Hey, Smokey ~ Where's DAD?? ... Unka Pat sez he went fur a Boat Ride??

[Cinder & Smoke]

Dunno, Cinder ...
Unka Pat talkz in Circles jest like Dad duz ...

Looks like he sent about Three Daze of Dawg Krunch wiff us ...
I guess we'll jest *hang* here wiff Cali, Miz Joan, an Unka Pat an wait fur him ta come home.

BOAT Ride?? We don't HAVE a boat!
How'z he gonna Ride inna BOAT??



Too Bad the FurKids couldn't have come along ...
Youngstown, OH to Mackinaw City, MI, by yourself is a Looooong drive!

WHY did he drive to Mackinaw City on Tuesday, June 20th, you ask?

He went onna BOAT RIDE ... and THIS was "The Boat" >>>



Yep ...
That's a real, live, just retired and decommissioned US Coast Guard Cutter -
the WWII Great Lakes Icebreaker the Mackinaw ...
sailing out of her Cheboygan, MI, home port and headed north to her
"New Home" at Mackinaw City, MI.

The Neat Part was good ole Phred was right there - ON BOARD - for the entire
4.5 hour Final Cruise from Cheboygan, north along Bois Blanc Island,
along and east past Mackinaw Island,
turned and sailed under the Mackinaw Bridge out into Lake Michigan,
came about and sailed back under the Mackinaw Bridge and back into
Lake Huron, and finally turned south to dock at
the Ship's New Home at Mackinaw City.

WW!

Icebreaker Mackinaw (WAGB-83) ~
390 feet Long x 74 feet wide; 19.5 feet under water ...
SIX Fairbanks - Morse 10 cylinder diesel engines
driving generators turning electric motors which turn
Two 14 foot diameter stern props and One 12 foot bow prop ... 10,000 Horsepower!
5,252 TONS!!

The Mackinaw has been Breaking Ice on the Great Lakes for as long as I've
been around ... she was launched the day before I was born!
She was the Largest and most modern Icebreaker in the World for many years -
and is still the largest Icebreaker in the Coast Guard's Great Lakes fleet!

So HOW did I and 499 of my Closest Friends get to RIDE on her for 4.5 hours last Wednesday?

I'm STILL wondering HOW her Captain and the Owner of Sheplers Ferry Service
were able to convince the US Coast Guard to let 500 CIVILIANS climb on a 62
year old Cutter and Go for a Ride ...
But WHO Cares now - we GOT the Ride!

I wonder if anyone KNOWS we went for the ride??
(At least HALF of Michigan knows --- there was a LOT of TV coverage -
including ride-along camera crews!)

It's been an UP & Down month for the"Mighty Mac" ... the Museum Group that
has been
raising funds for years was dealt setbacks by Michigan refusing dock space;
and the Coast Guard and Congress dragged their feet with signing the
Boat over to the group ... which made fundraising more difficult ...

THANK Heavens for her Captain - Commander Joe McGuiness,
and Captain Bill Shepler - who just happened to own an old, unused ferry dock ...
They teamed up and got Uncle Sam to donate the Boat and Captain Bill said
his dock could be the Boat's new Home --- Deal DONE!

After making a "Serious" Donation to the Museum ... we got our Ticket to RIDE
and become a part of history!

Thursday I rode across the Mackinaw Bridge ...
and decided to keep on goin to see the big Soo Locks ...
well worth the extra half day ...
Pictures in the Album.

Oh yeah ...
HERE's the ImageStation Album of the entire Mackinaw / Soo Locks Trip >>>

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2104948856

Enjoy - cuz I sure did!!

/s/ Phred

[Laura's Babies]

WOW! I am impressed! How did you manage to get a spot on there? That is a beautiful boat. Looks like a nice ride!

[captain]

Good Grief Phred!!!!!

Is there ANYTHING you can't arrange
Looks fantastic!

Thanks so much for sharing with us ....

[shais_mom]

off to look at the pics
Seaman Phred!
anywhere in Ohio to Mackinaw City is a loooonnnnngggg drive!

[shais_mom]

back after looking at all the pics
good job captioning them
Great pics.
Love the pics of the Mackinaw Bridge my mom HATES that bridge. Good thing their cottage is on THIS side.
The Changing of the Soo is so cool to watch.

[Daisy and Delilah]

Looks like a really cool experience Phred!! I've been missing one of those great Phred threads and wondering how you're doing. Thanks for sharing

[anna_66]

I just got done looking at the pictures Phred and I can't say enough how COOL that is you were able to be on board! The pictures are fabulous!!
I'm so glad you shared this with us.

I'm sure the dogs didn't mind you being away for a few days, but I bet they're glad your home

[Karen]

Wow! That's neat! Just you and your 500 closest buddies, eh?

[4 Dog Mother]

Wow! You have become a picture taking monster, Phred my man! Don't think I have ever seen one of your albums so full. More fun that taking doggie pictures, huh?

Looks like a great trip. One Carl would have enjoyed it as much as you did as far as looking at all the stuff you did. I would have just enjoyed being up on top enjoying the ride who cares about the rest of that junk? (sort of just kidding!)

Really enjoyed your album. Something not too many get the chance to do!

[ramanth]

Wow Phred!! What an amazing piece of history to be apart of!

We saw a few of the icebreakers out on the lakes when we were up in Mackinac in April. Quite a sight to see them working.

My family has also camped at Aloha State Park in Cheboygan. I love it up there.



Thanks for sharing!

[k9krazee]

Wow, thats awesome, Phred!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

How very very cool! Glad you were able to pull it off and glad you had such a grand time!

Off to the pics!

[Bengalz]

Phred,

Your are definitely a man of influence! What a wonderful and memorable experience for you to enjoy and to share with all your PT friends. The photos are fantastic - thank you for taking us all of your special ride.

Betty

[Cincy'sMom]

What a great oppertunity Phred!! Thanks for taking us along for the ride!!

[K9karen]

Totally AWESOME!!!