If you've been following the Weather Channel or the Bridge Cam, you know that the UP has been socked with fresh snow this week, following an extended warm period which had me workin' on my tan (yeah, right). David Antikainen has showered the Guest Gallery with an abundance of wintertime pics for your Saturday enjoyment.

I'm still waiting to see some sunshine from the Bridge Cam to confirm what I learned yesterday...that the view is from Hancock looking back toward Houghton. The view above is spectacular! David A. is certainly a great photographer, and his subject is a great place!

Gosh, bare pavement? I consider that spring indeed! No 4WD needed? Sure perks me up !

The last few days' snowmobile debate got a little over-heated. I think we all need to go soak our heads in some sunshine. Cabin fever is the number one cause of March grouchiness in the North. --Today's photo is lovely, a reminder of why we don't all live in Florida. It's hard to believe the snow piles will melt away in only a few weeks. A few days ago I saw grosbeaks, species unknown as I couldn't get close enough to them. Another sign of impending Spring. And it can't impend fast enough for me!

a sunny week, a windy week,and down will go our winter fun, sadly missed, but the dog can get a haircut and we will embark on a new season here in the copper country, what a great place

How refreshing! Nice to see that a photo of a snow bank has not provoked a heated political debate on this forum. But on the other hand, maybe that man in the photo is a communist because he is standing on the left side of his car. OOps, here we go, now we need a separate page to debate that!

On a more serious note, this year I feel left out because I didn't get up to the U.P. to see a real winter. It was cold down here, but repeated deep, bright white snow is what makes winter worth experiencing.

I just wonder how many cars may be under all of thos snowbanks. Calumet Ave alway has great snowbanks in the winter. You still see a few of them around, but the scaffolded wooden walks to the front doors of homes are becoming a thing of the past also. Used to love building tunnels and forts inside of banks like these, then dividing the neighborhood kids up and having snowball 'wars'... or playing 'king on the hill'.

how do you get to the bridge cam? I've never seen it.

try this "gotta"

{http://www.pasty.com/bridge/bridge_picture.asp

enjoy......

Lift Bridge cam..... Go to Pasty.Com main page and click on Lift Bridge Cam.....

Hey Inglenook -- If you listen closely, the guy in the picture is listening to Rush Limbaugh on his car radio debating timber rights, snowmobiles and should robins have the right to marry nuthatches.;>)
Great picture David! Great depth of field. Looks like you could step into the picture and go for a walk. Are we in Hancock somewhere? or Mohawk?

If you go to the bottom of this page there is a link that says "Bridge Cam" right between Order Now and Past-E-Mail. If you click on the picture of the bridge you'll get a larger picture. Hope this helps.

It's bare pavement because the State has been taking care of the roads this winter, not the County....
So there....
(Ooops, did I start a new debate ? )

Hey snowbirds our friend has opened a restraunt in the Clearwater, Fla area featuring Great Lakes fish...http://www.greatlakesfishhouse.com/

I sure wish I could see snowbanks like that. Yeah, I'm from Iron Mountain, but I'm a little far from there. Where I am, it snowed about two weeks ago, and now it's 80 degrees. I'm in the Air Force, getting ready to finish up my 120 day term in unnaturally-hot-for-this-time-of-year Kirkuk Iraq. I say unnatural because the UP has the only natural weather. UP rules! Oh, and Iraq is hot. Iraq is nowhere near as good as the UP. But, I'll be back in the states in under two weeks - back to my home station, in Texas. Bah. I'll make it back Home in July and December. Important holidays. Well, gotta go. Shovel some for me, eh!

The picture was taken on US 41 (Calumet Ave), in Calumet....Looking North, just south of M 203 (Pine Street)

Do what ever you want. I for myself will, after saving, put it on my desktop, replacing 11/18/00, and enjoy the sight everytime I switch this thing on. Until the next one comes around.

Hello,

I'm considering switching to pasty.com for my ISP but I was wondering if some of the locals here could answer a few questions for me? I read through the web page but just wanted to clarify a few things.

I'm assuming the basic package is $19.95 paid monthly, but what does it include?

