After a great evening snuggled down in the romantic and remote Eagle River Inn we awoke to skies that had decided to give us a break. The sun had joined us and was urging us to get on the road to see the stuff around the next bend. We spent some time trying to figure out how we were supposed to check out of an Inn that was decidedly "low-key" and finally realized that we'd probably have to do it by e-mail. (Hmmmmm.....) We had checked the internet the night before - thanks to a
spectacularly effective USB internet card we got from Alltel Communications and had learned that we could get breakfast in Copper Harbor way out at the end of the Keweenaw Peninsula. (In case you don't get the significance of our ability to check the internet, most cell phone service does not come close to working in this remote place!!!) So, we got packed up, left our wonderful inn, said goodbye to Eagle River, county seat of Keweenaw County, and pointed
ourselves North once again. The road to Copper Harbor was really beautiful in the early morning sunlight with the fall foliage splashing vivid colors all around us. We reached the town of Copper Harbor and did, indeed, find "The Pines" restaurant open for business and anxious to get us started off on another great travel day.
Our breakfast was excellent - complete with a full cast of "real characters" from the local area!!! Later, we took the time to find the dock where the ferry to Isle Royal State Park departs when running but realized that at this time of the year it was doubtful we could get there safely. The park is a huge island - forty-five miles long and nine miles wide - way out in Lake Superior and is the beautiful home to a large pack of Timber Wolves - which Linda was hoping to see. In addition there is a considerable herd of moose and a number of other animal species whose numbers are difficult to determine since they can so easily travel back and forth to the Canadian mainland during the winter when the lake surface is frozen. The land behind Copper Harbor rises to a peak hundreds of feet high and there are a number of spots that offer breathtaking views of the lake and the surrounding countryside. In fact we were absolutely stunned when we found that at one spot we were 726 feet above the surface of the lake but we were also 1328 feet above SEA LEVEL!!! We'll add a few pictures we took there and hope they convey even a fraction of the beauty of this enjoyable place. It seemed such a peaceful and idyllic site to us but we were fully aware of the ore mining and shipping operations that have been such a vital part of the local
economy since the 1840s. Now .... think about this extraordinarily remote place - even in today's times. What it would have been like in 1843 when the Lake Superior Copper Company started their mining
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| Eagle River Falls |
operation here? Got it??? Well, then, I guess you can fully understand that only seven years later, the Knivel Brewery opened a thriving business serving the German, Cornish, Irish and Prussian immigrants settling here. (I get it!!) The scenery and the history are definitely alluring here but we've got lots of things to see and do so we got back on the road South - heading down the peninsula. Now
remember, we got up here in the middle of a driving rainstorm. Going back in sunny skies, with a lot less pressure to make good time, we had a chance to notice where we were. We were startled to see our old friend, "US-41" had joined us again and we took a look at where it would take us. Imagine our surprise when we found that we were actually at the "starting
point" of this fabled roadway!!! On a whim we got Maggie to check the map and found that it extends almost exactly 2,000 miles from Copper Harbor to Miami, crossing the states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and, ultimately, Florida!! Wow!!! And - it was made further poignant by the fact that at the terminal point of the highway in Miami, it "dead-ends" into US-1. As you may know, that august roadway runs from Maine to Key West, Florida (right off Duvall Street) and also runs within a stone's throw
of our beautiful Ridgeway!!!!! It is a small world isn't it?? But - while I was doing the 'geographic musing' my co-pilots were reminding me that we had a long way to go before our next overnight stop. And - shortly we saw that we would leave US-41 and fork right onto US-45. So we dropped off of the Keweenaw in high gear and headed West. As we reached the mainland we noticed that we would soon be re-entering Wisconsin (?) and that we were close to a "Welcome Center." Being the age we are, we rarely pass up a Welcome Center but this one had an added attraction - an enormous statue of
a native American (and a bear) in the yard. We stopped at the center and were introduced to two of the most engaging and impressive characters we met on our trip. The guys who were manning the welcome center were long-time Yuppers and loved their frosty northern habitat. They were only too happy to tell us the history of the statue we were curious about. Turns out this old fellow, who goes by the name of Nee-Gaw-Nee-Gaw-Bow, resides in the small town of Wakefield, Michigan and was carved by a fellow who was born in Hungary by the name of Peter Toth. As a young artist, Mr. Toth decided that it was his mission in life to make sure that the Native American and Aboriginal Canadian people were never taken for granted. (Think back on Father Baraga's epiphany.) He came to the United States and set out to carve statues of notable Native Americans in every one of the fifty states in what he would eventually describe as "The Trail of Whispering Giants." He completed his U. S. quest (South Carolina was #23), added many statues throughout Canada and has sculpted memorials in many European locations. This young man (hey, he's four years younger than I am!!) has made a contribution to our countries - U. S. and Canada - and our histories (all of us, worldwide!!) that cannot be calculated. He has reminded us of our common brotherhood and how we are so very inter-connected. That's a great note to end this post on - but - we're still on the road so get back here quickly so we can bring you up-to-date. See ya.
