By David Freeze
Monday, August 4th was one of the more fun days so far because I had just a guess of the agenda and could change it at any time and all would be fine. I spent the night in West Ishpeming, different because there are hills here. The motel was the Triangle and although he had a “Full” sign on the door, the owner found me a room at a very reasonable price. To pay him back, I cleaned the room and took my trash with me. I always imagine the cleaning person when they first look at the room!
I decided overnight to visit downtown Marquette, Michigan this morning. I read a few things that were interesting and had to check them out. First was the Marquette Maritime Museum where I was disappointed to find that it is closed on Mondays. And it is only open 11am to 4pm when it is open. I knew by this time that the Marquette Harbor Lighthouse was the main draw anyway and it was close by. In fact, several buildings including the keeper’s house and a boathouse were next door too and I think another building was the lifesaving station, left over from Coast Guard service.
Finding the steps to the lighthouse chained off and a fence all around it, I followed paths of others trying to get a better view. The steep rocks kept me from climbing them, so I stepped over the chain on the stairs to go up and around and get a great photo. Not a person was ever in sight.
Several boats were outside, including two Coast Guard boats used in storms, one of which was self-bailing and could not turn over. There was a lifeboat similar to the ones onboard the Edmund Fitgerald which I learned about yesterday at the Shipwreck Museum.
By this time, I am really in my element and soaking up history. Then I realized that runners, walkers and cyclists are passing by constantly. Marquette has a very long paved trail along the waterfront which can connect to another one in Presque Isle Park, a showcase of Lake Superior scenery, wooded areas and the ability to watch iron ore ships being loaded. Yes, right beside the park is a massive iron ore loading setup where train cars bring the ore and it slides down massive chutes into ships. Train cars are high above the ship.
Knowing that I had two options meant a decision had to be made by late morning. If I went west for about 120 miles, I would close the bottom loop on Lake Superior to where I had been before. But there was little to see going west. Or I could proceed by starting south toward Green Bay and drive the western Lake Michigan shore down to where I hoped to see a longtime friend. I chose the second option, knowing that I would find something else along the way to see and remembering that from Marquette, I had about 1200 miles to drive home.
The drive south was wonderful, except where I had to use another gravel road. By midday, the sky was hazy cloudy, and I couldn’t distinguish between the water and the sky. I missed seeing my friend due to his VA appointments, but I did stop in Green Bay for old times sake. I worked there for a winter to train for a new job and found out what harsh winters really are. Over the years, and during the Northwest Tier bike ride that ended in Green Bay, I have discovered a convenience store from that area called Kwik Trip. They always have freshly made pastries and many other things in the store on special. I was looking for my first one and found it on Ashland Street. I loaded up cheese rolls, cookies and a Long John pastry to eat while I was riding. I can get away with this when riding a hundred miles a day on the bike, but not when driving. But what a treat this was! There is a sign on the outside of the store that says something about not staying longer than 30 minutes and all the parking spaces were full!
I asked GPS for a route home without tolls and got started south toward Milwaukee. Just 20 miles or so later, I saw the sign for another lighthouse in Manitowoc. With no particular agenda, I took a left off the interstate and found another Wisconsin city that I had not previously visited. And what a beautiful city Manitowoc is. Downtown is alive and there is yet another maritime museum there that I didn’t know about. The Wisconsin Maritime Museum has the submarine USS Cobia from WWll. It was too late to visit today, and I needed to keep moving.
But I did walk 1.35 miles round trip to see the Manitowoc Breakwater Light. It is a beautiful site from a distance and up close. Visitors have taken to hanging locks along the chain link fence. I first saw this done on a chain-link door next to the Mississippi River in New Orleans. I will miss the maritime museum this time as I have to be home by Wednesday night and I still have almost 900 miles to go.
This was a great day, totally unscripted and better because of it. I am spending the night in Belgium, Wisconsin at what might be the best buy on a motel yet. I will report on that tomorrow. Meanwhile, there is another Kwik Trip right outside the door. I avoided the Chicago rush hour traffic by asking Siri for motels nearby and had a deal just four miles ahead of the exit.
Hope to see you tomorrow!!
