Birds Brews and Blither

Monday, July 15, 2013

Day 4: A “B” Day All Around

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Despite being the size of a golfball, the Winter Wren really has an amazing song. It seems to just go on forever…kinda like alarm clocks, but much more pleasant to wake to….

Breakfast was on the lakeshore with morning hiking in the Lake Bailey Aububon Preservejust east of Eagle Harbor. With hopes of showing Nat a Pink Lady’s Slipper, the cedar swamp was just the place. Not a slipper to be had, but we tried. More Starflower, in addition to 3-leavedSoloman’s Seal and Canada Mayflower made the walk pretty fun. Birds? Yeah, more of the same. Black-throatedGreens especially. In any case the hiking was quite neat.

Departing the Keweenaw, our route had us in the western Upper Peninsula by lunch time. After saving a Wood Turtle from becoming a speed bump and purchasing a new addition to my ever-expanding collections of locally crafted coffee mugs, it was time for me to try a pasty. (Note: I may have had a pasty during my Boy Scout days a few years back. Okay, decades back. Honestly, I can’t recall if I did or not…)

Now…um, stop it. A pasty and a pasty are not the same. A pasty (the one I had for lunch) is pronounced “PASS-tee” and consists of meat, potatoes, rutabaga, onions and spices in a baked pastry roll-type thing. They apparently became very popular in the region with the influx of mining immigrants. Smothered in gravy (some prefer ketchup), it makes a fine lunch. I’ll have one again for sure somewhere.

A “PAY-stee”, on the other hand, is……different. Let’s leave it at that.

Okay, let’s not.

There.

Now, we’re done.

Porcupine Mountains State Park is basically a must. Sure, it took me 42 years to get there, but I’m glad I did. Nat has been there before. As you can figure, because she came back, it must be worth it, right? The park has it all – history, flowers, birds, insects. It’s a naturalist’s/historian’s dream.

After securing camp, all visitors are required by act of Congress to view Lake-in-the-clouds. Okay, no you don’t have to see it, but you’re a dope if you pass it up. You certainly can’t claim that the hike is bad. It’s paved and can be measured in feet. The view is breathtaking.

Don’t thank the glaciers for this view. Everybody is Michigan wants to think the glaciers carved out the lakes and made the state what it is. No. Over one billion years ago (this guy was just voted into office), a large seam ran from what is now Kansas to the UP. Lava and such would bubble up and ooze out from this rift. Over time, after various stone depositions, the entire basin collapsed under its own weight. The basin became Lake Superior (see….no glacier action) while the edges of the basin became features we know today as the Keweenaw Peninsula and Isle Royale. Lake-In-The-Clouds is nestled along one edge of the basin between two ridges. It is one mile long and considered one of the premier views in Michigan. Having a Bald Eagle diddle by really set the stage for us. Quintessential Michigan!

A pleasant drive to Summit Peak was in order, as well. The grand view of the park from the Tower (over 50 feet tall) placed on a ridge was short-lived as a storm was rolling. (I don’t claim to be the brightest bulb in the box, but standing on a giant tower in a thunderstorm is not smart.)

After showers (both the weather and hygiene kind) dinner on the lake shore was in order. Why the lakeshore? The open air, and therefore the lake breeze, should have been enough to knock down the black flies.

Oh yes, the black flies. Only a few millimeters long, these little bastards have plagued boreal travelers since people first set foot there. Do they buzz and poke like mosquitoes? No. Like stealth helicopters in Pakistan, they sneak in. When they find the right spot, they cut you open with their little switchblade mouthparts and lap up the blood. Anti-clotting agents allow it to flow freely. You have no idea it has happened until they are gone and you notice that drop of crimson on your arm or leg. Itching to the point of insanity can ensue, but we didn’t seem to be bothered by that part. We got the welts. Yum.

That said, it is worth noting that black flies are not the kings of the air. (I should say queens. Only the females bite. The males eat pollen.) These guys rule the skies….

With a head basically covered in eyes and flight skills that make modern aeronautical engineers drool, dragonflies can snatch black flies and skeeters with ease. Forget about sharks and hawks being good predators. Most of time, they actually miss their prey. Dragonflies? Most of the time, they nail it. Sadly, there just doesn’t seem to be enough dragons to go around.

Of course, the breeze would have been enough, but shortly after setting up dinner, the breeze died to nothing. Within microseconds, the swarms were upon us. Hoping to prevent our Chicken and Rice from becoming Chicken a la Black Fly, we ate dinner in the car while watching the storm move out over the lake. A steady rain settled in. After a round of drinks (no special beers) and munchies in Silver City, we went back to camp for the night.

Yeah, this was a “B” day all around – birds, boulders, bugs, botanicals, beer, and baked goods to name just a few. I suspect I could keep going….

