Getting the flavor of...
Michigan’s Shipwreck Coast
At the shallow southern end of Lake Superior lies an underwater graveyard, said Chris McNamara in the Chicago Tribune. The gorgeous surroundings can make you forget it, but some 600 shipwrecks litter the floor of the largest Great Lake, and a third of them are clustered on the coast between Munising and Paradise, Mich. Cargo ships hauling iron ore from Michigan mines once navigated this treacherous stretch, and some ran into hidden reefs while others were sunk by pirates. Lake Superior’s frigid waters have preserved those vessels’ remains “like macabre trophies.” You can see salvaged artifacts at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, or ogle sunken ships on a glass-bottom boat tour. But the most intimate way for nondivers to engage with the wrecks is to hike from Hurricane River Campground to the nearby shore, then wander amid the bones of ships like the Mary Jerecki, a steam barge wrecked in an 1883 storm.
Rodeo season’s wild ride
“In the big untamed middle of America, summer is rodeo season,” said Geoff Nudelman in Thrillist.com. It’s the best time of the year to visit the host towns, whether you love watching linebacker-size ranch hands wrestle steers to ground or just enjoy funnel cakes and nightly fireworks. Hundreds of rodeos take place each summer from California to Florida, and each has a unique atmosphere. Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo, held this Aug. 26–27, offers a perfect chance to enjoy top-tier talent in a small community because the beaches of Orange County, Calif., are close enough for a post-event swim. Meanwhile, the century-old Pendleton Round-Up (Sept. 13–16) in Pendleton, Ore., marks the biggest week on the calendar for a town that “lives for Old West culture.” Rodeo performer J. Tom Fisher recommends a visit to the Let ’Er Buck Room—a famous bar under the grandstands—where, he says, “everyone lets loose.” ■
