“Never Leave a Man Behind”
Story Behind the Name
There are things you’re not supposed to do, like leave a member of the crew in Sault Ste. Marie. Sometimes things are out of our control. If you want to know the whole story and you see us in person, ask. We’ll tell you what really happened. We just won’t print it; we don’t really want to embarrass anyone.
Sault Ste. Marie
One of the coolest parts about coming up to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is you get to drive over one of the longest and most beautiful suspension bridges in the world, The Mackinac Bridge. Every time I drive across it, I’m amazed.
The drive into Sault Ste. Marie is pretty cool. You’ll need to do a bridge or two, because you’ve got the incredible Soo Locks on one side and a canal on the other, so the entire city sits on an island. Another cool thing is that the town sits right on the locks, so at any given time you’ll look up and see a giant freighter pulling in. The downtown has beautiful tree-lined streets, and there are tons of great shops and restaurants to choose from.
We ended our day in Sault Ste. Marie with a Twilight Walking Tour (Phone: 906-440-5910). These are wonderful small-group tours that share the music, history and folklore of the area. Our tour guides were Jim Couling and his wife Mary. As we walked through the city park, they sang local folk songs and told fascinating stories about Sault Ste. Marie’s past and present. It was an experience I won’t soon forget.
If you’re looking for a fun and fascinating U.P. adventure, get UP to Sault Ste. Marie soon.
Cheboygan
Cheboygan used to be one of the greatest logging towns of the Midwest. In 1900 over 46 million feet of Michigan lumber shipped out of the harbor there. But now it’s become an awesome place for people who love to live and play by the water. The town is holding onto its history with cool new businesses opening every year. There are interesting shops, cool eateries and the whole atmosphere there really makes you relax.
Looking at some of the artifacts from years gone by made me wish I’d discovered Hack-Ma-Tack a lot sooner. But now that I know how to say it and where it is, I’ll be back for sure. I’ll also be back in Cheboygan real soon. It’s the kind of town that makes you glad you live in the great state of Michigan.