Geographically, Where Does "Up North" Begin?

I need to know for my Instagram account.. thanks...

The big hill north of Clare.

The Welcome Center outside of Clare on 127.

Jake from State Farm wrote:The big hill north of Clare.

so if I'm enjoying the windswept beaches of west Michigan with my photogenic and very non-threatening family and our golden retriever.. the sultry sounds of John Mayer streaming from my iPod.. preppping for a crackling bonfire in the gorgeous gloam of early evening.. if I'm not past the "big hill north of Clare", it doesn't count as "Up North" for the purposes of Instagram?

Pinnconning

Robert J Sakimano wrote:I need to know for my Instagram account.. thanks...

It's a state of mind.

But geographically I say M-55.

But any of these definitions are close.....

Is Up North a state of mind or an actual place? That is the question!!!

55 is good, but I don't think of West Branch as up north. I say 55 to HL, north to 72, and then east.

Anything north of Ft. Lauderdale.

Generally accepted to be the 45th parallel sign on I-75 near Gaylord



Personally, I don't feel really up north until spotting the Mackinaw Bridge stanchions

Robert J Sakimano wrote:
so if I'm enjoying the windswept beaches of west Michigan with my photogenic and very non-threatening family and our golden retriever.. the sultry sounds of John Mayer streaming from my iPod.. preppping for a crackling bonfire in the gorgeous gloam of early evening..    if I'm not past the "big hill north of Clare", it doesn't count as "Up North" for the purposes of Instagram?

I suppose anywhere north of a line from Whitehall to the big hill would qualify. But if you're burning tree chunks south of there along said windswept beaches it doesn't really qualify as up north. It doesn't qualify as out west either. Maybe just gitchigumi area?

All good defs, but it also depends on where you grew up. Growing up in Manistee Clare is like equator south to me. Now living in metro detroit I feel like I'm getting "up north" when I pass the Clare rest area.

we should probably come up with an Up North legend on the Michigan map... so we can more easily define our individual experience on Instagram and Facebook..

for instance, Kyle and Katie might spend the weekend in Traverse City with their very good friends from college. That might equal 2 bonfires or one set of wooden water ski art on the wall..

then, Tyler and Madison might spend the exact same weekend at, say, Charlevoix with friends from the country club. In their mind, Kyle and Katie's 2 bonfire weekend (or one set of wooden water ski art on the wall weekend) might pale in comparison to their experience that, say, can be more easily defined as one sail into the Lake Michigan sunset compounded by 2 wine tasting excursions..

I'm just wanting to make sure that my followers on Facebook and Instagram get an accurate representation of how good my life is..

Robert J Sakimano wrote:we should probably come up with an Up North legend on the Michigan map... so we can more easily define our individual experience on Instagram and Facebook..

for instance, Kyle and Katie might spend the weekend in Traverse City with their very good friends from college. That might equal 2 bonfires or one set of wooden water ski art on the wall..

then, Tyler and Madison might spend the exact same weekend at, say, Charlevoix with friends from the country club. In their mind, Kyle and Katie's 2 bonfire weekend (or one set of wooden water ski art on the wall weekend) might pale in comparison to their experience that, say, can be more easily defined as one sail into the Lake Michigan sunset compounded by 2 wine tasting excursions..

I'm just wanting to make sure that my followers on Facebook and Instagram get an accurate representation of how good my life is..

Madison sounds hot.

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

Madison sounds hot.

you might like him.. he and Tyler also enjoy Saugatuck a lot.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:
you might like him.. he and Tyler also enjoy Saugatuck a lot.

Jesus, anybody on the "A" list knows Saugatuck is only "up north" for Chicago money.

It's got to suck working in an office for the man.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:
you might like him.. he and Tyler also enjoy Saugatuck a lot.

I'll bring the wine, but that is definitely not an up north experience.

DWags wrote:All good defs, but it also depends on where you grew up.  Growing up in Manistee Clare is like equator south to me.  Now living in metro detroit I feel like I'm getting "up north" when I pass the Clare rest area.  

Ummm- Isnt Clare basically due east from Manistee?

I would vote for M-55 as the unofficial point of Up NOrth

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

I'll bring the wine, but that is definitely not an up north experience.

guess it depends on which way your compass points..   

