Pictured Rocks, Upper Peninsula in Michigan. National Lakeshore Michigan. First Stop.
What sparked our interest in adventuring out for this cross country trip started with a request to shoot photos for a friend in San Francisco who is writing a book on making Pizza in the house which the website is still under construction but I will show you our photos later on. With the van almost completed, why not drive? Then we got a call for a job in Lansing & Grand Rapids MI for a company named Everstream, located in Cleveland as well. Fiber Network, we learned a lot as shooting, really interesting. After finishing up in Michigan, we headed straight North to Pictured Rocks in Upper Peninsula on Lake Superior, first stop on our 16 day journey yippee! Stunning scenic views, waterfalls, great hiking, colorful cliffs, sea caves and sandstone formations. We definitely plan to go back and spend more time. The shoreline from Grand Marais, Michigan going East to Whitefish offers some of the best agate finding opportunities around Lake Superior. Agate is a variety of chalcedony, a cryptocrystalline form of quartz. Since they need to be tumbled and polished to see the vivid colors you really need to be a pro to spot one on the beach. But aside from agates, there were all sorts of cool looking, interesting shaped rocks along the beach. What's really cool is that you can actually load up a basket full to take home, as long as you are not on a National Park beach. Poor Ed having to load up the van with rocks for me :) Our campsite at the Woodland Park Beach wasn't the greatest because we got there so late, slim pickings, it was actually right along a street but it's ok we never really hang out at the site, we love to be out and about exploring. Our neighbors were really friendly and interesting, taught us about Agate. Camping along the Circle Route through Michigan's Upper Peninsula you will find a number of nice campground choices from Village Parks, County Parks, State Parks, National Parks and Michigan National Forest Campgrounds, as well as private campgrounds.
I was surprised at how clear Lake Superior waters are, guess I'm used to Lake Erie. Really cold though, I couldn't do it, Ed did, froze his butt off. Ready for a fun Lake Superior fact? The beginnings trace back a billion years when molten basalt erupted in a rift from near present day Detroit stretching to Northern Minnesota. Billions of tons of molten rock accumulated deep beneath the earths surface for 22 million years. Some point during this time period eventually the tipping point was reached where the surface of Mother Earth could no longer support the weight and the surface began to sink ...and the Lake Superior basin began to form. I'm sure you alway wondered how it was formed, right?
Thinking you would like to read more? maybe on campsites? Check out links at the bottom of page. Thanks for reading :)
Ford Transit Van Conversion Blog post
Michaelangelo's Photography & Video
On the road in Upper Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana. Not easy shooting through the window going 80mph, yes, in Montana it's the speed limit, crazy.
I never realized that 535,000 acres of Sunflowers were planted across North Dakota in 2019. The State ranks number two in the year-over-year sunflower production. We drove for miles and miles with Sunflowers surrounding us. Sad, we just kept driving and driving, no time to stop.
We loved driving through North Dakota something about the landscape it was peaceful and ever-changing, rolling hills then rock formations then sunflowers, I'd like to explore more.
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