It was actually another backwards day.  I headed back east from Ispheming to first go to the Marquette Verizon store to try to set up a 4G Samsung Mifi so I can travel with my own wireless hotspot.  It took two hours, but patience turned to success (and the Mifi enabled me  to update my Grand Island posting from a few days ago with a photo and map this evening so check it out).

Once the Mifi was operational, Henry and I drove to the north side of Marquette to eat lunch sitting in Ecovision while parked at a marina.

The marina is in the shadow of enormous Presque Isle Power Plant built by Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company.  I learned that this one facility powers 90 percent of the Upper Peninsula’s electricity and 12 percent of Wisconsin’s.  I wish I had photographed the gigantic pile of coal.

After lunch we headed north to the town of Big Bay.  The drive takes about a 45 minutes from Marquette with some of the road shoulder-less and rolling.  Probably not that noticeable when driving an automobile, but it kept me on my toes driving my RV.

Big Bay is the town where many scenes in the book and movie The Anatomy of a Murder took place.  There is a Community Presbyterian Church across the street from St. Mary Church below.

St. Mary Church in Big Bay, Michigan

Big Bay was having a Farmers Market and I bought cherry tomatoes and a huge blueberry muffin.  I also bought a Powell Township tshirt with the proceeds going toward parks and recreation.  I even met the artist.

In contrast to the gray and rainy day on Grand Island, as you can see today was clear blue sky and bright sun.  In fact, I only saw one small puff of a cloud all afternoon.

From the town of Big Bay, I wanted to get to the Big Bay Lighthouse.  I remembered how stunning Lake Superior was below the cliff the lighthouse rests on.  The 100-year old lighthouse has been a bed and breakfast, although I’m not sure of its current status because when I was there two years ago it was for sale.

Big Bay Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast

It showed signs of neglect, and the land has been subdivided into lots according to a drawing on a large for-sale sign.  Ah, progress.

But for me the main event was, of course, the Big Lake Superior!  I only snapped a few photos because it seemed like there was a private event breaking up.

View of the long horizon of Lake Superior from Big Bay Lighthouse cliff.

Henry and I then headed back south to Marquette then turned west to Ispheming.  I hooked the water and electric back up and even pulled out Henry’s rug and my chair.  We both ate out there then I read Wild Shore—Greg Breining‘s book about kayaking around Lake Superior–while Henry dozed.

Then I put things away and Henry and I walked around the campground until the chill in the air chased me inside.

Tomorrow: Copper Harbor!

Henry Boy loves his striped rug.