Michigan's UP, August '14

St. Helena Light, St. Ignace

Our first lighthouse in the UP was St. Helena, in St. Ignace. We also met some letterboxers here, by accident.

St. Ignace shadow clock

Unusual shadow clock, St. Ignace.

St. Helena Island Lighthouse

This is different than the one in the harbor, and marked a treacherous shoal.

Pictured Rocks

Cool and rainy at Pictured Rocks, but we did get to see Miner's Castle.

Along Lake Superior

A random look at the multicolored rocks to be found along Lake Superior

Along Lake Superior

OK, cooking outdoors ain't always what it's cracked up to be. This wasn't wind only, it was raining too.

View from the library, Marquette, MI

One of the nicest views we've had from a library window.

Lakenen Park, near Marquette, MI

Self-described as a folk art park. Free too.

Lakenen Park, near Marquette, MI

Lakenen Park, near Marquette, MI

Remains of an old mine on the property

Lakenen Park, near Marquette, MI

Flat loved the park, and felt a kinship with all the creatures.

Lakenen Park, near Marquette, MI

Looks scary, but really Mr. Metal Bones was quite friendly.

Lakenen Park, near Marquette, MI

Lakenen Park, near Marquette, MI

Landmark Hotel, Marquette, MI

Letterboxing takes us to some unusual places, including this historic hotel lobby.

Landmark Hotel, Marquette, MI

Love those desserts

Landmark Hotel, Marquette, MI

Lake Superior at peace

Houghton MI & Quincy Mine

Remains of one of the buildings (letterbox here)

Houghton MI & Quincy Mine 10

Notice the striped limestone on the corners. We saw a lot of this stone in the copper country. You could even make a "bacon house!"

Houghton MI & Quincy Mine

Steam Hoist at the mine. Houghton is very proud of its landmark.

Houghton MI & Quincy Mine

Interesting seeing how the walls were built: first rocks, then a rough coat of cement, followed by plaster

Houghton MI & Quincy Mine

We decided to take advantage of the opportunity to see inside a mine, and took the cog railway down into one of the shafts.

Houghton MI & Quincy Mine

View of Houghton from the cog railway. Our guide said there are only 3 of these railways in the US. The other two are at Mt. Washington, NH and Pike's Peak, CO. I think we've now been on all three. And it only took 45 years to do it.

Houghton MI & Quincy Mine

Inside a mine shaft

Houghton MI & Quincy Mine

An ore car ready to be taken to the hoist

Houghton MI & Quincy Mine

Our guide explains the pneumatic drill.

Houghton MI & Quincy Mine

A map of the mine, and a chunk of ore. This is copper, but they also mined silver here.

Houghton MI & Quincy Mine

We made it!

Houghton MI & Quincy Mine

This is what pulled the ore up from below.

Houghton MI & Quincy Mine

The hoist house, which was also built as a showplace for investors.

Houghton MI & Quincy Mine 80

Houghton MI & Quincy Mine 81

Houghton MI & Quincy Mine

A piece of the metal cable used on the hoist.

Houghton MI & Quincy Mine

Men and ore were transported on the same hoist. The "man-car" at right carried 3 men on each seat up and down the shafts each day.

The Keweenaw Peninsula

Win one for the Gipper? This is the grave of George Gipp, legendary footballer from Notre Dame, who is buried here in Calumet, MI

The Keweenaw Peninsula

Interesting old wooden bridge, Eagle River, MI

The Keweenaw Peninsula

Stone boat, Centennial Hts, MI

The Keweenaw Peninsula

Waterfall near Copper Harbor, MI

The Keweenaw Peninsula

Art looks north at Michigan's highest point in latitude.

The Keweenaw Peninsula

The Keweenaw Peninsula

The Keweenaw Peninsula

Copper Harbor Lighthouse

The Keweenaw Peninsula

Interesting that we've now been to both ends of US 41. Haven't done much of the middle part, though.

The Keweenaw Peninsula

The water's cold! (Copper Harbor)

The Keweenaw Peninsula

This photo resembles my idea of what Lucy Maud Montgomery's Lake Mistawis (Ontario) might look like. Mistawis is the setting of her book, The Blue Castle.

The Keweenaw Peninsula

We saw just the beginnings of color in the UP, but the reds we did see were the most brilliant I've ever seen.