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June 14, 2001 Ah, no mosquitoes to bother us as we slept, and we slept well after watching two Star Trek episodes and watching the weather channel. One of the first billboards to greet us on our way today said, “Da Yoopers Tourist Trap”. Scott’s reaction was, “Finally, truth in advertising!” We had intermittent views of Lake Superior today as we traveled. The beach sand has a slight peachy-pink tint to it. They look clean and inviting. The first attraction we stopped for today was the Iron Industry Museum in Neguanee, Michigan. This free museum is near the site of the Carp River Forge. Built in 1848, it was the first iron forge in the Lake Superior region. Iron was discovered here when a surveyor’s compass needle began to spin wildly. The furnaces ran on charcoal. It took one acre of wood to produce the heat it took to produce five tons of iron. The museum had many artifacts to view. I was in awe of the fact the first miner’s helmets had just a candle for light. We were tickled to find out that this area of Michigan has ties to Cleveland in that the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company was founded near here. Clevelanders Mather, Hanna, and Pickands put up much of the money it took to get the iron industry started here. Our next destination was the Black River National Scenic Byway through the Ottowa National Forest. The river is called black because of the dark color of the water due to the tannic acid in it, similar to but not as dark as the water at Tahquamenon Falls. We hiked to four waterfalls: the Great Conglomerate Falls (named for the type of rock it flows through and over), Potowatomi Falls (where it was so lush that moss grew on the road), Gorge Falls (which actually runs right through a gorge, imagine that), and Sandstone Falls (named for the type of rock it flows over…the next layer down from the conglomerate rock of the earlier falls). In that order, the water is rushing downhill toward Lake Superior. The four trails added up come to about two-and-a-half miles. AND NO INHALER FOR LISE! YAY! At the end of the scenic byway is a beautiful park on the very shores of Lake Superior. We parked and thought we’d take a stroll down to the lake. About forty feet from our vehicle, however, we suddenly changed our minds and high-tailed it back to the vehicle. Can you guess why? No, not mosquitoes. We were upgraded to flies! THOUSANDS of them! We practically dove back into the truck cab and even then about fifty followed us inside! Ow! Swat! Start the truck! Ow! Swat, swat! Roll the windows down! Batt! Augh! Get them out! Augh! Ow! Swat! An hour-and-a-half later as we pulled into our camp spot for the night we were down to just two remaining flies! Incredible. I cannot imagine what it was like for the Egyptians when the plague of flies hit them. If it was anything like this, I know I, for one, would be insane in about five minutes. There was just no stopping them! Incredible. After all that, we spent a quiet night in the Walmart parking lot in Ashland, Wisconsin. A frieebie with a view of the Lake and a terrific sunset (yes, a Walmart with a view!)…and NO flies! --Scott & Lise <>< S.L.SCHEUERMANN@WORLDNET.ATT.NET |