Gordie Howe Bridge almost complete!

Posted on by farlane
Gordie Howe International Bridge June 2025

Gordie Howe International Bridge June 2025

In June 2024 I shared photos of the US & Canadian crews “topping out” the Gordie Howe International Bridge. Topping Out is a special ceremony dating back over a thousand years that symbolizes connection. Ironworkers say the evergreen tree signifies a job well done & believe the custom brings good luck.

I read a news story the other day that says they will soon be testing the bridge lights & thought it would be a good time to check in on this incredible structure Canada is spearheading. The project remains on track for a fall 2025 opening, and when complete the Gordie How Bridge will be the biggest land port of entry between Canada and the U.S. with 130 acres, 11 structures, 16 toll lanes, and 24 primary inspection lanes on the Canadian side and 167 acres, 13 structures, and 36 primary inspection lanes on the US side.

The pics below (except the first two) are from June 2025. Lots more on the Gordie Howe Bridge website!

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Damn Cold Michigan Morning at Barton Dam

Posted on by farlane
Barton Dam - Cold by Bruce Bertz

Barton Dam – Cold by Bruce Bertz

Most of the schools in Michigan were closed today due to single digit or subzero temps as the entire state wonders what box it put the electric blanket in. ArborWiki’s entry for Barton Dam says that:

The City of Ann Arbor purchased the dam from Detroit Edison in the 1960s and restarted hydroelectric generation in the 1980s. The facility has a 900-kilowatt turbine that generates 4.2 million kWh per year.

Barton Dam is one of Ann Arbor’s four dams on the Huron River. It was designed by engineer Gardner Stewart Williams and architect Emil Lorch and built in 1912-13 as part of the development of hydroelectric power on the Huron River by the predecessor of Detroit Edison. The earthen-construction dam is 34 feet high and 1767 feet long, and has a typical surface area of 315 acres and typical storage of 5050 acre-feet. The dam can be accessed from Huron River Drive from the city park located at the foot of Bird Road.

See more including another shot from Barton Dam Nature Area in Bruce’s 2025-01 gallery on Flickr and STAY WARM!!!

Frosty by Bruce Bertz

Frosty by Bruce Bertz

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How about Michigan as Canada’s 11th Province? 🤔

Posted on by farlane
2Nations by James Devlin

2Nations by James Devlin

There’s been some honestly crazy talk about Canada becoming our 51st state in the news. Leaving aside the fact that Canada is actually bigger than the US, only 13% of Canadians actually want this. David Olive of the Toronto Star thinks it’s funny because many Canadians think of Michigan as Canada’s 11th province. He makes some humorous points but concludes with some compelling facts:

Canada is Michigan’s biggest trading partner, accounting for about 41 per cent of Michigan’s exports, or approximately $40 billion per year. And so, at its own expense Canada is nearing completion on a $6.4-billion second bridge across the Detroit River, named for Red Wings legend Gordie Howe.

Thousands of people commute each day from their homes in Michigan to their work in Canada and vice versa. Let’s join Michigan to Canada so that those nurses, engineers, municipal workers and computer programmers can more easily travel within the same country. The pandemic played havoc with those commuters, when the international crossing was closed.

Let’s scrap that border before the next pandemic.

As someone who has regularly visited Canada all my life; vacationing on Sugar Island & St Joseph Island, skiing in Searchmont, enjoying music in Toronto, and zipping across to Windsor with just my enhanced Michigan license whenever the mood strikes me, I’m giving that a big amen!

James shared the photo of the Ambassador Bridge back in February of 2018 writing: Fog covers the cities of Windsor, ONT and Detroit, MI. The Ambassador Bridge connects the two cities. 5 shot panorama stitched in Lightroom. Shot from Detroit Riverside Park.

There’s more pics in his Detroit gallery on Flickr including the photo of the two nations looking downriver.

Overall, the report found 82% of Canadians do not want to become the 51st state with only 13% saying they would.

Detroit by James Devlin

Detroit by James Devlin

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Indian River Sturgeon

Posted on by farlane
Indian River Sturgeon by Rick Kolb

Indian River Sturgeon by Rick Kolb

Yesterday’s story on Native efforts to restore Nmé (Lake Sturgeon) to Michigan waters was so cool that I’m gonna stick with Michigan’s longest lived fish for another day. Roadside America shares a little about the 32-foot steel sculpture of a Lake Sturgeon in Indian River:

Made of quarter-inch-thick plate steel with an iridescent sheen, this whopper weighs nearly four tons and gave credibility to Onaway’s claim to be the Sturgeon Capital of Michigan. It was sculpted by Tom Moran of Moran Iron Works, with help from the students of Onaway’s Industrial Arts Institute. It debuted in Onaway’s July 4th parade in 2017. Tom then bought an abandoned downtown gas station, bulldozed the buildings, and set the fish in the vacant lot.

