Well, I was a part time Yooper for four years when my daughter went to NMU. Even went to a couple of UP200 races. Does that count?

Ya, that sounds good, pasties rock, maybe we can meet and go smelting. One of my daughter went to Gogebic, and one went to Michigan Tech. (go huskies...I think that's a requirement)My son works up in Houghton. I hope to get up there sometime this summer or fall...the colors are gorgeous up there.

You betcha. Ever been to "Da Yoopers" tourist trap near Ishpeming? What a hoot. Or Phil's550 north of Marquette? I got a tee shirt. I still go to shoot the waterfalls in summer, and the fall colors and the February dog sled races. I have literally hundreds of pics from the UP. I'd move there if there was any work for me.

Beautiful Pictures...

Have you ever gone to the western UP...lots of water falls, great hiking, great snowmobiling. And yes I have been to the tourist trap. I have hanging in my cube "Yooper" Jigsaw Puzzle. Left when I got a divorce, would live there in a heartbeat if I could make a living. People are great, wonderful spirit up there. Maybe I should of fought the ex for 1/2 the trucking company!

The farthest west I've been was to Copper Harbor. We explored the hell out of the Kewenaw. Took my kids on the duck boat, the black sand beach, checked out the Gay Bar, the copper mine... It was just too many miles from home for the time allotted to go any farther west. Michigan is a big state to drive from end to end, and I'm so far southeast that football fans actually think of the Lions as the home team. But I'll get there soon, now that the kids are done with school and my savings are beginning to rebound.

Okay first things first, a true yooper knows the home team is the green bay packers. Just teasing!

Keewenaw is cool, I have also been to the Gay Bar. Brockway Mountain is so beautiful in fall. Houghton/Hancock area is cool. I can't believe they changed the name of Soumi College to Finlandia University, who really wants to graduate from FU. Fishing is great up there, love all the hidden treasures if you see a road marker there you stop, hike 2 or so miles into the woods and there before your eyes is a beautiful water fall, or a meadow full of deer, the place amazes me.

Whenever someone asks me what my favorite place is, I always say the UP. I try to get up there every year, preferably just after the bugs are gone-- which means, oh, just about 3 weeks from now. It's a wonderful place, so quiet and majestic.

Sadly, that quiet is about to be broken just northwest of Marquette. There's huge nickel sulphide mine proposed up there on the headwaters of the Salmon Trout River, the last place in the US where the Coaster Brook Trout spawns. Grim stuff -- take a look: -- http://www.savethewildup.org/

Then go visit while it's still clean & wonderful. :)