This lovely sunny day was a day of travels. Now that we are in Houghton we have added some 600 miles to the odometer since leaving St. Ignace and are at 1825 trip miles so far. We started slowly and did not make a hasty departure. Our initial ambitions for the day were not too severe, and were expected to be somewhat boring, apart from enjoying all the delightful colors, although in places we could see a lot of leaves were already off the trees.
To break up the pretty but rather boring inland cross-country section of the drive we made a couple of side trips. We turned off along the pretty lakefront/shoreline of Marquette & ran down to Presque Isle, but like last year we disappointed insofar as there was no ore freighter at the dock being loaded (although there was rail activity on top of the pier) plus the road around the park was closed & wouldn't open for some hours and this park does not allow pets to even be out of vehicles. We let Portia skillfully guide us back to the highway completely avoiding the commercial section of Marquette and carried on. Next we made a pit stop at one of the chain of aptly named "Da Yoopers Tourist Trap" which was interesting. Marissa resisted temptation but John bought a bird feeder in the form of a lighthouse, a U.P. tee shirt and a Christmas doggie coat for Zoe.
John's misconception that Canyon Falls was in Baraga state park were happily resolved by Marissa's sharp eyes and with just enough time to slow & turn off into a major "Roadside Park" area. We started down a trail that led after a 1/4 hour's walking, mostly beside a pretty stream (river?) with occasional little falls and/or rapids, but at the end were most impressed by the Canyon falls. Like most flowing water up here the water is clear but stained brown by tannin from the peat covering much of the area. The falls are impressive, but it was difficult to get a good angle for still photos, although a video clip was rather better.
We made our way back, tossing Zoe into a couple of feeder streams after she found a nasty muddy spot to slog through in order to wash her off a bit! We picnicked and recast our plans since we didn't want to be in Houghton too early. We elected to go to the Porcupine Mountains (or Porkies). By the time we reached the Visitors Center & talked to staff there we decided an extra 50-some miles round trip to see more waterfalls was more travel than we wanted, so we made our second trip up to the Lake Of The Clouds, which was just as lovely as last year. After enjoying the views and a bit of walking we then headed to Houghton which will be our base for three nights before we head further up to the cabin.
For a few the day's pictures please see the end of the set of pictures on Flickr, found by going here.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #7
This was the day we finally slowed down a bit. The morning was bright and sunny but the middle part of the day was quite overcast and much more breezy, making us very glad we had taken our cruise yesterday. The clouds eventually left but the wind stayed, stirring up the lake nicely by the evening.
With pressure absent we took the start of the day very gently and eventually boarded the van and cruised along to the traditional Miners Castle viewing platforms, arriving at the same time as the boat we had been on yesterday. We looked from both platforms, getting a good start to the day's exercise, then we headed on down to the beach, going to the left this time, to where the very clear but very brown Miners River finally enters the lake up against the cliffs at the end of the beach. Once Zoe was suitably exhausted (not a quick process) John fetched chairs from the van and we settled down to sit and read.
After a while the clouds moved overhead and the wind kicked up, so we retreated and to get away from some noisy site improvements at the parking lot returned to Miners Castle area to sit & picnic. Eventually we returned to town, visited a couple of interesting gift shops, then went back to the hotel for a lazy afternoon of reading & snoozing.
In a repeat of yesterday we bought pasties for supper and drove a little way out of town to a lay-by and associated beach where we ate and then walked, and walked, while Zoe raced about roughly alternating between lake shore shallows, wet sand, and dry sand. As we ran out of energy luckily so did she so we were all ready to return for a restful evening.
As usual pictures & a video make be found here on Flickr.
With pressure absent we took the start of the day very gently and eventually boarded the van and cruised along to the traditional Miners Castle viewing platforms, arriving at the same time as the boat we had been on yesterday. We looked from both platforms, getting a good start to the day's exercise, then we headed on down to the beach, going to the left this time, to where the very clear but very brown Miners River finally enters the lake up against the cliffs at the end of the beach. Once Zoe was suitably exhausted (not a quick process) John fetched chairs from the van and we settled down to sit and read.
After a while the clouds moved overhead and the wind kicked up, so we retreated and to get away from some noisy site improvements at the parking lot returned to Miners Castle area to sit & picnic. Eventually we returned to town, visited a couple of interesting gift shops, then went back to the hotel for a lazy afternoon of reading & snoozing.
In a repeat of yesterday we bought pasties for supper and drove a little way out of town to a lay-by and associated beach where we ate and then walked, and walked, while Zoe raced about roughly alternating between lake shore shallows, wet sand, and dry sand. As we ran out of energy luckily so did she so we were all ready to return for a restful evening.
