WE MADE IT

                                                Out the window, snow

                                                Mother Nature inhales; pause

                                                Then a whiteout blow

Leave by nine.  Arrive by three

Settle in

Get to Marquette to see

The U. P. 200 begin

Well, maybe by five

Or before dark

. . . .  Whenever

Lake effect advisories

Blizzard conditions closing roads

Do you believe in miracles?

Lunch at Grayling and the snow began

I-75 going north

Hannah and Alyssa benched -- Plan B

With compliments to the teens

From here on in adults would take the wheel

Lake Michigan snow bands taking turns

Left to right across the windshield

One minute, drive 70, the next, 35

Somewhere up ahead through the swirl

A five-mile long suspension bridge we cannot see

Miracle one, hello U. P. 

West on US-2

North of Lake Michigan’s blow

Catch our breath and a view

The beach, ocean-sized, iced as far as you can see

Rough-hewn ice dunes

Blocks, chunks and shards on shore

Further out, wind-swept clean

Unreachable but skate-able smooth

North again, M-77, zeroing in on Munising

Now Lake Superior hails us with its howl

Sing with me . . .

All day, all night, Marianne

Bands of snow

On the map, Marianne

God bless our rider’s holy bladder

Stop at a Krist station in Munising

And text check with party three

Coming up from Chicago, Louie

Missed a snow-blasted turn sign and is now nearby

Krist Two -- east

We were west

Miracle two, a cross-town family rendezvous

Time to caravan

Three on the way to Au Train Bay

Heavy snow, closed road, detour

Aaron on the phone, Liz navigating

Creeping, nearly piggy-back, through the snow-white black

Following flashing hazard lights in the dark  

Down a woodsy, winding road

Our target, the lane to Au Train lodge

Goal in sight.  To the right?

Up the lane, one last hill

But our van, the cow’s tail

Unable to follow the other two

Spun its wheels to no avail

Sitting, mulling what to do

When, gasp, over the hill

One and two retracing tracks

Four headlights aimed!

We’re a sitting duck

Brace!   

Last minute absolute worst!

Swerve!  Left!  Bump?

Course, corrected

Straight ahead down the hill

Miracle three, the lodge,

. . . Breathe

Let the Presidents’ Day holiday weekend begin

Hannah, disappointed

Missed the Friday night start of the race  

But quickly settled in

And helped us explore the sturdy embrace

Separating us from the blowing snow

And angry, roiling trees outside

Inside, a two-fireplace bonus

With spacious kitchen

Room to spread  

Three carloads of people

And a long weekend’s supply of things and snacks

Liz, on her game,

With pre packed mac and cheese, chicken salad

And generous servings of wine

Organized

Miracle four, our first meal

About that race

Images on TV of a snowy Marquette crowd

Downtown Friday night

Sending off fourteen twelve-dog teams

Yapping to get underway

120 miles east to Grand Marais

Mandatory halfway rest

Return Saturday night for a Sunday morning finish

Aaron and the girls, Saturday, caught up with the teams in Grand Marais

Then paid their respects to

The Great Lakes Brewing Company

And The Breakwall Bakery and Café

That night, same crew

Midnight along the run back to Marquette

Huddled around a barrel and fire

Viewing teams

At a designated interception spot  

            Sled dog racers

            Don’t do ovals with bleachers

            Be prepared to watch them run at night

            As the dogs can overheat

            But enjoy the bonfires and hot chocolate

Back at the lodge, Meme and Papa kept the fireplaces going

The front stoop scooped

And were just thankful to be

Up north

Sunday, on the way to see the finish

Clear roads and sunshine

We could finally appreciate Lake Superior’s winter scenes

Pause at Lakenenland Sculpture Park

Interception point and junkyard art

One team quietly making its way 
Forty minute wait for the next

So on to Marrquette

With its snow white hills and frozen bay

Traffic going about its way

Stay out of the way, Trolls

These Yoopers do it on ice every day

The trail’s finish, lined with bales of hay

Ambience and seats to see

The lead team swing to the right around the bay

Toward our noisy cowbells and cheers

Ryan Anderson, Ray, Minnesota, bib number 13

Interviewed over the P. A.  

While handlers arrived

To move his dogs to their trailer rig

Treats, rest, and a chance to be

Harness and booties free

Bib 5 from Quebec now claiming second place

For us, that ended the race

We retired to Doncker’s Candy Shop

For sandwiches, soups, coffee and pop

Skipping the flavored phosphates

We opted for Jilbert’s Ice cream, a local favorite,

Back at the lodge, late Sunday

A beachfront explore

For those under seventy

A bonfire on a snowy pyre

Burned its way down

Sinking toward the beach

Somewhere lower

Alyssa’s pictures captured the rugged wonder

Of Lake Superior’s icy tundra

Last order of family fun, Sunday evening jam

Clarinet, tuba, ukulele and trombone

The Base Layers quintet tuned, spooned, jugged

But mostly mugged for the cameras

Monday morning whirlwind

Clean up and pack

Then back up the slippery snowy lane

And several attempts

Back onto the road again

Tiptoeing through the elements

South and East across the U. P.

Thankful for the many snowplows

That kept the roads snow free

Once across the bridge  

Improved weather let us travel quickly south

And gradually back to last week's reality

While our thoughts began to brew  

Memories of the adventure

We made

With the help of a miracle or two

DRK

Presidents’ Day weekend, 2016