Trip Across the U.P.- a to z

Road Construction

Stopping Along Lake Michigan

Traveling to Iron Mountain this week.
My road trip was full of surprises and the familiar:

a) Beautiful driftwood waiting for me to find on a sandy beach

b) Road construction stops forcing me roll my window down to hear the sounds in the woods

Wilson, Michigan





c) Small ghost towns looking more beautiful than sad

          d) Clear Lake Michigan water showing all the sandbars and rocks

          e) Cut River Bridge with a flash view to the river below

f) Norway's spring gushing with fresh water and a man filling up
   several milk bottles, his small pick-up truck parked by the spring

g) A cemetery with more than a thousand little veteran flags, flapping in the wind

h) Early morning along US-2, winding along Lake Michigan, feeling like it's
    within arm's reach

i) Enormous white pines canopying the wooded areas

j) Real estate signs by swampy land 

   (making me smile to think about the mosquitoes you'd be purchasing, too)

k) Small town cafe parking lots filled with locals at the coffee/breakfast hour

l) Signs of the past. Businesses, unsuccessful ventures, showing the U.P.'s
   determination and creativity to survive

m) Narrow dirt roads curving into the shadowed woods

n) High gas prices

o) A moose crossing sign

p) Someone talking on their cell phone, weaving across the center line

q) Four-door cars with windows down in 82 degree temperature-elbows sticking out the open window

r) smiling dogs in back of pickup trucks

s) Un-groomed yards looking beautiful in a natural way, bright red indian paint brushes popping up

t) Small towns with no parking meters, uneven, unprepared sidewalks in front of stores

u) Miles and miles of land without fences

v) No abandoned cars on the road, sign of ability to
    get their car moving without a tow

w) Old, old buildings being used for present day
      businesses

Dickerson County Courthouse

x) Railroad cars transporting car after car of lumber

y) Small vegetable gardens in front yards with tall

     fences to keep out the deer

z) NO MALLS

Downtown Iron Mountain

Closer Look at Building's Artwork