Sunday, April 16, 2017
At Tulsa, we enjoyed visiting
Terry’s Mom and family. We toured around, shopped, and dined. Over several
days, we toured downtown, the Linnaeus Gardens and the Philbrook Gardens and
Art Museum in Tulsa. We had some quality-time with Terry’s mother and the “Tulsa”
family.
Terry and I also made a
day-trip down to Muscogee to visit Cousin Donna Kay and her family. Dona Kay
sure put on a scrumptious dinner, in their gorgeous home. They own and operate
a fine ranch and have a beautiful “western style” home, with lots of Cedar and
distinctive finishing. It was fun to
visit and reminisce.
We also visited the Old Indian
Agency and the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame at Muscogee, Oklahoma USA. On our
return trip to Tulsa, we missed a toll station on the Indian Nations Turnpike,
and a trooper pulled us over. We simply did not see the station and the Trooper
agreed that it happens frequently, declining to give us a fine.
During our stay in Oklahoma’s
“Green Country”, we had some fine spring weather and several days of heavy rain
and thunderstorms.
After a week at Tulsa, we
headed east to St. Louis.
Southwest Missouri Tourism is
thriving, with plenty of towns to visit and things to do. Southwest Missouri
was the site of several Civil War battles and skirmishes, and the region
retains its ties to the past with historic sites where you can explore the
state's involvement in the war. The limestone outcroppings and bluffs are
exactly what we expect to see in Southwest Missouri. We commonly saw piles of
“field rock” that has been removed from the agricultural fields and stacked
along the edge of the field. It’s frequently used for building material.
We took a campsite at
Marshfield, Missouri, in a convenient RV Park. It was a cool and windy night.
Waking up to coffee and breakfast in Marshfield, Missouri, we enjoyed a
leisurely morning. This town has nice old buildings made from the local
limestone. They have a terrific farm and ranch store called Orscheln's.
Around the Fort Leonard Wood
area, and Pulaski County, we admired the majestic landscape of vineyards,
geometrically lined-out across the green hills of the Ozarks.
Lunch at Rolla was followed by
a drive through the Missouri University of Science and Technology campus. I
worked with John Marsh in Seattle, a PhD alumni of this university.
Camping for a couple of days
at Cahokia, across the river from St. Louis, we toured the Cahokia Mounds. We
were surprised to encounter so many mounds in the area. The remains of the most
sophisticated prehistoric native civilization north of Mexico are preserved at
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site. The Visitor Center is superb and the
grounds have trails and placards for information and directions.
4-27-17 Thursday
From St. Louis, we headed east
to Vincennes, Indiana. Along the route, we encountered the Kaskaskia River. George
Rogers Clark defeated the British for control of this area. Also the early
French established some interesting names in the area. For example, we saw the
Embarras River, an Illinois tributary of the Wabash, which frustrated the
French explorers, due to its nearly impassable condition, resulting from
log-jams and debris. (Embarras)
We camped on the Wabash River,
just north of Vincennes, Indiana. We were surprised to discover that the
Quabache Trails Park is set among a dense, mature hardwood forest, overlooking
the Wabash River. The new-growth of early Spring is an awesome sight on the
huge hardwood trees, covering the hillsides of the Wabash River. We noticed
blossoms on the Paw Paw (Indiana Banana) trees.
This immediate area,
especially near a high rock outcropping on the Wabash River, stood several
subsequent forts. The French, British, and finally the Americans all had
consecutive forts here. George Rogers Clark defeated the British and
established Fort Knox. William Henry Harrison and Tecumseh held their parleys
here, and Zachary Taylor became commandant while Harrison led the campaign at
the Battle of Tippecanoe. We enjoy the antiquity of the famous historic
landmarks!
The only sounds are the
wildlife and river, sometimes broken by the trains that run the track along the
river. Could be the “Wabash Cannon Ball”!
We made our way to Seymour and
set-up at Glen and Kim’s house.
Now it’s “Derby Week” and the
Kentucky Derby festivities are in full-swing. I am enjoying watching the whole
thing on daily television coverage. It’s all very interesting, entertaining,
and educational.
Kentucky Derby and Burgoo Stew;
Like many old recipes, Burgoo
Stew can be modified to suit what you like and want, so give it your own
character from the basic recipe.
Thursday, May 25, 2017
We moved down to Madison,
Indiana for a visit with Bill and Amy. The City of Madison RV Park, situated at
the US 421 Ohio River Bridge, is always an interesting river-watching and
wildlife-viewing prospect. With two days
of steady rain, we had a prolonged opportunity to observe (from our RV window) lots
of river traffic and wildlife. Yesterday, a large group of Canada Geese came
ashore to browse the green grass along the river bank. Among the group, we
enjoyed seeing three pairs supervising their brood of goslings. One pair had
six half-grown goslings, another pair had five smaller goslings, and a third
pair had three small gosling chicks. The third pair caught our attention
because they were accompanied by a Swan Goose, an obvious, odd standout among
the flock. We were surprised to observe the Swan Goose playing a very
protective role in driving off the other single Canada Geese, when near the
pair with the young chicks. The Swan Goose would stretch his neck out, with
head low to the ground and noisily charge the single Canada Geese, sending them
running away at angles. There’s an infinite story in nature and this was just
another curious encounter!
