Nomad Life - Day 327

My final day in Michigan (sad)...  This morning, I woke up at 0545 and started teleworking.  By 0700, I made/ate Breakfast in the Downtown Red Room at Village on Aurora (Ironwood).  Otherwise, I had meetings all the way until just before checkout time (1050).  After that, I reluctantly loaded up my car, cleaned up all the rooms and left the hotel (1100).  This was a five star experience!  Outside, it was sunny but windy (70s).  Hoping to wrap up my telework day completely, I went to lunch at the Golden Dragon and used their WiFi to stay online throughout my time there (1105 to 1235).  They had a good lunch special and I felt very full when I was finished - this was another good feature of Ironwood!  With my work computer stowed again, I double checked on the campsite I'd reserved in a nearby Wisconsin State Park and departed Ironwood for the last time.  It's been a great (nearly) four weeks in the Great Lakes (Wolverine) State!  By 1245, I'd entered Wisconsin (Hurley) and made my way to WI-77.  Since this was the same road I needed to follow all the way to my destination, I only used my Google Maps app for situational awareness (I also listened to audiobooks).  Along the way, I passed through the little town of Montreal, saw signs for a place called the Gile Flowage (reminded me of my New Hampshire neighborhood) and had to contend with a major road and power line project.  Despite the latter obstacle, I entered Ashland County by 1315 and soon arrived in a zone where I hoped to be able to follow the North Country Trail where it was coincident with the highway.  When I passed Olson Road (on the eastern edge of the town of Mellen), I started my odometer and continued west on WI=77.  The trail took me on to Main Street (north), into the little downtown area, and then turned west on Wilderness Drive.  Later, the same road became Hillcrest Drive and Kormstead Drive (FR-39).  At the 2.8 miles mark, I reached a clearly defined trailhead (lots of good signage there but I hadn't seen any before that).  Satisfied with the mileage I'd gotten, I backtracked to Mellen and followed a published detour of the NCT that took me back to Olson Road, which I used to travel north on the trail (I think another route might have taken me north of Mellen).  Before long, I reached reached WI-169 and noticed that the NCT disappeared into woods on the other side of the pavement (I later learned there was a footpath option near there too).  This section was another 1.0 mile of NCT mileage.  Beyond this point, I knew that the NCT followed the road and some woods trails all the way into Copper Falls State Park, which was where I was headed.  I arrived at the entrance by 1350 and, when I tried to pay for my pass to enter the park (and access my campsite) received an offer of paying only $28 to buy a Wisconsin State Park Pass for an entire year. Of course, I accepted this generous offer - it would take only 2.5 visits to spend the equivalent amount in day passes.  Wow!  With a new sticker on the windshield of my car, I stopped at the Visitor Center to rent a kayak, which was only available for the next few hours.  The price was reasonable and, with the incentive for me to be expeditious to save money, I launched from the Beach at Loon Lake (NCT walking on way) by 1405.  It was very windy by this point and I got LOTS of advice from observers about how it wouldn't be fun.  They don't know me...  Yes, the wind was a factor but I was able to paddle two full counterclockwise loops around the full circumference of the shoreline before I had logged 2.5 miles in one hour of rental.  For reference, another couple arrived to rent a tandem kayak and ended up giving up after about 45 minutes...  When I was done (1505), I locked up the kayak and then walked (again on the NCT) back to the Visitor Center to return the paddling gear to the State Park staff.  As I was leaving, I noticed an NCT Junior Ranger book and grabbed a copy.  With my kayak bonus adventure (I never dreamed of paddling today), I drove deeper into the park and located my campsite in the North Campground.  Another surprise: my site was right on the NCT!  I got settled and was about to start walking when I realized (with spotty internet) that I had to resolve a mail forwarding issue (with my SD address) - stupid credit card company...  When that was fixed, I left my car and walked east on NCT towards the Copper Falls (1530).  When I reached a large parking area with a historic building from the CCC era (now a closed concession stand), I joined the Doughboy Trail and started walking on a loop through/above (etc.) the Bad River Gorge.  In the first part of the hike, I was actually walking on the NCT again.  At times, I was treated to several overlooks for the Copper Falls and Brownstone Falls.  The volcanic stone and CCC constructions I passed were very interesting.  I looped around to the eastern edge of the gorge, which seemed to have three spokes from the central falls area.  After crossing a suspension bridge, I got to see several of the falls again from other angles.  There were far fewer people on that side of the gorge and I enjoyed the solitude.  When the NCT finally departed the Doughboy Trail (towards the north), I imagined a wonderful backpacking trip into the wilderness.  Sadly, I was no so equipped and had to settle for following the trail I was on already...  The Doughboy crossed the river again (on a firm bridge) just west of the Devil's Gate.  I had to climb up to the top of the gorge again (lots of stairs).  As I neared the end of the loop, I came to a sign which told me about an overlook tower - I climbed to the top of the hill and the tower itself to see the views of Lake Superior (quite far away) and the whole valley.  There were so many trees!  This area had the best cell service of all and I was able to take care of everything I needed to before I knew I'd lose signal in the campground.  As I was on my way back to my car, I met Vincent, who seemed to be some sort of Baby Boomer Numerologist.  He'd seen me at Loon Lake and as I made my way around the loop and wanted to talk to me about aliens, the meaning of Druid symbols, special numbers and signs that applied to him (and me).  I tired to be polite but, I'll admit, he was losing me at times...  When I finally made it to my campsite again, I decided to try to reach the point on WI-169 where I'd seen the trail head into the woods (i.e., south of the State Park).  I ended up walking on the NCT from my car to the southern boundary of the park.  Along the way, I got to walk on wide, rolling trails (the main road much more smooth).  For once, the trail had pretty good signage... After passing the fee station, I got on “farm road trail” and this took me around the south side of Loon Lake, through the woods, across fields and on an elevated walkway to the WI-169 crossing.  By this point, the sun was getting much lower in the sky and I was glad to be able to backtrack (I'd brought no gear for a real hike in the woods).  When I got back into the State Park, I located the shower room (near the South Campground).  After that, I walked on the road, rather than the NCT, and made it to my campsite by 1915.  My odometer said that I'd walked 8.2 miles in this hike (added to another 0.5 miles I'd walked earlier in the day).  All told, I later determined that I hiked a 4.1 mile continuous stretch of NCT (from the WI-169 crossing to where the NCT splits off the Doughboy Loop north of Brownstone Falls).  Feeling great, I started setting up my car for camping.  Like I had done when I camped in Alpena, I didn't set up a tent - instead, I just reconfigured the Subaru so I could sleep in the back.  Along the way, I skipped dinner.  As it got dark (1945), I did some reading with my window open (because I was VERY warm).  For once in a long while, I played games on phone.  As I was settling in for my night in the woods, I looked above me and saw LOTS of stars.  For the first time in ages, I had a reasonable bedtime (2130).  Hopefully, I can get some good sleep overnight...  North Country Trail Today = 7.9 miles / Grand Total NCT = 236.7 miles

Nomad Life - Day 326

For some reason, I woke up this morning at 0430 and thought about starting my work day.  After deciding against it, I slept until 0600 and only started working then.  Like the day before, I skipped breakfast while teleworking in the Red Room at the Village on Aurora (Ironwood).  Outside, it was another sunny day - it doesn't get old!  I had meetings for most of the morning, with only minor distractions in the (aerobics studio?) downstairs again.  I ate leftovers (food I'd made the day before) for my lunch at around noon and then worked until 1500.  After getting ready to depart Ironwood, I got in my car and drove east through the Downtown area.  There were lots of interesting buildings and a paved (bike?) trail before I joined US-2 and headed east.  The weather was still wonderful (sunny and 78 F).  When I reached Wakefield (1540), I paused to do a little birding (lots of waterfowl on the surface of Sunday Lake).  After that, I turned north on MI-28 and soon found County Road 519, which took me towards the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park (my destination).  During this time, my iPhone thought there was a time change (I later learned that this was because Gogebic County is the first/last county in the Central Timezone) and it was very distracting.  As I continued driving north, I found my first North Country Trail crossing of the day and walked around at the trailhead there (0.1 miles on foot) before resuming my drive towards Lake Superior (1700).  From the signage, it appeared that I was almost exactly in the middle of the section between Black River Harbor and the Presque Isle Campground in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.  After nearly 30 miles of driving, I reached the former location (1715) and paid for a day pass.  Once I was parked at the north end of unit, I geared up and started walking on the West River Trail.  Almost immediately, I crossed a suspension bridge and started logging NCT steps.  The blue blazes in the area were very distracting, with one "official" route for the NCT but with several other side trails that had the same signage and blazes.  As a result, I took a "detour" on the Lake Superior Trail, which completed a loop around the (Presque) Isle.  The surface of Lake Superior was eerily smooth and inviting...  After soaking up the vibes, I continued walking south and began examining the interesting stones that looked like ripples in cement.  I'm not completely sure but it looked like the whole riverbed in that area might be filled at times during the year and I had a special chance to see what the rocks looked like under the water.  This same area featured some blue blazes for the NCT nearby so I followed them to the east side of the Presque Isle River and started climbing up a steep cliff above the gorge.  For once, I was not alone in my NCT mileage: I met an older couple who leap-frogged me for about half a mile.  At around that point, I found that the NCT forked off to the east (Vermont Bound).  Instead, I followed East River Trail to the south.  Strangely, though, I soon saw more NCT signs and blazes.  Was this more evidence of a river bypass trail?  The highlight of this route, though, was that I was definitely in an Old Growth Forest a sign said that some of the trees could be four centuries old!  Before long, I reached the Boundary Road and crossed the river (back to the west) on pavement.  From there, I followed the West River Trail again (= NCT).  A highlight of doing this loop was seeing several waterfalls (Nawadaha, Manido, Manabezho) from several angles.  There were LOTS of boardwalks and I learned that all the rocks were Nonesuch Shale. At one point, I saw some interesting holes along the river's edge - what interesting geology here!  I was soon finished with the loop but walked past my car and on to the nearby campground, which was located on a high bluff.  Even though there were signs that seemed to discourage my next action, I walked down some stairs to Lake Superior and was treated to more beautiful views.  Down at the base of the cliff, however, it was unbelievably smoky from the campground fires.  I climbed back up to the level where my car was and finished my hike at 1820.  When I checked my pedometer, I found that I had walked over four miles, 1.3 of which was new mileage on the NCT.  Back in my car, I headed south again.  Due to the lateness, skipped drive to east within the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park - I DEFINITELY need to return!  Instead, I backtracked to Wakefield, where I struck out on finding a place to buy pasties again.  I should have mentioned earlier that I'd been passing all the driving time by listening to audiobooks.  When I passed through Bessemer, I (again) went to dinner at Dairy Queen - I ordered at 1855 and ate in the restaurant.  Once I was finished with my meal (1925), I continued west on US-2 until I reached Ironwood.  Since there didn't seem to be any good brewery alternatives in Hurley, I skipped a drive into Wisconsin and returned to Cold Iron Brewing Company for one final night of beer tasting.  When I arrived (1940), I again got to talk with the manager/bartender, Cole.  Since I'd already exhausted the list of new beers (yesterday), I ordered their amber ale - this was actually my first pint this week.  During the course of the evening, I also tried a few more seltzers (taster size).  Otherwise, I spent my time visiting, sharing stories of my hiking adventures and updating the Untapped App.  After so many good nights in the brewery, I thanked Cole for his great service and (dare I say ?) friendship.  I departed at 2040 and returned to my "loft".  For the next few hours, I had to do a lot of work to catch up on all the trail mileage I'd logged this week.  In addition, I worked on my blog (falling hopelessly behind again), eBird (getting ready for Minnesota and more Wisconsin) and  Duolingo exercises.  I capped off the night with some reading and finally went to bed at 2315.  It's been a great week in Ironwood - I'll miss it and the rest of the Upper Peninsula...  North Country Trail Today = 1.4 miles / Grand Total NCT = 228.8 miles

