While the term "bucket list" has become a cliche in American culture, most of us have certain goals that we hope to achieve before we are too old, frail or dead to experience. For my wife and I, one of those goals is to witness the Aurora Borealis, a spectacular natural phenomenon that we have managed to miss despite having visited Newfoundland, Iceland, Scotland, southern Alaska, Vancouver Island and the northern Great Lakes region.
Tomorrow we will leave Colorado and head northeast across the Great Plains. Our destination will be the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, specifically locations along and near the Keweenaw Peninsula. While our primary goal is to see the Northern Lights, we plan to explore the varied ecosystems of that region and anticipate that other sightings will also prove to be highlights of the trip.
Of course, as always, getting to and from the destination may also provide natural spectacles that characterize the North American autumn. Whether we see the Aurora Borealis or not, it will certainly be an enjoyable and rewarding journey. More on our travels in the coming days.
Addendum: As it turns out, a major solar flare occurred two days ago and the peak Auroral borealis show was forecast to develop last night. Perhaps our journey to the Northern Lights is a bit late but we remain optimistic.
