tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21942314451141828222024-03-05T00:10:55.588-05:00Michigan Shore To ShoreThis is a look at life in Michigan: stories from the places I frequent, live, and visit. It's an archive of trips taken along Michigan's Shore-to-Shore Trail, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Lake Michigan, the AuSable River and the many more places that have grown close to my heart in the 10 years that I have lived here...miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-27710530723107673032019-08-18T10:52:00.000-04:002020-04-13T22:32:42.106-04:00Beaver Islands Archipelago Exploration<h2 style="clear: both;">
<u><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">THE DEPARTURE</span></u></h2>
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We packed down the jet skis, in a Charlevoix boat lunch parking lot, in nearly 95* temperatures. As we looked at the bulk of gear that we had set out for the next week, I could not believe how much could fit onto these machines. We were about to go on an adventure.</div>
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It was Monday afternoon, July 15th, and we had gotten a little bit of a late start in Detroit, arriving at the Charlevoix Municipal Boat Ramp around 3pm. Luckily, we had skirted the storms that were passing through the area on the drive up, our major concern for the day. Our destination, the Beaver Island Archipelago, lay some 30+ miles off the coast. Slight winds out of the South West, were only but encouraging that we were in for a good time - after all, it was what we came for. The next few days were looking ripe windy, with SW 20-25kt days in the forcast. We packed nearly every kite we owned, an 8m, two 12m's, a 15m foil for the light days, and my 7m Wainman Gypsy, in case things got spicy. </div>
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Jontan had built a "cargo rack" on the back of his Sea Doo, by mounting an ATV carrier, and welding posts to mount the kiteboards. It was a breeze. After we had begun loading some of the bulk items onto the vessels, two fellas in a white truck stopped by to inquire what we were up to. Maybe this was not a normal sighting? We told them that we were on a kiteboarding trip, off to explore the potential of the Beaver Island Archipelago. Apparently, we were some kind of attraction to them, with all of our mess lying about, soon to head out somewhere out of the common realm.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Packed up and ready to put in at the Charlevoix Municipal Boat Ramp. </td></tr>
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We parked the Jeep and trailer in the empty boat ramp parking lot, and headed on our way towards Round Lake, a small crossing taking in the sights of Charlevoix, before progressing through the drawbridge and into the channel towards the entrance to Lake Michigan. </div>
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The afternoon had already undertaken us a few hours, but we were now moving, ever so slowly (3-5kts) through the No Wake zone. We had the two-way helmet communication system (BBtalkin) equipped, and could hear each other clearly. Jontan had been utilizing this system for the better part of a year now, and was a secondary safety measure, aside from sight and visual commands, in such a lake crossing. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">bbtalkin' in Round Lake on the route towards the drawbridge - Jontan puttering in the background. This is a no-wake zone. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last views of the entrance into Charlevoix, before we make our way into the Big Lake</td></tr>
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<br />With the storms that we had seen on the radar, it was difficult to be certain what we would encounter once we got to the open lake. Fog was a very real possibility, meaning that operating by sight alone was not going to be our first resort. Although the SeaDoo's did not come with a built in GPS system per-se, they did have a digital compass that we had calculated to be set to ~310* (NW) of our current point, the mouth of the channel in Charlevoix, towards the "mainland" of Beaver Island, and more specifically, the harbor of St. James.</div>
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Neither of us had been before, but this trip was a fantasy in the making for both of us, individually and collectively, since our early days of meeting each other, more than a decade prior. Kiteboarding, our mutual passion was what brought us together, and over the years, it served as the stimulus to exploration. We have circumnavigated the State on land, via overpacked sedan, Van and motorcycle in search of wind, and the unique spots that make the Great Lakes our sought-after Home. There were a few other spots on the list that we had still not checked off - along the Superior coast of Northern Ontario, and outer-lying islands, but by late-spring, we were drawn back to our native Emerald Isle and its freshwater sandy archipelago. This trip would not disappoint.</div>
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As luck would have it, even if we were to head due west, we would likely still encounter the fringes of this Lake Michigan oasis. We had both respectively fallen in love with two islands south of the Archipelago, in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore - The Manitou Islands - in our younger years. These islands, South and North Manitou, boast miles of sandy shorelines, desert-like plateaus, expansive forests, and massive 300ft perched dunes, characteristic of their mainland namesake.<br />
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With Beaver, and the surrounding islands, we did not know what to expect. We had studied Google maps satellite views for years, sending each other snapshots of what looked to be stray sandbars or sand-spits extending like underwater tendrils from wispy points along these smaller islands. [Insert some STATS about Beaver Island's size and the other islands around here] There ~13 smaller islands that comprise the Beaver Island Archipelago, stretching from the moderately sized South Fox Island to the far south (though arguably a separate archipelago) and the closer islands with names like Garden, Hog, High, Trout, Squaw, Whiskey, Hat and Shoe - some not in existence during high-water years, as we would come to find out.<br />
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Despite our passive worries that we would not make landfall with one of these sandy beasts, we were prepared and ready for the crossing, fog, rain, or as luck would have it, nearly dead still and sunny weather the whole way. As soon as we gunned it from the red beacon lighthouse guarding the harbor mouth, it was evident what these machines could do. Even with gear loaded down, we were at ~60miles/hr within seconds. The fun was contagious, and we raced away from the shore giddy, like we robbed the proverbial bank - and here we were, figuratively swimming in our loot. The jetski, dug in through the carves as we mixed between planing out speed runs and playful carves in the tepid summer butter that lay below us - perhaps a few hundred feet of it in parts. Although the shoals that lie between mainland Charlevoix, and the Islands are relatively shallower, we were still traversing in 150-300ft water. Some sections further south in the open water can reach closer to 900ft. It was hard to know exactly how deep of water we were in - but is there any difference between 150' or 300' when you are surrounded by this vastness. I had to find out.<br />
