Lake Superior

Lake Superior is something felt on the inside rather than experienced with the five senses alone. Riding along the natural beauty of the untamed shores of this majestic lake one comes to appreciate the native stories of the Ojibwa that are handed down through the generations. The skies are a bit overcast this day, and mist shrouds the distant view, but the wild beauty cannot be hidden.

We travel route 17 north from Sault Ste. Marie through Lake Superior Provincial Park. From our saddles we have views of Goulais Bay, Batchawana Bay, and some of the most impressive sights along great stretches of Whitefish Bay. We stop on occasion to peer down into the startling clear waters at the massive stones that riddle the floor beneath. I inspect a long fallen tree, showing us the changes of season in its stark skeletal remains. Yet the flora flourishes in this sometimes harsh environment. At the visitor center, we learn about the fish that inhabit its waters.

We arrive in Wawa, a town with means goose in Ojibwa. Some time is spent at the visitor center learning about the local history. We lunch, turn around, and again are impressed with the views in reverse. Even on this day while she softly laps the shores beneath the mist, Superior commands respect by her sheer size. We stop one last time, and pay her homage. And although she diminishes in our rear view mirror, our souls are filled yet with the wonder of her.