Gypsy & The Navigator

Prepare To Be Amazed

Out for a walk one evening I met a lady from Pittsburgh whose camper was just a couple spots away from us.

They come to Holmes County often.  When they need some peace and quiet this is where they come.

Because they come so often they have pretty much explored everywhere.  We talked about where Walt & I had been so far.

She said she had a recommendation for us and walked to her car to get a brochure for me.

She said we probably have never heard of the place and that that is a shame.  But, what she should have said is Prepare to Be Amazed.  

It is the Warther Museum.  It is the story of a man and his wife that is hard to wrap your head around.  They lived and raised their family in this small brick home in Dover, Ohio.

His name was Ernest "Mooney" Warther and her name was Freida.  They both had hobbies. 

Hers were gardening and button collecting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Those buttons were turned into artful masterpieces. 

 

 

She sewed or somehow attached the buttons onto fabric panels in dozens of dizzying geometric patterns.

While Freida's talent was commendable it is his that defies belief.

Ernest "Mooney" Warther was born in Dover, Ohio on October 30, 1885 to Swiss immigrants.  His father died when he was 3 and his mother struggled to keep the family fed.  Because of the economic situation Mooney only went to school through the 2nd grade.  He became a herdsman.  For a penny a day, he would take cattle from Dover to pasture in outlying areas, returning them at nightfall.  On one of those trips to the fields he found an old rusty penknife and he began to whittle.

A hobo carved him a pair of working wooden pliers from a single block of wood. Mooney took it home, studied it and then mastered how to carve pliers. These pliers became his calling card. It is estimated he carved about 750,000 pliers in his lifetime.  Those were all given away.  He never sold any of his carvings.

At the age of l4, he quit herding cows and got a job as a scrap bundler in the local steel mill.  See the carved pliers on the right? Always out of one block of wood no matter how many pair together.

He worked at the steel mill for 23 years and helped the mill in it's efficiency with inventions to make the work easier.  This is his carving of his work place.  Mr. Warther would carve from 2 to 5 a.m., then go to work in the machine shop, then come home and carve for two more hours. Only five hours a day to create masterpieces.

The work place carving is exact down to the finest detail........that of the coal tender taking a nip out of his flask "for medicinal purposes."

Mooney set about the task to see how many pliers he could make if each handle of the original plier was then carved to form a new set of pliers, and so on, and so on.  This block of wood was made into 511 interconnected pliers.

The piece required some 31,000 cuts and each branch can fully articulate like a functional pair of pliers all the way down to the base of the trunk.  Math professors from Case University in Cleveland studied it, and declared that it was impossible to replicate. I wish I could have gotten a better photo but the display was revolving so either the movement or the glare were there.   This man was a genius.  He didn't follow patterns.........he just saw what he wanted to do and did it.  Believe it or not he considered this amazing tree as "just whittling."

Once Mooney had taken the pliers challenge as far as he wanted he turned his carving to his love of trains. That is when he felt he made the change from whittling to carving.  When he was young the railroad companies would toss out their old repair manuals, he would collect them and study how they were built. By age 18, he knew every nut, bolt and rivet that held them together.”

He considered his greatest work to be carving perfect scale replicas of massive locomotive steam engines.

Mooney chose to scale all of his models to 1/2 inch equals 1 ft., and he would carve them from walnut, ebony and ivory.

Many of his carvings have small built-in motors so that the engine wheels turn, and Mooney used a special oily Brazilian wood for the bearings so that they would never need lubrication.

Completion of one carving at a time was the order of business for this mathematical and mechanical genius. Every piece -- and some of the carvings have over 7,500 -- was carved by hand, every pipe, rivet, and lump of coal, even the teeny tiny connecting rods and itty bitty screws, all of which work flawlessly. With only a workbench, a vise, and some hand-made knives, Mooney did this. He even carved perfectly round wheels. The experts put their calipers to his work, shrugged their shoulders, and said that it was impossible.  

He learned to forge and temper steel from the neighborhood blacksmith. He wasn't satisfied with the quality of the knives he could buy, so in 1902 he started making knives of his own. He designed a knife that fit his hand well and had a selection of replaceable blades about an inch long that locked into place for his different carving needs.

His mother complained that she couldn't make her knives stay sharp so he made her one.  Her friends loved it and soon he was selling kitchen knives to her friends as well as pocket knives to their husbands.  That was the start of the Warther Kitchen Cutlery business which is in the same building as the museum and run by family members.  Each knife today is still made entirely by hand. 

My favorite was the Abraham Lincoln Funeral Train.  It is authentic down to a tiny Lincoln in his tiny casket inside one car.

The New York Central Railroad heard about Mooney's carvings and in 1923 made him an offer to exhibit his models on a special train. Mooney quit his job after 23 years at the mill and toured the country displaying his carvings for six months. After that, he displayed them in Grand Central Station in New York City for another two and a half years. He talked about his carving and made souvenir pliers for the showgoers. At the close of the show the railroad offered him $50.000 for his carvings and $5000 a year to remain with the display at the station, but he declined their offer. He also received an even more handsome offer from Henry Ford but turned that down too. He replied, "My roof doesn't leak, I'm not hungry and my wife has all her buttons."

All this from a man who only went to the 2nd grade, used no patterns, and worked off a vision.  Ernest never considered what he did to be particularly special. It just came naturally to him, and he pursued it until his death at age 82.

I could continue to laud this man's accomplishments but this is very long.  I hope that this museum becomes more well known so others can be as amazed as we were.  If you are anywhere near Dover, Ohio I would highly recommend a day at the Warther Museum. 

