Our last post left off at a rest stop just outside Minooka. We had a good night sleep, then morning came and we still didn’t get our test results. The border was only five and a half hours away, but the results of the tests could potentially get to us only the next day. We needed to take our time.
What can be better than an archaeological site to kill time? We found Briscoe Mounds not too far from the rest stop and headed that way.
The two mounds on the site were built between 1200 and 1500 AD during the Mississippian Period.
The first survey of the mounds was in 1938. The mounds were partially excavated in 1964, revealing sixteen bodies.
We could see the mounds from the small parking lot, but weren’t sure how to get to them. Following a path towards the river revealed a scatter of strange fruits on the ground, but no path to the mounds.
We picked one up of the fruits and with the help of the Google magical Lens app identified it as osage orange. As we are not familiar with it, we will need to investigate it a bit further.
We finally found our way to the mounds by tracking back and walking on the road.
The grounds looked as if this was a private property, so we looked around quickly and left. There wasn’t much to see really, and we needed to use our imagination to envision what used to be there. We later found out that the Ministry of Natural Resources owns the land and plans to turn the place into a museum. We’ll keep an eye out for it, but it doesn’t look like it’s coming any time soon. .
We realized that we are pretty close to Lake Michigan and missed, so we headed to the Indiana Dunes National Park Porter Beach for a quick lunch and a stroll on the beach.
We did not try to sit on this bench,
but the beach was glorious,
and the beach glass and rocks were bountiful and interesting
It was a bit too cold to stay on the beach so we decided to drive on and explore South Haven, a charming town on the east shore of Lake Michigan.
The downtown looks quaint with lots of small shops and cafes, but we drove down to dock and sat there looking at the lake and the lighthouse. Quite a few people with cameras and big lenses showed up on the beach taking photos, but we stayed in the warm van. We’ll have enough cold weather after we cross the border…
Driving through South Haven’s wide avenues, we noticed this plaque. Take a read. We thought it was a fascinating piece of history, but also another reason to slow down and read the signs. We already found that the town of Riverside manufactured its own future history. Now we found that the town of South Haven created a haven for those subjected to manufactured bias, hate, and racism.
Some manufactured realities to ponder on. Especially these days.
On we drove and stopped at a rest stop for dinner about an hour away from the border. Still no test results.
For the sake of killing time, we cut into the osage orange. It looks appetizing, but unfortunately it is not edible.
It is night time and no results yet. We were getting a bit nervous and we were running out of food. We made dinner and tried to decide what to do next. Spend the night at the rest stop? Continue to Port Huron?
We decided to continue to Port Huron and if we don’t get the results we’ll spend the night at the Welcome Center rest stop. Port Huron at night was festive and full of holiday light and cheer, but we drove to the river’s edge and looked longingly at Sarnia on the other side.
We were so close yet so far away…literally a five minute drive and we would be home!
If the hostages drove to the river on the other side, we could have signalled to them with Morse code or something, but it was a bit too late for that.
With heavy hearts we drove to the rest stop and went to bed.
Only to be alerted by our daughter-that-got-away that she received a text (her phone was on the form) and to check our email. Yes! We got our test results and they were both negative! It was close to midnight, but we decided to make a run for the border. It was easy enough to submit the ArriveCan border crossing form online, and within a few minutes we were on the bridge crossing over to Canada.
Crossing to Canada this time it was three minutes instead of three hours to get home after crossing the border. This time we didn’t have frozen pipes when we got home.
Can you guess what we did the next day? Yup, we headed straight to the beach.
Collected more rocks (we need to get a rock tumbler and get them all shiny and pretty),
and caught the sunset.
We sat looking at the bridge and started planning our next trip.
We still have some Denver stories to tell you about ,and we will finally share with you our long-ago trip to the Maritimes, so stay tuned and stay well!
glad you made it through and were negative. like you, i’m drawn to beaches and can’t get enough of the rocks i collect
Right? I would love to tumble some of them and see all of the patterns emerge. There is something very soothing about a smooth and shiny pebble.
The beaches you stopped at were lovely and how amazing to find a light turquoise sea glass. They seem like rare finds to me!
Michigan Lake and Lake Huron beaches are beautiful indeed! Yeah, the light blue sea glass is not as common as the white and green ones. I love finding them!
We do a lot of sea glass hunting when we visit my in laws in New Brunswick. Like you, the white, brown and green are common. Blue and oranges are rare. I’ve actually never seen the light blue ones until your post. I’ll have to share the picture with my in laws.
i think that they are my favourites!
