Green Bay & Reflections on Stage 3

On the Home Stretch Now

From St. Ignace on the East to Green Bay - 330 miles

The UP is behind us as well as Mackinaw Island, the Tunnel of Trees, the Leelanau peninsula, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Watervale, and the Indiana Dunes. 

Riding in a Bubble

When we arrived at the Mackinaw bridge, slightly over a week ago, I said it seemed unbelievable that we'd come half way. Now we're coming now the other side of the lake, my side and it still seems surreal that we've done this all by bicycle. One pedal stroke after another after another and another. Each day the same comfortable routine, saddling up, pushing off, we're rollin'. We've consciously avoided watching TV or following the news. We keep somewhat in touch by e-mail, text and a few phone calls, but our contact with the outside world is limited and, rather one directional. In this way we feel connected to where we are, what we're seeing, who we're meeting, very much in the moment. That helps when we have 60 or so

Riding the board walk into Manistique

miles to ride each day. We're not waiting for the ride, the day to be over, instead we're enjoying the riding, the sights, the air and particularly the lake views when we get them. In a way its our moving bubble and we have one more week inside it. How, we ask will we be able to cope with reality? The daily demands of regular life might, I suspect, feel a bit overwhelming. So, for those of you close to us at home - pardon us if we seem to slip off to never-never land once in a while. But for now, we still have a week to enjoy, we have Door County and then the marvelous ride south along Wisconsin's shoreline. I did that last year in the opposite direction and can't wait to go back.

So What Can I Say About the UP?

Riding along Route 2
Note wide shoulder & protective rumble strip

I think both Will and I agree, we're glad to have done the UP, it was an essential part of riding around the lake, but we're not really interested in doing it again. Parts were absolutely beautiful, especially the eastern most section just outside of St. Ignace before we came to Naubinway. The reclaimed natural area around Manistique is peaceful, and the Garden Peninsula stunning with Fayette Historical State Park at the end. We enjoy staying in Nahma very much and will certainly try to go back. But most of Route 2 is long, straight, FLAT and wearisome for a cyclist. The shoulder is wide and clean, the traffic generally considerate, but the thing goes on forEVER!!! I suppose riding out west, with its long stretches in the plains might be similar and when I attempt that I'll have to harden my brain to handle it. But, for now I'm glad to leave the boring thing behind.

The people though were marvelously friendly. Every time we walked into a place, all heads turned to us, the new comers. What was our story? Where were we from? Where were we going? So of course we told them and then the conversation flowed and flowed, sometimes getting hard to stop. People marveled at our adventure but in this culture of cars, could not really comprehend riding a bike all this way. Many, many wishes for us to stay save I'm sure have carried us forward and surrounded our journey and we are thankful for them. I also discovered a great, unexpected base of ... PACKER FANS - kindred spirits all.

And so in the end I will say that I'll be back, but then by car. I want to bring Jim to see and experience some of these things, Fayette Historical State Park for one, the logging museum in Marinette, the Ojibwi museum in St. Igance, the Neville museum here in Green Bay. I want to stay again at the Nahma Inn and the House of Ludington. And I want to drink some more Widow Maker Black beer. (Why did I not get a picture of that?)

Coming Home to Wisconsin

When we crossed the bridge over the Menomonee River into Wisconsin I felt a surprising sense of euphoria. While I haven't lived in the state since 1983, I guess I still identify myself as a Badger or a Cheese Head. I'm a Packer fan through and through. Being in Northern Wisconsin takes me back to my familial roots as my Dad was born and raised up here before moving to Milwaukee in the 1930s. I identify with the folks in the lumbering business, their hardships, their passion for the woods. I love connecting my family roots with that lumbering history at the same time I mourn their lack of forethought and environmental wastefulness.

