Yooper, You Betcha!

During our second week in MI we were able to spend time at a wonderful little cabin in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. For those of you who do not know anything about the U.P. it is a world of it's own. It is north of the Mackinac bridge where winter comes early and stays late. Those that reside in the U.P. are referred to as "Yoopers" Yoopers have their own language and a very unique culture. They consider the mosquito the state bird, and they really like Pasties. If you don't know what Pasties are, Google it. And if you still have no idea what I am talking about, you might start by looking at a map...
We were able to experience the best of the raw, rugged, and beautiful U.P. for four nights in a cute little cabin on Big Manistique Lake near the little town of Curtis. We fished, had a campfire, and played a lot of pinochle and euchre. Could life get any better? I submit that it could not.
We were also able to visit Lake Superior, which is the northernmost of the Great Lakes. Storms on Lake Superior far excel those of the storms on the ocean. You can tour the shipwreck from a glass bottom boat to see first hand what the fierceness of the Great Lake storm can do. Lake Superior is approximately 150 miles from North to South, and 450 miles from East to West. It's Huge! We took a boat tour of an amazing place called Pictured Rocks. These are huge cliffs and rocks where the land meets the lake that have been "painted" by years of brutal storms. The water has beaten, carved, and painted the rocks which rise up from the water 30-50 feet. There are places we saw along the tour that the waves crash up and over onto the tops of the cliffs every year. This is an absolutely incredible place. I was also able to put my hand in Lake Superior... which is about the most one would want to submerge into the frigid water.

We were also able to spend the afternoon with some friends who recently moved to the U.P. It was encouraging to visit with them and see where they live.
The tree that you see growing on the rock outcropping is being supported by the roots which are stretching over the gap and into the land to the left.