Onaway is known for its annual mid-winter sturgeon hunt, where the big fish are speared through the ice on Black Lake. Tom did not make a monster-size spear to accompany his giant sturgeon, but told us that he’s always open to new ideas for future projects.

Rick shared this pic in our Michigan in Pictures group on Facebook. Head over to the group to see more of his photos!

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The mouth of the Montreal

Posted on by farlane

Mouth of Montreal River at Lake Superior by Kirt E Carter

Mouth of Montreal River at Lake Superior by Kirt E Carter

The Montreal River forms the western border separating Michigan’s Upper Peninsula from Wisconsin.

Kirt took this photo with a Harman Titan 4×5 Pinhole camera. View & purchase his work at Kirt E. Carter Fine Art Photography.

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Happy World Turtle Day 2024!

Posted on by farlane

Map Turtle by David Marvin

May 23rd is World Turtle Day, an annual day of recognition created by American Tortoise Rescue to raise awareness about turtles & help preserve endangered turtles worldwide. Michigan has ten species of native turtles including the Northern Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica) – check them all out at Know Your Michigan Turtles! 

The Michpics entry on the Map turtle says that they are avid baskers, often basking in groups. They are diurnal, active both in the day and at night and also a very wary animal, slipping into the water to hide at the slightest hint of danger. During courtship the male initiates by tapping his long claws on the front of the female but few details are known. Well I guess those claws demand attention!! 👀

David took this photo a couple years ago while kayaking on the Grand River. See the latest on his Flickr!

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Shalda Creek Iris

Posted on by farlane

via leelanau.com…Shalda Creek Iris by Michigan Nut Photography

Shalda Creek Iris by Michigan Nut Photography

John got this shot of wild Iris along the banks of Shalda Creek in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

See more on the Michigan Nut Facebook page and at michigannutphotography.com.

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Heading upriver

Posted on by farlane

The Karen Andrie and Endeavor by Craig Hensley

The Karen Andrie and Endeavor by Craig Hensley

Craig got this tasty shot of the tugboat Karen Andrie and the barge Endeavor making their way up the Detroit River last summer. Detroit is on the left & Windsor, Canada is on the right. 

Head over to Craig’s Flickr and his website for more!

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Waterfallish Wednesday: Seasons Greetings from Fishtown

Posted on by farlane

via Leelanau.com…

Flowing All Night Long by Mark Smith

Flowing all night long by Mark Smith

While this dam isn’t an actual waterfall, I’m going to overlook it due to seasonal appropriateness. In their excellent overview of the history of Fishtown in Leland, the Glen Arbor Sun shares:

Fishtown is located where there once was a natural fish ladder on these traditional Native American fishing grounds. It is one of only few commercial fishing villages still operating today in Michigan. The Native Americans called this spot Mishi-me-go-bing, or alternatively Che-ma-go-bing or Chi-mak-a-ping, meaning “the place where canoes run up into the river to land, because they have no harbor.”

French Canadian millwright, Antoine Manseau, along with his family, are thought to be among some of the first whites to settle here. They came from North Manitou Island in 1853. The following year Manseau and his family, along with John Miller, built the dam at Fishtown. It raised the water level in the river and in Lake Leelanau by as much as an astonishing 12 feet. Since the dam prevented boat traffic from going back and forth in their daily business, launches were, and still are provided on both sides of the dam.

Lots more in the Sun. You can learn more about the history of the dam from Fishtown Preservation.

Mark took this photo a week ago. See more in his Leland gallery & view and purchase his work at Leelanau Landscapes.

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The name is Falls, Bond Falls

Posted on by farlane
Misty Bond Falls by Yanbing Shi

Misty Bond Falls by Yanbing Shi

The GoWaterfalling entry for Bond Falls near Paulding in the Upper Peninsula, says (in part):

Bond Falls is in the western U.P. on Bond Falls Rd, east of Pauding MI. This is the most impressive waterfall in Michigan with the possible exception of Tahquamenon Falls. The main drop is 40 feet high and 100+ feet wide. Above the main falls are a series of cascades and rapids that must drop a total of 20 feet.

The water level is controlled by a dam, and a steady flow over the falls is maintained for scenic reasons. Of course during the spring melt the flow is much higher.

Bond Fall is a Michigan State Scenic Site. The site was renovated around 2003. The old parking area was upstream of the falls, and a steep concrete stairway led to the base of the falls. The new parking area is near the base of the falls, and a level boardwalk leads you to prime views of the falls. The area is not quite as wild looking as it once was, but it is accessible to everyone. The trail on the east side of the falls is still wild with some steep rocky climbs. There are other trails that go off into the woods, and there are campsites nearby.

In addition to being very picturesque, this is a very popular waterfall, and unless you visit early in the morning or in winter, you are going to have a lot of company.

Bringing back this November 2014 photo I featured of Bond Falls for another look! See more in Yanbing Shi’s Landscape gallery on Flickr.

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