Entering Green Bay on Saturday we passed from wilderness into congestion just at the small hamlet of Duck Creek. I did not expect the sudden transition, but I what I also did not realize is that here - right here was where my great grandfather Peter LaBelle was born and spent his early childhood. Duck Creek came suddenly upon me. My connection to the place felt strong. I will certainly come back to Green Bay to explore more of it and my own history.

Along the Western Shore of Green Bay - Entering Wisconsin and on to Title Town!

Our Route: Escanaba, MI - Marinette, WI - Green Bay, WI

Two Days of Riding, Over 120 Miles and Every Bit of It Along the Western Shore of Green Bay - Most with a TAILWIND!

Escanaba, MI - Marinette, WI

A strong north wind blew yesterday’s rain far away and left us with a beautiful, sunny day to ride south along the western shore of Green Bay.  This is, I think, the closest we’ve been to the lake for the longest period of time on the entire route, all day within sight of the water – what a treat. Downside, for there always seems to be a downside, our route took us along MI 35 a rather busy and narrow shouldered road. But, the traffic, especially the large truck traffic was, by and large, very considerate, moving over and giving us plenty of room. Thankfully we had a clear day with a monster tailwind so the riding was easy. 

We started our day in Escanaba with a stop at the Swedish Pantry - almost made me think I was back in Minnesota with their Swedish pancakes tasting remarkably like the German ones my Grandma Elise used to make. Great omen for the day. 

Escanaba Harbor as we depart. A strong north wind kicks up the bay and blows us along.

Enjoying the playground in Fox Park right on the edge of Green Bay (the water) within easy access of MI route 35

Another view from Fox Park

Entering our second to last state - one close to my heart. We leave the wilderness behind and start on "known" territory

Another beautiful sunset from the bridge over the Menomonee River which separates Michigan and Wisconsin

Marinette  to Green Bay with stops in Peshtigo and Oconto

Although the weather channel says the wind is from the southeast and therefore in our face as we move south, it sure seems like another glorious day of tailwind riding. We make our way slowly out of Marinette through a complicated route of residential, industrial and eventually frontage roads to Peshtigo and across the Peshtigo river. 

On the same night as the Great Chicago Fire, October 8, 1871 the forests around Peshtigo erupted into an "inferno of flame and terror," the worst forest fire in American history. While the loss of life and property in Peshtigo far exceeded that from Chicago's blaze, the news of the destruction took a long time to creep out of the wilderness and into the national news. Rescue teams from southern Wisconsin were well on their way to assist displaced Chicagoans when they heard of the far worse tragedy in their home state. Over 800 people lost their lives that night, some 350 so badly mutilated, men, women and children so indistinguishable from each other, that they were unidentifiable and buried in a mass grave. Some of them had been almost instantly incinerated in the conflagration that overtook a boarding house thought to be safe on the east side of the river. 

When I was young my father told me stories of this fire. It haunted him. His mother, Dora had grown up in Pound, WI just a short distance from Peshtigo. His father, Shorty worked as a truck driver for the Connor Lumber Company in Dad's home town of Laona. Both families had long histories in the lumber industry. Both told horrific stories of being almost caught in forest fires.

My reflection fittingly captured in the reflection of the Mass Grave market

Peshtigo was a living, breathing, memory for Dad. Visiting the mass grave, wondering the cemetery filled with memorial stones and recent placards telling their stories I wept. I wept for the loss of life. I wept for their sacrifice. I wept for their contribution to the southern cities along the lake in which I grew up and now live. The volunteers who lovingly maintain the museum we didn't have time to visit and tend the graves have my grateful thanks for keeping those memories, alive so we don't take them for granted.

Continuing South through Oconto and to

 Title Town (a/k/a Green Bay) Home of the Packers

Momma Goose, Daddy Goose and ... count 'em 12 goslings - crossing a quite country road just north of
Oconto on our second day along Green Bay

A flock of egrets trying to decide who gets the best spot to feed, or maybe the female.

Last lunch with Robb as he leaves us in Oconto and dashes back to Green Bay and then home.
Will miss him in so many ways.

