Isle Royale on my mind... no wait, I think that's supposed to be 'Georgia'. Oh well, no matter, since it's the former that has my attention this week. Yesterday we had a shot looking out from Daisy Farm and you could just make out this scene in the distance:

Good Morning From Warren, MI

Now that would make a terrific puzzle picture. Beautiful.

There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.
----Nelson Mandela

We used to bring corn out on the Ranger III for Pete E. to feed the ducks, though rumor had it there was a still somewhere there.
Good morning, all!

Good morning everyone & have a great weekend!

A beautiful picture of a simpler ( yet hard )life.

Only 7 more days to paradise in Copper Harbor. Will be camping at Fort Wilkins for two weeks with 2 grandsons. They are 11 and 13. Any suggestions for a road trip for these boys who have never been to the UP?

SEE YA IN ABOUT 24 HOURS!!! MAN WHAT A LONG WEEK ITS BEEN.COPPER HARBOR OR BUST!!!!!!!!!THANKS TO EVERYONE ON THIS SITE FOR ALL THE INFORMATION.ONE MORE QUESTION THOUGH.HOW BAD ARE THE BUGS?

Suzanne in Wis. take the dirt road north out of Copper Harbor to Keystone bay for a day of swiming and hot dogs, they will love it, it's a great hike, make sure you have proper directions.

Mark W.: The bugs are happy here, they're very well fed.

I agree with Patti in TN--that would make an excellent puzzle to put together! Piece by piece, that puzzle would be very relaxing. My family and I always put puzzles together in the winter time as a family activity. This picture would definitely help the winter blues!

It is another humid day in Iowa. Today, I am helping my children get their 4-H projects ready for the county fair next week. Just another reason why the tranquil Isle Royale pic's look so inviting. Maybe Mary Drew would like to trade her on assignment job with me for one day!!!!

Take care and have a safe weekend,
Cindy

I live in Georgia and I've got the U.P. on my mind. I lived in the
U.P. for 6 years (Houghton and Negaunee) 15 years ago and still
miss it.

JJ - can't think of a better thing to do and in better company. Now all I need are some dates and warm clothes and a warm sleeping bag.

Cool picture today Mary...
I've been inside that little fish building and met the elderly gentleman who gives the tours... anyone know his name? Where does he live in the winter?

Jeff K

SarahK

Too bad the 1st week in August would be bad for you - mini cabins - or B & B all roads lead to happiness in the UP

Need more warning than that....let's go when the bugs are gone.

Does anybody have a schedule of events for the Iron River Rodeo this week-end?

SarahK....Bring DEET....they're bad.

So it looks like the folks at Mt. Bohemia have announced plans to build an "eco-villiage". How are the local anti-change folks taking that? Personally I think it will be another great shot in the arm for area tourism. My wife and I are really trying hard to be able to move up there and run a small business. I think that is the only way we will make it up there. It is really hard for young people such as ourselves to make a go of it in an area with no jobs. We just love the Keweenaw too much to not make it there.

When is the best time to visit the UP when the bugs aren't attacking? I was up there in June and camped in the Porkies at Union Bay, beautiful campground but we were only able to stay one night instead of 3, the stable flies were so bad they almost ate us alive. I still have scars on my ankles from the bites. We then went up the peninsula to Copper Harbor hoping to camp up there, but were attacked by the "no-see-ums" , so we ended up getting a cabin. Had planned to spend the week in the UP going as far as pictured rocks, but the bugs were unbearable. The peninsula is so beautiful and I'm so disappointed that we were forced out by the bugs. I want to come back and see all of the things everyone writes about, but really don't enjoy being food for the bugs! How do all of you manage on a daily basis? When do the bugs go away?

Did Mary Drew say GEORGIA??????

I have not thought the bugs were too bad this year. Of course it is a known fact that they can smell the fresh blood in the area when there is some and leave the locals alone. We camped for 2 weeks and there were not too many bugs, right at dark some came out but by the fire they were not bad. Of course some of us locals are immune to the bugs and notice them sucking away on our arms without even feeling them there sometimes. The bugs will about disappear in a couple weeks unless you tend to hang out in the swampy areas. Stay close to the big lake on the north side and you will be alright.