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After our play-time and exhilaration of embarking far enough from shore, we decided to pause our vessels, perhaps share in a beverage or two, and of course, I could not help going in for a dive. There is only so far you can reach on human power - a deep breath, a powerful lunge, and a few kicks might add a few feet, but of what significance when you cannot fathom any difference between the blue of 150 or 300 feet? Coming up, is the funnest part - in waters like these and on days like this, turning upwards, is like ascending to Heaven.<br />
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The water scatters the Sun's light, as if through a translucent turquoise jelly, in which you are temporarily suspended - giving that proverbial "light-at-the-end-of-tunnel" effect, as you begin to ascend back upwards, towards the surface of this freshwater aether. Unless, of course, you choose to take those few extra kicks, or a shorter breath on the down-stroke, in which case, it might actually be the former. It would be difficult to consult a physician in the middle of the Lake, but it's safe to say I did not risk it on this attempt, and the 150 -300ft window, remained open - with the view up much the same.<br />
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From there, we sipped the bottoms off our beers and poured the rest of the drips into the Lake, collecting some water from the rinse to take a sip - something that would normally remain unadvised, in any body of water, and especially midsummer, but how could I abstain after taking in such delights of its depths. </div>
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The surface remained clear, much in the way an undulating mirror would bend in a lucid Dali designed landscape; a floating desert of water - mirage of blue, as far as the senses could see. How could I not indulge them all equally. It was silent, as we waded in the footwells of the vessels for our remaining belonging to be anchored back down. A series of ratchet straps and bungies held in place the hodgepodge of gear we attached to these strange ships - I wish we had brought more - maybe a wheeled vehicle like a longboard, to skate around, once we got into the harbor of St. James. Every well-stocked vessel needs a pair of wheeled vehicles, for the mainland - whether they be in-line, side-by-side, or in this case, the long-deck format. But alas, we had no clue what to expect from the geographical anomalies of this island mainland we were tasked to encounter - and so we brought all we thought we should.</div>
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We overshot the entrance to the harbor, perhaps intentionally?</div>
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<br />miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-84789664622814335322016-03-02T20:44:00.001-05:002016-03-02T20:44:26.556-05:00Wild Little Winter...From the first fall of snow in November to the fleeting glimpses of Winter's sun, it's been a nice and wild one!<div><br></div><div>Spending the last part of Winter break in Sleeping Bear Dunes got things officially to start, with the typical blanket of snow that's hard to find downstate. I drove up there on a whim due to my plans of going on a solot trip through Canada that were botched by a last-minute ice storm the day before I had planned to leave. </div><div><br></div><div>Heading North, I spied maps of the northern Ontario coastline, but pulled off the highway, instead opting for the Western shore of the more familiar peninsula. I hit it big, getting to Platte River Campground around 9:30pm to a fresh 10inches of snow and an ambience of quiet that's hard to find 'till that latitude. I was alone, no other cars/campers around. Taking the proper time to let the stillness sit in, I set up camp (hammock) for the night and went for a solitary walk along the road, where the loudest noisees I heard were my breath and the swishing of snow beneath my boots. I walked to the end of the river mouth, where the Platte River meets the vast outpourings of Lake Michigan.</div><div><br></div><div>The next days were spent exploring. I snowkited for the first time of the year, right at the park at the mouth of the river. The wind was only looking to increase for the next couple of days and I decided to head farther North, spending the night in my car at Peterson, in favor of an early start for the day. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJwZTaxYt7vMZYNInJ-qs77tT4n7eH5H4KxJzsZvGjwJF5FQbbKsBCwvXHu7HSHIJ7k2r-SfaCiI2NwWXIHGRkhYt-mAPZvgxqXIiyL5u67Yd_pVVDLYKg_M697-kdH3e-4kVR7jvJ5q4/s640/blogger-image-1115994822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJwZTaxYt7vMZYNInJ-qs77tT4n7eH5H4KxJzsZvGjwJF5FQbbKsBCwvXHu7HSHIJ7k2r-SfaCiI2NwWXIHGRkhYt-mAPZvgxqXIiyL5u67Yd_pVVDLYKg_M697-kdH3e-4kVR7jvJ5q4/s640/blogger-image-1115994822.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>It was New Year's eve day and the wind was right. A brief trial run of conditions turned into mind-blowing bliss and an entire day of exploring coastal foredunes layered in a base of popcorn kernel snow and sprinkled with a batter of powder served in succesively larger bowls. I couldn't get enough.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJo62VgpbyktU821yzEr03vECShjkDEWOMukrslTVepuzA2BDfCC2p2cPcFS7oCbqVo6le3rgqTCTcisiJrRjpgPXQJy6Mi4y2ejMOpT5jJWqjoVhSr8PWa63uaIodt3MiwatcHbBXTqy6/s640/blogger-image-1654783141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJo62VgpbyktU821yzEr03vECShjkDEWOMukrslTVepuzA2BDfCC2p2cPcFS7oCbqVo6le3rgqTCTcisiJrRjpgPXQJy6Mi4y2ejMOpT5jJWqjoVhSr8PWa63uaIodt3MiwatcHbBXTqy6/s640/blogger-image-1654783141.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>I ended up riding back upwind as much as the elements would take me (about half-way on a two mile joirney) and decided to camp out for the night. It was New Year's eve, and although Travere City was less than an hour away, the decision for the first time in my life was to spend it solo. I made a big fire, beans and pork sausage (Romanian tradition) for a meal and slept on my kite that night.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwxblRxVm2e6OETRZ_r53TpOFmts4biMSJsD9MAAIpXWSTqfjE6y1x8huQXGwgn2sIB8kee_9UGoQA-aRVOrsPsbWviMZ0e3y6IicfcXPDVJHsJfMtLFliDsbsQh2WD41kHqUNnxKm2-ro/s640/blogger-image-685078604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwxblRxVm2e6OETRZ_r53TpOFmts4biMSJsD9MAAIpXWSTqfjE6y1x8huQXGwgn2sIB8kee_9UGoQA-aRVOrsPsbWviMZ0e3y6IicfcXPDVJHsJfMtLFliDsbsQh2WD41kHqUNnxKm2-ro/s640/blogger-image-685078604.jpg"></a></div><br></div>miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-70464767363177737942015-11-22T18:11:00.001-05:002015-11-30T21:53:51.959-05:00Welcoming Winter in the YurtWhat a wonderful weekend to bring people together and welcome the Winter's first birth.<br />
