Grandma Alice and her UP Homeland Visit

Grandma Alice took a bus trip to the UP on Oct 6-7 from her Sturgis home. Bob and Rose met her in Mackinaw City on her way back home to make a sojourn to her childhood home, Sidnaw, on the west end of the UP. The first two days were beautiful with mostly sunshine and very warm temps. Our first night stay was in Manistique where Rose and Bob lived for 4 years.

Day two led us west through Iron Mountain and Iron River with a back road drive north through old trails up to Sidnaw. We spent a few hours in Sidnaw and visited some friends of Grandma's from Sturgis who moved to Sidnaw. We drove to Baraga to spend the night and ran into one of the worst rainstorms we ever encountered (as the temp dropped 26 deg in 25 minutes while we drove north).

Day three was a drive back to Sidnaw through the back country where we saw no wildlife at all! Grandma got to spend all day in Sidnaw and she visited some old acquaintences, visited her childhood home and spent some time in the historical township hall next to her home where some residents are trying to gather historical information. At one time, Sidnaw was really quite a destination with an enormous farm that shipped goods to Chicago and several hotels and, of course, bars. We ended the day driving east through Marquette and on to Munising for the night's stay.

Day four found us driving county road H58 along the Lake Superior shoreline through rain and rough, wet, rutted sand trails. The wind was out of the northwest and the Lake Superior waves were thundering...but beautiful. We stopped by the Hurrican River national forest campground where Bob and Rose camped (with baby LeighAnne) when the lived in the UP. We continued on to Grand Marais where we stopped for lunch. Raining still, we continued on along the back, rough roads to Muskallonge State Park and the Two Hearted River where Ernest Hemingway based many of his Jack Adams short stories. We ventured on through Newberry and on to Brimley and spent the night in Sault Ste. Marie.

Day 5 started with clouds as we left the "Soo" and headed home. The weather gradually improved to mostly sun by the time we arrived at Grand Traverse Bay.

It is worth noting that we hit every casino on the way...10 in all. We helped the Indian tribes out quite a bit but also had some fun along the way. Grandma Alice likes her casinos! But, we are sad to report that her other son, Dennis, used all the good luck the day before we left on the trip as he won about $3700 at casinos in New Buffalo, MI and Michgan City, IN. Seems like he would have saved some luck for his mother and brother!

It was great to take Mom on this mini-adventure and memory laden trip. We know she enjoyed the trip, the memories and seeing the old home territory. Rose and Bob enjoyed the chance to spend the time with her and help her make the pilgrimage home.

Clear skies but a heavy fog laid over the Straits. This had actually cleared up radically from just a few minutes before this was taken!

Our first night's stay in Manistique. Supposedly there are now moose in the area and there are several moose statues like this adorning area hotels.

The church in Manistique where our oldest child, LeighAnne, was baptised.

Pine Mountain ski jump area near Iron Mountain. Sidnaw is in the horizon!

If you look closely (click on the photo to enlarge) you will see Bob at the top of the ski jump. I cannot believe that people are crazy enough to ski down this and then go off into open space for another drop at least as large as this! It was raining a short time before this and the boards that Bob walked on were quite slippery walking up. And, as you can see by the flag, the wind was blowing pretty well. Bob never did tell Rose and Mom that he slipped right at the top and thought he was going to make the slide down!

Between Iron River and Sidnaw we took the "scenic" route. Good thing, too, as we came upon a bald eagle. We followed him for several hundred yards and got a couple other photos of him sitting in the tree. Here he decides he has had enough of us.

Grandma Alice's childhood home (this was a step up from the shack they started in that is now gone). The garage had been added over the years and the siding added.

Grandma Alice's grandpa Boone Powell in the Sidnaw cemetary. This is the great-great-great grandfather of the Denja kids!

Grandma Alice checking out the Sidnaw cemetary.

Who says you can't teach "old dogs" new tricks? These two met on the Internet! Grandma Alice is shown with Helen Lepola, of the big town of Watton. They met on the Internet as Grandma was searching for information about Sidnaw. It was great to have them meet in person.

The Sidnaw townhall next to the Hogmire home in Sidnaw. This is now an 'historical center' for the village.

Grandma Alice saying goodbye to Sidnaw.

The guard tower still standing at the old CCC camp, turned prison camp in World War II. Grandma knew several people who worked here when she lived in Sidnaw.

Grandma cannot resist trying to find some relic in a pile at the old CCC/prisoner camp on the outskirts of Sidnaw. She did find an old glass baby bottle intact!

Sidnaw International Airport!!

Lake Superior at Grand Marais.