Glad you got your test results and thanks for the tip on google magic lens. I generally use iNaturalist. Sorry I moved from Denver before you got there to see your daughter. Your morse code comment made me laugh! Happy New Year!
It would have been nice to meet, but we are like ships at night…one day :). I’ve been using lens for a while, but I didn’t realize until yesterday the it can do other things. I just got it to translate a handwritten document from German to English. Mind Blowing! BTW, I didn’t get a chance to use GPSMyCity before we left Denver. Next time and thanks for setting that up!
A good way to kill time waiting for your test results. Glad you are home safely. Thanks for sharing. Allan
Thanks for coming along, Allan. Stay well!
So glad you made it home and avoided starvation 😊. What a trip you’ve had. A lovely visit with your daughter and grand pup with lots of interesting stops along the way. A great start to 2022. Perfect!
It was a good for the soul AND productive trip! I hope all is well with you and wishing you a wonderful 2022I
Welcome back to Sarnia, even though I am not there now, it is where I was born.
Haha, thank you! I hope you get to go to your second home in Malaysia soon!
Yeah, me too. Never know these days.
Glad to hear that you got your test results back in time and that you were able to drive back home. What a relief. The waiting part is the worst. I’ve never seen an osage orange before, but they look so interesting. That’s one heck of a sunset. Looks beautiful and I can see why you are drawn to the beach. Have a wonderful weekend. Linda
Thanks, Linda! We couldn’t wait to go and check out the winter beach. It was still mild when we left for Denver. It had since transformed into an icescape that we just love exploring! You have a great weekend too!
I love your stories and adventures. What an odd time in history. There is so much riding on these tests. We’ve gotten together with family the past two Christmases, but everyone waits until right before to get tested. In some cases, people are enroute when the results come in. I’m picturing of how torturous it would be to travel and then learn I can’t actually see the people I came to be with.
oh that would be horrible! Luckily, it all went well for you! Thanks for joining us on our adventures and stay well!
Glad you had an uneventful border story. Glad you were able to enjoy the beach too!
Thank you! We were also very happy 😃
Thanks for taking us along on your adventure!
Thanks for coming along!
You do know how to fill your time effectively. So glad you made it home with negative results. Getting to cross the border and get to your own bed before running out of food was perfect. Just like heading to the beach the following day. Gotta love the beach in winter.
We are infatuated with the winterscape of the beach. In fact, we are on our way out as we speak to check out what has changed since yesterday.
how nice to be so close to the border, and a beach…
happy to hear about your negative test.
and South Haven looks like a wonderful town to visit…
Thanks, Jim!
What a pretty orange! I’ve not heard of the osage orange before, but it’s a shame that it was inedible. Safe travels home!
Thank you!
Your beach glass is so pretty.
Thanks! I need to find something cool to do with them!
I am glad you made it safely home and didn’t have frozen pipes! I look forward to your posts! Safe travels and maybe we will see you on the road!
Haha, we were very happy too! We will probably cross paths again either in CO, or elsewhere!
What a great story. So much here to talk about. Those oranges, how interesting. And now I know about Google Lens, I had been looking for a safe and legitimate app that identifies plants. Most are awful or charge too much. So thank you for this. Glad you were able to get your test results and crossover. Welcome home!
Thank you! I’m glad that you find Google Lens useful! I stopped using the other plant ID app now that I found this app. It’s easier to use and seems more accurate most of the time.
Glad you made it back home safely. I look forward to the day when life returns to ‘normal’. Until then, we won’t be traveling. We had our fill of hoop jumping.
I hear you! We have less of an urge to travel since we moved here because we like it so much, but we would still be visiting our daughter. Your place looks great. Enjoy!
The idea that a line on a map or a small river can be the difference between one country and another is interesting to an Aussie. If it were not for some Covid introduced limits there is nothing to stop us from wandering willy nilly.
But the signs on the road are very intriguing and I just might have to start a collection and write a specific post.
Please do write a specific post about the sign on the road. It sounds interesting. And, yes, lines on a map are different to different people. I grew up in a country where you were never able to cross the line to another country even though it wasn’t an island, it felt like one.
Ha, ha: Beach rocks! Years ago when I was in Hawaii, I collected tiny multi-coloured beach rocks and took them home in one of those little metal aspirin boxes we used to have. I also took some home when I visited Israel. You and I share many inclinations. Stay well. Muriel
haha, looks like we do 🙂 Where did you visit in Israel? I also noticed a horse connection!
Thank you! The beach is my favourite too!