Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Who Takes Pictures of Poop?



Well . . . believe it or not, I am not the only weirdo to capture the image of wildlife do-do.  It really is amazing, especially when you don't see the animals, to know, without question, you are not alone on the Island.  
These, by Roger's insistence, were taken with a quarter so we can have an idea of scat scale.
The images you see here are relatively small and full of berries (visual assessment only).  We deduced that the evidence was left by at least one healthy fox.  We saw many piles of proof, but no actual fox.  


No, we weren't just bored.  It was pretty exciting to know that we were treading the same path as wolves as we hiked to Lookout Louise on the Northeast tip of the Island.  I'm no connoisseur, but based on my experience of spring cleanup from my own dogs, I would guess this sample to be quite old.  By the way, yes, we did examine the contents.  Very furry, this sample.  Snowshoe Hare?  Possibly, but we didn't look that close.

Not everyone gets to see the Ranger III outside of its Houghton port.  These are photos from Rock Harbor, after we arrived on Tuesday, July 27.
Access to Isle Royale National Park is limited to boat and seaplane.  In addition to a few commercial excursion boats, the Ranger III is the U.S. National Park Service's largest boat.  It visits the least frequented park in the system.  The Ranger III leaves from the Houghton port on Tuesday and Friday each week during the summer and makes return trips from Isle Royale on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.

I was surprised that the Ranger carries so much freight.  Of course, it provides the only waste disposal transport for the Island, so the vessel stops at the Rock Harbor dock after servicing Mott Island, the headquarters for the Isle Royale maintenance.  The boat also carries cargo for the concession services on the Island including large freezers full of who knows what, and building supplies such as lumber.  Some items are rolled into the cargo hold while dumpsters and larger items are lifted onto the bow with an impressive crane.  In addition to all the larger freight, the ship carries all the gear for those who venture to the Island.  Carts full of heavy backpacks, suitcases, picnic coolers and personal necessities are pulled to the Ranger using a tractor.  The coolest cargo is the boats, canoes, and kayaks.  I watched the loading of two decent sized outboard motor boats, and three canoes and kayaks on the return trip.  They were picked up by the crane and placed ever so gently onto the ship's bow amongst the dumpsters.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

OKAY -- THIS IS TOTALLY U.P.  A must-share experience with the world who doesn't know or doesn't give a shit.  The bridge does go up.  It goes down, too, but only in special circumstances...

Terra Schneider On the bridge. It's going up. YESSSS!!!
10 hours ago via Text Message ·  · 
Roxanne Dobbs
Roxanne Dobbs 
Wait, are you on the actual bit where it goes up?! If so, AWESOME! :D
10 hours ago · 
Terra Schneider
Terra Schneider 
yes. it is so fun. haha that's my second time. ( :
9 hours ago · 
Roxanne Dobbs
Roxanne Dobbs 
Ah, I've always wanted to! Hopefully one day I'll randomly get to! :D I'll just keep my eyes open for some boats.
9 hours ago · 
Terra Schneider
Terra Schneider 
just figure out the ranger schedule and go like 15 or 20 minutes before it's supposed to dock in houghton!
8 hours ago · 
Andrew Schneider
Andrew Schneider 
Weeeeeeeee.......
7 hours ago · 
Patricia Helsel
Patricia Helsel 
Let me get this straight. You were actually ON the part that went up?
2 hours ago ·  · 
Terra Schneider
Terra Schneider 
YEAH! so fun.
2 hours ago · 
Patricia Helsel
Patricia Helsel 
You didn't get arrested for catching the lift?
5 minutes ago ·  · 
Terra Schneider
Terra Schneider 
haha no but they buzzed the warning thinger at us a few times.
3 minutes ago · 

Friday, May 28, 2010

Black Flies-- Must be June

The U.P. black fly is quite a contender in annihilating the human race.  They're stealthy and so harmless looking.  Don't be fooled.  Their venom is nasty and swells up in no time at all.  This one got me right between the eyes.

Sunday, May 16, 2010




There were many references to the Gay Bar, in Gay, Michigan when we first arrived.  Roger, Christopher, and I finally made the trek to this isolated little town on the Eastern side of the Keweenaw Peninsula. The Gay Bar is NOT like any alternative bar I've ever visited. 

According to Wikepedia:

Gay, is a tiny unincorporated community in Keweenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is 12 miles from Lake Linden on Copper Island at the western end of the Upper Peninsula. Local government is provided by Sherman Township. As of 2000, its population is 60.

 The Mohawk Mining Company built a stamp mill in Gay in 1898. The residual stamp sand dumped into Lake Superior increased the town's area greatly. Today, only the large smokestack and the ruins from the stamp mill still remain. The only remaining business is a bar, which is called The Gay Bar.

Gay is locally celebrated for its annual 4th of July parade. The "Gay Parade" as is it is referred to locally, attracts several times the towns population.

The town was named after its founder, Joseph E. Gay. 


I'm thinkin' the population is probably down by one with this posting . . .











Saturday, May 15, 2010