patriotism

[Three Valves]

Our back yard needs a lot of work....

It’s unclear if the Chevy Chase Club is having fireworks tonight.

I’m expecting a visit from Mr. Overholt at sundown.

[MikeMason]

I love bluegill. Do you deep fry them with cornmeal coating?

[toobagrowl]

I'm busy with family too. Happy 4th

[bort]

Driving to the UP of Michigan today

Or as I like to say, "Goin up to the up."

[Three Valves]

The Molsons and the Bitbergers came to call yesterday...

[windshieldbug]

Driving to the UP of Michigan today

Or as I like to say, "Goin up to the up."

That would be, “goin’ up to da U.P., eh?”

[Three Valves]

Guests arrived a little early.

[tadawson]

Driving to the UP of Michigan today

Or as I like to say, "Goin up to the up."

Anywhere in particular? Grew up in 'da Yoop", and still have property there . . .

[bort]

Driving to the UP of Michigan today

Or as I like to say, "Goin up to the up."

Anywhere in particular? Grew up in 'da Yoop", and still have property there . . .

I'm in Escanaba. My mother in law from here (her dad was the mayor long ago), and the family has some property here. My wife spent a fair amount of time here as a kid in the summer... So, now our kids are getting a dose of it as well.

Beach, long sunny days, pasties, Mackinac island fudge ice cream ... The works.

The UP is a beautiful place.

[WC8KCY]

Driving to the UP of Michigan today

Or as I like to say, "Goin up to the up."

Anywhere in particular? Grew up in 'da Yoop", and still have property there . . .

I'm in Escanaba. My mother in law from here (her dad was the mayor long ago), and the family has some property here. My wife spent a fair amount of time here as a kid in the summer... So, now our kids are getting a dose of it as well.

Beach, long sunny days, pasties, Mackinac island fudge ice cream ... The works.

The UP is a beautiful place.

Wish I were up there with ya, Bort. Been thinkin' of the Blue Moon soft-serve often featured at Jim's Dari-Kreme with the hot spell we're having. It's awesome!

[MN_TimTuba]

Here in Wadena County, I slept in until 6 am, was on the mower by 9. Mowed until noon, we headed to my folk's place, the Riverhouse, for lunch. Pontoon ride in the crazy sunny heat, then supper while I helped step-dad re-learn how to watch a DVD. Home again for watermelon. I really missed that we didn't have a band concert at the lake followed by impressive fireworks, but it was a fine day, none the less. America the Beautiful.

[bort]

The UP is a beautiful place.

If pictures do it any justice, it's a must-see place.

Here's a photo from Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, on the northern shore of the UP (Lake Superior) It's really hard to accurately capture things like beauty, open space, quietness, fresh air smells, etc. in a photograph. This was also shortly before a huge thunderstorm rolled through the area. We hiked to/from a waterfall during the thunderstorm. Not the smartest thing I've done, but not the dumbest either.



The population of the UP is a little over 300,000. The population of Minneapolis (proper) is around 425,000, I believe. (Which is kind of hard to interpret, since it's just one part of a large metro area, which has a population of millions). Point is... the UP has a LOT of open space, and not all that many people. It's a wonderful place.

On the SMH side of things though, one night we ordered pizza and picked it up from the restaurant. In order to meet the "50% seated occupancy" requirement COVID reopening, the restaurant decided to: 1) divide the restaurant in half, 2) close one half of the seating entirely, and 3) fill the other half completely. Yes, 50%... but not really the point...

[bort]

Juneau is one of two US capital cities that you cannot drive to by car.

[WC8KCY]

The UP is a beautiful place.

If pictures do it any justice, it's a must-see place.

Here's a photo from Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, on the northern shore of the UP (Lake Superior) It's really hard to accurately capture things like beauty, open space, quietness, fresh air smells, etc. in a photograph. This was also shortly before a huge thunderstorm rolled through the area. We hiked to/from a waterfall during the thunderstorm. Not the smartest thing I've done, but not the dumbest either.



The population of the UP is a little over 300,000. The population of Minneapolis (proper) is around 425,000, I believe. (Which is kind of hard to interpret, since it's just one part of a large metro area, which has a population of millions). Point is... the UP has a LOT of open space, and not all that many people. It's a wonderful place.

I've spent many blissful days photographing Miner's Castle and the waterfalls in Alger County, having spent much of my life living about an hour's drive away. One could easily spend a week's vacation doing just that. You'll probably end up at the Dogpatch, Sydney's, or Munising DQ following a day's worth of shooting.

The eerie green waters around Pictured Rocks, especially on a sunny day, just can't be adequately rendered in a photograph.

Here's my best shot of Miner's Castle before part of it fell into Lake Superior...

taken with Yashica FX-D 35mm camera, 50mm/f1.9 Yashica ML lens, Ektar 25 film; negative scanned with Canon 5600F

[bort]

Very cool, WK8KCY!

I wanted to hike FAR more there, but with a group of 6 people (including 2 kids), I think we still did pretty good. It absolutely poured rain, and was some huge thunder (a bit of lightning, but not much). I've always wanted to go there, even since before I met my wife (and knew anything about the UP). Very cool to see it. I want to go back!

[WC8KCY]

Very cool, WK8KCY!

I wanted to hike FAR more there, but with a group of 6 people (including 2 kids), I think we still did pretty good. It absolutely poured rain, and was some huge thunder (a bit of lightning, but not much). I've always wanted to go there, even since before I met my wife (and knew anything about the UP). Very cool to see it. I want to go back!

One thing I miss about the UP are the ferocious thunderstorms. Living on the west shore of the Lower Peninsula, most severe storms that tear through central Wisconsin don't have much oomph once they cross Lake Michigan.

The last couple of summers I've spent a total of five weeks in Mille Lacs, MN attending Tribal ceremonies, and camping in a tent. Last summer we had a couple of hum-dinger thunderstorms rip through the grounds. I loved every ear-splitting, hair-raising moment of it. My tent couldn't stand up to it all and ended up in a dumpster when we packed up and left.

[humBell]

When i was a lad, my family beat the 90s heat of a fourth of July weekend in Gooseberry State park on the north shore.

We had us a good ol' natural fire works display in the form of a thunder storm.

And kudos for a patriotism discussion not bemoaning the loss of Tom Brady. Maybe i've just been too long in New England...

[bort]

When i was a lad, my family beat the 90s heat of a fourth of July weekend in Gooseberry State park on the north shore.

We had us a good ol' natural fire works display in the form of a thunder storm.

And kudos for a patriotism discussion not bemoaning the loss of Tom Brady. Maybe i've just been too long in New England...

I still haven't gotten that far up into Minnesota yet, but hope to do it sooner than later. Looks beautiful!

[humBell]

It was while i was in elementary school, so memeries were perhaps exagerated by my relative smallness, but it was nice. Mom caught more fish than the rest of us put together. There was a side trip to Ely and Hibbing where we got to take a tour of an old iron mine.