UP north

The Ojibwa Indians made the Grand Island area their permanent home. They called the seven mile long Grand Island Gitchee Minis or "Great Island." In winter they moved across the harbor to Minis-ing on the mainland, the "Place of the Great Island." From the dining table we look across to Great Island.

We spent four fun-filled days camped at the Bay Furnace campground in Hiawatha National Forest in Christmas, Michigan. The campground got it's name from the blast furnace that is nearby where pig iron was made between 1870 and 1877.

We have really experienced the UP. We have tasted pasties, made with either beef, pork, or vegetables in a pastry crust. The copper miners would take them for their lunches.

We have seen all sorts of trees, especially the beautiful white birches, and even burned a few in our fires.

On the 5th day the high is forecast to be 61 and the low is forecast to be 48. The winds will shift to the northwest and gust up to 50 mph. Waves will build Friday evening up to 20 feet, which will cause beach erosion and some minor flooding. It is beginning to feel a little too much like Christmas. Time to move a little further south...at least to Wisconsin.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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.

Beside it was a cute old house typical of many in town.

The Munising front range light is on the shore about 2 blocks in front of the rear one. It is now an active lighthouse.

Then the rain caught up with us and it was time to explore the casino and I did win $45.