Chasing the Falls

The rampant runoff on the hillsides inspired us to ride our bikes up the road to check out Manganese Falls. On our way up Manganese Road the ditches were flowing themselves.  The hills are alive!

When we reached it, however, we skipped the falls and decided to start at the source: Lake Manganese (is that enough Manganese for you yet?).  The water was high on the lake shore, and the ice was thick in the middle of the lake.  Soon we hiked up toward the Red Trail.

The water at the start of Manganese Creek rushed over the bridge in two spots.  Trying to avoid a submerged spot, I over-jumped and landed with one foot in the lake.  At least the weather was warm!   

Manganese Creek was raging as we meandered north along the Mango Trail.  I mean someone could raft white-water rapids style down that thing!  If a person tried to stand in it, they would surely be knocked over.  Those were some strong currents, I tell you.  Along the trail, I also found some cool landscapes and a huge blueberry patch.  I'm going to pick some there this summer!

We connected back to Manganese Road across from the Falls, but before we could explore that, we hiked back up the road to get the bikes.  Then... down we road like the wind without having to pedal!  That's such a fun hill to coast down.

We treacherously descended the cliffs along raging Manganese Falls.  Man, was that a sight!  If my camera wasn't in 10 pieces, I could have taken a video for you.  Bubbles and foam everywhere!  We dropped all the way down to the bridge that crosses the Falls on the John Lincoln Green Trail.  How peaceful to sit on a bridge when the water thunders below!

And me being me, I saw a rock nestled further down the falls, so I climbed to it.  Sitting on this rock was like sitting right in the falls!  I was at water height, and the rock had a one inch ledge that forced the water to merge right around me.  I only got splashed a couple times, but it was worth it.  Aaron walked down to across from where I was sitting.  We had to shout to hear each other over the ten foot wide falls.  It produced some volume, alright.

On the way back home, we stopped at the boat landing on Lake Fanny Hooe, since that is the body Manganese Falls opens into.  Then, why not, we completed the tour at the mouth of the Fanny Hooe Creek into Lake Superior herself.  We wondered if we saw the same drop of water anywhere from Lake Manganese to where it entered the big lake.  I would guess so... at least one drop!

As I pedaled home, I chased my shadow as the sun was sinking behind me.  What a lovely end to the waterfall chase!