U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #5

This was a day of successful changes of mind.  It was again sunny, but quite breezy and distinctly chilly.  All three of us slept later than usual but otherwise the routine was normal and we pulled away from the hotel around 9:30AM.  First order of business was 3/4 tank of gas in the van (this is not a part of the country to run out of fuel) and then it was up onto the Interstate for the run up to Sault Ste. Marie.  We quickly discovered that to visiting tourists this town is both parking- and pet-UN friendly.  In the locks' visitors center we discovered that while 5 big ships were expected, none would be there until the afternoon.  We had also missed the morning tour boat and would need to wait over 2 hours for the next tour.  Up overlooking the locks (with the tour boat down in the nearest one) we realized it had little protection from the elements and out of the sun (or even in it) it was still very chilly.

We looked, and photographed the locks from the viewing platform and decided that a lock tour could remain on John's list for another year, deciding this would do for a "been there, done that" experience for Marissa who has much more interest in pretty and waterfalls than in man-made marvels.  So we decided to leave & change our plans to do Tahquamenon Falls again this year.  Last year the U.P. had been dry & the river was down, this year would be the opposite.

In due course we arrived and "did" the Lower Falls, a good long walk and several photo-ops.  We then made our way to the Upper Falls complex.  With the concessions closing we had to order carry-out from the one restaurant still open & had a very nice whitefish sandwich.  Then we walked, and walked.  Since the steps are such that Zoe needs be carried Marissa & Zoe turned back from the 117 step descent to view the falls from down in the gorge, leaving that to John.  He eventually caught up with them, passing on about the 50th step of the merely 97 step descent/ascent to the viewing area at the brink of the falls.  We returned to the van together & set sail for Munising.

We reached the town in good time & turned away from the hotel and drove some miles in order to get to Miner's Beach, where Zoe finally got to run free, which she did at extraordinary speeds and with a great deal of energy, although even she eventually flagged.  We cruised back and through the town and on up to the motel at which we had stayed last year, settling in for three nights stay.

It seems we have timed our trip perfectly from a color perspective.  It is truly lovely up here right now and it is just a pity that roadsides that look quite wonderful from a driver's seat simply do not photograph well enough to do them justice.

Since pictures are worth thousands of words, today's have been added to Flickr which you can find here.