spectacularly effective USB internet card we got from Alltel Communications and had learned that we could get breakfast in Copper Harbor way out at the end of the Keweenaw Peninsula. (In case you don't get the significance of our ability to check the internet, most cell phone service does not come close to working in this remote place!!!) So, we got packed up, left our wonderful inn, said goodbye to Eagle River, county seat of Keweenaw County, and pointed
ourselves North once again. The road to Copper Harbor was really beautiful in the early morning sunlight with the fall foliage splashing vivid colors all around us. We reached the town of Copper Harbor and did, indeed, find "The Pines" restaurant open for business and anxious to get us started off on another great travel day. 
Our breakfast was excellent - complete with a full cast of "real characters" from the local area!!! Later, we took the time to find the dock where the ferry to Isle Royal State Park departs when running but realized that at this time of the year it was doubtful we could get there safely. The park is a huge island - forty-five miles long and nine miles wide - way out in Lake Superior and is the beautiful home to a large pack of Timber Wolves - which Linda was hoping to see. In addition there is a considerable herd of moose and a number of other animal species whose numbers are difficult to determine since they can so easily travel back and forth to the Canadian mainland during the winter when the lake surface is frozen. The land behind Copper Harbor rises to a peak hundreds of feet high and there are a number of spots that offer breathtaking views of the lake and the surrounding countryside. In fact we were absolutely stunned when we found that at one spot we were 726 feet above the surface of the lake but we were also 1328 feet above SEA LEVEL!!! We'll add a few pictures we took there and hope they convey even a fraction of the beauty of this enjoyable place. It seemed such a peaceful and idyllic site to us but we were fully aware of the ore mining and shipping operations that have been such a vital part of the local 
economy since the 1840s. Now .... think about this extraordinarily remote place - even in today's times. What it would have been like in 1843 when the Lake Superior Copper Company started their mining
remember, we got up here in the middle of a driving rainstorm. Going back in sunny skies, with a lot less pressure to make good time, we had a chance to notice where we were. We were startled to see our old friend, "US-41" had joined us again and we took a look at where it would take us. Imagine our surprise when we found that we were actually at the "starting point" of this fabled roadway!!! On a whim we got Maggie to check the map and found that it extends almost exactly 2,000 miles from Copper Harbor to Miami, crossing the states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and, ultimately, Florida!! Wow!!! And - it was made further poignant by the fact that at the terminal point of the highway in Miami, it "dead-ends" into US-1. As you may know, that august roadway runs from Maine to Key West, Florida (right off Duvall Street) and also runs within a stone's throw 
of our beautiful Ridgeway!!!!! It is a small world isn't it?? But - while I was doing the 'geographic musing' my co-pilots were reminding me that we had a long way to go before our next overnight stop. And - shortly we saw that we would leave US-41 and fork right onto US-45. So we dropped off of the Keweenaw in high gear and headed West. As we reached the mainland we noticed that we would soon be re-entering Wisconsin (?) and that we were close to a "Welcome Center." Being the age we are, we rarely pass up a Welcome Center but this one had an added attraction - an enormous statue of
a native American (and a bear) in the yard. We stopped at the center and were introduced to two of the most engaging and impressive characters we met on our trip. The guys who were manning the welcome center were long-time Yuppers and loved their frosty northern habitat. They were only too happy to tell us the history of the statue we were curious about. Turns out this old fellow, who goes by the name of Nee-Gaw-Nee-Gaw-Bow, resides in the small town of Wakefield, Michigan and was carved by a fellow who was born in Hungary by the name of Peter Toth. As a young artist, Mr. Toth decided that it was his mission in life to make sure that the Native American and Aboriginal Canadian people were never taken for granted. (Think back on Father Baraga's epiphany.) He came to the United States and set out to carve statues of notable Native Americans in every one of the fifty states in what he would eventually describe as "The Trail of Whispering Giants." He completed his U. S. quest (South Carolina was #23), added many statues throughout Canada and has sculpted memorials in many European locations. This young man (hey, he's four years younger than I am!!) has made a contribution to our countries - U. S. and Canada - and our histories (all of us, worldwide!!) that cannot be calculated. He has reminded us of our common brotherhood and how we are so very inter-connected. That's a great note to end this post on - but - we're still on the road so get back here quickly so we can bring you up-to-date. See ya.
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