A Little Slice of da Harbor...: Winter?

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Winter?

Ah, another beautiful sunny day in da Keweenaw. Woah, wait... it's winter! Though the little snow that we have is slowly melting in the sunshine, I'm not going to complain. I'm just going to take it as it comes, and sunshine is always welcome.

Yesterday, Aaron and I had our first cross country ski of the winter up at the Mt. Lodge. The trails were freshly groomed, and the sun rosied our cheeks. I enjoyed remembering how much I sweat during a good ski. No need to wear a lot of clothes for that!

While on that ski, we skirted around snowshoe/mountain bike trails, a terrain park, a disc golf course and a place for snowmobilers to park. Wow, I thought. The Lodge is really becoming a great spot for many recreational activities. That is surely what this town needs in order to thrive. So here's a special shout out to all those in the Copper Harbor Trails Club and the Mt. Lodge who are involved in building, maintaining and signing those areas. They will keep people coming back.

And tonight I get to serve drinks to snowmobilers and skiers at the Bear Belly Bar and Grill. Ah, yes, the winter work force. It's nice to make a few bucks this time of year, but I mostly appreciate the time I can spend at home to cook, read, write, make wine, go outside and do whatever else my little heart desires. So I guess the 4 1/2 months I work my butt off is certainly worth it.

Cheers to winter... even if it melts!

2 comments:

AnonymousDecember 30, 2010 at 7:24 PM
Salutations Amanda,

I came across your blog by accident from the John Dee site, and having been to da Harbor many times on a motorcycle, and in the winter on a sled, I ended up reading a lot of your posts.

I enjoyed them very much, and as a "troll" from down below, (Barry county, Mi) I must say your writings are delightful.

Happy New Year...

Cheers, Al
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AmandaFebruary 22, 2011 at 12:17 PM
Thanks, Al! I wonder how you found me from John Dee... If you ever come up to da Harbor for a drink, I just might be your bartender! Take care!
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Unofficial Overview from a Resident's Point of View

“If you’ve never been there, you wouldn’t understand” is a quote printed above an outlined picture of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on a t-shirt sold in gift shops in the area. Some people cock their heads in bewilderment of what this could mean. Well, if you’ve never been there (to da U.P.), then you wouldn’t understand.

It’s simple really. Where are you guaranteed to see more trees than people on any drive or walk? Where can you sit in a bar in April and know everybody’s name? Where can you wear flannel and Carharts anytime of the year without a flinch from a passerby? Where can you end most of your sentence with the colloquialism eh, eh? Where can you go to truly get away from the civilized world? If you answered “da U.P.” to all of these questions, why, you must have been there.

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula makes up one third of the state’s land mass, but only 3% of its entire population. It’s no wonder the average number of people per square mile is 19.3. Nineteen people per square mile! Its lack of inhabitants combined with a plethora of wilderness, unique geographical features and an abundance of water is a big part of what makes the U.P. so unique. In fact, it was included in the Sherman Travel worldwide “Top 10 Places to Go in 2005."

And unique in itself, at the most northern tip in the Keweenaw Peninsula sits the little village of Copper Harbor. “Tops in Michigan,” “the beginning of the road” and quite frankly, the hardest place to leave once your soul has found its peace. It’s the least visited and most revisited place in America. Returning visitors make an appearance at least once a year, no matter what gas prices are. And when they’re back at home, they dream of their next visit to the end of the world.

Why would people want to return to a place where their cell phones don’t work and they can’t get a Big Mac for at least 54 miles? Once you drive through the one and only blinking stop light in town, you are 99% guaranteed not to see any authorities. The town can take care of itself for the most part, and people respect each other and each other’s property.

To the local residents and the handfuls of returning tourists (of which some have been adopted), Copper Harbor is the only place where they can be themselves -- completely and shamelessly (at least until the next morning). Fashion does not exist, but comfort is a must. Possessions mean nothing, but attitude means the world. Loitering is encouraged, and talk is ceaseless. Fresh air is plentiful, and serenity is down the block on Lake Superior’s shore. Ahhh.

Only 90 people can bear to live there year-round (good thing because the post office only has 130 mailboxes), but the population peaks around 250 in the busy summer months when people reopen their business or their summer home.

Copper Harbor and the rest of the Keweenaw Peninsula average 270 inches of snow each season. Whether it falls consistently throughout the winter or all in one dump, it’s guaranteed to fall if it isn’t drilling sideways. Only four businesses stay open through these long months because sometimes, there’s just nobody there.

U.S. Highway 41, which runs all the way to Miami, Florida, begins in Copper Harbor, and yes, it gets plowed the whole way up. A half mile north, six miles east and five miles south of this landmark puts you in magical Lake Superior. I know it’s magical because I’ve caught myself and many other people staring, mesmerized by its pure vastness, undulations and crashing waves.

When you can enjoy every breath of Lake Superior air, wear clothing soley for funtion and not mind seeing the same people day after day after day after day, then, my friend, then, you’ll understand.

A Little Slice of da Harbor...

Copper Harbor, That is!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Winter?

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Unofficial Overview from a Resident's Point of View

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