Les Larson 20 acres, FOR Agents Siefert Rd, Bayfield, Aug 8, 2019 200422

210226 - Old Pictures of Larson's Bayfield WI 20 acre fruit farm land 1971 and some newer pics. 
I will prepare something similar to this  except it will be more of a Sales approach, attractions in area etc, This is just to show you  how the land looked back then... I purchased in 1970 ,... more pics from 2002 .
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Top of first page of abstract... Very first owner, ... Purchased 160 acres by Edmund Rice directly from US Government in 1856 for $100, President Franklin Pierce.

.. Ritttenhouse then bought it in 1857 then a land investment company owned it (fraud involved, very interesting reading in the abstract). Siefert owned it from 1945 to 1963, Then Dawson Hauser owned until 1970 when I bought it.

Very Unique ONE-of-a-kind location on southern tip of high elevation 650 feet above Lake Superior. Any property MUST have steep slopes on the W and Easterly sides (like this) to allows a good view of part of Lake Superior and also the Pikes Creek valley to the W and Mt Ashwabay ski hill to the S. This property is also unique in that it has a good stand of very large pine trees on the western crest.

Lines indicate potential view (trees cleared)... Depending on where you stand, view toward East too.
On the crest of the S slope would be a perfect place for a home with large windows for the view of Lake Superior. 

Original homestead house built late 1800's ??? 1.5 feet thick stone and cement walls, cement floor with insulated carpet over. Previous owner stored his full sized tractor in upper level. Upper level is unfinished but could easily be additional living space.  There is ? enough good quality 4x8 sheets of Cedar siding included, just waiting to be put on the exterior... a two or three day project, then it would look more like a quality building.  From the back window on the right, and from the top bunk bed in 1971 my daughter could see Lake Superior and the Michigan coast line, and Porcupine  Mountains. Cabin has two 100# tanks LP gas for heat, light, refrigerator and gas stove, and a thermostatically controlled wood stove for continuous heating... very easy to get to be too warm even at minus 25 deg outside. There is a "Hatch" and drop-down stair from lower level to upper level without going outside. Wired for 12v lights too, use battery with small solar panel.  Unattended and without heat, the coldest it ever gets inside all winter is 10 above, Warmest for the entire summer 70 deg inside. Rumored to be a well on the property but I never found one. I hauled water from town in a 50 gallon barrel and filled a 50 gallon tank neat the top of the hill by gravity... then that water was piped to the cabin by gravity for running water in Kitchen sink.

NOTE the very tall pine tree, twice as tall as ANY surrounding trees anywhere on the entire peninsula. Using binoculars, I could see my tree from Devil's Island 30 miles away. Unfortunately it blew down a few years ago.

Note the tall Pine tree (now gone)

From the back of cabin looking S toward door. 80,000 btu gas stove would heat up almost instantly then woodstove to maintain heat in the cabin.

 From front of cabin looking N toward the back ... Stairway lifts up in between the joists. Firewood is stored under the stairs. Double bed on left. 

 This is grandfathered in by ordinance so it continues to be legal as long as it's maintained. 
 


(Pic is 17 years ago 2002) Standing at top Just N of the cabin near the center of the property looking NW... 200 apple trees toward the right near the N property line (the  tall tree line).  Plumb, Pear, cherry trees and an acre of grapes grew on the S slope uphill from the driveway (trees gone now, still some grapes). Lots of asparagus and tons of blackberries grew here all over the property.
The trees farthest away are just West of the E-W center of the property. Just beyond those trees the property drops off sharply giving a 3 mile view (thru the trees) of the Pike's Creek valley.

 This is top field (apple trees to the left)...looking ENE from about the center of the property (Just N from cabin). Every week or two the different flowers would bloom so the color was constantly changing.



1971 View from above cabin looking N, ...some of the 200 apple trees along the N property line (the tall trees).

2011.... Heading E on the field, along my "road" along the crest 9 years ago...
Drops off steeply to the right toward the driveway giving a great view of Lake Superior from the entire length of the crest (w no trees).

 2011 Near the crest looking NE, farthest trees are E property line.

1971... just above cabin. Farthest trees on Left are N property line, Farthest trees on Right are E property line. . . .Crest to S slope is off picture to the Right.

 Above cabin, looking NE toward E property line (Trees in far distance).

From crest on E part looking SSE, Lake Superior is there in full view, (bad lighting). Some apple trees in bloom.

1971 Next 2 pics ... From crest of hill (no trees) looking SW...Garage (now partially collapsed) near left, Cabin R of center of picture.

