Knocking in Grand Traverse County, Michigan

I have three encounters with what I believe to be Bigfoot or an unknown crpytid. 2008- In late fall I accompanied my wife, daughter, and my mother to stay in a rental cabin near island lake, situated near the manistee national forest in northern lower michigan. As an avid mountain biker I brought along my bike and had planned several rides. The second day of my stay I set off on a ride about 6pm and entered a thick pine/cedar forest on what appeared to be a game trail. After roughly 1.5 miles of riding (I marked a way point on my GPS before entering the woods so I could easily find my way back) I noticed my front tire was very low on air. Shortly after I came to a very small clearing in the woods, it was clear cut purposefully with exposed stumps and new undergrowth. I set my bike against a pine stump and began to repair my front tire. To my right roughly 50-60 yards was a partially destroyed and burnt old RV. Seconds after glancing at it, a very loud thump came from within the camper. All I can describe it is as a "head" appeared in a broken window, which had to be over six feet from the base of the camper. From my distance all I could see was jet black fur and no noticeable ears, the eyes were not noticeable or black as well. It cocked its head to the right slightly as I mounted my mountain bike. I rode off quickly following my GPS map back to my starting point. Whatever it was I saw I believe followed me back to my cabin, as very foul and pungent odor lingered outside the next morning. 2009 For a short time while finishing my bachelors degree my wife and daughter lived with my dad. His house was at the end of a very long drive which backed up to hundreds of acres of woods and a large state recreation area called Waterloo in southern lower Michigan. After my parents divorced my mom who is a nurse moved in with her mother to provide care who lived right next door. December 3 I arrived home from school about 7pm. Shortly thereafter (I lived in an apartment in the basement) I hear a knock on the sliding glass door. It was my mother who looked very disturbed and frightened, and says she has been hearing howls all evening. I assumed coyotes as they were very abundant there. She was unshakeable in her opinion that it was not a coyote. I stepped outside onto the patio and shut off the exterior light. What I did notice immediately was a very strong odor being whirled around in the wind. I waited nearly 5 minutes and then I heard it, it was very near the tree line. Howling like I never have heard from a coyote, deep penetrating bass notes that sounded ragged and throaty. It was very windy and beginning to snow, and the howls seemed to occur in different locations. Due to the snow falling overnight no tracks or signs were observed. Thank you for reading my encounters, I appreciate your time.