As usual pictures & a video make be found here on Flickr.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #6
This was cruise day. With bright sun (actually a bit of a nuisance as we didn't realize that this far north the sun stays very low in the sky) and the lake like a millpond we elected to take the morning cruise, so by 9:45AM poor Zoe was caged in a basement and we were in line to board. We chose the cabin over the top, for which we would have needed eskimo clothing to be comfortable, and were able to move about and go onto the rear deck as the mood took us. The cruise was all of 2 1/2 hours and most enjoyable and interesting. The whole lakeshore is fantastic, but surprisingly different place to place. Outbound we took a lot of pictures (far too many actually) despite the sun glare, but homebound we largely just sat and enjoyed the experience. One could rave on about it indefinitely - but I won't! This was definitely something we would recommend to others.
With Zoe retrieved we headed to Munising Falls and promptly picnicked in the parking lot. Then we walked up to the falls. Like yesterday, all falls have benefited from the wet summer and are much prettier, and the colors around them are lovely. Feeling Zoe needed a break we went to Sand Point and let her loose for her favorite activity, rushing freely along the waterline at high rates of speed. By separating and having her run from one of us to the other and back we exhausted her quite quickly.
Our next actual stop at a falls was at Wagner Falls, also prettier than last year. Last year, in the rain, it seemed quite a long walk, but this year in the sunshine it seemed shorter! We then made a run back to the Shell station for multiple reasons and followed that by a trip to the hotel for a period of rest. Later we went out for pasties, which we took along the road west out of town and found a delightful scenic "roadside" with a big beach well away from the highway. We ate our pasties and yet again walked along the water line, we at a steady plod in the soft sand and Zoe like an out-of-control rocket. Eventually she tired and quite literally led us back to the van. On our way back to the hotel we went up to another scenic overlook and looked at our hotel, scenery and Grand Island all bathed in the glow of the setting sun. The day was pretty much complete although swimming & hot-tubbing was a lot more pleasant without a bunch of rowdy inebriates as had been the case the evening before.
Marissa has included some pictures in her blog, so I will once again direct you to Flickr by going here.
With Zoe retrieved we headed to Munising Falls and promptly picnicked in the parking lot. Then we walked up to the falls. Like yesterday, all falls have benefited from the wet summer and are much prettier, and the colors around them are lovely. Feeling Zoe needed a break we went to Sand Point and let her loose for her favorite activity, rushing freely along the waterline at high rates of speed. By separating and having her run from one of us to the other and back we exhausted her quite quickly.
Our next actual stop at a falls was at Wagner Falls, also prettier than last year. Last year, in the rain, it seemed quite a long walk, but this year in the sunshine it seemed shorter! We then made a run back to the Shell station for multiple reasons and followed that by a trip to the hotel for a period of rest. Later we went out for pasties, which we took along the road west out of town and found a delightful scenic "roadside" with a big beach well away from the highway. We ate our pasties and yet again walked along the water line, we at a steady plod in the soft sand and Zoe like an out-of-control rocket. Eventually she tired and quite literally led us back to the van. On our way back to the hotel we went up to another scenic overlook and looked at our hotel, scenery and Grand Island all bathed in the glow of the setting sun. The day was pretty much complete although swimming & hot-tubbing was a lot more pleasant without a bunch of rowdy inebriates as had been the case the evening before.
Marissa has included some pictures in her blog, so I will once again direct you to Flickr by going here.
Monday, October 4, 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #4
We knew this was going to be a good day when we watched the sunrise turn the sky orange out over Lake Huron. It was cooler than even we would have wished, and a bit breezy, but sunny all day and gradually warming. This was the day when we could finally look people in the eye after saying we had been to the U.P. and say yes to the inevitable question "Did you go to Mackinac Island?"
We three, a few other tourists and two full coachloads of Japanese tour groups took the 9:30 Arnold line catamaran (since it was "pet-friendly") for the 20-odd minute ride over to the island. There we walked - a lot! Transportation on this non-motorized island is either by horseback, by horse-drawn vehicle, on a bicycle, or like us, on foot! Interesting, but watch where you step when crossing a road. Marissa pointed out the irony of anachronistic transportation having seen a cab driver texting on his cell phone while his horses plodded along!
