A Little Slice of da Harbor...: Wildlife and a Wild Ride

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Wildlife and a Wild Ride

A couple cool quick things:

This morning, right before 8 o'clock, Aaron spotted a coyote trotting across the Harbor. We looked out the window marveling at it. Duce knew something was out there, so he stood poised at a doggie-eye-level window and waited for his chance for a glance.

I grabbed my camera so I could take this picture for you.

What a handsome beast.

By this time, Duce had spotted our topic of conversation and started barking his fierce yet antsy bark. As I was taking pictures, I noticed the coyote moved surprisingly fast from my lens. Duce was chasing him down the ice!

He raced after the coyote westward until it refuged on land. I was worried I wouldn't see my Buttery Boy again, since coyotes can trick dogs to follow them to their whole pack! But soon he returned home safely, full of pep and pride.

Then I hopped on my bike for an icy commute to school. Yes, my first bike ride of 2011! The weather was so mild that I couldn't resist -- even at 8 in the morning!

The way into town was nice with grippy ice. I felt great inhaling the frigid freshness so early in the day. Ah, an energizing peace.

The way home at 2 pm was a different story, of course. The porous ice thawed into an unstable slush. I had to struggle at one point on the highway to stay on two wheels. And talk about a facewash -- mainlined right from my front tire!

But I made it to Woodland Rd. Ooh, and that was even worse! It was as if each bead of slush was a little hand trying to grab my tire. I had to come to a complete stop once because it was too thick. But I geared it down and pedaled hard the rest of the way home. Only two miles each way.

Though my jacket and snowpants were dripping when I got home, it was so worth it. I can't wait to do it again!

1 comment:

AnonymousFebruary 21, 2011 at 11:15 AM
I love, love hearing about your adventures. The ice ride was a 10. I live in Carmel Indiana and our family has camped at Copper Harbor for at least 35 summers for two weeks. What a fun place to be and your little window of words and pictures are just thing thing we need here in Indiana. We'll be back again tent camping the first two weeks in Aug. at Fort Wilkins. We know the town potter quite well. Keep the winter stories coming. You had quite a sail. L Russell
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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!

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Wildlife and a Wild Ride

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Unofficial Overview from a Resident's Point of View

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