Woke up around 2am this morning, just couldn’t sleep. As I looked out the window there it was, a bright green flowing sky, the Aurora.
’til next time
Laters
Ed
Category: Michigan
Autumn Trip To The Keweenaw – Part One
We had this trip planned for quite some time, looking forward to it more and more as the days grew closer. I haven’t been to the Keweenaw, in Summer, in many years and what a better time than Autumn. We left Thursday September 27th headed for Copper Harbor to stay at Lake Fanny Hooe Resort for 5 days and arrive back home on October 1st. I have 367 photo picks out of the 1,369 shots taken, so needless to say, not all photos will be in this post, in fact, only a few.
Map…
The colour through the UP was amazing, some locations not much, but most areas were just about at peak. The town of Copper Harbor didn’t have much colour, but all around there was.
Day one:
We headed north. 🙂 Stopping in Munising at a small beach I always stop at Furnace Bay looking out to Lake Superior.
After resting there a bit, we drove on stopping in Alberta to take photos of the great Autumn colours in a pond. Short Wiki read about Alberta and Henry Ford.
From here, on to Copper Harbor.
Here is a view of the town.
We, I, had to continue up Brockway Mountain. Here is one of the many shots from up there.
This is the Copper Harbor Lighthouse
Day Two:
First full day in the Keweenaw we headed out to High Rock Bay. On the way stopping at Horseshoe Harbor. Horseshoe Harbor has some great stuff, some of the oldest exposed bedrock on the planet at more than a billion years old. This bedrock is part of the oldest and largest lava flow known on Earth. This volcanic activity produced the only place on Earth where large scale economically recoverable 97 percent pure native copper is found.
Also found in Horseshoe Harbor are petroglyphs. These petroglyphs are verified to date back to 1640 BC. We found this one that is a Bear, but there are others we didn’t find or look hard enough for. It is said that Lake Superior was hundreds of feet higher then, so the location was then at the shore line.
I’ve found many links to these petroglyphs, but here is one, very interesting read…
http://
On the road again, on to High Rock Bay.
Met some nice people out there that were staying at a bear camp, it’s bear season. I should say, all the people we met up in the Keweenaw were nice, all of em, and I lost count how many had lived or born in Alaska. The UP of Michigan isn’t called Alaska junior for no reason.
Gull Rock Lighthouse.
This is 2 1/2 miles out from the farthest point on the Keweenaw. The land seen behind the lighthouse is Manitou Island, the lighthouse it self sits on just a small bit of rock.
This shot shows just how far out the lighthouse is.
Freighter passing High Rock Bay
From High Rock we headed down the shore to the Keweenaw Rocket Range.
Great read and some great old photos here – Info about the range
After relaxing along the beach for a bit, the excitement began.
We decided to get heading out, but as we stood up the gather our things, there it was…
a Wolf!
There were two wolves, but one ran off into the woods while the other walked slowly and even stopped to have a look at us. We were only about 160 feet away. I got a bunch of photos, but I was shaking so much from the excitement, they didn’t turn out that great.
Here is one of the shots I got, more later.
We then went back and got the Jeep and headed back to Copper Harbor.
One hell of a day!
To be continued…
’til next time
Laters
Ed
Lake Effect Weather
This past week we’ve been getting some badly need rain, too late for the farmers, but still needed. The flow of the weather has changed in a snap from summer to autumn with lake effect rain and graupel (precipitation that forms when supercooled droplets of water are collected and freeze on a falling snowflake). Temps have ranged from the middle 50’s for highs and as low as 29° for lows. The clouds have changed over to autumn / winter clouds hanging low in the sky. With that I will pass you off to some photos.
Northern Hairrer
Deer dashing across our field
Sort of a stormy Sunrise
We’ve had some great rainbows lately
’tis next time
Laters
Ed
Sandhill Cranes
The cranes are really gathering in large flocks getting ready for their long flight south.
This was a group of well over 50, but I was only to capture 30 or so in the photo.
And just a bit later, the sunset.
’til next time
Laters
Ed
Random Things
Just a few random photos.
American Kestrel
Bit’o’Colour
Deer Leaping
Crows, lots of them.
Red Tailed Hawk Soaring Way Over Head
American Kestrel
European Starling – Winter Plumage
Butterfly at the Hummingbird Feeder
And to finish off…
Moon Through Clouds During Daylight
til next time
Laters
Ed
Blue Moon and a couple others
Second full Moon of the month. This wont happen again until summer of 2015.
An old homestead around the corner from us.
Late Purple Aster
And, a couple more Hummingbird shots.
Sticking his tongue out at me.
And one more… Gathering Geese for the flight south.
Til next time
Laters
Ed
Hummers and Sunset
Couple shots of Ruby-throated Humming Bird.
With the activity at the feeder, I think the hummers are getting ready to head south.
What? You lookin’ at me?
Sunset the other night. Just amazing colours.
p.s.
I’m going to try and post more often, and with something to say, I have some bitching to do. 😛
’til next time
Laters
Ed
Clouds and a Hummer
