Why Do People Leave The U.P.?

[JustT&Me]

Originally Posted by wordsmith680

Unfortunately I know about shoveling the roof.... My northside roof also encompasses a garage. (52' from the peak to eaves) with not enough pitch. I am looking at a metal roof but will not be in the budget soon. Global warming take care of it?

A metal roof? While I'd think that might help if the sun was shining on it to keep it warm, or if the snow melted ... that it would slide off on it's own, I would be more inclined to think that it would make it worse - that the snow would freeze on the roof easier, and that if you got up on it... watchout! Wouldn't want to catch that conglomeration of snow & flesh off the back end of the porch! Lol.

But then... ...I guess if it was metal, it'd be less likely to stick on the roof, and the roof would also be less likely to moss/mold (do the roofs mold up there like that?) I lived in SE AK for about a year and many ppl had the green stuff growing on their house. Now *that's* a chore! And less likely for the roof to leak maybe - if it was metal rather than shingle material or tar top of some sort. What about rust then? What would you do for that?!

This is more work than I thought! LOL. And I'm guessing that keeping it up is actually less work than thinking about it.

I know I could just ask... but a girl's gotta think for herself about these kinds of things, ya know! And it's a bit entertaining sitting here in this dark wintry blow of cold just trying to figure it out. Ha.

Okay - I've thought enough. What's the scoop the metal roof?

Oh... and btw, if I knew how to attach photos and had them to attach, then I could show photos I've seen of folks on their roofs up there shoveling if off. That's what got me thinking about it. (Besides the fact that it's just been one darn season for snow, eh?!) Whoosh! Mother Nature - that's e-Nough'!

[JustT&Me]

Couldn't find the snow photos I'd seen, but I found these in the process:

Snowflake and Snow Crystal Photographs
I've seen these before, but I don't know if it was this site or another one. Don't you wish you'd gotten to this first?! (The things we think of but don't have the time or monies to put out...) Nice that somebody does!

Well... this one's from NH, but I had seen similar ones to this from MI. Or maybe I was just going snowblind...

Storms break records in New England - Weather - MSNBC.com

[JustT&Me]

Originally Posted by bryan61

Professionals usually get lucky and move here from other places. No matter whether skilled or professional be prepared to take less money than in more robust economies which goes along with a lower COL.... What I cant understand is people who come here without real strong family ties to the area or a love for the outdoors. I guess for some retirees or people on a fixed incomes its the low COL

I was born and raised in a large city in the south and moved to the UP when I was in HS. ...I must say that after 30 years I am excited about the upcoming move and the opportunities it will bring.

Hmm... I came back to read a few of your other posts after reading your US2 Routing from NW MItt to G.B. ... wondering your opinion... I've lived solo for years. And I *do* love the outdoors. But winters I've become more of a homebody. I'm not a drinker, and I really don't snowmobile or ski. I don't hunt or fish... and... Lol - I don't even quilt or knit! (Although I'd like to pick up some quilting as my grandmother used to do so.) I've got a lot of interests... and projects just sitting waiting for that hopeful day they can emerge from their boxes just long enough to get a couple of them done.

Mostly for winters I'm into reading and writing and thought if I could get to the U.P. and get a place in a year or so, then I could afford to work from home via misc. jobs and just write to my heart's content. I've been working from a home ofc for so long, I'd rather stay home winters, and with my pup now, I'd rather also work from home than leave him on his own all day. I thought if I could find a place, I could work some meager job to make ends meet, then try to start working on getting a few things published. Summers I was hoping to garden and put away some fruits and veges and maybe some fish if I could do a swap out with someone who just liked going.

Do you think it'd be too isolated up there since ppl also tend to keep more to themselves? I've got some good friends here, but it's not like we get together every week. Maybe with 3-4 of them, individually 1x/month. And obviously know one knows me personally, but I'm sure you must know some folks who fit this description. (Who aren't axe murderers or cave dwellers.)

I thought if I got up there and worked for the summer that would provide me a good indication on the likability of other ppl and if I could meet ppl who'd want to socialize or if I'd basically be the Hermitess of Houghton County once I got up there if I wanted to stay.

Or... snowbird winters & leave the place locked up (and booby-trapped)!

Feedback?

[bryan61]

I think anyone who seeks out the company of others will find friends and the UP is no exception. And from the sounds of your lifestyle and interests you will probably fit right in. One of the beauties of the UP is the cost of living. Get a min wage job and you can get a toe hold and from that point seek out more desireable conditions.

[Yooper4Life]

This looks like the Irish Hollow Cemetery near Rockland, MI. This cemetery just had a (and probably its last) burial about 2 years ago. The remainder of the burials are from about 50 years ago and earlier.

[and the]

If it's not where the other poster said, I guess it could be, Y4L. I know it's between Iron Mountain and Copper Harbor somewhere. Had a lot of miners and one of the prominent markers belonged to a Dr. and his wife.

[joemits]

I do disagree with the person who said Marquette is scrunched up on the lake and is desolate in the winter. Marquette has a very vibrant feel to it unlike Escanaba which is mostly sparawling along Linclon st. Marquette is a walkable city and is twice the population as Escanaba. Way more places to shop and eat and is the hub of the U.P. In my opionin it is the best city in the U.P. and the winters are actually warmer than Esky or Iron MT as the lake keeps it more tempid. Of course there is more snow in MQT but so what, you can do stuff on the snow.

[susancruzs]

My sister moved from Illinois to Nahma, Michigan and she loves it. She's on her own and gets along fine. My mom was from the UP but as an older child had to go to Illinois to work to send money home and ended up staying. It wasn't like she went up there cold turkey she knew what to expect plus she likes it quiet. She's been there since 2001 and I look for her to stay unless she comes down here by me. I'm not going up there, I like it but not to live.

I moved from Illinois to Wisconsin because the UP is a little too far for me. I am more an in town girl, walk to grocery store, bank and restaurants! It's nice having a 3 hr. drive to her instead of 6. I didn't know a soul moving to Two Rivers but I'm getting along fine. I've always lived alone, never married so being by myself is not a problem.

I like alot of cities in the UP, Iron Mountain, Crystal Falls, Escanaba, Marquette and probably could live in them and get along fine. I have family in Iowa too, though and wanted to position myself so I could get to either sister fairly easily. I guess some people really hate winter and snow! I've never been like that, I love my 4 seasons and look at all weather, as interesting. Wait a few days it will change!

[bryan61]

I agree Marquette is all of those things and more. And thats what most poeple who come to the UP are hoping to find and im glad. Mqt is definately more cosmopolitain and the University gives it a lively atmosphere you dont find in other small cities in the UP.

Thank God

For us natives paradise is 100 year old home in town and an 80 wooded acres with a nice camp thats near some low lying swamp with a well nourished herd of deer. We spend most of our summers, hunting season and a good part of out winters in the woods with our 4 wheelers, snowmobiles and an old fridge with a tapped !/4 barrell inside. All this from a combined family income of piling lumber at a saw mill and fulltime at the casino. The reason Escanaba seems dead is because everyones at camp

Im happy that Mqt has a sophisticated and bohiemean environment that suits the folk moving to the UP from other highly enculturated places. That way they can leave us Yoopers to play in the woods.

[100%Michigan]

The city is peaceful ( as I heard ) although its much like an old town