Friday, June 2, 2017
Today, we decided to take a
week ramble into southern Ohio. We drove to Cincinnati, crossed the Ohio River
into Kentucky, traveled east, and then re-crossed the Ohio River back into
Southeastern Ohio. We drove the scenic river-road to Point Pleasant, birthplace
of Ulysses S. Grant. The 1821 home is an Ohio State Memorial and the house and
grounds are maintained as they were in 1822. Continuing east on the river-road,
we admired the nice camps and cabins along the river bank. We would enjoy a
camp here, overlooking the river and river-watching all day!
At Higginsport, the river road
detoured and our GPS took us on a narrow, roller-coaster ride through the hills
and hollows of southern Ohio. The consolation, was some beautiful scenery and
ship-shape farmsteads.
We rejoined the US 52 river-road
at Ripley and took a campsite in a quaint little family-type campground, next
to an Ohio River marina.
On Sunday, we moved up to
Paint Creek State Park, a former U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project (now an
Ohio State Park). It’s a fine park, set near Seven Caves, in Highland County.
On Monday, we cruised the
hills and hollows of southern Ohio to Chillicothe, and the Hopewell Culture
National Historical Park. Today we saw more mounds ever and they were all in
the “Mound City Group”. We learned that the Hopewell Culture thrived from 200BC
to 500AD, and the 700 years was occupied with continuous mound-building. Some
of the various earthworks are burial mounds, while others are believed to be
incorporated into certain alignments between the Earth, Sun, Moon, and stars,
and may have been used to predict celestial events. Large earthen walls or terraces often
surround/enclose the mound group. The mathematics and geometry of the
earthworks continue to astound the archeologists.
We explored Chillicothe and
then headed to the Serpent Mound State Memorial in Adams County. When you see
“road apples” along the route, you know you’re in Adams County, a large
settlement of Amish. The Amish ride their horse-drawn carts on the roads and
are frequently seen in the shopping areas. I have a lot of questions for the
Amish but have not had an opportunity to ask. They are friendly folks and many
have shops, selling baked goods, hand-made furniture, dairy products, and
various treats, all popular with the tourists. You can always spot an Amish
farm because there is no electrical service and the horse-drawn equipment and
draft horses are always present.
Serpent Mound is a huge “snake
effigy” earthwork, and it possesses a series of celestial alignment points,
identifying solstices and lunar observations. The ancient cultures must have
developed complex understandings of the sky and celestial bodies.
I am surprised at how little
southern Ohio has changed since I lived in Dayton, in the seventies. The rural
population has increased but the rural roads remain very narrow and remote. What
a terrific day in southern Ohio!
6-6-2017
Today, we’re back in
Cincinnati and ready to “do the town”. Our rig is at Winton Woods, an excellent
location in Cincinnati. We are enjoying our time in old Cincinnati. Findlay
Market was loads of fun too!
7-7-17
This weekend, we’re doing a
camping-retreat at Nashville, in Brown County, western Indiana. Glen and Kim
are joining us for some exploring, dining, rest, and relaxation.
Behind me is a deep hollow,
and the typical hardwood forest of the hills in Brown County. I observe White
Oak, Red Oak, (+ numerous other Oak varieties) Poplar, Sycamore, Maple,
Sweetgum, Sassafras, Hickory, Cottonwood, Walnut, Beech, Elm, Ash, Birch,
Eastern Red Cedar, and many others.
In the hills of western
Indiana, over 85 different hardwoods abound, some adapted to the dryer hills
and others the wet hollows and ravines. It is a beautiful area, fully recovered
from the clear-cut condition of the last century.
Just down the hollow is Gnaw
Bone, on Salt Creek, home of the Bear Wallow Distillery. The early settlers
into the hills of western Indiana chose the area because it reminded them of
their mountain home back east. They brought all their mountain-traditions and lifestyles
with them and it remains prevalent among the local people. It has that
hillbilly-feel!
Nashville is a popular resort
town with entertainment, restaurants, and other attractions. The large Maple
tree is a good example of the tree-shaded blocks in Nashville. Two
covered-bridges remain in the area and some of the old log cabins and other
pioneer buildings are present. The pictured bridge is the 1838 double-barrel
bridge over Salt Creek. Jim
Simmons, it's so green here!
The trees seem to engulf all the ground features. From an overlook, we could
see miles of rolling, timber-covered hills, hiding all the roads and buildings.
