Ride Of A Lifetime: - (Sault Saint Marie) to Mackinaw City! 

You were right the first time. The freighters that travel the Great Lakes are called, Boats. Any vessel that navigates seawater is called a, Ship. I know this because I grew up in Sault Ste. Marie. No charge fees for boats and ships that use the locks. Boat signal that was Two Long and One Short means it is signaling an oncoming boat. It's a kinda Head's Up warning.

Hi, I’m from Michigan and I just have to tell you I love crossing the Mackinac bridge! We cross it going both ways at least four times a year and maybe more. We go all the way from southeast Michigan near the Ohio border all the way up to the Iron Mountain area which is near the Wisconsin border. My favorite part of the trip is crossing the bridge. My uncle and his sons help build that bridge. They were crane operators. There are some of us who absolutely love crossing the bridge and I have since I was a little girl and now I’m an old lady lol.

Thanks for showing off my home state of Michigan. The Soo locks are an feat of engineering thats operated and maintained by the Army Corp of Engineers. They average between 7 to 10,000 cargo ships from March to December.

Great video, never been to Michigan but we are taking about it ❣️Thank you for sharing 😊

GOD BLESS , UNITED STATES AMERICA , RUSS , RVerTV FANS. WE LOVE RVerTV - GRAND JOURNEY THRU - U.S.A.- GRAND VIDEOS - GRAND MUSIC. GREETINGS FROM CANADA / SUNNY / COLD. CAN RUSS VISIT CANADA - 2024/ 2025. Thank you Russ.😎😎😎😎😎

You'd be climbing the ship's walls out of boredom after like 2 days onboard?! you had me laughing at that!😂

Another great drive of memories for me. I remember making this drive as a kid with my mom and dad in the 1960s seeing Mackinac island and the Locks. My Dad took great interest in seeing ships go through the lockss since he had a summer job on a Great Lakes freighter just prior to turning 18 and enlisting in the Army Air Corps in WW2. For enlisting, he got the credits necessary to complete high school. His boyhood room I slept in when visiting grandparents had pictures of Great Lake freighter ships on his walls. Thanks for the video and how you describe the trip.

LUV N IT Great to see you back ..your Copper Harbor trip is still my fav rver trip. hope to see what happened between Calumet and Soo St Marie. Thaks as always for all you do.

Another great travelogue. Thanks Sir Russ!

As a Michigander I always love heading up to Sault Ste. Marie its such a great little town with so much history.

You cannot take your car to the island that island do not have car on it.

Love visiting the Locks. When I was just a kid back in the 1960's we saw the Edmund Fitzgerald coming through the locks. My dad took a picture because my grandpa's name was Edmund and, of course we thought of JFK.

I was very thrilled Russ to watch this delightful U.P. video since it's reminders of all the exact sites and places I grew up with plus took my Aussie husband (now deceased) in 2014. We sat on a bench in an iron fenced park near the older original stone Soo Locks towers and watched a freighter go through the locks after eating famous tasty U.P. pasties for lunch across the street. When you drove into St. Ignace looking for a decent spot to park your van, you just so happened to turn around in front of the Driftwood Motel parking lot where we had lodged three nights. We took the passenger ferry across the road to Mackinac Island for the day. We ate at different local restaurants in town who served delicious food, especially the famous whitefish. You really missed out if you didn't have that plus some pasties (past- tees) which are various meat pies. Originally from MI and living there 20+ years before leaving, I camped with my family in two different travel trailers in many of the state parks all over in both the U.P. and L.P. and can show you where on my handy left hand map all Michiganders naturally use. A lot has definitely changed in appearance since my last visit there, even over the past ten years. Indian Village in St. Ignace hasn't as I went there even as a toddler and some things really hadn't changed. Mackinac Fudge is the ultimate, another big miss if you opted not buying some. People traveling there or to Mackinaw City are aptly called Fudgies. You were very wise to spend the night in St. Ignace before crossing over the Big Mac bridge because it's expensive in Mackinaw City. I always preferred lodging in St. Ignace. It's very difficult now for me to want to return back to these destinations because of memories of my past. I'm the last of the Mohicans in my family and with the loss of my husband a few years ago, I simply can't go back now. I truly miss the Great Lakes the most in MI, but not so much the rest. However, I can vouch the state parks are absolutely the best of all the states I've ever camped in. There's plenty of other places to travel to in our wonderful 50 states. I've been in 42 personally, but thanks to your wonderful travelogues, I've been able to see the rest of the states from my comfortable LR recliner chair. However, I still wish to view the remainder of them in person. Everywhere one travels, you always stumble onto something interesting no matter what. History and scenic sites always capture my heart. Beauty can be found everywhere without searching for it. I love America 🇺🇲 as a Patriot. 😉

What a beautiful and enjoyable ride along. I only regret not exploring more of the the USA when I was younger. Thanks Russ for giving me the opportunity to see America without leaving my living room 🤗

😂look who came to our neck of the woods, welcome ,hope you enjoyed. haven't commented for a long long time ,Marie S...some of these are to large to leave and sail to the ocean coal carriers are 1000 and some over, are unable to get through the Weland Cannel and up river ,out to the Atlantic Ocean . the cannel here has been made larger and can get to Duluth. these Great Lakes are some great place, hope you enjoy .