Alex Tiensivu Georgia....1917 during WW1...my father was sent to Camp Wheeler in Macon, Georgia...he was then sent to France..he had never been out of Lake Linden. He fell in love with Georgia and said how kind the folks in Macon were to the young men from the north. I would guess this the place they sent the "boys" from the Copper Country during World War 1......"the war to end all wars"

Mosquitos, flies, bugs in general love to "dine" on me. I read an article on garlic and most bugs do not like garlic so 2 months ago, I started taking a odorless garlic pill daily. We went camping last week outside of Oscoda. The mosquitos dined on everyone one but me which is a first so I do believe it works. Give it a try.

Try January...no bugs then

Hey Mary Drew: You will have Georgia on you mind next spring again I hope. But right now it is a little cooler where you are. Hope you all are having a great time, no golf for Allen there!

JJ - when ever we go...let's go meet Mary Drew.

Inflamatory remarks removed

Regarding the rodeo in Iron River: today is "Market Day" (sidewalk sales/flea market) downtown, at 5:00 pm CST a special rodeo for youngsters at the fairgrounds, street dance tonight at 8:00. Saturday chuckwagon breakfast at 7:00am, parade at 10:00, first rodeo performance at 2:00, second at 7:00, another dance at 9:00. Sunday breakfast at 7:00am, Cowboy church service at 9:00, arena gates open at 11:30 for rides and games for the kids, raffle winners and queen announced, final performance at 2:00 CST. Enjoy!

Hey Jebby Boy,

Dont' pick on us YOOPERS or we will send those blood sucking insects your way!!:)

HEE, HEE

JEB: You are mistaken that most folks here have never lived anywhere else. Most folks that I know have lived "away" and chose to come back for lifestyle, values and beauty of the area. We don't end every sentence in "eh" But have good, healthy ( sometimes self-depricating ) sense of humor about our dialet, culture and lifetyle. Tourists often choose to visit here year after year and are more than welcome. I would never go back to the city lifestyle. I hope your are as content with your hometown as we are with ours.

Great photo today....brings back lots of memories...I operated tour boats from Rock Harbor Lodge down to the Edisen fishery in the late 60's...as I recall, Pete had a friendly squirrel that would come in their living room through a hole in the screen door. Park Service replaced the screen, and a day or so later, I saw Pete on one of the tours….he smiled and showed me the new hole in the screen he had cut so his “buddy” could again come inside and take peanuts out of his shirt pocket. Not only was Laura known for her fantastic fish cakes, but her gooseberry pies were also an unusual seasonal specialty from a bush right there on the place.

It was a real privilege to experience contact with that latter part of the pioneer history of the Island. Thanks for bringing it to mind….

UP_gal... liked what you wrote. Curious... what part of the UP are you from?

Audrey: I am from Calumet and very happy with my decision to return. All my years in the city, I longed for "home". And, as I can see from this board, many others would love to do the same. We are far from the bug-laden hicks that some perceive us to be. Many of us have seen the world..." been there and done that" and are packing a couple of college degrees apiece!

UP_gal... I was up in your area almost 4 years ago for 5 wonderful days. Found everyone warm and friendly. Will be coming back for a 2 week vacation at the end of the summer. Can't wait! I think we'll be safe from the bugs then. When I was up there last time, didn't realize that there was even a bug problem until I discovered this website!

AFTER VACATIONING FOR 2 WEEKS EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST 17 YEARS IN COPPER HARBOR I CAN HONESTLY SAY WE NEVER HAD A "BUG" PROBLEM. YOU DO TAKE PRECAUTIONS BUT NOT ANYMORE THAN WE DO AT HOME. IN FACT WE HAVE MORE MOSQUITOS AT HOME THAN WE EVER HAD THERE. I GUESS WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY IS THAT A "BAD BUG" DAY IN COPPER HARBOR IS STILL BETTER THAN A "GOOD BUG" DAY ANYWHERE ELSE.

May and early June was Black fly season, June into early July was Mosquito season, Stable flies were sometimes bad from June until August, but in general, I found that the bugs weren't too bad from late July until the first snow of the fall... (sometimes in early august)

The bugs aren't too bad december thru april.

Ya know, I saw a fly hopping around on top of a snowbank at Christmas-time one year. I had to laugh at that bug's sisu.

JEB Why do you bother posting here if you hate this place so much? It makes no sense. Oh, never mind , I get it.

Gov??JEB Florida
I will take a baked Pasty , Mosquitos , flys and a Lake Superior beach..
over boiled peanuts,gators,killer snakes and crowded salty smelly garbage strewn ocean beach anytime.