Nomad Life - Day 325

Another day in paradise!  I woke up at 0645 (after sleeping pretty well).  Happily, my allergies seemed to be all gone again.  I'm not 100% but I've been using the Air Conditioning sparingly in the Red Room at the Village on Aurora (Ironwood) and I think it's helping.  I started teleworking in the living room of my "ski loft" and only took a short break to make myself some breakfast.  Otherwise, I stayed online (mostly in meetings) for several hours.  At noon, I made lunch for myself and relaxed on the couch while eating.  I've very much enjoyed living and working in this place and have started to wonder if they would do a long term rental...  Resuming work, I stayed online (more meetings) through 1500.  Meanwhile, outside, the day had started out very sunny but started to get cloudy as my work day came to an end.  Also, the Bodega across the street started playing loud music at about 1400 - unlike the sounds from the floor below me, these were harder to ignore.  At 1505, I wrapped up my work day and (10 minutes later) departed town, hoping to log some more North Country Trail miles and track down some landmarks pointed out to me by the Cold Iron Brewing bartender.  By then, the temperatures had increased to 71 F and breezy.  I followed US-2 west into Wisconsin (after reaching it by city streets on the Michigan side of the border) and made my way out to a northbound turn on to County Road B.  This route took me back to WI-122 and I returned to the place (junction with County Road A) where I'd passed the NCT the day before.  From there, I used my odometer to track the route I'd written on paper (to avoid a lost cell signal scenario, like I'd seen earlier in the week).  I followed the NCT westbound and, on the way, made a brief stop at Saxon Harbor (WI) at 1545.  The wind was building up big waves on Lake Superior but the sun was making an appearance.  There were plenty of birds along the beach and jetty there.  Next, I ended up following a dirt road tow the west and up a big hill as I continued along the NCT.  The route arced around to US-2 - I had to turn east on the blacktop there until I could get on WI-169 (paved) to the south.  During this phase of the drive, I realized I was following the Potato River.  Just after I passed through the town of Gurney, the trail turned off  the blacktop near Peitala Road.  With a real “Road Closed” since there, I gave up my pursuit of the NCT.  By then (1610), though, I'd already logged more than 11 miles!  After backtracking (via WI-169, US-2 and WI-122, I located a route that would take me back to County Road B - I wanted to find Saxon Falls and arrived there at 1630.  Instead of driving all the way to the bottom of the ravine there, I went walking and ended up finding some good views of the falls.  When I reached my car again, I decided to head back to Ironwood.  There was still plenty of time to explore (or so I thought) but then (as I was driving back to Hurley and Ironwood), Mollie called.  It had been a while since her schedule allowed her so much time and I didn't try to steer her away from the call.  We were on the phone so long (and the cell signal was so unreliable) that I stopped at a rest area on US-52 and finished talking with her there (1745).  It was good to catch up!  Next, I drove around in (seedy) Hurley until I was back in Ironwood.  With the intent of seeing "Hiawatha", a huge statue of a Native American, I followed Google Maps to the location.  When I got there (1800), I found that the giant statue (made of fiberglass) was quite impressive!  Even though it wasn't a technically accurate depiction of a member of the Ojobwe Tribe that lived nearby, it reminded me of how I'd recently finished listening to the famous Longfellow poem called "The Song of Hiawatha".  Regardless of intent or correctness, I believe this statue was a fitting homage to the first inhabitants of the area.  After learning about the statue and seeing some displays about the ore mining industry in town, I did some birding while walking on mountain bike trails in the area.  Along the way, I reached two miles for the day.  There were plenty of black squirrels in the park and I found something called the Norrie Club at some sports fields.  The sun was warm and the nice breeze made walking easy.  Hours later, I learned later that I was walking on trails that would have gotten me very close to an even larger green space to the northeast called Miners Heritage Park.  With my exercise complete, I went to dinner at Golden Dragon, a Chinese restaurant near my hotel.  From the menu, I ordered something purported to be "heart healthy" (grilled chicken and broccoli).  The food was good and satisfied me after so many hours of hiking and driving around.  When I was done (1925), I drove back to the Village on Aurora and then walked to Cold Iron Brewing for some more fun.  In my third evening as a customer, I finally learned that the bartender/manager was named Cole.  He's been a great host and local "guide".  While sitting at the bar (few other customers), I completed my journey through the 13 beers on tap (with another flight).  I can't recall ever doing something like that at a craft/micro-brewery and it felt good.  Most of the beers I had today were shandies and they were very good.  Frankly, I have enjoyed everything I've sampled at Cold Iron and will genuinely miss the place when I move along again.  After saying goodnight to Cole (2100), I walked back to my lodging and spent the rest of the evening in my room doing Duolingo exercises, reading and watching new episodes on my streaming services.  When I should have been going to bed, I got carried away at one point with an AI genealogy query - I didn't ultimately go to bed until 2315.  Dang...  Still, my day outside along the WI/MI border was a great one (again)!  North Country Trail Today = 11.2 miles / Grand Total NCT = 227.40 miles

Nomad Life - Day 324

This morning, I was awake (before my alarm) at 0500 (Central Time).  I started teleworking immediately in the "Red Room" at the Village on Aurora (Ironwood).  Along the way, I skipped breakfast.  At 0900, I started hearing construction noise (in the dance studio ?) below me; fortunately, it wasn't very distracting.  Throughout the morning, it was raining pretty steadily outside.  After learning that my "loft" unit had a free laundry room, I gladly took all my dirty (from all the hiking I've been doing) clothing down there.  Otherwise, I kept on working through the morning.  At about 1030, the rain stopped and the day became overcast (with temps in the 60s).  Hoping to take care of another "chore" I've had trouble with since leaving New England, I walked down the street from my lodging and checked on a place I'd seen on Google Maps: Matt's Classic Cuts ended up being open for business and, even though I didn't have an appointment, I was able to get a walk-in haircut.  Yaaay!  The barber was an interesting guy who had left Detroit and happily lived miles away from the urban areas.  He told me a little about the history of nearby Hurley (WI) - apparently, it was an Italian Mob town during Prohibition and still (!!!) has links to the Capone Family.  I finished up with my errand at 1100 and walked back to the Village on Aurora.  Altogether, I probably walked about a half mile total and, along the way, I saw lots of cool murals (including some HUGE paintings) that were apparently put there in memory of the miners who worked nearby.  I also passed a very nice city park with lots of references to Ironwood's (tourist ?) motto "Find your North".  After getting back into the Red Room, I resumed teleworking and didn't finish my work day until 1530.  At that point, I left my room again (in my car this time) and drove west (a very short distance) into Hurley WI.  While I'd gotten intrigued by the stories about the Mafia, I didn't tarry long.  Instead, I followed city streets to US-51 and switched on to US-2 (still headed west).  Soon after that (1540), I stopped at Interstate Falls Park and took a hike on the trails there.  During this time, I learned that the Montreal River was the MI/WI border.  For most of the hike, I saw very little evidence of falls until I'd been walking for a long time; eventually, I found a few small ones.  I suppose this reality connected with the ongoing drought I've been hearing about for most of the summer (everywhere I've gone).  When I finished at 1555, my pedometer said I'd walked about one mile.  Back in my car, I got back on US-2 and continued west.  I passed an interesting place called Little Finland, which seemed to be a cultural center that had very limited hours.  When I reached WI-122, I turned north and headed towards Lake Superior.  It was around this time that I started seeing evidence of some significant foliage - I guess Fall has arrived in the Upper Peninsula.  During this same time, unbeknownst to me, I started following a road section of the North Country Trail; I later figured out that I'd hit it at the intersection of West County Road A and, as I drove northeast, I followed it  across the border (back into Michigan).  At that point, I found myself on Lake Road (MI-505) and (later research indicated) the NCT turned south.  All told, I had driven 0.8 miles of NCT on the pavement (0.6 in Wisconsin and 0.2 in Michigan) and these ended up being my first miles on the trail in the state of Wisconsin.  It's funny how often I've found the North Country Trail without meaning to - it's sad how little signage or blazes there are, though...  Following Lake (Superior) Road I started looking for interesting landmarks.  I stopped at Superior Falls (1615) and went walking to a very steep overlook that gave me nice views of the red cliffs along the coast of Lake Superior.  There was no one else there and I enjoyed the solitude.  Once again, I probably got another half mile of walking.  My next stop was at a place to the east called Little Girls Point County Park.  After reaching it (1630), I started talking with the many rock hounds who were combing the beach (it was covered with pebbles).  From what I learned today, the "prize" would be to find some agate but some of the kids just enjoyed finding interesting, polished stones with strips of colored minerals in them.  One comment made me laugh (inside): "this beach has been fully picked clean - I need to go in the water!"  My pedometer was still busy, even during this short stop, and I reached 2.5 miles walking for the day.  Meanwhile, the weather had turned sunny and warm (70s).  After checking out the nearby campground, I continued west on Lake Road and started looking actively (I'd done some research) for the North Country Trail.  I eventually found it (just off a dirt road near the intersection of Powers Road and Lake Road) and learned more about trail detours in the area.  There was also a sign (at Powers Road Vista) about how I was 12 miles (hiking distance) from the WI/MI border.  At 1655, I started following the trail towards the east.  For nearly the next 20 miles, I saw few blazes and even less signage.  My route included: Airport Road, Black River Road (through the Ottawa National Forest) and Copper Peak Road.  When I reached a road closure sign there, I initially took a chance and drove north until I was about 100 yards from an active construction zone.  However, I could go no farther. In the end, the only real consolation was that I got to see the (huge) ski jump.  After backtracking to Black River Road, I drove north until I found the other end of Copper Peak Road; once there, I actually found NCT markings.  Later, a sign confirmed that the entire trail had been rerouted via Black River Road.  After making corrections to my odometer reading, I confirmed that I'd driven 19.1 miles of the NCT!  Giving up my pursuit of mileage, I drove north on Black River Road until I found a parking lot for the Black River Harbor Recreation Area (Ottawa NF).  By then (1740), the day had turned overcast again.  While taking care of my fee (for parking), I noticed that the NCT crossed through the middle of the parking lot!  Before chasing it again, though, I walked around in the harbor area and did some birding (and looked at boats moored at the docks).  The lure of the NCT was too great, though - interested in learning more about the trail, I walked eastbound from the parking lot and crossed a fancy suspension bridge.  Beyond that, there was a pretty significant hill climb (wooden stairs) into an old growth forest.  For some reason, there were lots of recently fallen trees.  I enjoyed the quiet of the forest and heard several interesting birds (used my Merlin App a lot).  In a deep gorge below, I could hear the sound of the Black River.  My turnaround point was at Rainbow Falls (where I found a map/sign).  From everything I could determine for myself, I'd walked about one mile from my car (all NCT).  Backtracking through the woods, I noticed a lot of ominous clouds...  I reached the parking lot again and felt good about my 4.5 miles of walking for the day.  I looked around in the parking lot until I was able to find the NCT trailhead (North Dakota bound) in the southwest corner.  There was also a paper sign that announced that there had been another reroute (on Highway 513) to the nearby campground; the section near Sandstone Falls was also closed.  At 1845, I left the Recreation Area parking lot and followed the NCT detour for 0.3 miles on the road.  Once again, I thought my NCT search was over for the day.  A bit later, though, I stopped and started exploring the area between Potawatomi Falls and Gorge Falls.  What did I see then?  NCT blazes!  My explorations, which never had any intent to log more miles, yielded another 0.2 miles of trail plus the backtrack - 5.5 miles of hiking for the day!  The area was full of platform closures and more evidence of potential reroutes - with the downed trees, I guess this area really got walloped somehow...  After reaching my car for the final time, I headed back towards Bessemer.  Some of the route I'd been following included a backtrack to the intersection with Airport Road - after that, I continued south and followed Big Powderhorn Ski Resort.  I'll admit, it was a big hill!  My drive back to US-2 was uneventful and I was soon through Bessemer and on my way west.  On the way, I stopped to do some shopping at Walmart (east side of Ironwood) - I got groceries for my stay in the fully stocked kitchen.  Even though I've occasional shopped during my Nomad Life, it seemed strange to be back in a grocery store...  When I finished (1955), I noticed that my pedometer had inched up to six miles for the day.  Every little bit of exercise helps!  Finished with my active time, I drove back into Ironwood and parked on the street in front of Cold Iron Brewing.  Fortunately, it was still open and sat down (2000) for another flight (four different beers this time).  Since I was the only customer, I had a great conversation with the bartender.  Apparently trying to outdo the barber, he told me more scandalous stories about Hurley and claimed that his own Italian ancestors had been part of the events related to Prohibition.  We also talked about my travel to the north and he admitted he'd never been to any of the places I'd visited this afternoon.  Sad... Before finishing for the evening, I tried one of the seltzers Cold Iron produces and found it to be quite good.  When I was finished at 2110, I realized that the bar had already closed (the bartender never said anything).  Feeling pretty good about my day, I got back in my car and drove the 100 yards to the hotel.  Back in my room, I read, did Duolingo exercises and watched movies until very late (bed time was at 2345).  Another great U. P. day (with some Wisconsin mixed in)!  North Country Trail Today = 21.4 miles / Grand Total NCT = 216.2 miles

