(energetic guitar riff) - [Tom Daldin] On this episode of UTR, we're back in our less populated peninsula with five more reasons why you need to be in the UP.

We'll eat some Moofinfries, I'll explain later, roam around an awesome Inn, and cook our own steaks.

Then we'll get you into kombucha, and even do some copper country curling.

Get ready to explore the cool people, places and things that make Michigan's Upper Peninsula perfect.

(energetic guitar riff) - [Narrator] 14 Clubs.

That's what they tell us a legal golf bag can hold.

And while that leaves a litte room for balls and tees, it doesn't leave room for much else.

There's no room left for deadlines or conference call.

Not a single pocket to hold the stress of the day or the to do list of tomorrow.

Only 14 clubs.

Pick out the right one and drive it right down the middle.

A Pure Michigan.

Your golf trip begins at michigan.org.

- [Narrator] A visit to the Stahls Auto Collection will take you back to a time when cars were more than just a way to get around.

A fantastic assortment of gas pumps, neon signs, and automated music machines dating back 150 years that must be seen and heard.

Info at stahlsauto.com.

- [Tom Daldin] I've been around the world, but there's one place I keep coming back to.

And the more I explore, the more I realize it's the place to be.

I'm Tom Daldin, and this is, "Under The Radar, Michigan."

(energetic rock music) Well, here we go again.

The fellers and I went up and over the mighty Mackinac Bridge and deep into the UP to bring you more cool stuff to see and do, but no need to thank us, it's kinda what we do.

Oh, look.

Rocky outcroppings.

- [Jim] It's completely different.

- That's right, Eric.

We're still saying it.

That's right.

Even in the dead of winter, Michigan's UP is alive with all kinds of fun and fascinating places to eat, stay and play.

Sure, a lot of the features are frozen this time of year, but the warm hearts of the inhabitants will have you wanting to explore more.

For well over a decade now, UTR has been the discovering the UP's great cities, incredible natural sites and its endless variety of awesome eateries, and we don't plan on stopping anytime soon.

So, pull up your Mukluks, don your Stormy Kromer, - and grab your choppers (gloves squeaks) because here comes more UP, UTR style.

(gentle rock music) Now, the first part of our UP adventure took us about 45 minutes west on US2, along the shores of Lake Michigan to the tiny town of Naubinway.

Now, if you're in the UP and you're driving down the road and you see a sign that says, "Moofinfries" and you have no idea what it means, don't worry about it.

Just hope that you're hungry because you're about to have some tasty surf and turf of the casual kind.

Now we're all faced with challenges in life.

Some greater than others.

While Wayne Flatt was a welder who stopped to help a fellow motorist on the highway and his life was changed forever.

But he took on the challenge, changed directions and created a fantastic feast that foodies are finding from far and wide.

But before we sample this establishment's fine bill of fare, time for a one-on-one with Wayne.

Now, Wayne, for anybody at home scratching their heads because I was at first, too, explain the name Moofinfries.

- All right.

Well, Moofinfries is, It's what we do.

Moo is for the ice cream and the burger, - Okay.

- Yup.

Fin is for the fish and then fries, so Moofinfries.

- I got to tell you, the cow and the fish out front, on the sign, they look awful happy for two guys that are featured on the menu.

(laughing) - I mean, How did a guy like you, You used to be a welder, right?

- Yep.

- How did a guy like you end up owning a burger place?

- Well, something I've always wanted to do.

My brother, he's got the beef cows and so what we did is, we got together and we built a restaurant, my wife, my son and I, and pretty much all the family members were involved with it.

- I mean, the community, I'm sure, just rallied around you tremendously.

- Yes.

Yeah.

Well, in the summer we hire, we have 16 kids that work in here.

I want to teach them how to work.

- I don't think you realize how important that is, to have a place like this in the community, where kids can learn the real world.

Learn how to work, how to be future entrepreneurs, how to be responsible.

- [Wayne] Right.

- [Tom Daldin] That means a lot to the community.

- Yeah.

Well, that's what, The community gave a lot back to me - after my accident.

- Yeah.

So it's what I wanted to do.

- Well, what does it mean to you to have your family here and to be doing what you're doing for them and for the community?

- Oh, it, means the world to me.

It's everything I want.

I want for nothing in life.

I, actually I have everything.

I have friends, I have- - You're a very rich man.

- Oh, super rich.

