Today is the day we start to head back east then south.   While the UP extends another 100 miles or so west, not enough time this trip.   Mike has a late flight out to go back to his family on Tuesday night.

Winds abated over the night.  Sunday morning in Copper Harbor was beautiful.  There was a small bakery and fishery right next to our room (thanks to Carol Hutchinson for this tip).  Sat out on the ole Adirondack chairs on the lake, drank several cups of coffee and again pushed out the blog.   Packed up, stowed all the weather gear, pulled the liner out of my jacket and headed south.

Sun was out.  Autumn like.  Cool wind.  Got down the Keewenaw Peninsula in about an hour and stopped for fuel in Hancock.  Crossed the bridge, through MI Tech’s campus in Houghton and started putting on the miles. For a hundred or so miles heading south. No one on the roads.  Rolling hills through massive forests and lakes. after that we hit Crystal Falls and got on US2.  Heading east the forests thinned and the roads straightened.  One of the original US highway routes built in the 20s and 30s.   Traffic picked up. We passed into the Central Time zone and though a small section of northern Wisconsin.

Stopped in Iron Mountain, MI for fuel.  Vestiges of old iron mines throughout the area.  Lots available for tourists.  In an hour we hit Escanaba and back into the Eastern Time Zone.  The city is on the northwest corner of Lake Michigan.   Continued around the lake on US 2.  Another hour or so another fuel stop in Manistique, about dead center at the top of Lake Michigan.  Our destination was Trout Lake.  A small town about 30 or 40 miles north of the bridge.

We headed east again for some miles that I can’t remember then cut off US 2 and got. on a remote county road heading NE for about 50-60 miles.  Remote.  Beautiful.  Well kept farms and homes in the forests appeared occasionally.   About 350 miles to this point.  The GPS got us here perfectly.  I still don’t know how those things can do that.  I mean, there is nothing out here.

The resort was built in 1911.  The owner’s are turning the 35 original rooms into a B&B with 8 rooms.  They have five done.  There is a motel unit with 8 rooms, one of which we are staying in.  Right on the lake.  Best place yet.  Of course Copper Harbor was nice too… 

The lodge is like a snapshot in time.  Much still original.  Flooring, the bar, tables, kitchen equipment, magazines a 100 years old.  Clean.   They have fresh muffins and coffee in the morning.  Life is complete

Dinner was downtown at the local sportsman’s bar.  Fresh made burger (1/2 lb) and hand cut fries.  Best I’ve had in a long time.  Locals were great.  Stopped at the corner market for the evening’s entertainment.  Then sat outside in the Adirondack chairs, pulled to a spot out of the wind and listened and watched the sights and sounds of a quiet night and the lights of cottages across the lake about a mile away.

Oh yes, Life is good