I guess Thursday was quite a weather day back home in the Copper Country. Did you see the time lapse of the lift bridge? I'd rather have snow than ice, any day.

Wah, do they have the silos here. I always thought of Chicago, big city, tall buildings when I think of Illinois, but the state seems to be mostly farm land (much like Iowa was). You know, I'm only 6 or 7 hours away from Upper Michigan - - I'm tempted to go back home for Easter weekend. I been on the road for 40 days now, and could really go for a sauna out in the shed and a good pasty.
Goodnight from Illinois and good morning from da U.P. trip notes

Toivo...enjoy your time out of here. It took an hour to chip the ice off my car yesterday. I got in, rolled down my driver's window, and it looked like there was still a window. Punched that out, and continued around the car. Hadda be 1/4" thick on the old beater. Holy wha man. I'd rather snow too. (saying that while biting my tongue)....

Happy Easter Toivo..Love your trip..it's the only one I'll be going on! Keep up the great notes.

Welcome to Illinois Toivo! Yes we have plenty of corn and bean fields! And you are oh so correct in stating that you are only a few short hours from the UP. From here in central Illinois it takes me about 8 hours to get to Houghton. Hope to make that trip this summer!
Happy Easter all!

Carol in Champaign: Just out of curiosity, how do you make it from Champaign to Houghton in 8 hours? I'm in suburban Chicago, and it takes us a hair under 9 hours, and we're much farther north than you are. Must be doing something wrong!

Can usually make the Keweenaw in 9-1/2 hours from Bristol, Indiana. Just have to watch what time one goes thru the downtown area of Chicago. Happy Traveling all and a wonderfull Easter Holiday!

It would take us 24 hr straight trip to get to Houghton from Tulsa but we did it most every summer. My dad wouldn't dare stop to sleep. Hope your spring weather comes back soon. We're having gorgeous weather here! I really enjoy the pastycam each day. Great pictures.

Hi Toivo.....We miss you.....please note the WELCOME sign in Houghton will be dusted off and we will leave the lights on for you. Have a safe trip home.

A few days ago, someone asked for pictures of Jacob's Falls. Check out John Dee's Journal for April 17th. John, Nora, Burt and Baileys toured a few of the area falls including Eagle Harbor and Jacob's. Here's a link to John's website: johndee.com Once you get to his site, click on "Journal" on the left side. While reading his journal you just click on the description of each picture and it'll take you to the picture! Enjoy!

It takes me about 7 hours driving time from Gurnee ( Don't know what it would be doing the speed limit)to Mohawk.

Mary, I am the one who requested a picture of Jacob Falls. Read Johns latest journal early this morning and made the falls my screensaver. These falls have a special meaning to me as my grandparents had a camp near there. As a child my grandfather and I would walk to the falls and then stop at Dowds(now the Jampot) for ice cream or a bag of Red Dot chips and visit with the owners.

Welcome to IL Toivo! Enjoy your brief stay here!I don't blame ya for wanting to get back to the UP tho! Such a beautiful area! Can't wait until we go up there on vacation this fall and also when the day comes we retire up there!!
Best wishes and Happy Easter to all!
Renee from IL

PS: By the way.....It takes us about 8 hours from Chicago to Eagle River, WI. I would be curious how some of you make it up to Houghton so fast? What route do you take?? And, how fast do ya drive? ;-)
-Renee

From Lee's Summit, Missouri to Hancock, 850 miles, about 14 hours. I drive it twice a year. Can't wait to get to the UP.

dm from Gurnee, Ill.
I used to live in Waukegan (next door) and it took about 7 to 8 hours to Calumet. Carol in Champagne, Ill, 8 hours? Hard to believe.

Apple Valley, MN to Hancock: 6 hours and 5 minutes with light traffic and one gas stop in Hurley, WI. I35 to US 70 to Grantsburg, WI and up. The cutoff to Grantsburg instead of I35 to Superior, WI saves about 30 miles. I wish the Keweenaw was closer but still it makes a nice weekend trip.

