Saturday, September 4, 2010

Yoopers


Yoopers have a reputation for being a reticent people. I've heard stories of people who moved to small towns in the U.P. thirty years ago and still are not accepted as locals. That's a birthright. Despite this rap, I've encountered several outgoing Yoopers. Yesterday, as I enjoyed lunch at the Three Seasons cafe outside Manistique, an older couple struck up a conversation with me. After we covered the weather and my trip, the conversation turned to my height. They told me that they had one nephew who was 7'6" and another who was 6'6" and 300 lbs. It is the land of Paul Bunyan. On my way out they told me repeatedly to be careful out on the road.

The couple's words of caution were well taken. The paradox of biking through the Upper Peninsula is that even though this is the least populace area of my trip, it has the busiest and fastest roads. There aren't many choices for crossing the U.P. U.S. 2, with a steady stream of traffic doing 70 miles per hour, is the only real option along the southern coast. Fortunately, the road has a very wide shoulder, which makes it more than manageable. Like driving an expressway, riding on U.S. 2 is also a bit monotonous. It has provided a few vistas of the lake, but it hasn't been the most scenic stretch of the ride. I'm told my last stretch into St. Ignace offers several highlights.

Somehow I made it through the day yesterday without any serious rain. The clouds were constantly threatening, but didn't deliver until I was snug inside my room at the King's Inn. I also benefited from strong winds out of the northwest. Mostly at my back, they added several miles to my mph.

The troubled economy is evident up here in the form of "for sale" signs, closed businesses, and unique opportunities.




I ate like a Yooper last night, devouring a pastie (insert burlesque joke here). This pastry filled with meat, potatoes, carrots, and rutabaga, was a favorite among the Cornish miners and is now a U.P. tradition. It was a hearty meal for a cold night.

2 comments:

  1. Brian,
    Do you have any thoughts about purchasing the roadside junkyard? We have passed that sight over many years on our trips to Milwaukee! Just talked with Michael on his 47th birthday. Look forward to seeing you Sunday. Hope the rain is staying south of where you are. Lois

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  2. I guess I got out of Dodge just in time. Weather was ideal when I was in Calumet.
    I agree; US2 from around Brevort and eastward gives you very nice views of Lake Michigan. Of course, if it's windy, you get sandblasted by the dunes.
    Carolyn

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