Copper County Trail

Posted on November 5, 2025 by kcbernick

October, 2025

In my early morning reading today, I learned that the Copper Country Trail National Scenic Byway has been named one of the Most Scenic Drives in the Great Lakes by WorldAtlas. The trail runs from Houghton to Copper Harbor, Michigan, on US Hwy 41.

Granted, it is remote, but worth the effort. Houghton has an airport, with flights in and out of Chicago. You can even drive straight through from Miami, the southern terminus of US Hwy 41. Distance from Miami to Copper Harbor: about 2,000 miles. Sailors on Lake Superior can hop off at several locations. So…you can get here from there.

I have driven this route through the Keweenaw Peninsula many times, in the spring when the leaves are beginning to emerge, in the summer with the thimbleberries, huckleberries, raspberries, bilberries coming to fruit, and in the fall when the vibrant reds and yellows overwhelm me with their beauty. This route never fails to fill me with awe. Watch out for wildlife, though. We see deer and turkeys every day. The area is also home to moose, bear, wolves and river otters.

As I write this, I see a doe and two fawns walk past my window, on a trail that goes up to Brockway Mountain. These deer, plus a flock of turkeys are frequent visitors.

I must admit that I have not driven it in the winter. The area is known for its heavy snowfalls, making it a mecca for snowmobilers, snowshoers, fat tire bikers and skiers, both cross country and downhill. Last winter, over 300 inches of snow fell here. Snowmobile trail crossings are clearly marked on the highways that traverse the Keweenaw. I know a couple of people who attended school at Michigan Tech in Houghton as much for the cross country skiing as for the excellent engineering program.

Right now in Copper Harbor, the northernmost town in the Keweenaw Peninsula, things are pretty quiet, summer activities are closed down, and the snow is still a few weeks off, I think. Most shops and restaurants are closed, at least for the month of November. After the snow falls and the trails are groomed, some restaurants will reopen, others will wait until Spring. The Country Village Shop stays open year round, as does the Gas Lite General Store (The Genny) although with shorter hours. Grandpa’s Barn (book store) physical location will close, but you can still get your books on-line.

The World Atlas recent article about the “9 Most Scenic Drives in the Great Lakes” talks about the many attractions along the Copper Country Trail, an area that flourished during the 1800s after copper was found in abundance. Today, it is heritage that abounds, with Fort Wilkins State Historic Park, abandoned mine site (several are open for tours), homes that housed management and employees, theaters, churches, schools and more. The town of Copper Harbor is home to one of the few operational one-room schoolhouses in the US, current enrollment 3 students.

The Keweenaw National Historical Park, headquartered in Calumet, was formed in 1992 to commemorate the copper mining heritage of the area. Unlike other national parks, Keweenaw NHP does not own the heritage sites, rather they are owned by the state or local governments or non-profit organizations. The twenty-three sites include abandoned copper mines, museums, historic buildings and lighthouses, as well as Fort Wilkins.

It’s well worth a drive up here, spend a few days, experience the history and still unspoiled beauty of the Keweenaw Peninsula.

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Starship Test #11

Posted on October 13, 2025 by kcbernick

Monday, October 13, 2025

Finally, the main reason we came down to Texas this week, the Starship’s Eleventh Flight Test in Boca Chica. We have a fourth floor condo on South Padre Island, with a direct view of the launch pad about 5 miles south of us. We’ve seen several launches, but they never cease to fill us with awe, whether successful or not. These are tests, after all, so SpaceX learns as much, maybe more, from the “fails” as they do from the successes.

This launch is currently scheduled for 6:15 this evening. The schedule is a moving target, though. Changes in the weather, minor equipment glitches, even boats sailing too close to the base, can cause delays. The weather looks great, with mostly clear skies, giving us a perfect view.

Two days ago, we visited Starbase to watch the Starship being transported from the SpaceX assembly plant to the launch pad, where it was later placed atop the booster.

Yesterday, we came back to see the assembled ship and booster on the pad.

We also did some exploring around the newly incorporated city of Starbase, which is growing by leaps and bounds. There are hundreds of new residences near the assembly plant, and more being built nearby. It’s possible that Starbase city has more Tesla cybertrucks per capita than any other community in the US. There is a small grocery store, some lovely parks, a swimming pool and restaurants for the residents and visitors.