If you live in the south, the migrating Robins commonly make their
"chirp" sounds as they forage in the leaves of winter. In Indiana,
during the summer, the trees are a choir-loft of singing Robbins. We are
impressed with how prevalent and contemporaneous they are in this region.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology says: "The quintessential early bird, American Robins are common sights on lawns across North America, where you often see them tugging earthworms out of the ground. Robins are popular birds for their warm orange breast, cheery song, and early appearance at the end of winter. (The beginning of winter in the south.) Though they’re familiar town and city birds, American Robins are at home in wilder areas, too, including mountain forests and Alaskan wilderness".
Cornell Lab of Ornithology says: "The quintessential early bird, American Robins are common sights on lawns across North America, where you often see them tugging earthworms out of the ground. Robins are popular birds for their warm orange breast, cheery song, and early appearance at the end of winter. (The beginning of winter in the south.) Though they’re familiar town and city birds, American Robins are at home in wilder areas, too, including mountain forests and Alaskan wilderness".
7-15-17
This is the Washington County Courthouse
(1875) in Salem, Indiana. It is constructed from the famous "Bedford
Limestone" from southern Indiana quarries. The chess-like monuments on the
squares are memorials to the war casualties from each war that the County
citizens have served in. Their names are inscribed on the respective monuments.
Adjacent to the old town-square is the historic 1847 Railroad Depot, built
one-hundred years before my birth. This is a fascinating area!
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
Recently, we decided to take a
circular-route, trip up through Michigan to Sault Ste. Marie, across the upper
peninsula, and down the west side, through Wisconsin, to Chicago, returning to
southern Indiana for the “Fall leaf colors” and “leaf peeping”.
Today, we traveled from
Seymour, Indiana to Fort Wayne, Indiana, past millions of acres of corn and
soybeans. Avoiding the Freeways and Interstate highways, we took the rural byways
and state roads to Columbus, Greenwood, Indianapolis, Fishers, Noblesville,
Marion, Huntington, Fort Wayne, and all the little bergs, villages, and towns
along the route. This is a route we have never traveled and we were
entertained, surprised, and impressed with the historical sites, rivers,
farmsteads, and neat, clean, green landscapes.
Columbus, on the east fork of
the White River, hometown of Mike Pence, and the home of major, high-tech
manufacturing, is a city that we have often visited and are quite familiar
with. Named Tiptonia (1820), after General John Tipton, the name was later changed
to Columbus. In the interim, an upset, Tipton had become the Indiana Highway
Commissioner, and was assigned the task of building a road from Indianapolis to
Louisville. He promptly bypassed Columbus, creating the first BYPASS road ever
built. Never underestimate an elected official!
Greenwood was an early
farming, produce, and dairy community. Stokely-Van Camp company was
headquartered here, canning lots of vegetables. Now an elite bedroom community
of Indy, it’s a popular shopping, dining, and recreation place. Cool place!
Indianapolis, on the White
River, is the Indiana State Capital, home of the Colts, Indy Speedway, Indiana State
Fair, a major manufacturing center, and another of our favorite Indiana cities.
In 1816, the State Legislature decided to move the Capital from the Ohio River
to the center of the State. Two years later, through an Indian land deal, they
asked the Native American Delaware’s, to vacate the area. Now, Indianapolis is
a great cityscape of culture, art, sports, and terrific attractions! We enjoy
visiting Indianapolis, always providing entertainment and attractions!
Along the way, we had lunch at
Fishers, close to the White River cabin (1802) of William Conner, now the “Conner
Prairie” Preserve and Living History Museum. Conner married the daughter of a
Delaware Chief and spent his life here. Back then, in the pioneer days, having
a Native American spouse could “save your scalp”!
When the railroad came, they
changed the name to “Fishers Switch” because the railroad “ruled”. Fishers has
lots of shopping, restaurants, golf courses, and attractions for the Indy area.
Fun place!
Noblesville (1816) was settled
by Conner Prairie pioneers and farmed for years before the area’s Indiana Natural
Gas Boom “touched-off” an “explosive” economic roar and the farmers all got
rich. The railroad added to the development and now the town is a showplace of
architecture, landscapes, history, and art.
Marion, on the Mississinewa
River, site of William Henry Harrison’s 1812 battle with the Miami Indians, was
also in the later “gas boom” and the railroad brought more industry. The County
furnished natural gas for the Disabled Soldier Homes and the gas also attracted
large glass manufacturing companies. All this has contributed to a very
attractive community.
Huntington, situated on the
Wabash River, was settled by early pioneers, and lime production from the
natural resource, in numerous quarries and kilns, put the town “on the map”.
The 1834 Wabash and Erie Canal accelerated the population and economic growth.
Now, the town is a bedroom community and recreation area for nearby Fort Wayne.
