Upper/Lower Peninsula, MI - Aug. 11 - 21, 2006
After an extended stay in Kewaunee we headed north, leaving the gentle farm and dairy land of Wisconsin for the forests and mines of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Sadly, we were only "Yoopers" (as the hardy Upper Peninsula folks are referred) for three days. Bill wanted to attend satellite Internet installer training in Denver and we jumped at the opportunity to combine business with a visit with friends and family. Consequently we cut our "Yooperdom" short.
Ishpeming: We spent three nights at Country RV Resort in Ishpeming, an iron ore-mining town that appears somewhat economically depressed. Upon our arrival we learned that a major mountain biking event from Ishpeming to Marquette was scheduled for that weekend; so "fat tire" enthusiasts occupied most of the park.
The day after our arrival was incredibly bright and beautiful so we loaded up our "slightly chubby tire" bikes and headed to Marquette on the shores of Lake Superior for a day of biking on the paved shoreline trail. It was a glorious day. Marquette is beautiful and if we didn't know how horrid the winters are, we would think the area a wonderful place to live. People actually ice-climb the waterfalls up here. Guess we would fail the anti-freeze test required for being true Yooper.
While biking we came upon an interesting art show of doors - dozens of artistically painted doors. We especially liked the door of the 1960/70's rock group "The Doors". Susan was also drawn to a door with three small windows looking onto a series of interior scenes with more windows.
Lake Superior is incredibly beautiful. The clarity reminded us of Lake Tahoe and its beauty brought back memories of the days we spent at Two Harbors on Superior's north shore the previous summer. Regrettably, we didn't have more time to spend exploring the area.
Mackinaw City: After three nights we pushed on south to the shores of Lake Michigan, across the Mighty Mac, as the Mackinaw Bridge is known, to the Lower Peninsula and Mackinaw City. We selected Mackinaw Mill Creek Camp as our base for exploring this area. The camp is perfectly located on Lake Huron, with a view of the Mighty Mac and Lake Michigan. The location is absolutely beautiful, and within biking distance to Mackinaw City and the ferries to Mackinac Island; however, the camp spaces are very, very close, perhaps to maximize the shoreline and well-maintained public spaces.
Note: Mackinac and Mackinaw are both pronounced 'Mackinaw'. The root name probably originates from the Chippewa Indians who called Mackinac Island, Michilimackinac, which is usually defined as Great Spirits or Great Turtle. Ownership of this area has bounced around over the years. Mackinac Island was established by the French in 1671 who surrendered it to the British in 1761. The British relinquished it to the U.S. in 1796, but recaptured it in the War of 1812. A scant three years later in 1815 the British returned it to the U.S. This is the first time since 8th grade that a grasp of the French and Indian War would come in handy. Basically, it is Mackinaw City, but everything else is Mackinac.
The biggest tourist draw is beautiful, historic and romantic Mackinac Island. So, being quite romantic, we loaded our bikes on the ferry and headed to the island for a day of exploring. The ferry ride afforded incredible views of the Upper and Lower Peninsulas, the bridge and the nearby islands.
There are no motor vehicles allowed on the island so all transport is by foot, bike or horse. Horsepower was everywhere transporting people, material and supplies - including their own hay and oats. There were teams of pooper-scoopers performing clean-up chores and others delivering water, snacks and fly spray to hard working horses at key stops - especially after a steep climb with a wagon load of tourists. Most of the horses were of the "big workhorse" variety (like Belgians and Suffolks), but there were also a few very elegant matched pairs pulling graceful carriages. We were amused to see a horse-drawn wagon delivering building material to a Victorian home renovation job. It was so 19th Century.
We biked around the perimeter of the island then stopped for lunch at one of the many restaurants in the busy village. After lunch we explored the island's interior and the village's back streets. While 80% of the island is state park, including Fort Mackinac established by the British during the Revolutionary War, the rest is comprised of beautiful homes, inns and cottages. Susan picked out one for her summer cottage. After our day of biking we treated ourselves to a congratulatory beer before catching the ferry back to the mainland. It was a fabulous day indeed.
After touring the shipping facilities at Duluth, Minnesota in July 2005, we determined if given the opportunity we would see the Soo Locks. Opportunity knocked, and we headed north to Sault Ste. Marie.
The St. Mary's Rapids, the only connection between Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes, falls about 21-feet from the level of Lake Superior to the level of the lower lakes. It is a natural barrier to navigation and the ore and timber rich lands bordering Lake Superior. Lock construction on St. Mary's Rapid began in the late 1700's and continues today as navigation demands evolve. Currently, the three operating locks can provide transport to ships up to 1,000-feet in length carrying more than 72,000 tons of cargo. It is estimated that the Soo Locks save the nation approximately $500 million a year in shipping costs. We had an opportunity to see two ships come through the locks during our visit. When the "Alpena" came through we were amused to see a mom and her toddler son at the helm waving to the tourists, and bicycles suspended from the overhang near the crew's quarters.
Cute sign: On the way back to our campground after touring the locks we passed a motel that looked like it had a pretty good deal. The sign out front said, "Free WIFE in room". Nahhh... couldn't be. They must mean free "WIFI" in room, right? They looked busy.
On August 21st we moved to just south of Grand Rapids, MI.
