GL: Out for the season-observations

[Elliott Bray]

Well, Letitia is out of the water and in the big barn after a successful
season cruising Lake Michigan.  She will come back out around mid-May.

Some observations for this year:

Cell phone coverage-Verizon has better coverage along the upper western
Michigan coast than when we came down in 2005. But still... I got my Digital
Antenna cell amplifier up and working and only had a couple of days I
couldn't connect to the internet. Much better than before. I use a Motorola
Q Smartphone tethered to either my desktop or the laptop. In my mind, a cell
phone with broadband capabilities makes more sense than an aircard. Since
you are paying for a cell phone and a data plan anyway, why not be able to
talk on it. You do have to have a USB cable and you have to carry a phone
around, but.......

Wifi-I didn't find much in the way of free wifi. In the Mackinac area (was
in Petosky too) there is a wifi (pay as you go) provider which has a feature
that gives you an initial connection to test out your system and their
service. I could always POP my mail down during that time. I use a 200mW
EnGenius USB adapter made by Senao which really brings then in.

Cruising Lake Michigan -
[] The upper Western Michigan coast and the Les Cheneaux islands are
wonderful.
   Clear water, no salt, blue sky, fresh fruit and vegetables at the
farmer's markets....
[] Lake Michigan is BIG water.  We have a rule - If one of us says 'No', we
don't go. We spent more time at the dock than before. On the plus side, we
rented cars and saw more of the country.


We are off this morning for Austin, Tx for the winter (during the summer the
usual temps up north - 60-70s, in Austin 95+).

Next year we'll continue the retrograde loop through the North Channel,
G.Bay, T-Severn to a probable stop on the Erie Canal if we still have
Letitia.


One more cup of coffee and then I'm off to finish packing the car.....
****************
Elliott Bray
Gulfstar 44 MC 'Letitia'
on White Lake at Whitehall, Michigan
www.loopcruiser.com
****************