How many email addresses does the package include?

Is there any web space available for personal web pages in the basic package (or is that $10 a month extra)?

Can the payments be deducted automatically from my account?

Thanks for the help, love the site, wish I was back home in da UP!

SkyHopper

SkyHopper,

Actually the service is as little as $17.50/month when paid annually ($210). First, and most important, you get support from our Copper Country-based staff, 1-800-327-0966. There are over 7,000 local dial-in numbers for Pasty.net nationwide. You can have up to 5 email addresses, and the webspace is available at no extra charge. If you want a personal domain (skyhopper1.com ?) it would only cost $10 per month (or $8/mo paid annually). Your membership gives you access to our wireless HotSpots in the U.P. at no additional charge.

Payment can be by credit/debit card, check or cash. You might also want to try out our "SlipStream" accelerator which gives greater compression and browsing speed over your dial-in. We would love to welcome you as a Pasty.NET member! Phone 800-327-0966 to get hooked up.

A nice picture David, a typical C.C.winter sight. That is what I like about this site. There are so many pictures that bring to mind things I used to see or do when I grew up there.

Fran from Ga. I know how you feel. I'm having a total hip replacment on Wed. and can't take ANYTHING for pain and it't raining here. Love looking at pics of "home", will miss you all while I'm in the hosp. Nanc.

It's almost "mosquito season"....

Nancy, Good luck on the hip replacemant. Will keep you in my prayers. I may be in for one in the future if this doesn't prove to be a hip fracture. E-mail me when you are able.I would be interested in what is invloved and how you do. Fran

David,Just viewed your slideshow. It is great. Just like a mini trip home. Thanks

Trade-offs, trade-offs. Life is full of them. Instead of getting up this morning and shoveling like I used to do in the Keweenaw, I got up this morning and used my shovel to plant a few more roses! Most of my established rose bushes are getting ready to flower already, and some of the recent additions are already blooming.
Have the first robins of spring arrived in Calumet yet? They've already left us for the year. And instead of firing up a snowmobile engine this morning, I had to fire up my lawnmower! Not nearly as much fun. I miss the UP, but the trade-offs will keep me here.
Glad to see that it looks like a nice day up there. The Copper Harbor Cam shows that the ice is all but gone there. Can the Portage canal be far behind?

cool!

sure do miss the UP. I am stuck here in outside of Dallas, TX. Got a nice log cabin I built near Michigamme and hope to get back up there next week. Da UP rules big time and I cant wait to retire someday and get back there.

mike lippert my husband spent 7 months over in Iraq this time last year. He hasn't wanted to leave the UP since he got home. It is certainly a beautiful place but I'd love to see the sun & feel warmer temperatures than the 30's. Glad you'll be back in the States soon.Good luck in the future & we're PROUD of all of you people over there.

Just a note to remind the locals of the Spaghetti Feed at the Calumet Community Church tonight for the Great Bear Chase. I know if I was there, my sister, Ann, would have me scrubbing and hustling
in the kitchen. A chat with Mom this morning indicates supper and entertainment are on track even though pre-event volunteers were short due to Friday's storm. If ya go, give those folks a thumbs up for their community effort on behalf of the race!

Yesterday I woke up to the sound of the first lawnmower for the yr. From now to November it will be almost an everyday occurance. I sure hope it doesn't get hot early.

Anyone have an update on George Hite's condition?

Re: Suomi

Yum! Best blueberry pancakes I've ever eaten. Haven't been there for a while though, unfortunately.

Mike, I'll be flying to Texas to see you soon. Hang in there these last few days in Iraq. You're doing a great job and making everyone proud! God be with you!

ditto the request for an update on George Hite...trying not to pry, but caring...

I was just wondering how you people using your snow scoops for the first winter like them...Love 'em?,hate'em? or sure beats shoveling but there must be a better way...I love mine up on the roof.

i have a little cousin who is a shut in please call him and wish him well he lives on lake michigamme and his name is mikey maclachlann he would very much like to hear from someone as he has so little contact with the outside world our prayers are with him need i say more

Nancy from Burtchville. Where is this town located. Husband and I took a ride today to Lakeport State Park and up to Lexington Mi. We always go thru Burtchville (I think that is the name of it).

