Getting out of the crowd

peaceparson · 08-21-2015, 01:31 PM

We have a habit of going north in the summer. What a trip! North to the Mackinaw Straits Bridge is the heaviest of the traffic we drive through, and most of the way we encounter very little congestion. Then west on U.S. Highway 2. Keep the tank full! There's not much to stop for in the UP, and few fill-ups available, but the wcenery is great. Besides lake Michigan, we drive along Lk Huron and Superior. This trip we stopped at the Wisconsin Welcome Center. I bought my son a T-shirt: "Lake Superior--unsalted and shark-free!" True, as far as I know, but then, we didn't go into the water to find out. We did lunch on the lake-shore. Then on to pass by the "head-waters" of the mighty muddy Mississippi. What a wimp it starts out as! A few small puddles with a narrow rill connecting them, not even deep enough for a small fish. ND is a great state! Oil, you know! Oh, not that black stuff they're trying to pump out west! Canola oil, and corn oil, and flax-seed oil, and sun flower oil! The sun-flowers are the best. Driving west in the am, thousands of brown "faces" with yellow auras staring at you, and then coming back east in the pm, there they are, looking at you again. From the air, or the top of a grain elevator, the land looks like a patchwork quilt--brown squares of fallow land, soaking up the sun and nutrients for the next year's crop. Next to them, the bright yellow of canola flowers, then the violet of flax next to a field of brown and gold sunflowers. The golden tassles of the corn finish off the "quilted" look, and here and there the blue water of a lake or stream adds an interesting diversion.
All along the way, hardly anyone else on the road. Drive as slow as you want, and no blaring horns or impatient drivers trying to speed around you.
Now, THAT'S a vacation! We'll probably go the same direction next year, maybe add a new component to the trip--another sight to see. Can't wait!

Vern · 08-21-2015, 01:39 PM

Sounds like a beautiful drive. Thanks for sharing. How many miles did you log? And over what period of days?

peaceparson · 08-21-2015, 03:47 PM

One way about 1,300. We came back via Lincoln Nebraska--and visits with 2 daughters, son-in-law, and 3 grandkids. We drove through part of Iowa where we lunched with an Indian Chief (Fox Tribe), Cavalry General, an Indian agent, and a few others. They have all been dead for quite some time, of course! But the roadside rest was the site of an important treaty with the U.S. and the railroad. It's not on any map that we know of, but we followed a sign with an arrow looking for a place to stop and pull ourselves together.
In Illinois, we found an interesting memorial to a fire. that's right--a fire! Seems that some rail cars exploded circa 1970, and torched the entire town. There are also remembrances of first-responders and firemen at the site. Another picnic by the road.
We got home to Berne, south of Fort Wayne after a total of 14 nights on the road and about 3,500 miles. No adverse incidents. A really good trip.

KenHwy61 · 08-21-2015, 04:20 PM

Sounds really great! Everyone likes the tourist attractions but there is also a lot of peaceful open space and little traveled scenic byways full of history. Just got back from the Dakotas and Wyoming and already looking to head west again. Maybe to the Oregon coast. The beauty of rving is no matter where you go you're always home!

LandJ · 08-22-2015, 05:51 AM

Thanks for sharing! Very nicely written.... makes me want to take that trip.

Vern · 08-22-2015, 06:14 AM

Sounds like a refreshing tour. Getting away from the crowd, indeed. Thanks, parson.

Pipeman · 08-22-2015, 07:07 AM

We use Hwy 2 when traveling to and from Alberta. We go over the Mackinaw bridge also. We cut up to Marquette on Hwy 41, then to Hwy 28 and then back onto Hwy 2 at Wakefield, Mi. We use these highways to avoid the dip south on Hwy 2 after Hwy 41. My truck is a diesel and although I carry 86 gallons of fuel I find that there are short distances between gas stations on the route we take through Michigan and for that matter all the way to Shelby, Montana and back up into Canada.

Wolverine 1945 · 08-23-2015, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peaceparson

We have a habit of going north in the summer. What a trip! North to the Mackinaw Straits Bridge is the heaviest of the traffic we drive through, and most of the way we encounter very little congestion. Then west on U.S. Highway 2. Keep the tank full! There's not much to stop for in the UP, and few fill-ups available, but the wcenery is great. Besides lake Michigan, we drive along Lk Huron and Superior. This trip we stopped at the Wisconsin Welcome Center. I bought my son a T-shirt: "Lake Superior--unsalted and shark-free!" True, as far as I know, but then, we didn't go into the water to find out. We did lunch on the lake-shore. Then on to pass by the "head-waters" of the mighty muddy Mississippi. What a wimp it starts out as! A few small puddles with a narrow rill connecting them, not even deep enough for a small fish. ND is a great state! Oil, you know! Oh, not that black stuff they're trying to pump out west! Canola oil, and corn oil, and flax-seed oil, and sun flower oil! The sun-flowers are the best. Driving west in the am, thousands of brown "faces" with yellow auras staring at you, and then coming back east in the pm, there they are, looking at you again. From the air, or the top of a grain elevator, the land looks like a patchwork quilt--brown squares of fallow land, soaking up the sun and nutrients for the next year's crop. Next to them, the bright yellow of canola flowers, then the violet of flax next to a field of brown and gold sunflowers. The golden tassles of the corn finish off the "quilted" look, and here and there the blue water of a lake or stream adds an interesting diversion.
All along the way, hardly anyone else on the road. Drive as slow as you want, and no blaring horns or impatient drivers trying to speed around you.
Now, THAT'S a vacation! We'll probably go the same direction next year, maybe add a new component to the trip--another sight to see. Can't wait!

Another sight to see would be The Mackinaw Island !!!

whj77372 · 08-24-2015, 11:24 AM

I have an RV lot in the UP of MI in Cedarville and we like it that there is not a lot
of anything there.

Wolverine 1945 · 08-25-2015, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whj77372

I have an RV lot in the UP of MI in Cedarville and we like it that there is not a lot
of anything there.

We had some land in Alpena on the river,,, Loved it,,,
had to sell it,,, got to old to maintain it the way I wanted !!!
Most all of our trips are North !!!

karrun · 08-25-2015, 08:24 AM

Thanks for your travelogue, loved it. You should write a blog. My husband and I live near Chicago and are contemplating the circle tour around the Great Lakes next year. Our TV is a bit on the underpowered side for our TT. Is the trip up north fairly flat? We can't handle much in the way of hills until we replace it.

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