Top Down Travels: Day 17 - Grand Rapids, Minnesota to Manistique, Michigan

This will be a quick update, because today was overcast and threatening, with light rain falling all afternoon, so the top stayed up all day. We had a very strong thunderstorm last night that woke me up, and it was apparently associated with tornados that struck Devils Lake, North Dakota, where I passed through yesterday! In fact, I saw a Tornado Chaser vehicle somewhere on the road yesterday, heading west, so I guess they knew what was coming. Glad the tornados didn't make it to Minnesota! I have been really fortunate, weather wise for this trip. Every day, except for today, has been perfectly clear, with great top down weather. I have the tan to prove it. :} I did have the occasional sprinkle that caused me to briefly put the top up, but over all, there were only 3 nights when I was awakened with a passing thunderstorm.

On to today. As usual, I asked Garmin to tell me what to expect:

Forgot to add a couple pics. The headwaters of the Mississippi are near here, but I did not go there. But, the river flows through Grand Rapids, and it's a bit narrower than it is down-stream, say, in St. Louis. So, before I left, I took these pics:

This was a statue in the park beside the river bridge.

For some reason, Minnesota and Wisconsin make it impossible to take a photo of their state sign with your car, so I have no photographic proof that I was in those states, but, trust me, I was!.

Today was my first sighting of Lake Superior at Duluth, and it was quite imposing to see what is now called the rust belt of the US. Unfortunately, no pics. Michigan, however, was welcoming, though I had to park near inches off a merge ramp to get these pics:

What, exactly, is "Pure Michigan," though?

Anyway, I am on the north shore of Lake Michigan on the Upper Peninsula, and was able to grab a couple pics of the lake. Quite impressive with the on shore breeze.