We’re home and in the process of catching up on home stuff. I’m working on picking and processing my 6600+ photos, so while I do that I’ll just randomly post ones I find interesting. Eventually I will have them in a more cohesive order.
These are two very similar photos from two churches in two different places, but I thought they would make a nice pairing.
Why not, indeed.
On our way back from Michigan we stopped by Georgetown, Kentucky to visit our friends (and travel agents) Brent & Jo Anne. Brent arranged for us to visit and tour the Woodford Reserve Distillery in nearby Versailles (verSALES).
We’d been before, but love visiting there because the facility is beautiful and the bourbon is very good. Visiting with friends always makes it more fun, and we had a good time with Brent & Jo Anne before heading back toward home.
By the time you read this, Kathy & I will be sailing across the Atlantic on our latest adventure. Replied to comments may be a little more delayed than usual, but stay tuned for Postcards!
On our way south from Michigan we stopped in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin to visit our friends Jeff & Mary Pat. We needed to kill some time one afternoon when we remembered that we had previously tried to visit the Yerkes Observatory in nearby Williams Bay.
We tried to visit the observatory in October 2019 (Blog Post) but discovered that it had been closed and was not permitting visitors. We talked at length with the caretaker, who had been outside mowing the lawn. He explained that the observatory was in the process of being transferred to a private foundation and the goal was to re-open to the public sometime in the coming years.
We were pleased to discover that the observatory in now in the hands of The Yerkes Future Foundation. It remains a working observatory, and the only way to visit is by booking a tour, so that’s what we did.
Yerkes Observatory has a long history of discovery and has been visited by famous scientists and astronomers over the years, including Albert Einstein, Edwin Hubble, Nancy Grace Roman, Gerard Kuiper, Mary Calvert, E.E. Barnard, Richard Kron, Carl Sagan and many more. The Yerkes 40-inch Great Refractor Telescope was the largest refracting-type telescope in the world when it was dedicated in 1897 (40 inches refers to the size of the main lens element). The telescope is 63 feet long, weighs 12,000 pounds and is so delicately balanced that it can be moved by hand.
The library/storage area contains hundreds of books on astronomy and astrophysics, along with an interesting array of old equipment, including cameras and enlargers. We even got to see some old slides that were made before digital imaging became the standard.
The foundation has done a beautiful job restoring the facility and does a nice tour. We even got to see the dome rotated and the floor raised, which is one of the way to access the eyepiece of the telescope!
The Keweenaw Peninsula was once a thriving copper mining location, and abandoned mines and mining equipment dot the countryside. One of the things I wanted to see was the remains of Quincy Dredge Number Two. It’s not easy (or probably legal) to get close to the dredge, so I made do with a few photos from the road.
But across the road from where the dredge lies is the remains of the Quincy Mining Company Stamp Mill #1. It looked interesting so we pulled into the parking area to take a look around.
The building is a bit creepy and probably (mostly?) quite safe, but I didn’t venture more than a few feet in. The graffiti and trash made for an interesting scene, reminiscent of some of the abandoned building we saw across Route 66 a few years ago.
It was late and we had a dinner reservation at a nice restaurant, so duty called and I only got a few representative photos.
Even though we’ve never owned a boat nor had the desire for one, Kathy & I rarely pass up an opportunity for a cruise. We took a harbor/river cruise in Port Huron, and technically took a ferry cruise to Mackinac Island, so why not one more?
When we first started making plans for our Keweenaw Peninsula trip we intended to try and do a day trip to Isle Royale National Park. As the name suggests, the park sits on an island in Lake Superior, actually closer to Canada than the US, but it is readily accessible from both sides of the lake.
Unfortunately we waited too long to make arrangements for a day trip to the island. There is only one ferry service that offers the chance of a day trip and it was already full. Alternatives would have required an overnight stay, but that’s not what we were looking for. It’s also possible to take a float plane out and back, but that is quite costly, especially just for a few hours.
The National Park Service operates a visitor center in Houghton, where we were staying. From the visitor center the NPS operates the Ranger III boat, carrying passengers and their gear to Isle Royale and back several days a week. In summer, they also offer cruises on the Portage Canal, the “river” that runs between Lake Superior and Keweenaw Bay. So we booked a cruise on the Ranger III and enjoyed a little more time on the water, learning about the history of the region and the role that the canal has played in the local economy over the years.
Kathy & I had talked for several years about getting to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to see the Soo Locks. We finally had a chance to visit in July on our swing through Michigan.
There is a really nice visitor center along the canal with a two story observation platform to watch the ship traffic – everything from small pleasure boats to huge freighters. The highlight of our visit was a boat cruise on the St. Mary’s River which took us through the locks and back.
The Canadian side of the river on the west side of the locks is home to a number of industrial plants that process various ores used in the production of steel. It was interesting to see the contrast with the cityscape on the east side.
There wasn’t a lot to see in the city itself, but we stayed in a little motel right across the street from the canal. There was a decent little restaurant for breakfast and dinner, so we had everything we needed within walking distance. It was a nice visit and we’re glad we took the time to go!
When going through my Mackinac photos I realized that I had assembled a small collection of what I call “detaily” photos. Small bits of stuff that are often overlooked in a scene. This is just an example from one place. I do it all the time but don’t usually post it as subject matter. Hmmm…. 😉
We hadn’t originally intended to have extra time in St. Ignace, but a small schedule change allowed us a chance to visit Mackinac Island before heading just an hour up the road to Sault Ste. Marie. We made the best of the opportunity by booking a ferry trip to the island, exploring Fort Mackinac and visiting the Grand Hotel.
The town is extremely touristy, but it is quite picturesque and there are plenty of people watching opportunities. Getting to the fort requires a bit of a climb, but once there the views were worth it and it was quite interesting.
We retreated to the Pink Pony restaurant for lunch and to cool off. We had been debating whether to walk over to the Grand Hotel and had almost decided not to. But our helpful waiter asked us if we had been, then proceeded to convince us that we should make the effort. Then he told us about the “Secret Garden” that offers beautiful flowers and a nice view of the house. It wasn’t completely secret, but there were way fewer people there than there were up at the house.
We didn’t take the time or spend the money to go inside the house, but we did enjoy the classic views from outside. And I found the official Picture Spot so I could be sure to properly document our visit!
After our time in St. Clair, we made our way toward the Upper Peninsula, stopping for a night in St. Ignace. We learned the correct pronunciation – IGness, not igNACE – and managed to get it right and not embarrass ourselves. 😉
We were only there for a few hours, but managed to get a few photos of the marina and the lighthouse.
We learned on a previous visit that when visiting the U.P. having a Pasty is kind of a requirement. I managed to have a Breakfast Pasty at Bentley’s Cafe.
The conditions finally aligned so that I was able to capture a bit of color here in NC. Nothing that will win any prizes, but it works for me!
Technically I didn’t see the aurora, but my camera did…. 😉