Just Down The Road

25 miles was all we moved today from Brimley to Sault Ste. Marie.  Sault is French for rapids, and  the Soo, as it is commonly called is home to the famous locks that transverse these rapids on the Saint Mary River which connects Lake Superior to Lake Huron.  For some reason instead of taking us the simple way east then north around downtown, the GPS took us north then east right through the heart of the city  

and across two bridges

before we finally reached Aune-Osborne Campground.  The campground sits between Riverside Drive and St Mary's River.  We are facing south with the river behind us on the north.

From the west end of the park east across the park

west to the adjacent boat launch

curved east along the river.  Some old man was sitting there across from Sault Ste Marie, Canada, with nothing better to do than watch the gulls,

the Canadian mapleleaf flying in the chilly breeze,

boats speeding up and down the river,

and big ships coming in.

Tomorrow we get the truck's oil changed, do laundry and buy groceries.

We'll go the quick way tomorrow.

Louise and Duane

2 + 2 = 460 + 1 1/2 + 150

Under skies constantly changing from completely gray overcast to large patches of sun and white clouds, we braved a chilly wind  to explore the southern and western shore of Lake Superior that ( with the shoreline of Ontario, Canada,) form Whitefish Bay.

Just a few miles from our rv park in Brimley, MI, we began our trip with a tour of Point Iroquois Light Station and Museum.  Inside the lightkeeper's house the small museum is full of information, pictures, and artifacts from the property.

Inside the 65' light tower, a tight spiral staircase leads to the (decommissioned) light

and a view of Whitefish Bay with the mouth of the St. Mary's River on the left and Michigan on the right.

On the far side of the bay at the northwestern tip is the second lighthouse we visited.  The 80' tower is part of a complex 

called Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.  The light, keeper's house and the three buildings next to it are original to the property which is owned and operated by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, the Michigan Audubon Society, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.  The building in the left rear is the museum building where we bought our $13 admission to all of the buildings.  $4 more gained us access to the tower guided tour and these amazing views. 

e. 

From here we saw the general area where 5 of the wrecks featured in the museum occurred. 

Around the tip to the right is this second view of the mouth of St. Mary's River with blue lines delineating Ontario Canada on the left and Michigan (and the Point Iroquois Light Station) on the left.

After about 2 hours of wandering around the grounds and in and out of buildings we hopped the bike and backtracked south for a few miles to visit a couple of waterfalls.

Tahquamenon Falls State Park is home to the upper and lower falls, separated by about 4 miles.  The falls are connected by a hiking trail, but we opted to drive between them.  Our $9 out of state motorcycle entrance fee paid for both views.  

Both falls can be accessed by a short walk along paved paths.  The upper falls can be viewed from several distances along the path.  The best view is down a 94 step wooden staircase.

The lower falls are divided by an 8 acre island.  They are easily seen from the viewing platform, but a boat rental concession offers close-up views.

Left

After viewing both falls and visiting both gift shops for pressed pennies, we picked up CR 123 and rode southwest to M28  for the last leg home.

Moving day tomorrow.

Louise and Duane

PS  2 lighthouses + 2 waterfalls = 460 steps up and down the lighthouses and down to the upper falls and back up + 1 1/2 miles of walking to/from and all around the sites + 150 total miles ridden.

Rainy Day Combat

Beauties

and their beasts

Riding tomorrow, hopefully.

Louise and Duane

Entirely Different

Well, maybe some things are the same--120 miles east M28, but still in Michigan, still seeing the same scenery, and still exploring the southern shore of Lake superior,

although we are now at the eastern end of the lake .  

What's different is that we are staying for only three days in this Bay Mills rv park across from the casino complex.

The complex is located in and run by the Ojibwe Nation.

The complex, which takes up the whole picture below starts at the left with a bar/grill with slots, a convention center, a hotel, a resturant, a gift shop and the casino.

The complex sits right on the lake.

Across the street is the 120 site rv park.  The park is very nice, with lots of space between sites--58 full hookups and the rest with w/e, but all with 50 amp.  

There are two buildings--a picnic pavilion

and this one.  ON the right is the office, the left corner is the 2w/6d laundry, then the restrooms, and showers on the other side.

There is a dump station and propane. 

Rain is predicted tomorrow.

Louise and Duane

Flying Around

Our last day here was just too beautiful to stay indoors and do nothing.  We rode a 140 mile loop that took us south from Munising almost to Lake Michigan and back.

Moving day tomorrow.

Louise and Duane