1971 Partway up the driveway looking NW toward the cabin.

1971 Pic from near the center of the property looking SE about 200 feet back from the crest of the S slope, from near the apple trees behind me (up from the cabin) . Even this far back, great view (no trees). Can see just a bit of Madeline Island far left, Michigan Porcupine Mountains distant view.

Near the crest, from closer to the cabin, looking SE... You can see a bit of Madeline Island near the center.

Looking SE, (my 2 dogs on crest, slopes steeply toward driveway) The buildings are near the Hwy J stop sign.



On the crest looking SE.. Madeline Isl on left, Porcupine Mountains in distance.

Looking SE from the crest.

1971 Next several pictures are taken from 15 feet up in a tree on the crest near the cabin.
Looking SE, can clearly see both sides of Madeline Island.

Looking SE at both sides of Madeline Island. My land is in the foreground, trees beyond clearing are the E property line. When I bought the property, I could also see the Mt Ashwabay ski hill many miles directly to the South.
 




 Looking N at some of my apple trees.. just beyond the apple trees is the N property line. Pikes Creek valley 90 deg to left.



View from 15' in tree just N of cabin looking SE, Old house foundation in center, Garage on right, my driveway, Lake in background (bad lighting, can't see). 

This pic was taken looking ESE from the nearby Fire Tower. IF there were a tower on my land this is approximately the view you'd have.

1971, SE 1/4 of property looking N uphill from driveway to the E to W crest, cabin is to my left. Trees on right is E property line.  Not a tree in sight other than the pear, plumb, cherry trees (long gone).  Great sliding hill.

This pic is at the bottom just W of the west property line overlooking 3 miles of the Pikes Creek Valley. ...On my land from the crest of the hill E of this spot, the view is far better (but thru trees for now). I always wanted to build a guest cabin there for this view.

I hope this helps give a feel for just what the property is, was, and can be ???
I will also send  you other plat maps, etc, contour maps, etc. as I locate them.


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190418 2731 2.5 Homer shares with a Cardinal

So proud of my beautiful 2.5 Homer Pigeon. I put out her treat, she was rushing toward the seeds when this Cardinal landed and ate. 2.5 stopped and waited until the Cardinal was finished. Intentional ?

190419 - - My 80th Birthday

151205e

I've seen 80 of them so far.

I'm mega grateful for each and every one.

All systems go for more.
Even the worst ones weren't that bad.
Every year there's a Much shorter time between them.
Nothing seems different but the number... 80.
Automatic Senior discounts is a indisputable clue.
Today's the day 4/19 ... Birthdays, they creep up on you ~:<)
One day you need to admit you're getting "Old".
Someday I'll admit it too ~:<)
.
. . You know much more at age 20 than at age 10,
More at age 40 than at age 30, and more at age 80
than at age 70. We keep learning. Someday I'll know
everything I needed to know but by then it won't matter ~:<)
. . It's better to learn what NOT to do than what TO do. Your mistakes don't go away, they just haunt you forever. Some mistakes can affect your pocketbook, lifestyle, career, or even shorten your life span. It's a good feeling to know that if I ran for President the critics would be bored looking for dirt on me, I'm thankful for that ~:<)
. .One thing I finally learned is what's extremely important today can seem silly in subsequent years, don't get too carried away. But it's important to do it now anyway, it was important at the time, it's another chapter in your book. Another thing learned, it's easier to accumulate treasures than to dispose of them, big job... travel light. You can respond faster to new opportunities and adventures.
. . The analogy between people aging and cars aging can be worrisome. You can only guess when and what important parts might fail now or much later. Can they be repaired or replaced? At what cost? Will the usefulness be impaired? How long out of service? Will it be junked? or still running but parked in the garage serving no purpose anymore. The older it is the more likely parts will fail, hopefully not critical parts. Luck plays a major part, but taking good care of it "almost" always keeps it useful and alive longer? Or perhaps at any time, an early accident can put an end to it's life?
. . I slowly retired over a number of years, slowly throttling down for a graceful landing. It's been 20 wonderful years since I first used the word "retired". Yes it is nice, but I do indeed miss the accomplishments and involvement of an interesting career. I had 2 main careers, full time designing Mainframe Computer Operating Systems (when there were only a few in the world), and my own Real Estate company (54 years, Still have).... both were more like hobbies, I enjoyed them and still enjoy very much. I taught computers, Real Estate, College 7 computer languages, Database Design,  and now teach "The Art of Keeping Chickens" (and Pigeons). Over time I had 6 more very small companies, most were money making (not much) hobbies. We are now in the process of shedding everything except what we'd need to live in a tent (almost).

. . SO FAR IN THOSE 80 years, I've lived a fair number of distinct lifetimes, each one quite different and enjoyable, like chapters in a book... turn the page and on to the next unique adventure. Now I'm excited to be writing the remaining chapters. Someday when I turn the last page I hope I can happily say "That was a good book, I enjoyed it".. The end.