Surrounded By Rolling Hills And Farmlands

We were able to visit an Amish farm.  What hard work they do but out if it comes bounty and beauty.

Their lives may be simple but their gardens are bright and colorful.

While the Amish prefer no photos taken of them they don't mind pictures of their hard work or their animals.

There were plenty of animals to see.

Hard to believe this little guy is going to grow up to be one of their huge work horses.

No need for an alarm clock here.  His crow will knock your socks off. 

My favorites are the barn cats.

Simple furnishings, amazing craftsmanship. 

What a serene place.

No, this isn't a hearse.  It is a bench wagon.  The Amish do not have church buildings.  They meet in members homes.  The front room is cleared out and benches are brought in.  The wagon transports them to where the meeting is that week. 

Their diligence and hard work makes for perfect settings like this. 

The ladies make quilts that are works of art.  This one is very old and still looked like new.  I have had a wonderful time wandering through the shops that display them for sale.

We were fortunate to see the simpler side of life.  

Not sure what to think of this mini ark I saw out in a cornfield.  If it is waiting for a flood it won't hold many.  

We have eaten at Amish Restaurants.  Very filling comfort foods with to die for desserts.  Walt is loving the desserts but he is ready for a little spicier foods. 

We have driven many miles on the roads of Holmes County.

There is plenty to see from the seat of the Navigator.

And Walt gets to do his favorite thing.........Drive.

 

He is patient when I say "Stop" or "Turn Around" for things I want to see closer or photograph.

There are so many small towns to visit and each has it's own identity and charm.  This is the Chalet in the Valley Restaurant. 

Guggisberg Cheese is near Millersburg and has the best baby swiss we have ever had.  Oh so creamy.

They have a pretty little Swiss garden beside the cheese factory. 

Sugarcreek is home to the World's Largest cuckoo clock.

It plays on the hour and the half hour.

We only had to wait a few minutes to enjoy the show. 

One thing that we have noticed is that when someone in Ohio is saying where they live they usually don't say the name of the town.  They say the county.  I think it must be because the villages and townships are so tiny. 

I love that huge braided rug.

We have been in awe of the huge lawns in Ohio.

We think that it should be mandatory that everyone have a riding lawn mower and a snow blower.

Whoops I forgot.  Not everyone uses those modern conveniences.

We have seen many of these never ending lawns being mowed by hand. 

I think this has to be one of the most beautiful homes we have seen.  Black and white.......perfection.

That never ending lawn continues around the barn!

We are so fortunate to be experiencing the ambiance of the Amish lifestyle.  

Of course there are a few residents that seem to be troublemakers.

These back roads offer unforgettable scenic views.  

One evening we attended the Amish Country Theatre.  A Hee-Haw like show that was fun and has you tapping along with the Bluegrass Band.  The ventriloquist, Ken Groves, was so good.  He did this act that he brings a couple up on stage and puts these masks on them that he can manipulate to make them appear to be talking and it was hilarious.  And there was an appearance by the Jonas Brothers.........well some Jonas Brothers.   Very fun evening.

This is the Market across the road from the RV Park where we have done most of our grocery shopping while here.  Reasonable prices and great products. 

A little bit of other kind of shopping too.  A new table runner and place mats a la farm country. 

We attended the Rainbow of Hope Benefit Auction in Mt. Hope.  The charity provides funds for needy families that have incurred medical expenses for their children.  It was absolutely monumental.  They auctioned furniture, crafts, garden equipment, livestock, buggies, horses, lawn furniture, storage buildings, gazebos, lumber, and QUILTS.  Work of art QUILTS.  Everything was donated and everything sold for high dollars.  There were no bargains here.    As an example there must have been 50  to 75 quilts and they all sold for at least $600 and some for over $1000.  I guess those were bargains because they are $1000+ in the shops.  The largest storage building sold for $70,000.  Just guessing I would think they raised a million dollars. The history of the charity is very interesting and I am so impressed by what the Amish community does for health care.  It is a community healthcare sharing fund and this charity handles the above and beyond that fund.   We didn't buy a thing but had a marvelous day.  We did do our share of donation for breakfast and lunch.   It was all good but for me those buttered noodles were quite a treat!

Berlin is home to the Berlin Flyer wagons.  A wagon from the past built to last.

I love this place.........and there is so much more to come.

 

From Bowling Green To The Green Green Of Holmes County Ohio

I had made reservations well in advance at Fire Lake Campground near Bowling Green, OH.  Good thing I did.  They were turning people away when we arrived. 

A pretty little campground with each RV spot circled around the lake.

A perfect place to rest and relax for a couple days and that is what we did.

A quick drive through the town of Bowling Green showed a pretty little college town.

 We saw their majestic Court House.

We enjoyed Fire Lake's glow at sunset.

Leaving Fire Lake we took back roads to Holmes County, Ohio.  We must have made at least 20 turns on different numbered roads.  They have state routes, county routes, township routes & others.  The entire trip was about 150 miles and time on each road was short.  Getting close to our destination we were stopped by a Road Closed sign.  We had no idea where to turn, especially with GypsyII behind on a very narrow two lane road.  A nice Amish man with his horse and buggy came along and gave us directions to get back on track.   What a fun trip we had. 

We arrived at Scenic Hills RV Park to the longest pull through site we have ever had.

Two weeks amid the rolling green hills and shady green trees is going to be wonderful.  The RV Park is located in Berlin.  It is not pronounced like Berlin, Germany.  It is Ber-lun and is a township.

