I have a T-Shirt I bought someplace that says “Up North” on it.  Someone once asked me where “Up North” was, and I basically gave an answer like “anywhere North of where I am now…”.

Being in Traverse City last week, I had a chance to think about it, and I’ve come up with different answers.  Not necessarily better, just different.  Let me know what you think.

• “Up North” is a state of mind.
• A place full of top-down convertible Jeeps full of kids blasting music as they cruise down the main drag.
• Campfires, s’mores, water, beaches, lakes, parks.
• Shopping for t-shirts/sweat shirts to prove you were anywhere but at work.
• A place where the population swells four times in the summers and the locals like it/don’t like it.
• Anyplace you can turn off the world and relax.
• Someplace with “real” souvenirs made anywhere but where you’re at.
• A place with lot’s a art galleries full of (hopefully) local art.  Some good, some not so good.
• A place where you eat way too much good stuff and don’t really care.

I’m going to continue thinking on this for a while and add more when I can.