Launch day at last! The launch was delayed a few minutes, to about 6:23pm because of boats that needed to be cleared for safety. Things proceeded as soon as all was deemed safe for the ship to lift off.

Shortly after liftoff, the booster dropped into the Gulf of Mexico as intended, and we heard a few sonic booms.

The ship continued for another hour, dropping into the Indian Ocean, where it exploded upon impact. We watch a video feed of SpaceX employees cheering at the end of another successful launch.

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Historic Fort Davis and McDonald Observatory

Posted on October 12, 2025 by kcbernick

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Since we were in the neighborhood, we decided to visit nearby Fort Davis and the McDonald Observatory. Due to the current government shutdown, the park was closed, but we decided to be scofflaws and go inside anyway. There was one ranger on site, there to feed the horses, and he didn’t seem to have a problem with our being there. We did see a few other tourists as well as some mountain goats.

Fort Davis was established in 1854 to protect emigrants, mail coaches and freight wagons on the trail between San Antonio and El Paso. For protection, the fort was located in a canyon flanked by sheer rock wall on three sides. The fort was evacuated during the Civil War, then reoccupied in 1867. Two years later, the all-black regiments, known as buffalo soldiers, were stationed here.

Several historic buildings have been restored to their 1880s state, including some living quarters and kitchen buildings. The Fort Davis National Historic Site was added to the National Park System in 1961, a year after it was designated a National Historic Landmark Landmark. Although we couldn’t explore inside the buildings, it was a beautiful day to walk the grounds.

From there, we headed up a winding road to the University of Texas McDonald Observatory In 1926, William Johnson McDonald left $1 million to the University of Texas at Austin to endow an astronomical observatory. Land was donated by Edwin Hockaday Fowlkes to build the observatory. The first telescope was dedicated in 1939, and was the second larges telescope in the world at the time. Several more telescopes have been installed since then. There are now four research telescopes being operated by the university, ranging in size from 30 inches to 390 inches. There are several others belonging to other organizations around the world.

We took a guided tour which started with the guide explaining a bit about the history of the observatory, how telescopes work, and the telescopes that have been located here over the years. We went up Mount Locke to visit the 107 inch Harlan J. Smith telescope, which was completed in 1968 with the assistance of NASA.

Then we went to the top of Mount Fowlkes to see the 390 inch Hobby-Eberly Telescope, which began operation in 1996, and is one of the largest optical telescopes in the world. It has been used to study our solar system and stars in our galaxy. The telescope has aided in the discovery of planets orbiting around other stars; it has been used to measure the rotation of individual galaxies. It is also being used in the exploration of dark energy – trying to explain what exactly dark energy is. It’s pretty exciting stuff!

And now, we head back across the state, 600 plus miles, to South Padre Island, where we will await the upcoming Starship launch.

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Attractions in South Texas

Posted on October 11, 2025 by kcbernick

October, 2025

The stretch of US Route 90 between Langtry and Van Horn has some quirky attractions, some of which pop up so suddenly that you can easily miss them.

The tiny community of Langtry, with a population of fewer than 20, hosts a visitor’s center, much needed after some time on the open road. These roads are long, with few amenities for the thirsty, hungry traveler. The Visitor’s Center is probably the biggest structure in the town, and it includes a “free” Judge Roy Bean museum, which we explored. The site includes the Jersey Lily Saloon where Judge Bean held court between 1882-1903, dispensing “hard liquor and harsh justice.” The saloon was named for the English actress Lillie Langtry, for whom Bean held a passion.

Bean was immortalized in the 1972 movie, “The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean,” starring Paul Newman.

Somewhere between Sanderson and Marathon, we spied the world’s smallest Buc-ee’s, actually an art installation along the road, with no toilets, no fuel, no food, no souvenirs. It’s a 100 square foot block with the Buc-ee’s logo on the front. It was originally placed there in April, 2022, then removed some months later. It reappeared a year later, but who knows for how long it will remain this time?

Farther west, on the edge of Marfa was an art exhibit of stacked shipping containers, like those you usually see on trains. It’s named “Sleeping Figure (2023),” and was originally installed in the Coachella Valley as part of Desert X 2023. The artist’s name is Matt Johnson.

