Pullin' Chocks

Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula

We were told by several people, "..you gotta go to Copper Harbor, it's so beautiful, right?"  We had seen the Keweenaw Peninsula that juts out into Lake Superior from Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and Copper Harbor looks like the northernmost settlement on that point of land.  Just from looking at the map we thought that would be a really interesting place to visit.  We had already seen some of the remoteness and natural beauty of the UP, and had heard there are Black Bear, Moose, Gray Wolves and more on the Keweenaw Peninsula.  We were convinced that we must go there as we passed this way.  We didn't see the big wildlife, but we did find some fantastic fresh fish from Lake Superior there!  We share some pictures as a description of the excursions.

Oh, we must add how well the Ojibwa Casino worked out for us.  It has been challenging to find an RV spot where we fit on the UP let alone full hookups (electric, water, sewer).  Well the Ojibwa Casino had it all and for only $20/day... annnnd they gave us $5 each and a free drink each, every single day we were there.  We don't normally gamble, but when someone gives us money to gamble we will!  We ended up winning $70 over the course of our week long stay, so our lot rent ended up being only $50 for the week, best deal ever!

There is Fast Fingers Gari on the Video Poker Machine!

OK, back to the regularly scheduled blog... We decided to drive a loop up the Keweenaw Peninsula by driving the east coast going north, then crossing the peninsula to the west and returning south via the west coast of the peninsula.  There were lots of gorgeous trees and we drove through similar tree tunnels for probably more than 20 miles on the ride.

First stop in Hubbell, MI at Hungarian Falls.  We walked along a small forest road for less than a mile. It was nice and shady with relaxing beauty along the way.

We saw one of those bent tree trail markers along the way.

 Pretty thistles

Gari getting a low shot of the falls.

There is the Hungarian Falls.

Down the road we go to a lunch stop at a little roadside park located on the Tobacco River.

This was a nice place for a snack.  We had the place to ourselves.

The picnic tables were very nicely varnished, we don't see that too often!

That was a nice stop; Pepé is pulling out below.

That's a view from the bridge of the Tobacco River emptying into the Keweenaw Bay of Lake Superior.

 We continued up the road and rode through the town of Gay and saw their Bar there...

We found another roadside park for a repeat photo opportunity.  Gari gets her classic low shot from a rock perch in the surf below.

A tall rock stack points north.

 Brace for another waterfall stop!  Below is Gari at the sign with Pepé in the background.  We think the sign posts are interesting how they use a forked branch to pin the circular torque.  I'm sure our Mechanical Engineer friends appreciate the physics.

 Haven Falls.

Steve climbed up top and got a shot of Gari and the Michigan Tech students below taking a biological survey in the stream below.

Westward we now go across the peninsula stopping briefly at Lake Medora, which Gari particularly liked.  It was quite beautiful. The forked branch points to a little island out in the middle of the lake, you can see the trees on it below.

There's a nice getaway spot on the lake.

The water was very clear; you can see Steve's shadow on the bottom in about five feet of water.

We got exactly two pictures in town of Copper Harbor.  Coming down the hill into town from the forest.... we can see the big lake again after crossing the peninsula.

The only other picture is a shot of the fresh fried Whitefish Boat that someone took a bite from before a picture could be snapped... gee it was good!

Just outside of Copper Harbor we stopped at a private property, Sunset Cove, that allowed visitors to walk out on the conglomerate shoreline.  A panorama of Sunset Cove below from out on the conglomerate and Pepé at roadside.

Looking south.

 Almost the same picture, but with clouds this time.

A closer look at the conglomerate rock.  It is quite rugged.

Hardy local plants still find a way to work into the cracks.

Gari way out on the conglomerate.

The tip of the cove point at the south as the remaining rock sink into Gitche Gumee

Last stop on the way back to camp was in Eagle River to see the Eagle River Falls and dam.  It looked like a big rock with a breach in the center re-dammed with rickety wood.  the falls spilled over at each side.

Close up of the rickety wood portion of the dam.

We took the pictures of the falls from this nice bridge with the substantial laminated curved beams. Pretty piece of work.

As we looked on two crazy men decided to swim in the pool just below the rickety wooden portion of the dam.  Damn.  Death wish.