Nomad Life - Day 323

It was Labor Day today and I didn't have to work.  Perhaps that was the reason I slept much better than I had the previous night (AC set correctly, quieter).  However, the allergies had cropped up again and I had to contend with the noise of trucks rattling over the crappy roads out front of the hotel.  In the end, I woke up at 0630 (after an earlier "abort") and spent time reading, doing puzzles and completing Duolingo exercises before going to breakfast in the lobby of the Super 8 (Green Bay I-43 Business Park).  Afterwards, I returned to my room to plan for the drive towards the Upper Peninsula.  I liked being up there so much that I'd decided to spend the next week exploring the western end! During this time, I also completed pre-check-in steps for my next hotel - this was kind of a lengthy process but I think it will be worth the effort (very nice accommodations).  At 0915, I left the hotel and drove across (via I[43) Green Bay.  Temperatures were in the low 70s and I was blessed with another sunny day.  As I got near the Fox River, I noticed a huge building with the name "Green Bay Packaging" on the side.  Shortly after that, I got on a big bridge to the west side of the river.  Eventually, I made it all the way to WI-29, a four lane highway that spoked out to the northwest of Green Bay.  It would have been possible to go towards my hotel via a more direct route but I had made some goals for the day: (1) visit four counties in Wisconsin and Michigan I'd never seen (for birding), (2) visit a newer National Park System Unit near Houghton and (3) explore the Lake Superior coast on the western end of the Upper Peninsula.  On the way, I listened to an audiobook.  I turned north at WI-117 and passed through the towns of Bonduel and Cecil - soon after that, I passed Shawano Lake.  Throughout my drive, I encountered lots of cars that were headed in the other direction.  The traffic increased dramatically when I turned on to WI-22.  I had to use WI-55 (because of detour).  Before long (1000), I was on the route I'd planned to use for my birding activities: Oconto County Road R.  This led me to Route VV and I drove west on that road until I reached Berry Lake, which was the gateway to Menominee County & the Reservation.  In the neighborhood of the Thunderbird (Keshena), I did my birding observations (1010).  After that, I backtracked to CR-R - when I reached the end of that road, I used CR-M to reach the town of Hayes.  Eventually, I got on WI-32 (which coincided with WI-64 at times) and used it for more than one hour.  The number of cars heading south (opposite direction from me) continued to increase until it would have been difficult for me to make a left turn.  I passed through Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest and by the Chain Lakes.  This long stretch without having to use a map app allowed me to finish my audiobook (lately, I've noticed a conflict with the Libby app).  At 1100, I noticed a Paul Bunyan statue on the side of the road and stopped.  At that point, I figured out that I was in the town of Wabeno (Forest County).  Other than the statue, which I later learned the locals call “Larry the Logger”, the town featured a free Logging Museum.  Inside, I learned more about the logging boom and bust Wabeno had experienced during the previous  century.  With the museum about to close for the season (it was their last day), the caretaker seemed very chatty and I learned a lot about the area after the summer visitors departed.  He told me about being a volunteer fireman, the need for the schools to consolidate (such low population) and how the old men like to sit on the side of the road on Labor Day to wave to the tourists leaving (just like Cape Cod in the 1970s and 1980s).  After saying goodbye to him, I walked briefly on the Nicolet State Trail (located behind the museum) but then moved on to my next destination (1120).  When I reached the town of Laona, I switched to US-8 and made a beeline for WI-139.  Later (1205), I passed through Long Lake (Florence County and stopped for some more birding.  A little later, I made a stop for fuel (last station in Wisconsin so I assumed lower prices) at the Whitetail Inn.  With my tank full again (1220), I crossed into Michigan at the Brule River (1225) and joined MI-189.  About 10 minutes later, I arrived in the town of Iron River (Iron County).  I was surprised to see that the gas prices were mostly similar to what I'd paid in northern Wisconsin; they did, however, start rising the farther I drove into the U. P.  I used US-2 and Bates-Amasa Road to reach US-141.  Along the way, I started to see lots of yellow leaves falling and aspens quaking.  Since I was now on a straight-shot highway (rather than a back woods route), I was able to go much faster.  At one point, though, I noticed moose crossing signs and got a bit more cautious.  By 1305, I entered Baraga County and crossed into the Eastern Timezone.  Logging trucks were plentiful in this area.  The wonderful weather (high 70s and sunny by this point) continued as I made my way to US-41.  I passed the Ford Company Alberta Village (I think it is some kind of corporate retreat) and then rolled into the town of L’Anse.  I got beautiful views of Keweenaw Bay from the high ground and thought about stopping a few times as I passed sites connected to Bishop Frederic Baraga (State Park, Shrine), the "Snowshoe Priest".   Along the way, I passed through the L'Anse Reservation.  Continuing on US-41, I arrived in Houghton by 1405.  As I transitioned to city streets, I passed through Michigan Tech campus.  Since I'd already visited the town in the early 1990s, I didn't stop - instead, I crossed a bridge over a large "river" to the north of town.  I later learned this body of water was actually called the Keweenaw Waterway (incorporating Portage Lake and the Portage Canal).  Once I was in the town of Hancock (on the north side of the Waterway), I located the Keweenaw National Historical Park (Quincy Mine Unit).  When I was parked (1515), I went inside the visitor center and talked to the employees there.  In the course of the conversation, they claimed that they weren't part of the National Park Service ("we are only affiliated with them") but the signage all indicted that this was a legitimate unit of the larger National Historical Park.  Apparently, there was another more formal Visitor Center about 15 miles to the north but I wasn't interested in driving in that direction.  Instead, I explored the residual (and historic) mine buildings and learned about the history of ore extraction in the U.P.  I also got a good amount of walking in the area.  At 1545, I departed from the site and backtracked to US-41.  Once I was through Houghton, I got on MI-26 and headed towards the southwest.  The land became much more hilly after this and I saw more instances of colored leaves.  My drive soon took me into Ontonagon County and I could have driven out to Lake Superior if I hadn't chanced direction.  By this point, though, I was interested in reaching my hotel.  So, I turned south on US-45 (that goes through Meridian, MS!) and took advantage of the 65 mph (two lane) speeds.  I passed a trailhead for the North Country Trail before I reached MI-28 (another familiar road from previous visits to the Upper Peninsula).  During my drive west, my route took me through the beautiful Ottawa National Forest.  At 1625, I re-entered the Central Timezone; shortly after that, I reached the town of Wakefield (Gogebic County).  With the high clouds and lake views, I got a feeling like I was back in Saranac Lake (NY).  The only thing missing was mountains in the distance...  Hoping to find some food, I went off on an ultimately unsuccessful good chase for local pasties - all of the shops were closed for Labor Day, though.  After giving up my food search, I got on US-2 and continued west.  I stopped for dinner at DQ in Bessemer at 1640 (ate inside restaurant) but was on my way again by 1700.  About 10 minutes later, I arrived in the town of Ironwood, where I'd made my lodging reservation.  By the time I competed the extensive (self) access process, I realized I'd hit the Booking.com jackpot!  My accommodations in the Red Room at the Village on Aurora were awesome.  As the name indicates, all of the decor was red but the extensive space (included two full bedrooms, a large kitchen and living area and a good bathroom) made me feel like I was staying in a condo or apartment for skiers.  Overall, a very nice place (Booking.com gem)!  By 1730, I was settled in my room and spent the next hour getting ready (WiFi checks, etc.) for the work day.  I then walked down the street towards a place I'd noticed, the Cold Iron Brewing Company.  Inside, I found very few people but felt very much at home.  I ordered a flight of their beer and learned about the local lore, expressions ("FIB" for tourists) and places to hike.  The bartender/manager pointed out the window and I could see buildings down the street to the west - that turned out to be the town of Hurley, Wisconsin - another state is within walking distance!  The vibe of the brewery was great and I felt very glad I'd stopped.  At 1940, I started walking around in the rather vibrant looking Downtown area and wrapped up my "exercise" (two miles) for the day.  It wasn't extremely satisfying but I'm glad I didn't just give up on my step goals today...  After that (2000), I did some more organizing and preparations for my work week and read (from a binder) more about the Village on Aurora.  One of the best things about the place was the lack a physical key (they used a key pad code) and an auto-lock feature.  Also, they had a free laundry machine and had left me a bag of Shurms Michi-Gummies!  I spent the rest of the evening watching YouTube videos and doing Duolingo exercises - bed time was at 2245.  I'm very excited about my stay in Ironwood and a chance to visit more of the Upper Peninsula this week!