Cheryl in Gwinn-- Well done waiting for your husband to work the "ULTIMATE" job, serving this great country. I thank him and all other soldiers working that job! I never had the guts to enlist, but I sure appreciate those who do! Thanks and Godspeed to all of you!

And thank-you, too far from Houghton for your compliments on those blueberry pancakes! They can be the most frustrating to make sometimes, so it is all worthwhile when I hear someone say that!! :)

Escanaba has been dumped on!!!........I just returned home from Florida...I am happy to be home...but maybe I should have stayed a bit longer......this is really a lot of snow for this area!!!

Carole, I'm about 6 miles from Meijers. Burtchville is the name of the township, but Port Huron got too big, so we had to change zip codes . Metcalf Rd., across from the Detroit Water works. Are you from St. Clair Co.? Nanc

Carole, I wonder where Burtchville is also. It is not on the Michigan state road map.

David A thank you for the pic of Calumet Ave. brings back lots of memories of growing up in Kearsarge just down the road. Did you use to work at the Michigan House in the 70's? Had some good times there working! Thank you again for the fix on the Copper Country.

Special note for all Calumet and Houghton Hockey Fans:

Tonight we are streaming the playoff game between the Calumet Copper Kings and the Houghton Gremlins. If you live in the Keweenaw tune in 102.3 FM for K-Bear 102's play-by-play. If you're outside the area, you can LISTEN LIVE courtesy of Pasty.NET.

Nancy: I live in Sterling Heights, near Hall Rd and VanDyke. When we go up to Lexington we take the back roads after Wadhams. We go thru North Branch and turn right on Burtch Rd till we get to M25 and then turn left. We go this way because I do not like all the congestion in Port Huron, I have enough of it at home.

A few message ago there was a mention of a little girl lost in Tamarack 4. I believe the girl was Ruth Ann Miller. She fell into an abandoned mine shaft in the mid 60's. At the time there were rumors that the friend that accompanied her pushed her into the shaft. In any case, there is a plaque that is attached to the cyclone fencing that surrounds the area.

ACE, TX ...Well, hello there ACE. Yes, I remember the Michigan House times, sometimes all too well. How are things in TX?

Thanks to K-Bear 102 and Pasty.NET for their Internet broadcast of the Calumet vs. Houghton hockey matchup tonight. The Houghton Gremlins defeated the defending champs 6-1.

dave- Well the weather is awhole lot warmer them in the u p. Sunny today & about 68 nice spring day. The pic's that you have taken sure are really nice & make us want to come home. But don't think I could handle the winters anymore,only had snow one time this winter.Take care & keep up the pictures.

please remember mikey in your prayers

Mary I am glad you missed the storm and had a safe trip home A friend and I were on the phone and all of a sudden there was the loudest crash of thunder and crack of lightning I have ever heard. The crack on the phone scared us both pretty bad. We just said bye and hung up. There was heavy rain and flooding in cerain areas here.Fran

We got about 14" of the snow yesterday, here in Cornell. The Cub Cadet got another workout. Mimi hopes it's the last one, but there is St. Urho's and St. Patrick's and Easter coming and we ususlly get another one 'bout then. Had to shovel my way out to the burning barrel twice. The snow back there is over halfway up the thing.
We'll remember a friend's grandson, Ryan Poehlman, as he leaves for Iraq soon. His grandma Jane passed away a month ago. You're in our prayers, Ryan, and others, who must be in these hard places. God be with you all.

For anyone interested...We're off the road for the night, safe and sound and using the Pasty.net Nationwide Dial-in all the way from London! That's right I said London....Kentucky, that is! :->
Still no snow in sight, but tomorrow we'll be easing our way back into the snow at a gradual pace...one of the advantages of driving, versus flying, you slowly get back into the snowiness, rather than getting on the plane in 80 degree weather, then stepping off hours later, onto the frozen tundra!