"Nice" Might Not Be Appreciated, Better to Be Genuine!

After traveling through the north-western part of the upper peninsula, in Michigan, (I’m referring to the Keweenaw peninsula) I have had to self-correct my knowledge about being a Yooper.  I thought I knew.

Blue Bridge Connecting Houghton and Hancock

The Houghton-Hancock area has been hit hard with some fierce, financial burden.  The water damage from heavy rainfalls in May forced many roads to be closed off.  The repairs don’t look simple to me, they’re huge sink holes and can’t just be filled, they have to be built back up from the bottom of the holes.  The road crews I’ve seen are hustling to get the roads passible and safe.  I didn’t feel limited in travel from these diversions.  The detours and refiguring the lanes to go around the holes made for smooth travel. 

The hilly area is already a challenge with the one-ways, sharp curves downtown and narrow roads.  Add the construction, closed roads and sometimes unexpected, large excavators and it demanded every bit of concentration. (These Yoopers don’t seem fazed a bit)

When I went on a day cruise through the Keweenaw water passage, out to Lake Superior, (on the Ranger III) a local woman pointed out a home we could see on the shoreline. The rock wall behind their house crush through 2/3 of their home.  She said they just were able to escape by getting in their houseboat and pulling away from the shore.  The house is now condemned. She said, “They don’t seem too stressed.  They know they have to start over and their insurance won’t cover the damage.” 

I heard some of the homes on the cliffs can hear the rock cracking.  I’m not sure I’d be able to sleep nights.

The strength of the people I’ve come in contact with, that live there, is evident.   I’m going make a guess that no matter who you are, what you have, how educated you are isn’t what helps you survive up here twelve months out of the year.  I believe to live here they have to get along with each other, depend on each other’s individual skills and be nice. (Or more concise-genuine. Nice might not be appreciated). 

Historic home I stayed in during my stay in Hancock.

Many stairs in this place!

My Favorite Part of This Home

It’s been common for me to walk into a business and wait when a few locals are talking to each other.  They seem to finish their conversations and then attend to business.  Because business is surviving the beautiful, rugged North.  Local connections come first.  Tourism is important to the economy, but being a Yooper comes first. Tourist come and leave.

I was raised a Yooper in St. Ignace, Michigan. I thought I knew how difficult it was to be a Yooper.  But it wasn’t built on steep hills, with Lake Superior covering every bit of the perimeter, pounding whatever gets in its way.  We had options to get to major towns and cities in Michigan.  (which include larger medical facilities, shopping choices and just plain old choices)

The people who survive up in the Keweenaw area have a lot less resources.  They choose to fight the weather.  They choose to be more isolated from society.  They choose to take what comes and make the best of what they have.  Which means they also have to have more self-determination, ingenuity, courage and resourcefulness to get by.

I drove many miles along the Lake Superior coastline to snorkel and explore the Keweenaw area. I went into a few of the mines and read about the history of the copper mining.  A tough life to enter into after leaving their own struggling homelands for a better life in America.  These ancestors must have passed on the attributes that help many people in present time get by up there.

Lake Superior in the best weather is cold, turbulent and even brutal sometimes.  I got tossed around many days while snorkling. What this lake does to the living conditions during the winter, I can only imagine.  I thought being raised in St. Ignace built character.  But, I’m convinced I have no idea what really being a Yooper entails.  It’s not just wearing warm, flannel shirts, long underwear and Mutlucks.  It’s depending on them.

Sandstone Rocks Along Eastern Side Of Peninsula

I remember at the end of Garrison Keillor’s “Lake Wobegon” show he’d say, “…where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average.”  

I’ll rephrase that for these tough Northerners.  I’d say, “Where all the women dress for the weather, all the men spend a majority of the summer stacking firewood, and all the children respect the “Big Lake”.  And the women, men and children have plenty of intelligence and education not always acquired in books.”

The towering white pines, multiple waterfalls, cold Lake Superior, constant rivers and mostly uninhabited areas restored some depleted inner joy. I felt it filling up again.  At times I had to take a deep breath and close my eyes so I could take it all in.  I couldn’t believe my fortune at spending some time in the Upper Peninsula of the Upper Peninsula.

The bald eagles, deer, geese, turkeys, fish (while snorkeling), miles of shaded roads, miles of rugged land, swamps, bogs, marshes and naked wilderness was invigorating.

I admit, the black flies, mosquitoes and ticks a pain to worry about.  But, repelling-up for the possible blood letting isn’t so bad.  It’s becomes the northern perfume of summer.