Holmes County is home to an Amish community, the largest in the world.

It feels as if time has slowed down a bit.

Perhaps a step back in time.

With an average of 5 to 8 miles per hour for a horse and buggy it is a nice way to slow down and enjoy the view when you come upon one on the road.  And there are a lot on the road.

There is so much humidity in the air that mornings show a little mist in the trees.  

Fruits, vegetables, cheese, baked goods and ice cream is plentiful.  

The first place I wanted to visit was the Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center to better understand the people we were surrounded by.
  

There are no photos allowed inside.  The story of the heritage of the Amish and Mennonite people from their Anabaptist ( Christians who believe that baptism is only valid when the candidate confesses his or her faith in Christ and wants to be baptized. This believer's baptism is opposed to baptism of infants, who are not able to make a conscious decision to be baptized.) beginnings in Zurich, Switzerland in 1525 to the present is told through a Cyclorama.

The cyclorama is copyrighted so no photos. The cyclorama is named Behalt, meaning “to keep" or "to remember.”  It is a 10 foot tall by 265 foot long mural-in-the-round.

The Amish are a group of traditionalist Christian church fellowships who are known for their simple living, plain dress, and the choice not to adopt many of the conveniences of modern technology. 

Though their core beliefs are the same they are distinctly different from the Mennonites.

Amish lifestyle is regulated by the Order. Orders differ slightly from community to community, and, within a community, from district to district. What is acceptable in one community may not be acceptable in another.  That helped me understand better because you will occasionally see someone using a cell phone, pushing a power mower or other things that had me confused.  Their order has different feelings about technology. 

The Behalt painting is massive and in the tour you stand in the middle and follow the painting through time.  The colors and detail are beautiful.  There seem to be paintings within paintings. 

Since there were no photos allowed I took a picture off the internet of a small portion of the painting.  What amazed us is the artist, Heinz Gaugel took 14 years to complete the mural.  He was born in 1927 in southern Germany.  He was a self taught artist and emigrated to Canada in 1951.  There he began his art career. His works include oils on canvas, ceramics, stained glass, fresco, and sgraffito.  He created monumental works in churches, public spaces and private buildings. He estimated that he spent 9 years on research and 5 years on actual painting.  In 1962 he was passing through Holmes County Ohio and was excited to hear his native dialect being spoken by the Amish.  He agreed with the pacifist, nonviolent beliefs of the Amish. He moved to Holmes County and though there were many bumps along the way he was determined to help the Amish document their history and completed the mural in 1992.  Most fascinating of all........our guide told us Mr. Gaugel was Roman Catholic. 

Interesting way to start our time in Holmes County.  

That is what the road signs in our RV Park say! 
 

To Tell The Truth I Liked Frankenmuth

A grey and misty day greeted us when it was time to leave the Upper Peninsula.  To do that we had to cross the Mackinac Bridge.  Much to my distress they were doing construction on the bridge and all traffic was routed to the open grid lane.  How can that mesh be strong enough to hold us all?

Thankful that there was no wind.  Trying not to think that we are 155 feet above the water.

Whew, passed the construction so we could get over to the covered lane. 

 We moved on to Birch Run, MI just down the road from Frankenmuth.

Frankenmuth is the town that calls itself Michigan's Little Bavaria.

The streets are so pretty and lined with shops and restaurants.

Frankenmuth is famous for its chicken dinners but this topiary chicken was ruling the roost.   This topiary too spends its winter in a nice warm greenhouse just like the one on Mackinac Island.  After the bird has been watered it weighs 2500 pounds. Wow!

This chicken is stuffed with nearly 6,000 red and white begonias.

Most buildings in the commercial district, as well as many homes, feature stylistic interpretations of the timber-framed buildings found in the Franconia region of Germany.

They say more visitors come to Frankenmuth than Mackinac Island.  That is because people come to Frankenmuth all year long and the Christmas holiday season is a must do destination. While Mackinac is open their main season is May to October with few visitors on the other months. 

 Frankenmuth, MI has pineapples growing along its sidewalks.  Clearly these were grown in greenhouses and planted out this summer, but still - pineapples in Michigan.  Love it!

 The Cass River runs through the town,  It even has a paddle wheeler so you can take a river cruise.

There is a covered bridge located over the Cass River in the middle of town.

It was completed in 1979 but the structure is constructed using traditional covered-bridge timber framing techniques from days gone by.
 

Frankenmuth is home to Bronner's Christmas Wonderland.  It promotes itself as the World's Largest Christmas Store.  It is open year round and the building that houses all the decorations is 7.35 acres.  It is huge.

You can probably find anything you are looking for.  Even Bigfoot.

Frankenmuth is famous for home-cooked, family-style chicken dinners.  We couldn't resist.  We went to Zehnder's.  The stately building began it's life as a hotel and now is a restaurant that can seat 1500 people.  Good fall off the bone chicken.  

The area was settled and named in 1845 by conservative Lutheran immigrants from the area of Franconia in Germany.  It was fun spending a day in "Little Bavaria."

Our visit to Frankenmuth brought to a close our time in Michigan. It has been a wonderful time with the only drawback the condition of their roads.  I will admit there was a sigh of relief when we crossed the Ohio border and the roads smoothed out.  I think GypsyII appreciated it too.  She bumped so much that sometimes she lost her marbles......oh, actually it was dishes, books, drawers and the like that she lost right on her floor.  

We Landed On Mackinac Island

Anyone that we have talked to that knows we were going to Michigan brings up the Mackinac Bridge and says we have to go to Mackinac Island.

