Down with the Trolls, Up with the Flatlanders

Down with the Trolls, Up with the Flatlanders
Sleeping Bear and her Cubs, Ojibwa Indians tell of a mother bear with two cubs on Lake Michigan’s far shore, forced into the lake by a forest fire, they tried to swim across, but the cubs tired and drowned just short of shore. The saddened mother climbed a high bluff turned, and laid down to watch for her cubs. Manitou, the Great Spirit took pity and reclaimed the cubs, transforming them into Manitou Islands. He saved the mother as the Sleeping Bear, still watching her cubs.
This is the story of Sleeping Bear and the islands off shore, it is hard to fathom that this is a lake, being from the West Coast, I see ocean, salt water.
I head out on a day of discovery, first breakfast at the Crystal Café, locals eat here, its just pass Benzonia on Rt. 31 then back out Rt. 31N to Traverse City, take Rt. 37, then out to Old Mission Lighthouse, yet this sweet little peninsula possesses great fruits, grapes, apricots, plums, peaches, a paradise of views and food and wine, just at the 45 parallel, like home(Oregon) and France, great grapes are grown on this line, then up Rt.22 to Northport, summer homes, orchards, and more vineyards, even Heirloom cherries, Northport, and 12th annual dog parade, then Cat Head Point, then back down on Rt.22S to Sleeping Bear Dunes for walks and views, and exploring.

“Walk on my Brother, your road has not ended, lay down your weary head, you have traveled long enough”, words from Greg Klyma.
61.1 mpg/ 234.1 miles traveled
Heading to the Upper Peninsula, folks down state, get a special look in their eyes when talking about heading north.
Gas at $3.11 now, take Rt. 31N to Traverse City, make a right at the bay, pass Baby Red’s BBQ, the Blue Goat for Beers and wines, huge selection here, up Grand Traverse Bay, pass sunflower fields, signs for homemade pies, beautiful valleys, Skate’s getting great gas mileage, we switched to synthetic oil, we are getting like 70.2mpg right now, don’t miss Murdick’s Fudge, and what’s with Jerry Springer on Air America, first time that I have listened in a long while, Jerry Springer? Up to Petoskey, inland to Pellston ‘The Ice Box of the Nation’ gets extremely cold here, good I see only sunshine, me the wimpy tourist.
North on Rt31 to I-75 to cross the bridge at Mackinaw City, no firewood allowed upstate, the Emerald Ash Borer, an escaped species, and I was packing a nice bundle, too.
The Flatlanders (upstate) or Yuppers call the folks Down State: Trolls, because they live under the bridge, look at the map.
Six miles of Interstate, then Rt. 123 to Paradise, a Wild Blueberry Festival Aug. 17th-18th, make a left turn to Tahquamenon Falls to camp some, have a nice fire, drink beer and read a book.
Bell’s Two Headed Ale, American hops, floral, hoppy, well suited for a Hemingway-esque experience in the UP.
69.3 mpg/ 220.9 miles traveled
Starting the day exploring the smaller falls at the park, then off to Whitefish Point, then back though Paradise, then north on Rt.123N to The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum on Lake Superior “Though its waters are fresh and crystal clear, Superior is a sea” French explorers labeled it “Superieur”, a fitting name for the largest body of fresh water in the world. Its clear blur waters and sheer rock coast line have inspired awe and admiration in this wildness.
Lake Superior. Deceivingly beautiful, yet the big lake's unrelenting fury has earned her the reputation of being the most treacherous of the Great Lakes. Throughout the museum gallery visitors see dramatic shipwreck legends come to life. Artifacts and exhibits tell stories of sailors and ships who braved the waters of Superior and those who were lost to her menacing waves. The bell of the famous Edmund Fitzgerald is displayed in the museum as a memorial to her lost crew. Whitefish Point marks the critical turning point for all ships entering or leaving the lake. The waters that extend west from Whitefish Point along the 80-mile stretch of rugged shoreline have earned the ominous title, "Lake Superior's Shipwreck Coast”.
The legend of the Edmund Fitzgerald remains the most mysterious and controversial of all shipwreck tales heard around the Great Lakes. Her story is surpassed in books, film and media only by that of the Titanic. Canadian folksinger Gordon Lightfoot inspired popular interest in this vessel with his 1976 ballad, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."
The Edmund Fitzgerald was lost with her entire crew of 29 men on Lake Superior November 10, 1975, 17 miles north-northwest of Whitefish Point, Michigan. Whitefish Point is the site of the Whitefish Point Light Station and Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS) has conducted three underwater expeditions to the wreck, 1989, 1994, and 1995.
At the request of family members surviving her crew, Fitzgerald's 200 lb. bronze bell was recovered by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society on July 4, 1995. This expedition was conducted jointly with the National Geographic Society, Canadian Navy, Sony Corporation, and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. The bell is now on display in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum as a memorial to her lost crew. The film about the Fitzgerald was so riveting and moving, we pay respect to those men doing their work, and honor their commitment.
This magnificent lake still whispers its stories of human history…Indian Settlers and French explorers…of Miners, Traders, Lumberman, and here at Whitefish Point, tales of men and women who braved her cold deep violent raging storms.
Back to the Big Falls, Tahquamenon Falls State Park encompasses close to 40,000 acres stretching over 13 miles. Most of this is undeveloped woodland without roads, buildings or power lines. Centerpiece of the park, and the very reason for its existence, is the Tahquamenon River with its waterfalls.
The Upper Falls is one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi. It has a drop of nearly 50 feet and is more than 200 feet across. A maximum flow of more than 50,000 gallons of water per second has been recorded cascading over its precipice. Very nice, the sound of the falls as you hike in, in the distance, draws one closer and closer. Magic fills the air, the mist in your face, with quiet respect, Mother Nature is all around these woods.
To finish the day, there is a Micro-brewery right on the premise, the Tahquamenon Falls Brewery with Porcupine Pale Ale, Lumberjack Lager, Black Bear Stout and Raspberry ale, all very good, full, the Stout was the only beer I thought could be improved on, open year round the summer folks, snowmobiles in the Winter and Fall folks looking at the Autumn Colors, also the Jilberts Dairy is serving fresh dipped ice cream cones, too.
64.3 mpg/56.7 miles traveled