- Yeah.

- Yup.

Yep.

Super rich.

We have a family with love.

- [Tom Daldin] Well, just like you've come to expect on UTR, it wasn't long before we stopped talking and commenced the chewing.

And just like we remembered, the fish was fresh and the beef was bonafide with fries piled high.

He even sent over their colossal, holy cow burger.

Now, whoever said, "Don't eat anything bigger than your head.

", never tried one of these.

So next time you're anywhere near Naubinway, come chow with some of your new best friends at Moofinfries.

The name may be wonderfully wacky, but hard working Wayne would have it no other way.

(lively rock music) So with our hunger tucked safely away, we headed about an hour and a half northwest to a place famous for the incredible Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on Lake Superior, countless beautiful trails and waterfalls and an island so grand that's exactly what they call it.

Munising has always been one of my favorite Michigan towns.

It's got a great historic walkable downtown, it's smack dab in the middle of paradise and it's holding onto its past while it's still moving into a really cool future.

Tom Dolaskie is a dedicated and driven dynamic dude, who is helping make Munising a first class destination with all the amenities amenable to modern Magellan's like me, like great places to stay and eat, all while you explore this awesome area.

Well, one of his latest and greatest is the Roam Inn.

A boutique style hotel that's so cool and creative, you could put it anywhere in the world, but lucky for us, he put it right here in Munising.

Bonus.

- Now don't take this wrong, but I love guys like you.

(chuckles) Seriously.

Because you could live anywhere in the world, but you've decided to stay in Munising and help this community evolve and grow, all while keeping it, I mean, it still has the charm it's always had, but you guys, you figured out a way to improve it and to make this place a destination, which is amazin.

The Roam Inn, it's a world class ambiance atmosphere.

What's the inspiration for the interior?

- It's a local flare.

Like I say, the bird's eye maple tables, these trees were cutting in Alger County, processed in Alger County and finished in Alger County, using stuff within, talking about how unique it is, how unique that, You can't find tables like this anywhere, You have to make them.

The lumber and the side walls was from a friend of mine that cut the trees on his property, and then a friend of his ran them through a mill.

And that just spoke to me from an interior design.

The interior design piece is one of my favorite things to do.

It's my personal touch on all of it.

And using as much local talet and local flare as we could, we had to.

We had to do it that way.

- [Tom Daldin] The rooms here are different?

- [Tom Dolaskie] There's a good solid mix.

I mean, 18 units, family rooms, large lounge rooms.

They've got separate living rooms, separate bedrooms, and then a couple that are smaller, but it's a good mix.

We did the most that we could with the amount of space we had.

- And the restaurant, I mean, it's Tracy's, right?

- Yep.

- Just Tracy's?

And you've just won some awards?

- Yeah.

The Yelp award in 2017 was unexpected.

I remember, I think a friend of mine tagged me in a Facebook post or something.

They're like, "Hey, Tom, did you see this?"

And we have no clue.

And that's the cool part about it, is we didn't push out to achieve that.

I was surprised to find out we were named the best new restaurant in Michigan by Yelp voters, which was, It's user generated validation.

- Which is the best.

- Yeah.

When a collection of customes across the state say, "That one was the best one", that was an extreme surprise.

- But thanks to you, now it's even more of a destination.

I want to come here even more.

And now I want to come here and stay here.

Is that possible?

- It is.

- You can make that happen?

- Yeah.

I know a guy.

- You know a guy who knows a guy.

- I know a guy named Tom.

- Hey, so do I.

(laughs) Well, with all that being said, we dined at Tracy's.

Amazing.

Enjoyed the Inn's many amenities, and slept in sumptuous style.

Honestly, when you're traveling, where you stay can be a big part of the fun and adventure.

And this is a comfortable and creative place that made ours truly special.

Next time you're roaming across the UP, stay a few nights at the Roam Inn in Munising.

Your pleasure center will thank you for it.

The next morning we enjoyed a hearty breakfast at Earl E. Byrds, then continued our adventure west, and you know us, after about 15 minutes, we decided to stop for a light lunch in Christmas, Michigan.

Light, as in light up the grill fellers, we're about to have us a mess of savory steaks.

Well, you guessed it.

We're about to pull into Foggy's Steakhouse on M-28, where you can select your own steak and sizzle it yourself.

Yep.