Nomad Life - Day 320

My time to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan ends today - it's been a great visit!  During my prior trips to the UP (Summer 1979, MAR 1991, MAY 1991, AUG 1991, Summer 2004), I didn't get anywhere near the same amount of opportunities for outdoor adventures.  Still, those "pass throughs" gave me lots of good ideas for fun during this trip so I'm grateful for the clearer picture I now have of this unique area of the USA.  Overnight, I slept very well and felt fully rested when I woke up (0600).  I started teleworking immediately; meanwhile, it was quite rainy outside.  At 0715, I picked up some breakfast food from the lobby of the Superior Motel (Munising) and verified my late checkout.  By then, the rain seemed to be stopping.  I continued working all the way until noon but I ate lunch in my room (leftovers) along the way.  Just before wrapping up my work week, I quickly packed up my car and made a reservation for the night's lodging - it will be the first time in almost three weeks where the hotel isn't in the Great Lakes State (AKA Wolverine State)...  I departed Munising at 1205 (temps in the 60s) and got on MI-28 (headed west).  Just after I passed through the town of Christmas, I saw a group of sandhill cranes on the side of the road (that never gets old).  My planned destination was the city of Marquette but I wanted to find some sections of the North Country Trail on the way - I got lucky when I reached the town of Sand River and was able (with some patience and good planning) to find my first section on a dirt road (Sand River Road AKA Deerton Sand Lake - I logged 0.7 miles in my car before moving on to the next location.  This search was a bit trickier because the road that appeared on the NCP map site (Rail Road Lane AKA CR-401) was more of an OHRV track than a true road.  I'd hoped I might be able to push my Subaru Outback to the limit and log the entire 3.2ish mile section of trail but, after getting into progressively softer and dryer sand (almost like a beach), I have up after about one mile.  Somehow, I managed to turn around in a sketchy place I found and carefully made my way back to the blacktop in Sand River (1300).  One of these days, I might end up paying for my risky drives in the woods...  Done with NCT explorations, I got back on MI-28 and continued west.  I entered Marquette County at 1305 and, soon after, found the junction with US-41, which turned towards Marquette.  Before long (1320), I started to see the coastline of Lake Superior again (I'd been too far inland since leaving Christmas).  When I arrived at the MDOT Rest Stop (1320), I found that I had trail access to the Iron Ore Heritage Trail, which was synonymous with the NCT from there (a junction with a cinder track) all the way into Marquette.  With the weather cooperating at that point (it was breezy and overcast), I decided to take a walk along the water's edge.  There were lots of other bikers but few walkers so I had to keep my head on a swivel to avoid getting run over.  I entered the city limits and got some good birding; there were also lots of great signs and historical markers.  Out over the water, I noticed several large cargo ships departing from the area and wondered what they might be carrying...  I turned around at parking lot near the bridge for the Carp River (there was a reconstructed historical furnace nearby).  When I reached my car again (1425), my pedometer said that I'd walked 2.8 miles - my actual NCT mileage was probably 1.4 miles of walking.  Next, I drove through Downtown Marquette (the NCT stayed very close to my route but was officially a bike trail for the entire time) and passed by the campus of Northern Michigan University - at one point, I noticed large groups of kids walking in the creeks/streams in waders (biology class?).  I also passed a few large structures (that stuck out more than 1000 feet into the harbor) along the waterfront which I later learned were "ore docks" used to load taconite pellets into cargo ships.  As I followed the roads closest to the water, I arrived at Presque Isle Park, a place that had been recommended by my Pictured Rocks Kayak Guide (Nick, a resident of Marquette).  After driving to the northern tip of the peninsula, I found a parking lot for the Black Rocks (1440).  I did some more walking along the coast there so I could get a real feel for the scenic geology.  I met people searching for agate, watched kayakers off the shoreline, walked across huge boulders (the place reminded me of a Cape Cod jetty) and watched (mostly) young people taking leaps off of the high rocks.  It was an enjoyable place to visit and I might have even walked more if time wasn't short.  I had to be in Wisconsin by bed time!  Departing from the Park at 1455 I drove back through town (more driving along the NCT bike route but didn't count the mileage) until I could get on MI-553 and head towards the south.  A few miles out of the city, I passed the first significant ski mountain I've seen in Michigan (Raging River) - right after that, I started climbing up into some hills.  The overcast finally let loose some precipitation (sprinkles) during this part of the drive but that didn't last long.  My target was to visit the old K. I. Sawyer AFB, which used to feature a large presence of B-52 aircraft.  When I turned down Kelly Johnson Memorial Drive, however, I found that the expansive base was a shell of its former self.  The facility now shares its huge runway complex with the Marquette Sawyer Regional Airport.  I found the Air Park and got to stand right next to a huge "Buff" (wow), along with several other aircraft of its generation.  The area was very quiet (maybe not so much air traffic?) so I was soon (1535) on my way again.  Since I wanted to make another stop in a county of Michigan I've never visited (in search of more eBird entries!), I followed MI-94 and MI-553 until I was able to exit civilization on some back roads.  For some reason, I reentered a busy residential area (lots of houses) when I reached a crossing of MI-35 but then the back roads (eventually dirt) took me out into rural Dickinson County.  I'd seen a large body of water on the map named Kates Lake and I made my way there so I could do some birding (1605).  With this detour mission completed, I returned to the main focus of my drive today - getting to Wisconsin.  First, though, I had to follow a long straight road (with puddles every hundred yards) to find some blacktop.  During about 30 minutes of driving, I stayed in an area with no cell signal and dodged lots of four wheelers (ATVs).  Eventually, I reached CR-557 (paved) and figured out that I was in the Escanaba River State Forest.  I used CR- 426 to get into Delta County and then followed CR-414 and CR-533 to an intersection with US-41/US-2.  After crossing it (eastbound), I got on K Road, which brought me to MI-35.  This last road continued all the way to the city of Menominee (Michigan) so I was able to turn off my map app and listen to my audiobook.  To my left, I had great views of Lake Michigan (my fifth Great Lake of 2026!).  Along the way, I passed LOTS of northbound cars (setting up for the long weekend).  As I passed through J. W. Wells State Park, I realized that I had a nice view of Door County (Wisconsin) across Green Bay.  I finally rolled into Menominee at 1815 - at least I thought it was.  The confusion arose because my iPhone clock changed to the Central Timezone while I was still on the Michigan side of the Menominee River.  At this point, I got on US-41, the main thoroughfare from Chicago to the North Country.  Craving a beer, I stopped at Three Bridge Brewery (1820) and went inside for a small flight of drinks.  I met one of the owners (a nice guy with an interesting backstory) before wrapping up my visit.  After departing (1840), I picked up Dinner at McDonalds in Menominee (1845).  By this point, I'd gotten the feeling that the city had a more urban vibe (crime?) - there were lots of signs about cameras "watching you".  Taking my food with me (I ate in the car), I drove to the nearby Menominee Lighthouse in Ann Arbor Park.  I spent time walking and birding until 1900.  On a nearby bridge, I crossed the Menominee River (little island on the way) into Wisconsin.  This was my first stop out of Michigan in 19 days!  Almost immediately, I noticed a dramatic gas price drop. Also nearby, I encountered deer walking in town!  I headed first to Red Arrow Park (arrived at the new local time, 1815).  I passed by a fearless Sandhill crane (they seem very tame, every time I've seen them).  The day was, by then, overcast, humid and breezy.  As has happened during most of my last few weeks outdoors, I found myself surrounded by Monarch Butterflies.  While walking in the park, I reached four miles of walking for the day.  From this peaceful place, I only had to drive for a little bit before I reached my hotel for the night, Marinette Inn, at 1900.  Once inside the lobby, I had the quickest check-in ever.  This was rather surprising, actually, because the hotel had previously sent me a strongly worded list of warnings about all the kinds of prohibited guests and activities.  Maybe I didn't look suspicious?  Just after I got my car unpacked, it started raining.  I took care of some cats & dogs online (30 minutes of telework) before completing my shorter than normal work day.  It seemed so early on the clock but I was feeling tired.  I passed some of the evening by watching new episodes on my streaming services; later I moved in to other movies and did some Duolingo exercises.  Bed time at 2215.  I'm almost in Cheesehead Country!  North Country Trail Today = 3.1 miles / Grand Total NCT = 194.8

