Great Lakes!

After the repairs, I was well on my way back to civilization.

Sort of.

No, that isn't my pickup.

My destination was Pittsburgh, but as I was so close to the Flight 93 crash site, I wanted to visit. I hadn't been, before. It's a simple yet thoughtful memorial in a field in Shanksville, PA. There's a boulder in the far distance that indicates the crash site.

On a lighter note, here's a t-rex in a t-shirt in downtown Pittsburgh.

  
Matt's a great friend, writer, and coder. We had our annual night of video games. His wife is a sweetheart, and his daughter is the most playful little girl you could ever hope to meet.










Next stop was Niagara Falls, which I've never before seen. The town was a masterwork of commercialization. So much so that I had to ask directions to the falls, themselves, as it wasn't immediately obvious.

They do things different-like in Canada, starting with these highfalutin' kilometers.

This was my first time ever in Canada, and I loved it! Their subways are clean and super-long, like long hallways packed with long-ness.

The CN Tower! I'd wanted to see it ever since reading about it when I was a mere lad. It was so very tall and respectable.

This was a memorial to 100 workers who, through the years, had been killed in variously grisly ways. They sold fries nearby.

Ugh. I wouldn't brag about that.

Street fries!

After a night in Toronto, I struck north to the small town of Massey, which adjoined Chutes Provincial Park. It was an 'ol loggin' town with some truly sublime waterfalls.

I ducked into the library for some wifi. While there, I learned that reading makes you so r.

So very, very r.

Even north of the border, there are wise asses.

Once I set up camp, it was hikin' time!

The next day, I headed west to make it back to the U.S.A.

BUT FIRST, CHOCOLATE.

Welcome to the United States!

Michigan's upper peninsula is a quiet, treesy place with a personality all its own. It also has some terrific parks, including Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. It takes nothing short of forever to drive here, but it's worth it due to the secluded Lake Superior beach that awaits the intrepid.

There's a town called Christmas in the U.P. There's a giant Santa there. There isn't much else.

This is White Pine, MI. About all there is to it.

This was my second visit to the Porcupine Mountains. As you can see, it was a busy day there.

I made a friend!

A camping spot, right on the Lake Superior beach! 

Contemplating contemplation.

It was fly season, which is to say that it was just an average day in the Porkies.

 
But the view out my tent made it all worthwhile. Maybe.

This is the Lake of the Clouds. As far as I'm concerned, it's one of the loveliest spots I've ever seen.

 
I had French toast at a local diner. One can only eat so much Taco Bell. Ha! Not really. I've hidden burritos under those slices.

Duluth, MN is a cozy shipping town right on the western shores of Lake Superior. It's a friendly place with a natural foods store and a marathon.