If you're looking to break garlic bread and rub elbows with yon Yoopers, this is the ultimate place to do it.

It's casual, comfortable, and full of both the character and characters you'd expect to see in the UP.

Real and really friendly.

Now, to help me barbecue some beef and find out how the name Foggy's came to fruition, I gathered at the grill with Sean and Chad St amour.

I got to be honest, fellers, I was a little nervous when I found out we're coming here because, I mean, the guys at the shop where I take my car, already have my man card.

(chuckles) When it comes to grilling, my wife always say, "Why don't you go out and grill something?".

I'm like, "Look who you're talking to."

I mean, I suck at grilling, terrible at it, so I'm going to rely on you guys.

- We'll help you along the way.

It is a little intimidating.

Some people, like you just said, you're not that comfortable here.

That's where our chef comes in and- - When you come to Foggy's, you can either have your steak cooked for you or you can do it yourself.

- Yeah.

Or you can step up to- - To be a man, right?

(laughing) - Yeah.

Give it a go.

Try your best.

A lot of people like that, they're intrigued by it.

And some other people are like, "Hey, we're at a restaurant, let's let them do the work."

- Well, real quick.

We've heard about this place for years.

Where'd the name Foggy's come from?

- That was my dad's nickname.

He got that back in the late '70s.

And when he opened this up in 82, 1982 was when him and my mother opened this and he's like, "I just have to go with it."

It was one of those things.

"I'm going to run with it."

- So the grill's fired up.

So you just throw it?

- Well, it's up to you, depending on how you like to season it.

Typically, if we were cooking it for you, we would start out with a little of our garlic butter, - Please.

- Seasonings.

This is just black ground pepper.

- Oh.

I'm a pepper freak.

- Garlic powder.

And this is just a Montreal steak blend that we do.

- [Tom Daldin] Where on the grill do I put it?

- So a steak that large, you definitely want to go a little bit slower.

So I would, Typically, I woud start on the edge of the, Yep.

- Well, again, this place is an institution, but what does it mean to you guys?

To carry on the family tradition and to be part of the community like this?

- Yeah.

It means a lot.

- Well, yep.

- I mean, we grew up in this place.

I mean, we were brought up very young, family business.

It's in our blood.

- You guys get tons of people in here.

You get snowmobilers.

In summer, you get boaters and hikers and- - [Chad] Very seasonal.

We see all of it.

Yep.

- You can't smell this at home, but if you guys would actually, Does this vent go out onto the street?

- It does.

- It should.

- It probably smells very nice outside.

- When we fire this up and you're just outside and anywhere in the vicinity of this building, you can smell steak.

- [Chad] You can also get coyotes and- (everyone laughing) - Had a couple of black bear a time or two around the area.

- This is my protein for the day.

This is enough protein for the winter.

(laughing) Oh, my gosh.

Well in no time at all, I think I actually almost kind of, sort of got the hang of it, and thanks to my coaching staff, my medium rare masterpiece was ready for my mouth.

Heck Sean and Chad even joind our little protein party.

Mm.

Steak.

So if you're looking to be an active participant in the preparation of your next meal, be your own grill master at Foggy's Steakhouse.

Or if you're just looking for a comfortable place to take the family, watch a game, hear some live music or just hang out with some friendly Yoopers, Foggy's will get you there, too.

(gentle guitar music) Well, speaking of driving, it's time for us to move on.

So, Jim, Mush.

- [Jim] What?

- [Tom Daldin] Next, we drove about 45 minutes due west to one of UTR's favorite towns, Marquette, home of Northern Michigan University, a cool historic walkable downtown and a beautiful natural harbor, right on the shores of Lake Superior.

It's also home to a creative young guy, who's delving into the microcosmos to make beverages that are as much fun to drink as they are good for you.

That's right.

At Superior Culture, Alex Rowland brews the ancient and mysterious elixir known as kombucha.

And you're about to find out why you need to find out abot it or something like that.

Okay, Alex.

For people who aren't as enlightened and hip as we ar, well, let me reword that, for people who aren't as enlightened, as hip as you are, tell me what kombucha really is.

Because I say kombucha to people, they're like, "What?"

So what is it?

- So kombucha is a fermented tea.

So basically what we're starting with is a base of tea and sugar, then we're adding that to a live culture of bacteria and yeast.

Yeast, turning sugars into alcohol, while at the same time, bacteria turning alcohol into acids.

