By Scott Bain
This summer, my kids and I took our Sport, affectionately named "Rowdy," to Michigan's Upper Peninsula for some much-needed downtime and adventure.
After many hours and more stops than I'd care to admit, we crossed the Mackinac Bridge and entered the Upper Peninsula. We continued north, feeling the stress of everyday life slip away with each passing field. The open sky and empty road made this last part of our pilgrimage better than the first.
Basecamp at Brimley State Park
We arrived at Brimley State Park and immediately went to work setting up basecamp. The tent went up, beds went in, and lights went on. With that done, it was off to dinner.
Just west of the stoplight in town is a fantastic restaurant called The Cozy Inn. The atmosphere is everything you would expect from a small-town bar and grill. From the fish on the walls to the freighter pictures over the bar, no detail is overlooked. The staff make you feel at home and the whitefish dinners are simply amazing.
Sitting in the corner, we strategized our evening's next move –– Yooperlite hunting. Destination? Whitefish Point!
Hunting for Yooperlites with Tips from the Pro
This would be our third season looking for the ever-elusive glowing rocks known as Yooperlites, and we were determined to find them. This year was gonna be the year. We had the right equipment, the right mindset, and we even met with Eric Rintamaki (the guy who discovered them) and got a few pointers on how to find them. No stone would be left unturned –– pun intended!
We arrived at Whitefish just before sunset and walked the beach west to find a good place to start the search and get shelter from the wind. Hunkering down behind some driftwood, we waited for dark. The sunset was beautiful with the wind whipping up the surf and sending the clouds racing as gold and orange lit up the sky. The light faded and darkness grew: It was time to begin the hunt. Within minutes, our preparation paid off! We bagged three of the little buggers and headed back to basecamp.
Off-Roading Trails and Forest Service Roads
Day Three found us venturing off-road to Mission Hill Overlook. Rowdy made the +400-foot climb up that one-lane dirt trail look like a walk in the park. We reached the top and were graced with a beautiful view of Spectacle Lake, and behind it, Lake Superior.
After taking in the sights, we loaded back up and ventured onto the Forest Service roads just as a light rain started. What a beautiful trail ride. The glistening canopy of leaves lent a green glow to Rowdy's silver finish and filled the air with a freshness that just can't be described. We rode around taking in the woods for a few hours before returning to basecamp for lunch and beach time.
Night Ride – Vermilion Beach
Evening of Day Five found us on our last adventure before heading home. We opted for another run at Yooperlites. Our path took us down the same winding roads toward Whitefish Point as last time, but instead of going there, our destination was Vermilion Beach. It was already dark when we turned onto Vermilion Road and headed into the forest. The first 100 yards were your average dirt road, right up until it turned into all sand with substantial dips, ruts, and really soft spots … what a ride!
Had I seen this "road" in daylight, I might have thought twice. But we had recovery boards and a shovel. What could go wrong? Besides, I was driving a Bronco!
In what solid sections of road there were, we were navigating washboards and deep rutted sand accented with holes akin to small moon craters. We avoided these traps when we could and plowed through the ones we could not. The key here was to make sure we didn't lose our momentum as we dove in one side and popped out the other.
After several miles, we reached the trail end in time for it to start raining. We waited for the rain to let up, but it didn’t. So, scrubbing the "mission," we turned around and headed back the way we came. It was a blast on the now-wet sand. And as we found out at the Dancing Crane coffee shop that next morning, running it is a badge of honor!
We found Yooperlites, played in the woods, conquered Vermilion Road, and can't wait for the next adventure!
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