 4 PM. It was quite a whirlwind trip and great fun from start to finish.
Jimmy Johns
We stopped for lunch about 1PM in Dundee, Michigan at Jimmy Johns.
