Some images from the south central UP. The barn was shot between Crystal Falls and Iron River. Actually, what caught my eye was the bright red sumac 'staghorns'. The timber decking was shot just west of Iron River. There's a gift shop next to it that is log construction, and even though it has been there for years, this was the first time I saw it. It blends in that well with it's surroundings.

MY KIND OF PAD!!

I sure would like to thank the hard work and dedication to the men and women of SBC Ameritech,for restoring the phone service in the copper country. They are called on to work none stop in these kind of emergencies. I understand a fiber was cut by a road maintenance crew, in Michigamme. These days all you hear is the negativity of the phone line failing, and how could the phone company let this happen to me. Well , I personally would like to say thanks for getting me back in touch with the outside world, by know fault of your own. May God Bless,

The photo of the timber decking would certainly make a great yooper jigsaw puzzle

:By jsb mi on Saturday, March 15, 2003 - 09:40 am:
The photo of the timber decking would certainly make a great yooper jigsaw puzzle.

Ooooh, that is an *evil* mind at work there, JSB. I like your way of thinking! I love a good jigsaw puzzle.

Nice job capturing the depth of field in the woodyard photograph Mr. Urbanski. I spend a lot of time in them and never really looked. You have shot a very nice photograph there.
Regards,
Donn

Now is this picture between Crystal Falls and Iron River or Crystal Falls and Iron Mountain? The caption says one thing and the comments below the picture say another...I'm confused. None the less thank you Mr. Urbanski...we have spent alot of summer moments in this area...and we LOVE it and miss it when we can't be there.

A shot from the bottom of the hill in Crystal Falls looking up would be great. My husband is a runner and he delighted in running up that hill on occasion. Thank you again...today's picture is a treasure (atleast to me).

Hei folks - -

Before I check out of the motel here in Bozeman, just wanted to say good morning. I rarely wake up this early, but it seems I gained a couple of hours along the way.

The old beater's been running fine, Charlie, just had to use a quart of oil so far. I tried to call your toll-free number yesterday, but found out later that some wayward backhoe near Michigamme yanked yer plug.

By the way, I think you did mean to say Iron River, not Iron Mountain on todays Cam

I never been to Montana before. They have some beautiful mountains, but I miss Lake Superior. Well, off to the races. Aiheuttaa aamiainen !

Great picture today. I have many fun memories of the Crystal Falls area, as my parents and sister and I traveled there for several weeks each summer to stay in a cabin on Runkell Lake and Buck Lake. I just love this area and hope to one day live there. Theres a little town out side of Crystal Falls we would go through to get to our cabin on Buck Lake call Alfalfa. Alfalfa is such a cute little town. We would always be in town over the 4th of July and let me tell you I have always been very impressed with the parade and festivities they would put on in the little town of Alfalfa, to be such a little community with such a big celebration it was always a fun time for me growing up. Thanks again for sharing this picture with us today.

I thought the same that the top photo would make a beautiful jig saw puzzle and then I read where someone wrote the same....Another beautiful day in the U.P.

Just talked with my folks in Ironwood - the phone service was knocked out over the whole western end of the UP. Made for quite the quiet day. Guess the cell phones wouldn't work either - the connections to the relay towers were off as well. 58 degrees now here in Milw - everything is melting. We just got our winter snow over the past 3 weeks - only about 6" all winter until then. Now it can all go "home". The birds are going wild in the back yard. I'll be on rhubarb patrol in a few weeks - gotta make that first batch of spring tonic!

RIP, all those trees.

Treehugger,
Trees are a renewable resource. In the west, forest practices require replanting of logged areas. It's the law in all of the states west of the Rockies and probably more states.

Toivo,
Get ready for the heavy rains of western Washington state,you might have to get pontoons ( or water skis)for your car!!!

Rocky Mountains of western Mt. are "awesome", then you get to the Cascades "wow".....could see snow up there. Pouring rain in SoCal. 1 1/4" overnight.

Got excited when I saw Iron Mountain, only to find out it was Iron River that should have been acknowledged!
Love your site and I check it every day. Have been since someone sent me the guy riding his bicycle down Carpenter Avenue with a deer around his neck!

Mary Jane in AZ:

That's so funny! And a coincidence because ever since a high school friend who now lives in Kingsford, MI, sent me that very same photo of the guy on his bike carrying the deer on his back, I too have been a daily lurker here at Pasty.com.

Glad all of my friends and family in the Copper Country are now able to reach the outside world.

Today is a gorgeous, spring-like day in Seattle. I am relieved that at least for the moment it isn't raining.

Treehugger,
Logging in the UP is selective and very benign. Within a couple of years, it is hard to see where the cutting has been done. There are some that say the resources up there are under-utilized. That is not to say that I advocate clear cutting, it is to say that there is still alot of forest where all those trees came from. Wood and paper are domestic resources whereas plastic and synthetic materials are still largely dependent on foreign oil. Man has had an effect on the environment ever since he first walked the planet. Granted, we were not always very prudent, but we have learned how to use our forests and keep them. Right now the greatest threat to the UP forests is the infestation of bugs brought over in pallets and crates from the far east. I contribute to the Nature Conservancy and am happy about the land they have conserved, but we cannot expect to preserve every acre - we need the wood and paper.

There are lurkers and loomers in this world. The lerkers,as above,stay in the back ground and observe. However, once they post they are no longer lerkers,but LOOMERS.They can go back by returning to past habits,but it's very difficult.Usually once posted your a LOOMER never to return to the world of lerkers.
These definitions courteous of a previous social group.
I'd like to hear more of Toivo's trip. This could be his big break. "Toivo's quest for the duct tape." Could be the UP's next Hemmingway.

How about a pen name. Maybe Heike Hemnhaw? Let's get the ball rolling on this one!

Toivo, I hope you enjoyed your visit in Bozeman. We were there a couple of years ago, and it reminded me a lot of Marquette in the 70's. Lots of college kids with their backpacks and dogs. I kept expecting to see old friends stepping out of the bars!

I think the photos here on Pasty.com have taught me to have a new appreciation for the beautiful peninsula in which I live. Driving home a couple of hours ago along Lake Mchigan from Menominee to Escanaba...with the sun shining on beautiful Lake Michigan, I felt my heart leap with gratitude....Thanks fellas for helping me realize how lucky I am.

The decks of pulp wood and logs are piled (I am pretty sure) at the Piwarski Bros wood yard which is on the right side of the road going west out of Iron River. Along with the decks of wood, I have seen the barn pictured many times as we are on our way to Wakefield to ski at Indianhead. A note of chagrin; it was our intention to drive to Houghton to see Michigan Tech play Indianapolis in the NCAA Division II b-ball tournament on Friday. We couldn't call to check on ticket availabilty because of the fiber optic cable break. So imagine our disappointment when we got to the SDC on the Tech Campus and found they were all sold out, no tickets available! We didn't waste the trip completely though as we went to the Ambassador for some of their great pizza before driving back home.

Nice to see some great pics of the area in which I grew up. Though, as many trips as I've made to Iron River, I can't place that little barn.

P.S. Sherie Oklahoma City, that little town is called Alpha.

Ah! I just noticed the house in the edge of the top photo. Now I know exactly where that little barn is. 8^)

Charlie,
You're unreal.