Nomad Life - Day 319

With my earlier bed time last night, I managed to sleep much better and woke up at 0525.  As usual, I started teleworking, with only a short break (at 0800) to pick up breakfast food in the lobby of the Superior Motel (Munising).  Otherwise, I continued working.  At 1300, I cooked and ate lunch in my room.  Taking a break from my computer in hopes of an opportunity to visit nearby Grand Island, I left the hotel at 1420 and drove (via MI-28) to the Grand Island Ferry Service location in Grand Island Township.  I arrived at 1430 and bought a round trip ticket for the ferry; while I was at it, I decided to add a bike rental too!  Actually, the whole thing wasn't too bad - the net cost for renting a bicycle (rather than bringing my own onboard) was only about $25 for the entire day (wish I'd arrived sooner...).  While I was being given biking instructions by the ferry captain, I asked him if I needed a lock for the rented bike (i.e., theft).  He replied “this is the U.P., you can take a breath!"  With ticket in hand, I went back to my car and packed a daypack with biking gear.  While waiting near the ferry landing, I met a young man who was planning to bike camp.  We had a nice conversation about the area and exchanged suggestions about fun things to do.  We boarded the little ferry (just about 30 seats with some room for bikes) at 1455, departed the landing at 1500 and made the crossing of the East Channel in less than five minutes!  The boat was only about half full (it looked like everyone else was a camper).  The afternoon was sunny and warm and the conditions for biking on Grand Island appeared to be perfect. After checking out the National Recreation Area (Hiawatha National Forest) buildings near the ferry landing, I started biking on the West Rim Trail.  These were not roads - instead, I had to contend with roots, rocks and loose beach sand.  Along the way, I passed campsites, cabins and beaches.  At times, I got good views of some small islands located deeper in Lake Superior.  There were a few other folks out on the island (most were sunbathing) but I was by myself for quite a while.  For about four miles, I made my way easily along the trail - before long, I had reached the Mather Lodge/Cabin (Interpretive Site).  At that point, I found the trail blocked (due to construction).  On top of that, there were busy trucks driving there that kicked up a tremendous amount of dust (cough cough).  This was OK because I had less than two hours of biking left before the last ferry departed the Island for the night (1800).  So, I turned east and made my way (0.5 miles) to the trail junction for Echo Lake.  From there, I had to pedal about 0.3 miles (through a small river) to the Echo Lake Observation Site.  There were some interesting birds there and a sign about how beavers might have constructed the lake almost 1000 years before.  After taking the 0.3 miles back to trail junction for Echo Lake, I rode about three miles on a big wide road (and a gradually steepening hill) until I reached the Trout Bay Overlook.  Signage in this area got a bit confusing and I had to rely on instinct and luck - by 1640, my plans paid off with a spectacular view of the East Channel and many of the sites I'd seen while paddling a few days earlier.  The wind started picking up at that point so I backtracked to a trail I'd seen that appeared to head towards the ferry landing area.  This turned out to be more of a mountain bike track and I had to be VERY careful as I descended a steep hill towards the water.  After riding about one mile since the Trout Bay Overlook, I intersected with a much wider trail and found a group of young people (mostly girls) walking south.  At this crucial moment, I made an error and missed my chance to turn north and find the beach on Trout Bay.  Oh well...  Continuing south, I pedaled about 2.5 miles in the direction of the ferry landing.  Stops along the way included visiting the boardwalk at Duck Lake, the beach at Murray Bay and an ancient cemetery ("oldest in Alger County").  At the latter location, I was surprised to see lots of American Flags and some recent burials.  The rest of the ride was punctuated by passing pretty cabins on Murray Bay and encountering walkers from the 1700 ferry who had reservations for lodging there.  Just before I reached the ferry landing, I turned down the West Rim Trail and pedaled out to the 1.0 mile marker so I could get a bit more mileage out of my bike rental.  With this extra two miles, I reached 14 for the day and was very happy to sit and wait on a picnic bench at the ferry landing (1745).  I'd done very little stopping all day and was pleased to have ridden 2.8 hours under more rigorous conditions than I usually see while riding a stationary bike in a Fitness Center.  The ferry returned at 1805 and dropped off even more campers.  In fact, there were only three passengers during the return ride to the Mainland...  We reached the dock by 1810 and I thanked everyone while returning my bike.  In my car again, I drove east on MI-28 and stopped at Muldoon's Pasties, which had later hours than the location in Munising, for a pasty combo meal (1820)  I ate outside and covered my pasty (a local "delicacy") with gravy.  The combo also included cold slaw & sugar free Sprite.  With my meal completed, I drove back into Munising and returned to East Channel Brewing Company for the third night in a row.  This time, I had a flight of beers and enjoyed some good (live) music.  The venue was much busier and there was a different bartender (not as nice).  I wrapped up my visit at 1920 and then went in search of some North Country Trail mileage.  After passing my hotel, I drove (via MI-28 to MI-94) for 1.1 miles until I reached the Wagner Falls Scenic Site parking lot.  With the day's adventures completed, I headed back to my hotel (arrived at 1935) and got back online for more teleworking.  Wrapped up my workday at 2130 and then spent the rest of the evening reading and working on Duolingo exercises.  I finally went to bed at 2330.  Another exciting day in the Upper Peninsula!  North Country Trail Today = 1.1 miles / Grand Total NCT = 191.7 miles

Nomad Life - Day 318

After my paddling adventure yesterday, I knew it would be hard to do anything else in the area that was as exciting.  Still, there were hiking opportunities and more beautiful views to find!  This morning, I woke up at 0430 (not intentional) but managed to fall back to sleep until my alarm (0700).  A little sluggishly, I started teleworking.  At 0800, I got breakfast food in the lobby of the Superior Motel (Munising) before going right back to teleworking.  I did take another break (at 0900) for a virtual medical appointment (that ended at 0930).  The rest of my morning was filled with meetings.  At 1145, I ate lunch (leftovers) in my room.  Shortly after that, the room cleaners started opening the door (no knock) but, fortunately, we had a nice exchange.  Other than that, I teleworked until 1800 (a call with colleague ran very late).  After that, I tried to catch up on some blog entries (I'm still falling very far behind...).  I also checked the North Country Trail Mileage that I hadn't fully calculated from the previous few days.  My intention had been to depart the hotel by 1845 but then I got a call from Mollie.  After chatting with her for a little while, I finally left the hotel (for the first time all day) at 1900.  Even that late, the temperatures were in the low 70s and the clear sky wonderful.  Hoping to get a pasty, I looked around in downtown Munising for the places I'd heard about - all were closed by then.  Instead, I went into Pictured Rocks Pizza, hoping for a slice.  They didn't offer those, though, so I settled for a custom pasta dish with lots of cheese and protein (it was good).  While I was eating, Mollie called me back and we talked briefly.  I was finished eating by 1930 and left Munising on my way to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Visitor Center at Munising Falls.  To reach it, I used CR-H58 - when I got to the junction with Washington Street, I started my odometer for some NCT (driving) mileage.  By the time I reached the Visitor Center (closed), I'd logged 0.5 miles.  I didn't have a particular plan at that point but had hoped to hike down to the Falls (which I had never seen unfrozen).  Unfortunately, the trail to the falls was closed.  Undeterred, I started walking on the NCT as it made it's way towards the northeast (1935).  Almost immediately, I was climbing the bluffs and started to see views of Lake Superior from much higher ground than was available in town.  There were very few blue blazes - instead, I had to carefully watch for brown signs with arrows that appeared along the way.  It was clear that I was walking in an extensive cross country skiing zone (lots of signage).  Despite my higher elevation, I got no clear viewpoints of the East Channel but I did get to watch the sun setting during my outbound leg.  At right about that point (2035), I reached the Sand Point Connector Trail Junction (2.8 miles from my car) and started my backtrack in the growing darkness.  Fortunately, I'd brought a flashlight... There were times when I needed to be very careful because the little waterways that crossed the trail turned into deep ravines (or outright cliffs) to my right.  Lucky me - I never lost my way or footing...  My walk was completed at 2135 and my pedometer told me I'd covered 5.6 miles total.  What a nice hike!  Back in my car, I drove back into town and stopped again at the East Channel Brewing Company for one beer.  Like last night, I had the same bartender lady; unlike my last visit, though, the venue was VERY busy.  Not only were there some lines but there was a group of loud locals singing in the outside courtyard; I learned later that they were an official "Sea Chanty Club".  They seemed quite competent and enthusiastic.  When the bar closed (2200), I left with the bar still very busy (I'm sure that the bartender was NOT happy...).  As I drove back to the Superior Motel, I encountered lots of people (including kids) walking in the street (yikes!).  Once I reached my room, I spent more time catching up on my blog, reading and doing Duolingo exercises.  Bed time was at 2300.  Very glad I managed to get some trail time today after a long day of work in the U. P.!  North Country Trail Today = 3.3 miles / Grand Total NCT = 190.6 miles (over 100 in 2026!)

Nomad Life - Day 317

Since my first visit to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore during the Winter of 1990/1991, I’ve been wanting to return to see the spectacular cliffs and rock formations from the water side.  Today, I got my chance during an afternoon/evening window of marvelous weather.  Before that, though, I had to deal with "real life".  Overnight, I had a very restless sleep (mostly because of highway noises) - I finally gave up on sleep and got up at 0625.  I started teleworking immediately but took a break for breakfast in the lobby of the Superior Motel at 0800.  After that, I worked for several more hours before making  my lunch in my room at 1230.  During a lull in my day, I bought a ticket for a six hour kayaking adventure in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore - it was surreal that such a bucket list activity might be happening today!  I stayed online until I felt able to back away from my work day (1415).  With temps in the low 80s and a beautiful sunny sky, I left my hotel and headed east towards Uncle Ducky's Paddling.  I used MI-28 and CR-H58 for about 6ish miles and checked in at the kayaking HQ by 1430.  There was time after that for me to pack a full bag of paddling items - I also bought lunch from them because an evening meal was included in the fare for my adventure.  We ultimately departed from staging area at 1455 - I was joined by folks who had paid for both three hour and six hour tours.  We drove (in vans) north to Miners Beach, located within the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore - on the way, we passed by North Country Trail parking and I later saw the trail itself passing by along the shore.  Once we were out of the vans, we geared up (skirt, life jacket, dry bag, paddle).  Our trip started at 1530: I met up with an older couple from the Outer Banks (Dennis & Gretchen) who were the only other people who had (like me) selected the six hour kayak trip.  Nick was our guide and we had two tandem kayak boats.  Meanwhile, the other (three hour) group had about six boats and departed in front of us after they'd completed their safety briefs.  Once we were one the water, we paddled east for about 5.5 miles.  Along the way, we took our boats into caves under the high bluffs of the eponymous Pictured Rocks.  Highlights included “Nature’s Barcode” (iron, copper, calcite, manganese lines).  The weather was sunny and wonderful!  Occasionally, we were passed by bigger (motorized) boats - the area has lots of tours.  The water was smooth and clear and the light of the sun throughout the waning hours of the day truly brought out the colors on the cliffs - we had perfect conditions!  As we approached a prominent headland, the three hour group turned around.  We were right behind them and stopped to view the shipwreck of the “George”, which had sunk more than 100 years ago.  Nick told us that the survivors were picked up by a sister ship but later sank with that ship in Lake Michigan (all hands lost).  Bad luck, I guess.  For our part, we were having too nice a day to dwell on such tragedy...  We continued on to “Lover’s Leap” Arch, which was a breathtaking image that I'd seen on lots of promo photos, patches and posters.  Nick told us that other kayak groups don't go underneath this iconic arch because of the possibility of falling debris.  I was VERY glad that I'd selected the "right" company so we'd get to transit underneath...  After getting as many photos as I could possibly stand, I joined my new friends as we headed back (west) to Mosquito Beach.  At that location, we had a roughly one hour break for food, rest and walking on the sandy/rocky shore.  I enjoyed the meal I'd purchased and even got some of Gretchen's cinnamon apple sauce (good).  During this time, I learned that Dennis was a 30 year (retired) veteran of the US Navy who was on a mission to lose a lot of weight.  Things seemed to be going well for him and we all encouraged him in his efforts.  I met some young ladies who had a campsite near the beach - they were setting up to cook their dinner in the sand (so cool!).  Nick gave me several recommendations about places to go in Munising (Ron's, Grand Island, etc.) and Marquette (Presque Isle Black Rocks) and I filed them away for later in the week.  After getting back on the water, we started west towards Miners Beach and got a new treat: different lighting from the setting sun.  The rocks and lines of different minerals appeared much different under the new conditions and I didn't tire of observing the effects.  Another treat involved watching a Peregrine Falcon setting up in hopes of catching some of the nesting cliff swallows in the rocks above.  Later, we passed a family of mergansers - Nick said he sees them every day in the same area on the far eastern end of Miners Beach.  Meanwhile, the second three hour tour (same guide) passed us - they seemed to be in a huge hurry.  I commented to our guide that I thought they weren't really getting their money's worth and he agreed.  Sensing an opportunity, I told Nick that I was open to going farther than Miners Beach if we had enough time.  Since Dennis & Gretchen, who had mostly been lagging throughout the day, were open to the idea, we passed the "kayaks out" spot and continued west to Miners Castle.  Nick justified this by telling me that there was only one shuttle and we needed to wait for the back/forth for the three hour tour.  As a result of this opportunity, we got to see the most spectacular sunset.  At Miners Castle, we went inside some more caves (nice) and finally turned around only after the daylight was nearly gone.  We arrived back at Miners Beach at 2050, having completed about 13 miles of paddling (4.5 active hours).  After such an awesome experience, our little group was the very last to leave the water - perfect!  Nick told us that he had to stay behind to bring all the kayaks from the beach back up to the area where the vans waited (seemingly a thankless job) so we said goodbye to him.  Back in the shuttle bus, we rode back to Uncle Ducky’s (arrived at 2110).  I exchanged emails with Dennis & Gretchen (photos) before getting back in my car for the drive back into Munising.  Feeling like I needed a beer, I stopped at East Channel Brewing Company (2130) - the bartender seemed a bit put out due to my late arrival but allowed me a chance for one beer.  Since I was the only customer, I closed up the place.  Before doing that, though, I got a chance to talk to the lady (who warmed up to me) about the business and things to do in Munising.  Once I was done with my drink, I went back to my hotel (arrived at 2210).  Back in my room, I returned to telework and stayed online until 2315.  After that, I caught up on NCT mileage (complicated by conflicting maps).  During the same window, I desperately tried to catch up on blog (after getting to within one day just last weekend, I'm over a week behind again)...  Later, I did some reading and a few Duolingo exercise.  The evening was capped off with some social media posts and I finally went to bed at 0030.  Whew - today was definitely one of my Top 5 kayak trips of all time!

