Man, is COVID a bummer. We really needed to get away, so we decided to head north to beat the heat and go someplace where there wouldn't be big crowds - the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It also gave us a chance to cross off Wisconsin - the last state east of the Mississippi that we had not visited. It was a bit wild not knowing if you'd find food or a bathroom along the nearly 2,000 miles of travel. Here is the record of our trip:
After a night with family in Indiana, we headed "up north" and arrived at the Mackinac Bridge just as a little rainstorm was passing through. The good news? Rainstorm = much lower temps!
The Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, which went into operation in 1892.
Storm over Lake Huron
Mackinac Bridge
Chloe & Essie test out the Lake Huron water.
Crossing the Mighty Mack
Entering the Upper Peninsula
Lake Michigan
Dad & Mom on Lake Michigan
Matt's grandma, who was from the UP, always made homemade pasties - a UP staple. When we rolled into Musining, we found this little pasty shop with outdoor seating. The pasties were so good, we went back again for lunch the next day!
Mom & A.J. with their pasties.
Chloe & Essie
Walking down to Lake Superior
View of Lake Superior from the town of Marquette, where we stayed.
Marquette harbor
An out-of-service ore duct. When operational, trains would run across the top and drop their iron ore load down chutes into ships.
For our first full day in the UP, we took a hike at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Chapel Falls
Chapel Rock
Look at that blue water!
Chapel Rock got three thumbs up from the Kinnell kids.
Chloe
Cool forest along the trail - about a 6-mile long round trip. We saw two snakes and about 400 chipmunks. Seriously, they were everywhere! We nearly stepped on them multiple times!
And here is an ore duct still in operation. You can see the train on top...
...and here is the boat that was being loaded.
Presque Isle is a little peninsula on Lake Superior in Marquette.
Dad & Chloe
Mom & Chloe
We found a little rocky cove where we could gather some cool rocks and wade in the water.
A.J. is a rock-skipping expert.
Sisters
Mom sticks her feet in the water.
The water is so clear!
A.J. & Dad
A paddleboarder out on the lake
Exploring the Presque Isle Point Black Rocks
The Northern Michigan University basketball arena
On our second full day in the UP, we ventured up into the Keweenaw Peninsula. (That's the tippy-top of Michigan.) Matt's great-grandparents, Matt & Aliina Aho, were Finnish immigrants who settled near Chassell, Michigan. We went in search of the old homeplace, which Matt had visited a couple of times as a child when his great-uncles were still living on the place. It was kind of like searching for a lost city in the jungle!
The farmhouse as it looked in the 1960's
We found that the house had collapsed except for the very back section. :'(
We met this little family of deer along Aho Road.
Check out this cool barn - look at the logs around the foundation.
We stopped for lunch in the town of Houghton and ate along the riverwalk.
We visited Lakeside Cemetery in Hancock, where Matt's great-grandparents and two great-uncles are buried.
Quincy Copper Mine Historic Site
Copper Harbor is at the very top of the Keweenaw Peninsula, along Lake Superior.
Wait for it...!
Chloe
Chloe
Essie
A.J. breaking rocks to try to get to the agates.
The Copper Harbor lighthouse
"Thermometer" showing the yearly snowfall. Over 26 feet last year!
One of Matt's childhood friends lives in Keweenaw, and we were so happy to be able to stop by for a short visit.
We headed down through Wisconsin to stay a couple of nights with Amy's brother in Chicago. We stopped for lunch at this little burger shack in Oconto, Wisconsin.
Lunch spot beside the Oconto River
We got off the highway to stretch our legs at Harrington Beach State Park on Lake Michigan near Belgium, Wisconsin.
Chloe found a piece of floating debris and decided to take it for a ride.
Action footage
Essie gets involved
Now A.J. gets in on the fun
Of course, A.J. quickly masters anything he tries.
In Chicago, we visited with Amy's brother Andy and his wife Caroline. We headed to a nature park for a little walk. It had tanks.
The park was named Cantigny Park in honor of the World War I Battle of Cantigny, in which the owner of the estate fought as a young man.
Playing around with panorama shooting to make two Amy's!
Grilling with Uncle Andy! Yum!
Some corn in the smoker
Andy & Caroline's pet iguana, Sterling
