About

I am not a dog.

But most normal people rightly consider dogs a higher form of life, so here are mine. They’re sisters, half beagle, half bluetick coon. Don’t buy that innocent look, though. They demand food all the time, have yet to meet a supposedly indestructible chew toy they can’t utterly demolish in fifteen minutes, and talk back a lot. As for me, I’m just someone fortunate enought to have ended up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, two canines in tow.

I relocated to this marvelous chunk of land sandwiched between Lake Superior on the north and Lake Michigan on the south several years ago. Until that time, I didn’t even know Michigan had an Upper Peninsula. When I arrived, I discovered a place straight out of the magazines I used to read as a kid. I like to get out as often as I can, so I make it a point to travel all over this beautiful area. In fact, I sometimes go places only to have my Yooper friends say, “I’ve lived here all my life and never been there before.”

For those of you who don’t know, a Yooper is someone who lives in the Upper Peninsula, which is usually abbreviated as the UP. Or, in the regional dialect, “da UP.” Say it a few times, and you’ll eventually understand. Since the rest of Michigan is below the Mackinac Bridge, Yoopers call downstate inhabitants trolls. Below the bridge. Get it? True, we’re also connected to Wisconsin, but since Green Bay is home to the Packers, most Yoopers are down with Wisconsinites.

At some point, I began taking pictures of my travels to document where I’d been, and people started to tell me, “You should have a blog and post those pictures.” I heard it enough that I’ve finally decided to follow their advice. A few items of business, though. First, there’s no rhyme or reason to where I go. I usually find out about a place that’s worth checking out, hop in the car, and make the drive. As a result, a random Upper Peninsula travel documentary with pictures and some commentary is pretty much what you’re going to get on this site. But then again, who can complain about living in a location where you can head out in pretty much any direction and see something stunningly beautiful? Second, you don’t live in the UP because you like cities with all their amenities, so my pictures revolve around nature. And, third, I’m going to gear things toward people like me, folks who might not even know there is an Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

That’s right, kid. If you’re twelve years old living in an ugly, flat desert looking at pictures of beautiful places just dreaming you’ll go there someday, I’m proof there’s hope for you, yet.

Anyway, if you like travel, love the outdoors, or just happen to have an interest in the Upper Peninsula, you might enjoy my posts and pictures. I hope so, anyway. What more is there to say? Sit back and discover!

Advertisement