LOVED our Friday!

Friday was a picture perfect day!  We took off with Krikkit in the morning in search of Lighthouses.  None of them are actually open this season but you can still look around. We went past Phoenix, as in Michigan, backtracked and turned on MI 26, took an unprofitable detour, then back on 26 to and past Copper Harbor.

Past Phoenix, MI was a photo-op, a snow gauge.  Looks like they get just a little bit up here.  The largest amount so far was 390.4" during the winter of 1978-79.  Our first lighthouse stop was 5 Mile Point.  Never found it!  Moving on northeast on Keweenaw Peninsula, towards Copper Harbor, the next lighthouse was at Eagle River.  Although it is now a private residence, at least we found it.  It was built in 1874.  I found my first rock beach in Eagle River and spent some time searching for rocks throughout the day.  Rockhounding is popular and you may find Agates, Lake Superior Quartz and more.

Snow gauge

Eagle River lighthouse is a private residence.

I could have spent all day looking for rocks (I'm easily entertained).  Plan to go back.

Just outside of town was the Holy Transfiguration Monastic Park, https://www.societystjohn.com/.  It is a Catholic Monastery of the Byzantine Rite.  I think they live in relative isolation but they may have some communal service.  I wish we could have seen the monastery, the pictures on their website look neat, but alas all we saw was a monk walking on the street. Further along was Jacob Falls.

Jacob Falls

Factory in Canada

Cat Harbor

Further north we came to Eagle Harbor lighthouse built in 1871.  It is now part of the county's historical society's Light Station Museum Complex.  We climbed up the deck for a view of Lake Superior.

Old oil house at the lighthouse

This is where I want to end up living (only in a MUCH more moderate climate).

Throughout our drive there were many pull-outs that overlooked Lake Superior.  Some of the prettiest scenery I've seen.  This is the first time I've been in the Upper Peninsula.

Lunch was in Copper Harbor.  We shared a beef brisket sandwich, fries and coleslaw from Tamarack Inn (a little pricey).  We returned to a roadside park about 3 miles back and enjoyed it with a Lake Superior view.

Lunch stop in Copper Harbor

A major woodpecker hole.

Our final stop was at Copper Harbor lighthouse which was out on a peninsula and inaccessible.  We had a wonderful time and are really enjoying our first trip to Keweenaw Peninsula.

Copper Harbor lighthouse

Rainy Saturday morning.  We didn't get started until afternoon.  Turned out to be a beautiful sunny rest-of-the-day though, with temperatures around 80.  Delaware Copper Mine operated from 1847 - 1887 during the copper boom of this area.  It was a self-guided tour, so we donned our face mask (they are fortunately required in Michigan), grabbed a helmet and headed down 100 feet (roughly 100 steps) to explore.  All levels below this have been flooded and are inaccessible.  They offer a picnic area down in the mine, as well as outside.  A little claustrophobia for me today, but I made it.   It wasn't narrow or anything, but wearing the mask down in the cold cave made my glasses fog over so it was hard to see.  It was an ok tour but not my favorite.  Pat thought there were more people there than he expected, but it wasn't crowded (if it was we wouldn't have stayed).  I think we only had 3 other people down in the mine when we were there.  Outside you could tour the remnants of the pump/hoist houses.  They pumped out water and hoisted the cars up to the shafts.  When a new shaft was made they would build a new pump/hoist house near it.  After the mine we picked up Krikkit and headed to Bete Gris(e), seen it both ways, beach.  I enjoyed my new pastime, searching for rocks, which has replaced my sea shell hunting.  Krikkit didn't like the water, or maybe the waves much, but by the end of our trip she was actually standing in it.  Flies were terrible!

This is at the exit of our RV park.  Everyone from at least 3 miles uses this mail stop!

Scenery of the day

Delaware Copper Mine

Mine car

Again a "real" camera would have benefited me!  To the left is a mine shaft, the big pipe to the right is what they used to deliver compressed air to run the machinery in the mine.

Hoist 

Remnants of a pump/hoist house

Each pump/hoist house had one of these towers with a pipe sticking out.  We wondered if it was a ventilation shaft for the mine?

Pat wanted me to wade in further to get bigger rocks that might have been agates, however, my pockets were full of rocks and I told him if I fell I might sink, lol!