2015 TRAVELS : August 2013

Saturday, August 31, 2013

KEWEENAW PENINSULA, U.P. MICHIGAN

McLain State Park campsite - we had our breakfast sat here

McLain Lighthouse

We camped at McLain State Park, a beautiful site on Superior and spent the day on the Copper Country Trail National Byway.
Pretty harbors, beaches, lighthouses, villages, all intertwined with the history of Copper.
The Ojibwe shared stories of Miskwabic - the red metal, with newly arrived Europeans setting off a mineral rush. By the mid-1800's, mines sprang up along the peninsula. Though the mines eventually closed, after more than 100 years of operation, much remains of the world-famous Lake Superior Copper District.

We had dinner in Copper Harbor - Whitefish from the lake with fries and coleslaw, washed down with a bottle of Old Milwaukee - what more could you ask to end a divine day! (Even the sun came out in the afternoon after a cloudy start - but the lighthouse man tells me the weather is on the change. It was certainly more pleasant at 20oC)

Brockway Mountain overlook to Copper Harbor

Float copper

Copper Harbor Lighthouse

Eagle Harbor Lighthouse

Copper Harbor overlook

Canyon Falls & Gorge

For Alison - to show we are not on our own at this site, its Labor Day and the world and his wife is camping!

THE PORKIES IN THE U.P. (aka Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in the Upper Peninsula, Michigan)

Since we arrived back in the U.S. just over a week ago, the weather has been very hot and humid, temperatures around 25 - 30oC, with sunshine most day and clammy nights! (For Terry and Sally - I will keep putting the temperatures on).

Union Bay Campground in the Porkies

Roy almost paddling in Lake Superior in the Porkies

Moved east around Superior into the Upper Peninsula in Michigan where we stopped a couple of nights in the Porkies - the last extensive tract of old-growth hardwood and hemlock forest remaining in the Midwest. At nearly 60,000 acres, it is Michigan's largest state park and among the Midwest's largest wilderness areas.
To the native Ojibwa people, this chain of mountains rising from Lake Superior reminded them of kag, the porcupine.
They called the mountain range Kag-wadjiw (the Porcupine Mountains).
We did a 5 mile hike along the escarpment and saw the Lake of the Clouds, it sure was a wilderness, forest as far as you could see.
Not so good for hiking so we chose the high path. Got back just in time, we had an afternoon of warm rain!
Panic at teatime - laptop would not work! It finally decided to work again but it may be that we buy one here as it seems every time I turn it off it will not start up again properly, only works if I leave it on sleep but battery is so poor it wont last when we are travelling. See John - I knew I should have bought one before I left! Soo

Lake of the Clouds in the Porkies

lunch in the Porkies

Lake of the Clouds

Forest forever

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

APOSTLE ISLANDS NATIONAL LAKESHORE, WISCONSIN

We have moved into northern Wisconsin, camped at another Casino in Red Cliff
on the shores of Lake Superior. The last two nights we have watched massive lightning
storms and tonight we had some crcking thunder claps, loud enought to rattle the
trailer. We were sat watching the free show when radio suddenly announced a tornado
warning for south Bayfield County - yet again we are a bit too close for comfort. I had
my laptop, camera and bag in hand ready to go over to the Casino for safety when the radio
gave a more detailed position and we were not in its path.

Legendary Waters Casino Campground

Bayfield

Apostle Island in sun

Manitou Island Fish Camp in fog

Roy watching the approaching fog!

Today we took another boat trip, this time to see the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore,
twenty two beautifully crafted islands in Lake Superior off the coast of the Bayfield Peninsula.
Stunning natural scenery, windswept beaches, 8 historic lighthouses, nature carved rock formations, marine wildlife and intricate sea caves.
This is what we should have seen, unfortunately Mother Nature decided otherwise, with temperatures in the 30's and high humidity, the fog rolled in, we were unable to go to Devils Island where the sea caves were, the Captain turned back as it became more dense, missing out quite a few of the islands.
We were slightly disappointed but enjoyed it and got a partial refund!

Raspberry Island Lighthouse

our campsite from the lake

This is what we should have seen!

Monday, August 26, 2013

ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK

Isle Royale day - off at 8-30am on Sea Hunter for an hour and half ride to the Island which is in Michigan.
This wilderness sits in Lake Superior, roadless, unspoiled forests, lakes and rugged scenic shores - accessible only by boat or seaplane. We had just 4 hours to explore, we hiked a 3.6 mile trail to Grace Creek overlook through the boreal forest with the forest floor awash with berries of all kinds. Thimbleberries were our favourite, similar to a raspberry but nicer! Wolves, moose and beaver live side by side here - we saw none! The time went far too quickly but it was so worth the visit. On our journey out we saw the sacred cedar tree of the Ojibwe and a shipwreck, the Rock of Ages lighthouse
on the way back. Another National Park ticked off our list, a wonderful Island but perhaps not everyone's cup of tea, we loved it.

On Sea Hunter on the way to Isle Royale

Into the wilderness!

Roy sampling the berries!

The Grace Creek Trail

Rock of Ages Lighthouse

Gooseberry Falls

White Tailed Deer

Gooseberry Falls State Park

Left Grand Portage and retraced our steps back to Duluth then headed north east into Wisconsin, stopping the night at Gooseberry Falls State Park, a pretty park on the edge of the lake with a series of falls.

BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Arrived back in Minneapolis without any security problems this time - phew!
Weather here is in the 80's and humid.

OUR FIRST CAMPSITE AT MOOSE LAKE

We set the compass to north and headed through Minneapolis to Grand Portage, just 6 miles from
the Canadian border. Followed the 61 all the way along the shores of Gichigumi, by the shining big sea waters - or Lake Superior for those not familiar with Longfellows "Hiawatha"
A beautiful, peaceful road after we left the Skyline road which wandered high above Duluth. Here we had our first views of the enormous Lake Superior, the largest inland waterway in the world, 350 miles long by 160 miles wide. We will eventually travel all the way round it on this trip.

Duluth and Lake Superior

lunch at lake Superior

Split Rock Lighthouse

We camped at the Casino in Grand Portage, the only place to camp, with a view over the bay. Our reason for getting here quickly is we have a boat trip booked for Saturday to visit Isle Royale National Park.
We had a fab afternoon going round the Grand Portage National Monument, we toured the reconstructed palisade showing life at Grand Portage in the late 1700's with the Ojibwe Indians, the voyageurs and the North West Company, the largest fur trade depot in the heart of the continent, totally fascinating.
Finished the afternoon off by going almost to the Canadian border to see High Falls, very pretty!