Glacier Natl Park, backpacking, bear

. . .  Glacier National Park (we didn't stay at the lodge)

The Train takes you into the city of East Glacier. We stayed at a Youth Hostel, that was interesting, and fun. From there we hitchhiked to Two Medicine Lake to our base campsite. 


Bert crossing on log just before encountering grizzly
A 22+ mile week long backpacking trip going from 5000 feet base camp at Two Medicine Lake, to 9000 feet on Morgan Mountain.

A few years ago we went backpacking in Glacier Natl Park It was late August, warmest part of the year (It was cold). The actual hiking part was 5 days.

We had barely walked a mile when we encountered our first bear. A very large 300# Black bear (brown in color). Even though we were wearing noisy “Bear Bells”, the bear walked from the dense brush onto the trail just about 20 feet in front of us, surprised us both. He stood up and POUNCED on a tree making it sway, as if to say… “You’re next”, so we slowly backed away and soon he wandered off. We had a super sized jumbo can of bear repellent spray but didn’t need to use it. 

 

About 5 miles farther we came across two people standing on the trail. They stopped because there was a HUGE Volkswagen sized Grizzly bear just off the trail about 300 yards ahead.

We waited about 45 minutes and by then there were a few more people, day hikers. While we waited, one fellow pulled out a (smelly bear bait) peanut butter sandwich and we made him put it away.
Eventually we decided to walk around the Grizzly by climbing farther up the mountain. Because of the delay, we barely made it the 7 miles to our Oldman Lake Campsite  before dark.

 Since it was late August we were prepared for temps as low as 40f but the cold air from the glaciers flowed down upon us in the valleys. That night it got down to low 20s and we nearly froze, our water did freeze. We were wearing every single piece of clothing we had with, it wasn’t enough. We didn’t sleep much. It snowed a bit the next morning. 
Next morning we started up the switchback trail, well above the timberline, 3000 feet up in just about a mile distance. No matter where we hiked the trail usually sloped , sometimes steeply, toward the drop off.

Bert on the trail. That day, we traveled with a couple we had met at the campsite. He was a Doctor, a cardiologist. PERFECT, I thought. We were carrying 35# packs (plenty heavy). He and his wife each had 80# packs.

Because of the thinner air near the top, the sun burned like a heat lamp. The Doctor was standing inches from a 2000’ drop to the lake.

 

You can see a group of hikers on the trail. About a mile ahead, we had to walk thru snow in upper right, the highest point in our trip, about 9000 feet, we looked down on many of the glaciers..

 “THIS is where the Doctor was standing. (Arrow)

 We rested and enjoyed the view near the top of Morgan Mountain. Our legs were tired from the climb. The view from the mountain tops was spectacular.

 Then we started off for the most treacherous part of the trip. The trail is wide and level here but quickly became narrower and more sloped toward the drop-off ahead.
   Bert on the trail. The next mile had a shear drop off of several hundred feet right at the edge of the trail and then sloped down a few more thousand feet. 

That was the worst section of trail. Aerial photo of the trail ahead. We had to crouch down to get under the two overhangs near the top of pic, shear drop off at edge of trail.

 Another view of overhangs and trail.

The next 2 miles were on the steep slippery West slope of the mountain, Near impossible to pass someone on the narrow trail. Don’t step on loose rocks. If you fell you would slide and tumble a few thousand feet to the bottom and would only need a sponge to retrieve you.

 Close up from previous photo. We walked here, the two pictures following are from these spots (A & B )

 “A” Bert again

 “B” Bert and Karen

 Karen is on the continental divide, the only flat spot we encountered.. . Glacier on the right.

From the continental divide, we walked down this very steep trail (got blisters) into the valley.

 We camped in the shadow of Pumpelly Pillar at No Name lake and the Glacier on the other side kept us cool (cold).

 The next day we descended toward Two Medicine Lake leaving Pumpelly Pilllar behind us. In the background is the Continental divide, In the foreground is Two Medicine Lake. 

 Before we started our hike the ranger told us that there was a hiker missing for a week on Mount Sinopah on the left. When we got back 4 days later, they had searched but he was still missing and presumed dead. Weeks later he still hadn't been found. Much later we heard he had been found dead.....fallen off the trail.

Approaching Two Medicine lake, this is one of the many clear cold ice water streams where we got and filtered all our drinking water.

 

  










Bert crossing a few of the many creeks.

 

Back near our starting point on East end of Two Medicine Lake looking back where we came from, Mt Sinopah center, Rising wolf on right. Then just a few more miles back to base camp.

 


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