Day 3: Fun and Forts

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Minutes before the clock went off in the early morning, the light pitter-patter of rain on the tent woke us up. Checking the local radar from the comfort of my sleeping bag, we were in for a short break before heavier rains moved in. With military precision, camp was broken down and we in the car just in time – a gully washer ensued. iPhones are great. I don’t care what people say.

With the rain, we had a quick breakfast in Houghton…er, Hancock….oh, hell, I don’t know. We ate in town.

The rain did not dampen our spirits at all. We had set aside the morning to visit the Keweenaw National Historic Park anyway, so it didn’t really matter. Housed in Calumet’s old Masonic Temple, this awesome addition to the National Park Service does a super job of laying out the details of the copper mining industry during its heyday. Among the many cool period items was a step and chair set from the aforementioned Italian Hall Disaster. Creepy to say the least.

As predicted by the ‘ole iPhone weather app, the rain broke. A short shuffle up the road brought us to Copper Harbor. Tiny, but picturesque (The population? Negative 18 people), it was time for some hiking. With dueling Ovenbirds at the hike’s start, we walked to the Lake Superior shoreline on some Nature Conservancy property. Having lunch on a rocky shore should be on everyone list of things to do. We’re serious here. Natalie, by this point, was in full nature mode, soaking up every flower, bird and rock. Yes, folks, a new addition to the “B” theme on this silly blog – boulders. The stones were awesome. We were diggin’ rocks just as much as anything else.

At one point, we were pondering a chunk of sedimentary rock that clearly had the “ripples” on it, showing how, once upon a time, that rock was sandy beach front property. The ripples had been caused by the crashing waves and cemented into place as the millions of years ticked by. How said chunk of ancient stone ended up in my backpack is not certain……

Afternoon drinks were had at the Brickside Brewery. A tiny place in a tiny town this place is certainly worth a stop. No food, but so what. Give it a whirl. We suspect you’ll like it.

Walter’s Wiezen, Mosquito Lake Pale Ale, UP IPA, and the Mud Lake Brown Ale (#1449-1452) were all pretty well done. The Wiezen was light and citrusy. It would be pretty fair on a hot summer day (which it wasn’t). The Pale Ale and IPA were both pretty fair representation of their styles. It was nice to try the styles next to each other. They can be similar in the eyes of some folks, but the Pales pale when compared directly to IPAs. The hop tones just aren’t as strong. If you are an IPA guy (like I am now), Pale Ales almost seem weak. The Brown was the best of the four. The Belgian influence was nice.

Beware. They have candles on each table. If you flip pages on your notebook and the corner ends up near the open flame it might just catch fire. How would we know this…..

With a few hours to dilly-dally before dinner, there is nothing better than a historic fort. Built in 1844 in anticipation of chaos associated with the copper mining rush, Fort Wilkins turned out to be completely unnecessary. Abandoned two years later, it was re-garrisoned during the Civil War only to be abandoned again. After soldiers came and went, entrepreneurs did the same as business ventures failed. By the 1930s, restoration of the fort, now a state park, was underway.

Always trying to appreciate the efforts soldiers forced to live in the middle of nowhere, the exhibits did a super job of laying out how life moved along (or didn’t). Period arms, clothing, kitchen equipment and other nifty items were on display throughout the various structures.

Opportunities like this also give you the chance to really think about that experience (in the 21^st century) vs what they would experienced almost 200 years previous. The smell of the lake, for example. Would it have been the same? I suspect so. The Alder Flycatcher calling the woods? Certainly, they would have heard it. The Merlin catching bugs high over head. The same, I’m sure, if they bothered to look up. It is like time travel.

Speaking of time travel, one the most interesting things to me was use of a period DeWalt drill. We can only gather that officers (certainly not the enlisted) had perfected a time machine, travelled into the early 21^st century and snitched a powertool. Of all the things to grab before returning the mid-19^th century…

Camping and dinner were at the Fort. An evening drive took us up and over Brockway Mountain and up to Eagle Harbor. With the clouds finally breaking (it had been cloudy all day, even after the rain stopped), we hustled back to Copper Harbor with the hopes of securing lighthouse photos in beautiful evening light. Yeah, cool idea. Didn’t happen. As we made our way out to the harbor, the light shifted again. Very….blah. Not gray and ugly, but certainly not what I was hoping for either…..

With the sun gone (or nearly so), Nat and I decided to head back the Brickside for another round of drinks. The Park Bench Porter (#1453) and Stone Ship Stout (#1454) are just superb. Even experienced beer snobs can having trouble separating the two. Hell, sometimes brewers and authors can’t tell you. So what. Have ‘em both. The stout edged out the porter. Pitch black, smooth and refreshing enough you could fill a pool and jump in it, I would not hesitate to buy this beer if I could secure here in Detroit. A “5” for sure. Damn good.