Bruh love your footage

Beautiful video. Brings back many memories. Just one correction. Mackinac is pronounced Mackinaw. Spelled differently but pronounced the same.

There is no cost to pass through the locks. The Canadian Lock, referred to as the Canadian Canal is a much reduced freighter lock and only provided passage for pleasure boats during day light hours.

We have enjoyed the ride a longs with you for a couple of years now. One huge suggestion! Please pause and show the whole storyboard or signs just a bit longer. As you went in the basement of one of the museums in Mackenac.... You failed to go all the way down and there was some interesting info there. Again, nice job, but we like reading the things you post. We just can't see all of it. FYI, we traveled to the UP, with our kids and we saw a lot up there. But we were unable to see this stuff. So we liked reading about it. While we were in the Soo Lock area, we ate at the Lock View Restaurant and you pointed it out, cool to see it's still there. The Whitefish was great. Thanks Paul and Janie Williams, Ohio.

Thank you for show us beautiful places!! From Connecticut and 🇧🇷 Brazil!!

I love the Mackinac bridge. I know that some people get frightened by driving over and that they used to have drivers for hire that would drive you and your car over the bridge.

I love your videos! I hope someday to go to USA too. Best regards from Norway.

Speaking of You Tube wish they would put videos in order by date. Saw the one after this b4 I found this one. Ocean Navigator is a really pretty boat. Love boat cruises and excursion trains. You can do both in one day here in CT. Nice way to spend a day. Much bigger boat than ours.

This was wonderful. The last trip up there for me was in the 90's surprised some places have remained the same.

There are casinos theaters, dancing bars, live concerts, piano bars, restaurants, and it's all inclusive so you're not paying for anything, and then the next morning you're at another exotic port🙂 it's just as cool as driving down the highway in your van. Put it on your bucket list and do it before you die

Good job. Thanks for taking us along! Throughly enjoyed

My favorite place to spend a week. The Locks, Clyde’s drive in, Brimley. Always something to do. Always fun to hear remarks from visitors who have never seen it before. You should of driven down along the river, you missed so many interesting sites. The tower, the ship, Antlers, and most of all Rotary Park. There’s no car ferry to Mackinac Island, no cars on the island allowed.

RUSS THE EXPLORER 😅

Kudos to your RU-vid Channel, Russ! Too cool for school! I wish you safe travels, Russ. Talk soon, Alan.

Thank you for giving me the trip of a lifetime. Loved it.

Wow. Love these clips thanks for hanging out🇺🇸🇨🇦

HEY,HEY,Ready for RVerTV ,Russ ,Let's go,yay👍

There are no fees to lock through. I've seen full size ships go through as well as people in row boats and canoes. No charge. Also, that Wawatam lighthouse in St. Ignace was built to attract tourists in 1998. Although there is a light in it, it really serves no purpose. That yellow building @1:20:38, I used to live on the 2nd floor when I worked for Star Line Ferry.

What an awesome trip! Living here, we do quick trips but never see the highlights you pointed out. Thanks for taking us along!

Russ, your visuals are some of the very best I've seen! Your shows are top-of-the-line. Keep it coming.

Fun to travel Russ. Hope to meet you in Quartzsite this year...

Greetings from CT. I'm hooked on RVerTV! Thanks, Russ, for enduring all these thousands and thousands of miles driving your Van! I feel your angst each time you say "Gosh it's great to get out of the Van to walk around and stretch my legs!". Glad you have your nifty Coffee Maker in the Van to keep you awake during your travels! You've got me hooked on Folger's Black Silk. Safe Travels to you!!!

you almost made it to Paradise... near Whitefish Point, the Shipwreck museum and lighthouse is pretty cool... thanks for the locks video, never seen that before...

Hi Ross I'm just now today finishing up on watching the rest of your Michigan video. I just want to say that pronouncing Mackinac is Mack-in-aw. Thanks for the video

Most buildings in the UP don't have air conditioning.

It's free to pass through the lift bridge in Duluth on any watercraft. I am thinking it's free there as well... Ray, Grand Marais, Mn.

thumb 👍

One big site seeing trip the bridge is scary in a semi windy days only a 25 mph speed limit the bridge moves I was ready to get off let’s say

Hey Russ what in the world did you do them 3 days being rained in ??

Thanks for doing the driving. I loved the scenic tour.

Thank you for a great video! Some really neat places to see! Have an awesome day!

I live in Harrisville mi I go to the Sault locks alot , I use to work as a deck hand on the freighter ships it was a unique life on their 30 to 90 days aboard at 1 time, thank you for visiting our state and sharing some of our beautiful sites

very enjoyable😊

Too bad you didn't get up to Whitefish Point to the Maritime Shipwreck Museum.