Fort Wayne (1794) is the site
of loads of history concerning the Indians, French, British, and American
occupation. General (Mad) Anthony Wayne finished the struggle when he built
Fort Wayne. Named in Wayne's honor, the European-American settlement developed
at the confluence of the St. Joseph, St. Mary’s, and Maumee rivers as a trading
post for pioneers and Indians, and now manufacturing is “king”. The town (still
flood-prone) has a lot to do and see and the “Johnny Appleseed Park” has some
incredible specimens of huge hardwood trees from the pioneer days. We took a
nice campsite at this city RV Park!
Thursday, July 27, 2017
We had a fine visit at Fort
Wayne. My favorites were the Historic Fort Wayne Fort, the Cathedral and
museum, and a drive to Amish Grabill.
Leaving Fort Wayne, we drove
to Auburn and visited the Cord Duesenberg Museum, a collection of the Cord,
Duesenberg, and Auburn automobiles. Auburn is the home of the early automobile
manufacturing of these and more early makes and models. The grounds are well
landscaped with statues/stories of the people that made it all happen. Great
stop!
Next we drove to Grand Rapids,
Ohio and took a campsite on the Maumee River. Now, we’re making plans to visit
Detroit.
7-28
We drove through the rural
farmlands of NW Ohio and SE Michigan to Belleville, Michigan, a SW suburb of
Detroit. Along the way we saw lots of soybeans and corn, and neat, picturesque
farm homes. Our GPS really got a challenge because we took lots of narrow,
farm-to-market roads, getting to Detroit.
We took a nice campsite at the
Wayne County Fairgrounds in Belleville. Belleville is situated in Wayne County,
Van Buren Township. Wayne County is named in honor of General (Mad) Anthony
Wayne.
Looking at Detroit, it’s hard
to imagine it as a French possession, but the French names are still very
prevalent here. “Detroit” is a French word for “straight” or “narrow waterway channel”
and that’s exactly where Detroit was and is located. Michigan is bordered by
four of the Great Lakes but Detroit is bordered only by Lake St. Claire,
connecting Lake Erie and Lake Huron.
Many Indian names are
prevalent around the State too. The Native Americans were glad to see the
European traders but they were ill-equipped for what was to come. Antoine de la
Mothe Cadillac, a French officer, founded the settlement of Fort Pontchartrain
du Détroit as a fort and missionary outpost in 1701. Next, the British took
over and when the Americans begin to push into the territory from Kentucky and
the Ohio River, folks like General (Mad) Anthony Wayne whipped the British and
their Indian allies and took over from the British.
Now, we’re trying to decide
what we want to explore in Detroit, because the city has so much history, arts,
sports, and other attractions. We awoke at 6:30 am this morning and we had to
get-out our jackets. WE love it!
For starters, we visited the
Cranbrook Academy of Art at Bloomfield Hills. Terry lived here in the early
seventies. We toured the campus and followed with a tour of the Booth Mansion
and Gardens. The Booth family (philanthropists) donated the Mansion, Gardens
and property to found the (1904) Cranbrook Academy of Art. Cranbrook is one of
the world’s leading centers for education, science, and art. The student body
is exceptional and they have no “study guides”! My favorites were the plants,
trees, landscaping, and architecture, all contributing to the beauty and style
of the most visually stunning estate/campus that one could imagine. Very nice
morning!
After lunch, we visited the
Mansion and 1300-acre Estate of Henry and Clara Ford, situated on the banks of
River Rouge, in Dearborn, Michigan. They lived here from 1915 until their
deaths in 1947, just miles from their birthplaces and humble beginnings. The
estate was named “Fairlane” after Henry’s ancestor’s home in County Cork, Ireland.
Now, the Mansion is open to the public, as part of the University of Michigan-Dearborn
campus. After visiting several automobile dynasties, I’m surprised to learn
where the “car names” originate. If I made a car I would not have named it the
“Bobmobile”. Maybe the “Tiger”, from my LSU days!
7-30-17
Today, we visited "Motown
Hitsville USA”, saw the Stadiums, General Motors, Ford, the Lakefront/Riverfront,
Cork Town, Greek Town, and enjoyed touring the downtown area in general.
Detroit is a great "come-back" story! Great weather! Need a jacket in
the mornings and evenings.
On Monday, we spent the day at
the Ford Corporate property in Dearborn Michigan. We spent the morning at
Greenfield Village, and the afternoon at the Henry Ford Museum. This huge
property is also the site of the River Rouge Ford Plant, and the Ford Research
and Testing Center. This visit was not on our “bucket list” but we’re glad we
went. This property is must-see in Michigan!
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Today, we headed north to Bay
City. We traveled via Ann Arbor but we
didn’t visit the University of Michigan Campus. It was getting warm and we
decided to keep heading north. We did stop for a German-lunch at Frankenmuth.
