Great Lakes Road trip 2016

[brewmaster15]

HI all,
A bunch of you knew from talking with me at the NADA show and pms that I was planning on taking a few days after the show to drive around the Great Lakes area and explore and asked me to post pics. Having never been there we wanted to see as much as we could in our short trip. My pics here are snap shots. I didn't have time to stay in one area or scene long. I consider them documentation and fun pics. The kind of stuff you look back on and smile. We ended up driving up the coast of lake michigan thru Wisconsin. We went to the shores of Lake Superor to the explore the National Parklands of the Upper Pennisula (Michigan) , then over the Mackinaw Bridge, thru Michigan along The shores of Lake Huron we did this in a about 3 days. :) Before we could do that though we visited with our relatives in Naperville ILLinois.

Spent a day at a great little park, Riverwalk Park and Moser Tower.

Some images from that area...

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[brewmaster15]

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[brewmaster15]

Theres a real cool bell tower in the park there called the Millennium Carillon/Moser Tower. I took the following pics with an ultrawide angle lens, 10-20 mm. Make the tower look small and Distorts it (intentionally on my part). I was having a bit of fun with the editting pics as well. To give you an idea how big it is.. 160 Feet tall. Thats 10 feet taller than the statue of Liberty (or so I read!)

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[brewmaster15]

On the Road again, we Left Naperville and headed North thru Wisconsin. WE had reservations that night in Michigan so we could not stop. But the countryside was beautiful. I would love to spend some more time there in the future. Not wanting to forget it I took up my old favorite hobby of taking pictures from the car at high speeds.. 65 mph makes for some challenges!

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[brewmaster15]

Next up was a small rest area on Lake Michigan...

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then on the road the again...

[brewmaster15]

Next up Lake Superior and the national parklands and towns..
Miners castle area...

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[Kal-El]

Amazing photos. Thank you for sharing.

[brewmaster15]

Lake Superior area..

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This is a really blown up image and poor quality shot..Hand held 70-200 2.8 lens on a windy day... but still cool to have seen some Bald eagles...

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[brewmaster15]

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I've never seen such a huge clump of wild Maiden Hair Fern!!
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Cool Berry...Red Baneberry.. very poisonous but a first time seeing for me.
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Proud Camera Dad moment... My daughter looks happy with her Pictures!
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Vaguely know what this flower is, before I forgot its name!
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[brewmaster15]

last few coming ....The area is full of water falls .. we could only see 2 , and the first one was pretty impossible to photograph.. heres from the other one.

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[Second Hand Pat]

Very cool shots Al. :) The kids are really growing up (too fast if you ask me). What's the water like? Appears warm enough to take a dip. :) Eagle shots are always cool. :) Really beautiful part of the country. Tom and I need to go visit. He has family up in those parts.
Pat

[brewmaster15]

When I go on these trips I am always looking for native birds I have not yet seen.. Bird watcher's call them Life Birds. I didn't see any life birds this trip but I saw something that for a bird watcher is just as amazing. Driving down the road I always scan the roadsides and fields for something new. I was riding shotgun and saw a bird in a field that was definety not native. We pulled over and I just starting taking pics incase it flew away. It was pretty far out there but I was sure I was looking at a bird that should be thousands of miles south , last I saw one was Florida... It was a Caracara... a Predatory bird . I was really in shock..it could not be there but was. A car pulled up and asked me if I knew what that bird was, and when I said so, she said "yep, been here 2 weeks, even some photographers from National Geographic has been here ..don't know if that was tru but it was still amazing.

again, windy day, over cast, hand held heavy lens and far away, but one of my all time favorite Birds, the CARACARA... heavily cropped, but ironically better shots than I ever got in FL!

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[brewmaster15]

Last set of Pics.. Time to hit the Mackinaw Bridge and head down Lake Huron shores.. stop along way for a pic or two then back thru Ohio, Penn, NY and to CT.

Mackinaw Bridge Driving..

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lake Huron...
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[brewmaster15]

So thats it for the Pics.. gives you a small feel for it. I could have spent months on this trip.. Lake Superior really floored me. Its incredibly beautiful both the lake and forests. We didn't see a fraction of it but enough to know we will be back again when theres more time. Have to thank Rick,
nc0gnet0, for the travel suggestions here..Thanks Rick!:)

I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that these pics are from FRESH Water... Its like an ocean but no salt smell.. It really is an amazing place.

al

[brewmaster15]

Amazing photos. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you!!!:)

[nc0gnet0]

Great pics Al!

[brewmaster15]

Very cool shots Al. :) The kids are really growing up (too fast if you ask me). What's the water like? Appears warm enough to take a dip. :) Eagle shots are always cool. :) Really beautiful part of the country. Tom and I need to go visit. He has family up in those parts.
Pat


Pat, They are growing up way too fast! 13 and 15, Yikes!

The water there is cool, but swimming is possible, on a hot day it probably feels great! We didn't have time but saw alot of brave souls.

The Rocks in the Area we stayed, called Picture Rock are beautiful lake shore cliffs they have tour boats but it was too windy and we had a list a mile long to hit so we will do that another time.

If you like natural Beauty its a great trip.

only downside is on some days in the summer they have an over abundance of "stable Flies" those suckers are annoying and numerous when present. It was pretty hard standing still to take pics. They like the lower legs, definetly pack long pants... we learned that the hard way!

al

[Keith Perkins]

Thanks for sharing Al. Definitely brings back a lot of memories from my younger years growing up in that area.

[brewmaster15]

Thanks for sharing Al. Definitely brings back a lot of memories from my younger years growing up in that area.

Keith, my pleasure, I have to return again someday and hit up those spots you suggested too!:)

al

[John_Nicholson]

Great pictures buddy!

-john

[Ardan]

Great pics Al! Yes it's like an ocean, Quite a resource! I tell you when you get out on a boat and can't see shore it's amazing, but the weather and waves can change in a hurry, and I am told the waves are much closer together than an ocean which makes for some scary tales from folks. Thankfully I have not been caught in anything real bad.
Glad you could see all you could in a short time!

Ardan

[Bill63SG]

Glancing at the pics and then I realized it was my downtown,lol.

[two utes]

Wow! Thanks for sharing your family snaps Al. Boy your kids have grown heaps since the last pics l saw of them. Enjoy these times mate. Great memories, and remember that we are here for a good time, not a long time

[Disgirl]

Wonderful pics Al, I have never been to that area and now I see what I have missed. What fun, except for the flies of course.
Barb

[Discus-n00b]

Very nice Al! You're right it does resemble an ocean, pretty crazy. You got to see your Eagle after all lol