Arizona🌵here. I would be freezing too. Great vid. Very interesting. Thanks Rus.

Happy Easter, Russ. Still lovin' your show. KEEP ON TRUCKIN', My dude.

I really enjoy this channel from my couch, I need to get out more. Thanks!🤗

I have and always will be weird.😜

You missed the Valley Camp Ship Museum and Tower of History in the Soo. Big miss. Mackinac and Mackinaw are both pronounced Mackinaw. Another big miss was Mackinac Island. No cars on the island.

Hey Russ...we are headed to St. Ignace in a couple of weeks. We've been a few times. We never knew there is a back road to under the bridge, nor a boardwalk along the shore. We are going to try checking them out! We have, also, never had a big draw to Mackinaw City, but now we are planning a stop there! Once again, if you are ever back in Ohio let me know and we will grab a meal! Maybe we can get Madison to join us!

This is wonderful! I'm curios if you have anything from between the Keewenaw and the Sault? Along Munising, Marquette or Pictured rocks for instance?

Thanks Russ

Iused to deliver to northern Michigan Menards stores being the dc for Menards I’d in era Claire Wisconsin I’d cut across the top and drive down I 75 delivering as head south to Detroit and Toledo I’d load seal coils heading for Minnesota to canning making factory

Just FYI. The Ferry’s in St Ignace only take people to the island. No vehicles are allowed on the island. Only horse & buggy allowed.

Glad to see you were her in MI! Look us up when your on Lake Erie side

I went on a dig once when I was a kid. The dig was outside of Phoenix, AZ, in August but it was so hot I called it off and went back to my hotel to cool off. We were digging for Native artifacts. It was too hot for my cold Chicago blood.

The locks are free for ships. 2023 was the last year for the American Queen cruises on the Great lakes. They sold the American Voyager and now focus on s. Us rivers.

Nice video. The only time I visited the Soo locks was in August 1975 and only two ships passed through in the short time I was there. One of them is eternally famous and the photos are posted on my YT channel such as it is.

I appreciate your videos very much I enjoyed this in particular thank you very much I'm a fan of rivtv from San Diego SoCal 😊

If you ever come back to Michigan in Mackinaw city you should tour the ice cutter Mackinaw ship. You will really enjoy it.

What a great video we visited Mackinac Island. It was beautiful but a lot of things you saw we didn’t see so thank you.❤

Have you been to iron mountain MI

THANKS!

YAY!!!!!

Vessel OCEAN NAVIGATOR is a Passenger Ship, Registered in Bahamas.

Its still pronounced Mackinaw! Mackinac is the French spelling.

When I get bored and climb the walls I just watch another rver tv episode

Thank you for doing this trip. Love that part of Michigan. Used to visit Mackinac island many many times. At 84 and 80 there is no way we could walk that boardwalk now. I don’t even remember the boardwalk. lol.

Went to Mackinac Island a few times with my family. If you want to see a lot of history you should head over on the ferry just for the day (leave the van behind 😅). There is a fort up on the cliff and many interesting old hotels and even a State Park. Take a carriage tour and ride a bike around the island.

Awesome video Russ! Only got as far as Mac City.

There is no fee to cross through the locks either way into Canadian water or into he United States. I am glad you enjoyed Michigan. I live south in Flint, Michigan

Very nice video. I was born in Sault St Marie a long time ago.

I grew up in the lower peninsula. Used to go to the UP every summer to tour and camp and stop at Mackinaw Island. Very beautiful place.

Yes that’s I 75 I used cross back into the USA there

Takes me back to around 1970 as a child crossing that Mighty Mac with our parents in a pickup truck camper. Everything was so much larger then as a small child. Thank You Russ for the flashback! Arizona 🌵

One lady waved at you from the cruise ship.

❤Loves this, walked across the Mighty Mac Bridge! Need to go explore this in real life!

HAPPY DINGUS DAY RUSS

It's been about 50 years since I've been to the soo.

Go on buy some chocolate!!

Russ you always brighten our Montana evenings. Keep on riding...🧭

Very cool Russ!

Tremendous video! Thanks Russ!

Thank you for all the videos

I wish I had 2 1/2 hours to watch a video.

Originally from Michigan, I enjoyed this video so much brought back many memories. Growing up we used to drive up to the soo locks on Sundays a 4 hour drive one way. Mom packed a lunch ate at a park at the straits then headed to rhe soo. I remember riding the ferries from Mackinaw city to St Ignace before the Mackinaw bridge was built . St Ignace hasn't changed much. Love that part of Michigan. Glad you got to see a boat going thru the locks. So fascinating. Thank you so much for this video

Thanks!

Go ahead and turn around and go back.

Of course a dollar general lol

Great video!

Special place. Special timing 💙

Such a great video.

❤❤

Thank you🎉

Martinez Matthew Lopez Richard Walker Sandra