Pleasant Peninsula with O.W. Root

You know what's terrible? Not being able to enjoy a July Up North (or any part of Michigan for that matter) because of wildfire smoke from Canada. Adding insult to lung injury, the gaslighting by those who tell us it was always this way. Plus, a tragedy unfolding in real time on the state's most beautiful road - the Tunnel of Trees.

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The future is here! There have never been more innovative ways to stay cool in the summer. From splash pads to inflatables that spray kids in all directions, it's the golden age of hydration. But it wasn't always that way. Plus, O.W. visits a real bat cave with an estimated one million of the creatures living under your feet!

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How hot is it Up North right now? People are using their air conditioning. It's almost unheard of, actually. This is the first summer in years O.W. has had to give in to A/C, and what sweet relief it is. Plus, the latest sunset in entire eastern timezone happens in Michigan. But, as you may have guessed, it's kind of a hike.

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Welcome to summer! Time to take a road trip to the beach. Wait, why is the road closed? It's also construction season. And no one does it quite like Michigan, and there's proof. Plus, sometimes restaurants are hidden gems, and then there's the Weathervane in Charlevoix. It's location is perfect, and fortunately, so is the food.

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Do you have a backyard? How about young kids? Are you constantly picking up their toys or just running them over with the lawnmower out of frustration? It may not be as hopeless as you think, especially when you consider the alternative. Plus, it’s a place you can go and see dozens of bears in their natural habitat. It’s not a zoo, by any means, and it’s definitely worth the hike to the U.P. for it.

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It takes a lot longer. It’s a throwback. But for some, drying their clothes outside is a quiet luxury. Yet in certain places, it’s actually against the rules. You can guess which ones. Plus, the hidden lesson in the tiny town of Mecosta about cultural renewal. It’s the home of an intellectual giant you may have never heard of, but his life’s work has probably influenced American life for decades.

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Are you one of those who obsess over the perfect lawn? Do you need every blade of grass to be cut the same height? Do you mow more than once a week? Then the front and back yards of Northern Michigan may give you heart palpitations. O.W. let’s it go natural. Plus, did you know they were still skiing up at Boyne Mountain in May? The surreal experience of hitting the slopes in t-shirts and shorts makes for a wild ride!

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It was literally just like the scene from the Seinfeld Episode. O.W. shows up to rent a car with a reservation, but there are no cars. What in the name of Cosmo Kramer is going on with these rental companies? Plus, if you've ever wanted to visit the Hobbit's Shire from Lord of the Rings in real life, the closest place in the U.S. is in Charlevoix. That's where an architect liked to design and build homes, but didn't much care for rules.

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It’s spectacular Up North when the weather finally starts getting warm. But it comes with a price - millions and millions of bugs. This year, O.W. is arming up to fight off these six-legged invaders, chemicals be damned! Plus, two big construction projects in Petoskey have different clientele. One keeps the town going, the other want to turn it into Traverse City.

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What's worse than losing your home in a flood? Some victims in the Cheboygan area are finding out the damage isn't covered by insurance. They needed flood insurance, but were they even eligible to buy it? Plus, a legendary tale of frontier Michigan, the day a man fought a bear. There were no survivors, but the story has endured to this day in Devereaux Lake.

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Follow O.W. Root on X: @necktiesalvage