I moved to Michigan’s upper peninsula, the UP, when I was ten years old. Even at that young age, I was smitten with the beauty of this special place. Even now, decades later, I’m still smitten with the UP, and I now consider myself a Yooper for life. Though I spent some of my younger adult years living in different regions of the United States, I always found my way back and settled in some different part of the UP. I’ve now lived in Kingsford, Ishpeming, Marquette, Gwinn, Hancock, Escanaba, and Gladstone, and I’ve studied or worked at four different colleges in the UP: NMU, Finlandia, Bay College, and Gogebic Community College.
While I’ve lived in many places in the UP, I’ve also traveled to many more. I love exploring the various nooks and crannies of this rugged, isolated place. When it comes to outdoor adventures, I’m up for almost anything, and the UP has just about everything to offer. The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore alone offers pristine white sand beaches, sea caves, and sandstone formations. Yet there are so many more startlingly beautiful places to experience here.
What I’ve learned from living and traveling all over the UP is that most communities have much in common (especially the shared Yooper identity), but each also has its own unique landscape, history, and culture. Along the way, I’ve also met lively old-timers, sampled UP brews, and taken more than a few saunas. With this blog, I hope to share my experiences and provide insight to others who want to experience this special place.
The UPside 