Sounded good to us.  We were staying in St. Ignace so we would catch the ferry from there.

We wanted to go on the 1 pm ferry, the Mighty Mac, because it takes a little detour and goes under the Mackinac Bridge.

When we bought our tickets we were told to be in line early because every boat had been full that day.  What??????it is an island.  Where will all those people be?

The returning boats had no one on them.  They have all stayed on the island.

We had a pretty view for the wait.  Each boat leaving was full.  Each boat returning was empty.

Amazingly the 1 o'clock boat was not filled to the brim.  Maybe because it takes longer.  Most seemed to just want to get there.

The ride was fabulous.  The weather was perfect to feel the wind whipping my hair and seeing the bridge in the distance.

The Mackinac Bridge is a toll bridge that crosses the Straits of Mackinac between St. Ignace and Mackinaw City.   The Straits of Mackinac are where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron come together.

It was completed in 1957 and is 4.995 miles long. 

Because of the high winds in the area the construction of the suspension bridge was unique.  It has deep stiffening trusses to support the bridge deck and an open-grid roadway to reduce its wind resistance.  That open-grid roadway was knowledge I could have done without.  We need to cross it in a couple days with GypsyII following behind.   Not sure if I will be able to keep my eyes open.  I hope Walt does since he is the driver.

I was happy to find out that I am not the only one that has second thoughts about the crossing. The Mackinac Bridge Authority has a Drivers Assistance Program that provides drivers for those uncomfortable with driving across the Mackinac Bridge. Those interested can arrange, either by phone or with the toll collector, to have their cars or motorcycles driven to the other end. There is no additional fee for this service.

Soon we had reached Mackinac Island.  The beauty can't be denied.

My first thought was the color.  It was everywhere, water, buildings, houses, flowers.

You don't have to wait for fall color here........color is year round.

Time to follow the crowd and head to shore.  This island is only 3.8 square miles.  How many humans can it hold?

Motorized vehicles have been prohibited on the island since 1898, with the exception of snowmobiles during winter, emergency vehicles, and service vehicles.   Good thing.  If cars were added to the mix of pedestrians, bike riders, horseback riders and carriages there would be total gridlock.

I am feeling a bit overwhelmed.  Yes, that is horse manure out there. Imagine that odor mixed with the smell of the 15+ fudge shops.   I'm not feeling the pull of Mackinac Island on Main Street.

Oh wait, get me off the main street.  I am starting to see the charm.

Charm and history. 

The first inhabitants of the island were the Odawa Indians.  Then came European exploration that began in the 17th century. It served a strategic position as a center for commerce of the Great Lakes fur trade. This led to the establishment of Fort Mackinac (photo above) on the island by the British during the American Revolutionary War. It was the site of two battles during the War of 1812.  The entire Straits area was officially acquired by the United States through the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

In the late 19th century, Mackinac Island became a popular tourist attraction and summer colony and it has continued on until today.

Many of the original buildings have been restored and are in use today.

This is the Biddle House.  It is estimated to be the oldest house on the island.  The sign indicated that parts of it were originally built in 1780.  See the young man by the door.  Every summer, Mackinac Island accommodates up to 54 Michigan Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.  Scouts raise and lower twenty-six flags on the island, serve as guides, and complete volunteer service projects during their stay. These scouts live in the Scout Barracks behind Fort Mackinac. What a neat program and what a privilege to be selected.  

The further away from the main street we go the more I "get" the Island.

There are only 600 year-round residents.  Their attention to perfection of their homes and businesses is impeccable.   It is beginning to cast its spell on me.

I was happy to see an art piece tribute to one of my favorite animals.  Tortoises are really interesting critters and make great pets.

The Little Stone Church was built in 1904 out of mostly local field stone.

This has to be the jewel of the island.

High on a hill is the historic Grand Hotel.

The hotel opened July 10, 1887.  The Grand Hotel's front porch is the longest in the world at some 660 feet in length, overlooking a vast Tea Garden and the resort-scale Esther Williams swimming pool.

The gardens are astounding.

There are over 150 varieties of flowers.

The meticulously manicured flower gardens are so bright and picture perfect.

Not just flowers.  Lots of multi-colored foliage.

A large topiary of a carriage and a pair of horses, named Peat and Moss, was my favorite.  It is about 25 years old and winters over at a greenhouse on the mainland each year.

 What could be prettier?  A white picket fence and white benches.  Through the trees that gorgeous water and bridge view.  No wonder guest have been flocking here by the thousands.  

Since they say every evening at Grand Hotel is a special occasion after 6:30pm dresses, skirts, blouses, dress sweaters and dress slacks  for ladies are preferred, while gentleman are required to wear a suit coat, necktie and dress pants, no denim or shorts.   I love it!  A little romantic and a step back in time. 

Houses so perfect they seem like doll houses.

Hard to wrap my head around all this perfection.  Yes, I get Mackinac Island.  Too bad that it's not a less well known secret.

One last trip across that busy main street.    We did brave the crowd to get our fudge fix.  Walt talked to some people who had a Mackinac Island fudge tasting party.  Fudge was purchased from all the shops.   Same flavor.  Sampling was done.  Joann's won hands down so that is where we bought ours.  We can see why it won.  OVER THE TOP GOOD.  Dark Chocolate Salted Carmel would be our recommendation. 
 

Back on the ferry for a very pleasant ride back to St. Ignace.  Mackinac Island is one of those places that you need to go.....then you need to get up close and personal to see what it's all about.  Opened my eyes and the beauty came flooding in.

