A Little Slice of da Harbor...: It's Not Just Me

Saturday, August 13, 2011

It's Not Just Me

Okay, so maybe I'm the only one that will think this little story is cute, but I want to share it anyway:

Yesterday I went for a roller blade. On my way out the door, I saw a girl running in a pink shirt. Cute! And I'm wearing a pink tank top! As I rolled down the pavement toward the beginning of U.S. Highway 41, I noticed another runner -- wearing a pink shirt! Cool! Everyone out on the road is wearing pink!

My roller blade was quite wonderful. I spun back down the hill in front of the General Store and my trail runner friend popped out of the trail head wearing -- you guessed it -- pink tank top! Oh, the glory of pink. It has power in numbers.

And just so you don't think I'm the only person affected by summer up here, let me tell you of another realization. Yesterday I started collecting door prizes for the Fat Tire Festival. As I went around talking to various business owners, I got the same daze-eyed look from many of them with the arm flail and comment, "It's August."

I know! So it's not just me who gets thrown into a hardly-a-moment-for-myself-I-can't-believe-all-the-people-around-I-can't-wait-for-October tizzy. Why? Because it's August. That's all I can really say. But hey, at least we're busy!

3 comments:

DeeAugust 15, 2011 at 10:50 AM
Back in NYC and wishing I was still there...was great to meet you and I look forward to your posts to keep me up to date with CH doings! Meanwhile I have about 600 pictures from this summer to edit...
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Dennis W. MontvilleAugust 16, 2011 at 7:44 AM
What sort of door prises are you looking for? Are you only interested in things from Copper Harbor businesses? I'd be happy to donate one of my necklace/pendant combinations. Check out my site if you're interested. It's www.dwmontville.com. From there you can get to my Etsy ads and find some pendants. I'm looking for a vendor to carry my pendants and turnings in Copper Harbor, so if you know any shop that might consider carrying them please put them in touch with me. That way I could write off my trip to CH as a business expense. I'm overdue for a visit anyway.
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AmandaAugust 21, 2011 at 9:36 AM
Dee, lovely to have met you! I hope you have lots of good memories to keep you peaceful in NYC!

Dennis, you do great work! I don't know how else to get ahold of you, but if you'd like to donate a piece to the Fat Tire cause, that would be most excellent! If you are still interested, send me your contact info.

Thanks!
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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!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

It's Not Just Me

3 comments:

Unofficial Overview from a Resident's Point of View

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