Sometimes these giant birds are mistaken for eagles, but the red head is the first clue. Turkey buzzards often circle high in a flock above some dead animal. Looks like this one may have about a 4-foot wing span.

I hear it's warming up back home in the Copper Country. Quite warm and humid hear in the south, as I spent an extra day in New Orleans, them cut back up to Jackson, Mississippi - - straight across into Alabama, arriving Sunday evening in this state's capitol.
Goodnight from 'Bama and good morning from da U.P. trip notes

Great picture Bob,
Toivo,
your comment last week about going to a much needed laundromat got me to thinking. You said it was the first one since Washington. That was back in March. You sure must have packed alot of underwear, socks, shirts and pants when you left. Which made me realise that I've spent too much time wondering about your laundry.

Toivo:
Did you come thru Selma? They had the reenactment of the battle of Selma this weekend. You would have driven over the world-famous Edmund Pettus Bridge on Hwy 80. I live in Prattville, about 10 miles north of Montgomery on I-65 to Bhm. Tomorrow is Confererate Memorial Day Monday. the actual day was April 26th. Several state and local govt offices will be closed. No pasty places in Montgomery..

Vulture by Robinson Jeffers

I had walked since dawn and lay down to rest on a bare hillside
Above the ocean. I saw through half-shut eyelids a vulture wheeling high up in heaven,
And presently it passed again, but lower and nearer, its orbit narrowing, I understood then
That I was under inspection. I lay death-still and heard the flight-feathers
Whistle above me and make their circle and come nearer.
I could see the naked red head between the great wings
Bear downward staring. I said, "My dear bird, we are wasting time here.
These old bones will still work; they are not for you." But how beautiful he looked, gliding down
On those great sails; how beautiful he looked, veering away in the sea-light over the precipice. I tell you solemnly
That I was sorry to have disappointed him.
To be eaten by that beak and become part of him, to share those wings and those eyes--
What a sublime end of one's body, what an enskyment; what a life after death.

Does Toivo have an E-Mail address I can write to, before he hits Georgia?

Toivo, Are you talking Flora'Bama? Just curious.

Alex:
Lots of luck on catching up with the evasive and mysterious, but charming, Toivo the happy wanderer.

Alex, if you see Toivo, take a picture. I don't believe any picture from him is true.

Alex - Just click on by Toivo in his first post. It opens up his email address. You can send message from there. Don't know how often he reads his email. Good luck.....we need to know the true identity of him.

WOW! WHO IS THIS GUY! I feel like I've just been hired by the FBI! -ROFL-

I would love to meet him, but y'all have me thinking this guy will NOT let himself be seen!

(Man, this is fun!)

Karen P:
I agree with you that the posted pictures of Toivo are not him. But will have to admit, the mysterious Toivo certainly is a HOT topic for the Pasty Cam........
Proud Yooper:
Many questions have been directed to Toivo in the past six months or so, but so far he has not posted a REPLY. Tsk! Tsk! Toivo, your many fans are waiting for hear from you. I for one enjoy the early morning updated pasty cam picture/narrative for the day.

To Bad he wasn't at the FloraBama this past weekend, it was the famous Mullet Toss !!!

Alex,it looks like Toivo visited Panama City Beach.I hope he goes along the coast as it is a beautiful drive and there is a super place to eat called "Julia May's'. Then I bet he'll hit for Talahasee and up 75 to Atlanta and then get on the interstate 85 and then 95 going up the east coast.So Alex you'll have to be on the lookout where 75 and 95 meet!!
I hope he has air conditioning and my second hope is that he does not go anywhere near Washington D.C.We avoid it at all costs. We now go up I-40 then pick up 81 then I-64 to Annapolis then get on 301 will take him into Delaware. He'll probably want to go to Dover to see Dover Downs and the AirForce Base.They have a super Air Force Museum there.
Good luck on your Toivo "watch",Alex.

Is this Toivo trip for real? Charlie just grinned at me when I asked him about it one day. Is Toivo for real? Whatever, it sure helped to pass the winter along! Hmmmmm.....I have to wonder. Has anyone actually seen this dude?

Could anything be clearer than a drink of ice-cold Superior, fellow Yoopers?
Charlie IS Toivo.

By RD, Iowa on Monday, April 28, 2003 - 10:36 pm:

I thought we established that Taka was Toivo?! Some strange conspiracy theories in the air.

Now that I notice, Toivo and Charlie are the only ones with glasses.

Love this website!!!! My mom's family is from
Saginaw and always will treasure our trips "up
north." Spent 10 days on Isle Royal as a teen
and would love to go back up their some day
when my daugher is old enough to trek with
the moose.Nothing quite like a "swim" in
Superior in August. Have enjoyed linking up
with various sites related to the island and
surrounding area. Keep up the good work up
there, eh!
Is the air force base up near Copper Harbor
still there?

dave the river slave
nope, the airforce base closed quite awhile ago.
the buildings are being used as a "school" for city boys who are going thru the "system". It is a good place for them they can't escape in the winter or they will freeze or in the summer the flies will get them.....

Hey Fort Wilkins laundress will you be doing that again this summer?

dave the river slave
nope, the airforce base closed quite awhile ago.
the buildings are being used as a "school" for city boys who are going thru the "system". It is a good place for them they can't escape in the winter or they will freeze nor in the summer the flies will get them.....

Hey Fort Wilkins laundress, will you be doing that again this summer?

wow got two for the price of one...

saltydog il Toivo is every Yooper that has gone anywhere in the U.S. Some places are great, some places are close to the beauty of the U.P.,some remind us of the U.P. But no place is like the U.P. That is why they all come home sometime.

Hei, RCW, looks like it's sitting on one of your storm-damaged trees, 'eh? Very nice shot. These are some ugly birds up close, but they are beautiful to watch as they do their overhead ballets in the sky.

Besides the red head, another way to id a "buzzard" (more correctly a turkey vulture) is by the way it holds its wings as it soars. An eagle's wings are straight out, a buzzard holds its in a shallow "V."

Anyone been to Brockway to watch the spring hawk migration? We would go as a field trip in high school. Best time is when the Keewenaw is behind a low and in front of a high pressure system so the wind blows out of the S or SW. It is an awesome sight. If I remember correctly, one can see 100 or more per hour on a good day. Sorry I can't remember exactly when we went, but seems like it was late April/early May. The snow was gone and the weather reasonably warm (light jacket, maybe even shirt sleeves).

If anyone chooses to go, your best chances are if you dress in clothing that will blend into the landscape and find some bushes to hide in. The birds will fly lower if they don't see you.

Hopefully the Great State of Michigan will have left some money in the budget to fund the park staff and the Historical staff at Fort Wilkins. Alas my own stint as Fort Laundress was many moons ago. Would love to see a reunion of Fort Wilkins historical interpreters. I believe the program first started in 1976. Hope we can all enjoy historical interpretation at the fort for many years to come.

See tomorrow for a Toivo answer...

Toivo, too bad that you didn't visit the Florabama, it is one of the "hot spots" on the Gulf Coast, a real good time and very unique.

Keep the neat pictures coming Rob. I'll see if I can take some wildlife pics at Isle Royale next week.