A saying that is forever etched in tile in the Mackinac Island library fireplace: “The isle is full of noises, sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not.”  

Shakespeare

There Is Still More To See In The UP

A visit to Tahquamenon State Park brought some amazing views.

Tahquamenon Falls State Park covers over 52,000 acres but the centerpiece of the park are the falls.

The falls are two different sets on the Tahquamenon River.

The lower falls are a series of five smaller falls cascading around an island which can be reached by rowboat.

 The pretty caramel color in the water is from the tannins (organic substance caused by decomposing vegetation) that are from the cedar, spruce and hemlock forest surrounding the river. 

After quite awhile spent at the lower falls we drove up to the Upper Falls.

The upper falls are more than 200 feet across and with a drop of approximately 48 feet.

I could see an observation platform close to the falls and this pretty boardwalk beckoned.  

The hike to it was definitely worth it.  Doesn't that water look like it should top a dish of ice cream? 

It was so pretty and I had spent quite awhile getting to the platform.

I had left Walt sitting on a bench in the shade people watching and hadn't told him where I was going.

I thought that I had probably been gone quite awhile and that he might wonder what had happened to me.

So I decided I would head back as fast as I could.  I surprised myself.  I got back faster than I would have thought possible.  A little running and a lot of fast walking and I was back.  And Walt hadn't even worried about where I was.  He was too busy watching the line at the penny smash machine.  

The foam on the water made it look like winter.  The foam is caused by 3 things.  1.  The water is naturally soft because it has a low mineral content.  2.  The decaying organic matter has lignin-protein complexes that are like egg whites. 3.  The turbulent action of the waterfalls whips it up.  

These stunning golden falls made for another great day.

Another day took us to Point Iroquois Lighthouse.  It is located on Lake Superior just a few miles from where we were staying at Brimley. 

The lake was especially hazardous in this area because of bad weather conditions and the numerous ships leaving and approaching the Sault Ste. Marie locks.  The original lighthouse went into operation in 1856.  The first was of poor construction and it was replaced in 1870 with this structure. 

The purpose of Point Iroquois Light Station was to guide freighters safely between the open waters of Whitefish Bay and the St. Mary’s River. 

I was so enamored with the rock fence made from rocks brought up from the lake below.  To me it was a work of art.  

The original fresnel lens from Point Iroquois Lighthouse is in the Smithsonian Museum.  They did have this one on display from the Martin Reef Light. 

It's light was extinguished in 1962 but it has been restored and the interior is a museum staffed by volunteers. 

The tower is open and you can climb the 72 spiral steps to the top.  Scary to me.

Pretty path leads to the beach.

What a breathtaking view.  

Canada is visible across the bay.

We found a bench to watch the water gently lap at the shore.  Time to contemplate how extraordinarily blessed we have been to see so much beauty in such perfect weather.  



 

More To See In The UP

We left Germfask and moved to Brimley to the Bay Mills Casino RV Park.  This was our view to the right.

This was our view to the left.  We went from totally being off the grid to strong cell service, fast internet and cable TV.  

Our first day out we headed to Sault Ste Marie.  

First of all we had to see the famous Soo Locks.

We climbed to the top of the observation platform and the locks were empty.   These locks have many water craft pass through. Freshwater and ocean-going freighters, barges, tugboats, tall ships, sailboats, cruise ships, military crafts, and tour boats are some that use the locks.

Our first sighting was a tour boat.  The Soo Locks were created because the St. Marys River drops 21 feet within three quarters of a mile at the location of the locks.  Before the construction of the canals and locks this series of rapids formed a barricade between the upper and lower river.  Cargoes traveling down from Lake Superior or up from the lower lakes had to be unloaded and carried around the rapids and then reloaded on different boats to be transported.  The construction of the canals and locks allowed vessels to pass around the rapids making transportation both faster and cheaper.  There are two locks and both can either raise or lower boats.

As the tour boat moved out of one lock the huge 1000 foot steamship Mesabi Miner moved into the other going the other direction.

Gravity alone moves water in and out of the lock chambers.  Huge culverts run below the lock floors allowing water to flow in or out of the lock depending on which valves are opened.  To raise the level, the emptying valve at the lower end of the lock is closed and the filling valve is opened allowing water to flow into the chamber from the Lake Superior level.  To lower the lock the filling valve is closed and the emptying valve is opened allowing water to flow out to the Lake Huron level.

Not long and the Mesabi Miner has been lowered considerably.  I imagine her cargo is probably iron ore.  90% of the world's iron ore moves through the Soo Locks.

She had practically disappeared before the gate was opened and she was on her way.  The original lock was built in 1855 and the first year in use there were 27 vessels through.  Now there are approximately 10,000 lockages during the navigation season at the Soo Locks.

There she goes.  Canada on one side the U.S. on the other.  If you are ever in Sault Ste Marie be sure and spend some time in the Visitor Center for the Locks.  It has the best information about the Great Lakes.  Individually and as a group.  

Being from the West I admit I never thought about this fact.  Wow!  What an amazing feat of engineering to move cargo.  It would take 584 train cars to move 70,000 tons of cargo or just one 1000 foot freighter like the Mesabi Miner.

 

 

 

Again I am admitting that I am easily amused.

 

 

 

 

 

I spent a great deal of time watching all these workers. I guess they were workers.  I never saw them do anything except run around on these cute little yellow carts. 

I couldn't help but think of the movie "Despicable Me" and the Minions.  Zip zip look at them go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a delicious meal at Karl's Cuisine we did a little shopping.  At this store Walt bought a pair of Minnetonka' shoes made out of moose hide.  He will probably tell people he shot the moose, tanned the hide and sewed the shoes.  Don't believe him.