My favorite time in the Keweenaw is
after the leaves fall in Sept, until
the snow stays on the ground (sometimes
overlaps)

Those weeks with no snow and no colored
leaves also means no bugs and hardly any
tourists.

Don't get me wrong, Tourism is our backbone,
but for a few weeks in there its nice and quiet
here, and october can be (and probably will be)
warmer than this June. ;-)

So if you want to SEE the keweenaw (you can see
a lot more of it without leaves) October is the
time to come.

Last October I was kayaking at 85 degrees the
second week of october. Of course the first week
I was reffing soccer in the snow. ;-)

San Jose posters-how far was yesterday's fire away from you? I live across 101 from it. Looked out of the garage and there it was! Air tankers and all. It moved so fast up the hill that we weren't worried for long though. I got some pictures of it to post to my albums maybe Sat.

i absolutly am in love with the copper country and the people that live there! i go there every summer and winter it is always a great time! i love that picture its so tranqualizing......

R Somero... looks like we live in the same area. I'm off 101 and Blossom Hill... saw it on my way home from work driving down Monterey Hwy. Looked pretty awful. I assume there were no structures damaged? Haven't seen anything in today's paper.

Regarding Mosquitos versus No-See-ums:

I find that Deet works very well against mosquitos, because they tend to fly slower and have to land on you to make their bite. No-see-ums aren't repelled as well by Deet because they tend to fly at you very quickly and bite a small of hunk of flesh off without being on you for more than a second or two. It is worth the effort to get insect repellent with at least 95% deet so you can enjoy yourself without having to worry about the bugs. Some people think Deet is too strong of a chemical, but remember you can't just take a shower to get rid of West Nile.

Hey all you Yoopers, what is that building in the lower right corner of the BridgeCam? I love the pleasant picture for the day. How long of ride is it to get to this building from the main land? What ever happened to "Sharon's Bear"? Will there still be berries left for me to pick in mid-August?

bsb, sr,
The mosquitoes go after 'fresh blood', eh? The locals
are immune? Last time I checked, a skeeter's a
skeeter...they're attracted to certain colors, odors, but
don't know what state's license plate is on that potential
meal's car.

MY dear ol' misguided Jeb..
Y'ALL..
really feel that way EH?

Hello from florida been back 4 days and wish I could have stayed longer in the UP bugs or no bugs. Does anybody have pictures of Chippewa Harbor on Isle Royale. My Grandfather & Father were fishermen on the Island for many years, I haven't been there since I was a kid.

Having never been to Isle Royale, I have to ask: what
amenties are on the island? I realize Park Service staff,
but how about fish camps, gas pump, lodging, or
convenience store? Do folks ever make the crossing on
sailboats or floatplanes? How about winter? Is the
island totally unoccupied then or are there NPS or DNR
folks who bravely abide?

sorry to take space for the above questions... after I
posted the message, I checked the National Park
Service site and found alot of info. on Isle Royale.
Some of the links, however, aren't working.

Hey! I just moved here I love the bugs so much!

CCFAN http://www.nps.gov/isro/pphtml/contact.html contact the national park service here for reliable Isle Royale info..People on this site here are incredable!! but these guys are most familiar.

Bugs,bugs, bugs. There is way too much hype on this site about bugs. I have been a yooper for over 75 years and havent found it much of a problem. The more you think of it the worse it gets. Like the old timers say, if you cant take the heat,stay out of the kitchen. Goowing old in the UP is not for sissies, Just relax,eat lots of garlic and enjoy yourself. Your mate might not like you but the skeeters wont bother you too much. Enjoy yourself.

thanks, tourguide!

Buggy Man.....
hmmm. ... maybe we can slip a few cloves of garlic into
our camp pasties....

48 Days till out trip to da UP, I cant wait! Its just not coming fast enough. I dont even care that its labor day and a bunch of people will be there. I will be upnorth and thats all that matters. :)

I had some 95 percent DEET in the glove box of my truck years ago. It leaked and ate a hole through the bottom of the box and through the floor mat. So what is that doing to one's skin. By the way I was once bit by a skeeter on Easter Sunday while waist deep in snow in Bootjack.

To skito bites, Have you ever tried bush pasties? Just take all of your pasty ingredients less the crust. Season the ingredients, add a chunk of butter if you like, wrap in heavy duty foil and toss them in the fire until they are done. Make them any size you want. If you dont want to bake them in the fire, throw them on the grille. My wife and I have enjoyed them a lot while camping out in the bush. Probably about 1/2 hour should do it. Very good with venison.You can add a little garlic to keep the skeeters away while you enjoy your bush pasty.

