September 2008

Monday, September 01, 2008 3:34 PM
Chrisitne Zarzycki - Madison Heights, MI
I didn't know that the Rifle River Recreation area was so versatile.  My husband and I rode through there once, not realizing how wonderful and place it is.  We plan on camping there as soon as we can.
Thanks again.

Sunday, September 07, 2008 6:25 PM
Sandra Dunham - Grass Lake, MI
We have spent 2 vacations in rifle river, and always wanted to go in the fall but were afraid to with hunting season.With that many campers already there,  I think we will give it a try! I would love the DVD because we are planning a family vacation with all of our kids & their families late next spring and would love to have the dvd to share before we go.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008 11:14 AM
Al Gandolfi - Titusville, FL
Watching your shows has got to be the most stress relieving moments anybody could have. I would sure like to have Tom's job. Please keep it going.

Thursday, September 18, 2008 4:40 AM
Pat Williams - Newton Centre, MA
I've had good luck with your site.

Sunday, September 21, 2008 7:19 AM
Denis  Fitzgerald - West Branch, MI
We would like to go next year!  Great country and a nice presentation.  Thanks.

October 2008

Thursday, October 02, 2008 2:44 PM
Karen Mahoney - Dunnellon, FL
We loved this week's show.  The Manistique area is so beautiful.  We miss Michigan and love to see your shows of that lovely state.  We moved to Florida 4 years ago.  Please keep them coming.

Saturday, October 04, 2008 7:07 PM
Ellen Thomas - Troy, MI
I just began viewing this website. It is fabulous!!!! Mr. O'Boyle, you did a wonderful job with your videos and still pictures. Picture taking is a real art.  And your photos of nature show the heart felt beauty in your photos. I just sent you a prior email telling you about my trips and how much your program about Manistique, Michigan and the surrounding areas meant to me. This website is even more fabulous. Thank you so much for sharing the beauty of nature in Michigan with us all.
Sincerely,
E. J. Thomas

Saturday, October 04, 2008 6:52 PM
Ellen Thomas - Troy, MI
Tom O'Boyle,

I just finished watching your Great Getaways program on Michigan Television on 10-04-08, about the fall colors and canoe ride, etc. in Schoolcraft County, Michigan including Manistique and Indian Lake, etc.

I don't normally watch TV during a Saturday afternoon however I was just taking a break from working outside on a beautiful sunny fall day in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.

When my two brothers and I were young from the age of 2 until I was in my mid teens we would go on vacation, and camp and fish, at Indian Lake State Park with our folks.  I'm now retired and in my early 60's.  My folks are both still alive and also enjoy watching Public Television and all of its great programs.  They did not see you program and I would love to receive your free DVD and be able to share it with them.

During the 1950's when the Mackinaw Bridge was being built, I remember we would wait in Mackinaw City until the ferry boats, such as the St. Ignas, and the Vacation Lander, would come back to take us across to the Upper Peninsula and we would continue on for about 100 miles west of the Mackinaw Bridge to Indian Lake.  It was a very welcome break from the long ride up to the straits of Mackinaw. 

Watching each summer, the progress of that fabulous bridge being built, from the decks of those ferry boats still lingers in my mind.  Once the bridge was finished, the cars and trailers had to use the bridge to get from the lower to the upper peninsula of Michigan.  Gone are the days of those fabulous rides on the ferry boats, however, both those boats and camping at Indian Lake will never be gone from my fond memories.

One Labor Day we even walked across the Mackinaw Bridge.  What an experience that was, especially looking down hundreds of feet through the open grating and seeing the water moving under the bridge.  Needless to say we spent most of that walk on the concrete pavement.

How well I also remember Kitch-iti-kipi Springs and the old log raft that was connected to a pulley that the men would use to manually pull in order to get us across the springs.  We would look down 65 feet and see the sturgeon fish from the two openings in the center of the raft.

We also went to places such as: Mackinaw Island and have their fabulous fudge and hike all over the island, to the top of the island and site and watch the freighters passing through the straits.  And to other places such as Thompson's Fish Hatchery, Tahquamenon Falls, Pictured Rocks, Copper Harbor, Fayette, etc. 