In general we resisted being nickel and dimed by the tourist traps, but did less well with items requiring plastic to purchase, eventually returning with several large bags! But we did make the climbing walk up to the Grand Hotel, where we oohed and aahed suitably and took lots of photos. In due course we found a place where we could sit with Zoe and have a hot lunch in the sunshine. We discovered that there is no 2:00PM ferry back, so the shops benefited by our being there an extra hour before returning to the mainland in a much less crowded boat. Zoe was equally well-behaved coming back. She had enjoyed a good walking work-out and had been a great ice-breaker with many strangers, but was finally exhausted.
Once back at the hotel we rested, did a fair bit of organizing, relaxed a while and ordered our dinner delivered. It has been a good day. However, the Internet connectivity here has its quirks, to say the least and picture loading to blogger is excruciatingly slow. Flickr is also slow, but much better relatively, so for some pictures of our day follow this link...
Despite a day of negligible vehicle mileage today, since leaving Columbus the van has now logged 1225 miles.
We three, a few other tourists and two full coachloads of Japanese tour groups took the 9:30 Arnold line catamaran (since it was "pet-friendly") for the 20-odd minute ride over to the island. There we walked - a lot! Transportation on this non-motorized island is either by horseback, by horse-drawn vehicle, on a bicycle, or like us, on foot! Interesting, but watch where you step when crossing a road. Marissa pointed out the irony of anachronistic transportation having seen a cab driver texting on his cell phone while his horses plodded along!
In general we resisted being nickel and dimed by the tourist traps, but did less well with items requiring plastic to purchase, eventually returning with several large bags! But we did make the climbing walk up to the Grand Hotel, where we oohed and aahed suitably and took lots of photos. In due course we found a place where we could sit with Zoe and have a hot lunch in the sunshine. We discovered that there is no 2:00PM ferry back, so the shops benefited by our being there an extra hour before returning to the mainland in a much less crowded boat. Zoe was equally well-behaved coming back. She had enjoyed a good walking work-out and had been a great ice-breaker with many strangers, but was finally exhausted.
Once back at the hotel we rested, did a fair bit of organizing, relaxed a while and ordered our dinner delivered. It has been a good day. However, the Internet connectivity here has its quirks, to say the least and picture loading to blogger is excruciatingly slow. Flickr is also slow, but much better relatively, so for some pictures of our day follow this link...
Despite a day of negligible vehicle mileage today, since leaving Columbus the van has now logged 1225 miles.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #3
This was a day of fits and starts. Alarm, rush about, get Marissa to the hotel downtown for the 7:00AM breakfast, followed by a more leisurely clean-up and shave and another very good breakfast back at the motel. The morning was leisurely, getting caught up on the PC as well as slowly moving our stuff out to the van ready for our next leg, plus sorting out, in mild panic, the fact that our tonight's reservation was not listed as for "Priddis" but for "John", but at least it did exist!. Zoe felt energetic and dragged me for an extra long walk around the complex and even over to the edge of the adjacent shopping center.
After a noon check-out and the pleasant surprise that our deposit covered the whole stay & not just the first day, Zoe & I headed to a nearby park to sit, read, lightly picnic, growl and bark at several squirrels that had the temerity to appear within sight, and eventually take a another significant walk. We were already on our way downtown, through traffic snarls & road works when Marissa called for her pick-up.
Soon we were heading east, making our way to Big John's cider mill complex. It was breezy, very overcast and occasionally showery, so we stayed much more briefly than last year's visit, but got apples, cider, cheese curds and delicious cookies, and then headed northwards. Some hours later we reached Mackinaw, kicked off briefly to visit our favorite pasties shop, then back up and over "Big Mac" leaving the Trolls of lower Michigan (so called because they live beneath the bridge!) for the Yoopers of the U.P.
The further north we went the less trees were green and the more they were somewhat colorful, appearing more so as we left the overcast and rain behind and moved into blue skies and sunshine. Portia led us to our hotel, where we three ate our pasties (see Marissa's blog for pictures today), before unloading clothes more suitable for the northern cool than southern heat. We have the same room as we had last year and Zoe has celebrated with a burst of zoomies in the sandy plateau outside our patio overlooking Lake Huron.
After a noon check-out and the pleasant surprise that our deposit covered the whole stay & not just the first day, Zoe & I headed to a nearby park to sit, read, lightly picnic, growl and bark at several squirrels that had the temerity to appear within sight, and eventually take a another significant walk. We were already on our way downtown, through traffic snarls & road works when Marissa called for her pick-up.
Soon we were heading east, making our way to Big John's cider mill complex. It was breezy, very overcast and occasionally showery, so we stayed much more briefly than last year's visit, but got apples, cider, cheese curds and delicious cookies, and then headed northwards. Some hours later we reached Mackinaw, kicked off briefly to visit our favorite pasties shop, then back up and over "Big Mac" leaving the Trolls of lower Michigan (so called because they live beneath the bridge!) for the Yoopers of the U.P.
