A Michigan July Part 1- Our UP vacation

Happy Sunday afternoon, friends.  It is a hot and humid late-July Michigan day today and we are currently enjoying some peace and quiet in the air-conditioned comfort of the house.  We have had a busy couple of weeks to catch up on here and it is the perfect time to sit down and write, so here I am.

As those of you are reading this are aware, we are still dealing with the Corona virus and all that living through a global pandemic entails.  It is a strange time in all of our lives, with masks required to go into stores, no spectators at sporting events as the Major League Baseball season finally began again, and people staying close to home.  With all that is going on in the world, I have limited my trips to the store or anywhere far from home, but earlier this month, I decided it was time that we take a trip North for a short vacation.  For my own mental health, a trip to the UP seemed to be just what I needed...and I think the girls needed it too.

So, joined by our friend Vanessa, we packed up the Jeep and headed north for a long weekend of Copper Harbor magic.

Piper settled into hotel life pretty quickly, even before having any real UP adventures.  I was happy to see she was able to relax in a strange place with new noises.  I was also happy to enjoy a beautiful Brockway Mountain sunset on our first night there.  

Our first full day in the Keweenaw was the 4th of July.  While most normal Independence day celebrations were cancelled, we were happy to see that the locals were still holding their annual tradition of a parade in Eagle Harbor.   While it was not advertised, we were part of the lucky few who were in the know and able to enjoy it.

After the parade, we spent time exploring and I was excited to finally get to visit the George Gipp grave site.  I've often planned to stop, only to have those plans change, but I was determined to get there this time.  

But the best part of the day was spending it at Great Sand Bay with friends.  We had beach time and shared a pizza and the girls loved every minute of it.  So did I.  I mean, you can't beat dinner with a view like this and some close friends!

We ended the day with a sparkler show on the 6th street dock in Copper Harbor.  A beautiful end to a great day in the Keweenaw.

Our second day in the Harbor was spent exploring the rocky shorelines that surround the area.  First was a trip to Horseshoe Harbor to see some stromatolites and do some rock hunting. 

Then after lunch, we headed out to Hunter's Point Park for a hike to the point.  It was a slow and steady walk with Maddie, but for the first time in two years, we finally made it out there again.  

We slowly meandered back toward the parking lot with a nice stop along the way for a little wading, rock climbing, and rock hunting...and for one of us, an accidental dip in Superior while fully clothed.  It was definitely refreshing!

While the weather was warmer and more humid than we had expected it to be, it was so nice to be somewhere that makes us as happy as Copper Harbor does.  Due to the pandemic, it was the quietest 4th of July weekend I've experienced up there and I enjoyed the peace and solitude that is what I love most about this place.  It was also nice to be able to visit all of our favorite spots and introduce Peaches to some places she hadn't been yet.  This was the longest Peaches has spent there and she definitely loved it.  

Trips to Jamsen's for a turnover, driving along Brockway Mountain Drive, sitting on the beach at Esrey Park, and time walking on Great Sand Bay with my girls and our good friend Bryce, all the things that make my heart and soul happy, and I truly believe those places do the same thing for Maddie.  That area is a part of us, it is the core of who we are, and I don't know how well I would have been able to continue on in our new daily normal without completely losing my mind if I hadn't made this trip.  

I think that the girls were pretty happy to be there too!  Maddie savored every minute of her time there while Peaches made the most of her time on chipmunk watch.

The girls and I always enjoy having Vanessa along on our adventures and sharing with her all of the places we love around the UP.   And of course we're also always happy to spend time with Bryce too.  I think Maddie was especially happy to spend some special one on one time giving some extra love to her Uncle Bryce.

Who knows when we'll be able to get back there, maybe later this Summer or early Fall, but there are a lot of unknowns.  So for now we're just happy that we made the time to go when we did.  There is nothing better than some fresh Lake Superior air with Keweenaw views and good friends.