June 24 - 30, 2012
Nine days after we returned from Eastern Europe we packed up the Subaru and were on our way to do a Road Scholar (formerly Elderhostel) trip to Isle Royale National Park in northwestern Lake Superior - another of those places I have always wanted to go. Along the way we took the opportunity to visit friends and relatives.
Mon., 6/18/12 - Estes Park to Kearney, NE
We drove to Kearney on US Rte. 34, then north on NE Rte. 44. We ate a picnic lunch at a town park in west of McCook, NE and the temperature was 109°! At least the table was in a pavilion and gave us some shade. We had wonderful tasty and juicy Flat Iron steaks at Whiskey Creek, one of our favorite restaurants.
Tues., 6/19/12 - Kearney to Danbury, IA
We drove east on I-80 (the only construction we ran into in three days) to Grand Island and then east and north on US Rte. 30. In Grand Island, NE we stopped to take a quick look at the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, which we have driven past several times and wanted to stop and see. They have one museum about the history of Hall County including a room called "the Grand Island Underground" with information about the extensive "Burnt District" (Red Light bordellos) and old time funeral traditions. Another museum housed the Native American and Pioneer collection, which belonged to Gus Fonner. We did not have time to look at the collection of farm machinery or the 1890's railroad town with 60 shops, homes, and other structures. We definitely have to go back when we can spend all day and it is not as hot.
We arrived at Jan Wolterman's (an old friend of Marge's mother) house in the afternoon. She showed us how the farm had changed since we last visited. She no longer raises hogs - it is all cornfields she rents out to a farmer. We talked and talked.Wed., 6/20/12 - Summer Solstice - Danbury to Montrose, MN
We drove country roads all day and arrived at Sue (Marge's sister) and Dan's at 3:30 and talked the day away.
Thurs., 6/21/12 - Montrose and MinneapolisWe met Pat (Marge's sister) at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and worked our way through six flights of modern art galleries. Not sure this art is exactly our "cup of tea."
After a quick lunch at the museum cafe, we wandered through the sculpture garden. We especially liked the "Spoonbridge and Cherry" fountain, the "Wind Chime (after Dream)" with numerous wind chimes up in the trees, and the "Prophesy of the Ancients" with symbolized constellations across a wire dome. There were several others that we also enjoyed.
After a stop at REI for mosquito repellent we met Jason for dinner at Ciao Bella and had a nice Italian meal.Fri., 6/22/12 - Montrose
Today we met some of Marge's college friends (Jo, Donna, Chrisy, Carol, and Ann) for lunch at the General Store in Burnsville. The homemade soups, salads, popovers, sandwiches, and desserts are served cafeteria style and everything was unique and very good. But the store fascinated me more! Picture a Cracker Barrel store and multiply it by 20 and you get the idea. We bought some local barbecue sauce for Sue and Dan and found a pair of mukluks for Marge, who needed them badly.
Marge drove us around the city park areas of Minneapolis and then we met Rachel Swanson Morrison, our former AAA travel agent, for dinner at the Granite City Food and Brewery in Maple Grove. Rachel now works for an independent travel agent, Travel Leaders. She may still be able to help us with future travel plans.Sat., 6/23/12 - Montrose
A day of rest before traveling again.Sun., 6/24/12 - Montrose to Houghton, MI
We left Sue's at 7:30 and stopped in St. Paul to meet Pat and Jason and pick up CD's on Understanding Opera to entertain us on our trip. We headed east and north to meet our Road Scholar group in Houghton, MI. We listened to four of the opera lectures along the way. Jan Bell called from Florida on the cell phone to see if we were okay since there is a new fire in Estes Park (which we didn't know about). It broke out Saturday on the west side of town and burned 22 houses before being contained - fortunately we live on the east side!
We were late meeting the tour group because we were unaware that Houghton and Isle Royale are in the Eastern time zone. We caught up with the group in time for the orientation meeting (at the library not the Super 8 Hotel as scheduled) and ate a catered dinner at the library (meat and potato pasties, coleslaw, a bowl of fruit, and water). If this is all they feed us on this tour, I will lose weight! After dinner we looked at a beautiful, but long, slide show about Lake Superior.
