Mille Lacs Minnesota

Monday evening and we are at Pete's Retreat, Mille Lacs, Minnesota. We left Ishpeming on Saturday and drove 196km to Bessemer - which is just before the

Wisconsin border - a very quiet campground beside a river and small lake.                                  

 A very fast flowing river, we are parked on high ground but the lower part of the camping is a small lake because of all the rain.

 We are high up above the river.

 Some more unusual wild flowers

 This little thing is lovely, not sure what it is. Must look into an app for insects, dragonflies etc!      

On Sunday morning we left Bessemer travelling west into Wisconsin and then south to Hayward where we stopped at a KOA camping. We have passed a few of these campings so thought we would give it a try. Not our cup of tea. Very big but well kept, clean and lots of things to do for families: water slides, tubing (rubber ringing) down the river, play grounds etc. etc. (we are too old for all that stuff) but it did have good wifi, so were able to face time and skype family and friends back in Europe.  Distance 162km.

The countryside is changing from wild forest (Michigan) to a rolling forest and grassland (Wisconsin) to farms and lakes (Minnesota) The camping we are on tonight I think is the best yet and today has been the first day without rain for a week.

 This little chap enjoying his dinner outside our window.

 Looking out of the window on the other side of the trailer .

 Looking towards the dry part of the camping. The big holiday season starts this coming weekend, lets hope the rain has finished and all this will dry out. Todays distance 190km.

Tomorrow heading for the Detroit Lakes area and then North Dakota.

Ishpeming Michigan

Left Newberry and drove to Ishpeming 178klm. not a good drive raining boring scrubby countryside until about 50k from Marquette when the sun came out and everything looked better.  Again we just got set up and the rain came again lasted all afternoon, just let up for us to rush to the brew pub next door to the camping for bbq ribs and their own beer. Not so lucky getting back to the trailer though like a couple drowned rats when we got back, beer was worth the wetting.

 The reason we came to Ishpeming was to visit the grave of my great aunt Eva. I first came here in 1968 with my first wife Jill my sister Lynne and cousin Stephen. Jill and I were living in Canada at the time and Lynne and Steve came over from England on a visit. the second time was in 1969 with my Mum and Dad. My aunt and uncle had come to Michigan in 1906, the iron ore mines in Northern Lancashire were coming the end of there life where here in Upper Michigan they had only just started.

 My Great Aunts grave above and the three family graves. The larger one are the two children, the first child born in 1908 and died only two days old and the second child Margaret born in 1910 and died in 1913, the middle grave is  Great Uncle John died in 19663.

John and Eva went to England for a visit in the early 20s my Farther was 7 or 8 years old at the time and could just remember them so the 1969 reunion was a special time.  My fathers sister Margaret who was born in 1918 is still going strong at 95 I wonder if she was named after her cousin.

Upper Michigan

Wednesday morning we left Sault-Ste.-Marie and crossed the bridge into Michigan every thing went very smoothly no holdups other than the American border guards confiscated Ruths herb garden, which upset her a bit, the guard very kindly snipped of all the leaves and put them in a ziploc bag but the hanging basket was refused entry.
We had a very pleasant drive to a town called Newberry where we restocked the fridge, pantry and booze cupboard and then on a few klm. to the camping

Clementz Campground.

 Tonights bbq pork chop, baked potato and garlic bread.      Todays distance traveled 170klm.

Visiting Sault- Ste.- Marie

Yesterday we visited the Bush Plane Museum and today the Canadian locks.

 We spent the morning here wandering around looking at all the old planes, cars and fire pumps, a perfect morning for me, even Ruth said she found it interesting. there were two movies showing,

one about a bush pilot and his dog and the other about fighting fires from the air. we found that very interesting as we live in a fire zone back in France and the Canadairs are always flying over our house in fact they reload with water on a local lake.                                         After a really good morning here we returned to the campground for lunch and relaxed in the sun reading our books.
Today Tuesday we set off after breakfast for another "man day out" to visit the old lock on the Canadian side a major feat of engineering in its day, built in the 1890s.

 Looking towards Lake Huron

 Looking towards  Lake Superior 

 The Lock Superintendant lived in this house.

Two pics. of the swing safety dam, this swings over the water and lowers metal plates to slow the flow of water, in 1909 a steamer hit the gates of the lock on the Huron side and the water from Lake Superior, which is 21ft. higher, rushed through taking 2 boats with it. The dam was swung it took 12 hours 4 men winching by hand but it worked and stopped the flow.

 A couple of tour boats entering the lock. After another super morning we went back to the camping and another relaxing afternoon sitting in the sun.   Tomorrow we plan to cross the border to the USA to visit Upper Michigan. 

