All of the pictures are from Palms Book Spring State Park in the Upper Peninsula near Manistique. This is Big Spring or "Kitch-iti-kipi."
Today was my second day in the UP of Michigan near Houghton. The temperature this morning dropped to 32 degrees F and there was frost on the ground. Joyce, Juhanni, and I went to house Chris and Maryann’s house for breakfast this morning. Chris is Joyce’s son and Joyce is my mother-in-law. Juhanni is Chris’ son who has been staying in the big house at the Bohjanen farm where Joyce lives. Maryann, my sister-in-law, made a traditional Finnish breakfast delicacy called Pannukakku. It is mostly egg and milk and is baked in an oven like a soufflé. We ate it with a strawberry topping and it was delicious. When I left Houghton, the sun was shining but it was still cool. After riding for about and hour the sky got overcast and I got pretty cold so I stopped to put on more clothes. After putting on a second long sleeved shirt, and my chaps, I headed back out on the road. With the thin layer of high clouds and a lower level of stratus clouds, the temperature never got above about 65 all day, so the extra clothing was a big help, but I never did get fully warmed up. The towns clicked off as the miles flew by. Towns like Baraga, L’Anse, Ishpeming, Negaunee, and Marquette.
At Marquette I turned south on MI-41 to head down to US-2 at Rapid River. I decided to take this route because it will take me past Palms Book Spring State Park just west of Manistique. This is where you can find one of the Upper Peninsula's major attractions, Kitch-iti-kipi or "The Big Spring." Kitch-iti-kipi is two hundred feet across and forty feet deep. The spring spews out over 10,000 gallons a minute from many fissures in the underlying limestone. The flow continues throughout the year at a constant 45 degree temperature so the spring never freezes and can be enjoyed any season of the year. On the spring is a barge that is guided by a cable stretched across the spring. The center of the barge is open so you can easily see the bottom of the spring in the crystal clear water. Swimming beneath the barge are numerous trout that have been planted there from nearby fish hatcheries. I have posted several pictures from Kitch-iti-kipi including one looking through the bottom of the barge showing some of the trout and the boiling sand at the bottom of the spring. I have been here once before about 20 years ago but the visit today was just as delightful. The spring is truly awesome.
After leaving the spring, I headed toward St. Ignace with the intent of finding a motel there to stay the night. I had forgotten that today was Saturday during the height of the tourist season and every motel that I checked with was full, so I decided to cross the bridge and try my luck there. Most of the motels south of the bridge were full too, so I continued south on US-31. I finally found a motel in Petoskey so this is where I am for the night. I might have just ridden all the way home tonight but I found out that it had been raining in Ludington all day and I was already cold. I didn’t relish the thought of being wet and cold.
Today, the odometer rolled over the 30,000 mile mark since I bought the bike in 2002. On this trip, which has lasted one day short of five weeks, I will surpass the 8,000 mile mark which will occur tomorrow before I arrive at home. Home is approximately 160 miles away if I don’t take any detours.
At Marquette I turned south on MI-41 to head down to US-2 at Rapid River. I decided to take this route because it will take me past Palms Book Spring State Park just west of Manistique. This is where you can find one of the Upper Peninsula's major attractions, Kitch-iti-kipi or "The Big Spring." Kitch-iti-kipi is two hundred feet across and forty feet deep. The spring spews out over 10,000 gallons a minute from many fissures in the underlying limestone. The flow continues throughout the year at a constant 45 degree temperature so the spring never freezes and can be enjoyed any season of the year. On the spring is a barge that is guided by a cable stretched across the spring. The center of the barge is open so you can easily see the bottom of the spring in the crystal clear water. Swimming beneath the barge are numerous trout that have been planted there from nearby fish hatcheries. I have posted several pictures from Kitch-iti-kipi including one looking through the bottom of the barge showing some of the trout and the boiling sand at the bottom of the spring. I have been here once before about 20 years ago but the visit today was just as delightful. The spring is truly awesome.
After leaving the spring, I headed toward St. Ignace with the intent of finding a motel there to stay the night. I had forgotten that today was Saturday during the height of the tourist season and every motel that I checked with was full, so I decided to cross the bridge and try my luck there. Most of the motels south of the bridge were full too, so I continued south on US-31. I finally found a motel in Petoskey so this is where I am for the night. I might have just ridden all the way home tonight but I found out that it had been raining in Ludington all day and I was already cold. I didn’t relish the thought of being wet and cold.
Today, the odometer rolled over the 30,000 mile mark since I bought the bike in 2002. On this trip, which has lasted one day short of five weeks, I will surpass the 8,000 mile mark which will occur tomorrow before I arrive at home. Home is approximately 160 miles away if I don’t take any detours.
1 comment:
Hi JJJJerry ( Cold huh? :-),
I trust, by now, you have reached Home-Sweet-Home.
While you did graciously and scripturally share your trip with us, your followers,I'm certain you are discovering there are " reams more " you could have added. There are, however, only so many hours in any given day.........
I can only say, bask in the afterglow of it all and consider yourself blessed to have been able to experience such an adventure.
Ok, now back to the real world - delete hugh backlog of spam emails, pay the utility bills, check for squirels nests in the chimney, etc. :-) WELL DONE!!!
Gabe
P.S. Yes, and reflect on the reality of " retiement " - even sounds kind of weird after all those years of regimentation. I'm sure you will adjust......
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