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I had invited a small group of friends to join me this weekend at the Muskegon State Park "Yurt" to partake in a ritual that is near to my heart. I had put this date in the calendar months ago, but only on high hopes; little did I know that it would actually turn out to be a pretty terrific time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JP-Lounging hard</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strike a pose/ while everyone was looking for my lost go-pro/ the journey continued.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWc86PajcRbZJFcJXM_kSuX1uv-PH8aOlMEO1kKlFD_G3eJ6bIycD_zkWx2RnlYuNiSUnhHvQ6mh1hema2ZwGk2_Dt6XC0riSqpRZY3He-MeDiwxZ7qbALUuF7KeHxliklbRpjS40Hn2Z0/s640/blogger-image--1699288645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWc86PajcRbZJFcJXM_kSuX1uv-PH8aOlMEO1kKlFD_G3eJ6bIycD_zkWx2RnlYuNiSUnhHvQ6mh1hema2ZwGk2_Dt6XC0riSqpRZY3He-MeDiwxZ7qbALUuF7KeHxliklbRpjS40Hn2Z0/s400/blogger-image--1699288645.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little guidance led to some u<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">nplanned symmetry</span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">. </span></td></tr>
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miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-78334151744204409632015-11-16T20:08:00.001-05:002015-11-17T12:18:48.177-05:00A Sunny November--To the LakeshoreWoke up on this Sunday, Nov 15th, morning with no clear plans, rested and curious about what the free hours of the day could bring in terms of unfinished projects. I had finally repaired a front blinker light on the car that had been damaged since last winter and was eager to continue the momentum on other projects. A quick step outside the backdoor around 9:30 am revealed there would be no time for such ambitious ideas, it was way to amazing out to do anything utile at home. The air had a slight whiff of South breeze and my jonesin' bones knew that this is the most difficult time to make a decision.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">I quickly threw all my kites in the car, a couple wetsuits, boiled some eggs, found a crumb of molded cheese, a piece of beef jerky, made some quick coffee, and had the brilliant idea to circumvent my actual plans with my hidden plans to take the bike for "one last ride" of the season. Packed the bike with a foil-kite and harness (✔️) and threw goodies (brewskies optional, though in reserve) and a jacket in for the long haul (~50miles) to the Lake, depending on the lack of a path chosen. And what a great choice that was.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Let me tell you, everything they tell you in movies about bikes and the open road is partially true and partially you, but they complement each other well. After brief initial conflicts whether to dedicate the whole day to such a trip, I put the pack on and began heading West. That was about the plan. Muskegon at some point. Fields in the middle; some open roads and scenic winds and bends slightly required (✔️). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Dang. Like and endless meditation. Every breath, a new smell of a changing countryside, every bit as pungent as expected, though quickly changing to a new olfactory experience. The sunshine tasted beautiful. After a quick rendezvous with the service roads off the highway, spanning views of open fields, distinct Allendale smells, and this relentless Nov sun, my mood began to match my surroundings and the bike. I began to incorporate with the machine, matching our speed to our moods and the inspirations of the landscape. That was cool. I'm a newbie to all of this, but there's something thrilling and inherent in the experience that becomes clear to the rider who allows all sensation to become.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">And that it did and the ride was glorious and intense and boring and diverse. A few rights north to tack some ground, a few lefts West to cut some angles and I found myself on unfamiliar and familiar roads of the M46 corridor. I like the unknowing part of the ride. After a brief spurt where I learned to fly (ET phone home?) I gave in to my sensations, as bewildering and deceiving as they were with wind playing by my ears and speed denying me trust in my perceptions; I became them. At that rate, what use is rationality; all must become instinct. I found an old familiar road, that by accident had become a summer occurrence on the way North to the Musk River. We had a camp spot off of there from the Spring and I had lots of deep memories ironically from this relatively 'new' area. I climbed the steep bends, trusting each curve as if I'd made it, then reminding myself that I didn't. Saw wide expanses of marsh, stopped for a stroll and continued West. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Packed the Yamaha FZ09 - at the Muskegon Winter Sports Complex </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">I arrived at the Lakeshore of Muskegon State Park roughly an hour & 1/2 later, with several scenic breaks. The waves were waving, though I walked the harbor and talked to ma for a while about </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">the difficulties that </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">life often finds us in. I reminded myself to remember that and enjoy this. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Took a stroll to the the goods. Parked at the winter sports complex (after all, the scope of the trip was partially to check out the Yurt I had booked for the next weekend) and hiked around for a while, by the luge and upper hills, as I had done in this are many times before. Always a favorite. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small vernal pond at a low spot between the foredunes.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Snapped some pics of the Yurt and headed to the beach. Gorgeous. Set up the hammock, walked, dabbled, watched the sun set, shed some layers, dipped. Nov in Lake Michigan, who would have thought?</span></div>
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miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-5977095208159879652015-06-25T13:26:00.003-04:002015-06-25T14:36:40.644-04:00Summer Solstice on South Manitou Isl.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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South Manitou Island </h3>
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June 19-23, 2015</h4>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking North from the boathouse towards the docks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Francisco Morazan shipwreck, permanently docked on the island since 1960.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top of the Dunes Trail; fog, heavy, rolling in like clouds over the tree line.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early Summer ephemerals in full bloom. June 21st, on top of the dunes.</td></tr>
