PURE MICHIGAN – “Rediscovering Home”

How well do you know your home state? I thought I knew my home state of Michigan pretty well. However, a recent road trip through the Upper Peninsula (“The U.P., ‘eh”) shattered my assumptions. Along my trip I found breathtaking scenery and discovered what it is to be a “Michigander.” Michigan is more than home to the media’s depiction of Detroit; it is home to Midwesterners who value humility, pride, and community. Michigan is more than home to the Great Lakes; it is home to one of the largest populations of wildlife and natural resources in the country. Michigan is more than the place where I grew up; it was, and will always be, the place that I am proud to call home. 

THE PEOPLE

Whether they are from the city of Paradise or Hell, Michiganders are grounded, resilient, and hard-working people. They aren’t interested in your job title, employer, salary, or material possessions; they’d rather focus on your family, where you grew up, what you do for enjoyment, and how well you treat those around you. These are Midwest values, and in Michigan, you’ll find two regional personalities: “Yoopers” and “Detroiters.”  

The residents of the U.P. are referred to as “Yoopers.” The culture is represented no better than in their culinary pride and joy: the pasty. In simple terms, think of it as a northern Michigan empanada or hot pocket. Introduced by Finnish immigrant miners in the 1860’s, the pasty is hearty and born out of pragmatism and utility. The pasty provided miners with tasty sustenance during long shifts in the mines, while its thick crimped ridge served as a disposable handle to protect them from ingesting hazardous materials. Although the mining industry has faded, the pasty lives on to remind us that although we may get our hands dirty paying the bills, the simple things in life can still be delicious.  

Detroit (a.k.a. – The D, Dirty D, Motor City, Motown, Detroit Rock City, etc.), is the urban home of Michigan’s cultural diversity, as well as the U.S. auto industry. Detroiters are built with Midwest values, yet maintain a raw edge and fierce loyalty to one of the greatest industrial cities in U.S. history. Detroit has seen better days, but you can still feel its soul. You can hear its voice in the robust independent music scene; see its attitude in the industrial-inspired art; taste its passion in the local restaurants and breweries; and smell its history from the tailpipes of classic cars cruising along Woodward Ave. Detroit’s economic engine may sputter and spew black smoke, but this city is filled with mechanics with oil-stained overalls. 

Grand Hotel Porch

THE PLACE 

As I traveled across the U.P., I was continually amazed by the scenery. There were several points that felt as though I had traveled to a foreign country. I found myself among unfamiliar and pristine landscape along the trails of several state and national parks. As I hiked Chapel Falls trail, a choir of birds melodically sang praise to its beauty, while chipmunks and deer took communion from the forest’s buffet. The gravel trail that rhythmically ground under the tread of my hiking boots, gave way to a percussive thump against pine needles and roots, and eventually led to sand whispering against my pant legs along Chapel Beach. From there, refined white sand beaches and dunes quickly transitioned to skipping-stone littered shores and mineral-sweating sandstone cliffs reflecting an artistry of color upon Lake Superior.  

Just west of Paradise, MI, the surging white noise of the Tahquamenon waterfalls powerfully hushes would-be adventurers tempted to enter the foamy cola-colored river. Whirlpools have carved circular caldrons into the sandstone shores and consumed many lives that sought to reap the area’s bounty of minerals and wildlife. The Porcupine Mountains cradle a “Lake of the Clouds” amongst a lush undulating blanket of old-growth forest. It seems impossible for the lush green beauty of the summer to be outdone by the colorful palette of the fall, or for the unforgiving temperatures and 200 inches of snowfall to once again yield an endless bouquet of flowered fields in the spring; but that’s the annual orchestration of life and beauty played in Michigan’s overture.

Tahquamenon Falls

THE COMMITMENT

As I neared the end of my trip, I stopped in Leland, MI to attend a friend’s wedding. My friend is from Michigan, and her then fiancé is from Iowa. Although they currently reside in Manhattan, it was important for them to celebrate their commitment near their Midwest roots. Truth be told, I’m not a fan of weddings. I feel the fabricated fairytale materialism and pomp and circumstance with which people have been brain-washed, misses the point. This wedding was different. There was genuine honesty and purity that brought legitimacy to the celebration. It was a fusion of families with faith in a future of shared memories created from lives lived well. It was what weddings should be, and I was honored to have bared witness to this perfect Michigan wedding.  

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Sometimes we get lost along life’s road trip. We worry about what others may think of our vehicle; if we’ll get where we want to go; and if we’re taking the right roads to get there quickly. Yet, the quality of the trip has nothing to do with one’s vehicle, destination, or route. Similarly, being a Michigander has nothing to do with being from Michigan. Our journeys are compassed by knowing where we began and understanding who we are. Sometimes we need to be reminded of what matters: finding value and appreciation for the people and places along the way. Regardless of where you were born and raised, you should consider taking a drive to Michigan and see what it's like to finally come home.  

-Don

Michigander Map