We walked around the shady German settlement, took some pictures and then
headed north. We took a pleasant camp site on Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, just
east of Essexville. The campground, situated on the left-hand thumb of Michigan,
has spreading, shade trees and a cool wind coming off Lake Huron. From here, we
plan to explore around the Lake Huron coast.
8-2-17
Today, we packed a picnic
lunch and explored around the north Michigan “thumb”, located in the Lower
Peninsula, on the “sunrise side”. We cruised the Lake Huron shore and picnicked
at Port Austin, on the sandy beach, overlooking the marina and the clear, blue
waters of Lake Huron. The entire Michigan “thumb” shoreline is scenic with
parks, resorts, and summer homes. Port Austin lighthouse marks the entrance of
Saginaw Bay and Bay City. The village is a popular resort and offers all the
accommodations for visitors. The average winter temperature is 24 degrees
Fahrenheit, so winter sports are very popular too.
In the afternoon, we returned
through Bad Axe and the farm towns along that route. A curious observation is
the murid of wind-turbines dotting the farm-land. Wind energy is well promoted
and practiced by the “thumb” land-owners. The “thumb” interior is very flat
land and covered by huge farms and fields. The predominate crops that we saw
were soybeans, corn, sugar beets, wheat, potatoes, alfalfa, barley, and oats. Some
farms had truck crops with produce stands along the roads and in the
farm-towns. The “Michigan thumb” was very different from my expectations but we
enjoyed the visit. I also learned that Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is also a hand with Keweenaw Peninsula being the
thumb, so that makes it easy to point out Michigan’s geography on your hand.
8-3-17
This morning, we headed north
to Roscommon, for a campsite near another area we want to explore. We traveled
Michigan 13 to Standish for lunch and then took I-75 to Roscommon. This was a
scenic drive along Lake Huron and then into the Lower Peninsula interior, where
we noticed the increase in elevation and the appearance of Aspens, Conifers, Pines,
and lots of different flowers and trees.
Friday, August 4, 2017
After a rainy night, it was a
cool, cloudy, but dry day. The first priority was to do laundry at the “WashTub”
in Roscommon and enjoy coffee next door at the “Cops and Donut” Bakery. After
laundry, we had lunch at Grayling and then headed to the Hartwick Pines State
Park. At the park, we embarked on a journey (marked, paved trail) that took us to
a time when “White Pine was King”. Prior to European settlement of the Great
Lakes region, nearly ten-million acres of White Pine forest towered over the
Michigan Lower Peninsula and across the same parallel of Wisconsin. Native
Americans navigated through the vast, dark forest by marking the trails with
stones wedged in tree forks. When the Americans began to harvest the virgin
timber, they found the stone-markers that had grown or embedded into the trees,
over centuries.
The Park also maintains an
excellent logging museum and a model CCC Camp. This old-growth White Pine stand
escaped the logging-axe when loggers moved out in 1893. There were also several
varieties of Maple there and we learned that the Sugar Maple was and is
producing some really good Maple Syrup. It was a very relaxing, informational,
and educational visit!
8-7-2017
At Mackinaw City, on the “tip
of the mitt” of the Lower Peninsula, it’s like standing at the refrigerator
with the door open. You have to look past the dense “tourist fluff” to see the
remarkable geography, history, and natural beauty of the area. We especially enjoyed
the views of the towering Mackinac Bridge (1957) and the clear, blue waters of
the Mackinac Straights, where Lake Huron, and Lake Michigan converge. Offshore,
we could see historic Mackinac Island, and in the foreground, the sleek, speedy
ferry-boats crisscrossing, with their loads of tourists. Across the Straights
of Mackinac, we could see the Michigan Upper Peninsula, and St. Ignace, at the
northern end of the great suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac,
to connect the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. We
walked along the scenic waterfront path to the Mackinac Point Lighthouse (1892),
then to the old French Fort Michilimackinac (1715). The early French Trading
Post was a dangerous business because Indians disagreeing with your “return
policy” might murder you and burn your buildings! We can just feel the past existence
of the Native Americans, French, British, and finally pioneer Americans, who
saw the potential of governing the area. It’s just stunning to me to consider
how the Glaciers shaped and molded this huge area of the globe, and then left
us this spectacular region to enjoy!
8-8-17
Crossing the “Big Mac” bridge
over to St. Ignace, we visited the (1671) Mission site founded by Jesuit Father
Jacques Marquette. Shortly, the Ojibwa lived at the Mission to escape the
aggression of the Huron Natives. No surprise, the Native Americans were
declaring war among the tribes, long before the Europeans arrived on the scene!
In 1674, Marquette joined Louis Jolliet on an exploration journey to trace the route
of the Mississippi River and the rest is history. We have seen numerous
memorials to the Marquette/Jolliet circuitous route down the Fox River and
Mississippi River, returning up the Mississippi to the Illinois River and back
to St. Ignace. Unfortunately, Father died on the return trip up the Illinois
River.