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miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-47773244058102696182014-04-22T20:05:00.003-04:002014-04-23T00:09:33.017-04:00Algonquin Backcountry Snowkiting/ Camping Adventure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y_0uQQUTgog/U1amHRb3JgI/AAAAAAAAANw/-wFFRShGfwQ/s1600/IMG_1008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y_0uQQUTgog/U1amHRb3JgI/AAAAAAAAANw/-wFFRShGfwQ/s1600/IMG_1008.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Spring Break! What does one do--fly to warmer places, right? Well, sort of....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This trip brought me back to my childhood heaven of Algonquin Provincial Park. Nestled in the center of Ontario, Canada's vast interconnected wilderness of </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">lakes</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, Algonquin Park has always been an escape for me. In my teenage years, it formed the basis of most of my dreams. The summer that I spent working in the Park at Camp Tamakwa was one of the best I've ever had. <a href="http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/virtual/canoe_routes_map/index.php" target="_blank">Canoeing</a> in the solitude of glassy, clear lakes, spending days basking on the massive granite rocks, fishing and wandering through the backcounrty was as much as any kid needed. But that was Summer. Winters in Algonquin can get a bit heavy, and this one in particular was no slouch. It dumped much snow on the area, and kept that piled high as temperatures in the 2013-2014 winter stayed consistently below freezing across most of the northern latitudes of the Midwest and Canada. In mid April, ice on the big lakes (away from the slush of shore) exceeded 1ft (+30cm) and snow ranged from 1-2ft (60cm) in most parts of the forest that I traveled.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I spent 4 days in the backcountry, exploring the woods and lakes with the help of snowshoes, skis, a sled, my backpack(s) and a kite. My winter exploration took me from the start at Mew Lake campground, across the Lake of Two Rivers and down the old railway trail to the southern border of Whitefish Lake approaching Rock Lake. The weather was terrific, mostly sunny and 50's - 60's F during the day (~10*C) and down to mid 20's F at night (slightly below ~ 0*C).</span><br />
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Tuesday April 8th, Day 1: Getting started among some early morning snowfall @ Tea Lake near Hwy 60.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;">Camp for the first night, on the river following Pog Lake.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">After a long day of backtracking (unintentional exploration), snowkiting across a frozen lake, and beating the rail-trail on snowshoes for a few hours, this slice of open area beside the river was a welcomed sight as the sun began to fade behind the forest ridges.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Day 2</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">: My sled was repacked and ready to tow on the rail-trail after a friendly visit from a park ranger (the only person I saw in the backcountry, on duty at a nearby dam) telling me to "politely move" my campsite to a new location as it was not far enough away from the regulated distance from a body of water. We had a lengthy discussion about my situation the night before and plans for the day, but he insisted and was optimistic about potential sites farther along the route. This made for another day of hauling the sled and finding a new place to lay out for the night. The day was beautiful and warm, causing a lot of melting (and sled tipping) along lake shores and on open parts of the trail. I must have tipped the sled 5 times in a minute before I got fed up and dragged it by hand.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An old railway bridge crossing a marsh creek at the narrow, upper end of Whitefish Lake.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">The trail, in most forest sections, was cool and well packed with snow. I walked through this scenery for a few hours before coming to the wide portion of Whitefish Lake, where I busted out the kite and skis and tried to cut down on the travel time on foot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: start;"> It was not an easy day however, and the location of the old lumber mill that was recommended</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: start;"> as a place to camp near Whitefish Lake was not to be found. This made</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: start;"> for an uncomfortable evening of searching for a place to stay </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: start;">as the sun was nearing the horizon and into the late-twilight of the evening. I settled near a field of milkweed, "guided" by two moths that crossed my path in the warm, early-season dance for mates.</span></div>
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Day 3: Hard-going: no photos on camera.<br />
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Day 4: After the night at the Pow-Wow shelter.<br />
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Back to the Dam where I had camped the first night. This time the trek was a little easier, having already encountered this trail and knowing I had to be back at the car with some daylight left in the bag. I took a lunch of hard-boiled eggs, pork shoulder, salami and cheese that I had saved up for a hefty snack.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCysR7zqK33w4P7AMULSyANDAsMJ08gY2wUGIowrUZns2vV-I0_GDecqP_AOpqUqUjGIykqURvOlqmuqIsmzlCzdnTYFbeSxTYyRvz-aibUBKmX1G3vyvvcEa5DMDfjDkcV5m2au1Rh73/s1600/IMG_7693-768455.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647432175609522082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCysR7zqK33w4P7AMULSyANDAsMJ08gY2wUGIowrUZns2vV-I0_GDecqP_AOpqUqUjGIykqURvOlqmuqIsmzlCzdnTYFbeSxTYyRvz-aibUBKmX1G3vyvvcEa5DMDfjDkcV5m2au1Rh73/s320/IMG_7693-768455.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swell on the Frankfort Pier.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We spent two nights on S. Manitou Island on our transition into Leland to meet my parents and brother for what would be for me, another week in the Leelenau. I drove Liz back home and in the same day completed the ride back to Leland to hang out with my folks. There were no complaints about being there, but in the entire two weeks, I had only gotten one kite session in (the last morning on S. Manitou). Finally, on the last evening in Leland, the wind cranked out of the North, and I got everything that I had waited for, waves, warm winds and a sunset to match. This area holds it's secrets tight, and the only way to be let in is to believe in its uniqueness. Thank you again Lake Michigan!<br />
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<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfe_2drUFHLEDvPnKAwVRThdFPfraGmzODHrDU8J5QNc_GOHWstajcYbmU5mpOTlHrsRAdMVGypGc3SlB81iN8x5zF0ZdeVBL2S7g6FR3y8M-6Gzzq770FMHb9jeFZqpVgVleCniwwjX7H/s1600/IMG_2213-769973.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647432184867319170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfe_2drUFHLEDvPnKAwVRThdFPfraGmzODHrDU8J5QNc_GOHWstajcYbmU5mpOTlHrsRAdMVGypGc3SlB81iN8x5zF0ZdeVBL2S7g6FR3y8M-6Gzzq770FMHb9jeFZqpVgVleCniwwjX7H/s320/IMG_2213-769973.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7RuLQj3Q60tt3F3CHEAsCgyudFsIFi-5BjIDzsWPx0EpkaeZki5WlCGEXSxTzK7PzdJ9p0z4ClCZu5ve2SFeAuoYjSDqTVGe5xfHY2GZLdNAp4jpNE3p2z78Ia_La3ZcBW1_cIUveHKWC/s1600/IMG_4035-769422.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647432181065461618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7RuLQj3Q60tt3F3CHEAsCgyudFsIFi-5BjIDzsWPx0EpkaeZki5WlCGEXSxTzK7PzdJ9p0z4ClCZu5ve2SFeAuoYjSDqTVGe5xfHY2GZLdNAp4jpNE3p2z78Ia_La3ZcBW1_cIUveHKWC/s320/IMG_4035-769422.jpg" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div>miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-22237621949704419762011-07-26T11:41:00.002-04:002011-09-27T23:41:16.071-04:00Home again.<div class="mobile-photo">I came back home this weekend mostly to work on the bike and help out around the backyard. It's summer and there's a lot to be done. Jontan came over to help my dad with some landscaping and trim the trees of their old growths. I ended up taking the bike to the bare bones to do a thorough restoration. I did not know what I was getting myself into; it no longer runs. This will be a good learning experience!</div><div class="mobile-photo"><br />
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</div><div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSHGScRRV0aeJSWQx5JCbtvtDM39TPsJQGTDH3JlAp057hKVkTfo4vS8_yRYGYbveT51bBAfmQJ9CcEae9zqXBjqZNuxNY-WrKUD29CSxSQAGBOKZ_hLtDwyTGBPvD4jdEuIqQ_CJu1Gv/s1600/IMG_1087-709027.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633686738813112338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSHGScRRV0aeJSWQx5JCbtvtDM39TPsJQGTDH3JlAp057hKVkTfo4vS8_yRYGYbveT51bBAfmQJ9CcEae9zqXBjqZNuxNY-WrKUD29CSxSQAGBOKZ_hLtDwyTGBPvD4jdEuIqQ_CJu1Gv/s320/IMG_1087-709027.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqDS7cNaCtO-0AiExkSOaj9h4_qcwBjUcUhOOhxXtmM9Bn3SEy1VNHveioH8mwijMNLAF3fSSZqwVt4-KI3luuRD0sKz14NNhDD0g7Gm5mBCq89KU1Izuz2zVa64dpYM3tLd9zh_AboWzS/s1600/IMG_0507-708026.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633686732513558402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqDS7cNaCtO-0AiExkSOaj9h4_qcwBjUcUhOOhxXtmM9Bn3SEy1VNHveioH8mwijMNLAF3fSSZqwVt4-KI3luuRD0sKz14NNhDD0g7Gm5mBCq89KU1Izuz2zVa64dpYM3tLd9zh_AboWzS/s320/IMG_0507-708026.jpg" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxnCtlr-BpW-Xjqs-gW9WV_8hVtsXuS_Y4ukt8TfZVtkGGQ0SA34T944HvQX0ezfhmxjKOQn48qH6h-1CTj2UyOweufP9JUJokiaWFJSU3-DTNatVj5s2tYu0VbyxsnUPlHeioQTaJMHf/s1600/IMG_4525-709781.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633686737073109154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxnCtlr-BpW-Xjqs-gW9WV_8hVtsXuS_Y4ukt8TfZVtkGGQ0SA34T944HvQX0ezfhmxjKOQn48qH6h-1CTj2UyOweufP9JUJokiaWFJSU3-DTNatVj5s2tYu0VbyxsnUPlHeioQTaJMHf/s320/IMG_4525-709781.jpg" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div>miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-76589144144862431562011-07-19T10:13:00.002-04:002011-09-27T23:29:33.066-04:00My New Bike!<div class="mobile-photo"></div><div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjZEqT8MrkGEUL24TOByM6OypiXacvrh1q8LfcGpbx07rFkFFNR8sp5Y63kfOccxvh-d_cd40G49XmPQOJleNSUbMmtQnmgpGCjQLYjDoYKJ0KjNomtY4EMb_wDPGRZXGq4mLnvL1L3AQ/s1600/IMG_3147-721648.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631066430631902514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjZEqT8MrkGEUL24TOByM6OypiXacvrh1q8LfcGpbx07rFkFFNR8sp5Y63kfOccxvh-d_cd40G49XmPQOJleNSUbMmtQnmgpGCjQLYjDoYKJ0KjNomtY4EMb_wDPGRZXGq4mLnvL1L3AQ/s320/IMG_3147-721648.jpg" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div><div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZN_vhqkk4ShrgLv3RQWQsACXD1OBbxhykJ7J0Gt8C4hjHrFU0PRYyHoHqXRB0v_Vp7cEgQ56aeYN9hpBag0hcG-jQvlUg4dtJ2Io_r_prnYhWBiHBB2lwSK0RP-reZFhrVLzPGlmprJav/s1600/IMG_1205-722943.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631066435098947858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZN_vhqkk4ShrgLv3RQWQsACXD1OBbxhykJ7J0Gt8C4hjHrFU0PRYyHoHqXRB0v_Vp7cEgQ56aeYN9hpBag0hcG-jQvlUg4dtJ2Io_r_prnYhWBiHBB2lwSK0RP-reZFhrVLzPGlmprJav/s320/IMG_1205-722943.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNIn8kFIh9Oj7RLaopuqdEDWUgi3l1pebGU7K_k8aXP9M5eO3b3mCGe0gi-vZPmIjUATnEGdpXDHcvgurVmXmSbkQgN84VVCpHP-XR7ygguBeN-zwm9MKA0_q2aKh82QKOTuO-5f7q7T7/s1600/IMG_3932-723493.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631066438787484850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNIn8kFIh9Oj7RLaopuqdEDWUgi3l1pebGU7K_k8aXP9M5eO3b3mCGe0gi-vZPmIjUATnEGdpXDHcvgurVmXmSbkQgN84VVCpHP-XR7ygguBeN-zwm9MKA0_q2aKh82QKOTuO-5f7q7T7/s320/IMG_3932-723493.jpg" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div>miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-10450641317471622022011-07-13T11:09:00.003-04:002011-09-27T23:36:34.095-04:00Little Sable Point!<div class="mobile-photo"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Liz and I took a little trip back to Little Sable after my big adventure from the week before. I was hooked on this place that the locals call the mecca of the West side when it comes to kiting. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIN5AKwc3wCsnT-Nfy3TE8cziy-1zfuRbDXfLouicbyXEObKWAgiojtUNN87-HIRIxqGKZHreo92wLOBCt5hyphenhyphen5Dki_6SXKyHGx3CWSAjvlO71nMplr90g-QQX8JW6LDRSfMqBXRzDYTz9/s1600/IMG_1805-777645.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628854339768434818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIN5AKwc3wCsnT-Nfy3TE8cziy-1zfuRbDXfLouicbyXEObKWAgiojtUNN87-HIRIxqGKZHreo92wLOBCt5hyphenhyphen5Dki_6SXKyHGx3CWSAjvlO71nMplr90g-QQX8JW6LDRSfMqBXRzDYTz9/s320/IMG_1805-777645.jpg" /></a></div></div><div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrMVh0dG4TOQSzyeQ4xoyJJsk9_pBDIfTr8cnJx39pOyIrJm40sajZdbPDPta2Jk3OrBK0osq1_7yqlxOJOaSBtM8AkZf9mFFlXC-5RFpwrvs3e-SWLWNhOeurqPcuC8VHFOom6mkwQ2x/s1600/IMG_7523-780287.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628854348095570274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrMVh0dG4TOQSzyeQ4xoyJJsk9_pBDIfTr8cnJx39pOyIrJm40sajZdbPDPta2Jk3OrBK0osq1_7yqlxOJOaSBtM8AkZf9mFFlXC-5RFpwrvs3e-SWLWNhOeurqPcuC8VHFOom6mkwQ2x/s320/IMG_7523-780287.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqdtMW-XxzaTSUrRCemWPw_KgN75FEJ3U2IyFEcXj9Gv6CQLAgTopP-KYgF5kaNRZDgdyByyvN-8lvlml-Q8T2xEMlJP-cGklqpSxcQHECUOy6PUCUkYv7dkT85rs2D6FXRt6VbIZE7Z-/s1600/IMG_5691-779321.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628854342155392642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqdtMW-XxzaTSUrRCemWPw_KgN75FEJ3U2IyFEcXj9Gv6CQLAgTopP-KYgF5kaNRZDgdyByyvN-8lvlml-Q8T2xEMlJP-cGklqpSxcQHECUOy6PUCUkYv7dkT85rs2D6FXRt6VbIZE7Z-/s320/IMG_5691-779321.jpg" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div><div class="mobile-photo"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeS-8dzXsaVElARdJ_mAtLwpyPWwJuzyl5FhqZyZwSZV3MlhyphenhyphenGhHAE_tVhfY2s1SDEN4uGrFlCYSVpT_FSY_m9S9J1_29-vgIJHrVB8lpNDiL1zsmf59llw3N5TC_12OyrFtcECvuNr0bq/s1600/IMG_2527-781412.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628854356000934802" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeS-8dzXsaVElARdJ_mAtLwpyPWwJuzyl5FhqZyZwSZV3MlhyphenhyphenGhHAE_tVhfY2s1SDEN4uGrFlCYSVpT_FSY_m9S9J1_29-vgIJHrVB8lpNDiL1zsmf59llw3N5TC_12OyrFtcECvuNr0bq/s320/IMG_2527-781412.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We camped out at the Silver Lake Dunes State Park for a night and explored a little more of the area. People come here to go off-roading, that was very evident from the cars (and ATV's) that were in the campground (each with a fluorescent orange flag) or anywhere else around town. Still does not depreciate the beauty and potential of this area. I can't wait to come back here!</div></div>miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-63759105997383563152011-07-04T15:40:00.001-04:002011-07-04T15:45:08.437-04:00Wild Weekend800 Miles and both coasts in three days made for an interesting weekend so far. Friday started out with making the decision to head to Little Sable Point with a very good South forecast predicted. A few friends were supposed to make the trip as well from the East side, but the morning was deterring with storms all over the place on the radar. I was pleased to find a message from another friend, Kail, saying that he would take me up on the offer and was only a few hours away. Kail drove all night (left at 10pm) from Missouri and was looking to ride. He had never been to LSP before (I had been there once prior) and I convinced him this was the place to ride on a S wind. <br />
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By noon I made my way on the road, with good but unclear intentions. I knew what I needed but not where I would go to get it..so I packed the car to be prepared for at least a few days away, along with my books to study. The books stayed pretty much fixed while the car went back and for in a mad rush across the state.<br />
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LSP proved to be worth it's merits after beating the storms through Grand Haven and along Hwy 31. As soon as I arrived, I knew this was the place to be, with about twenty "kiter types" in the parking lot arranging their gear; cars with license plates such as 'upwind', 'surf' and 'kite on' were the norm. The wind was side-offshore but certainly the best riding I have had in weeks. Kail brought along his friend Kasey who had never seen this part of Michigan. She could not get over that this was possible (the beach, the kites, the 'big airs') and was in awe that such a place existed, after a 12hrs on the road. The afternoon brought some familiar faces and some new ones as this seemed like it was the place to congregate.<br />
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Kail and Kasey made their way to Tawas and I proceeded to get myself in trouble. I slept in the car that night, on a random back street in Muskegon, with the smell of gasoline emanating from the back seat (story not to be shared). Morning found me on a pleasant street not far from the beach, neck sore and ready to get on the move. I went to the beach and saw that it was still blowing. A lone kiter, back and forth, on what was now a WSW wind rode while a few others were getting ready. There was a damp fog in the air along the whole coast and that seemed to be messing with the wind. I stayed and watched and talked to an older guy who had rigged and was making up his mind to go. He had commitments to head to the Muskegon summer festival art fair, Sugar Ray was the headliner that night, but he was looking forward to something he could drink more beer to: Theory of a Dead Man was coming Thursday. We had a good laugh, and I had to agree with him, despite the wind looking like it was picking up. <br />
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I made up my mind as well, and in a split-second the car was determinately pointed towards Tawas..there was something stronger calling me there than a marginal forecast. I took a drive I have never made before, right through the center of the state. It was long and beautiful, I worked through my thoughts and emotions in a way you can't do standing in one place. Evart. You ever heard of that? I had now, and a handful other tiny towns that I passed through along the way. I stopped to pick up my sled and snowshoes that I had left behind on a dirt road from my to cross the state in April. I wasn't sure they would still be there, or if I myself remembered how to find them: the forest was a lot more overgrown than when I left them there. To my surprise, it didn't take more than a few minutes, and I was back on the road to Tawas; all in all a good 6 hrs on the road...miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-3638559349184458172011-06-15T23:29:00.002-04:002011-09-27T23:23:44.671-04:00Two Weeks WestIt's been two weeks since I moved West, that is West Michigan. Busy is an understatement for the unofficial start of summer. On May 31st I came into town with a car full of the belongings I would need to start life in a new city and in a new program.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the house for the summer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Without the lease starting until June 1st (the following morning), I took a trip to the coast to spend my last night before starting the program on the edge of the Lake that called me here in the first place.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQyYpIp6bO1Kavv8z9_fa68LDw9syucOqo-WLuZ3pdnFd7M5PHumzj-Bkdx9sSDUq0_fijsvchXasuw9EKzXY5A3wp_kipxxgS8dVRPN7aJLPCJ1GZ5DxwhIG47mBELtL_IAq2ND2Me0D/s1600/033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQyYpIp6bO1Kavv8z9_fa68LDw9syucOqo-WLuZ3pdnFd7M5PHumzj-Bkdx9sSDUq0_fijsvchXasuw9EKzXY5A3wp_kipxxgS8dVRPN7aJLPCJ1GZ5DxwhIG47mBELtL_IAq2ND2Me0D/s320/033.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>It was 10:04 and the last rays of the sun refused to leave the air at Hoffmaster State Park. I refused to leave the beach; a slight breeze out of the SW shared a warmth that I had once felt there before over a year ago. It kept me there, contemplating the start of a new life. The next morning I would have to wake up and again begin this step. There were no guarantees, and although the break of upcoming summer was welcoming, there was a slight unease in me. I swallowed it and went back to the campsite to settle down for the night.miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-75925677544120785642011-05-27T01:44:00.001-04:002011-06-13T23:33:05.047-04:00Tawas this weekend...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>After nearly two months, I'll be returning to Tawas this weekend; for different reasons and in contrast, in much different seasons. Although still technically Spring, much has changed since then, and I can't wait to see what it looks like now.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkV4UJjOe8c5i8Rza-5zlua4OCzLkr2FJYntXJwrL88ilpxWoQSzVhqMNHv0WtiPhVa7cxN9sVxhR61sKypqYck7HcKQpxBZwhfoWJURg2JIzj_YxX1Ca0rUOLQkTJVOpOYKVMtEfgkIZZ/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkV4UJjOe8c5i8Rza-5zlua4OCzLkr2FJYntXJwrL88ilpxWoQSzVhqMNHv0WtiPhVa7cxN9sVxhR61sKypqYck7HcKQpxBZwhfoWJURg2JIzj_YxX1Ca0rUOLQkTJVOpOYKVMtEfgkIZZ/s320/014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>When I left on April 1st, the bay was still frozen and there were floes of ice moving by in the Lake. From what I gather, this weekend is supposed to be sunny and warm (at times) and the water will likely be tollerable even in a bathingsuit. Some of the 'crew' (GLK) will be up this weekend, as Brian's opening up the shop a week early this year..and if the forcast picks up (currently S-SE 10-15 for Sat.) we should have a good group coming up...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI179cV8LBJ2urFPPTm7c9CBvHOdHg3lsXBvRPcI3Hs574uraCFnw62kK1eDNIQceiUXETgrbuTLn-BnXC6bvWt15akSzaLoZRzTJKtWRKLEqHveGOfvS7qNn5wPnT7OCyrj1caeIBEyeh/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI179cV8LBJ2urFPPTm7c9CBvHOdHg3lsXBvRPcI3Hs574uraCFnw62kK1eDNIQceiUXETgrbuTLn-BnXC6bvWt15akSzaLoZRzTJKtWRKLEqHveGOfvS7qNn5wPnT7OCyrj1caeIBEyeh/s320/024.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jontan, Olga, and Liz at the Iargo overlook</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQgNRhxWP3r6ig4-3BhMHDPtLq9_lnPA-vHfa7nh0JlRJWfVeAqH5zVazfNzoiMzasfKxDYw8eGV4xQ3yjQ3Em53x1tjEjI7PBG-9UTIPw9dTlUJaddmJp0Btwy5Mjht6n6KybeW6Qo7z/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQgNRhxWP3r6ig4-3BhMHDPtLq9_lnPA-vHfa7nh0JlRJWfVeAqH5zVazfNzoiMzasfKxDYw8eGV4xQ3yjQ3Em53x1tjEjI7PBG-9UTIPw9dTlUJaddmJp0Btwy5Mjht6n6KybeW6Qo7z/s320/017.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alex-My first student of the year. He did great and<br />
was riding on his first attempts! Good luck my friend!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLOEMfhEXrRj7RZw_K_NvdI7XcoWJBMzBWi83qzuUduns1_jZgpC4YCpMY2f9tN-5x7kng0auCaSe2fkJcfAUDa6FUU1s_Ln6b1R_6RkXCcwfZtFmltom9nx0ORLs1AH0n4GuHvKURPZw/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLOEMfhEXrRj7RZw_K_NvdI7XcoWJBMzBWi83qzuUduns1_jZgpC4YCpMY2f9tN-5x7kng0auCaSe2fkJcfAUDa6FUU1s_Ln6b1R_6RkXCcwfZtFmltom9nx0ORLs1AH0n4GuHvKURPZw/s320/035.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liz and Olga at one of the overlooks at Iargo Springs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-49358020742776499272011-04-09T21:54:00.002-04:002011-06-13T23:37:37.034-04:00HOME:"On a journey, ill:<br />
my dream goes wandering<br />
over withered fields." <br />
-Basho<br />
<br />
Life changes quickly, and usually not in accordance with your plans. A week ago I was starting a journey I thought would take me somewhere; now I am at home starting one I could not have imagined. <br />
In that time, the careful plans I made were thrown aside for others and I realized that my own dreams must be traded for less selfish ones. All is not well, and my family needs my support. This trip will have to wait it's time again; I thank you all who wished me well, but now those wishes are needed elsewhere. <br />
Please pray that all things will find their place again.miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-86154113736185029612011-04-08T12:59:00.002-04:002011-05-27T01:51:35.525-04:00Day 7: AuSable's Bank-McKinley Trail Camp<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VGCeWFo_y9zPvKaLCG5tE7Px_6q0LUQuUPSw5X2jr-N7JQzgm5M9eKvXw4U6yNsp5OPK-kJMxwyqIEaTCQxRDbYYOd7Gx1_9O-a3_fkfbp13K_t_BSqWm-g6z85CsT7cDrUmUGOGoCvF/s1600/IMG_1955-773665.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593258490962499842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VGCeWFo_y9zPvKaLCG5tE7Px_6q0LUQuUPSw5X2jr-N7JQzgm5M9eKvXw4U6yNsp5OPK-kJMxwyqIEaTCQxRDbYYOd7Gx1_9O-a3_fkfbp13K_t_BSqWm-g6z85CsT7cDrUmUGOGoCvF/s320/IMG_1955-773665.jpg" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>I found the solitude I needed between yesterday morning and the night before. Most of the night was spent next to the fire, in and out of sleep, feeding logs from the pile that I created earlier in the evening. I returned to the hammock inthe early morning, only once the fire had died down.<br />
It was another cold morning, but I stayed awake from the time that I first opened my eyes, looking at the river and all the birds that were already beginning life for the day. A red squirrel caught my sight as I first moved and went into a curious chirp while trying to understand what I was, darting up branches and looking back.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I restated the fire in the morning and woke up slowly with a long breakfast, sitting in the hammock and appreciating the view.An otter ran out of the forest and into the river and began to express it's frustration with me; probably that I was near its home. From there, I packed and continued into the woods, the trail twisting between treat and river, giving up good views of both:</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPjZErD7-AhpZyuIoSp6MbU6eKJAvOIgpjiJ87B3wzLJkgxnjLyFgVFtTYUCMYVEaRlc88VT42HLoxGFRIjuyY3Wnvs0_f1PNLec_mFgKJ2x6E_VTHkhEu7JGiiQpPhtCvRaqKEwKfoOX/s1600/IMG_5446-774584.jpg" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593258491277664882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPjZErD7-AhpZyuIoSp6MbU6eKJAvOIgpjiJ87B3wzLJkgxnjLyFgVFtTYUCMYVEaRlc88VT42HLoxGFRIjuyY3Wnvs0_f1PNLec_mFgKJ2x6E_VTHkhEu7JGiiQpPhtCvRaqKEwKfoOX/s320/IMG_5446-774584.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
The snow was deep through some parts of the forest, and without the snowshoes I had to run (Jesus lizard style) to get through. I was to meet my dad around 3pm in the town of McKinley (an intersection is all there's too it), but the streets are not marked (at all) while crossing the trail...Thinking I was behind, I picked up the pace and started to jog. Only when it seemed like I was not getting anywhere I took out the phone and checked the GPS position to realize that I blew the road where I was supposed to turn off about an hour back and I was nearly at the next Trail Camp...</div>miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-56620412401878093182011-04-07T00:47:00.002-04:002011-05-27T01:50:09.297-04:00Day 6: Alcona- A Bank on the AuSable:Today was leisurely day. I left the sled and snowshoes behind..they were loud and I could have used the the quiet and steady pace of traveling with just the pack. The walk was more natural than the previous days in that I was no longer actively concerned with the trail, and just walked and listened. No deep thoughts came though, perhaps the deepest : "If a tree farts in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it still make a sound?" <br />
<br />
I crossed through a few familiar places as the trail merged with the edge of the river several times. Stopped to cook lunch at the Gabions Campgrond and stretched out in the hammock; cold day overall.<br />
With no particular endpoint tonight, I walked until I found one I liked: a tall bank on a bend of the AuSable. Prepped a few trees and made a nice fire that's still burning hot as I lay beside it. <br />
<br />
