Here's why I love Michigan's Upper Peninsula: sure, the weather sucks approximately 2/3 of the year. We are lucky if April's nice enough to go without a coat, June and July are usually pretty decent. But then there's August, when temperatures reach the upper 90s and frequently into the 100s. September is kind of bipolar, and October is the beginning of snow, and then you're stuck inside until about April again.

But, the people here are great. They're nice, honest, and if you need help, all you've gotta do is mention it to someone and they'll either help you or they know a person who can. Kinda stick to their own business, but that has it's advantages, too.

Also, if you like the outdoors, you have every kind of outdoor sport available to you. You can fish year-round, bomb around in the woods on four-wheelers or snowmobiles pretty much year-round (aka snow machines- I'll never understand that one), you can go skiing, hunting's not too bad, go hiking, some guys have surfed the waves of Lake Superior, there's some good golfing to be had during our 6 weeks of summer, and a lot of other things that people like to do that I don't have time to list.

But, in winter, we have these things up here called saunas. Now, I'm sure the vast majority of you read saw-na. That's wrong. The correct pronunciation is sow-na (sow rhymes with cow). And they are amazing. And when you're done in the sauna, you can go in and snuggle with your hunny and all that that entails.

It's pretty awesome to live up here. If you're tough enough to defy the weather. After a while, you get used to a high of 6*F and think it's pretty nice. Much better than the -17* days, but then again, whether it's -17 or -32, it's just pretty cold all around and the numbers don't mean anything. And when you're used to those low temps, then a 32* day rolls around, you grab a light coat and go about your business or maybe take the dog for a walk because it's finally warm enough to where his ears won't get frostbit.

 

Allan, the wind is gentle only feels like -43C

 

You've got that right. Family was originally from copper harbor MI the tip of the U.P. moved to Chicago 3 gerenations ago and they said it was going south for better opportunity and living. We moved to KY 10 years ago and often think why did we wait so long. Now when it snows we stay home for a few hours or at worst a day and it is all gone! I love it - it's green (grass is not really blue here) most of the year and not flat as a board

 

Cat906? Don't forget Cow tipping. That's a year round sport. But then so is Snipe hunting.

Good clean outdoor fun and exercise.

 

Cow tipping was more common when I lived in Central WI. Way more cows there than there are in the UP.

But those snipe hunts are an awful lot of fun! Haven't seen any yet, but I'm not gonna give up on those elusive little bast**ds...I'll get one one of these days!

And I forgot to mention our favorite past time that's usually involved with any of those activities.... Drinkin' some beers. We Yoopers like beer. A lot. Helps with the hot days, the cold days, any day that ends in -y!

 

The Pilgrims wanted to land in the Virginia colony but were blown off course by a storm. They tried several times to get there but failed, so they stayed at what they called Plymouth, named after the port in England they set sail from. If they had landed at any other place they would have been decimated by hostile natives. There were no Indians nearby where they landed because they were killed of due to an outbreak of disease the Indians got from European trappers.

Divine intervention? Luck? You be the judge....

 

The Lord works in mysterious ways for sure. I never really thought about Indians
much. I thought most was friendly to the Europeans when they came? Thanksgiving and all that.
I guess that was like a year after they got settled though, Right?

 

Funny thing is, here in Missouri we really have a snipe season.
It's in the fall.
http://www.news-leader.com/article/2...you-can-do-now

We also have the snipe hunts most people hear of.

 

I just see very little reason to stay up north after the family is grown ,now they can com see us . scare yourself , make a list pro and con about living in the north ,over living in the south . Start with lower taxes , property , gas , clothes , heat , trash pick up is include , Drivers lic is less cdl WITH TANKER AND HAZMAT endorsement about 50 in NY 250 . You can be out in the yard or on a lake, wearing light clothes 10 months a year. You have a race track in every county , and if you know to look you can find shine . The wife and I have been talking about what we will do when one of us runs off with a young hot sexy thing , We both feel we will stay here in the south . Come on 27 degrees is the high for the next 10 days we will be in the 50-70- range for same time.

 

We're looking for a high of 25 above this week. I'll be down to my hoodie then.

 

Heck, that's shorts weather! provided the wind ain't whipping like usual, lol.

 

Minus the 5 months of the year when the temp soars to over 90 deg with 100% humidity and everyone goes from air conditioner to air conditioner. I will agree that NE Ga in the mountains is much nicer. We lived down near Atlanta near Stone Mountain and they don't call it HOT-Lanta for no reason.

 

Massive snow + 3 day spring rain + frozen ground = I should have bought a boat this winter

For some reason they thought it was a brilliant idea to drain a swamp and settle there.

 

Yep, after John Smith hooked up with Pocahontas. Before that was the "starving times" that involved inviting one's neighbor for supper (literally). It gave, "You sure do have nice looking legs!" a new meaning.

 

We didn't wait for the kids to grow up as it was obvious the good ship Illinois was taking on a lot of water in the 1980's. We grabbed the first life-boat we could and climbed aboard. Every time we go back up there re-affirms that we made the right decision. High of only 52 tomorrow(shrug).