Manistique to Laurium

Our goal for the day was the Laurium Manor Inn where we would be staying for the next three nights. Pretty fancy looking, isn’t it? We had originally figured on staying in Houghton but all hotels were full – it was freshman incoming weekend at Michigan Tech. Something I never thought of as we were making our plans. I think we probably got one of the few remaining rooms in this B&B, it was a former maid’s room on the third floor. Walk up.

Leaving Manistique, we took the longer but presumably more scenic NF-13 per David’s suggestion rather than M-94 up to Munising. We were a bit concerned about the potential for bad road (the Charger is pretty fussy), but it was just fine. The scenery, however, was pretty much a wall of trees. I prefer a bit more variety. We took a left at Munising onto M-28 and continued to Au Train where there is a picnic area with access to a lovely, sandy beach on Lake Superior. Ken wanted to stick his toes in the water. I had better sense (and experience). The day promised to be pretty hot so maybe that water would feel good in the afternoon.

Then it was onward, ever onward. To Ishpeming, where we planned on stopping at Lawry’s for a pasty. Have to have at least one of these iconic pies while in the UP! Yelp had good reviews for the place and it was in a good location for a lunch stop. BUT. We couldn’t find it! I plugged the address into the GPS, drove past where it said it should be, didn’t see it, so continued on down the road through West Ishpeming and into country. Finally decided to turn around and give it another go thinking the signage might be poor. Still couldn’t find it near where the GPS said it should be. Shrugged our shoulders, gave up, and turned around to continue on our way figuring we’d stop to eat someplace else. Wouldn’t you know it? Shortly past our original turn around spot, we saw the sign and pulled in. The pasties were very good, by the way.

The rest of the drive to Houghton and thence to Laurium was uneventful. I had been a student at Michigan Tech 1969-1974 and had been over this road several times a year in that period. Since leaving, however, I had only been back once – in 1998. I remember being struck the same way then – by how familiar everything felt even though I couldn’t really predict what was coming up next. But, when I saw it, I knew it was right.

We arrived in Laurium mid-afternoon, checked in, lugged our gear up one flight of family stairs and one flight of servant stairs, and turned the room AC on. It was HOT in there. After relaxing and wandering about the house for a bit, we checked out the menus and decided on the Michigan Café & Brew Pub in neighboring Calumet. An excellent choice. Ken liked his beer and I *loved* my food. Citrus-bourbon trout and a salad with a fantastic green goddess type house dressing.

On our way back to the Inn, we stopped by a little corner park we had seen and were curious about. It turns out that George Gipp of football fame (“win one for the Gipper”) was from Laurium and this is a memorial park. Very nice.