So what you're left with is something that's minimally alcoholic, relatively acidic, kind of sour, full of living bacteri.

So probiotic.

Good for the gut.

- Kombucha, actually it's centuries old, right?

- It is.

The origins are somewhat mysterious, but it probably goes back to Asian times of some tea sitting on a window sill somewhere.

- That went bad and they drank and said, "Hey, my gut feels better."

- Yeah.

"Maybe this is kind of good."

- Yeah.

Because I mean, a lot of people misunderstand bacteria in general.

There's bacteria that's really good for you, and that's necessary for healthy innards, correct?

- Correct.

- And that's what kombucha has.

- And that's what we're trying to promote.

So you can get it from yogurt.

You can get it from fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi.

You can also get it from beverages.

And that's what the majority of what we make is.

- A lot of people, you say kombucha, and if they even know what it is, they'll say, "Isn't that that vinegar water?"

But the flavors that you came up with are pretty cool.

I mean, what am I drinking here?

What is this?

- That's the orange juniper.

So we're in the midst of citrus season, so we like to do a lot of stuff with oranges, tangerines, - This is awesome.

- grape fruit.

- It's not too sweet, it's real fruit flavor, it's got a little bit of fizz to it, I'm trying to burp on camera, but this is really, really good.

And it's the space you've created here is very cool.

It's someplace people can come see live music, hang ou, you got a roaring fire on the TV over there.

(laughing) I love that.

But yeah.

I mean, it's unusual and yet it's comfortable.

It's like I was meant to be here.

How long have you had this place?

- So we've been running the business since 2016, roughly, started selling in 17.

But we've been in this building since may of 2017 and we opened the tapper in the fall of 2018.

I had high aspirations of opening right off the get go when I moved in here in may of 17, but didn't realize the lengty process that it would take to actually get a retail storefront opened.

- Well, for people who haven't tried, if you haven't tried kombuch, am I saying it right?

- Oh yeah.

Nailing it.

- See, sometimes I do things right.

Anyway, if you haven't tried it yet, Yeah.

I mean you to some people, they make a face or they don't know what it is or they never had it before.

This is really good stuff.

And like you said, if it's good for you, bonus.

Well, we came, we and our beverages chilled and we discovered why kombuca is a healthy way to have fun while still hydrating.

And superior culture is the kind of place that'll make you cooler just by inhabiting it.

So come taste Alex's next new concoction.

And while you're at it, meander Marquette for a day or three.

It's one of the greatest places in the UP you can be.

Well, it was time to work off some of the copious calories we'd been accumulating during this UP adventure, so we forged our way about two hours northwestward and up Keweenaw Peninsula to the historic town of Calumet.

It's here where we discover that even though the stones are slid, they say, they're thrown.

Wait, what?

That's right.

This is the home of the Copper Country Curling Club, where folks come for fun, recreation, healthy competition, and to celebrate this slippey 16th century Scottish sport.

And to make sure I left no stone, as they say, un-throw, I checked in with club president, Gary La'ssila.

I feel historic, just standing in this building.

I mean, well, how old is the club, to begin with, And then how old is, and what's the history of this building?

- So the club began in the winter of 1993.

We moved into this building.

This will be our 17th year in this building.

So this building, locally, if you know anything about the Copper Country, it was developed due to coppr mining back in the 1800s.

Our understanding is, this building was built in 1885.

And it was built by the CNH mining company, Calumet and Hecla, to manufacture drill bits.

So it was known locally as The Drill Shop forever.

And we still call it The Drill Shop because they made drill bits in this building.

- Well, what's amazing, what you guys at home can't feel right now, is it's zero degrees in here, and I mean, most curling places clubs, they have refrigerated...

But this is natural ice.

It's so cold here, this is natural ice, right?

- All natural.

Most clubs are heated to some degree because they have refrigeration underneath.

We don't have any heat, so we don't need any refrigeration.

So it is actually 16 degrees in right now, not 0.

- Well, it's zero outside.

(laughing) - It's zero.

It is zero outside, you are correct.

- How heavy are the stones?

- 44 pounds.

- 44 pounds.

And are they made of space age polymer?

What are they made out of?

- [Gary] They're made of a certain type of granite, and there's only two quarries in the world where all the curling stones come out of.

- [Tom Daldin] Okay.

And you throw them, even though you're sliding them.

