A Stop at Fallasburg Today

 After catching the Sykes, I thought I would head up north to see if I could see any color.  Unfortunately, I made it as far as M-46 and I started to head south. 

I didn't want to waste my drive, so I decided to stop at Fallasburg to get some pictures of the bridge.

I was about to move on when I saw that there were people taking homecoming (I assume) pictures.

I'm glad I stayed because the reflections were too perfect to pass.

Also, there was no wind, so  I could take my drone anywhere.

Looking down on the bridge.

I like this shot.

Bringing my drone back down.

I like this angle.

I like this angle more.

Again from a lower level.

To get more of the area.

I like this shot.

Again, since the people were gone.

A Stop at Fallasburg Bridge

So on Saturday,  I decided to head up to Sleeping Bear Dunes.  I decided that I would take US-131 to get up there.  That meant I would be passing by Lowell and I figured since I was passing by there, I would get some shots of the Covered Bridge.

The water on the river was almost perfectly still which meant some good reflection shots.  Unfortunately, there was a group of folks there taking pictures.  Fortunately, they are dwarfed by the bridge.

From a different angle.

Unfortunately, I was about a week too late for the color.

And then I switched to the drone.

I kind of like this shot, just wish there was more color back there.

Tried to get a center shot from above.

And then I flew to the other side.  That is one thing I like about the drone, I'm able to get different angles.

A little further out and lower.  I like this picture a little more.  It seems like there is a little more color.

I flew around the bridge.  I think the people were watching my drone.

I kind of like this angle.

Trying to get a little more over the road.

A normal camera angle.

I was trying to get the same angle but from a little higher.

I kind of like this shot too.

One more shot before moving on.
 

Next Stop: The Fallasburg Bridge

 Like I said in the last post, I decided to take back roads to get over to the west side of the state.  Since I was already on M-21, I decided to turn north as I got to Lowell.  I figured that I might as well get some drone pictures of the Fallasburg Bridge.

It's kind of amazing that Michigan doesn't have more covered bridges that it does.  You would think that there would be more with all the rivers that snake through the state.

After someone burned the White's Bridge down, this is one of two covered bridges left that was built in the 1800's.  Although there is some debate whether this is still original or not as it has been refurbished a couple of times since it was built.

Back to my original point, why aren't there many covered bridges in Michigan?

When covered bridges were being built elsewhere, Michigan was still relatively unsettled in many places.  So there weren't as many roads.  Also Michigan is was relatively poor compared to its neighbors in the south (Ohio and Indiana).  So many of the bridges constructed from that time would have been of simpler designs.

And probably when those bridges were finally replaced, there were improvements in bridge construction using other materials.

I suspect that may have to do with Michigan being almost deforested after the lumbering era.

When you consider that many of the covered bridges in Ohio and Indiana are from the 1870's (or so), Michigan was in the throes of a lumbering boom.

I would imagine they wouldn't want to wood that they could sell for things like bridges and what not.

So when you think about that way, it makes sense.

So as a result, there are other states with way more covered bridges that here.  But then again, Michigan beats them on lighthouses.

A Stop at the Fallasburg Bridge

 My mom wanted to go to M-66 and then head south.  I was okay with that until I got to thinking about where the Fallasburg Bridge was.  I figured it was close enough that I could make a stop there to get some pictures.

As you can see, the colors are just starting.  I might head back here this weekend and there should be more colors.

I decided to use my drone for the first few pictures.  I figured that I could get some angles that I wouldn't normally be able to get unless I got in a canoe.  I'm not sure if I want to risk using my camera in a canoe.

Besides that, I couldn't get an aerial view like this.

I was trying to find the angle where I could get the entrance in the water.  The water was calm enough for a nice reflection.

Move around and got up higher.

I kind of like this shot.  I think I will like it more if there is more color.

Trying to get a shot from straight out.

Straight out and further back.  I was thinking of using the drone on the other side but I would have had to move somewhere else so that I could maintain visual contact.

So then I switched to my other camera.

I really like this angle.

I think I would like this angle if I had the reflection of the entrance in it.

One more.