On our drive from Madison, Wisconsin, to Houghton, Michigan, today, we were enveloped in a steady, cold rain, among the worst of weather conditions in my opinion. Combined with a hazy mist, the rain slowed our journey and significantly obscured the magnificent scenery along the way.
About an hour north of Madison, we entered the great North Woods, characterized by conifers, birch trees and willow bogs. Since we were traveling up the Wisconsin River Valley, we crossed that river and its tributaries many times and finally reached its headwaters along the southern edge of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The low, gray overcast produced a dusk-like darkness throughout the journey and we thus hoped that moose might appear along the marsh-lined lakes and bogs; unfortunately, none were observed. In fact, several bald eagles were the only notable sightings of our day-long trip.
Tomorrow, we'll complete our journey to Copper Harbor, making a few stops en route. Hopefully, the skies will clear and we'll be treated to one of nature's grandest displays, the Aurora borealis, before we return to the American Heartland. Daily reports to follow (well, maybe every other day).
