Michigan - Upper Peninsula

We continue to head north and the weather seems to show it.  It has been very cool and cloudy, with scattered showers.  It feels like fall even though it is still July.  Even the local people are wearing sweaters and long pants.  No one is swimming - Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, and Lake Huron are all very cold with water temps in the 50s.   We crossed the 45th parallel, halfway between the equator and the north pole.  Because we are so far north and on the west side of the eastern time zone, we have long days and it doesn't get dark until almost 10 p.m.  I love the long evenings.

On our way to the UP, we stopped briefly at the Cross in the Woods Shrine. The cross is made from one California redwood tree and is 55 feet tall with a 28 foot sculpture.   It was truly magnificent.   There were several other beautiful statues and it was a very peaceful, serene place to visit.

We camped at the municipal campground in Sault Ste Marie, right on the shore of the St. Mary's River which connects Lake Superior to Lake Huron.  Large lake freighters passed by right the campground on their way into and out of the Soo Locks.  It was fun watching them.









We took a day train trip into Canada, with beautiful scenery and a stop at a private park.  It was a fun trip and something different to do.   As you can see from the photo, it was a cool but sunny day.  We definitely enjoyed the wonderful weather.




While camped at Sault Ste Marie, we visited the Shipwreck Museum where I waded into Lake Superior for the first time. 






I had planned to take a quick swim but with water temps in the mid-40s, wading was as far as I was willing to go.  Burrr!





The upper peninsula, commonly referred to as UP, and the local residents, called Yuppers, seems quite isolated from the rest of the state.  The towns are small and some distance apart, and take pride in their history.



Copper mining was the big draw, and Horace Greely's famous slogan - "Go West Young Man" was actually directed to immigrants seeking work in the mines of Michigan's UP.  We toured the historic Quincy mine, entering one of the tunnels at ground level.  The mine is over 9,000 feet deep but the lower levels are entirely flooded now.






We took a boat tour of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.  






 Beautiful rock formations, with clear and very cold water.  I wanted to do a kayak trip but didn't know what to expect regarding the weather.

 It turned out to be a beautiful day, calm and sunny.








I hiked along the shore one day, about four miles through the woods, coming out at the lighthouse.  Another beautiful day.