After lunch, we explored
around St. Ignace, waded in Lake Huron with Daisy, and then visited the Castle
Rock, a high precipice overlooking the bay and Lake Huron. We had a wonderful
day in cool, breezy St. Ignace.
8-9-2017
Departing Mackinaw City, we
drove across the Mackinac Bridge and the Upper Peninsula, past the Les Cheneaux
Islands, arriving at Sault St. Marie (1668), Michigan’s first/oldest city. There’s
something magical about the water’s edge, on the Great Lakes! Nature’s
handiwork is always on display! We moved into our campsite at Soo (Soo is the
American slang term) Locks Campground, situated on the St. Mary’s River, just
downriver from the locks. The huge ships cast a shadow on us as they pass by
the campground docks. Sault Ste. Marie is “Pure Michigan”!
The early French occupation is
very apparent here, for example, I learned that “Sault” is the French term for
“rapids”, thus the “Sault” on St. Mary’s River. The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers locks, an engineering marvel, move huge ships between Lake Superior
and the lower lakes, through the 21-foot differential locking system. We have
been intrigued with looking-up the ship names as they pass and it’s astonishing
what you can learn about them, from the Internet. Also, the Great Lakes are a
mecca for lighthouse enthusiasts, as light stations are very prevalent in the
navigation system.
This afternoon, we took a
drive-around tour of the area and enjoyed seeing the Courthouse, old homes,
churches, Lake Superior State University, and historical sites. Tomorrow, we
will focus on downtown and the locks, where “Michigan was born”.
8-10-17
This morning was a maintenance
time, Terry bathed Daisy, did clean/vacuum, while I did outside maintenance,
and did some laundry. We drove over to Canada for lunch, toured around and
re-crossed the International Bridge to the Sault Ste. Marie, where we took an
afternoon tour of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers locks. The locks and Visitor
Center are very impressive, educational, and fascinating. We witnessed a very
unusual shutdown of the locks due to the running-aground of the 600-foot,
“Calumet”, at Sugar Island, just downriver from the locks. All parties
concerned were scrambling around trying to make a plan to free the ship and
re-open the locks and river traffic.
On returning to our campsite,
we walked along the river, watched the activities of the grounded ship, and
joined in the excitement of conversations on the subject. A late evening rain
drove us in and we spent a good night with rain pattering on our roof.
My favorite Sault Ste. Marie
things were the swift, cold, clear St. Mary’s River, the awesome stone
buildings, historic homes, beautiful parks, picturesque landscaping, and the
locks.
Also, our excursion to Canada
and an Indian lunch were very enjoyable.
8-11-17
Taking Michigan 28 through the
“big woods” of Hiawatha National Forest, crossing the 4600-mile North Country
National Scenic Trail, we settled in for a rainy day at our Newberry campsite.
Tomorrow, we explore the Tahquamenon Falls State Park.
8-12-17
A Saturday look-around: Driving
north from Newberry, on Michigan-123, we left Luce County and entered Chippewa
County. Traversing Luce County, we crossed a vast wetland that is the “Moose
Capital of Michigan”. We didn’t find any Moose but we did see lots of fine
Moose habitat. What we did find were some aggressive mosquitos, or rather they
found us! The numerous, natural water holes in the grassy wetlands are called
“tanks” and that’s where the Moose can be found in early morning and late
evening. Entering Chippewa County the terrain rises and enters a mixed forest
of conifers and hardwoods. This route is a rural area and the majority of
improvements are hunting camps with no electricity.
At Tahquamenon Falls State
Park, we visited the upper falls and the lower falls, for some hiking and
pictures. The stunning waterfalls are red-brown from tannin leached from the
forest and wetlands runoff. Lots of kids were swimming and playing in the lower
falls water. We think only Michigan kids were in the water because it’s too
cold for others! For waterfall zealots, Michigan is loaded with tremendous
waterfalls.
My favorite things today, were
the cascading falls, boardwalks, woodwork of the Park Buildings, and the large
White Pines, Maple, Beech, Northern White Cedar, Eastern Hemlock, and Yellow
Birch trees.
Cute Michigan slogan: “Home is
where the hand is” refers to the hand-shape of Michigan’s lower and upper
peninsulas, each resembling a hand, and the way a Michigan Native uses their
hand to illustrate their home location or some other point of reference.
Sunday, August 13, 2017
On a Sunday shopping excursion,
in a Newberry shop, we came upon the Petoskey Stone, the State stone of
Michigan. The Petoskey Stone is predominate around Lake Michigan’s Petoskey
area. It is a fossilized coral, composed of the six-sided coral from the
shallow seas covering Michigan, when Michigan was situated near the Equator. When
polished they can be made into very curious and attractive jewelry. A
fascinating story of Michigan’s long migration to the north and the subsequent glacier-action,
uncovering the Petoskey stones!
