Last Updated: July 2, 2026
Gurney is a small community in northern Wisconsin, tucked near the shores of Lake Superior. For us, this stop was more than just a destination — it was a homecoming of sorts. Michael’s father, Jim, grew up here. Jim was born 25 miles away in Bessemer, Michigan, where his father worked in explosives for a copper mine. When the mines began to shut down, Jim’s family moved to Gurney to farm — a fortuitous decision, as the land kept them self-sufficient through the Great Depression.
Bayfield, Wisconsin
From Grand Portage, Minnesota, we traveled to Bayfield, a charming small city of around 500 people perched on the shores of Lake Superior. Known as the gateway to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and Wisconsin’s famed “Fruit Loop,” Bayfield has a personality far larger than its size. We had hoped to visit the Apostle Islands, but bad weather had other plans for us that day. The town is renowned for its fruit orchards — blueberries, raspberries, apples, blackberries, and peaches — and Jim’s family would make the 50-mile journey from Gurney to Bayfield each season to harvest fresh fruit and put up preserves for the long Wisconsin winters.
We stopped at Seven Ponds Winery, where live music, a charcuterie board, and a glass of wine made for a perfect afternoon. The town itself was wonderfully quaint, with charming shops and restaurants lining the streets.
Apostle Island RV Park offered full hookups with glimpses of Lake Superior — a lovely spot to settle in for the night.
Gurney, Wisconsin
We stayed at the Frontier RV Park near Gurney, with cornfields stretching right up alongside our motorhome. It felt fitting — the land here hasn’t changed much from Jim’s childhood days.
Less than a block from the RV park was a local bar — the kind of place that exists only in small northern Wisconsin towns. Beer and pizza after a day on the road were just about perfect.
Jim’s school is long gone, but one of their class projects endures — a long row of pine trees planted nearly 80 years ago, still standing tall along the road. It’s a quiet, lasting legacy.
Near Gurney flows the Potato River, and not far along it are the Potato River Falls. About 50 years ago, Jim brought the kids out to see the falls and fish. Returning now, we had to bushwhack through some overgrown vegetation to reach them — but they looked exactly as Michael remembered. Some things, thankfully, don’t change.
Houghton, Michigan
From Wisconsin we crossed into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, making our way to Houghton on the Keweenaw Peninsula — the heart of historic copper country. This remote finger of land jutting into Lake Superior was once one of the most productive copper-mining regions in the world, and the history is still very much present in the landscape and the people.
The Houghton RV Park had a wonderful setting overlooking the Portage Lake waterway, with full hookups and decent wifi — a comfortable base for exploring the peninsula.
The Keweenaw Peninsula was stunning. We explored waterfalls tucked in the forest, walked along the rocky Lake Superior shoreline, and visited a historic lighthouse. It’s a remarkably unspoiled corner of Michigan that doesn’t get nearly the attention it deserves.
A serendipitous find — a 1948 Willys Jeep parked alongside our 2017 Willys. Nearly 70 years apart, but the family resemblance is unmistakable.
Sandy insisted on trying a pasty — the beloved hand-held meat pie that sustained copper miners throughout the Upper Peninsula for generations, brought over by Cornish immigrants in the 1800s. We stopped at a shop in Eagle River, and the girl behind the counter couldn’t help but smile at Sandy’s pronunciation of the word — apparently “pasty” sounds quite different depending on your frame of reference as in a costume accessory for exotic dancers. Filled with meat and root vegetables inside a golden pastry crust, it was hearty and satisfying — a healthy version of a modern-day Hot Pocket, though Sandy felt it could have used some sausage and herbs.
