An Upper Peninsula Whirlwind

Saturday was the day that I ended up going from the Soo to Chicago.  According to Google Maps, I had two choices.  I could either go back down I-75 and then head over to Chicago the normal way or I could take M-28 across and then take US-41 down.  I opted for the second option, mainly because I've never been further west in the UP than Munising.

 The first thing that caught my eye was an airport in the middle of nowhere.  Especially this Cessna 170B.

 Luce County Airport is a grass strip just outside of Newberry.  It looked like they had a few other planes there.

 M-28 stretches from roughly Sault Sainte Marie to almost the far western edge of the Upper Peninsula.  It was designated as a state highway in 1919 (along with a few others).  There is a part of it called the Seney Stretch and is one of the longest straight sections of highway in the country (obviously this isn't a picture of that).  For the most part, it is a two lane highway but there is the occasional passing lane.

 I believe this is a rail line belonging to Canadian National.

 I love these old railroad bridges.

 One of the rivers that cross the highway.

 Unfortunately, this is not a great picture of one of the old Michigan Highway Bridges.  These used to be all over but now they are fewer and further between as the decaying portions are replaced by more modern constructions.

 Another railroad bridge.

 I loved the looks of this lilypad covered river.

 A close up.

 Another part of that river.

 A daisy.

 My first real stop was at the Alger Falls near Munising.  I was here a few years ago and I've been meaning to return.  I guess I'll have to return when I can spend more time here.

 A blue flag iris.

 Another shot of the Alger Falls.

 When I was last in Munising, these falls were blocked by a huge snow pile.  This time I decided to get pictures.

 They are the Wagner Falls.

 The Munising Falls was another set of falls that I couldn't get last time I was up here.

 Lake Superior.

 My next stop was Marquette.  A mission was established here in 1675 but development of the area didn't begin until William Burt and Jacob Houghton discovered iron deposits nearby in 1844.  In 1845, the Jackson Mining Company was formed.  The name Marquette was created in 1850 in order to honor Father Marquette who was an explorer and missionary.  This is one of the old iron docks.

 A tugboat.

 One of the new iron docks.  Almost 8 million tons of iron passes through here annually.  I was actually hoping to catch a ship but I just missed the ship that left by an hour and the next ship wasn't due for another two hours.  I didn't really have time to stick around.  But this will be another stopping point in the future.

 The Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad was formed in 1893 as a subsidiary of the Cliffs Mining Company.  It was used to haul iron ore from the mines to the docks.  The railroad is still around today.

 The Superior Dome is touted as the world's largest wooden dome and is the home to the Northern Michigan University Wildcats Football team. It is 14 stories tall and built with 781 douglas fir beams.  It can hold about 8,000 people.

 An old steam engine belonging to the Soo Line.

 The Sand Point Lighthouse was built in Escanaba in 1867.  In 1985, the building was taken over from the Coast Guard in order to save it.

 Crossing the border into Wisconsin.

Marinette, WI is home to Marinette Marine.  More on that later.