Gribblenation

During my visit to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, I had the opportunity to see the Portage Lake Lift Bridge, or the Houghton-Hancock Bridge as it is officially known. The Portage Lake Lift Bridge is the world's heaviest vertical lift bridge and carries the highways US 41 and M-26 across the bridge. The bridge connects the cities of Houghton and Hancock over the Portage Lake section of the Keweenaw Waterway, but more broadly, it is the one bridge that connects the communities of the beautiful Keweenaw Peninsula with the rest of the Midwest. Replacing a swing bridge that was built in 1905, the 1,310 foot long Portage Lake Lift Bridge opened to automobile traffic at the tail end of 1959 and was not officially completed until 1960. When the bridge was officially completed and dedicated, it was with much fanfare, but with some technical difficulties as well. While there were marching bands and jets that flew overhead during the grand opening, but telephone service was cut the day...

I took a drive on M-26 between Copper Harbor and Eagle River during my visit to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. M-26 hugs the shoreline of Lake Superior in Keweenaw County , Michigan's least populous and arguably most scenic county in the state. This lake shore drive is a pleasant alternative to US 41 in the area, which is another pleasant drive in its own right. US 41's northern end is about a mile north of where it meets M-26. That's a long way from Miami, Florida. Starting in the little town of Copper Harbor, let's start our drive south along the lake... One for the vintage neon sign fans. This was for an inn in Copper Harbor. Lake Superior to our right here. If you are driving out of Copper Harbor on M-26, you have the choice of staying on the lake or taking the Brockway Mountain Drive , which I wish I had also driven while in Copper Harbor. Lake Superior continues. M-26's stone arch bridge over the Silver River at Silver River Falls. ...

The Keweenaw Snow Thermometer along US 41 in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is one of the more unique sights on the highways and byways. Located at the roadside Snow Gauge Park, the snow thermometer measures annual snowfall in the lake effect snow prone Keweenaw Peninsula. The thermometer measures annual snowfall averages, the previous year's snowfall total, plus the high and low yearly snowfall totals. The record breaking winter of 1978-79 saw 390.4 inches of snow, whereas the all time low amount of snow at 161 inches, is still greater than annual snowfalls in any major city in the continental United States. How to Get There: Sources and Links: MLive.com -  Huge U.P. snow thermometer has started tracking this year's snowfall