Ode to Marquette

Photo by Yours Truly - Taken at Marquette’s Lower Harbor - Summer 2008

Now that I’m moving to Lansing I have sort of made a bucket list of things I want to do in Marquette before I leave. A few of them I’ve been able to do already. Well, without a doubt there are going to be a number of things I’m going to miss about Marquette.

I’ve been living in MQT for a year now and it has been fantastic, I really have fallen in love with this town. This is a great town full of awesome people. As others have mentioned I really wouldn’t be too surprised if I end up back here someday. It is a good place to live, so who knows. Also, I will be coming through town every now and then, I am sure of that. It’s on the way between Lansing and home in Baraga. So here it is…

The Top 10 Things I’ll Miss in Marquette & the U.P.

1. Lake Superior - I have always told myself that I must always live next to one of two things: large mountains or a large body of water. Well, Lansing is as flat as can be and hardly has a trickle of water. Gitchigumi will be greatly missed. Growing up here I took it for granted. When I went to MSU for five years I learned just how special Lake Superior is.

2. Skipping stones at Presque Isle - Most of last summer I got into a habit of skipping stones. It was fantastic. Almost every Sunday evening I would head to Presque Isle to skip stone and relax. It was the best way to clear my mind. And I’m getting pretty good too!

3. Being able to walk everywhere - From my apartment at the corner of 4th & Baraga I can walk to many awesome locally owned restaurants, downtown, the bars, Lake Superior, and the events at Lower Harbor. I have found a passion for living somewhere that allows me to walk everywhere.

4. Seeing my parents frequently - Up until living in Marquette for the last year I have always lived either at home with my parents or hundreds of miles away from my parents. But for the last year I lived just a mere 71 miles from home. That’s close! It has been fantastic to see my parents more frequently than any other time since high school. I think my relationship with them has prospered because of it and I will miss seeing them every couple of weeks.

5. Four full seasons - Unlike the Lower Peninsula I’m used to four incredible seasons in the U.P. They are very distinct and all have their pros and cons. And they absolutely all have beautiful and unique qualities. In the L.P. the winter just isn’t as exciting, the fall colors don’t quite compare (though MSU is incredible in the fall), and summer is too hot for me down there. Yes, sometimes the weather in the U.P. can be a bit obnoxious, like the snow we had on Saturday, but I have a deep appreciation for it.

6. Events - There are some great events in the U.P., top notch really. The U.P. 200 Sled Dog Race, bike races, Bridgefest, Winter Carnival, the events at Lower Harbor, and of course things like the Trenary Outhouse Race.

7. Simplicity - What a simple place to live. People don’t expect you to have the latest and hippest clothes, the shiniest car, etc. People of all social classes hang out together, quite frankly because there aren’t enough rich people for them to all hang out together. There aren’t things to deal with like traffic jams and parking tickets. It’s very nice that our news doesn’t have murders and immense crime to report on very often at all. It’s a simple life and good life in the Upper Peninsula. There are a number of people I know who are committed to living here. The U.P. may not have the world class events, or Fortune 500 companies and huge shopping centers, but people find what they need to do to get by just so they can live in this majestic place.

8. Hockey & Snowboarding - Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, I just didn’t get to play hockey and snowboard all winter like I wanted while living in Marquette this last year. Despite that, I will miss the importance hockey and snowboarding have in the culture in the Upper Peninsula. They are two hobbies I am immensely passionate about and they just don’t have anywhere near the same presence in the Lower Peninsula as they do up here.

9. My Favorite Restaurants - I have to give a shoutout to some to some of my favorite places to eat. I’m going to miss them. It blows me away how many amazing locally owned restaurants there are around. And when you get to the bigger cities downstate all you see is chain restaurant after chain restaurant. So to name a few I’ll really miss: Stucko’s, Keweenaw Brewing Company, The Ambassador, Irene’s Pizza, L’Anse Hilltop, Baraga Drive-In, Vangos, Vierling, 3rd Street Bagel, and Togos.

10. Only in the U.P. - There are certain things that one witnesses in the U.P. that makes him or her think, “Only in the U.P. would you see that.” I’ll miss all of those spontaneous, curious, and unpredictable things. I’ll leave you with just one short anecdote that’s fitting. I was sitting at my desk here in my apartment at 4th & Baraga while I was looking out the window facing the intersection and just watching a few cards drive by. And then, out of nowhere, a Zamboni pulled up to the intersection. The drive stopped, looked both ways, and continued on. It was fantastic.