Blowing & Drifting

I’m just back from my four-day trip to the Upper Peninsula to attend my grandfather’s funeral. I’ll be writing more about the trip – and about the funeral – soon, but for tonight I wanted to just post three pictures of the Copper Country: the view from Houghton, on the southern side of the Portage Lake ship canal. The Copper Country is a gorgeous place, and only rarely more gorgeous than it was on Sunday afternoon. It had been seven or eight years since I’d visited – far too long. I hope I can go back (with the family!) next summer.

All of these photos were taken from the patio of the Keweenaw Brewing Company, an excellent microbrewery in Houghton – which is roughly ten thousand times cooler now than it was in 1990.

The view to the northeast, of the picturesquely abandoned Quincy copper-smelting works in Ripley, MI.

The view straight north, of Quincy Hill, outside Hancock.

The view to the west-northwest, of the Portage Lake Lift Bridge – one of the most beautiful bridges in the world.