Definition: U.P.= the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and is an endearing word.
Even though it was overcast and threatening rain in the morning, that never materialized and became an all clear sky by the time we reached the campground in Marquette (10 miles east of town on the shores of Lake Superior.) The campground is called “Gitchee Gumee” after Longfellow’s poem about the ‘Big Sea Shining waters”. Lake superior is just across the road. The manager and owner of the campground is Jeff. He is 70 year old plus with more energy that most men his age. He does it all. Fifty years he has been here. He takes care of registration, shows you your spot, help you “back in” if needed, and does all he maintenance to boot. It is a deeply forested campground and has been around along time. But even though rustic, it has what people want in a campground in “Da UP” and that is to be “out in the woods” and has an “up north” feel. Here we are.
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| One of those UP roads surrounded by the forests |
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| Our campground at" Gitchee Gumee" campground |
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| Side view tucked in the woods. |
The drive today was through the iron country and though the mines, as in Bessemer, no longer are active there is a an attempt to revive them with new equipment and tool and techniques. One gal mentioned a joint effort with the next community to coordinate efforts in order to secure more jobs. In the summer the UP does fairly well in established communities, but in the winter after the hunting season things pretty much “stand still” . There is a flurry of activity when the snow flies with snowmobiling, skiing and snow boarding.
There was one detour of about 15 miles dues to bridge work on US 2. That brough us through two small towns that are not on any map.
We stopped at the Agate falls and even though we did not get to the falls, (a very long walk for us) it was one of three falls we passed on the way across US 2 and M 28/US 41, Bond Falls was one of the others, and we could have taken an alternate route to see that as well. Time was getting late with the detours and all. Agate Falls formerly had 125 steps to the viewing area. Coming back up is the difficult part. Bond Falls is huge and we had visited that some years ago on our “UP waterfalls trip” when we saw dozens of them.
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| An old hand pump for water in a well. |
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| Typical Michigan summer-Motorcycles and White Pine trees |
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| The trail to the Agate Falls |
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| History of the Agate Falls site. Taverns and houses. |
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| We stopped in the handicapped spot at Agate Falls. |
A wayside stop included a look at an old (still operating) hand pump and well. Great water out of that one was refreshing.
So we have arrived again in Michigan where we started out some 110 days go. We will not stop here as the journey will continue to the Maritime Provinces of Canada. A second stop in Michigan will be in Germfask where we will see Seney NWR and visit one of our favorite spots, Whitefish Point and the Bird Observatory. We are members of that one.
Tomorrow is groceries “at a Meijers where I know where things are located.” Ruth says. (after 3 months in new surroundings in all those store aisles, a familiar one will be a treat. I estimate we have been in about 20 different grocery stores alone. For me it will be time for an oil change and lube for the truck.
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| More U.P. Roads and forests |
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| More U.P. Roads and forests, Quite a contrast from Montana on US2 |
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