At 8:30 we finally got checked into the hotel and were ready to crash.
General area map showing Lake Superior, Keweenaw Peninsula, and Isle Royale NP
Mon., 6/25/12 - Houghton and the Keweenaw Peninsula
At 8 AM we had a lecture by Ann and John, our tour guides, on the geology of Lake Superior, the Keweenaw Peninsula, and Isle Royale. The ridges that form the island exist under the lake making shipping treacherous. There are many lighthouses, bell and fog buoys, and shipwrecks in and around the lake.
Keweenaw Peninsula in northwestern Michigan
Our tour carriage for the day
Our first stop was to look at a 17-ton hunk of "float copper" at the Quincy Steam Hoist and Mine. Float copper is an almost pure slab of copper that was created during eruptions many eons ago. It is found in pure chunks above and below the ground and was first used by native peoples because it did not have to be separated from rock to be used.
Natural float copper
Mine hoist
Headquarters of the Keweenaw National Historical Park - the building is constructed with "poor stone"
We stopped in Calumet to look at buildings faced with "poor stone," which is stone left over from the mining operations. Other "older" buildings are built with local sandstone, either red or white. The sandstone is a million years old.
Snowfall sign
Snowfall gauge - the top marks the 390.4 record set during the winter of 1978-79
We stopped at the Byzantine monastery (the Society of St. John). The monastery monks originally came from the Ukraine and the building reflects that culture.
Eagle Harbor Lighthouse
Lake view at Eagle Harbor - very tranquil
Buildings and grounds at Ft. Wilkins, which housed many of the Civil War soldiers who were finishing out their enlistments after the war ended.
We ate a wonderful dinner at the Harbor Haus Restaurant on the waterfront in Copper Harbor. We wandered the town (and bought a book) before meeting at the restaurant. We watched the Isle Royale Queen IV ferry come in to the harbor from Isle Royale and our waitresses went outside and formed a dance line to welcome the people back from the island.
Tues., 6/26/12 - Houghton to Isle Royale National ParkWe boarded the Ranger III boat operated by the National Park Service and headed for Isle Royale NP at 9 AM. The boat holds more than 100 people and had nice reclining (and padded) seats. Fortunately, the lake was very calm all the way.
Ranger III
Portage Lift Bridge between Houghton and Hancock, MI
Scenes along the Portage Lake Ship Canal which provided access from Houghton to Lake Superior
Scenes along the Portage Lake Ship Canal
Light and breakwater marking entry to Lake Superior
Rock Harbor Lighthouse on Isle Royale
Isle Royale
Isle Royale
At Isle Royale we stopped first at the National Park Headquarters, which is on Mott Island off the shore of Isle Royale. From there we proceeded to Rock Harbor where we will stay for four nights.
Isle Royale National Park
Headquarters sign
Headquarters dock
Rock Harbor area at the east end of Isle Royale
Ranger III at the Rock Harbor dock
Economical way to distribute luggage to the several buildings and rooms
Our room is like a motel room but it overlooks Lake Superior. Our view is very pretty and we hear the water lapping on the shore. No air conditioning so the windows have to stay open all the time – nice.
View of our accommodations
Our building
View of the Lake from our room
Canoeist on the quiet waters of the Lake
Dinner was served buffet style for our group only in the restaurant. We had salad, salmon, wild rice, and mixed veggies. Dessert was cherry cobbler with ice cream. The lodge has an excellent chef.
The evening program was a presentation by Rolf Peterson entitled "The Wolves and Moose of Isle Royale." Rolf is the former head researcher for what is now a 54-year old study of wolves and moose on Isle Royale. (For more info: isleroyalewolf.org or fortunatewilderness.com) Nevada Barr’s book, Winter Study, is set at Isle Royale and deals with the Wolf-Moose study.
