We are staying at an Americinn Motel in Calumet, MI. Their breakfast bar is a little above the average motel. One thing that contributes to this is their waffle machine. It takes 2 ½ minutes from start to finish, and they are really tasty!
We had a light day planned for today so we took our time getting ready to leave this morning. It was just a 17 mile drive to our first stop, The Gay Bar in Gay, MI. We were a little early getting there so we drove around town and took a few pictures. Gay was founded by Joseph E. Gay and was the home of the Mohawk Mining Company stamp mill. The stamp mill separated the copper from rock which was removed from the copper mines. After the mines closed, the town’s population dropped from over 1,500 residents to about 50 today. When the mill closed, they sold the houses for $1.00 a room; thus a five room house was $5.00. The only thing left from the stamp mill is the smokestack.
The Gay Bar (first photo) is the only business left. They are famous for their ¼ pound hot dogs, all 25 different kinds. I did get my Chicago dog and Cheryl had a chili dog. We also had a root beer float. Root beer is a very popular drink in this portion of the state. 
After we left Gay, our drive took us up the south side of the peninsula. This is the first area of Lake Superior where we have encountered a shale type rock base along the beach. The rock is red in color and very soft. If you enlarge the second photo, you can see the layered shale in the bank. This photo was taken looking east. About 25 miles east of Gay is a little village called Bete Grise, MI. Bete Grise is much like Gay in that when the mines closed, it too lost most of its population. Bete Grise Beach is famous for its singing sand. If you rotate your hand or bare foot in the sand, the sand resonates, producing a singing sound. The sand is very fine. I have seen this on some of the ocean beaches.
The third photo is of the postman delivering mail to the Bete Grise area. Everyone gets their mail at the same location. Notice the blue mailbox on the left for outgoing mail.
The highest point on the Keweenaw Peninsula is Brockway Mountain. The top of the mountain is bald and offers a fantastic 360 degree view of the lake and mountains. The observation area is 726 feet above the lake and 1328 feet above sea level. The fourth photo is of a flock of geese that took off from the beach and ascended to our level as they headed south. Enlarge this photo and you can see the outstretched feet on several of the geese. The background is Lake Superior looking north from the mountain top.
Our sign of the day, and last photo, is a “yardstick” showing the snowfall for last year (2008/’09). Note the red pointer at 284 inches. The all time record (note top) was in the winter of 1978/’79 at 390.4 inches. The 48 year average is 240.9 inches. The area is not for those who suffer from cabin fever, or are afraid to navigate the white stuff!Tomorrow we will be checking out the northern side of the peninsula.
T&C
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