The 1956 movie, “Giant,” starring James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson was filmed in part in Marfa, Texas, on a ranch just west of town. When you drive by that ranch, you will see yet more artwork. It is a mural of sorts, consisting of several plywood images from the movie. Country music plays in the foreground, speakers powered by solar panels. Rock Hudson sits in the convertible, James Dean holds a rifle, and Liz Taylor looks sultry. Also on display are the house, some cattle and an oil derrick.

Keep going past Marfa, through the tiny town of Valentine, and you come to the Prada Marfa, by artists Elmgreen & Dragset. This freestanding building was installed in 2005, as a “pop architectural land art” project. The building has two large windows displaying Prada shoes and purses from their 2005 fall/winter collection. Many people have left padlocks or stickers on the chain link fence around the building. Sadly, I had nothing to leave that day.

We drove back to Marfa as the sun was setting, just in time to search for the “Marfa Lights,” which people have claimed to see as far back as 1883. These lights appear near the horizon as you look toward Big Bend. They have been described as orbs of light which change in color and intensity, can move or remain stationary. No one knows what they are – passing car lights, UFOs, tower lights, ranch lights?

There is a very nice viewing area just west of Marfa, and there were about a dozen people sitting and watching that night. One man commented that the lights were very active tonight. I saw some lights, but they looked like tower or car lights to me. The photos below are of the viewing site during the day.

Really, the only light that impressed me that night was the full moon across the highway.

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Big Bend National Park

Posted on October 10, 2025 by kcbernick

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Covering over 1200 square miles in area, Big Bend National Park is home to almost 1300 species of plants, numerous species of animals, birds, reptiles, fish and amphibians, and thousands of insects. On the southern side, the Rio Grande River forms 118 miles of the border between the US and Mexico. There are three canyons in the park, and an entire mountain range – the Chiso Mountains.

This area has been occupied by humans for about 12,000 years. Ranchers, miners and farmers began settling here in the 1870’s. In 1933, the state of Texas established the Texas Canyons State Park, later renamed Big Bend State Park. National Park status was conferred by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944.

Although the park is currently closed due to a government shutdown, the roads and trails are still open to visitors. We made sure we had plenty of water and food before going to the park, since all facilities are closed. There were other people here as well, but not many. We have been wanting to visit for years, but it really is a long way from almost everywhere; our drive was over 600 miles. We weren’t willing to let a government shutdown interfere with seeing this gorgeous park.

We visited the Fossil Discovery Exhibit at the spot where Dr. John Wilson, a paleontologist from UT Austin, discovered Eocene fossils from over 50 million years ago in the 1950s. This was in an area that had previously been declared barren of fossils by other paleontologists.

There are some fossils that have only been found at Big Bend, like the Bravoceratops, with a large frill and horns on its head. Many other dinosaur fossils were found, like T-Rex, and Quetzalcoatlus, possibly the largest flying creature ever, with a 36-foot wingspan.

This area was perfect for fossil hunting because of the environmental changes it had undergone over millions of years. At one point, it was covered by a shallow sea, then converted to coastal floodplains as the sea retreated. The Chiso Mountains, formed by volcanic activity helped to bury the remains of mammoths, saber-toothed cats, dinosaurs and more, preserving them until erosion exposed them.

From here, we drove to Santa Elena Canyon for one of the most impressive scenes in the park. This canyon was formed by the Rio Grande River, with limestone cliffs of up to 1,500 feet in height. The canyon is 8 miles long, a popular spot for hiking, kayaking, rafting, canoeing and wildlife viewing. The river seems calm today, but that can change during heavy rains. The road we drove on is peppered with signs warning of potential flooding. No rain in sight today.

It really was worth the 10 hours of driving it took for us to get here.

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Sand Castle Days in SPI

Posted on October 5, 2025 by kcbernick

Sunday, October 5, 2025

Wow! It’s been almost a year since I last posted here, since I last had something interesting to say. At least interesting to myself.

We did an impromptu trip to South Padre Island for an upcoming SpaceX launch. We didn’t even know that we were arriving just in time to catch the last day of Sand Castle Days, hosted by Clayton’s. This is the 35th year that the event has been held, and it has become a qualifying event for the World Championships of Sand Sculpting.

There were about a dozen sculptures on the beach, all of them very elaborate. The most impressive was sculpted by Master Sandsculptor Scott Dodson, of a large castle and surrounding woods. Dodson has been sculpting for over 40 years, and has had commissions from major airlines, cruise ships, resorts, beverage companies, state fairs and art shows.