One of many beautiful "painted ladies" in Oconto's historic district

Will overlooking the Oconto river from a new bike / pedestrian bridge

The perfect adventure cycling photo - looks like I'm really going somewhere

Dinner at Title Town brewery - a fitting end to some wonderful days of riding along the shores of Green Bay

Riding in the Rain to Escanaba

Our Route: Nahma - Escanaba 

Rain hits thankfully on our shortest day. Not cold, no thunderstorms just light rain. Months ago we'd envisioned cold rain or even SNOW. This ain't bad in comparison!

Departed:	Jun 04, '15, 10:45AM
Starts in:	Nahma, MI, US
Distance:	36.7 mi
Elevation:	+ 1121 / - 1105 ft

Total Duration:	04:55:21
Moving Time:	02:53:20

Max Speed:	27.1 mph
Avg. Speed:	12.7 mph

Riding Wet

Robb and Will on a foot bridge in Gladstone's beautiful lakefront park

We'd try to wait out the rain in the morning knowing it would be a short day, only 35 miles with little in the way of historical sights or other attractions to engage our time. But, shortly after leaving Nahma it began lightly raining and kept that up steadily all day, sometimes lighter, sometimes heavier. Most glad we were of a lunch break at Jack's restaurant in Rapid River where we could change into some dry clothes, add a few more rain protective pieces of clothing before continuing the last 15 miles.

Emerging from the Woods

But, after riding for miles and miles with little but trees, road and trucks for company, we were a bit startled to suddenly come upon - Civilization - or rather congestion, houses, businesses and even a McDonalds in the far northwestern corner of Lake Michigan. Leaving the small town of Rapid River we pass through the increasingly industrial areas of Gladstone and finally Escanaba our home for the night.

Lovely statue of grandfather & boy looking out to the lake
Gladstone lakefront park

From up here, in this corner of the wilderness came the raw materials of the midwestern's 19th century horrifically rapid growth. Iron ore, lumber, white fish in unbelievable quantities got shipped from here to other Great Lake ports like Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit - creating those cities, providing jobs for the millions of new immigrants. From here men made millions and millions more raised families in this new land of opportunity. What they clearly did not realize was that by extracting resources in the extreme they were laying the foundation for their own demise. Today Escanaba and environs still thrive on shipping ore and lumber but a greatly diminished scale. Unlike the abandoned iron town of Fayette or the struggling village of once mighty Nahma, this area reinvented itself enough to survive.

Escanaba's House of Ludington

Home for the night was the magnificent and welcoming  Ludington Hotel now known as The House of Ludington, once of Escanaba's historical treasurers. Great food, a great bar topped off by our wonderful hosts Suzelle and Ed made for a comfortable evening.

Dramatic Evening Sky Should Signal a Great, Dry Riding Day Tomorrow - Maybe Even a Tailwind?

Nahma & Fayette Historical State Park

Our Route: From Nahma to Fayette and back Again

Day trip from Nahma to Fayette Historical State Park on the
Garden Peninsula

Our route and accommodation planning paid off BIG time to take a wonderful day trip to Fayette Historical State Park

Departed:	Jun 03, '15, 09:30AM
Starts in:	Nahma, MI, US
Distance:	52.8 mi
Elevation:	+ 1331 / - 1265 ft
Max Grade	4.5 %
Avg. Grade	0.1 %

Total Duration:	07:30:11
Moving Time:	03:53:36

Max Speed:	25.4 mph
Avg. Speed:	13.6 mph

The Nahma Inn

The wonderfully lovely historic Nahma Inn

Months ago as Will and I were planning our trip we discovered a sight we thought too important to miss, Fayette Historical State Park three quarters of the way down the Garden Peninsula and really in the middle of NO WHERE. The only way we figured we could actually get there and enjoy the place was to stay over night someplace “close” by and make an extra day trip. But, in the UP what’s simple elsewhere presents all kinds of complications here. Not many places to stay, or at least not many that we could find remotely using travel guides and Google maps. So we settled on staying in the small, remote town of Nahma and riding the 25 each way to visit the park. I remained a bit nervous about this plan, the place, the ride and whether the park would be worth it. Nervous that is until we actually arrived at the wonderfully delightful Nahma Inn in Tuesday night.