Buggy Man, I would rather kerry my pasty to the table with crust, no garlic and no skeeters. No one said folks are worried, but want to be cautious. About that garlic........NICE! I guess there are bugs everywhere, just would like to know what to expect. Thanks for the heads up.

Sorry,I didnt mean to get politics into this. Had enuff yesterday. Maybe i should call them brush or woods pasties but they probably wouldnt taste as good.

To R.Somero, I live off Silver Creek, so the fire was close. I think we need some rain, but that's not happening until November.

Just dont go in June. That is the worst month for bugs. Also, never wear scented deoderants, fabric softeners, or hairspray. That is my recipe for success, and I have spent many a summer in my favorite town....Eagle River. I'm going back in Aug, and I can hardly wait.

Mr Buggy Man! sounds like you are making "substitutions" there. Why not throw in a few bugs while you are at it and call you can call them Bug er busters.

to SMN, Clearwater -- I'm not a Yooper but I think the building you asked about is the Ramada Inn.

Girls, Girls, Girls, come on now, no scented deodorants, perfume, hair spray, bright colored clothing, for bug season? FOR BUG SEASON...that is a recipe for disaster. Can we at least dye and color our hair, or wear makeup? WHAT?????!!!!!!

HEY JEB! YOUR FLAT STATE IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND YOUR WATER TASTE SO GOOD, AND YOUR HUMIDITY IS ALWAYS SO LOW. AS THE SAYING GOES, DON'T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU IN THE BACKSIDE-EH!

YOU HAVE'NT ANY SISU! THE GREAT LAKES ARE THE BEST! EH!

U.P. AND PROUD OF IT! EH!

Good night from Dearborn!

Buggy Man,
I did't think twice about you calling them bush pasties.
after all, 'bush' is another name for woods in some parts
of the world : )
Now that sounds good, your pasty ingredients in foil,
cooked over a campfire... kind of a smoky flavor, yum.
The smoke keeps away those mosquitoes, too!

smn/Clearwater, FL
That is the Ramada inn parking lot..That is the mainland across the bridge so it is a good 30 second drive..

Hey jeb would those Bush men be yo relatives? eh?

Hey fellow Yoopers.......here in Escanaba we rarely have a bug problem and I don't know why. I have lived here 40 years and never had a problem with black flies or other pests....I guess there is a problem on the rivers but not in town. It must be that breeze that kicks up on Lake Michigan just about every afternoon blows them all away....

San Jose posters-the fire pics are up. Go to Roger Somero in photo gallery. Thankfully this one missed us. It is usually not a problem here in the valley. All the bad stuff that's on the national news is rarely about SJ. Good place to live-no?

To UP_gal, thanks for supporting the fact that Yoopers aren't simply uneducated hicks located in a rugged, desolate area. Since moving to Sedar Bay this past March, I'm truly impressed with the numerous cultural activities available here as well as the medical staffs and facilities. Although I'm not a hunter, I can appreciate those who do so each deer season. My preference is to watch the deer in my yard and hope to avoid hitting any when traveling from place to place.

Since moving here, I've been absolutely overwhelmed by the friendly smiles and assistance by store employees. Just the other day while shopping in Houghton, the salesperson carried my purchases to my car--something not often encountered in the Detroit Metro area where I spent my entire professional career.

One thought occurs to me: that is, whether we have multiple degrees or none, have a magnificent home or a tarpaper shack, Yoopers accept one another as we are. A˛

Hi Roger. Thank heavens the wind was blowing south. I live up in those foothills off Silver Creek Road. Whew is right. And, yes, it is a great place to live. The best. I think the fire season is upon us. Do you think a rain dance is appropriate? Thanks for the great pictures.

I was born and raised in the UP. I return each year, to renew my spirit. People who respect the UP understand the strength and character of our people. I too shell return this August, with plenty of bug spray.

There is an old saying that probably applies here, " Just because someone throws the ball doesn't mean you have to catch it. "

Mark in Lapeer - you may want to rethink your plans and purchase one of the very many small businesses that are for sale around here before opening yet another one. Look! - before you....

Tsk tsk, all of you leaving your chains dangling like that just waiting for a yanker like Jeb. Hmp.

hi ppl

I visited the fishery and lighthouse last year. These are the best interpretive exhibits on the island. Rent a fishing boat for a morning and go visit them!