The further north we went the less trees were green and the more they were somewhat colorful, appearing more so as we left the overcast and rain behind and moved into blue skies and sunshine. Portia led us to our hotel, where we three ate our pasties (see Marissa's blog for pictures today), before unloading clothes more suitable for the northern cool than southern heat. We have the same room as we had last year and Zoe has celebrated with a burst of zoomies in the sandy plateau outside our patio overlooking Lake Huron.
Friday, October 1, 2010
U. P. Trip - Fall 2010 - Day #2
This is the day the conference began, and the reason we are here in Grand Rapids at all. Zoe did not get us up too early and after the usual routine we headed to the breakfast room. Of all the hotels of this type this one has to have one of the very best breakfast selections we have yet experienced, fresh fruit & yogurt, omelets to be filled as desired along with home fries, waffles (without which no "UP Trip Day" would be complete) as well as all the usual stuff.
We elected to let Portia guide us to the conference hotel, hitting a slight snag at the end where a ramp was closed for rebuilding, but after making several squares we found the right place, but were much too early, so we headed off pretty much at random. In due Course we saw direction signs to the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, about which Marissa had read so we thought we'd give it a try. It was delightful and impressive and even had the traveling Chihuly exhibit, which we were able to see before finally being busted for having a dog (not allowed in the park) and asked to leave. This is a place that Beth Campbell should put on her "must visit" list, some of the samples being:
Although still a little early we elected to return to downtown & for Marissa to drop off & try and meet some of the delegates she knew before things started officially. John & Zoe promptly went into GPS Purgatory! Portia could not comprehend that a ramp was closed & led us around and around in ever larger circles but always ending at the same useless place. Eventually we drove way off in a random direction until she could "recalculate" an entirely different route involving miles of a main city street with traffic lights every half mile!
In the afternoon we allowed Portia to guide us to Grand Haven, but inexpert programming guided us to a dirt road, whereupon John became unmanly enough to ask directions - twice! We finally found the beach area, but disappointingly it is also "no pets allowed". However, we did find a long riverside boardwalk leading right out to a pier/lighthouse in Lake Michigan and walked the whole thing - both ways. Needless to say Zoe was less than scintillating company coming back to the motel as she slept the whole way!
Marissa gets fed at the conference so a quick foray into the gigantic Meijer store next to the motel (which is equipped with refrigerator and microwave in each room) solved the eating problem. Marissa finally called for transportation around 9:00 PM & an error-free run was made in to get her. With two lots of eyes & better experience we were able to fake out Portia & return via the Interstate so were back at the hotel and ready to go hot-tubbing by 9:45PM. We have now driven the van about 900 miles so far.
We elected to let Portia guide us to the conference hotel, hitting a slight snag at the end where a ramp was closed for rebuilding, but after making several squares we found the right place, but were much too early, so we headed off pretty much at random. In due Course we saw direction signs to the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, about which Marissa had read so we thought we'd give it a try. It was delightful and impressive and even had the traveling Chihuly exhibit, which we were able to see before finally being busted for having a dog (not allowed in the park) and asked to leave. This is a place that Beth Campbell should put on her "must visit" list, some of the samples being:
Although still a little early we elected to return to downtown & for Marissa to drop off & try and meet some of the delegates she knew before things started officially. John & Zoe promptly went into GPS Purgatory! Portia could not comprehend that a ramp was closed & led us around and around in ever larger circles but always ending at the same useless place. Eventually we drove way off in a random direction until she could "recalculate" an entirely different route involving miles of a main city street with traffic lights every half mile!
In the afternoon we allowed Portia to guide us to Grand Haven, but inexpert programming guided us to a dirt road, whereupon John became unmanly enough to ask directions - twice! We finally found the beach area, but disappointingly it is also "no pets allowed". However, we did find a long riverside boardwalk leading right out to a pier/lighthouse in Lake Michigan and walked the whole thing - both ways. Needless to say Zoe was less than scintillating company coming back to the motel as she slept the whole way!
Marissa gets fed at the conference so a quick foray into the gigantic Meijer store next to the motel (which is equipped with refrigerator and microwave in each room) solved the eating problem. Marissa finally called for transportation around 9:00 PM & an error-free run was made in to get her. With two lots of eyes & better experience we were able to fake out Portia & return via the Interstate so were back at the hotel and ready to go hot-tubbing by 9:45PM. We have now driven the van about 900 miles so far.
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