Nomad Life - Day 316

Despite the pleasant accommodations at The Birch Lodge (Trout Lake), I had a restless night.  I later learned that my window had been open all night so there could have been some noise or temperature changes.  At 0500, I woke up for good at 0500 and started teleworking. A few hours later (0700), I went to find the dining area in the main building of the Lodge - they offered a good spread for breakfast!  A bit after I arrived, Juha also showed up and we finished our morning meal by 0720.  As we'd discussed the night before, we then met for kayaking at 0725.  The air was very misty (temps in the 60s) and there was a bit of wind.  We found Trout Lake to be quite shallow in the area in front of The Birch Lodge but managed to get our sit-on-top kayaks (complementary!) away from the shore.  After that, we paddled for about a mile to the east and south.  On the way, we got good views of waterfront homes.  Unlike the night before, Juha was actually very talkative and we talked a lot of "shop" during our hour (roughly two miles) on the water.  Once we reached the landing again (0825), we parted ways as friends.  I returned to my room to telework and had a series of meetings prior to the time of my late checkout (prearranged for noon).  Outside my window (which I'd never closed), I enjoyed seeing the pretty views of Trout Lake.  After about six hours of telework, I departed the hotel (1205) and drove into the center of Trout Lake.  Along the roads, I saw lots of Bigfoot signs and statues.  One place I noticed (Trout Lake IGA) claimed to have a "Bigfoot Sandwich" and I went inside to check it out (1210).  When I asked for the sandwich, the lady at the counter seemed annoyed at my request.  Feeling a bit abashed after she said "we don't have that", I chose a (large) Italian sub sandwich for my lunch.  Meanwhile, the lady started acting apologetic, explaining that the store hasn't offered that sandwich for several years but "they won't take the sign off the building, no matter how often I ask".  I offered my condolences and then went out to my car to eat.  Within about 10 minutes, I was ready to go and got back on MI-123, which had turned almost due north.  A bit later (just as I entered Tahquamenon Falls State Park), I found the North Country Trail again (there were blazes along the road).  I later figured out that the trail had exited from West Curley's Boulevard (from the east) and that I'd followed it for 5.4 miles on the pavement.  Eventually, I lost track of it (research confirmed that it had finally exited the road to the west at Tahqua Road).  Meanwhile, I was passing along the edge of Lake Superior and I took advantage of several wayside stops to get a feel for the lake I hadn't seen in more than 20 years.  The meandering road eventually took me into the town of Paradise.  They had a complicated construction zone (three ways had to wait for each other) and this could be the reason I made a mistake in picking the most efficient route for my day.  Instead of going north to Whitefish Point, I continued following MI-123 as it turned east.  This blunder added about 25 miles to my drive (dang)...  The only positive thing about the decision I'd made was that I soon (1315) arrived at the parking lot for Lower Tahquamenon Falls parking lot.  Unlike the Upper Falls, which are open year round, the Lower Falls are only open during the summer.  So this was a rare treat (and another thing recommended for me to visit by Erik and Moira).  I bought a day pass and soon found a place to park.  The weather was misty again, with temps in the 60s.  Just after I started walking in the direction of the Falls, I noticed blue blazes on the fence posts that indicated I was walking on the NCT!  I followed a boardwalk (and NCT) all the way to the Ronald A. Olson pedestrian bridge that provided access to Lower Falls Island.  Along the way, I saw several nice views of the falls and, when I crossed the bridge, I got even more.  There were guys fishing in the rapids (that seemed crazy to me) but most people were happy staying dry.  Near the bridge, I saw a sign that said it was four miles to the Upper Falls via the NCT.  Even though I was tempted to follow the trail, I instead backtracked and followed the blue blazes of the NCT all the way into the park campground (site #13).  There was a nice sign there that listed the mileage for other landmarks located to the east.  This section was approximately 1 mile in each direction (I got at least two miles of walking total) and I felt pretty good about my hike by the time I left the park (1410).  By this point, I'd realized my error in driving efficiency so headed back to Paradise so I could visit Whitefish Point.  During my walk, I'd figured out that Eileen and I had actually been at both the Upper Falls and Whitefish Point during our March 1991 visit to the U. P.  However, I wanted to visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum because of some new displays about the "Edmund Fitzgerald" (not there in 1991).  I got lucky when I passed through the construction zone (no delay) and found that Whitefish Point Road had almost no traffic.  By 1435, I was buying my ticket for the Shipwreck Museum and got to immediately watch a movie about the recovery of the “Edmund Fitzgerald” bell (it was replaced by a similar bell that listed the names of the lost sailors).  A bit after that (1500), I got to see the recovered bell in the Main Gallery of the Museum.  I took my time in there, reading all about the famous ship and many others that had been lost in the area over the years.  Each wreck was denoted on a map of Whitefish Point - even the "Edmund Fitzgerald" showed a mark about a dozen miles to the north (within the border of Canada).  There were lots of other buildings (related to the lighthouse and lifesaving service) in the area but I decided, instead, to walk out to see the Whitefish Bay Bird Observatory (behind museum).  Unfortunately, there were no birds there...  I then (1540) walked to the Seney NWR on the other side of the parking lot).  This time, I found lots of seabirds while walking on a nice network of boardwalks that tracked out to the beach.  While at this location, I probably walked one more mile.  I left Whitefish Point at 1550 and backtracked to Tahquamenon Falls State Park (via MI-123); I arrived at Upper Tahquamenon Falls by 1620.  My travel blog reported that the falls were frozen solid when I saw them in 1991...  From the parking lot, I walked towards a deep gorge on a paved trail, which turned out to be the route for the NCT again.  I stopped at a stairwell which tracked into the gorge itself - across the trail from that, the NCT went into the woods in the direction of the Lower Falls.  Next, I reversed direction and walked the NCT all the way to MI-123.  I did make a stop at the Falls "rim" and walked on a brand new (wheelchair accessible) ramp.  After that, I backtracked to the parking lot.  Altogether, I walked about 2.4 miles in the area.  Before departing, I stopped at Tahquamenon Falls Brewery (located right inside the park!) and got a flight of beers (1710).  The four they offered were very good and I caught up on blogging notes while I was enjoying them.  Finished at 1735, I got back on MI-123 as it continued west.  Before reaching Newberry, though, I got off the pavement on to a series of dirt roads that took me in the direction of Grand Marais.  Even though I didn't have the best (or any, at times) cell signal, my Google Maps app kept me on track as I followed Luce CR-500, CR-414, CR-410, Seven Mile Fire Lane Road (it seemed a lot like an OHRV Trail!), Deer Park Road, CR-407 (finally pavement again) and Grand Marais Truck Trail.  Along the way, I passed through Muskallonge State Park and survived the rough, narrow, scary drive on Seven Mile Fire Lane Road (yikes).  Also during this drive, I crossed and drove on the NCT multiple times (e.g., Pine Lake, Muskallonge Lake, Blind Sucker campground, etc.).  Specific driving sections I'm "claiming" include: driving about 0.3 miles on Deer Park Truck Trail (CR-407) NE corner of Muskallonge Lake / driving about 0.3 miles on Deer Park Truck Trail (CR-407) NW corner of Muskallonge Lake / driving 0.1 miles on CR-H58 near Grand Marais Creek / driving 1.5 miles on CR-H58 near Cemetery Road (crossing it) all the way into Grand Marais.  Whew!  By the time I arrived at the end of this backwoods route (1850), I was in a rather desperate gas situation.  Honestly, if they hadn't had a gas station in town, I might have had to beg/borrow/steal to get out of the remote area...  Fortunately, the Bayshore Market had some gas (whew) but it took some time for me to decide whether I wanted to pay for the 91 octane that I initially say.  I managed to calm down even further when I realized there was one pump for (rather reasonably priced) 87 octane.  When I tried to leave my credit card with the owner before I filled my tank, he laughed and said "we don't do that here, just pump it and come back in later".  Clearly, the fear of drive offs is a distant worry here...  After my tank was full, I started exploring the town, waterfront and lighthouse).  Along the way, I ate "dinner" (snacks) in my car.  By 1910, I got on MI-77 and departed Grand Marais.  A bit after that, I got on Newberg Road (dirt) and used to cut over to CR-H58.  Almost immediately after that, I found pavement again and found myself entering Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.  So glad to return!  I stopped at Grand Sable Visitor Center but it was closed.  The NCT crossed the road here but I continued west on CR-H58, checking out wayside stops as I made my way towards Munising.  I stopped at Log Slide overlook at 1930 and took a short hike.  Just as I parked, I got my first sighting of a Sharp Tailed Grouse.  The walk itself took me through a small forest and to the top of a huge sand dune "slide" that the loggers apparently used to roll the logs down to Lake Superior.  I could see how it worked but avoided getting myself stuck below the rim where I was (there were signs warning people about the danger).  I left the area at 1940 but continued stopping at more waysides.  Meanwhile, I saw the NCT crossing my path many more times - in the end, I am taking credit for NCT miles in the following places: driving 0.7 miles on CR-H58 N shore of Grand Sable Lake / driving 1.6 miles on CR-H58 and MI-28 in Munising.  Speaking of that town, I arrived there by 2030.  Sadly, I ended up at the wrong address (due to an error in my calendar app) and drove all the way through the town.  Realizing my mistake, I finally arrived at the Superior Motel at 2040.  After checking in quickly, I stared unpacking.  The clerk had put me in a room in the back of the hotel but, while I was trying to set up WiFi, I hit a major snag - there were no networks that would connect!  This was not going to work for me and I talked to the clerk (a young lady), who initially seemed unconcerned ("we know that room has WiFi").  Between 2045 and 2130, though, I went back and forth from the room to the lobby in an attempt to get a stronger signal.  I was unsuccessful with this strategy but, as the young lady grew more and more sympathetic, we managed to come to an arrangement that worked for both of us.  After I tried two other rooms (the WiFi worked there), I moved to the opposite end of the hotel and set up for more (productive) teleworking.  The room was better in some ways (tub, roomier) but not as nice in others (noise from MI-28, no bedside lights).  During this time, I ended up reaching at least one more mile since I'd left the Upper Tahquamenon Falls area - that was almost 6.5 miles of walking for the day!  In the end, I was able to telework until 2300 and got everything done for my day/month.  Afterwards, I did some reading, completed Duolingo exercises and caught up on emails.  I finally went to bed just after midnight and felt VERY relieved that I wasn't going to have to reposition again for the rest of the work week.  Excited to be back near Pictured Rocks!  North Country Trail Today = 11.9 miles / Grand Total NCT = 187.3 miles

