[Dave Wojo]

I spent the past two days tooling around the U.P., visiting with our two authorized service centers. They have branches throughout the U.P., but I was visiting with the owners at their parent offices in Marquette. The meetings went very well, but that's not what this post is about. This is my first time really doing any traveling through the U.P. Oh, there were two other trips up, one a camping trip in Newberry in 2004 and snowshoeing in February of this year at Tahquamenon State Park. But, those were straight shots to our destination...not rambling drives around the U.P. like I was able to enjoy this trip up.

On my way to Marquette I took US 2, to Hwy 117, to Hwy 28, to US 41. On the way back, just for variety, I took US 41, to Hwy 28, to Hwy 94, to US 2. Driving along the shoreline of three Great Lakes is one helluva way to make a living. I lost track of the times where I would round a bend and have the view make my breath catch in my throat. The sun reflecting off of the water in Munising is the one that sticks most in my mind.

I didn't have my camera with me, unfortunately. My schedule was a little tight this trip, so stopping for photo ops probably wouldn't have been possible anyway. I did snap this one shot with my cell phone while driving along the Lake Michigan shore on US 2. Yeah, I know...I should have been watching the road and not playing with my camera phone. But, I lived through it and now I can share this picture.



Whether for business or pleasure, I'm looking forward to my next trip up.

[michmoldman]

Driving through the U.P is one of the most relaxing...beautiful things anyone can do. I love that drive on US 2....its amazing! But the drives up near Lake Superior..to me, are absolutely incredible.

[baker Freesia]

I agree the drive along US 2 is breath taking like many other places in the UP. Been all over the UP. right up to the northern tip if not almost. When I was in Paradise, I wanted to buy land or a home there, just loved it. Gone on many road trips, oh & seriously have you ever visited a garbage known to be hang outs for bear scavenging in the pile of rubbish. quite a sight to see so many bear in one place & oh not to forget a whole lot of other people waiting & watching inside their cars,, like sitting at a movie theater. A great deal of the UP. is awesome & relaxing, takes you away from your worries for a spell anyway I may be a woman, but I loved it too.

[Dave Wojo]

I just scheduled a follow up meeting for September 7th, to meet with a customer in Escanaba.

The trips for work are nice, but I'm looking forward to hopping in the car with the DW and heading north. Maybe plan a weekend of sight seeing, staying over in one of the lakefront communities. I'm liking that we're now living less than an hour from The Bridge, making a weekend trip to the U.P. very doable.

[michmoldman]

Originally Posted by Dave Wojo

I just scheduled a follow up meeting for September 7th, to meet with a customer in Escanaba.

The trips for work are nice, but I'm looking forward to hopping in the car with the DW and heading north. Maybe plan a weekend of sight seeing, staying over in one of the lakefront communities. I'm liking that we're now living less than an hour from The Bridge, making a weekend trip to the U.P. very doable.

Thats exactly one of the reason we want to move north. Its a LONG drive to the U.P from here, and its sad we can only get there once a year if that.

[darstar]

All the above reasons are why we live up here, and most everything revolves around lake Superior. There are hundreds of reasons, sites to see ,places to do and places to overnight. The UP is made up of 4 distant geographical areas. There also is a divide between West UP and East UP. Ether way , its like the tee shirt says " Like no other place on earth "... we like to call it the state of Superior , the 51 st state.

[Dave Wojo]

Originally Posted by darstar

"... we like to call it the state of Superior , the 51 st state.

I can see that. The area around where I live is all but identical to much of the U.P. I'm just a stone's throw away from the Lake Huron shoreline, and can drive along the coast on 23 much like I did yesterday along 2. But, when you cross The Bridge heading north it just somehow feels "different".

[Dave Wojo]

Originally Posted by darstar

The UP is made up of 4 distant geographical areas. There also is a divide between West UP and East UP.

If you wouldn't mind, could you provide details? What are the dividing lines? It would likely help me when working with the shops/customers up there. Thanks!

[yr2012]

The UP is pretty much split up by US2 (e-w) and US 141 (n-s). No matter where you are there, it's beautiful!

[darstar]

Originally Posted by Dave Wojo

If you wouldn't mind, could you provide details? What are the dividing lines? It would likely help me when working with the shops/customers up there. Thanks!

West UP starts at about Munsing, or Alger County and continues to the Wi. line beyond Ironwood.to the west up to the Copper country and back to Marquette, the new state capital and the largest county in Michigan. Marquette is also the largest city, lowest unemployment, most of the new building.. There is always a shortage of housing , a lot to do with NMU.Western UP has most of the hlils and as well the oldest mountains in the world. The Huron Mts. West UP is also rich in minerals, has a strong Finish heritage, and is only 330 miles to Chicago., from Marquette. Most of the sports fans support the Green Bay Packers, along with lots of winter sports, hockey , curling, and summer softball with basketball in winter coming in second.
Eastern UP is east of Munsing all the way to Drummond island., north to the Soo. and south to the Bridge. There are 3 great lake shores in the eastern UP. Superior, Huron and lake Michigan. There are fewer people in east UP, with the largest city the Soo.( mostly on the Canadian side). Summer tourist flock to eastern UP , they are called " fudgies" because of so many day trippers going over to the Island, and all the fudge shops on the island as well as on the mainland. Winter sports are very popular, mostly snow machine trails.There are lots of small islands in Lake Huron that contain summer homes. Vintage wood boats are the thing, always have been a favorite as the Eastern/southern UP is close to the Bridge and Lower Mi. The people in Lower Mi. are called "Trolls" cause they live under the bridge.
Thats it in a nut shell., For more info about the four geographical regions , look it up on the UP's many web sites. Its defined by county.Northeast, south east, western south , western north which in clues the Copper Country. The history is very rich in west UP., and it has less low bottom land ( swamp) than the central center of the UP east to west some.The western UP draws a lot of Chicago folks, many have summer homes up here,. MPLS also as its 10 miles closer than Chicago. Local TV 6 has a yearlong thing called the cool counties of the UP. . Check out their web site as well as UP Michigan sites, also on facebook.