FUN FUN DAY!

The next day we headed as far north as we could go to Whitefish Point.  We passed through Paradise but we decided it couldn't possibly be Paradise.  There wasn't a Diet Coke on a fountain with ice, a lid and a straw to be found.   Nothing but cans.  It can't be Paradise.

Despite the lack of a Diet Coke we made it to Whitefish Point.   

It is the oldest active light on Lake Superior. It was first lit in 1849.

Whitefish Point is known as the Graveyard of Ships because more vessels have been lost here than in any other part of Lake Superior.

One of the Coast Guard buildings there now houses the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.

Each display in the Museum is devoted to a different shipwreck.  There is a drawing or a photograph of the vessel and artifacts that divers have collected from it and the story of it's fatal voyage is documented to read.

The most predominate story told is of the Edmund Fitzgerald.  They have a short movie about it with the Gordon Lightfoot song "The Edmund Fitzgerald" accompanying and for days it played through my head.

A heartbreaking story that makes you understand how treacherous the water can be.

I love glass and fresnel lens are fascinating.  How an orb of glass lit by a very small light can reflect to be seen for miles is awesome.  I learned that the Whitefish Point light has shown unfailingly for over 160 years except for the night when the Edmund Fitzgerald went down.  On that fateful afternoon the light and the radio beacon at the Point suddenly clicked off.  

Without that beckoning light the Fitzgerald was left to fend for itself in horrible weather conditions.  

You can book a room and stay overnight in the original Crews Quarters building.

We toured the Keepers Dwelling.  It was like a duplex because it was modified in 1894 when a second keeper was added.  It really seemed like comfortable homes for them.

If you paid the extra $4 at the Museum entrance you could climb the 57 steps to get to the light in the cylinder.  I probably could have made the climb but didn't think I could go out on this tiny viewing deck.  Those darn heights. 

They had to man this tower 24/7 to watch for boats, storms, or any activity on the water.  I read a book (The Light Between Oceans) about a light keeper and how every detail needed to be recorded.  What discipline.

We found a bench and sat by the shore for quite awhile.  

That water color show leaves a great memory of another perfect day. 





 

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

What a glorious way to spend the 4th of July.

Munising, MI puts on quite a party for the 4th.  Lots of music, games and food.

I loved this little ferris wheel.  It must have been scary though.  Look at the little boy at the top.  His hair is standing on end.

Our reason for coming to Munising was to go on the Pictured Rocks Cruise.  

Climbed to the top and took the front seat on the boat.  Great view of Lake Superior.  Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes.  It is also the deepest, the coldest and cleanest of them.  It also seems to be the most unforgiving in bad weather.

 

It wasn't long and those promised stunning cliffs came into view.

The water color is ever changing.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is managed by the National Park Service as one of only four national lakeshores.

Pictured Rocks is the site of many waterfalls.

It was a warm and sunny day and there were many kayakers and paddle boarders on the lake. 


The cliffs are made of sandstone filled with different mineral deposits and as moisture seeps through it it leaves amazing colors on the streaked cliffs.

I hope I get all the colors right.  Some I remember from rocks in the Southwest but some are new.

The reds and oranges are from iron.  Blue and green are from copper.  Brown and black are from manganese.  White is from limonite or lime. 

The cliffs tower 50 to 200 feet above the lake. 

 

The cliffs are colorful and impressive.  

The cliffs are full of caves and formations.

By boat is the only way to enjoy these magnificent cliffs.  There were many kinds of boats on the lake.

The tour guide gave names of the formations and I think I have forgotten most but this is remember as Lovers Leap.  It is said that a couple displayed their love for each other by jumping off this together.  No info on the outcome but the guide says the water is only a few feet deep.  

Beautiful both coming and going.

 I took so many photos but then sometimes I would forget because I was so focused on the views.

The cliffs weren't the only thing putting on the show.  The water colors were gorgeous.

The forest of green added to the colors.

This is Grand Portal.  You can see some of the rock that has fallen from it.  

This sheer rock face of grey looked so pretty against the aquamarine water.

This is Chapel Rock.  

There used to be an archway between Chapel Rock and the mainland but it collapsed in the 1940's but the root from the tree growing on top of Chapel Rock is still connected and keeping the tree alive 

Chapel Cove has colorful walls on three sides.

The captain took the boat right in so we were very close up to the walls.

Looking straight up I was amazed to see the turf growing free over the cliff. Hope a hiker doesn't take a step too close. 

The boat was not too crowded.  Very comfortable for all of us to enjoy the natural beauty of Pictured Rocks.

A quick stop at the East Channel Lighthouse.  Constructed in 1868 and removed from service in the early 1900's.  It was restored in the early 2000's and is now owned privately, and the grounds, dwelling and tower are closed.

A last look at Grand Island and our tour came to a close.  A really special 4th of July for us. 

We Made It To The Upper Peninsula

The trip north was filled with water views.

There it is...... Lake Michigan.  We are out of the bay and to the lake.  

Our first stay in the UP was in Germfask, MI.  This was the entrance to the RV Park.

GypsyII backed up to the forest.  I loved looking out the back window to the green trees moving in the breeze.  The trade off is there is no internet, no cell service, no TV and barely any radio.  Our contact with the outside world was when we were off seeing the sights.  

 Germfask is a small town of about 500 on the Manistique River.  The name was derived from the first letter of the last names of the original settlers.  Rearranged the letters and decided Germfask was better than Skarmfeg or Markfegs. Again I am easily amused.

