A fitting kickoff for a haunting week! Visiting this scene from Donn de Yampert's gallery made me think of the Alfred Hitchcock movie "Psycho" and the Bates Motel. To check in click here.

Halloween countdown begins..... 5 days left to buy your treats. I wonder how many folks have eaten the treats they purchased early and will be rushing out to buy some more! I hid mine in the basement so I wouldn't snitch too many.

A great place to stay. 5 star for sure.

believe this motel is in ishpeming area on rt 41 we have a camp in ishpeming . we pass a motel like this on our way . looks like heavy snow this morning in marquette to skandia . love the up

"5 days left to buy your treats".....
Heck, we still have stuff left over from last year.
;-)

Just looked at the Iron Bay Cam in downtown Marquette, and sure enough there is snow frosting cars and roofs.

A dark windy night, and that "salesman" comes upon this motel... no wonder he ended up at the farm!

I have been checking out this web site for a few months, and just last week had the oppurtunity to visit the UP for the first time. It lived up to all of your claims, it was beutiful country, I love the coast line. I ate a pasty and some smoked whitefish. I rained a little, and it snowed a little, but not enought to bother. I had a wonderful time, and hope to come back

Mary in Maryland--what's the Iron Bay webcam in downtown Marquette?

Ann Fisher--Here's the website for the Camera on the corner of Baraga and Lake Shore Blvd in Marquette: http://ironbay.com/lower_harbor_web_cam.htm

Here's an interesting shot - the UP and Northeast Wisconsin from space - demonstrating the quick change in fall colors...

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=16331

Cool Stuff.

I keep getting the coolest info from this site. Thanks to all!
Great pictures at the Nasa site.

I just got back home from spending the weekend in North Carolina - I attended the funeral of my best friend who was killed in Iraq last Monday. Staff
Sergeant Paul Joseph Johnson - "PJ" or "Peej" was one of the best people I've ever met - a natural born leader and just a great person. Below are just some of the over 30 Medals and Citations he received during his time as a member of the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division:

2 Bronze Stars for bravery under hostile fire
2 NATO Medals
3 Humanitarian Service Medals
2 National Defense Service Medals
3 Good Conduct Medals
French Parachutist Badge
Russian Parachutist Badge
Combat Infantryman's Badge
Ranger tab
Airborne tab
Senior Jumpmaster Badge
Purple Heart

He served in many places, many conflicts:

Haiti
Sarajevo
Afghanistan
Iraq

....and more that he couldn't tell us about

Please take a few minutes to remember this great man and all of our armed forces, please thank them - they don't hear it enough. Tonight, when you say your prayers, say one for his wife and 4 year old boy who really miss "Daddy"

God, I miss him...

Duff

Anyone know the history of the above pictured motel? How come it hasn't been torn down yet?

Ivy- The UP is "littered" with small mom & pop Motels/stores which went out of business by people locking the door & leaving the area. It costs $$ to tear these buildings down, and they hung on until their last dime.
These abandoned structures are not usually in anyones way so no pressure to spend precious county resources to tear down and haul away.
It is surprizing where they turn up..sometimes reclaimed by the forest.

Imagine ... it's Halloween night and you're driving down a road you've driven down hundreds of times before. You've passed that vacant, old, decrepit, falling down motel a thousand times. Why doesn't someone get rid of that eyesore? You're about to pass it again, up there on the right. But it's getting dark --probably won't to be able to see it. That place has been dark for years. Every since ... well, that was just a rumor ... never did find the body ... they say ... Can't think about that now. Now, it's beginning to rain. Grey, cold, damp, windy. Your car starts to cough. The windshield wipers stop and start, stick, sputter, give out. The car clunks, seems to be slowing down, you pump the gas pedal, nothing. Rain drops pelt the windshield. You can barely see. Then up ahead, on the right, a red light flickers and you can just make it out, that one word: Motel.

May the Lord Bless and protect you and Sergeant Paul Joseph Johnsons family. He truly was a great man. I had tears while reading your posting. I pray daily for our brave men and women fighting for our freedom. God Bless America.

At first glance I thoght it was one of Vic,s cabins in Kearsarge.We stayed the 40 years ago. Are they still standing. Enjoy the web site check it every day/

Thoughts and prayers go out to Paul Johnson and his family and friends.

Jerald.
Rest knowing many in the Keweenaw grieve for you and Staff Srgt.Johnson's family..He was one of us after all.

Barry from Manhattan Beach Ca.,
Awesome shot of the U.P. color change from space.

My prayers go out to Sgt Johnson's family and friends. Thank God for men like him and also our service women who leave their families to protect those of us at home.

God Bless All of America's bravest.

This one even came with attached covered parking!

Ed in Warren, Yes, Vic's cabins are still standing.

Vic's is up for sale. Vic's cabins don't look this bad!

...our Keweenaw cemetaries hold many fallen heros..........My great grandparents emigrated from Germany to Quincy-mine in 1884 because that nation was too "war-like" and they had 4 teenage boys....their grandsons went to France in 1917 and had to fight.. the Germans...their cousins....so sad....may God bless them all...and especially Sgt.Paul Johnson and family!

Like many others I had to wipe away a tear for Sgt. Johnson's family. We have to remember the lives lost and all the lives touched by the loss. It is because of all of the men and women in our armed forces that we have the quality of life we have.Tonight and every night they will be remembered in my prayers.

Sorry folks, but anyone that saw the movie only once would know it don't look like the "Bates Motel".

I think my grandma wanted to buy this once.

The Motel is west of Ishpeming, Michigan (Greenwood Location)on US Hwy 41. From what I heard, it's for sale. Nice frontage on a busy highway.

oooh! The perfect pasty shop, I can see where a drive-up window can be made!!

Duff,

P.J. Johnson's family will be included in the prayers this week at First Baptist Church in Houston, Texas.

Hey Richard Karl ...if you are out there...If you were a man you would check out this one to see if it has any vacancies ... bet they don't have a waffle maker.