"Gateway to the Mitt" Saint Ignace by yooperprof

Lots of people picnic here in the summer. The white expanse below the treeline is Lake Michigan in wintertime hibernation.

roadside marker

"This lake, the sixth largest in the world, was discovered in 1634 by Jean Nicolet, who explored this north shore to Green Bay but found no Orientals as the French in Quebec had hoped he would. The general size and outline of the lake was established in the 1670s by Marquette and Jolliet. They named it Lake Michigan. Its elongated shape was an obstacle to transcontinental expansion, but its waters soon proved a real boon to commerce." (I'm sure that the native Americans were quite relieved when Nicolet "discovered" the lake!)

I took this picture while driving!

Five miles from shore to shore, the Straits of Mackinac Bridge is the only transportation link connecting the two separate peninsulas of Michigan. When it is windy or stormy, they will reduce the speed limit on the bridge to a snail's 20 mph - or perhaps shut it down entirely. One of the classic "Michigan" experiences is being stuck on "the wrong side" of the Bridge by an unpredictable winter storm - and not knowing how long you'll have to wait until the bridge is reopened. (By the way, in Yooperese a "troll" is anyone who lives "below the bridge" - that is, the 97% of the state's population that lives in the lower peninsula are "trolls".)