It was also here that we noted a new rule live by – be mindful when drunks are playing darts.

Imagine a man so drunk he wobbles when he stands. Imagine a dart board on a post (not a wall). Imagine a walking space of at least 4 feet behind the post. Imagine a beautiful, young woman walking to the restrooms via the small walking space behind the board. Imagine the previously stated drunkard flinging a dart at the board… Can you see the disaster in the making? Holy crap. No, the woman was not Natalie but holy crap, what is the first-aid response when a metal tip dart enters your head? (For the record, the man was a very good shot. How he managed to hit the board is anybody’s guess…)

Day 2 – Falls And Fires

Friday, June 14, 2013

The same birds that put us to sleep the night before woke our butts up early. Maybe they were thanking us for drinking Bird-friendly Coffee on the shores of Lake Superior? A quick camp breakfast gave us the fuel to head out to Miner’s Castle (photo below) and Miner’s Falls. The trails were pleasant and “birdy”. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were nesting (yes, folks, there is such a bird!). Least Flycatchers were calling everywhere. Yellow-rumped Warblers and Great Crested Flycatchers, too.

It was at this point, by the way, that I realized that songbird photography was going to be difficult, if not impossible. Sure, while territorial birds will be faithful to a given spot, that spot could be dozens of yards off in to the sticks or dozens of feet up a tree. This set the tone for the trip – lots of “birding by ear”.

After suffering through nuclear Dijon mustard on our sandwiches (gotta watch that stuff), drinks were had at the Jasper Ridge Brewery. Rope’s Golden Wheat, JRBs Upside Down Brown, Rye’d the Tiger, and JRB’s IPA (#1444-1446) were all fair for the most part. The IPA seemed to edge the others, but that is not saying much. I cant fault any of them for sure, but I cant say they were the best beers in the world. Stunningly average, you might say.

Keep in mind, my camera did not go to waste. Yes, birding was a challenge, but before the trip, I purchased some neutral density filters. In short, they work as sunglasses for your camera. Longer exposures are possible during daylight hours.

On a recommendation from a brewery buddy (Thanks Brant!), we made sure we made a stop at the Sturgeon River, specifically Canyon Falls. Holy cow! Photographically, I couldn’t do a thing with the falls. The light. The shadows. Impossible for me. The river? Much better. No, we won’t hang it on our wall, but it’s okay.

Flowers were awesome, too. Fringed Polygala, Yellow Clintonia ~~(named after the President)~~, Starflower, and Nodding Trilliums were everywhere.

After camping was secured in Houghton/Hancock , it was off to dinner in Calumet. The Michigan House Café is home to Red JacketBrewery. While the building dates back to the turn of the 20^th Century (with a killer mural from 1906), they have not been brewing beer that long. This place is a must. (By the way, The Gipper worked here back in the day.)

While I only had two beers here, they are worldly as far as we are concerned. The Downtown Brown (#1447) was clean, crisp and had a very nice sweetness throughout the experience. The literature suggested nothing about grapes, but I swear I was getting a hint. Perhaps this is associated with style; it was an English Brown Ale. The Oatmeal Express Stout (#1448) was even better. Caramelly (that is a word now if it was not a moment ago), smooth. Wowzers. Damn good.

A short hop up the street found us on site for one for one of the darkest chapters in labor history.

Calumet is functionally a ghost town of it former self. By 1900, the region had a population exceeding 25,000 people. It was all about the copper mines; employees were not treated well. Foreshadowing issues of today, miners had concerns about job security, pay, and safety. Their union was brand new so they went on strike in 1913.

After five months, nothing had changed. On Christmas Eve, striking miners and their families gathered on the second floor of the local hall (photo above) for a holiday party. Apparently, some wanker yelled “Fire!” in the crowded room. There was no fire. A rush a people towards the stairs became a crush of people at the bottom of the stairs. Over seventy people died that night. Most of them were children.

History of what is now known as the Italian Hall Disaster seems to be a bit sketchy. The structure of the doors at the stair’s bottom -did they open out? Did they open in (and thereby prevent the onslaught of people from opening them?). In a sense, it doesn’t matter – dozens of children died when they should have been having a good old time with family.

To make matters worse, the coroner’s inquiry was a comical operation (key witnesses weren’t even there that night and non-English speaking witnesses had to answer questions in,….yes, you guessed it….English. ). Officially, we don’t know what happened. Unofficially, there are suggestions that the “fire-yeller” was associated with the mines. We’ll never know.

In any case, the building was leveled a few years back. The arch over the doorway was preserved and has become the centerpiece to the memorial now under the KeweenawNational Historic Park.