Lake Superior Shorlines- Last of Michigan & back to Wisconsin & OMG... Finally MINNESOTA!!!

Last things in Michigan seen were:Upper Peninsula Eagle and Sculpture Park… While cruising down the road alongside Lake Superior, saw our splendid National Bird just chillin’ looking out over the water; Unique roadside FREE park near Marquette Michigan, created by a “Junk Artist”… had some funny political statements to say through some of his sculptures….

In Ishpeming, they seem to be proud and famous for the Guiness World Book Record for having the LARGEST WORKING GUN (although, the way it works, it seems to be more of a cannon!)

Small fishing village, Escanaba, on northern tip of Green Bay- provided some excitement when a waitress at the Breezy Point restaurant spilled a dish full of delicious buttery garlic shrimp all over Ilea’s lap! (Now Free!!)

Copper Trail / Harbor… There is a sizable piece of Michigan land, the Kewanee Peninsula, that juts into Lake Superior that contains interesting history into the mining of COPPER…  Had a state park built there (Fort Wilkens) during the beginning of the copper mining days at the very tip- which was put there specifically because there were “worries”… debatable whether it was due to worries of  Indians being upset of our take over of their lands there, OR, due to lawlessness of the white American workers over the “loot”.

Apostle Islands National Park, Wisconsin… Dotting the North Western Wisconsin lake Superior waters are a group of  22 Islands known as the Apostle Islands.  Historians not sure as to why they were called that- although  it may have been  named by the Jesuit Priests that visited there. But that is real confusing if so- because according to the uh, ‘authorities’ on the matter, they can not agree on the number of  apostles (anywhere from 12 to 25!!) In any event, IRONICALLY, the most impressive and spectacular of these Apostle islands is one named DEVILS ISLAND! It has very unique geologic cave formations carved out by the continued bashing of waves over tens of thousands of years.

Duluth, Minnesota…stepping on the ground of our own, ‘last’ final 50^th state! It took us all of our 34 years together to finally do it- but we can now say that we have visited ALL 50 states!!  We saved Minnesota for last (seriously… how many people do you know who go THERE for a vacation?)  Duluth is located just across the Wisconsin state line at the very western most tip of  Lake Superior.  The city has some extraordinary FREE parks over looking the lake… first one was Enger Park and (100 year old) Tower with 360 panoramic views of city and lake.  Must drive a ‘Skyline Drive’ roadway to get to tower.  Another beautiful park had a HUGE Rose Garden, ‘ Leif Erickson Park’ (written as the Norweigan  guy who discovered America in the year 1000AD…huh?)

Back to the NORTH-Door County, WI, UP, and ISHPEMING... Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Traveled up to DOOR COUNTY, Wisconsin to stay at Yogi’s Jellystone in Sturgeon Bay. Many terrific State Parks (Peninsula, Potawatomi, Whitefish Dunes, Newport) as well as their BEST PARK OF ALL, Cave Point County Park.

Went charter fishing out in Lake Michigan one evening and caught a 20 pound Rainbow Trout!! Perfect for about 6 dinners for us both.

Gravitated  northward to the end of door county, and  took  a ferry first to Washington Island (saw the Lavender farms and very cool round pebbled School House Beach…) then took a second ferry from Washington Island to the even MORE REMOTE, Rock Island State Park where we walked its 6 mile perimeter path, and observed a unique BOATHOUSE.

Departed Door County Tues 7/19, Wisconsin and arrived at Ishpeming,  Michigan area (Also known as UP area, short for ‘Upper Peninsula’ where people call themselves ‘Yoopers’ , like U-P-ers…) Was a switch from central time back to eastern  time…. First place at top of list we visited was the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on the really huge, Lake Superior… did the sunset cruise, and WOW- was exceptional on all levels! Unlike anything we have ever seen, with perfect weather.

Moline-Madison-Milwaukee

Took a couple days to head to Moline Illinois to visit with cousin Stephanie and she graciously treated us to a dinner theater production of “Menopause” which was very enjoyable and entertaining.  These couple days are the ONLY sequential days that we have seen any rain this entire trip!

Set off for Madison Wisconsin on Thursday the 7^th, and stayed at a KOA in De Forest area.  Toured the FFRF (Freedom From Religion) headquarters and got to meet Charles Darwin!

 Also toured the state Capitol Building which is the highest and most VOLUMious in the country (even beats out Washington DC!!) There is oddly NO SECURITY to get in.  The place is gorgeous with over 40 different types of stone from 8 different states and 7 different countries!

We also took in an artist show around the Capitol “Square” and then also their Farmers Market- which many say is the absolute BEST IN THE COUNTRY… (It was the best that we had ever seen, with perfect vegies at pretty good prices.

State animal is the BADGER… because they apparently hide in holes (like the people from Wisconsin did!?!?)

Spent a full day in Milwaukee (80 min from Madison)…. Did the Riverwalk there (again, some say “THE BEST River  walk in the country… and while we agree with that, somewhat, we must say that it did stink a bit of diesel fuel… but AYYYY- We got to see the FONZ!!!

  We did get free parking and FREE ADMISSION into the SUMMERFEST music event they had there…. Again- billed as the LARGEST SUCH EVENT IN THE WORLD!!!  Arguably so, as they had well over 100 bands playing on 10 different stages!!  To be fair though- it seemed as if the majority of the bands that played were from the “School (s) of Rock” – which there are over 20 of across the country!! Still, though, music was pretty good! 

Went and visited the Milwaukee Brewers “Miller Field” hoping to just catch the last couple of innings of a game….perhaps for FREE???? (NOT) Tailgating a HUGE thing here with BBQ grills all over the parking lot!

Also did a bike ride over the meadow and through the woods (and along a river…)