Sault Ste. Marie

Left Serpent River around 9:30 am and arrived at Glenview Camping around 12:30 distance 178km.
the weather cloudy while driving but as soon as we had finished setting up the sun broke through the clouds and we had a wonderful afternoon. After lunch and a catch up on our computers we went for a walk on a trail starting at the camping.

 All set up, no other campers just yet, more arrived later in the afternoon.

 The start of our walk, we walked round the lake and then up hill on the other side.

Walking through the forest, not many animals just lots of mozzies they don't normally bother me but these Northern Ontario ones were eating me alive and I was covered with jungle juice (stuff that we bought to go to West Africa a couple of years ago it might work on the African variety but had no effect on the hardy Canadian version)

Some pics. of the wild flowers we passed on this walk.

 Time for a beer

Serpent River,Ontairio

Friday and Saturday we stopped at Serpent River Campground very quiet and peaceful only the odd truck going along the trans canada highway to disturb the sound of the birds, but no wifi, we are now in Sault-St.- Marie and we have wifi so catch up time.
our travel distance Sudbury to Serpent River 223klm. including a detour to Eliot Lake a nice town lots to see and do but no camping at least none we could get into.

 This is another pic. for Francois, we think this is a Northern Flicker, hunting for bugs.

             A family of Canada Geese having a fun day out.        The Serpent River

 This chap "serenaded" the campsite at aperitif hour. As we had a full day here I changed the cable from truck to trailer, cats cradle of wires.

 Looking across the campsite to the river.

 The camp fire they love them here cosy and they keep the bugs away. The piper was playing amazing grace at his point.

Richards Lake, Sudbury

We left Port Severn and drove up highway 400 to Richards camping a few klm south of Sudbury stayed 2 nights, got our phone recharged (mega expensive in Canada, to think we used to complain about French mobile charges 2 maybe 3 times as expensive here) Did the usual shopping runs and just got back to the campground before the heavens opened again.
Back in the early seventies I worked at the Falconbridge Nickel Mine, the country side around Sudbury was like the moon all the trees were dead from the polution every thing a grey slag colour except the snow and that was pink again from the polution. What a difference 40 years of enviromental care can do every thing green and clean the only sign of industry a few smoke stacks one so big the top is in the clouds, amazing transformation.  The distance Port Severn to Sudbury 223klm.
No photos today the internet connection is to slow.    We heard from our friend Francois back in France  the bird in the field was a Pluvier Kildir.   hope we have a better connection  at our next stop we are now at Serpent River lovely campground but in the middle of nowhere not even a Tim Hortons or a gas station.

Sainte-Maria among the Hurons

After leaving Discovery Bay we went the village of Sainte-Marie among the Hurons. I'm afraid I dont have many pics I became so engrossed in this place and listening to the history, the guides were students and really knew their stuff I forgot to take photos.
The village was founded by Jesuit priests in1839 it only lasted 10 years. By then they had managed to kill off 70 percent of the Huron population with the introduction of measles, flu and other western diseases and started a war with the Iroquois which led to the abandonment of the village. sad tale for the Huron people.

 We just finished our tour before the rain returned and drove back to Port Severn in a downpour

 We had planned on a bbq but had to cook inside

A frustrating couple of days

we left Rice Lake on Sunday morning sun blue skies,  wonderful drive round Rice Lake quite hilly for Ontario which up to now has been somewhat flat, in fact I think the best scenery so far this trip. Sunday   night we stayed at Trout waters campground just before the turn north. No Internet. distance today 104 klm.
Monday morning cloudy but no rain good drive up to Orillia a little detour to Heidi's RV to buy a new cable from truck to trailer the old one danced its way along the road yesterday being an electrician I am never without a first aid kit, a roll of insulation tape good for every thing from electrical repairs to sticking on cuts etc.
Stopped at Willow Lanes just out side Port Severn , we will stop for 2 nights here.  Distance today 124 klm.
After setting up a quick food shop and lunch and then the heavens opened again and it rained for the rest of the afternoon and all night. No pics for the last couple of days we all know what rain looks like.
Tuesday morning watery sunshine but no rain so after breakfast we set of for Penetanguishene - try saying that after a couple of beers - for a bit of Canadian history.

 HMS Tecumseth at Discovery Bay Dockyard.

This home of the Adjutant of the naval base 

 The kitchen  inside the house.  This is the officers dining room.

 The Commanding Officers bedroom

and the drummer boys bedroom. No pics of the sqaddies rooms I wonder if they had beds?

 more pics of the village