Later we started taking longer trips to such places as Yellowstone, Wyoming, as well as into Canada to Georgian Bay, and Saskatchewan where my father was originally from, along with visiting Calgary and Banff and Lake Louise, and the Columbian Ice Fields, and many other beautiful places.

However, those days at Indian Lake were some of the best years of my life.  I've traveled around the world to some of the greatest cities and places, from Paris to Hong Kong.  However, it is those years when I was a young child camping, swimming and fishing at Indian Lake and enjoying day trips to nearby places, that I remember the best and I will always hold them near and dear to my heart.

Don't get me wrong, there were many great memories of my other travels, however, perhaps it was the closeness to nature, or my young age that left the greatest impact on my fond memories of those days at and around Indian Lake.  I also believe it was those camping experiences that gave me a very great appreciation for the greatness and beauty of nature and all its wonders.

People that stay only in hotels or motels, etc. cannot experience the true closeness to nature that one does when camping in either a tent or trailer.  Cooking out of doors, and fishing, and hiking in the woods provides the basis for a happiness that is sorely missing from the majority of people today.  As you showed in your program, nature is meant to be "experienced", to be appreciated, and not just seen in a movie or a magazine.

Years ago John Muir took Teddy Roosevelt camping.  It was that closeness to nature that spurred him to set up the first National Park in order to preserve our great natural lands.

This was the first time I saw your program "Great Get Aways" and you did an outstanding job bringing the beauty, serenity, and wonders of nature back into my mind and my heart.  Thank you so much.

I sure wish your program was on in the evenings, on a regular basis.  It would sure be appreciated by many of us, instead of the violence and other wasteful programs that are on other channels.

Thank you so much for sharing your journey into Schoolcraft County, with Michigan Television viewers.

Sincerely,
E. J. Thomas

Saturday, October 04, 2008 6:10 PM
Jerry Williams - Jackson, MI
Todays show was great, I go near that area (Manistique) often on my way to MN to visit my daughter. I think next summer I will spend some time checking out the area.

Saturday, October 04, 2008 6:05 PM
Joyce McCarrick - Eaton Rapids, MI
Your show was beautiful and relaxing not to mention very informative. I didn't know there was such pristine places left in michigan. Thank you very much.

Saturday, October 04, 2008 5:14 PM
Allen Lunneberg - Waterford, MI
I truly loved watching this show. It made me feel like planning our own getaway soon.

Saturday, October 04, 2008 5:01 PM
Debra  Demand - Saginaw, MI
I have never seen the show and very much enjoyed the quiet and relaxing virtual vaction from the comfort of my rocker after a very long and stress filled week at work. Thank you for the great work !!I have saved the web sight for future ideas. I am a single mother and always look for new and exciting places to explore with my children.

Saturday, October 04, 2008 11:49 AM
Gayle Kreinbring - Newberry, MI
All your shows are very informative.  Especially enjoyed this one since Manistique is in my backyard.  You do a great job reminding us Michiganders what "great getaways" we have right in our own state.
Keep up the good job.

Saturday, October 04, 2008 11:12 AM
David L. Antcliff - Greenville, MI
Absolutely fantastic! I myself have visited many of the places and locations highlighted in this program, I'm an avid photographer and consider the U.P. God's gift to us here on Earth. Thanks for putting out such a great show!

Sunday, October 05, 2008 12:04 PM
Paula Stauffer - Muskegon, MI
Hello!  Today we watched the Upper Peninsula Color Tour Episode and found it to be fabulous!  I homeschool my son, and your programs are a nice way to teach my son about the history and geography of Michigan! You have tempted us with great beauty and inspired us to plan a trip to investigate some of the trails ourselves! I was especially thrilled to see Kitch-iti-kipi Big Spring!  My folks brought me there when I was a child!  Keep up the great shows!
Sincerely,
Paula Stauffer

Sunday, October 05, 2008 11:57 AM
Connie DeMara - Whitehall, MI
Fantastic!!!  There's nothing more beautiful than autumn in the U.P.(except for my new baby grand-daughter!).  I want the DVD to show to my husband.  Hopefully it will lead to a trip to see it in person. We used to go on our own "getaways" at least a couple times a year, but since I've had to have several back surgeries, we have gotten away from our little excursions.  After watching this weeks show, the "bug" is back!  We'll just have to take it a little easier but I'm sure it can be done.