You call it, you're throwing instead of- - [Gary] We call it a throw delivery.

You push them.

- Push them down the ice.

- You throw the stone.

- Okay.

- Yes.

- [Tom Daldin] Because this sport goes back to Scotland, I mean, centuries.

- [Gary] It's over 400 years old.

So if you look at sports, it's up there with golf and, not as old as running, but it's way older than many modern sports.

- You want to show me how you do it up here?

- Okay.

Sure.

- [Tom Daldin] Okay.

Left foot, right hand, stone.

- So I'll get you.

So there are three steps.

So this is a starting position.

Step one, you just slide the rock forward.

Step two, you draw the rock back and lift up your hips, and this foot comes back.

- When do I put my left foot out, then my right foot.

- [Gary] So rock forward, rock back.

When you bring the rock back, then lift up your hips a little bit and then you drive out.

- Okay.

(speaks indistinctly) (gentle light music) If it makes it all the way down there, I'll be- - [Gary] It will make it all the way down.

- [Tom Daldin] It will?

- [Gary] Yes, it will.

- That's pretty straight and true.

- In fact, it's going to hit the back wall.

- No, it's not.

- Yes, it will.

- [Tom Daldin] No, I don't have the strength.

It's going to hit the back wall.

- Listen.

- Darn it.

- Listen.

(gentle light music) (stone bangs) (laughing) (exclaiming) - I win.

I won.

I got all the way to the end.

Do I get something for that?

Oh, my gosh.

Yeah.

It wasn't that bad.

Well, if I can almost do it, anybody can almost do it.

Darn it.

What a blast we had at the Copper Country Curling Club, we made a ton of new friends, I almost learned the game again and I gained an even deeper appreciation for the sport, this awesome town, and for te outstanding people up here.

If you get a chance, come and curl in Calumet.

This is where I have to say, that if you haven't discovered the Houghton, Hancock area yet, these are two amazing cities you really need to explore.

Heck, if you've never been to the Keweenaw Peninsula before you're missing out on one of Michigan's greatest, most historic and funnest places to eat, stay, explore, and play.

So if you haven't been up to the UP in a while, take a respite from being a low plains flat lander.

Get up here and have a blast like we do.

Like I always say, it's our own out west, It's our own big sky country, and it's just more Michigan for you to love.

Bonus.

Okay, Jim.

Mush.

- [Jim] Stop saying that.

- Sorry.

Hey, everybody.

I'm really excited because we have a brand new web series called, "Michigan Road Trip Adventures", where you can see cool people, places and things that you can't even see on the TV sho.

Take a look.

(lively country music) And I have to tell you guys, I know I'm going to sound like your dad because I'm old enough to be your dad, but I am so proud of you guys on what you've done with this brand new location.

- So Trenary Toast is a legendary, twice baked piece of bread with cinnamon on it, that it has been popular in the UP since the late '20s.

- I mean, there's only seven ingredients in the original cinnamon toast.

It last a full year.

So you have a whole year.

There's no preservatives or anything in it.

- But that's what's so special, is young people like you taking these iconic things and carrying them into the future.

And that means a lot to old people like me and Dave.

(laughing) And now you've got a brand new location right downtown in Marquette.

- [Woman] Yeah.

I mean, our main goal is to have people engage with the brand and we want people who don't know what Trenary Toast is and who just walk in off the street to get a coffee or a sandwich, to leave knowing what it is and to understand what it means to the UP, in terms of the history and the importance of the a culture.

- So if you want to see more cool stuff like that, come join us at utrmichigan.com.

That's utrmichigan.com, and pack your bags.

(gentle guitar strum) - [Narrator] 14 Clubs.

That's what they tell us a legal golf bag can hold.

And while that leaves a litte room for balls and tees, it doesn't leave room for much else.

There's no room left for deadlines or conference call.

Not a single pocket to hold the stress of the day or the to do list of tomorrow.

Only 14 clubs.

Pick out the right one and drive it right down the middle.

A Pure Michigan.

Your golf trip begins at michigan.org.

- [Narrator] A visit to the Stahls Auto Collection will take you back to a time when cars were more than just a way to get around.

A fantastic assortment of gas pumps, neon signs, and automated music machines dating back 150 years that must be seen and heard.

Info at stahlsauto.com.

(energetic rock music) (energetic rock music continues) (energetic rock music intensifies) (dramatic theme music)