The Gunflint Trail, Minnesota

  The Gunflint Trail is a scenic drive into the most northeasternly part of MN next to the Canadian border - our first introduction to the Boundary Waters Canoe area that we've been anxious to explore.

 The drive is a 57 mile in and out route (dead end) that some guide books recommend 3 hours to drive.  We spent the whole day exploring as the forest changed from maple to conifer and then to boreal with lots of lichen woodlands.

   A large grey wolf ran across a gravel back road we explored, but it was too fast for our cameras.

   We talked with two men in a canoe paddling in to pick up last minute supplies.  They drove from Maryland to travel by canoe for the next 3 days.

   We saw cabins and wondered what Minnesota woods would be like to live in . . .

  . . . and felt right at home cabin-wise when we spotted a border sign.

  Nothing fancy at the end of the drive.  In a cloud of mosquitoes and other flying biting bugs sits a tiny cafe that also sells travel patches and lots of bug spray.

Minnesota's Scenic Rte #61

   We drove scenic Route 61 in Minnesota to Canada.  It hugs the north shore of Lake Superior from Duluth to Grand Portage at the US/Can border.  We took 2 days to leisurely drive and look.

  We visited the Commercial Fishing History Museum in Tofte.   Some names of those killed on the job were memorialized on a wall of fishing net corks - but mostly we totally enjoyed the beautiful lakescapes . . .

To Bayfield WI and Beyond

  We drove through Ashland, WI on our way to Bayfield - stopped at the ruins of a loading dock for an iron ore company.  It felt like it stretched to the middle of Lake Superior.

Down by the dock in Bayfield, Wisconsin.

 Bayfield has a corner where the main street meets the water.  I think the whole town must slowly amble by this bend.  I stayed at the Bay Front Inn several years ago and this time as well.  We shared a balcony with other rooms.  Early morning the streets were quiet.

The first thing I wanted to revisit was the old Cooperage barn - this is where I stood and took the photo that has been used as a book cover.  Looks a whole lot different now.  (I'll add my book cover photo here later when I can dig it out).

    We walked Bayfield for two days - docks (new and old), tiny shops, hilly streets - but one thing that captured our attention was a group of little birds (swifts maybe?) who made mud nests under the overhand of a 2-story dock building.  We watched as the tireless parents flew back and forth feeding their chicks.  There were 4 separate nests . . . neighbors - what capable parents they were . .. until I looked down --

 -- and littered at my feet - I had to carefully step around all the dead bodies . . .  sibling rivalry?  sloppy parenting?  murderous neighbors?    . . . so sad . . .

  Our 3rd day we left Bayfield and drove west, the northern edge of Wisconsin along Lake Superior - lots of woods, countryside and some very small towns.  (the small print says, "and working on more")

   After the massive storm that destroyed so much in Duluth last week (west of us) - Lake Superior looked pink with all the mud runoff.

Driving back down the Keweenaw Peninsula, MI

 

Cozy Copper Harbor, Michigan

   We read a lot and caught up on email.  The storm finally passed.

   The gas station finally opened.  The town was without gas for 3 days.

 We drove to the top of Brockway Drive (the highest spot around) for a view of Lake Superior.

And we visited the old cemetery before we left . . . some tombstones dated in the 1840's.

Copper Harbor MI on the Keweenaw Peninsula

  The Keweenaw Peninsula is the farthest north you can travel in Upper Michigan.  The sleepy little town of Copper Harbor is at the very end of the peninsula, surrounded on all sides by Lake Superior and subject to the changeable weather moods of the massive Lake.

   Driving to Copper Harbor we stopped at the Quincy Copper Mine ruins, now a National Historic Park.

  When we arrived at Copper Harbor, the skies were clear and the Canadian geese had quiet waters for the afternoon.

  Other than a few motels, one small 7-11 type food store, a couple of restaurants and a single gas station that's only open a few days a week - the biggest business seems to be a passenger ferry (3.5 hr ride) to Isle Royale NP on the Minnesota side of Lake Superior.  The ticket office also sold a rack of t-shirts.

   We got a room for two nights and then the storm rolled in!  Lightening bolts lit the sky all night and heavy rains washed our cars again.