Monday, August 14, 2017
If it’s Monday, this must be
Manistique, an old sawmill town, now a resort, on the sandy shores of north Lake
Michigan, in Schoolcraft County. Our first achievement was to setup camp at the
Kewadin Casino RV Park, of the Chippewa Tribe. It’s a small but popular casino,
proximate to the surrounding attractions.
We walked on the two-mile
boardwalk, along the windy, north shore of Lake Michigan, to the East
Breakwater Light Station, at the mouth of the Manistique River. Looking south,
Lake Michigan appears to be a dark, boundless bight of perilous water. For Lighthouse aficionados the Great Lakes
abound with working lights, also functioning as museums, with early furnishings
and maritime artifacts.
Next, we drove around the
village to relish the historic homes and sites. Late afternoon, we had a famous
Michigan “pasty” at Jack’s, great for a hungry lumberjack, tasty but not too
healthy.
8-15-17
Today, we visited Indian Lake
and Palms Book State Parks, just north of Manistique. Indian Lake’s sandy
beaches and warm, clear, waters make the 18-square mile lake an excellent
summer attraction. We admired the beautiful shorelines of the lake. We were
surprised at all the remote Camping Resorts, in the big forest around the lake.
Michigan is loaded with “great lakes”, and the “Great Lakes”!
At Palms Book State Park, we
visited the Kitch-iti-Kipi (Mirror of Heaven), Michigan’s largest freshwater
spring, a natural wonder of the Upper Peninsula. It’s an ancient, 1-acre,
limestone, sinkhole that gushes 10-thousand gallons of 45-degree, crystal-clear
water, per minute. A short hike from the visitor center brings you to the
spring, enclosed by a dense Cedar and Tamarack grove, surrounding the spring.
Large trout swim the clear waters and appear to be suspended in nothingness, as
they slip through crystal waters, far below. We actually felt acrophobic as we
gazed into the deep water from the raft.
Daisy accompanied us today and
she seemed to enjoy the sights. We finished our day with a walk along the
Manistique boardwalk, beside Lake Michigan’s Northshore, and took some
pictures. Terry also got to test her impressive plant/flower ID App! A
tremendous day!
Thursday, August 17, 2017
It’s only 45 miles from Lake
Michigan’s Manistique, across the U.P., to Lake Superior’s Alger County and Munising,
but a world apart. Cold, clear Lake Superior is so different and you don’t have
to be an “outdoors” person to feel the breathtaking beauty of Alger County. Today,
the shore of Lake Superior was like standing next to the open freezer door. Can’t
wait to explore further and share more insights into the attractions of the
area.
Friday, August 18, 2017
Today, we toured the 40-mile
coast of Lake Superior’s, Pictured Rocks National Seashore, stretching from
Munising to Grand Marais, a proud centerpiece of the Great Lakes region. The
Pictured Rocks lakeshore cliffs consist of high, multicolored layers of
sandstone, forest-topped, with emerald, black and gold trees, waterfalls, and
“kettle lakes”, on top. On the east end, we found Grand Sable Dunes, massive
extents of sand dunes, with nice trails and overlooks. Lake Superior was
“angry” today and demonstrated how its awesome power sculptured this amazing
lakeshore.
An early explorer described
the area as “we had been informed of the variety of colour and form of these
rocks, but were wholly unprepared to encounter the surprising groups of
overhanging precipices, towering walls, caverns, waterfalls, ……. mingled in the most wonderful disorder.”
Our Saturday cruise on the
62-foot, Grand Portal, was a round-trip view-fest of brilliantly colored
cliffs, sea caves, and pristine beaches, along the Pictured Rocks National
Lakeshore, only seen from the waters of Lake Superior. The Grand Portal was
built at Gulfport, Mississippi and powered by twin, Cummins Diesel marine engines.
What a ride, what a view!
8-21-2017
We spent two days at
Marquette, Michigan, the U.P.’s largest city, a city where they’re not too busy
to say “Hello”. The entire Lake Superior (Marquette) lakeshore has a nice
people-trail, with parks, overlooks, benches, monuments, memorials, and a
marina. The weather was perfect, the water cold, the attractions captivating,
and the food superb.
My favorites were; the
waterfront, Father Marquette Statue and Park, Presque Isle, the downtown
architecture, the ore docks, the North Michigan University campus, and the
Stannard Rock Light Station.
8-23-2017
With two days at L’Anse, we
explored the Keweenaw Bay and surrounding area. In French, L'Anse translates as
"the cove" as a reference to its location on Keweenaw Bay, at the
base of the Keweenaw Peninsula. French explorers sighted this area in the 17th
century. They later established a Jesuit mission there and a fur trading post.