Nomad Life - Day 315

When I woke up this morning, I wasn't sure how much fun I'd be able to have because of the nasty, threatening weather forecast.  Also, for the third or fourth day in a row, I was dealing with seasonal allergies.  When I researched what could be causing all my sneezing, Google AI hinted that the culprit might be Ragweed pollen (which really gets going in late August).  The whole situation was unusual for me during my Nomad Life experience so I tried to stay positive and flexible.  Hoping everything would improve, I spent a bit of time (after waking up at 0630) reading, working on puzzles and completing Duolingo exercises in my room at the Monarch Motel (Cheboygan).  Once I confirmed there was a church service available in Mackinaw City, I departed my hotel (0910) and drove west.  The weather conditions were rainy, with temperatures in the 60s - ugh...  I used US-23 and quickly covered the 15ish miles to Mackinaw City.  Upon arrival, I parked in the pretty downtown area (located on the northeast corner of the Lower Peninsula) and made my way to the Pancake Chef.  By 0925, I'd ordered breakfast, which ended up being HUGE!  While waiting, I made hotel reservation for Monday night in Munising.  The restaurant was filled with hopeful people sporting "Mackinac Island" sweatshirts so I looked pretty funny with my plain gray Grand Canyon t-shirt...  I was done eating at 0950 and walked across the street to Shepler's Ferry Company to investigate buying tickets for a trip to Mackinac Island.  The process turned out to be very easy, since the tickets were open ended ("any day of the year").  With almost no one in the line, I decided to take a chance and buy a round trip ticket (1000).  Next, I drove west (crossed under I-75) and located the St. Anthony of Padua Parish.  I arrived at 1010 and was definitely ready in time for the 1030 Mass.  Almost immediately, I noticed how different the church was from the standard Catholic Parish I've visited over the years.  For one thing, the back rows of pews were blocked, forcing everyone to sit near the front of the sanctuary.  On top of that, there was a LOT of conversation (some of it loud) during the lead up to Mass.  Eventually, I noticed one very brusque woman who seemed to be "in charge" of things.  Right before 1030, she stood up in the middle of the main aisle and started telling everyone how the service would work.  She turned out to be a retired Nun (and a rather scary one) who made a point to make all the visitors identify themselves.  Somehow, I was spared from this ordeal when she got excited about another person who had traveled all the way from New Orleans, LA...  But, after she led a prayer about Vocations, she came and sat right near me!  Beyond that, most of the service was normal but I did notice a lot more pauses than normal and some tailored/unique prayer responses.  However, everything else was familiar and didn't make me feel uncomfortable.  Afterwards (1130), I drove down to the waterfront behind the church and tried to find a few hiking items in my car top carrier.  I was successful but also managed to get a bit wet with the rain that had just arrived.  From the parking lot, the views of the Straits of Mackinac were obscured - it was very foggy but the Bridge was partly visible.  Next, I drove back into town and parked at Shepler's Lot (A) at 1150.  After confirming my daypack was completely ready, I rode an empty shuttle bus to the main Ferry Landing.  Since the lot credit card machine was broken, I had to enter the ticket queue again to pay for parking (1150).  Five minutes later, I was standing in the line for the ferry boat and, by noon, I'd departed on board “William Richard” (built in 2020 in Ottaway, MI).  At that point, it was sprinkling but we had pleasant temperatures (I was still able to wear only my t-shirt and shorts).  We had a 16 minute trip across the Strait and I weathered this OK in my seat topside (I was, however, the only one in short sleeves).  We arrived at the Mackinac Island ferry landing at 1220.  It was still misty when I disembarked on to Bicycle Street.  There are no cars allowed on the island but I saw lots of horse (Clydesdales) drawn wagons/carts - some of them were employed as porters for the hotels.  The streets were busy but not too crowded (whew).  Actually, the place reminded me of Martha's Vineyard.  At Erik's recommendation, I stopped at the Pink Pony for late lunch (soup and sandwich) and a drink - I sat at the Lobby Bar in the Chippewa Hotel.  During my time there, I enjoyed a good conversation with the nice (lady) bartender (from Connecticut).  She told me about her life (four full years) on the island.  I also met a nice couple from Florida (formerly residents of Michigan) who shared lots of good information about what I should see while I was there.  Finished with my break at 1350, I said goodbye to my new friends and and started exploring the pier behind the Chippewa Hotel.  Very swanky!  I was ready to move on by 1400 and started a counterclockwise walk on the Lake Shore Road.  I got a good view of Fort Mackinac, which was characterized by a white wall on the hill above the town.  I passed Marquette Park and explored the Mission Point area.  While there, I walked on a rocky beach.  Upon rejoining the paved road, I was surrounded by pedal powered vehicles!  At about one mile from the downtown start, I reached the stairway for Arch Rock and climbed 207 steps to get to the landmark.  Along the way, I saw the couple I'd met at the Pink Pony (they'd rented a bike).  At the top of the climb, I stood in a small line to get a photo of the iconic arch (it was worth the wait) and then visited the nearby Nicolet Watchtower.  Beyond that, I got away from the larger crowds by walking on trails in the woods and taking a paved road to the west that eventually allowed me to access the Mackinac Island Botanical Trail.  This turned out to be a nice detour because the paved streets were covered with horse manure.  To address this, I noticed that the locals use a machine to clean up the mess.  Because of the wet roads, though, the manure was just spread in a thin layer of "slurry" across all of the roads...  Before long, I arrived at Fort Mackinac.  The complex was very extensive and impressive.  However, I decided not to pay to go inside.  In that area, I noticed a sign that talked about how President Ford had once worked at the park when he was a Boy Scout.  With crowds forming all around me, I started looking for a respite.  I found this when I found the nearby "Somewhere in Time" Gazebo (from a movie set) and something called the "Ann Plate" (memorializing the local author named Constance Fenimore Woolson).  Once back out in the opening again, I started looking for Fort Holmes, which I learned had replaced Fort Mackinac during the War of 1812.  To get there, I walked on the apparently renamed Custer Road (map versus reality).  Along the way, I passed a large cemetery - wow!  I located Fort George/Holmes at 1545.  Unlike its earlier counterpart, this landmark was free and I was the only guest.  By then, the fog had gotten extremely thick.  In the distance, there were regular blasts from a foghorn somewhere along the Strait.  The weather conditions didn't deter the animals. though - I had lots of good birding all day.  After I descended from the highest point on the island, I made my way (lots of road changes) into the area called Surrey Hills.  When I arrived, I found lots of people at the horse stables, butterfly conservatory and shopping venues.  Since it's not my thing, I ignored the distraction and continued towards the western coast of the island.  Just before arriving at the Lake Shore Road again, though, I stumbled across the Grand Hotel.  All I can say is wow!  In addition to being very historical, the huge building was very swanky and offered amazing views of the Strait and Bridge (the clouds appeared to be clearing).  The biking crowds resumed at around this point (I confirmed that all bike shops were charging the same amount for rentals).  I finally arrived back at “Main Street” as it followed the shoreline on the west and south end of Mackinac Island.  Along the way to the Ferry Landing, I passed very pretty Victorian homes.  By 1700, I was back at the place where Shepler's offloads passengers and the queues for the return to the mainland are located.  Thinking I'd seen enough (I'd already walked more than six miles!), I got in line, boarded and departed almost immediately.  The ship ("Miss Margy") was not very full and I sat topside again (and, like before was the only person in short sleeved shirt).  Three ferries actually left at the same time and one peeled off for St. Ignace (north side of Strait) while the other followed our ferry in a parallel path.  We arrived in Mackinaw City at 1720 and I took a "Universal Studios" type of shuttle to the A Lot.  I was at my car by 1735 but, hoping to avoid the mad rush of people leaving the lot, I instead went walking on nearby rail trails instead.  Right away, I found the North Central State Trail (bike path) and followed it towards the north.  Along the way, I found signs and blazes for the North Country Trail.  It soon became clear, however, that the trail came in from a different direction (via the North Western State Trail bike path) on the other side of Nicolet Street.  After checking out the Mackinaw City Trailhead (very fancy), I returned to my car and exited the parking lot by 1755.  Using my NCT map, I made my way north on Nicolet Street until I was able to access I-75.  From there, I followed the trail (no bikes or pedestrians allowed) across the Mackinac Bridge.  There was still fog while I was driving but I didn't have much difficulty.  The last time I was on this long suspension bridge was in the Summer of 2004 and it was midnight - I got better visuals this time.  After I paid my toll at the north end of the bridge (1805), I quickly excited the Interstate into the Rest Area.  When I found the NCT Trailhead on the far eastern end of the parking lot, I recorded the distance I'd just covered: five miles.  I then (1810) started west on foot through Straits State Park (St. Ignace), following the NCT to Paro Street.  The trail went up and down through the woods and there was even a huge stairway (no fun with bikes) in the middle of the 0.6 mile section.  Along the way, I got my first ever sighting of a Swainson’s Thrush.  When I reached to Paro Street, I backtracked to car (arrived at 1845).  Altogether, I logged about 1.2 miles on the NCT before getting back on I-75.  I was only on that road for a short time, though, and soon exited on US-2 at the first exit for St. Ignace.  In my haste to return to the NCT, I completely forgot about a goal I had before this trip through the Upper Peninsula began: to visit the Marquette National Memorial (NPS Unit) which was very close to the location where I was searching for the next trailhead.  Oh well...  At the time, though, I didn't know about missing this chance and just located the trail at the point on Paro Street where I'd started my hiking backpack within the previous hour.  I continued east until I turned towards the northwest on State Street.  When I reached the American Legion Park (a water vista point), the NCT transitioned to a Walking Path.  As a result, I stopped following trail there (after 1.2 miles driving on the NCT) and made a hotel reservation for the night online.  With my destination now known, I continued on State Street until I was able to access Business Loop 75.  A bit after that, I got on I-75 again and followed it towards Sault Ste. Marie.  When I reached the exit for MI-123, I got off the Interstate and started driving in a northwesterly direction.  Along the way, I passed through Brevort, where I'd been told (by friends of Erik and Moira) to stop at a place called Gustafsen's, which apparently sold "delicious Smoked Salmon".  I never saw it but noticed other places that seemed to sell the same stuff when they were open (i.e., earlier than when I passed through).  Soon after that, I passed through the town of Moran and found the NCT again (it was following a snowmobile trail along the side of the road.  At 1945, I arrived in the town of Trout Lake and soon found The Birch Lodge, where I'd made my reservation.  During the check in process, I was escorted by the owner (Jim) to my room in the Motel section of the historical resort.  It was clear from the decor, location and architecture that this was a quintessential Summer Vacation Resorts - the owner told me he'd had to do extensive renovations to make things look genuine.  He hit a home run with his efforts.  After getting unpacked, I changed clothing and went inside the bar that Jim had set up in the main Lodge.  At 2015, I sat down for a signature Old Fashioned cocktail (made with Bullet Bourbon) - I also had a local red beer.  During this relaxing time, I ended up meeting a young man from Finland named Juha.  We talked about his travels in the US and Michigan.  He explained that he'd just come from Munising and a wonderful paddle along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.  Juha added that he was heading to Alpena for work (and then I realized he was in the military).  We talked about the drive I'd just done and he returned the favor.  We ended up staying at the bar until well after closing time (2130).  Jim joined us and I learned more about the local area and life on the Upper Peninsula.  By the time we left the bar (2200), Juha and I agreed to go paddling together in the morning.  Score!  Back in my room, I did some reading and watched a few YouTube videos - I finally went to bed at 2330.  What an amazing weekend in the Upper Peninsula!  North Country Trail Today = 6.8 miles / Grand Total NCT = 175.4 miles

