in-the-right-lane: Christmas, Mi

Yesterday it was waterfalls so today we chose range lights. These are pairs of lights that were used to guide the ships into the harbor. They would line up the first light with the light on the second one to navigate the channel. This is the Grand Island Harbor front range light near the shore, also known as the Christmas Light with the rear light in the background. The 62 foot tall rear light was built in 1915 and was visible for 16 miles. It was abandoned and sold by the coast guard to the forest service.

Now there just happened to be a geocache at both lights so I had to stop to sign the log on a log!

"Powers of the Air," was a young Ojibwa hero named Ogichidaa who followed his fallen father as the leader of the Grand Island band of his people. His tales of ancient legends, told to and recorded by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, became the basis for the "Song of Hiawatha." The petroglyph was carved in 1820 by a French trapper and guide.

It was a beautiful morning even though it was beginning to get cloudy.

Quite often there are streams of water that flow into the lake, some larger than others.

Across the highway is Scott Falls. Yes, that is Leon behind it.

We passed this fixer upper in Au Train, small village west of Christmas.

We were on the way to Brownstone Inn, which had already been fixed up! A retired Detroit policeman built the inn in the 1940s. It had been left in disrepair when the current owners purchased it. The outside was made with rocks the policeman hauled from the lake. Inside the wainscotting is mahogany with chairs made locally. Quite a charming place.

There were several cabins on either side which had not been restored.

We drove back into Munising to visit another rear range light. The Grand Island Harbor (Munising) Light is a 33 foot conical steel tower built in 1908.