Sunday, October 05, 2008 11:40 AM
Danielle Dewey - Walker, MI
I was suprised.  I had no idea there was so much to do here in Michigan.  I rarely travel more than a few hours from home, but thanks to your show I will be taking my family on a lot more trips.  Thanks!

Sunday, October 05, 2008 11:42 AM
Alan Morrow - Holland, MI
I liked it very much and came up with an idea to take my grand kids to the u.p. thank you and keep up the good work.

Sunday, October 05, 2008 11:28 AM
Sue Schneider - Wyoming, MI
The show was very informative and enjoyable.  I would like to plan a vacation to those destinations.  Great job!

Sunday, October 05, 2008 9:29 AM
Matthew Schaller - Columbiaville, MI
I really enjoyed the travel planner. Exploring the trails was the best part; I thoroughly liked exploring the forgotten environmental lab. I can't wait to check it out. I traveled highway 2 going back and forth to college in the early 90s stopping off and exploring whenever I had the chance, I wish I had known about that place.  You asked for ideas to explore-I have a couple. I hiked the old copper mining ruins and the railroad track grades when I was in college, I even spelunked some of the brick lined water tunnels. I feel a lot of people might enjoy seeing some of mining history. It would be extremely interesting for your program to check out the forgotten ghost town of Malboro MI and I read about A town on the west side coast that was partially buried in sand in the 20s the other part was moved.      If I get more ideas I will get back to you.Thank You for your time.

Saturday, October 18, 2008 1:01 PM
Vincent Pulvirenti - Richmond, MI
I've been meaning to canoe the au sable river, this show has convinced me to just do it. Great show.

Sunday, October 19, 2008 11:53 PM
Timothy McCormick - Vestaburg, MI
We just love the Ausable river and have canoed it many times. Thanks for the show, we almost felt we were on the river.
Tim and Dorrine McCormick

Tuesday, October 21, 2008 6:22 PM
Steve Thompson - Monroe, MI
We really enjoyed the program and visited Bart's Fruit Market on Sunday. We found the show to be an excellent resource.Thank you.

Saturday, October 25, 2008 4:05 PM
Frederick Sacher - Farmington, MI
Nice show.  Enjoyed it a lot.  Didn't realize so many interesting places so close to home.

Saturday, October 25, 2008 10:10 AM
Linda LaRosa - South Branch, MI
First time I watch your show. Very impressive. Thanks

Saturday, October 25, 2008 11:01 AM
Debra  Coddington - Saint Helen, MI
Excellent show...but i would like to know how to get to these sights...maps etc...would help

Hello Debra,
Thanks for watching. We actually set up a travel planner for this show which includes maps, information and links to websites for the places featured on the show. You can find it here: http://www.greatgetaways.tv/planner_saginawoutdoors.html
Hope that helps.

Sunday, October 26, 2008 5:03 PM
Cindi Savoie - Homer, MI
I saw on your TV program something about a train ride on the Polar Express. I was just wondering when it takes place and where. Thanks!

Hi Cindi,
You can find information on the North Pole Express on our "Outdoors in Saginaw County" Travel Planner page here:
http://www.greatgetaways.tv/planner_saginawoutdoors.html

Sunday, October 26, 2008 2:03 PM
Melvin Checker - Vernon, MI
I enjoy watching your shows, many ideas of places to see. I did not know there were so many places to see in Saginaw County.

Monday, October 27, 2008 8:01 AM
Becky Simpson - Roseville, MI
I had never seen this show before. I was pleasantly surprised upon viewing the local activities that I had never known about before. I am excited to get more information on Santa's Village and the North Pole Express.