Our first outing was to Seney National Wildlife Refuge.  The fishing must be good because most of the birds spent their time heads down.

Seney National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1935.

It covers 95,238 acres.

The refuge is oriented towards maintaining living space for bird life but turtles, river otters, beavers, moose, black bears and wolves also call it home.  So do bugs and this guy offered to be our guide.

 Stretching for the sunshine.

The 7 mile drive takes you through forest, marsh, swamps, bogs and grasslands.  There are signs along the way to help you see specific things.  You need binoculars to see the nests.  If you don't have your own the visitor center will let you borrow some.

We saw several trumpeter swans. Fun to see them take off to fly.  They need a long runway.

There were not very many people there and it was so quiet and peaceful with only the sound of the birds.

The best sound was a green frog.  It sounds just like one plunk on a banjo string.  

I was so excited to see water iris.  

Remember the saying "Crazy as a loon?"  I am sure that this loon thought the line up of cars on the road (well, really it was only 4)  with people out taking photos of her were the crazy ones.  She was way out on the lake but we were all excited to see her.  Seney National Wildlife Refuge has been successful in an increase in loons and their banding of them has proven that the premise that they mate for life is false.  Common loons are monogamous but if a partner doesn't return she will take a new mate.  We didn't hear that call that sounds like a madman that caused the "Crazy as a loon" saying.  
 

Such a peaceful way to spend a day.

 Germfask has one restaurant and that is where Walt had his first pasty and declared it good. 

 

Every time I go outside GypsyII at the campground I walk over to this tree right behind us.  It is filled with the cutest little tiny green pine cones.  I had to photo it to remember how much I loved it. 

 

A great day was spent at Kitch-iti-kipi.  

Kitch-iti-kipi doesn't mean Enchanted Forest even though that would fit. 

It means Big Spring but the early native Americans called it "Mirror of Heaven."

 

 The Big Spring is 200 feet across and 40 feet deep.  Over 10,000 gallons a minute flow from the fissures in the underlying limestone.  That flow continues throughout the year at a constant 45 degrees so the spring never freezes.   The color is exquisite.

 A covered self operated raft takes you over the water to see down the 45 feet to the bottom. The pool feels secluded, nestled in the cedar woods, and is gorgeously reflective from the shore feet into the crystal clear water.

These two young ladies did all the work for us.

 The raft has a well in the center that gives the most amazing view into the depth of the spring. 

Fat trout swim lazily below.

It is breathtakingly beautiful.  The pool feels secluded, nestled in the cedar woods, and is gorgeously reflective. 

Well worth the trip!

There was time left in the day for a stop at Seul Choix Point Lighthouse on the south shore of Lake Michigan.  Built 1892-1895 and in 1973 was let unmanned with an automated light.

Seul Choix means "only choice" because it was the only safe harbor in this part of the lake.

It is said to be haunted by one of it's old lightkeepers.    It has just been freshly painted and we talked to the gentleman doing the painting.  See those ropes coming down from the railing?  That is how he painted......rapelling his way down.  That would haunt me. 

I made a new friend while I was there.  

What a nice way to finish our day.

 

Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary & Fonferek's Glen

There is more to Green Bay than Lambeau Field.

One of those is Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary.

It is 700 acres of sanctuary and a rehabilitation program. All of the animals have been injured and cannot be released back into the wild. 

You can buy corn to feed the birds but I think these little guys get more than their share.

There are hiking trails and many are paved.

There are pretty views.

Lots of ducks and Canadian geese waiting for that corn.

The air was scented with flowers.  This one looked like a 4th of July firework to me. 

I saw in the Nature Center that they offer the Sanctuary for open-air weddings.  I hope they have an inside alternative.  One thing we have learned is that it can be a beautiful blue sky day one minute and pouring rain the next minute here.  That is why it is so green.

There was no green in the Green Bay today.  The Sanctuary is in Bay Beach Park. 

There is an Amusement Park in the area too. 

So clean and with pretty landscaping.   Green Bay is lucky to have the Bay Beach area.

A lovely country drive one day brought us to Fonferek's Glen.

Fonferek's Glen is a small county park. 

It is only 74 acres but a lot of beauty is packed into it.  A short developed trail takes you from the parking area.

Not long and you get a view of the waterfall. 

The waterfall only has a 30 foot drop but is so pretty nestled in all the trees and bushes.

At the top of the falls you can see how shallow the water is. Frequently it is dry with no falls.   How lucky we were to come at this time. The cliffs beside the hiking trail are very close and there are signs all over that dangerous conditions exist including steep cliffs, falling rock and rugged terrain.

No one has to tell me to stay back!   

 

On the way back to the parking area I noticed this nearby silo.  Evidently this farmer had issues with visitors to the park climbing it so the bottom rungs were removed.  Those climbers are probably the same ones that ignore the danger signs in the park. 

Next door to our RV Park was a golf course.  Just like the farms it is brilliantly green.  With the almost daily rain showers we wonder how often they have to water the course. 

Crispy crust pizza and a very fresh salad bar at Happy Joe's was another reason to enjoy Green Bay but it is time to move on to Michigan. 

Lambeau Field...........Built It And They Came

Our trip north from the Rustic Barn in Kieler, WI to Green Bay, WI took us through more green and clean farms.

By Gosh.....we drove through Oshkosh.

The drive went well and soon we were settled into Applecreek Campground complete with fungi on the trees.  The campground was full of families ready to celebrate Independence Day the next week.

This was what I wanted to see in Green Bay.