Photos of Dodson’s work are on display at a local art gallery. One of them may make its way to our home.

Other participating artists are from Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Japan, Canada, and Belarus as well as from the United States.

If we wanted to, we could have tried our hands at Sand Camp, an area set aside for enthusiasts of all ages to build their own sculptures.

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Enjoying Our Last Day in Bajan Paradise

Posted on November 23, 2024 by kcbernick

Friday, November 22, 2024

The island of Barbados is less than one million years old. Unlike several of the other islands we have visited on this trip, it is not volcanic, but a result of tectonic action. Barbados is the exposed part of the Barbados Ridge Accretionary Prism, brought to the surface as the Atlantic oceanic crust subducted under the Caribbean Plate. Seventy meter thick exposed reef-related carbonate rocks span 85 percent of the island’s surface. Combined with limestone, the coral provides a natural, and effective, water filtering system for the island. This water is safe to drink from the tap.

Barbadians, or Bajans as they refer to themselves, are very friendly, greeting each other on the street, whether or not they are acquainted. When you hear cars honking, that usually is not an angry driver like in the states, it’s most likely one driver greeting or thanking another one for granting right of way. Sometimes, it is to let a driver coming from the other direction know of an approach. These roads are narrow, and the range of sight is short around curves.

Our guide the other day, Dunstan, told us that children are taught from primary school to be friendly and courteous. Education is free and mandatory from age 5 – 15. The students wear uniforms. At the end of primary school, they sit for exams to qualify for secondary school, and are placed according to interest and ability. After 5 years in secondary, they can sit for exams to qualify for post-secondary education, which is not free, but is heavily subsidized.

Historically, Barbados has rarely been hit by hurricanes. The last was in 1955. More recently, hurricanes have touched near the coast, so it is possible that climate change will bring more.

The soil is fertile, and produce grows year round, including sugar, cotton, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, pumpkin, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, beets, okra, peppers, beans, fat-porks, coconuts, breadfruit, mangoes, ackees, sour-sop, sugar apples, plums – hog plums and papaya. Roadside fruit and vegetable stands abound on the island. There are also cattle, black-bellied sheep, goats and chickens, and, of course, plenty of fish: flying fish, swordfish, mahi-mahi, red snapper, marlin and yellow-fin tuna. They know how to use spices to make delicious meals.

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Exploring Barbados

Posted on November 22, 2024 by kcbernick

Thursday, November 21, 2024

We were picked up this morning by the same driver we had yesterday. Good news, because Dunstan did an amazing job explaining Barbadian history and pointing out the sites.

We had a full day, touring the sights here in Barbados. Harrison’s Cave is a popular attraction. We rode a tram through the caves, and oohed and aahed at the streams and waterfalls as well as the stalactites and stalagmites. Harrison’s Cave was first mentioned in 1795, but never developed as a tourist site until about 1981.

We then visited the Barbados Wildlife Reserve, home to monkeys, snakes, iguanas, turtles, and tortoises. parrots, flamingos, and peacocks, moving freely in the park.

The green monkeys found here, also called sabaceous monkey, originally came from Senegal and the Gambia in West Africa approximately 350 years ago.These monkeys are relatively long-lived and can reach up to 30 years in captivity. Their fur is more yellowish than other species of monkey, giving them a golden-green appearance.

Hunte’s Gardens is said to be the Most Enchanting Place on Earth. It is home to exotic plants and birds, a delightful place to visit. Anthony Hunte purchased the property in 1990, 10 acres of a former sugar plantation called Castle Grant. He began developing the gardens with the assistance of several workers. The 2.5 acre Gardens were opened to the public in 2007. We were simply amazed at the numbers of tropical plants and flowers that are included in these gardens. There are several spots with benches and chairs where guests can sit and enjoy this tiny bit of paradise nestled near the center of this island paradise.

All in all, a day of beauty.

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Rums of Barbados

Posted on November 21, 2024 by kcbernick

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

There are at least four rum distilleries on the Island of Barbados. Today, we toured a couple of them – St. Nicholas Abbey on the north end of the island and Mount Gay in Bridgetown.

Despite the name, St. Nicholas Abbey is not a church, rather it is a sugarcane plantation house. The house was built in 1658 by Colonel Benjamin Berringer, who was later killed in a duel with his neighbor, Sir John Yeamans, a duel over Berringer’s wife, who subsequently married Sir John. Hmm….