Nomad Life - Day 314

With a spectacular full moon, my campsite was very well lit through the whole night.  Even better, though, the Alpena CRTC RV Park was very quiet.  I slept OK and was ready to get up by 0530.  Since it wasn't light yet, I spent some time reading, doing puzzles and working on Duolingo exercises.  When it was light enough (0645), I walked to a nearby restroom area to fill up all of my water bottles (I'd been hydrating well over the previous day).  The temps were in the high 50s so I wore a light jacket initially.  For some reason, there were a lot of mosquitos (I'd noticed none the night before). Back at my car, I repacked my "travel configuration" - I felt good about the conversion times (in both directions).   - water refill.  Since my new camp friend, Sam, had told me I could use the kayak again if I was awake early enough, I eagerly launched from the boat launch area at 0730 and paddled downstream in the Thunder Bay River.  The weather was (again) perfect (sunny and clear) for being on the water and the world was very quiet.  I passed several fish camps and saw evidence of trails and fishing spots as I continued into Lake Winyah.  There were plenty of waterfowl again - huge herons and egrets, along with several kinds of ducks.  As I passed one beaver lodge, I heard what sounded like a family of beavers inside - that was interesting.  Occasionally, I noticed some kind of shellfish floating near the surface of the water and, when I researched them later, it is possible that I was noticing Chinese Mystery Snails (invasive) or (hopefully) some native freshwater snails.  The wind really picked up on the lake and I had to fight both that and the strong current to go back towards my launch point.  Fortunately, the paddling conditions improved as soon as I returned to the "bendy" river a bit farther upstream,  I wrapped up my second unexpected kayak excursion of the weekend at 0845 and returned the boat to Sam's campsite.  By then, both he and Bill were awake and I was able to thank them for their hospitality and generosity.  Before departing the CRTC, I drove over to the Fitness Center and got a biking workout - the Dutch soldiers had just finished when I arrived.  This time, I used a recumbent machine I'd noticed late last night.  Between 0920 and 0940, I biked 9.5 km (all the equipment seemed to be using metric measurements), which translated to 5.6 miles (a personal best for the time period).  After getting done on the equipment, I took a much needed shower and got changed into some nicer clothing.  I only had to return my camp key to the Services Building before I departed the base (1000).  I'd looked online last night and determined that my last visit to the area had been back in 2007 - I'm so glad that I returned to see what life was like away from the airport flight line!   I got on MI-32 and drove into Alpena.  Before reaching the downtown area, I stopped for fuel at Murphy Gas) at 1015.  Since the price was higher than I'd been seeing in the area, I didn’t fill tank all the way.  Hope I don't regret that later...  For brunch, I went to JJ’s, a restaurant that had been recommended by Sam and Bill.  Their suggestion ended up being a wonderful one - the "iron skillet" item I ordered definitely was filling and delicious.  At 1100, I paid for my meal and departed in search of some views of the harbor area (including the outflow of the Thunder Bay River).  For the next 30 minutes, I explored sites associated with the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Trail, which I learned later was very prominent during my entire driving day.  Next, I departed Alpena on US-23 until I could turn east on some back roads.  These took me deep into a rural, marshy area with only limited access to the shore of Thunder Bay.  Where there were views, I very much enjoyed what I saw.  One thing I wish I'd had more time for was taking a water tour of the many shipwrecks that had settled to the bottom of Thunder Bay.  I'm sure there is good diving!  I followed the water until I got to an area with lots of private property - the roads turned to dirt/gravel there too.  After marveling at dozens of pretty homes with waterfront views, I made my way back to the west (and the pavement again); eventually, I was on US-23 again and headed north.  I was pretty far away from the Lake Huron shoreline by this point but there were some really big lakes that seemed just as good.  After a little while, though, I found an opportunity to drive east on the Lake Huron Highway - this gave me a chance to follow the edge of Lake Huron again.  I should mention that I was still attempting to add some birding observations for the northern counties of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and, in this task, I was relatively successful.  At one point, I started noticing signs for something called the Besser Natural Area and made my way there (following signage).  When I arrived (after following an old dirt road), I parked in the lot for the Rockport State Recreation Area (Presque Isle County) and started exploring the trails and beach access points.  For some reason, this beautiful shore area was nearly deserted, with only a few sunbathers and paddleboarders visible when I reached the water's edge (1200).  There were some rocks piled (cairn style) on each other and I was surprised that they stayed so steady.  I'd noticed a sign about a nearby shipwreck and, with help from a young lady who had just landed in her SUP, I figured out that a white buoy in the distance designated the spot where people could find the sunken ship.  Wishing I had my kayak at that point...  Departing from the beach, I started walking on a trail that purported to be a one mile loop that took me into an old area of the village of Bell (abandoned).  I found a monument to the man who'd made the Besser Natural Area a reality, a stone chimney (but no house) and some amazing views of Lake Huron from Bolton Point.  I got rather close to the shipwreck buoy - that was a treat but I still didn't have a way to access it...  During my hike, I found lots of bird species (including a dead blue jay).  Meanwhile, the sky started getting rather overcast - dang.  I reached my car at 1255 and started driving north in the direction of Presque Isle.  I made a stop at the Kauffman Homestead in Grand Lake - while there, I was treated to bagpipe music (a man was playing in front of a church for a funeral or wedding) and an encounter with a living descendant of Kauffman himself.  The story of the family apparently revolved around their ancestor surviving a shipwreck nearby (Bell Bay) - when the survivor walked ashore, he made his way to Burnham's Landing and settled permanently.  What an interesting story!  Continuing north, I reached Presque Isle Front Range Light Park, where I took a walk between the old keeper's home and the beach itself.  There were other lighthouses in the area and I stopped at a few, including the Old Presque Isle Light and New Presque Isle Light.  The Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Trail signs were everywhere and I gladly digested all the historical tidbits they offered.  Most of the lighthouses were open to the public for climbing but I had places to be so didn't take advantage of that opportunity.  Instead, I stated west again (1345) and found US-23 again.  With my coastline exploration complete, I was able to open up my Subaru's motor to 65 mph on a smooth two lane road.  I did have to worry about deer coming out of the woods along the road but there was hardly any traffic at all.  The sky seemed very big because the land was flat and the trees weren't very tall.  I passed through Rogers City and P. H. Hoeft State Park before I started seeing signs for something called the "Forty Mile Point".  When I realized there was a lighthouse there, I stopped to investigate.  This turned out to be a good idea because I had a chance to walk down to the beach to see an actual shipwreck that had washed on land many years ago.  The wooden planking was gradually deteriorating but the outline was still very obvious,  I also explored the house where the lighthouse keeper managed the fog horn.  A bit further from the shore, I found signs for the Huron Sunrise Trail (which bikers can use to travel to the lighthouse over the the seven miles from Rogers City) and walked a little of it.  Before getting back in my car, I also visited the Glawe School, which had one room and lots of period relevant artifacts on display.  After I left Forty Mile Point (1445), I only stopped once (at a scenic turnout on a high bluff above Lake Huron).  I thought about attending Mass but learned that there wouldn't be any Vigil services nearby.  With questionable weather approaching, it is probably better to wait until tomorrow anyway...  I reached Cheboygan by 1520 and sought out the Cheboygan Brewing Company.  Once inside (1530), I ordered a flight of beers and had a nice time talking to the staff.  The beer was good too!  When I finished (1630), I drove a short distance out of the Downtown area and found my lodging for the night, the Monarch Motel (1645).  The place seemed to be mostly self-serve but I did end up meeting the lady who owned the little "inn" (I think it had about eight rooms).  Rain clouds were threatening and I decided not to go out for a hike on a nearby bike trail I'd learned about - by then, I'd more than met my step goals for the day.  Instead, I cooked dinner in my room and caught up on charging my electronics (they'd gotten very depleted from my camping overnight).  For the rest of the evening, I did some planning for Mackinaw Island, worked on Duolingo exercises and watched movies.  I felt very ready for bed at 2230.  What a heck of a day on the shores of Lake Huron!