Robert J Sakimano wrote:
guess it depends on which way your compass points..   

You'll have to ask Minnie but I do believe some have a preference between compasses that point True North or Magnetic North.

By-Tor wrote:

Ummm- Isnt Clare  basically due east from Manistee?

I would vote for M-55 as the unofficial point of Up NOrth

Em, M55 is due east from Manistee. Which brings you to Cadillac. Which is actually a bit south of Manistee as the crow flies I believe. Then keep going to Roscommon which is a bit north of Manistee as the crow flies. and then I'd guess West Branch which is about as close to the lines of latitude as you can get to Manistee.

But I'm guessing as the crow flies Clare is 35-40 miles south of Manistee. Still, it seemed forever when we were playing them in football. Especiallydown 115.

Giant Moose wrote:
You'll have to ask Minnie but I do believe some have a preference between compasses that point True North or Magnetic North.

good idea.. I'll friend her on Facebook.

By-Tor wrote:

Ummm- Isnt Clare  basically due east from Manistee?

I would vote for M-55 as the unofficial point of Up NOrth

55 is Manistee, Cadillac, West Branch, and Tawas City from LM to LH. Clare is a bit south. I would not toss in West Branch or Tawas city as up north, but oddly enough would include Caddilac.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:
you might like him.. he and Tyler also enjoy Saugatuck a lot.

I'm heading to Saugatuck this weekend for golf - I'll tell Madison & Tyler that Bobby Sak say "hey"

Wally Fairway wrote:
I'm heading to Saugatuck this weekend for golf - I'll tell Madison & Tyler that Bobby Sak say "hey"

cool - have fun.. they're nice kids.

Wait a minute. This thread is sarcastic, isn't it?! What's next Bob? Are going to also start a sarcastic thread about other message board favorites like "which dorm did you live in?" Or maybe the FB/Instagram past time of food pictures?

St. Joe is definitely up north!

Signed,

Morans

dubie7006 wrote:St. Joe is definitely up north!

Signed,

Morans

It seems the "up north" feel is all along the west coast of Michigan. When I'm in Muskegon area I definitely feel like I'm in northern Michigan.
Its a matter of getting away.

Jethro Bodeen wrote:

It seems the "up north" feel is all along the west coast of Michigan. When I'm in Muskegon area I definitely feel like I'm in northern Michigan.
Its a matter of getting away.  

Getting away is fine but that's not up north. One of my friends has a cottage in St. Joe and tells me he's going up north every summer. I want to slap him.

Turtleneck wrote:

55 is Manistee, Cadillac, West Branch, and Tawas City from LM to LH. Clare is a bit south. I would not toss in West Branch or Tawas city as up north, but oddly enough would include Caddilac.

Tawas is definitely up north

Nothing south of Oscoda on the east side.

at what point, geographically, will my neighbors and friends online be envious of my travels?

I guess that's my real motivation..

Robert J Sakimano wrote:at what point, geographically, will my neighbors and friends online be envious of my travels?
I guess that's my real motivation..

I think your neighbors will be happy once you're north of DeWitt.

Hasn't the definition of up north changed over time? I live on Lake in Livingston County and I know my house was built as cottage up north to a businessman from Detroit 100 years ago

Robert J Sakimano wrote:at what point, geographically, will my neighbors and friends online be envious of my travels?

I guess that's my real motivation..

I'm guessing nobody will ever be envious of anything Bob or any poon blanch scores.

But let us know when you hit Escanaba. You never know.

I always felt like the Zilwaukee Bridge was the gateway to the north.

Chief Sparty wrote:

I always felt like the Zilwaukee Bridge was the gateway to the north.

Maybe if you're from Tennessee

LooseGoose wrote:

I think your neighbors will be happy once you're north of DeWitt.

  

I always get a kick out of the right wing nut political signs the farther north I get out of East Lansing on my bike.. DeWitt seems rather open-minded compared to some of the other more rural Michigan-like areas.. some of the best are up past Laingsburg going toward Owosso...

going west, Grand Ledge is always fun.. and then toward Portland and Ionia. Yikes.

I bet they don't enjoy sun-soaked days on Lake Michigan.. with LL Bean dog beds for their golden labs.