A bustling lumber town in its day, Nahma sits in the middle of the Hiawatha National Forest across the Big Bay de Norc from the Garden Peninsula and Fayette. Somehow the folks of Nahma have created a lovely little oasis amongst the trees. The Inn, a former lumber town hotel provides modern conveniences, a GREAT dinning room, and a bar while maintaining a wonderfully quaint historical feel. I would most definitely stay here again whether I was riding or driving.

Our first night there we met John a retired schoolteacher at the Nahma Inn. John comes for the fishing and the camaraderie. He's 
also a licensed "cormorant shooter." Cormorants in this area have multiplied so fast to the 
point that they are decimating the fish population. The State of Michigan has licenses John and 
others to hunt them, or more particularly harass them enough to leave particular fish spanning areas alone. 
Since the havoc of the industrial era, which decimated the beaver, the forests, the minerals, and the fish, keeping something close to a natural balance in Lake Michigan requires constant diligence and an on-going struggle. You can see a nice photo of John on "Lovely People We have Met - Part 2" page located on the right side of this blog. 

Fayette Historical State Park

The Furnace Complex at Fayette Historical State Park

So why did we want to visit Fayette in the first place? As I did my research for this quest / pilgrimage I found Fayette written up in book after book - guide book and history specific. For 12 years or so at the end of the 19th century the company town of Fayette made pig iron for the industrial southern cities like Chicago and Detroit using the local limestone cliff and tons of purchased hardwood to

Former deep water harbor at Fayette - allowed large iron ore
carrying ships to dock

charcoal to purify the iron ore they took out of the mines in the UP.  The thought was to save shipping weight and thus expense by eliminating the slag before sending it south. But, the vast hardwood forests where thereby stripped bare making charcoal to purify iron to build the railroads, and machinery necessary for the industrial south land. With the advent of more advance coal fired plants in the south this operation was no longer profitable. By that time the hardwood forests were gone anyway. Almost in one fell swoop the mine company just closed down. Leaving the 500 or so people, supervisors, skilled and unskilled laborers, and trades people without jobs, the community without economic support, but the buildings in tact. The hotel and a few small retail shops remained open until just after WWII. In 1959 the State of Michigan acquired the land, established an archeological site as well as a beautiful state park. Based on census data and surviving payment records the park's exhibits feature not only the industry, but the people who worked there. 

A reconstructed charcoal kiln, just the right size for
Suzie. These used to be enclosed by wooden buildings.
The furnace owners constantly worried about
running out of the native hardwoods necessary for
creating charcoal.

The Garden Peninsula

Dioramas, strategically placed placards, informative exhibits and a very congenial guide, Luke, helped us get a sense of the place and what life might have been like for the folks 120 years ago. A windy but sunny day helped us visualize a pleasant but hardworking life. But, what did we ask would it be like in the middle of winter here at the edge of this peninsula jutting out into the ever changing Lake Michigan?

In my judgement, this little park is certainly one of the gems of anyone's tour of Lake Michigan - a MUST see despite being so out of the way. 

Sticking out into Lake Michigan the Garden Peninsula is one of two along this stretch from St. Ignace to Escanaba. Both are remote, rural and support a rather thin population. Denuded of the ancient trees, no longer sporting any significant industry, Garden is in the process of trying to recharge its economy though WIND POWER, not without significant controversy however. All along the way from Manistique down the peninsula, over to Nahma we see signs against the "fans" as our family calls them. On the peninsula itself we see supportive signs. What, we asked the locals, is the source of this division? Don't really get much of an answer but we suspect some is just the natural resistance to change, some is being cut out of the economic pie, some is the reluctance of the power company to be straight forward. Hate to see such division. It strikes close to home however, as our small village was just torn asunder over a plan to repair and modernize our lakefront park. Change is hard everywhere. Communication is difficult. Trust can be hard to come by.  We wish Garden the best of luck as they try to bring themselves into the 21st century.