The village grew up around it. like many portions of the Upper Peninsula, this
is Chippewa (Ojibwa) country, with Casinos and “Smoke Shops” on the Reservation
property. This area was a busy mining and timber region in the early days. The
iron and copper mines produced ore to be shipped to the great mills of the
east. In pre-historic times, some of this copper made its way to the ancient
villages that we saw in Chillicothe, Ohio.
Henry Ford built large
sawmills and self-sufficient, rural communities, to produce wood for his car
and truck bodies. Henry Ford built three villages, six sawmills, and four iron
mines on 600,000 acres of forestland. Now, the mining and forest products
remain but the main economic influence is tourism. Talking to a local Baraga County
man, regarding the harsh winters in Baraga County, he replied; “you get used of
vitt”!
MY favorites were; L’Anse Waterfront
Park, Baraga Memorial (the snowshoe priest), Baraga County Courthouse, Falls
River falls, Lake Superior’s views, the Gordon Lightfoot Tribute concert, and
the “Nite Owl Café”.
Friday, August 25, 2017
We woke up to a cool (39
degrees), clear morning at Baraga Township Campground and decided to head up to
Copper Harbor. We drove Michigan 41, up the Keweenaw Peninsula, to the end of
the road, at Lake Superior’s Copper Harbor, the northernmost point in Michigan,
and took a campsite in the waterfront village of Copper Harbor. As the name
implies, this area is copper-country, beginning four years before the
“California Gold rush” and outlasting it by scores of years. I learned that
Horace Greeley’s quote “Go west young man”, was actually referring to the
Keweenaw County “Copper Rush”, where he was an investor in the Delaware Copper
mine. “Follow the money”!
We drove up to Brockway Mountain
for the sunset and got a stunning view of Lake Superior, the lake they call
Gitche Gumee , and the Keweenaw peninsula. We could see Isle Royale in the
distance, ironically it’s a six-hour ferry-ride away. Lake Superior, in size,
clarity, geography, and beauty is beyond description!
8-26-2017
Hiking the ridges and valleys
of the Estivant Pines Sanctuary, we were surrounded by a beautiful mixed
forest, among enormous, 300-500 year-old, towering Eastern White Pines. This is
a very special place in nature!
We enjoyed a nice picnic lunch
and then headed to the Holy Transfiguration Skete, for some bakery/jam treats.
This is a Catholic Monastery of the Byzantine Rite, located on the west shore
of the Keweenaw Peninsula, just south of Copper Harbor, at Eagle Harbor. They
have a beautiful Temple and grounds, with the bake shop offering scrumptious
handmade treats, jams being their specialty.
My Copper Harbor favorites;
the waterfront, sunset on Brockway Mountain, Copper Harbor Light Station, Fort
Wilkins, tunnel of trees road, Estivant Pines, and Holy Transfiguration Skete.
For us, it’s amusing,
entertaining, and educational, in discovering how numerous Michigan place-names
are pronounced. For instance, with the Indians, French, British, American, and
subsequent immigrants, place-names have been corrupted to the point that one
just has to ask the locals for the accepted pronunciation. Also, many locals
seem to enjoy correcting you when you mispronounce! By watching the local news
and weather, we get the pronunciation too. It’s fun to finally get it right and
have the opportunity to pass it on!
Also, Michigan has outstanding
biking and hiking trails, on the Lower Peninsula and especially the Upper
Peninsula, much more than can be covered in a single summer.
8-27-17
Feeling the urge to migrate,
we headed south, leaving Michigan and entering Wisconsin. From Copper Harbor,
we traveled MI26, along the Keweenaw Peninsula’s west coast, through Eagle
Harbor, Eagle River, and Phoenix, a gorgeous drive through the west “Copper
Country”, then MI41 to US45. On US45 the country is very rural but scenic, with
rivers and forests. Entering Wisconsin, we were immediately in the Land O’
Lakes, with beautiful forests, and glacial moraines, along the headwaters of
the Wisconsin River. With a miniscule research on the phone, we were introduced
to the story of the fantastic work of the massive glaciers, in creating the “kettle”
lakes, moraines, and visible marks on the limestone, which we were observing.
An awesome work of nature!
This afternoon, we took a
campsite on Lake Shawano, just west of Green Bay. After a good night’s rest, we
continued south to Racine.
8-30-17 Wed.
With a couple of days at
Racine, Wisconsin, we’ve explored around the area, had cheese curds, Danish
Kringle cake, fried whitefish and chips, and brats. Today, we’re meeting (Idaho’s
Ranger Beth’s mom), Kathy for lunch and a look around Racine.
After lunch, we toured around
Racine and later visited the palatial Frank Lloyd Wright, “Wingspread”, early
home of the S. C. Johnson family. We had a fabulous day with Kathy, at Racine!
8-31-2017
From Racine, we drove through
Chicago and on down to Indiana, taking IN 41 down to Lafayette, Indiana. Due to
Labor Day, we continued on to Seymour for the weekend.
