Recalling "Pure Michigan"

It was about this time last year that Luke and I packed our bags, loaded the Trailblazer with our things and the pups and headed north.

A few weeks earlier I had come across an article about the most overlooked parks in the United States.  I fell in love with the photos of "Pictured Rocks National Park" in  Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  Beautifully formed rocky shorelines, surreal turquoise blue waters, lush, towering green forests...it looked like a dream.  I just had to go there.  We did a little research, found a great deal on a cabin for a week and booked our vacation. 

Miner's Castle

We purposely found a rental that would allow pets so we could take "the pack" on vacation with us. All 3 dogs love hiking and exploring so we thought this would be a great opportunity for the whole family  We had never taken them on a long trip like this so we were excited/anxious to see how it would go.  It was a 12 hour drive from our house to Christmas, Michigan where the cabin was located.  The dogs did great in the car and slept most of the way. The drive through the flat farm lands of Illinois was a bit monotonous but driving through Wisconsin and Michigan was beautiful.   We were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at the cabin.  It was cozy and quaint, tucked into the woods on the edge of a small creek and large lake. 

 

 Our home for the week

 We spent our week in Michigan hiking, exploring, walking the beaches of Lake Superior, seeing the sights and enjoying the local fare.  We took a guided sea kayak tour along Pictured Rocks.  It was one of the most unnerving and yet enjoyable experiences of my life.  Sea kayaks are nothing like the kayaks and canoes we are familiar with here in Missouri.  They are much more narrow and more prone to tipping.  We were constantly reminded by Saul, our guide, that the water was around 40 degrees and we did NOT want to fall in because it would almost certainly lead to hypothermia.  Awesome.  According to Saul, we both did great and made it through the 15 mile trip without catastrophe.  

Bridal Veil Falls along the shoreline we kayaked

 The weather while we were there was absolutely amazing.  Temps would reach into the 70's during the day and fall into the low 50's and upper 40's during the night.  My ideal kind of temps.  We were able to explore comfortably during the day and snuggle up next to the fireplace at night.  At dusk each day we would watch as dense fog moved over the shore from the lake casting an eery feel to the small coastal towns.   

Fog rolling in

We drove all along the coast line from as far west as Marquette to Sault Ste. Marie in the furthest east point.   We dined on fresh caught fish at local restaurants, shopped at little "mom and pop" stores and had coffee in little cafes.  We stopped whenever we saw something that peaked our interest. We walked the moss and fern covered forest floors and the pebble covered shores. We held baby bears at a black bear rescue ranch.  We saw more waterfalls than I can recall. The dogs had the time of their lives gallivanting in the woods, running the beaches and swimming.  

Our favorite place was we visited was Marquette.  There we had dined at The Vierling Restaurant and Brewery that overlooked the harbor.  I had a meal of Whitefish chowder and Blueberry Wheat beer complete with floating blueberries that I will never forget.  Perhaps it was the fact that Marquette is a college town or maybe it was all its quirky little stores or the small brewery but it definitely reminded me of Columbia and made me feel nostalgic. 

Marquette, MI    (Photo Credit)

 During our visit we totally and completely fell in love with the "U.P." and the "yoopers" that call it home.  You will be hard pressed to find an area with people more welcoming than those in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  Every where we went we were warmly received and put at ease.  I was in awe of the yooper's strong Northern dialect and their down to Earth good heartedness.  It kind of felt like home. 

Our vacation to the Michigan U.P. was the only trip we've ever taken that we didn't want to come home.  I think it was a combination of the scenery of forests and shores, the amazing weather, the people and the food.   I could have stayed there forever...or atleast until the first 20 inches of snow in the fall :) If you get the chance, I highly recommend a trip to the U.P. I can't wait til our adventures take us back to the "Yoop."   Until then, it will hold a special place in my heart and I will consider myself a yooper at heart.  


Cabin Rental
 http://www.hiawathashideaway.com/index.php?page=Home

Kayak Rental
http://www.paddlingmichigan.com/