McLain State Park, MI UP

Morty scrambled out of the screwiness of September trick-or-treating early on Saturday with about 60 miles to go including breakfast. Breakfast looked easy when we saw a couple of McDonald’s billboards about halfway out. We saw a burger king, but no further clue about where the golden arches were. As breakfast closing time was drawing nigh, I turned to Madam Nuvi, and she had a suggestion that required only a slight deviation in our course. She got us there, but too late for the breakfast menu. We couldn’t help but think that her route was too long, but that was just our tummies talking trash.



We traveled through the mining towns of Houghton and Hancock, deep in their valley, with mining shaft buildings high on the hills just outside of town. All the best views were captured in beautiful stained glass right in the McDonald’s dining room – quite an experience, even though we were eating an early lunch.

McLain State Park is delightful. We have a spot right on Lake Superior with a 180-degree view of the lake on the horizon. Warm days in the 80s and nights in the 50s. It is so nice we are extending another night. Lynne likes that there are two full soap dispensers in the lavatory; just that she finds the showers a little cool.

Chatted a little with a family staying in one of the cabins. I had my big camera out, and was just sitting on the cliff over the shore. He had a bigger Nikon – D700 with extra battery handgrip and flash mounted on a tripod – some very serious hardware. I couldn’t get him to show me any of his photos, and he wasn’t too interested in what I had been doing -- photo envy averted. He did say that earlier, before our arrival, they saw the supply ship returning from Isle Royale National Park. I hope the ship makes the return on Monday for us to see, but from what I read on the web, the normal trips aren’t that frequent.

I am wondering about the spot where the sun will set. It may just miss the water from where we are camped -- if so, then I’ll have to bike around the point for the good angle of sun into water. The solid stretch of great weather has really been something to behold. We have had a magnificent high-pressure zone stay with us for the last two-plus solid weeks. You couldn’t have ordered it up any better than it has turned out.

We watched a little fishing boat make its way from the east horizon to the west. Just as it came abeam our location, we could make out a massive swarm of seagulls, around it. In itself, not too unusual, but then the gulls began to move out ahead of the boat. Seemed very strange, since, presumably, there would be no extra fish activity in advance of the boat. Maybe some more experienced fishermen can help me understand what this is all about.