Tourism officials generated the
slogan "Say Yes to Michigan" in 1982 to fuel a state promotional
campaign. Yooper residents (residents of the Upper Peninsula) put a more
northern spin on the catchphrase, of course, transforming it into "Say Yah
to Da U.P., Eh!" For a week, I became a Yooper, saying "yah" to
the absolute beauty that is the U.P.
I had never been to the U.P.
during the summer, but only visiting last Christmas. The average water
temperature of Lake Superior is 40ºF, so I imagined it not being swimmable. I
was wrong. Everyday was a shoeless, backyard-beach day, filled with sunshine,
saunas and a pure as-you-please pace.
Lake Superior still blows my
mind. It is the largest freshwater lake in the world by area, and holds 10% of
the world's surface fresh water. To give a vague perspective (take a look at
the map above) we were beachfront in Brimley. Now, do you see the point with
the Bay Mills dot? It looks like it is pointing to Brimley State Park. The tip
of that jutting land is on the horizon when standing on the beach in Brimley.
Canada is across the bay as well. Lake Superior is HUGE.
It was a perfect getaway spent
with m'lady, her family, and a beautiful beach. Say Yah to da U.P. indeed...
"eh!"