Back to Highway 2

A STRONG headwind going south, blew us almost all the way back to Nahma. The ever challenging Route 2 however, did not let up but sported a most brutal cross wind. Suzie DOES NOT LIKE WIND!!  Much thanks are do to Robb and Will for shepherding me through this most enjoyable of days. Beers all around!

First days on the UP

Our Route: St. Ignace - Gould City - Nahma 

The first section along US Route 2 presented several surprises. After that it became a heads-down grind until we reach Manistique

Total Miles: 116
Max. Grade: 3%

Surprises

Last view of the Mackinaw Bridge as we head west along the
Lake's northern edge

Whatever I expected to see riding on Route 2 across the Upper Peninsula it was not what I found – at least not for the first 40 miles coming out of St. Ignace. Remember I said that we’d be leaving the dune country behind once we got to Mackinaw City? WRONG! Remember I feared that we’d have no place to eat, little water, few rest areas and nothing but endless vistas of trees? WRONG! The road from St. Ignace at least to Naubinway surprised me completely. We road through miles of gorgeous, untouched dunes with spectacular views of Lake Michigan to our left.

Stopping for a short break along Route 2

The day – perfect: sunny, warm enough and with that most beloved tailwind to push us along.  The road, while busy with truck traffic (some rather LARGE) sported a nice, wide and very clean shoulder.  And while it was true that services come less frequently than in other areas, we still had plenty of food and rest stops.

Northern Most Point

Just before reaching Naubinway we crossed the Northern Most Point on Lake Michigan. Aside from its geographical significance, it also marked the politicalboundary of what Congress declared "Michigan Territory" in the 1806. All else to the west was designated "Indiana Territory."  Ten years later, in 1816 the boundary was push further west to the Mississippi in a move consistent with the US policy of pushing the Indiana tribes further and further away from white settlement areas. But, to us the point marks a significant milestone on our journey. Two weeks ago we were near the southern most point while at the Indiana Dunes State Park. Surprisingly this northern point is almost as sandy as its southern counterpart. The vegetation is a little scrubbier, a little shorter, but similar in type despite the fact that their climates have to be drastically different, particularly in the winter. 

Along with reaching the Northern most point, we crossed our mileage half way point somewhere around Manistique. In many ways it seems unbelievable that we've come all this way just one pedal stroke at a time. When we look at the distance on the map, when we compare where we were from day to day it doesn't look that far. But, when we have the opportunity to gaze across the vast water scape to places past, they appear SO FAR AWAY!!! Hard to image that we actually were there not long ago. 

These days our orientation is in constant flux. The Lake is no longer stable in one place. It has moved from being on the east when we left home, to being north then west for a long time and now generally south. Yet its direction moves more frequently than that we we go up and down various small peninsulas and around large and small bays. The sun being out until almost 10:00pm doesn't help much either and stays mostly to the south. My traditional sense of direction is getting turned topsy-turvy for sure. 

Robb fixing my flat tire & battling bugs along Rt 2

The Long and Tiresomeness of Route 2

Once we left Naubinway the road turned straight west and moved away from the shore. And I mean STRAIGHT - miles and miles of STRAIGHT, FLAT and busy road. The body gets weary of riding in the same position mile after mile, with little visual distraction and no hills to climb or descend. We long for the steeps of the earlier days. The riding becomes more of a mind game than a physical one. We take whatever chance we can get for even a small break. Thankfully the weather has co-operated and we haven't needed cover from either rain or heat. But still the road goes on. 

Riding the boardwalk along the shore near Manistique