• Thursday-What'sUP October 15 - 09:39 am

Take one beautiful fall day in the Keweenaw, add a large group of 4 wheeling friends, throw in a measure of dust and mud and the result is plenty of good times and laughter. You can see by the first photo from Kurt Kleine, that there was quite a group assembled to tour the Keweenaw, as we started out in the Twin Lakes area. Kurt snapped a shot of the dusty trail conditions along the way, while Debbie Judnich grabbed her camera to show us the longest water hole we encountered. It proved to be a challenge to get across for most, but Karen Griffin captured the bravest rider, as he ran it right down the middle, getting stuck towards the end where the water threatened to engulf his bike. But Scott wasn't going to let a bit of mud stop him, so by rocking it back and forth, he drove it right out the other side.

Our tour guides for the day, took us on so many different trails that I couldn't tell you where we were most of the way, but when we came out near 14 mile point in Ontonagon County, I knew we were on the shores of Lake Superior and what a sight it was. Making it around the point to view the lighthouse ruins was not to be, as we wanted to treat the shoreline with TLC. But we did enjoy a bonfire with hot dogs and other snacks, while taking in the beauty that surrounded us there. Amy Kleine preserved the scenic shoreline for us all to admire. What a great way to spend the day, good friends, great fall scenery and fresh U.P. air... it doesn't get much better than this!

Mary....I share your enjoyment in atv's too! Last Fri-Sun hubby, our Scotties, and I were doing this in northern Wisconsin, Bayfield Co. Trails were dusty there too. Was within 50 yrds. of a black bear. 130 miles of great times and I quote you, "It doesn't get any better than this!"

WOW....awesome stuff...and one heckuva great group!!! Love it!! (shout out to Karen Griffin and Amy Kleine!! HI Girls!!!)

whoops, didn't quote you 100% there...but I agree with you 100%! :)

Looks like great fun!

How fun is that! Wonderful pics, thanks!

What a great day of fun and friendship. I personally would find a different mode of travel tho.But the best part is the goal of the Lake view. Thanks for sharing.

Sorry to be the 'wet blanket' in this discussion, but I'm not fond of ATVs. Have seen too much of the countryside marred by the misuse (by some) of them. Hopefully UP there, there are trails especially for these vehicles.

Mary says: As in any activity, whether it be 4 wheelers, snowmobiles, jet skis, boats, and yes, even cars, there are always those that misuse them and mar the countryside...that's why I posted these pictures of a group enjoying the countryside, being respectful of the land and YES, staying on the trails designated for 4 wheeling. You'll always have a few that abuse, but then there are many of us that don't...and it makes for an enjoyable way to see areas you otherwise could not get to by vehicle. It's not for everybody, but it's good "clean" fun...well maybe not so clean, as one lady's shirt summed it up pretty well, "Mud...tastes like chicken." ;->

I'm afraid I agree with you Shirley. They and jet skies are way up there on my list! Too many irresponsible operators. Too many deaths and injuries. Too much damage by certain knuckleheads. But I bet they're fun used by thoughtful people. Just not my thing.

To Janie T.,

I thought schelping my two scotties everywhere we go was great, but strapping them to an ATV, now that is just wonderful! The scents alone would be worth it to them, thoses nose would never stop snuffling the air! Imagine the great things they must smell and then to walk around some of the places that only an ATV can go...pure heaven for the rough and rugged Scottie!

Liz, check out my profile pic, this is how our Scotties travel atv style. They have a crate made especially for our one atv. They love atving, and snowmobiling!In fact the reason we were able to see the black bears on each of our atv vacations was because of our Scotties alerting us either by the sent or sound of the bears. Great times!

I appreciate that you used TLC in your explorations.

Colorful time of the year for getting out into the woods.

While our cousins Kurt and Amy were enjoying the trails. The wife and I were enjoying the color from the roads of the Keweenaw.

I didn't know that land south of the Portage Canal, with reference to Mary's description of the ATV ride on the trails beginning at Twin Lakes and ending in Ontonagon County, is considered part of the "Keweenaw" (as in Keweenaw Peninsula). Or, is this just a literary acquisition that satisfies a desire to broaden the scope of this web site?

Rev those engines! Loud. Loud. Loud. Crush the delicate ecosystem in that stream! Displace and rut the sand on that Lake Superior beach with those huge, heavy tires! Gun that engine even louder as you try to dislodge your machine from the muddy bottom of that beautiful stream! Vrroom.Vroom. Louder! Louder! Y'all have fun now.

Mary says: Elaine...while I appreciate your interest and opinion, I have to say that I take offense at your post, since I made a point of reporting how we treated the beach with TLC and there was NO crushing the delicate ecosystem in any streams...the water you see in the photos that we crossed was a MUD hole, provided by rains that we experienced previously, on a designated 4 wheeling trail. There was NO stream even remotely nearby. Please don't judge ALL 4 wheelers in one lump, no more than you would judge ALL drivers of cars (or any other vehicle) in one lump as reckless, careless and not caring about the environment. WE CARE and these photos were my way of showing how we do. Thank you!

I believe that tire tracks DO NOT belong on beaches. Can any place be left natural??

Enough said...we're not going to all agree on this, so let's just enjoy the photos and move on. Thank you again.

Dear Mary Drew; I feel sorry for those so called "enviromentalists" that are so critical of these activities. I grew up in a large city, but now live out West, in a small community of 15,000. I can't tell you the numbeer of times I have visited the U.P. and now the wilderness areas. Those "whiners", will never know the sites, sounds, or smells of the GREAT OUTDOORS. I've always had a penchant for the outdoors, yet there are those in my own family, that wouldn't venture out to save their lives. People who are "whiners" think they can regulate everything from their easy chair. Most of us that do the outdoor things, fishing, hunting, ATVing, snowmobileing etc, are the ones out there picking up trash left by the morons that haven't a clue. Let the "whiners" enviromentalists or whatever they call themselves,get up from their easy chairs and got out with one of these clubs, and see how very AWARE we are. Tire tracks, snowmobile tread marks, all disappear within a short time, compared to the trash left behind by the careless. We could use these "enviromentalists" outdoors to help patrol the trails etc, for trash etc, even industrial pollution. I could list a hundred things that they approve of, yet have damaged the enviroment. Just to name a few, cars/trucks/trains, industrial pollution, ski resorts, the Interstate system, but those are convenient and "don't count". To these whiners, I say, "take a ride with a club" and see for yourselves how aware we really are. I'm not against the enviroment, but at least know what you're talking about before condemning others.
HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL!