Project Michigan: From Troll to Yooper

"Every exit is an entry somewhere else" -- Tom Stoppard

Samantha Franz

The quote from the famous scribe above seems particularly fitting for this trip because this time around, there was going to be no central location, as we would making countless entries and exits in order to take on my most ambitious endeavor yet: Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Not just a city or two, but the entire UP over the course five days, four nights. Crazy? Perhaps. But as anybody that knows me can attest to, when I travel, I want to soak up as much as I possibly can: try new foods, see new sights and, most importantly, talk to unique people.

So, that's what brought me to Thursday. With the rental car packed, I set off shortly after I got off work. (Yeah, we opted to rent a ride this time around.The good ol' Tracker has been having some issues and my Sunfire isn't exactly equipped for a wilderness road trip). Our goal? To reach either Grayling or Gaylord by nightfall. That way, we'd only be about an hour out from the Mighty Mac, better known to us all as the Mackinac Bridge.

The first hour of the drive basically involved me playing with the Dodge Avenger's satellite radio. I instantly found my favorites: 70s, 80s, 90s, Lithium, The Blend, The Pulse, Boneyard, Hair Nation, Classic Vinyl, Classic Rewind. (Yeah, some days I really feel like an old soul.) But as day quickly turned into night, we started to get tired and hungry which is never, ever a good combination. So, off to Grayling it was, home of military training center Camp Grayling.

The rest of the night was rather uneventful, save for a St. Louis-style rib dinner at Teds' Canadian Style Steak and Fish. I was travel weary and full, so the rest of my night pretty much consisted of change clothes, contacts out, sleep. The following morning, we continued along I-75 only to be greeted by an elk. Yes, you read correctly. One car in front of us, a towering elk popped his enormous head out from the woods and took his sweet time crossing the freeway. Yep, we were definitely in north country.

Our new friend wasn't the only northern greeter we had. When we finally reached the bridge, we saw more than 700 vintage tractors getting ready to cross with us. Why cross? As their website suggests, just because it's something fun for a bunch of tractor enthusiasts to do. I love it.

All photos by Samantha Franz

After crossing over, I was no longer a 'troll', as those of us that live under bridge are known as. I was now in 'Yooper' territory. The primary destination for today was the Tahquamenon Falls, a gorgeous waterfall that's so big, it has two places to view if from: the lower and the upper. They were gorgeous and it blows my mind how I am in the same state, yet there is so much wilderness and untapped beauty here above the bridge.

The Lower Falls.

Early signs of fall color.

The Upper Falls.

Here's a cool tidbit about the park: at the entrance of the Upper Falls, one can dine and enjoy a brew made right on site at the Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub. Naturally, I couldn't let a place like that pass me by, so we sat down for a burger and a brew. Depending on the time of year, the Brew Pub offers any four varieties at a time. This is what was offered when I was there:

My choice? Peach Wheat. Very, very tasty./Samantha Franz

Now, when I travel, I really prefer to take a county road over an interstate whenever possible. While bigger roadways get you to your destination quicker, you miss out on the sites, the smells and the 'holy crap, turn the car around!' moments. Throughout Project Michigan, I have had pretty good luck with county roads, so I felt pretty confident when we turned onto M-58 from M-37.

Confidence turned into "Oh No' when the road became unpaved. 'Oh No' turned into words I probably shouldn't repeat when unpaved turned into mud that was made for ATVs, not cars. Oops. We made a gallant effort of it, but when the puddles became too massive, we had no choice but to turn around.

Oops.

We finally made it to Munising, the destination for our first night in the UP. We stayed at the adorable Sunset Motel on the Bay and met Shirley at the front desk, who whipped out a map and gave us the rundown of the town's hot spots with the authority of a real estate agent. I was impressed.

One of the selling points of Munising is the fact that there is so much natural wonder within minutes of town. Just a few miles away is Sand Point and the Munising Falls, so we stopped at both for some photos.

Munising Falls.

Sand Point

My first day in the UP really got me to thinking. I find it amazing beyond words how much natural beauty is here --The Pictured Rocks, the endless amounts of waterfalls, the dozens of beaches, the untouched wilderness. Being so close to our roots really allows for one to reflect and give pause to the current situation in Michigan. Yes, the state has taken a hit and the abandoned businesses dotted throughout demonstrate that. But if you peel back a layer, you'll see there is indeed true beauty here that you just can't put a price tag on. Michigan is more than cars, a recession and the D. It's a state with many sides and offers something for everyone: the four seasons, an urban playground, majestic beauty, boats by the thousands, hearty meals and Midwestern hospitality. It makes one realize that in these hard times, the state gives us the two greatest gifts of all: endless potential and hope.

Random highlights from the day:

-- Sign upon leaving Trout Lake: "Good Luck From Us" (little ominous, no?)
-- This place: