Living so close to Leelanau County has made you tougher than hard-tack.
Where did I learn to drive like Mario Andretti with a manual transmission?
Where did I learn to do all the forbidden things?
When I was told Blazers were being made again, I replied "Ya, but do they come with the beer, back roads and boys?" Now how would I know those are the 4 requirements to a "real" Blazer?
How do I know when Lake Michigan is warm enough to bath in? And what parts of Grand Traverse Bay are always good for some fishin'?
And how do I know the best spots for Petoskey stones and Leland Blue stones?
Oh, forgot to mention, Leelanau County is my "Home" county...high school and the family base is still there. Our family has been there about 45 years, and we're still not considered "locals"!
And yes, we're a little tougher than down-staters. That was the only place I ever got in a physical fight (defense) with another girl-who-wasn't-my-sister. Boys and sisters were the only ones I was allowed to fight with..but never to start them.
We have special names for the downstaters and tourists. Right now, we have really BAD names for them, as they decided to run away from their down-state homes and bring that damn Rhona with them.
Hard tack? Pffft!