Final Four Homecoming #3, photo by Blackbeard Ben. © 2009 Red Cedar Log
Last weekend, Michigan State University Men’s Basketball coach Tom Izzo passed his predecessor and mentor Jud Heathcoate as the all time wins leader for the MSU Spartans. Check out Congratulations Coach Izzo! on Absolute Michigan for more about the Iron Mountain native, including video.
This photo is one of many in Ben’s Red Cedar Log Event Photos set ( slideshow).
Lines, photo by Ralph Krawczyk Jr.
If you don’t know Ralph, you should.
Be sure to check it out bigger or in his Digital Goodness slideshow.
Chapel Rock (8-15-09), photo by Brevort.
Yesterday we featured a very interesting article about Smart Archaeology in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on Absolute Michigan. It explains a very innovative 3-year archaeology project by Northern Michigan University geography department researchers, and you should definitely give it a read. Today I came across this view of Chapel Rock and was surprised to see that I didn’t have a feature of Chapel Rock on Michigan in Pictures. The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Scenic Sites page says that Chapel Rock and Chapel Beach are:
Located about 15 miles east of Munising off Alger County Road H-58, then about 5 miles north to the end of Chapel Road (drive), then 2.5 miles (hike) to Lake Superior.
Trails to the beach overlook Chapel Lake with views of the beautiful Chapel Falls on the west side.
The Chapel area was named by early European explorers and is found on early maps as La Chappelle. Chapel Rock is a remnant of Cambrian age sandstone. The archway between the rock and the mainland collapsed in the 1940’s. It and the remaining arch were carved by Lake Nipissing high waters some 3800 years ago.
You can read the Geology field notes from the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore for detailed information about the different layers of sandstone in the park that form these incredible structures. Chapel Rock is representative of the 40 to 60 foot thick Chapel Rock Member.
See it bigger and view more in Doug’s Brevort Lake (2009) set (slideshow).
As a person who spent some time trying to capture to totality of this unique formation, I have to say that hiking to it is the only way to fully appreciate Chapel Rock. I can offer the next best thing: the Chapel Rock slideshow from the Absolute Michigan pool.
Explore many more Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore features on Michigan in Pictures.
Saugatuck Fall 2009, photo by RichardD72
“Look Doris, someday you’re going to find that your way of facing this realistic world just doesn’t work. And when you do, don’t overlook those lovely intangibles. You’ll discover those are the only things that are worthwhile.”
~ Fred Gailey, “Miracle on 34th Street”
Every month Absolute Michigan rolls out a sampling of the best Michigan has to offer in the way of fun. From Christmas at Crossroads in Flint to Victorian Sleighbell Parade & Old Christmas Weekend in Manistee to the Annual Dickens Festival in Holly, our Michigan December Event Calendar take you all across the Great Lakes State and right up to the New Year.
Speaking of holly, our calendar notes that December’s flower is the holly.
You can see this photo bigger in Richard’s Saugatuck 2009 slideshow.
Into the Woods, photo by jimflix (busy).
With deer hunting season over, that’s where I’ll be going this afternoon.
Jim took this photo on the trail at the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy’s Ransom Lake Natural Area.
Be sure to check this out background bigtastic and in Jim’s Fall Colors set (slideshow).
One more Winter, photo by swatzo.
As our unseasonably gorgeous November 2009 drifts off to snowy sleep, it’s pretty clear that winter will in fact include Michigan on its list of tour dates. I hope that like the house above, you’re ready for one more winter.
See this bigger in his slideshow and check out one of my favorite photos ever that Steve took, Green Hornet.
Rock River Falls, photo by Shadows in Reflection.
The Rock River Falls entry on the fantastic waterfall info site Go Waterfalling says:
This wild waterfall is hidden in the Rock River Wilderness Area north of Chatham. Reaching it will require you to drive down some old logging roads and hike a mile or two along some ill defined trails, but if you are looking for a good waterfall adventure it is worth it.
Trails.com has a map to Rock River Falls and Hunt’s UP Guide notes that the falls are in the Rock River Canyon Wilderness, which has “no signs, no waste containers, no planned improvements” but does boast a 150′ deep canyon and the Eben Ice Caves. You can read a lot more about Rock River Canyon Wilderness right here.
See it bigger in Michael’s Waterfalls slideshow (view the set).
I was in the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art on Wednesday and saw some whimsical sculptures and mobiles by Alexander Calder. It didn’t seem like the delicate structures could have come from the same hand. Turns out they did. The Alexander Calder entry on Wikipedia explains:
Alexander Calder (22 July 1898 – 11 November 1976), also known as Sandy Calder, was an American sculptor and artist most famous for inventing the mobile. In addition to mobile and stabile sculpture, Alexander Calder also created paintings, lithographs, toys, tapestry and jewelry.
…In June 1969, Calder attended the dedication of his monumental stabile “La Grande Vitesse” located in the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. This sculpture is notable for being the first public work of art in the United States to be funded with federal monies; acquired with funds granted from the then new National Endowment for the Arts under its “Art for Public Places” program.
You can get up close with La Grande Vitesse at West Michigan Sculptures (includes a cool 360 degree walk around) and also check out the Calder slideshow from Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr. You can also read this article about the dedication from the National Endowment of the Arts.
Be sure to check this out bigger or in his Grand Rapids 09 set (slideshow)
Struttin’ 1 9935-09, photo by StacyN – MichiganMoments
I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving if you celebrate it, and that if you don’t you get a chance to celebrate what you’re thankful for.
You can get a lot of absolutemichigan.com/Turkey has all kinds of Thanksgiving fun including our Totally Terrifying Turkey Trivia Test – check it out!
Stacy took this shot along the road near Ravenna, Michigan. Check it out in her Best Animal / Bird Images set (slideshow).
Geese, photo by amariefoto.
I hope you have safe travels, much to be thankful for and a Very Michigan Thanksgiving.
See this bigger in Andrea’s slideshow.
Michigan in Pictures 