Yeamans tried to claim the property as his own, but Berringer’s children took him to court, winning back ownership of their father’s home. The Cumberbatch family owned it for at least 200 years. These are ancestors of the actor Benedict Cumberbatch.

It is currently owned by Larry and Anna Warren, who purchased it in 2006. Along with their sons, the Warrens have restored the property as an operating sugar plantation. They hope to develop it as a self-sustaining heritage attraction as well as a self-supporting plantation. The plantation grows its own sugar cane, harvests it and produces rum at its distillery.

We began our tour by boarding their steam engine, and riding up to Cherry Tree Hill for some fabulous views of the area known as the Scottish District – St. Andrew’s Parish. The area traversed by the train was originally lined by cherry trees, thus the name. They were replaced with mahogany trees by Sir Gay Alleyne in the mid-1700s. Sir Gay is the founder of Mount Gay Rum. Mahogany is not native to the area. It was used for furniture on the island, but it is now protected since it takes so long for a tree to come to maturity – 25 years.

Then, we visited the Great House for a Heritage Tour. The Abbey is an example of the Jacobean architecture, popular in the 1600s. It is one of only three Jacobean mansions remaining in the Western Hemisphere. The other two are Drax Hall Great Hall, also located in Barbados, and Bacon’s Castle in Surry County, Virginia. Much of the furniture in the Abbey is made from mahogany.

Then we toured the Factory, Steam Mill and Distillery. All of this was topped off with some rum tastings, and of course, an opportunity to purchase some to take with us. The rum tastings were hosted by one of the owner’s sons, Simon Warren, who clearly loves interacting with the tourists. He and Mark struck up a conversation about alternative energy sources, specifically hydrogen.

We stopped in St. Andrew’s Parish for lunch. St. Andrew is one of eleven parishes of Barbados, and is located in the northeastern area in the country. Parishes in Barbados are similar to counties in most states of the US. Louisiana is the only US state to use parishes instead of counties.

We made a quick stop at Bathsheba Beach with its beautiful white sand beaches and shallow pools carved out of the inshore coral reef. According to legend, the surf covered white waters, rich in minerals and life, is said to resemble Bathsheba’s milk bath. Whether or not that’s true, the waves here are an attraction for surfers.

Legend has it that Bathsheba, wife of King David, bathed in milk to keep her skin beautiful and soft. Legend also says that the waters at Bathsheba Beach are rich in minerals and life, resembling Bathsheba’s bath in both appearance and health giving value.

At the Mount Gay Visitor Center, we learned about the production and history of their rum, as well as learning more about rum’s history and importance to the island nation. This was followed, too, by rum tastings.

Thank goodness, we had a driver today, because we were in no condition to drive. But, we were happy…and mellow.

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The Crane, Barbados

Posted on November 20, 2024 by kcbernick

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

We have been owners with Hilton Grand Vacations Club for quite a few years. They have several locations throughout the world, and we can often find one when we travel. The Crane Resort is located at Crane Beach on the southeast side of the island. The beach has been rated as one of the 10 best beaches in the world. The pale pink sand feels like powder under our feet. The waters, though somewhat rough, are truly turquoise.

Crane Beach was the site of a small commercial port in the mid-18th century, Its name refers to the cranes used to raise and lower cargo between ship and land, not romantically for the bird. Crane Beach attracted the island’s plantation owners and prosperous merchants who sought the reputed ‘healing powers’ of its waters.

Opened in 1887 by Donald Simpson, a civil engineer, the Crane Resort is the oldest continuously operating hotel in the Caribbean. One of its more famous guests was Buffalo Bill Cody, who paid for his room with a gold watch chain and fob. The chain and fob remain in the Simpson family to this day.

Mark was hoping to glimpse the SpaceX Starship test flight #6 scheduled for late afternoon at the site, early evening here. We watched from our rooftop deck.

We were able to see the launch live from the camera on our deck on South Padre Island. Isn’t technology great!!?? Unfortunately, we couldn’t see it pass by Barbados 15 minutes later, on its way to the Indian Ocean. Sigh…

After dinner, we took a stroll through the resort, finding the sites we hadn’t seen yet. Lovely evening. Everything looks different at night.

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