 

 Lambeau Field.....home of the Green Bay Packers.

I am not an NFL fan.  I do not have a favorite team.

But I have been a fan of the Green Bay Packers Organization for a long time.

The Green Bay Packers are a publicly owned, non-profit corporation.  Today the NFL does not allow corporate membership. Instead, it requires clubs to be wholly owned either by a single owner, or small group of owners, and requires that at least one owner owns a 1/3 stake in the team. The Packers are granted an exemption to this rule, as they have been a publicly owned corporation since before the rule was in place. The corporation is governed by a seven-member Executive Committee, elected from among the board of directors. The committee directs corporate management, approves major capital expenditures, establishes board policy and monitors management's performance in conducting the business and affairs of the corporation.

My opinion is a fan owned team is the greatest!  It made me grin when we were told that a share of stock is $250 and when they offer sales (they have only offered stock sales 5 times in their history) you are warned:

• You don't get money. What the Packers are offering is Common Stock, which isn't stock as most people understand it. It can't go down, it can't go up, you can't sell it, and you can't cash in. On the front page of their Offering Document the Packers make this distinction quite clear:

COMMON STOCK DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN INVESTMENT IN "STOCK" IN THE COMMON SENSE OF THE TERM. PURCHASERS SHOULD NOT PURCHASE COMMON STOCK WITH THE PURPOSE OF MAKING A PROFIT.

What do you get?    You get a certificate suitable for framing. You get an invite to the annual shareholders meeting. You get "the opportunity to purchase exclusive shareholder merchandise."  You are making a donation to the team without the tax break and if you are a Packer fan you are happy to do it.  No taxes or stadium bonds that other NFL owners are always wanting done under the threat to their cities that they will move their franchise. 

Great statue of Vince Lombardi.  He was coach of the Packers starting in 1959.  He won 5 NFL Championships (including Super Bowls 1 and 2) during his tenure ending in 1967. 

Earl (Curly) Lambeau was a founder, player and first coach of the Green Bay Packers when they started in 1919.

This amazing facility began in 1957 and was originally name City Stadium.  It was rededicated and renamed in 1965 as Lambeau Field after the death of Curly Lambeau. 

We took one of the tours of the facility led by a delightful gentleman named Jack who has been a Green Bay fan for a very long time and can give you more facts about the Stadium, the players and the fan ownership of the team than you would ever begin to remember.  Thank heaven he didn't follow up with the test at the end that he suggested. 

Fun fact.  The yard lines in the atrium line up exactly with the yard lines on the field.  That is when the lines are on the field.  Only painted in a day or two before game day.  

We were taken to one of the large suites to get our first glimpse of the field.  If I remember correctly there are about 200 suites varying in size and location.

As our guide talked and gave statistics all I could think was WOW!

 The Green Bay Packers have had their ups and down and Lambeau Field has gone through several renovations to bring it to the state of the art facility it is today.

The playing surface at Lambeau Field t has a hydronic heating system underneath it, a sand base, synthetic fibers woven into the actual grass (95% real and 5% synthetic) and growing lights above it 24 hours a day during the cold weather. 

 

Between 2001 and the start of the 2003 season, Lambeau Field underwent a massive renovation to make it more fan and player friendly. The main concourse was expanded, a new upper concourse was added with ramps and elevators, and more restrooms were added. In addition, nearly 12,000 seats were added along the top of the stadium. This included club seats and luxury suites. An atrium, known as “Titletown”, was built as part of the new facade of Lambeau Field. This area includes a Packers Hall of Fame and a team store. A new Packers locker room, football operations facility and administrative offices were also constructed. These renovations at Lambeau Field were completed by the start of the 2003 season. The latest expansion project at Lambeau Field was completed by the 2013 season and increased the seating capacity to over 80,000. This expansion added 7,000 seats in four levels in the south endzone and included a rooftop view platform in the north endzone. The $130 million expansion, paid for by the Packers, also included two new HD video/scoreboards.  

Through all the renovations the aluminum bench seats remain.  Two main reasons it seems.  If they replaced with seats it would mean less capacity and there is no way they are going to tell their season ticket holders that they are out of luck because of a reduction of seats.  And it is easier to shovel the snow off the bench seats.  That is an event in itself.  On game days when the seats are buried in snow they put the word out that shovelers are needed.  The line to do so starts early and is long.  They are paid in cash.  Used to be paid by check but no one cashed the checks.  Hung them up on the wall showing they had been paid by the Green Bay Packers.  Caused a bookkeeping nightmare so now they are paid in cash.  

This was Walt's favorite player back then.

The Packers have the longest waiting list for season tickets.  Over 100,000 on the list and the wait is at least 30 years.......probably longer.  You can sign up for a maximum of 4.  Existing season ticket holders can will them to family members as far removed as first cousins.  Divorce cases go by what the judge decrees. 

They have maximized use of Lambeau Field beyond football games.  You can rent anything from suites like this to the whole place. There are concerts, (Billy Joel had just been there) weddings, business meetings, proms, benefits, dinners, and the hundreds of visitors like us taking the tours, dining at their restaurant and shopping at the Pro Shop.  

The Pro Shop is 22, 000 square feet.

I bought a shirt.  Not a Packers shirt.  A Lambeau Field shirt.  Yes, I am a fan.  

Lunch at their restaurant named 1919 for the year the Packers were first organized.  Very good! 

 A last look at the 50 foot replica of the Lombardi trophy and our day at Lambeau was done.  I am still a fan of the organization but now I am a fan of Lambeau Field too.