9 Days In Da Up

[Bob C]

My wife and I just got back from a very relaxing 9 day trip through and around the UP (that is Upper penninsula of Michigan for all of you from the rest of civilization.) We had a great time with weather ranging from 95 degrees when we left Baraboo, Wi on Sept 6 to 39 degrees at Copper Harbour. We had sunshine, fog and rain, sometimes all at the same time.

When we were on Machinac Island we had the hardest thunderstorm I have been in for most of the afternoon. We still had a great time because we did not let the weather wreck the day. We decided to drive across the Machinac Bridge to go to a museum on the south side of the straits. Going south we had no wind to speak of. but going back north, the wind picked up and we were informed that due to the wind, our speed limit was 20 mph on the bridge.

While at the Soo Locks, we saw the only ship locking through for the entire afternoon. I asked the information guy about ship traffic and he said that due to the much larger ships, traffic is down about 40% from 30 years ago but the tonnage hauled is about the same.

While we were at Whitefish Point lighthouse, we had fog, then rain, then sunshine within 30 minutes. All that day we kept going in and out of rain squalls that made driving difficult followed by beautiful sunshine. I was glad that we were in the Toyhouse instead of riding our Goldwing.

The colors are just getting started in the UP and will probably come on strong real quick. We had a narrow window to take this trip because my wife starts her seasonal job on Tuesday. If it was not for her job starting, I would have taken the trip in about 2 or 3 weeks.

If you go to the UP, don't be in a hurry. All but the main roads are best seen at a relaxed pace. Take your time to stop at museums and talk to the locals. They are very friendly and will point out many interesting spots that you will not find on a map.

[PapaFred]

Glad to hear you had a good trip Bob. UP is on my bucket list next.

[zero]

While we were at Whitefish Point lighthouse, we had fog, then rain, then sunshine within 30 minutes.

We camped near Whitefish Point last night. Paradise is one of my favorite areas in the eastern UP. My wife and I are "trolls" - i.e. we live "under the bridge" but spend half our time in the UP during the summer/fall. I don't know if you enjoy reading junk-fiction - but there are series of books written about an ex-Detroit cop who lives in Paradise and has a cabin near Whitefish Point. Fiction or not, he captures the essence of the erratic weather in that area. Last month - there was a camper ahead of us on the Mackinac Bridge that got hit by a sudden gust of wind and got blown right over.

One problem with the areas near Lake Superior, Paradise, Grand Marais, etc. are the many deep sandy roads where you cannot drive a Toyota RV. Especially in the Betsy River area.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1044234.A_Cold_Day_in_Paradise

[Bob C]

We looked at a few "roads" that were shown on our Delmore Gazetteer and decided that they looked more like 4 wheel drive truck trails. I wanted to stay at a couple of state forest sites near Grand Marais but the wife decided that those roads would not be as good idea, I think she was right.

We were at the River Mouth campground at Tahquamenon Falls State Park 4 nights ago.

We saw 3 Toyota motorhomes while we were on our trip. We saw a Dolphin with a Michigan plate at Point Iroquois Lighthouse, a Winnebago with retired navy front plate at Whitefish Point Lighthouse, and another Toyhouse north of Houghton on Hiway 41. We did not get to talk to any of the people because we could not determine who owned them.

[zero]

We looked at a few "roads" that were shown on our Delmore Gazetteer and decided that they looked more like 4 wheel drive truck trails. I wanted to stay at a couple of state forest sites near Grand Marais but the wife decided that those roads would not be as good idea, I think she was right.

We were at the River Mouth campground at Tahquamenon Falls State Park 4 nights ago.

We saw 3 Toyota motorhomes while we were on our trip. We saw a Dolphin with a Michigan plate at Point Iroquois Lighthouse, a Winnebago with retired navy front plate at Whitefish Point Lighthouse, and another Toyhouse north of Houghton on Hiway 41. We did not get to talk to any of the people because we could not determine who owned them.

If you had stopped at Oswald's Bear Rescue Ranch in Newberry - you'd seen at least three more "full size" Toyotas. There are three on site there. One of the bear-ranch owners there loves them. Has two Dolphins and one Winnebago. He says the Winnebago is by far the best to cruise in. He thinks it has less wind-resistance then the others and has a smoother ride (four cylinder model, not V6). He told me there are also two Chinooks in the area.

Your wife was dead-on about some of those roads. We've been up to that part of the UP a dozen times this summer looking at remote properties for sale. With at least half - even though they were on town roads called "truck trails" - we could not get to them with our Toyota RV. They turn into deep beach sand that even a 4WD can get in trouble in. I know because I came back with my 4WD F250. The locals call it "sugar sand."

We went to look at some land for sale that is "next door" to the Crisp Point lighthouse maybe 13 miles from Whitefish Point. That was early Spring. I had a chainsaw with me and had to use it clear the road so we could barely get through. Not too sandy. Just poor condition with trees laying across it. I later found out two old ladies either "nearly died" or did die back there the month before. They were sight-seeing and got stuck in snow or ice back there for two weeks (no cell phone coverage).

[Bob C]

I found it interesting that while we were at Fort Wilkins State Park near Copper Harbor we had wifi but no cell service. The park has a pretty good free wifi network. They said that it gets a lot of use and slows down in the summer but while we were there my wife's tablet worked well. We had to get closer to Hancock to get cell sevice with US Cellular.