This was our July 2015 road trip to northern
Michigan. Other than meals and a night in a hotel, our only stop on the
way to Michigan was on private property in a farm field north of Clear
Lake, Iowa where memorials are left at The Place Where The Music Died
on February 3, 1959.
There are memorials to musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie
Valens and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, together with the pilot,
Roger Peterson.
Manabezho Falls - Porcupine Mountains State Park
The Michigan part of the trip was broken into three segments.
The first three days were spent in the western Upper Peninsula.
It is an area where I had only stayed overnight, one time, about 50 years
ago and which Linda had never seen. Over the three days we saw about 15
different waterfalls, 6 lighthouses and many other attractions.
There were a couple of big surprises. I was very impressed
with the village of Calumet in the Keweenaw Peninsula, which was
once the center of the UP mining industry. Much of the community is part
of Keweenaw National Historical Park and there are many gorgeous
red stone buildings which were built in the late 1800s. We spent the second
night of the trip at Eagle Harbor Inn in Eagle Rive, Michigan.
The second unexpected treat was a waterfall which hadn't
even been on our plan, Canyon Falls and Gorge near Baraga. We saw
a roadside park with parking and Linda decided that she could walk farther
than we had allowed up until then. The hike was about 2 miles round trip,
but much of the route was flat trail or boardwalk over marshy area. We
walked along a long stretch of the Sturgeon River, sometimes on its rocky
bank and sometimes high above a narrow gorge. There were many rapids and
waterfalls, with the highest falls being about 20 feet.
Calumet Theatre - Keweenaw National Historical Park
Eagle Harbor Lighthouse (Prints
of the photo)
Canyon Falls and Gorge
The coolest stop of this segment was Lakenenland,
which I read about years ago. There were dozens of welded metal sculptures
spread along a couple of narrow two rut roads which visitors are invited
to drive through in summer and snowmobile through in winter. It is quirky
grassroots art and very fun.
Savitskisaursus at Lakenenland
We spent the third night of the trip at Sunset Motel on
the Bay in Munising. It was descent for a small older motel, but I was
a little disappointed that the sun sets beyond hills on the other side
of the bay, rather than over the water.
