Back in the USA

Hi Ziggie-Zags! Well, today we lived up to the group name, but wait, getting ahead of myself. The day began with a chat with a man from Texas, who like me, was ready before his travel companion. He'd been quite hot under the collar when checking in last night, according to Barb. I said good morning, more or less to see if he was a curmudgeon or merely road tired. Actually, turns out it was a combination of fatigue and lack of familiarity with Canada==kilometers, gas by the litre, difference between American dollar and Canadian dollar. He and his wife had taken the loop up to Thunder Bay and back and it was desolate, they almost ran out of gas because there were no stations and he'd had a long day. They had been on the road from Texas for three weeks and he was ready to go home to his recliner and TV, to quote him. Turns out to have been really a nice man. Going to Macinack to golf--back in the USA--lol In the meantime, we had to figure out how far we were going in Michigan today and where there are our motels on the UP. I got talking to the woman manager in the business office. Chatted about the UP and Bill and my experience 10 years ago in January--the snow a foot deep or more and snow storms all the way. Told her about Bingo's in Wakefield but will save that story for tomorrow when I hope I'll have a current picture of Bingos. Anyway, she suggested that we stay in Marquette and zig and zag out to Whitefish Point, down to Newberry, back up to Grand Marais and over to Musining thence to Marquette. She said you are on vacation this time, in nice weather, why not see some of the sites--especially Lake Superior. Barb and I decided that since Marquette was only 3 hours away if we went straight to it, why not enjoy the weather. So I made reservations at the Econolodge on the shores of Lake Superior and off we went. The first order of business was to get over the junction of Huron and Superior and the Soo Locks--a double golden bridge that I'd totally erased from my memory banks--I know we crossed a bridge but really didn't remember how long or high it was. So, silently praying and trying not to stiffen completely into immobility, I stared straight ahead, only briefly slanting my eyes sideways, but not my head and took pictures. Made it across safely, spoke to the young lady Customs' Inspector who asked if we were sisters and said we looked alike. I can't see it. Only asked if we bought anything in Canada--a scarf, a bracelet, postcards. And then we were home. Took I75 south 8 miles and then picked up M28 that goes all the way across the UP to Wisconsin and beyond. Got gas at Brimley where the gas pump recorded .01 gallons and .03 cents and died. Barb asked the fellow using the other pump how to get it working. He came over and said it's dead. Barb asked if his pump was more modern to which he replied, straight-faced, this is the UP, this is as modern as it gets. Barb was ready to go back to Canada where you have to tell the pump how much you are buying before pumping with the only options being $20,$40 or $60. Kind of hard to decide when the gas is sold by the liter not the gallon and you can't figure out how much you get for $20! Bet that was another aggravation for my friend from Texas. But gas up we did and continued on the Strongs which is the Bear Capital of Michigan and the home of what was the only gas station 10 years ago on this pretty desolate stretch of road. Back then, we were the only car on the road and there were snowmobiles everywhere--you should see the trails throughout the area. We pulled in and I stayed in the car. Bill came out and said you've got to come in here and see this place. OMG--a sporting good and winter wear section, a grocery section, stuffed animal heads all along the ceiling, dimly lit and several guys sitting at a table having breakfast and a bar--liquor bar--off in a darkened corner. More than a general store. I made Barb stop so I could show it to her. First of all--no gas--all out. The animal heads and traps and guns ect are gone as are the woolen clothes. The groceries are in a small corner and the bar is all spiffed up and bigger with lovely long varnished tables around and nice tile floor, replacing the worn, squeaky wood of yesteryear. New fluorescent lighting. Across the street another bar and several motels. Kind of sad--the character is gone. Well, shortly after that we made our first zag north to the shores of Lake Superior and the Shipwreck Museum on Whitefish Point. A 15 minute movie about the loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald the largest ore carrying freighter on the Lake in 1975. It sank after getting hit by a sudden snow storm in November. The ship following behind was in radio contact with her and she was in trouble--when the storm cleared she was no where to be seen. 29 men went down with her and it was heart-rending to hear some of the relatives speak. One man in particular almost brought me to tears. His brother, a crewman, called him the night before he was to report for duty in Nam. His brother told him that if anything happened to him while there, he the Fitz crewman would go to Nam and find him and bring him home. Well, the younger man survived Nam but the older one went down with the Fitz. The younger man, now in his late 60's said I tried for years to get him from the ship and bring him home, but it cannot be done and I'm as close as I can get. They went down and got the ship's bell; it is in the museum. In its place on the sunken ship was put a new bell with the ship's name and the name of every member of the lost crew. The grave of the men rests over 500 feet down and on it rests this new ship's bell--here it serves as the memorial for the disaster. As we left the theatre I noticed a box of tissues had been placed on the bench near the exit--several people took a couple and I heard one woman behind me tell her husband that she knew she hadn't brought enough tissues. While truly sad, the horror of the waves and chaos of the churning ship and the terror of the men had me too tense to even be able to cry. The museum is small but thorough in its story of the various sunken ships--many of which were lost off Whitefish Point. Most of them the result of human error--poor navigation in fog, excessive speed in foggy conditions. One Canadian passenger ship had four collisions with cargo vessels. It survived every one and the ships it hit all sank, some with loss of life. The Canadian captain was cited for excessive speed for conditions but he said, Her Majesty's mail comes first. Really? There are several roads that connect Whitefish Point to Grand Marais but at the advice of Fred, the museum cashier we avoided them. He said they are not paved, are wet and we could get stuck.Also no cell service. So we back tracked to Paradise, zig and zagged back to M28, travelling sort of south and west. Then we headed back north to the Lake and took the H58 through the National Park to Musining. By now we'd covered 200 miles,lol, and were about 55 miles farther west. Also it was now about 330. So we continued the next 50 or so miles to Marquette and our hotel. We'd had a balcony room reserved but since there is no elevator here we opted for a ground floor room. We could still see the Lake though no balcony on which to sit and enjoy the view. It was okay, we'd seen the Lake several times today and even stopped to enjoy the view of a lovely curved beach. All in all we covered 265.6 miles and entered the Central Time Zone so we are now 1 hour earlier than you all--well, not Cindy. It was a lovely relaxing day, no rush and interesting. Ate in once more--I finished the quiche and Barb had smoked gouda and a Granny Smith. I also had some mandarin oranges. Now, it is time for me to do the books--have to see what I spent--not much but I like to keep track of my cash. We were going to plot tomorrow's path but will wait til morning. We know where we are going and the route but still in the bush, as Bill calls it, so must determine how far and where we want to stop and where we are likely to find a place to rest our heads. Not as involved as it sounds but after two days of no communication it is pretty vital. Called Bill today and as I was talking to him headed to the Point, the cell service just disappeared and dropped the call. Ah, wilderness. Until tomorrow, good night from BarbZig and KatZag. s sa