The BIG 45 yesterday!

  We celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary yesterday.  I've been joking on this trip:  ~I left home so long ago, I've forgotten why I've come~ . . . (we left San Diego May 9th).

   I wonder if it could be adapted to marriage . . . ~I got married so long ago, I've forgotten why I did~   Nawwwwwwwwwww . ..  but isn't marriage one of the greatest, most scenic road trips?

   This 2012 road trip has been wonderful too!  (we're leaving Bayfield, WI this morning).

Door County Wisconsin to Iron Mountain, MI

   On June 18th we left upper Michigan and drove south to the Door Peninsula in Wisconsin.  A huge storm came through and hammered us with heavy rains, lightening and thunder as we drove . . . a sort of car wash on the roll --

   In spite of the bad weather the Door Peninsula was packed with vacationers.  The narrow roads that go to the end of the peninsula were heavy with traffic and even if we wanted to stop at the little towns along the way - there was absolutely NO parking available!

   We couldn't wait to escape the Door and headed north to the Keweenaw peninsula of Michigan.

   As we drove through the beautiful wooded countryside south of Iron Mountain, Wisconsin - low fog started to collect under the trees.

   We explored a dirt road into the woods when we saw this light coming through . . .

  . . . and as the sun set, the golden colors radiated across the fields and filled the western sky.

Seney National Wildlife Refuge

   Created by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935, this wildlife refuge was carved out of the Great Manistique Swamp by the Civilian Conservation Corps.  The 96,000 acres are almost in the middle of the upper peninsula of Michigan.

   A 7 mile narrow one-way dirt road winds through the refuge.  We spent the better part of a day driving (and stopping) at a walking pace.

  Following the carved arrow on top of this post we could just barely see an eagle's nest in a distant tree across the lake.

  We watched as both parents were busy flying into the nest with food for the chick.  They would shred it with their talons and feed small bits to the hungry youngster.

   The refuge only produced 9 loon chicks last year.  We were fortunate to be able to see one on its mother's back.

   Trumpeter swans were introduced in 1991-1992.  This mother was pulling up weeds and her chicks were curious and trying to learn to do the same.

   Painted turtles were crossing the road - we had to stop once and shoo them out of our way.

   A dripping wet beaver slogged across the road going from one pond to another.

  

  



  

More Michigan

  For five days we've been slowly making our way up the beautiful scenic west side of lower Michigan.

   We're finding things that will be . . .

  . . .  and things that have been.

  We've been driving miles through one lush forest after another.

   Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore was named after a ancient legend about a mother bear who slept after her two cubs drowned crossing Lake Michigan.

 The three tiny dots in the middle of this sand dune are hikers coming up from Lake Michigan - they crawl up the sand for hours on all fours to get back to their cars.

  Legs Inn (Cross Village, MI) is a rural restaurant built by a Polish immigrant who loved to carve LOTS of wood.

 Once we drove north over the Mackinac Bridge we learned we were no longer trolls living 'below the bridge' - now we're Yoppers!

   Around St. Ignace, MI we explored some back roads through wetlands . . .

  . . . and an Objibwa museum with a long house built beside it.  Everything inside was correct historically.  I'm not sure, they may have invented the metal folding chair too . . .

 We spent two nights in St. Ignace, MI - just on the north side of the Bridge.  The gulls were immediately our friends, landing easily on our balcony and asking for handouts.

  Our room was right above the rocky beach of Lake Huron and had the best sunrises.

  Yesterday we drove to Sault Ste. Marie, MI to visit the locks between Lake Superior and Lake Huron.  Visitors could climb a 2-story observation tower to view the boats.

  Only one freighter came through while we were there.

  Later in the afternoon we drove to what felt like the most northerly area of Michigan - Whitefish Point.  There's a lighthouse and a Ship Wreck Museum (5 buildings) - with stories, information, photos, movies and histories of some of the 300 ship wrecks in this particularly dangerous stretch of water

  We inquired and they had lodging in the old Coast Guard house - so we stayed here last night.  At 6pm everything closed down and everyone else left the area.  Dark clouds came over and the wind blew last night.  It was silent, we were alone - it was wonderful!