Learned some new things here in MI!!

[NMAmy]

I moved to Michigan five months ago and one thing that I didn't know about before is the "Michigan left".

Isn't that fun? I grew up in Michigan but moved to New Mexico in my 20's and lived there for 15 years. I don't know if I'd repressed the memory of the Michigan left or if it's a relatively new thing but I don't remember them being here before!

There are a lot of differences between New Mexico and Michigan but I love them both for different reasons. Now winter, that I could live without.

Oh, and I'm happy to finally NOT be mocked for saying pop.

 

[TerriP]

I moved to Michigan five months ago and one thing that I didn't know about before is the "Michigan left".

Ok, I've lived here my whole life....but I have no idea what a "Michigan left" is....help!

 

[DisneyPhD]

Did someone say Chicken Shack....now I am hungry. I love their chicken, ribs and broasted potatoes. I think that is what we are having for dinner tonight.

That does sound good. I was thinkng chinnse food tonight, soup sounds good on my sore throat. However chicken shack always sounds good (we about a mile away from the the Woodward one.)

mommaU4, we keep thinking of trying the Great Wolf lodge, but when it comes down to it if we are going to spend all that money and travel we would rather just wait and do it at WDW! I haven't been to TC fora while. We were at Mac City and just west of there (friends cottage on lake Mich) this summer. I remembered the name of the good fish place, Scallywags! I loved that fish. It was so good!

 

[DisneyPhD]

Ok, I've lived here my whole life....but I have no idea what a "Michigan left" is....help!

Woodward. (also Telegraph, big bever, any of those roads like that where you can't just cross traffic and turn left, but you have to pass your destenation and then loop around and come back.)

 

[NMAmy]

Ok, I've lived here my whole life....but I have no idea what a "Michigan left" is....help!

Happens on particularly busy roads or divided roads. Say you're at a stop light and you want to turn left onto the cross road. Instead of turning left, you proceed through the light and turn left at a turnaround immediately after the light--stopping and waiting for oncoming traffic to clear and then go back to the light you just came through and turn right. Does that make sense? I wish I could draw a picture on here!

 

[chipmunkfan]

I am living my dream through this thread! I would love to move to the UP of Michigan. I spend my winter nights watching the weather channel and envying all those who are from this area. I love snow....maybe someday I will be your neighbor

 

[TerriP]

Happens on particularly busy roads or divided roads. Say you're at a stop light and you want to turn left onto the cross road. Instead of turning left, you proceed through the light and turn left at a turnaround immediately after the light--stopping and waiting for oncoming traffic to clear and then go back to the light you just came through and turn right. Does that make sense? I wish I could draw a picture on here!

Makes perfect sense...but I didn't know that was unique to us. Other places don't do that?

See, I've lived here so long I don't even know what's "normal" and "not normal" outside of Michigan!! <lol>

 

[720L]

About the "Michigan left" thing.....my DH and I were just talking about this and he says there is no such thing as a "Michigan turn"....I said yes that is what people call it--he says thats the dumbest thing he's heard why would it be called that? Well now I can send him this thread to prove I was right!!! Thanks!!! But does anybody know if those turns are only in Michigan? I haven't paid attention when I'm out of state.

 

[KLAIT]

chipmunkfan---As a Yooper, I wish we could bundle a few feet of the white stuff and send it to you! No, seriously, the UP is one of the most beautiful places to be...

 

[wdwcindy]

You didn't know there were 5 seasons to the year?

Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
& Hunting

I always thought the season were winter and 3 months of bad snowmobiling? At least that is what my brother says.

Born and raised in Michigan but really dislike the cold winters.

I used to work in the Crowne Pointe building right across the street from the Bread Basket Deli and loved the B&B salad for lunch.

wdwcindy

 

[mommaU4]

I am living my dream through this thread! I would love to move to the UP of Michigan. I spend my winter nights watching the weather channel and envying all those who are from this area. I love snow....maybe someday I will be your neighbor

Okay please don't take offense at this because I mean it in the nicest way possible, but..........ARE YOU NUTS????!!!
Please tell me what it is that you love about snow. You must mean just the playing in it part right? I refuse to drive in it. It scares me.
Like I said... Los Angeles rush hour traffic? No problem. Snow and ice? No way. I saw someone spin out last year and it scared me so bad I was shaking and crying and it wasn't even us that spun out!!

 

[mommaU4]

chipmunkfan---As a Yooper, I wish we could bundle a few feet of the white stuff and send it to you! No, seriously, the UP is one of the most beautiful places to be...

