Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore MI

Aug 17, 2012 Fri
Spending a couple of nights in Traverse City MI
Laundry – check
Truck washed – check
Took a side trip to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore today after I completed a couple chores.  I drove the scenic drive through the park and played “tourist with a camera”.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Lake Michigan

Glen Lake MI

45th Parallel Sign MI

Seney National Wildlife Refuge MI

Aug 15, 2012 Wed
Today I visited the Seney National Wildlife Refuge. I had a wonderful day driving the 10+ miles of auto tour routes in the park. This was my first time observing Trumpeter Swans and the Common Loons in the wild. The swans are so majestic. The Seney NWR was created to protect these two birds and provide a breeding habitat for them. I thought I would find the beginning of the warbler southern migration, but I think I’m just a little early. I did see a yellow, a golden-winged, and pine warbler, but alas, no photos.

Seney National Wildlife Refuge

Trumpeter Swan with Young

Trumpeter Swans

Trumpeter Swan

Common Loon

Common Loon With Young

Common Loon Young

Beaver

Beaver Hutch

Spider Web With Dew Drops

Indian Lake State Park MI

Aug 14, 2012 Wed
So I left the lovely little park on Lake Superior and headed east. I stopped at a Michigan Welcome Center and after explaining my travel plans and interests to the young woman behind the counter she suggested I check out Indian Lake State Park and Seney National Wildlife Refuge. So off I went. Indian Lake SP campground is a well maintained campground with a decent amount of space between sites. All sites have electrical hookups.

Indian Lake State Park Michigan's Upper Penninsula

Sunset on Indian Lake MI

Manisitque Lighthouse Michigan's Upper Penninsula

Saxon Harbor - Iron County - Boat Harbor and RV Park

Aug 13, 2012 Mon

I made it out of Minnesota and across Wisconsin today. The people up here have an interesting accent. I was just minutes away from the Michigan border when I saw a sign that said “County Park and Camping”. The arrow pointed toward Lake Superior. I drove 5 miles down one of those county roads with no line in the middle. I came to a small but pleasant park. This turned out to be Saxon Harbor, Iron County, Boat Harbor and RV Park. Such a big name for such a little park.  The park included a boat harbor, a sandy swimming beach with a dozen or so people lounging on the beach and playing in the water, and a rock beach where, I was told, you could find agates. I probably walked right over dozens of agates. Where’s Sandy Tuet when you need her? It was a calm day on Lake Superior. The waves could be measured in inches. I walked the beach for a while and watched people feeding the Ring-billed Gulls. Then I returned to the trailer, with not one agate, and was having a quiet dinner when all of a sudden I heard someone singing Margaritaville to a Kareoke machine. The gentleman singing actually had a rather pleasant voice. It seems there is a family from the area that has a tradition of meeting and singing at this campground every year. The family was very friendly and even invited me to sing. I assured them they wanted no part of me singing and then discovered part of the family was not really as good as the first gentleman – not even close.

A couple of the women wanted a tour of my trailer and also wanted to know all about my travels. I keep getting the same reaction where ever I tell my story. “I would love to do that. I dream about doing that. Someday - maybe.”  I keep telling them that I used to say the same things and here I am.
I was purchasing a map in a convenience store a while back and I said to the lady behind the counter that it’s always good to know where you are going. She replied that might not always be true. I said to her  “then maybe you should change your direction”. She smiled. I guess that was a bit presumptive on my part, but I just couldn’t help myself.

Lake Superior

Saxon Harbor - Iron County - Boat Harbor and RV Park

Headwaters of the Mississippi River

Aug 12, 2012 Sun

This is my last night at Itasca State Park in Minnesota. This park has been on my bucket list for a long time. I grew up on the banks of the Mississippi River in a small town in MO. I’ve always wanted to see were all that water comes from. Well I found out it really starts out as a small trickle over some rocks flowing out of Lake Itasca. Someday maybe I’ll follow it all the way to New Orleans to see how wide it gets at different locations.

On July 2, 2012 a storm with winds of 80 mph toppled many trees in the park. I saw trees that were snapped like match sticks all over the park. I’ve included a couple of photos. It must have been a very scary time to be here. One of the toppled trees was right next to my camp site.
The park was established in 1891. It is Minnesota’s oldest state park. Today the park totals more than 32,000 acres and includes more than 100 lakes.

It has barely reached 70 deg the whole time I’ve been here. That sure is a pleasant contrast to the 100+ deg’s almost every day I was in MO waiting for my truck repairs to be completed.

While I was in the area, I took a side trip to Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. I saw a few trumpeter swans and ducks, but not the amount of birds I was hoping for. I’ve seen a few loons on the lakes here in the park, but only from quite a distance. I’ll be continuing my journey to the northeast in the morning.

The Mighty Mississippi River becgin with a trickle in the fog

Had to get here at dawn to get a photo without dozens of people walking across the Mississippi

Caretaker Woman
In Ojibwe culture it is believed that women are the caretakers of the water. The turtles represent universal cycles of life to the Ojibwe

Tree Damage 1

This was right next to my trailer. Glad I wasn't here during the storm.

Tree Damage 3



Elk Lake empties into Lake Itasca

Tour Boat on Lake Itasca

Hey the magic bus is in the campground

On The Road Again

Aug 6, 2012 Mon
As Willie says “On The Road Again”. After making a stop at the tire shop and swapping a couple of tires on the trailer I hit the road. Made it as far as Wakonda SP in MO. It was a nice park, with a beach volleyball area. Lots of bugs. I had electric hookups and picked up NBC out of Quincy IL so I stayed in and watched the Olympics. I think electric and TV might be on my priority list until the Olympics are over.
Tuesday I made it to Waterloo IA with a stop at the Iowa information center in Burlington. Spending the evening watching Olympics.

While waiting for the body work on my truck to be completed.

Aug 3, 2012 Fri

I picked up my truck from the body shop just as it was getting dark. The front end looks great. I had them change the oil as it was overdue. Good to have the truck back.
It was over 100 deg F almost every day I was in MO so I didn’t do much outdoor activity.
My niece and I made a trip to Confluence SP. This is where the Mississippi and Missouri rivers meet. Here are a few images I managed to capture.



Ruby-throated Hummingbird in the Rain

Marie throwing rocks. The rock leaving the right hand is going into the Mississippi River. The rock leaving the left hand is going into the Missouri River.

The top of the pole is where the water level was in the 1993 flood.

Mural on a building in Alton IL

Restored Texaco Station in DeSoto MO
The old car clubs love it

Pirate Ship Gypsy Rose on the Mississippi River at Alton IL