Yooper Humor

My trip back from the Minnesota Voyageur ultra took me through Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, a drive I haven’t made in quite some time. All I remember from my previous trip was a lot of trees and not much else along US-2.

My drive from the Duluth area to St. Ignace, then over the Mackinac Bridge and along M-22 to our campground in Empire, was pleasant and more relaxed than I’d expected. Traffic got heavier and more aggressive south of the bridge, but it sure beat hell out of going through Chicago.

It turns out that the U.P. actually has some people in it – and most of them don’t even dress like lumberjacks (*). Here are a few pictures of offbeat and/or amusing things I found along the way.

Honestly? Up here you have to tell people not to bring guns into a coffee shop? (This is actually in Duluth, but it's close enough.) — Honestly? Up here you have to tell people not to bring guns into a **coffee shop**? (This is actually in Duluth, but it’s close enough.)

Somebody pasted this on to make it look like "200 miles". Not true, as it turned out. — Somebody pasted this on to make it look like “200 miles”. Not true, as it turned out.

They have a sense of humor in Wakefield.

Also in Wakefield - Peter Toth's "Leading Mna" carving - from a single log. — Also in Wakefield – Peter Toth’s “Leading Man” carving – from a single log.

I'm not sure this is the kind of welcome message Michigan has in mind. — I’m not sure this is the kind of welcome message Michigan has in mind.

Escanaba (not in da moonlight). Much bigger city than I expected.

And finally, they even have their own chocolate! Not too bad.

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(*) – You might be aware that the Upper and Lower Peninsulas (Peninsulae?) have a friendly little rivalry going. For example, their name for us is “trolls” because we live “under the bridge”. For a humorous take on the differences between Yoopers and trolls, click here.