Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Norway Michigan, Albino Deer, Rapids, and Waterfalls

We left St Ignace and headed west to Norway, Michigan. There we had multiple goals, visiting friends Dave and Jane and maybe buying a genie cabochon maker from Kingsly North. Viewing wildlife and scenery is of course one of our main goals and that's what the time there turned into.
Dave and Jane are two friends we met at Waterssedge, the rv park we winter in, and they have a beautiful ten acre piece of land near Norway Micgigan. We had talked with Dave, he was fishing, and he told us to just pull in and hook up. Soon after we arrived Jane got home and Dave followed later that evening,(He did have some northern and walleye fillets and so we of course talked about the fishing).
The next day they told us of Goodman park and some waterfalls on the Menomomie River and so we loaded into their truck and head out to sight see. Arriving we walked to the falls and decided that the river was way to high to canoe. The falls themselves were not passable in any season and the water was a strange reddish color from all the iron, dissolved into the water,(We are near Iron Mountain and old iron mines).
The next day we went shopping and headed to the Rock Shop where we found out that the cabochon maker was not in stock and would be dropped shipped to our address, not good when you live in a fifth wheel and travel full time. The trip wasn't a waste however as their geopicks were on  sale and so I purchased one. It was about time I had one as I bought Renita a pick axe for our anniversary last year and she won't let me use it.
We also bought some rock, more beautiful tiger eye, and some orbicular leopard skin agate. They also had some stunning Mexican crazy lace agate and I am kicking myself for not buying any. We spent the rest of the day checking out local artists and their shops and we traded stories and techniques for wire wrapping.
The last day in Norway was spent sightseeing as Dave took us to see an albino deer and Piers Gorge, a possible place to canoe. Again the water was way too high and the rapids were class three or maybe even four in places. They were way above our skill level and Dave suggested we should raft them some late summer, hmmmm.
We had a nice time there, buying rock, visiting with friends, and plan on returning there as part of a future fall leaf trip. The Upper Peninsula is such a nice place to be and a real relief after the heavy traffic out east. Clear skies.

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