In defense of Carol:

With absolutely perfect WINTER road conditions, pulling a trailer and very limited stops (gas and washroom only), I can make it from the far western suburbs of Illinois to Eagle River, MI in about 7 hours and 20 minutes. I stay west of major metropolitan areas of Chicago and Milwaukee by heading up through Rockford, Madison, Wausau, etc. Out of curiosity, I plugged in Carol's trip from Champaign to Houghton into Streets & Trips 2000 (a Microsoft mapping product) and used Interstate traveling speeds of 75 MPH (no lectures please!) and major U.S. Highway speeds of 65 MPH and it returned a travel time of 8 hours and 15 minutes. Carol's trip would be entirely on Interstate Highways from Champaign to nearly Rhinelander, WI. Doesn't seem too difficult to do.

1,700 miles or so from Lakeland Fla., with 2 labradors, 2 cats, 1 rabbit and my 74 year old father, who can't hear in his left ear. (makes drive-thrus interesting). We usually stop somewhere in Tennessee the 1st night, then in Green Bay at AmericaInn on the north side of town the 2nd. When we get to the house on the big pond, I get to open her up for the season and vacumn up all the dead flies that took "shelter" over the winter. (very little mouse activity fortunately). However, it's worth the gorgeouse sunrises over Pequaming every morning. Love it.

How come I always end up driving through Atlanta and Chicago? YUK, eh?

Hauling the Jeep up this year too!

Best I ever did, 8.5 hrs, South West suburbs to Ahmeek, thru Milw, GB, and Iron Mt. Half the trip is two lane.

Used to make the trip from Schaumburg, IL. to Hancock 2-3 times a year before I moved there to live for 5 years (now in Az). The trick is to leave Chicago area around 8-9 PM. and you can make it in 8 hours flat to Hancock. Just "watch" all the sets of eyes as you drive U.P.

- P.S. - For the love of GOD, don't speed through Marinette County, Wisconsin. Their cops have no SENSE of humor even if it is 4 AM and you were doin' 104. :)

When we leave from home here in Cedar Rapids, Ia., it takes us about 10 hrs. and that's including the hour we gain from going central time to eastern time and at least one stop. Is the time change including in these other record time trips?

That is from leaving Cedar Rapids, Ia. to Copper Harbor, Mi. forgot to make mention of our destination.

I usually make the trip in 7 1/2 to 8 hours, at most one maybe 2 stops. Straight up I94 to Milwaukee then I43 up to Green Bay, then 141 up to Iron Mountain through Crystal Falls to Covington, then short trip on M-28 to US41. Then its around 45 minutes to Houghton. I run about 5 over the speed limit. And as the warning above, watch out in Marinette County, got pulled over once just outside Crivitz returning to Chicago, the back window on my Ford Bronco was full of snow, he gave a warning for that and said I was also speeding, 58 in a 55, but the warning was because of the snow. Told him it was clean when I left the UP, but was a nice lake effect snowstorm going on. He didn't really care. So had to clean the window to make him happy.

I also travel from the western suburbs of Chicago to the Keweenaw. The trip to Houghton takes roughly 7 1/2 to 8 hrs depending on traffic. My route takes I-94 to Milwaukee, then I-43 to Green Bay, then US-141 to Iron Mountain and beyond, then US-41 to Houghton. I usually do not exceed 70mph on the interstate, and stick pretty close to 60 on the 2 lane. These times do not consider time changes, and the only stop is for gas near Green Bay. Thanks Mary for the link to John Dee's website. I enjoyed the pictures of Hungarian falls, etc.

Just checking, Rick? Did you find this website? Hope so!

Your welcome Steve, IL aka Yooperfan! John always has nice pictures in his journal. He doesn't do a jounal daily, but I check his site everyday, just as I do pasty.com AND I'm a Yooper living right here in the U.P.!

Hi Pegg,when are you going up to your place. I know you can't wait.
HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!

Detroit to Hancock........2 hrs and 15 minutes...since I saved my money for 20 years and bought a small airplane....Shortest car trip 7 1/2 hrs breaking every speed limit from Tech home. Longest trip 44 hrs with an overnight with about 500 other people on 117 during a huge blizzard. You never know..........This year 2 hrs and 15 minutes with no turns, no lights, and no stops in the Mooney.....Can't wait for summer. Lots of weekends this year.

