We are finishing our first week in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan before embarking on a week in Utah. Due to costly flights, we are flying out of Chicago and will be making the 6-hour drive south today. Before I go, I wanted to highlight some of the best aspects of our week of vacation.
Owen likes to go to driving ranges and is getting into golf. I took the boys to the George Young Golf Course that is located 6 miles from my house on the shores of Chicagoan Lake, The lake is one of the largest and most popular in southern Iron County. I’ve been going there since I was a child, from the summer afternoon “Beach Bus” run by Iron County Community Schools to camping to visiting friend’s cottages on the lake. The history of the George Young Resort is interesting. George and Margaret Young owned the Chicago Fire Brick Factory and vacationed in Iron County. Margaret’s father was an industrialist and upon their deaths, they donated their 3000-acre estate to the people of Iron County. It was to be developed into affordable year-round recreation. Today there is a gorgeous 18-hole golf course, cross-country ski trails, indoor pool and sauna, fat-tire biking, fishing, etc. It is so nice to have a world-class resort in Iron County. They also have a really good bar and restaurant! I highly recommend it. I supported Oliver, Beau, and Owen by renting clubs and hitting drives.
Nadia, Ocean, and I also completed a DIY project. We rearranged and painted a trophy case. My mother was an outstanding bowler, softball player, and basketball coaching legend. My parents also displayed my cross country running and basketball trophies and medals, my brothers’ trophies in football, kick-boxing, etc Sports were a big deal in my family growing up and it is nice to have a permanent display of our sporting accomplishments. Nadia and I learned we have a long way to go to hone our home improvement skills. We couldn’t close fully the glass doors on the trophy case or door. We don’t know how to adjust the hinges and we decided to wait for my construction-genius brother to come next week to help finish the job.
We would like to renovate our home over the next few years as we are looking to use it in our retirement. We like the quiet, peaceful nature of my home village of Caspian and for me, it oozes with nostalgia and fond memories of my childhood and adolescence. The UP is also great for outdoor recreation which I love. The house is quite dated and really needs some TLC. We hope to keep the Kralovec family spirit and memories while modernizing and making it more comfortable.
Yesterday we traveled to Marquette to meet our property manager and shop at Target. We also watched Top Gun: Maverick. It was a great movie, with everything that you want from the franchise; thrilling flight scenes, pilot rivalries at the Top Gun school, and a heartwarming ending.
I’ve been enjoying cycling the Apple Blossom Trail and the new bike trail between Chicagoan Lake and Caspian. The late sunsets (9:00 PM) allow for more time outdoors. I snapped this photo of the old Caspian Iron Mine shaft head at the Iron County Museum.
Bill's Blog 
I’m right behind you buddy. My favorite place to be every summer!