Crossing the Mississippi we travelled north to Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. After putting the bikes on the ferry, we spent a day exploring Madeline Island.

Madeline Island (like others in the Apostles) is a pile of sandstone with a forest on top. There are 22 islands, some of which were extensively quarried and logged until the depression. The islands are also home to six light houses. Sea kayaking and camping among them are a popular pastime in the summer. During the dead of winter, you can drive across the ice to Madeline Island.

On a tip from Donn of L.A.R.K. Toys, we went to Eagle River, WI to visit Carl's Wood Art Museum. Carl (a trapper, logger, and sawmill owner) collected quite a few pieces of wood related objects. His son Ken (a chainsaw artist) built the museum to realize Carl's dream. Among the large chainsaw carved pieces are many fanciful objects and toys. There are many hands-on displays (from a 20 foot slingshot to a playground set with a 14 foot bear holding up one end of the swings) to add to the 'gee-wiz' factor.

Among Ken's contributions to the museum is this chain carved (with a chainsaw) from a 21 foot log. Each link weighs 30 pounds! One of Carl's contributions is a collection of thin veneers that are backlit to show their internal structure - extraordinary! This family museum was definitely worth the trip.

Heading into the UP (Upper Peninsula of Michigan) we went to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Established in 1966 as the first National Lakeshore, it is an area of the Lake Superior coast that boasts sandstone cliffs that have been eroded into shapes and caves.

At one end of the Lakeshore is Munising Falls. Although the UP is home to about 200 'waterfalls', the elevation just isn't there. This is one of the taller falls.

Further up the UP is the Upper Tahquamenon Falls. Although only about 45 feet tall, it is reportedly the second 'largest' falls east of the Missippi River (Niagra being the first).

Further along the north coast of the UP is Whitefish Point. This area of Lake Superior is called 'The Graveyard' of the Great Lakes. More ships have been lost in this area than any other. Over 6,000 ships have been lost on the lakes, the first (the Invincible) in 1816, and the most recent in 1975 (the Edmund Fitzgerald). The Museum includes the light station which was occupied by the light keeper and assistant (and their families). During WWII the assistant turned out to be a German spy bent on disrupting Great Lakes traffic.

Included in the shipwreck displays is the Canadian deep diving suit used to recover the ship's bell from the Fitzgerald as a tribute for families of the 29 men who were lost. The suit is capable of fully independent motion (via foot controls) and a back pack rebreather for extended working time at up to 1,200 feet down. The shell allowed the internal pressure to remain at one atmosphere, so there is no decompression time.

Further east at Sault Saint Marie are the Soo Locks. These locks allow ships access to Lake Superior past the Saint Marie River Rapids. Built and operated by the Army Corp. of Engineers, they are the largest locks on the Saint Lawrence Seaway, and lift ships 21 feet from the North Channel to Lake Superior (at 602 feet above sea level).

At the Soo is an Ore Freighter turned Museum. Although they need a good curator, the ship was built in 1917 and was a coal powered steamer. Across the river is Sault Saint Marie, Canada.

To get from the upper peninsula to the rest of Michigan, you either go around through three states, or you cross the Mackinac Bridge spanning the straits between Lakes Michigan and Huron. Although it is longer than the Golden Gate, it is not as impressive (and two of the four lanes are steel grating).

In the middle of Michigan, we visited the race horse farm owned by friends we met on the New Zealand '99 Trip.

In Dearborn, Henry Ford established a museum in 1929 to highlight American Ingenuity. Along with his own contribution, Edison, Carver, Wright Brothers and others take center stage. The main exhibit hall is a single eight acre room. By 1927, over fifteen million Model T vehicles had been produced.

Among the many rail vehicles on display is this reproduction (built in 1893) of the third 'train' running in America. Not too much different than a bunch of stage coaches linked together with a steam engine pulling them instead of horses. Gems of this sort are tucked throughout the museum.

In Greenfield Village, many crafts from the past are featured. These include glass blowers, blacksmiths, potters, tin smiths, printers, and weavers. Many historic homes are reproduced (or relocated intact) onto the 81 acre village. Included is Edison's laboratory and early power plant.

Among the delightful displays in the village, is this 1913 Herschell-Spillman Carousel. It was moved from Liberty Lake, Washington.

The Museum and Village (IMax theater not withstanding) can easily occupy a week of your time.

In Vincennes, Indiana along the banks of the Wabash River is a memorial (built in 1931) commemorating the military exploits of George Rogers Clark. He and his band of volunteer frontiersmen were a major factor in the Revolutionary War in 1777 and 78. We also got a lesson in fire starting with flint and steel.

The Museum of the American Quilter's Society in Paducah, Kentucky contains some fabulous examples of both modern and antique quilts. Inexplicably, photographing them is viewed as a criminal act.

After traveling through 'The Land Between The Lakes' we went to Mammoth Cave, the worlds longest cave system. At this point, over 350 miles have been surveyed. This is the historic entrance, where early tours (beginning in 1816) entered, and saltpeter mining (for gunpowder) was carried out for the war of 1812. This part of Kentucky is sandstone cap over a thick limestone substrata which was carved by water so quickly that not many 'typical' wet limestone formations were created.

This is Broadway in the self-guided tour section. There are guided tours given, of varying lengths and levels of difficulty. Most of the tours are in large groups (up to 120), but the longer 'hard hat' tours are smaller (40 or less). Opportunities for true cave enthusiasts are limited.

Outside of Dayton, Ohio is the US Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. There is an extensive collect of aircraft both inside the building and lined up outside. Entrance to the museum is free and can easily occupy a day. There is also an IMax theater and a very large gift shop.

The displays start with the Wright brothers and their first successful flight in 1903. After two more years of development, they were giving flying lessons to military volunteers in 1906.