Forgot the picture. We married on that stretch of beach at McClain 26 years ago this Sept. She won't leave so I guess it took.

San Fran to Houghton (eight hours door to door Northwest Airlines)

Winston-Salem, North Carolina to Houghton two ten hours days of driving.

Twin Falls, Idaho to Houghton three ten hour days of driving, stop in Montana, then in North Dakota.

Dothan, Alabama, three ten hour day one stop in Louisville, then in Traverse City to visit my Brother...

Wouldn't it be easier if I just moved there!?!?!

Ellsworth to Lake Linden before children 6 1/2 hours. After children 8 hours, faster if the kids are sleeping when we go by the fast food joints with the playlands.

My record was back about 1970, Calumet to Waukegan, Ill. 6 hrs. flat, but I was a 20 year old kid, full of zip back then. Not a heavy foot like that now.

1968 in a 67 Plymouth with a 26 gallon tank.
Tech to Exit 5 on the Ohio Turnpike (Toledo)
8 hrs flat.....UP 85 - 90 LP (I-75) 105 plus
Never again.................

Holland/Grand Rapids to Ontonagon: 9 hours usually, sometimes 10 (with 2 small kids). And I'm in the same state! It doesn't seem fair, somehow...

We made it from carbondale colo to calumet in 26 1/2 hrs in 1957 with a 56 chev

Steve in Illinois you mapped my route just right. I do miss all the big cities going up I39 to Rhinelander but I might have been off a little as I don't usually drive 75. Maybe it took my 9 hours? It's been so long I hope I can take the trip this summer and figure out that time. Oh just a thought Houghton is an hour ahead of us in time wise if that matters too.

Escanaba to Bootjack....3hrs 30 min....3hrs if I don't shop at Younkers in Marquette. The advice about Wisconsin cops is very good....my dad was a retired Kenosha cop (was in charge of squads) living back home in Lake Linden. He had a "heavy foot"and on one trip back to visit Kenosha he was stopped 3 times in Wisconsin.....he was excused untill he reached Kenosha county!! My Auntie Mary Louise Gagnon was saying her Rosary in the back seat. We sure teased him!!!!

My husband and I can make it door to door from Rockford to Eagle Harbor in approx 7 1/2 hours. We follow Steve's route and found the secret that if we leave around 3 am there isn't any traffic in Madison. Now that it a four lane highway to almost Rhinelander it is easy to make good time. Cant' wait for August and my vacation to the Keweenaw!Glad to have you visit Illinois Toivo and a safe trip home.

Can anyone give me hints to Gulf Shores Alabama...missing the big cities????...I am okay till the Illinois border....I am a great UP driver but cities are a problem......I know I must either hit Nashville or Memphis and wonder which way is the best and if there is a way to avoid either?? This will be my first solo trip.....I am a great passenger...but know I must venture forth or stay home a lot..I could fly but am planning to stay 3 months so would like my car......Thanks

MTU (from married student housing via Dodgewille and four corners to Painsdale) to Ironwood in a '69 VW Beetle in one hour, 45 minutes. That little car could really go! I am a little more cautious these days.

Great picturess of Bond Falls, Z Man!
Does anyone have any pictures of Haypress Dam on the Peshekee? We'd love to see it from someone else's prospective.
There is no other place like the U.P!

Downtown Covington to downtown Detroit(5 mi.rd)in 8 hours in a '69 Camaro SS(new)! I woke up from a nap started in Seney to the rumble of this muscle car's motor in heavy traffic in Detroit--seemed like I just went to sleep. I guess we flew! I just could not believe we were there so quick.

Just saw your message J. Great sight! And nice pic of the river.

Illinois (just outside of St Louis, MO) to Calumet in 11-12 hours. Can't wait to get back home!

In my "youth" I made it one trip from Waukegan, IL to Central, MI in 6 hours flat (one way). That trip included going thru Milwaukee and Green Bay. I stopped once for gas and a quick bathroom break.

On the way back to Illinois, I got a $75 ticket outside of Amasa, MI for speeding. I still made it back in 6.25 hours!

Would I ever do that again? Heck No! But, this is what makes good stories in your "old age."