On Monday the 16th, we stayed close to home. Our car has been showing engine fault codes and we took it into the local dealership for a checkup. The diagnosis was a simple electrical glitch, so we're back on the road. We shared dinner with our friends the Kellys, and called it an early night.
Today, the 17th of July, we piled into Bill and Diane's pickup and headed north for the bayside city of Petoskey, Michigan. It's a trek getting there, some hundred miles or so, but it was unquestionably worth the effort. Along the public dock we saw some awesome boats/yachts/ships tied up. The Xanadu caught our eye!
This Ski Doo is named for a sign near and dear to the heart of every retired Department of Transportation worker!
As though we hadn't driven enough, we headed north. Along the way we stopped in Harbor Springs to admire the "Summer Houses" along the shore of Lake Michigan.
The narrow road called The Tunnel of Trees is famous throughout the nation, and justly so. It is roughly 20 miles long, swinging between vacation homes, shore-side retreats, exotic golf courses, and picture perfect horse ranches that cater to weddings and events. Wow!
Eventually we reached our northern destination, the Legs Inn. It's named for the white painted, inverted stove legs that decorate the front of the building. Located in Cross Village, it was created solely by one man, Stanley Smolak, a Polish immigrant. He decided to settle here in 1921, when most of the residents were Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. The round and polished stones are from Lake Michigan. The twisted forms of trees, roots, and driftwood came from the lake shores. The framing and timbers used for construction all came from within a five-mile radius of the Inn. It is recognized as a Historic Landmark in the State of Michigan.
Bill and Diane were so hungry that they had to support each other!
Smolak's vision resulted in a variety of unusual pieces scattered about the property.
Even the trees overlooking the lake have been formed into artwork!
A veritable field of Hydrangeas separated the lawn from the garden.
The view overlooking Lake Michigan is breath-taking.
Collected driftwood and small animals decorate the interior. Built in the manner of an upstate hunting lodge, the interior of the Legs Inn is rustic....and fascinating.
Donna found a whimsical alien, created from the root of a huge hemlock tree!
The bar took a full year for Smolak to create from the trunk of a Hemlock tree. Each and every piece in the Inn was personally carved, finished, polished and placed by Smolak himself.
Honoring Stanley Smolak's legacy, the menu at the Legs Inn is substantially Polish. We began our meal with a house specialty, Smoked Whitefish Spread. Whitefish is a Great Lakes native, and is widely found on the menu at local establishments.
Donna ordered a serving of Pierogi's, stuffed with seasoned beef and pork. Bill settled on the Polish Hearty Lunch, which consisted of a cabbage roll stuffed with beef, pork and rice, Pierogi's, and Bigos (Hunter's Stew) with Kopytka dumplings. Diane opted for the cabbage rolls, while I finally settled on the Combo plate with Polska Kielbasa and Pierogi. All were extremely and deliciously edible!
Our drive home was uneventful but pleasant, heading south on US 127. It was a great day!
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