Wisconsin Welcomes You

From Houghton we drove south into Wisconsin. Mrs. drove and all I had to do was get a picture of the sign telling us we were entering the Central Time Zone. Such an easy task and I sat there with my camera ready for a long time. When the sign finally appeared, I took a series of pot shots that all missed. The problem was that my camera was zoomed in all the way. My aim is good but not that good. Lesson learned.

cherry potato chips

Par usual, Mrs. indulged in the Anthony Bourdain school of adventurous eating.

Houghton stroll

A nice morning stroll in which the waterway was like glass (above) and the crosswalks were whimsical (below) and the town felt very solid (like it wasn't going to blow away in the wind). 

 

Douglass House

Built in 1899 and almost certainly the grandest hotel to ever operate in Houghton, MI. It was converted to apartments in the 1980's - around the same time it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places - but the original saloon is still going strong. 

early morning Houghton

Love these misty, early morning sunrise pics.

Houghton promenade

Houghton had a nice promenade running along the Keweenaw Waterway. Maybe it was the weather, but on the whole this town felt cheerier than Marquette.

Portage Lake Lift Bridge

 

A major landmark in Houghton is the Portage Lake Lift Bridge that connects Houghton and Hancock. I had been expecting something big and scary like the Mackinac Bridge but this thing was quite different: short, solid and downright cuddly compared to any mega-bridge. That being said, it's also the widest and heaviest double-decked vertical-lift bridge in the world.