Summer Emerges in the Upper Peninsula

With summer season pushing past the cold weather, I feel like it gives a new freedom to travel.  Living in Michigan with precarious roads in the winter makes it feel good to get on the roads when there is no threat of ice, snow or fog.

4 Seasons Clear in Nature

There are other threats like young deer with their mothers venturing across highways. Farmers out on the roads with equipment for keeping up with their planted crops. Road crews out bandaging as many roads as possible in the short span of good conditions. Inexperienced drivers hauling huge boats and trailers across the state to their summer camps and cottages.  Truckers forced into their over-over time while the transporting is good. Cottage owners zooming up to get in their get-aways for short weekends to “Relax’.

There are ways of getting around some of those hazards.  Avoiding weekends for travel seems to work.  Also, dusk and dawn are times when the animals cross the roads.  Avoiding the time of day sunlight is hindering your sight, directly or through the rearview mirror is a good idea.

This past Memorial Day Week, I enjoyed seeing part of the Upper Peninsula through someone else’s eyes.  

I knew we could only appreciate part of the Upper Peninsula in the five days we planned to stay.  The sites I decided for a good starting point were:

1) Tahquamenon Falls -  It’s hard to believe when you get to the falls you see these magnificent brown and white gushes of water falling over brown/grey rock. The intense sound reminds me of the big drums at powwows. The sound penetrates rather than my ears picking it up. The streaks of brown from the tannic acid (from decaying trees and cedar swamps) gives a stunning color contrast. We were lucky enough to see the rainbows in the mist rising from the bottom of the falls.

  

2) Whitefish Point -  Getting to the Lighthouse and the Mariner’s museum seems to appear out of nowhere.  The stone-filled beach is very close to the lighthouse.  It’s not a hike to get there.  But, if you decide to hike along the shore it seems to span forever along Lake Superior.  

A freighter surprised me coming across the point and the waves were minimal.  It was easier to appreciate the rock colors speckling through the water. 

We found the Iroquois Lighthouse, too.  

Iroquois Lighthouse

Some Beach Finds are Living

  

Freighter Passing on Lake Superior

3) Soo Locks -  I don’t believe a picture of the locks does this place justice.  To actually see a ship go through the locks in its rising and falling states is incredible in real life.  The ships are at the total control of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.  The captain gives his navigating power over until they are through the locks.  We saw it from Karl’s restaurant (window seat) at sunset while eating oven-baked pasties. (not heated up in a microwave)

4) Lake Huron Beach Boardwalk - This boardwalk, to me, separates St. Ignace from other towns in the area. It allows visitors to have access to the beauty of the shoreline without feeling afraid of trespassing on private property.  It’s quiet and just far enough from the road to feel enchanting.  

It ends across the street from the Ojibway Museum of Culture/Native Expressions Gift Shop. This little museum is simplistic and affective in capturing the native spirit in the area.  There are many things to see outside the museum as well.  The roundhouse has a good feel of what the Native Americans really had for dwellings rather than the stereotypical “Tipi”.

5) St. Ignace Food - It’s rare when I don’t stop at Clyde’s Drive-in, in St. Ignace,  for a bison burger. I happened to see several people I knew waiting in line for whatever they picked from the menu. If you’re originally from St. Ignace you feel like you should get first dibs on service.  But, it doesn’t work that way.  Even calling it ahead doesn’t always guarantee a quick wait inside, by the counter. 

The local story was "The perch is fresh." The Galley, on Main Street and Fred’s Pub, on Ferry Lane are excellent choices. (we did both) It was soooo good. I can still taste the flavor from it being cooked fresh by someone who knows how to cook fish!

But, that’s not to forget my favorite place to get smoked fish. We left St Ignace with an exit trip to Evergreen Shores first.  Massey Fish Company is out there on West Rd. Their smoked fish and pate makes the joy of a northern trip last longer. It’s nice to open it up when arriving back in the City. 

Joe on Patio at Java Joe's

Breakfast at Java Joe’s, on North State St. on the east side of St. Ignace is always delicious and I enjoy visiting with Joe and Sandy, in-between their duties as owners.  They are gracious hosts and many people get directions along with a good meal (and coffee) while there. They always seem to have some adventure story.

The Floor Paintings at Java Joe's

Bentley's

Bentley’s is another way to enjoy the downtown area.  This small cafe was there when I was a kid and inside it has a small town feel.  I made sure to put the Jukebox on, which is now 25 cents a song!!

There is this beautifully designed public library overlooking Lake Huron in St. Ignace, too.  Their stash of books on Michigan history, geology, etc. is amazing. I look forward to a window seat and peacefulness in my home town.  

My friend didn’t have water shoes before we left for our trip and I kept reminding him of the reality, “If your street shoes get wet while you’re on the shore of Lake Michigan, Huron or Lake Superior they are baptized as water shoes.  It doesn’t matter if you want them to be wet, soggy sandy and filled with little stones, they just are."

I had some pretty big laughs watching a city boy jump out of the way of the unpredictable waves that wash to the shore.  I’m all for just getting wet from the start.  It saves a lot of worry and the lines between shore and water are more a part of me rather than separate.  And did I mention skipping stones? A free pleasure in the Upper Peninsula.