The Great Lakes Are Truly Great

When one looks at a map of the US and sees the little mitten shaped state of Michigan and those bodies of water around it, one likely doesn't understand just how "great" the great lakes are. I'm speaking of their size. We know the land is massive because we recognize the distances of travel between those cities, but at least for me, I have a tendency to diminish the size of bodies of water.

As I was flying into Chicago (top three pictures above) a few weeks ago and then flying home from Cleveland (bottom four pictures above), I was really struck by how big the lakes are. When you look at a city the size of Chicago from the air, and then compare that to Lake Michigan, it really puts it into perspective. Even from 10,000 miles above the Earth you can't see the other side of the lake. And then I remember going to Duluth (pictures below) two years ago, and visiting the maritime museum and read about all the tankers that have sunk in Lake Superior and how deep it is, I realize again that the lakes are truly great in size.