We played tourists this summer with my in-laws who were here from CA. We went to Mackinaw Island and also climbed Castle Rock. We stopped at the Call of the Wild too. DH and I have done the Mystery Spot before but not this time. I think the in-laws had fun.

Do you ever feel isolated living up there in the UP though? Just curious.

 

[720L]

I went to Lake Gogebic (spelling?) once for a family vacation when I was a teenager. It was the MOST BORING vacation ever. There was no place to shop, nothing to do but fish. And the drive up there......never again.

 

[NMAmy]

About the "Michigan left" thing.....my DH and I were just talking about this and he says there is no such thing as a "Michigan turn"....I said yes that is what people call it--he says thats the dumbest thing he's heard why would it be called that? Well now I can send him this thread to prove I was right!!! Thanks!!! But does anybody know if those turns are only in Michigan? I haven't paid attention when I'm out of state.

Well, I don't remember seeing them anywhere else. DH freaked out when we moved here--he's British and thinks we ought to replace all these Michigan lefts with roundabouts.

 

[DisneyPhD]

About the "Michigan left" thing.....my DH and I were just talking about this and he says there is no such thing as a "Michigan turn"....I said yes that is what people call it--he says thats the dumbest thing he's heard why would it be called that? Well now I can send him this thread to prove I was right!!! Thanks!!! But does anybody know if those turns are only in Michigan? I haven't paid attention when I'm out of state.

Actually I have seen them in parts of FLA. We thought it was pretty funny seeing as all the old folks in Michigan retire to FLA.

 

[KLAIT]

mommaU4

Personally, I don't feel all that isolated as we make sure we "head out of town" often. My Parents live in the Chicago area, plus there are a lot of other trips we take...

That being said, we own a cottage on the shore of Lake Superior and it is probably my favorite place in the world. It is located on a stretch where it is all private property and there are never too many people around...our dogs can run free all day and night and you don't have to worry about them..love it

When I graduated from college (MTU) I had big plans to move as far away from the UP as I could get and get back into the "City Life".....however, married a local who really didn't want to leave...I was lucky and was able to snag a good job and through the years I see why he loves it so much.

I think you can also take the isolation as a good thing to a degree...I feel my kids are still in a pretty safe environment...not exposed to as many things as I was in the bigger cities. I also think that being here without a lot of "things to do" helps you to slow down in this crazy life and take the time to smell the roses....

NOW, Ask me again when official winter blows in and I am the one driving in the white out blizzard with snowbanks higher than the roof of my SUV....might tell you something different on those days

 

[mommaU4]

When I graduated from college (MTU) I had big plans to move as far away from the UP as I could get and get back into the "City Life".....however, married a local who really didn't want to leave...I was lucky and was able to snag a good job and through the years I see why he loves it so much.

I think you can also take the isolation as a good thing to a degree...I feel my kids are still in a pretty safe environment...not exposed to as many things as I was in the bigger cities. I also think that being here without a lot of "things to do" helps you to slow down in this crazy life and take the time to smell the roses....

That's cool.
So have you lived in MI all your life? Or most of it?
I think that makes a big difference compared to someone who's new to the slower way of life and the changing seasons.

 

[KLAIT]

mommaU4

No, not most of my life....less than half...I guess I am younger than I sound...

Only been here for 11 years...the first 18 were in the Chicago area...although Chicago is a lot different than California life...Have family in San Francisco and Santa Maria that we visit every few years and even being used to Chicago, California is a different story all together. Although we truly do enjoy visiting.

 

[DisneyPhD]

That's cool.
So have you lived in MI all your life? Or most of it?
I think that makes a big difference compared to someone who's new to the slower way of life and the changing seasons.

As kind of stated before living in Michigan can be very different depending on where in MI. Southeast MI is very different then the rest of the state. Southwest if also it's own feel. More beatiful then southeast, but more popluated then northern MI. UP is an whole nother life. (very beatuiful, but LOTS of snow and much more isolated. I had a college roommate (while at Western MI U) who was born and rasied in Houghton Handcock. Her life growing up was VERY different then mine in Metro Detroit.


Some things are universal though!

 

[mommaU4]

As kind of stated before living in Michigan can be very different depending on where in MI. Southeast MI is very different then the rest of the state. Southwest if also it's own feel. More beatiful then southeast, but more popluated then northern MI. UP is an whole nother life. (very beatuiful, but LOTS of snow and much more isolated. I had a college roommate (while at Western MI U) who was born and rasied in Houghton Handcock. Her life growing up was VERY different then mine in Metro Detroit.


Some things are universal though!

True.