Day 64

Crystal Falls

Jul 9, 2013, 12:24 PM

 We are on our way to Crystal Falls, Michigan. The scenery is very different here. It reminds me of driving through New Hampshire. Everything is so green there are big rock outcroppings on the side of the road, lots of evergreen trees, a lot of birch trees intermingled with the evergreens, and we passed a sign that said moose crossing next 35 miles. Oh wouldn't that just be the most incredible thing if a moose was on the side of the road. Mind you, I don't want one to walk out in front of us, but I'd love to see one grazing on the side of the road. We put our destination in the GPS and I guess when we get there we will have crossed into the Central time zone, because the GPS is saying we will be there before we left. WHAT????????

You know, it isn't right when the DOT puts in a nice roadside picnic area or scenic overlook and then gives no advance notice. We just passed what looks like a nice little spot along a river or creek and we didn't see it till it was too late. If I was driving I would have turned around, but when a man is driving the car is incapable of such a maneuver. We will have to try to remember to catch it on the way back, but of course we will return a different route. Whatever!!!!!!

We get to the town Crystal Falls, by this time it was lunch time, we always seem to do that end up where we want to be in time to get lunch, anyway I go through some of the GPS suggestions for places to eat and a Ken's Kountry Oven shows up. Ken's sounds interesting so we pick that one. We follow the GPS and we end up going three miles down this logging road. When I say logging road that is exactly what I mean. We are driving down the road and we have to pull over because here comes a tandem truck with two loads of logs, then another one. As we went further on we could see where they had been logging because there were stacks of logs as big as houses on the side of the road. Then the GPS announces we have arrived. Um hellooooo, there is NOTHING here!! Oh there are trees and the dirt road but not restaurants, no houses, hell not even an outhouse. The GPS causes some crazy adventures some times. 

So we found a little restaurant in Crystal Falls, on the main street going through town. It was pretty good, Steve had a taco salad and I had a grilled ham and swiss on homemade bread (Lucille I threw that in just for you.) after lunch we went to the Horserace Rapids, ugh, another dirt road. This time at the end of the dirt road we hit pay dirt. The road just ended at a little shack, I later came to understand was an outhouse, there were no signs, no markers, nothing, just a well worn path. When we got out of the car Steve asked me if we were hearing moving water and at first I thought what were were hearing was only the birch trees in the breeze. I think the birch trees really sound like running water when the breeze goes through their leaves, but if you really listened there was a deeper sound that was definitely running water. So we figured we were in the right place. I got out the cameras and we started our hike. The path was shorn up with wood making almost steps as we went down. There were several places where there were smaller paths that took off to the left or right but we stayed on the main path and made our way down. It was so striking. The rock was so dramatic just jutting up from the gully that had been carved out by the water and the trees and ferns were all around so thick. It was just beautiful. I am always amazed at how nature will not be deterred. There were trees that were growing out of the crevices of rocks and over the rocks and when I say rocks I guess it would be better described as boulders. I was in photo heaven. Steve was busy looking for snakes. We came to the realization that we really should be wearing hiking boots when we are out like this just to be on the safe side. We haven't had any issues but why wait. Wow, we are being sensible, that is so not like us. 

From the Horserace Rapids we wanted to go to the Bewabic State Park. We got within a mile and it started to drizzle, by the time we were driving into the state park it was coming down pretty good. I think we went over this the other day, I really don't like to get soaked so we decided to forgo that stop. So we are headed back now. It is coming down like nobody's business, all of a sudden Steve is hitting the brakes hard and in front of us run a doe and a fawn. Thank God we didn't even come close to hitting them and they ran off safely into the woods. 

We made it home safe and sound, we had a quick and easy dinner and are now going to bed, good night all. I'll check I with you again tomorrow.