Two owls came to visit during dinner and the circled, calling to each other, likely in regards to what the heck I was doing there. Tomorrow, I head to McKinley where I'll meet my dad for the first time since the start of trip...miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-20858330587795507022011-04-06T09:23:00.001-04:002011-05-27T00:47:44.849-04:00<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJK2XvyEr6brGfo-_nZydRtU29qSnYTjE1pywGLJTLhINz4QEKPG8cyG33wNjx3GR0ZjldPhYPbWQeqiVk0DhEcZMirwxWO75-mra0Y8VAIxV4AYPguy6IgTBhtapud6bqwVqgJsVdvUaW/s1600/IMG_3087-716020.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJK2XvyEr6brGfo-_nZydRtU29qSnYTjE1pywGLJTLhINz4QEKPG8cyG33wNjx3GR0ZjldPhYPbWQeqiVk0DhEcZMirwxWO75-mra0Y8VAIxV4AYPguy6IgTBhtapud6bqwVqgJsVdvUaW/s320/IMG_3087-716020.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592460665950393954" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP7S2vBTlad4jn_NDR3E2_ryE9NFpLcQTyqf5IY6V_qDufOe4STXK1SJmImgsbSUPdnFvnMGRU6EYmOpQn_Lv3kAUm98s69Rwr9eggxF_uWrM7wXMyqsfLru9M_zqzcyBE6XtwK89y3qp3/s1600/IMG_5728-717023.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP7S2vBTlad4jn_NDR3E2_ryE9NFpLcQTyqf5IY6V_qDufOe4STXK1SJmImgsbSUPdnFvnMGRU6EYmOpQn_Lv3kAUm98s69Rwr9eggxF_uWrM7wXMyqsfLru9M_zqzcyBE6XtwK89y3qp3/s320/IMG_5728-717023.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592460668753996002" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFKM2fwqO_abClkn6y9DgfQ3_LgXSsc_d-VXzMRsxmrNQvcp-Lp58Xa6A9XtFO0MUpBz0eTYaLLRy8_vR9ITMW2xPU0tLt9BoGu4fOf2BVZdPHEsbCnJEf5eZ2wLd61xzKAxCquz4_moy/s1600/IMG_9820-718888.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFKM2fwqO_abClkn6y9DgfQ3_LgXSsc_d-VXzMRsxmrNQvcp-Lp58Xa6A9XtFO0MUpBz0eTYaLLRy8_vR9ITMW2xPU0tLt9BoGu4fOf2BVZdPHEsbCnJEf5eZ2wLd61xzKAxCquz4_moy/s320/IMG_9820-718888.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592460679696638722" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicwLPKTzNrbB_gR0-7lNgbphcLse64iqY51ta2giwojT5WVe3hKH62ZVwemmEUlIP9SwqryhUueIzdxzRz3heenFst5zZnQX7gGJ-LRw0VtRacW2Uaz0rTJqHib_4P75xnD2N8dn270iqy/s1600/IMG_0757-719912.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicwLPKTzNrbB_gR0-7lNgbphcLse64iqY51ta2giwojT5WVe3hKH62ZVwemmEUlIP9SwqryhUueIzdxzRz3heenFst5zZnQX7gGJ-LRw0VtRacW2Uaz0rTJqHib_4P75xnD2N8dn270iqy/s320/IMG_0757-719912.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592460683095347154" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXF7q_ReOfrHv9-N5uhFGfgL6yHhyntxwI7eX-aFqKSl2UCv-UVGEtzUcpUCZsKcCJ8c0y9CC3vdMPaePJL35fCsNNizA1e3-aryqlfMsOb3jd8-7E4WTAmZtHxICMEog-0z3S7H0bPEw/s1600/IMG_3239-720874.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXF7q_ReOfrHv9-N5uhFGfgL6yHhyntxwI7eX-aFqKSl2UCv-UVGEtzUcpUCZsKcCJ8c0y9CC3vdMPaePJL35fCsNNizA1e3-aryqlfMsOb3jd8-7E4WTAmZtHxICMEog-0z3S7H0bPEw/s320/IMG_3239-720874.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592460686627532850" /></a></p>1. The sled, packed.<br>2. Doing loops at Corsair<br>3. Printing<br>4. Shelter/Camp 3<br>5. The AuSable at Rollaways miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-29932539938671580422011-04-05T23:49:00.001-04:002011-05-27T00:47:44.849-04:00<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCL9G1IMCe4uvfGqkfDkVO4tS7NOFchuB7S2vYwNA7H_ahdhJPqNoojK5Xxm09Yqu4PzoRiQI34JwtKnGShVMUa-9QwVQ42ewZH8FXQKNm32OEOXZ5TjkCLUxilj2T8DrySB0lXp5CYRAd/s1600/IMG_0607-761104.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCL9G1IMCe4uvfGqkfDkVO4tS7NOFchuB7S2vYwNA7H_ahdhJPqNoojK5Xxm09Yqu4PzoRiQI34JwtKnGShVMUa-9QwVQ42ewZH8FXQKNm32OEOXZ5TjkCLUxilj2T8DrySB0lXp5CYRAd/s320/IMG_0607-761104.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592312683834122402" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkeQ8C1sXSxZdYfyvLzhFYyatHtRi-em3MGJkyWumOIQJw45S8thlLYNXjQh_c6OSCjdNIuEnM3PHJAFO95Nica7YhyR2yawGZ6m3DPnydknBNeKg0LyYQ81fN2g0nw4W3qpPehZb0zOHn/s1600/IMG_5992-761756.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkeQ8C1sXSxZdYfyvLzhFYyatHtRi-em3MGJkyWumOIQJw45S8thlLYNXjQh_c6OSCjdNIuEnM3PHJAFO95Nica7YhyR2yawGZ6m3DPnydknBNeKg0LyYQ81fN2g0nw4W3qpPehZb0zOHn/s320/IMG_5992-761756.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592312684333928082" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWjNzKupsUuB0K6L_GsyBb8yIPVjosUvxokeHyYrtxstHQQkr8H90XtghlYYVNkZrmpR23530xdVrFM3zCdOScKH0HfUMNFRrUxwdZTSjBsqolu30mX2tCttklqx2bOOseX2QE2040JW7/s1600/IMG_7243-763000.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWjNzKupsUuB0K6L_GsyBb8yIPVjosUvxokeHyYrtxstHQQkr8H90XtghlYYVNkZrmpR23530xdVrFM3zCdOScKH0HfUMNFRrUxwdZTSjBsqolu30mX2tCttklqx2bOOseX2QE2040JW7/s320/IMG_7243-763000.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592312691872647378" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTdZfephbn508ST4sNHSN6_Mch8DvN8W1214s-__8Iw1kl5hK_5cE7OUglgPCWEAJuEqFT97mJ35lbMWjNovIwNWqoQcQWPBRT95URB8RBDDyr7ePhIjlNzTxEtP7rO-upE-ULBpcSX1g/s1600/IMG_4453-763418.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTdZfephbn508ST4sNHSN6_Mch8DvN8W1214s-__8Iw1kl5hK_5cE7OUglgPCWEAJuEqFT97mJ35lbMWjNovIwNWqoQcQWPBRT95URB8RBDDyr7ePhIjlNzTxEtP7rO-upE-ULBpcSX1g/s320/IMG_4453-763418.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592312691502229314" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUyyrQxkVZGDiR2XkGL55QxsMlcneL72NMXYIl5lLkBYdRsqrojBvA1GWurnMMxEVUUaZy79tsVJHv9LgHCPmsM5pkCkDCDvsY-o342xeWbFGx7bGK7hDD6K1_ILvasCqslmAHYbwTKcf0/s1600/IMG_6907-763949.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUyyrQxkVZGDiR2XkGL55QxsMlcneL72NMXYIl5lLkBYdRsqrojBvA1GWurnMMxEVUUaZy79tsVJHv9LgHCPmsM5pkCkDCDvsY-o342xeWbFGx7bGK7hDD6K1_ILvasCqslmAHYbwTKcf0/s320/IMG_6907-763949.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592312691253612194" /></a></p>Camp from every night so far. Rest well my friends...miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-55874973883857523092011-04-05T21:26:00.003-04:002011-05-27T01:49:25.325-04:00Day 4/5: Rollaways-Thompsons-Alcona Pond:The last two days have been full and full of everything. I got back on the trail after a long lunch and recharge at the Bear's Den on Hwy 65 and continued down steep ravines until I arrived at South Branch trail camp. From there the trail followed lowlands along the AuSable River with a few chances to catch it's views. I pushed on to the Thompson's canoe launch, and camped the night on the bank of the AuSable river. A beaver wasn't too happy that I occupied his workshop.<br />
<br />
This morning I awoke to the sound of rain on the tarp; it turned out they were just heavy pellets of snow. The morning was cold and it was hard to get out of 'bag' for a while longer after I woke up; that's been a common theme the last couple of days. The rest of the trail followed the course of the AuSable dipping down and up the ravines. The conditions were very varied and I was going between snowshoes and towing the pack to pack and towing the snowshoes. There were deep drifts of snow and open rocky melt spots with miniature creeks flowing between them. Thank goodness for wool socks.<br />
<br />
The afternoon today was predominantly sunny, warm and windy. The snow was melting, but still deep. I was trading between pack and snowshoes more than I would like and considered that leaving the sled and snowshoes behind would be a better choice. The time to switch between seemed to be more of struggle than roughing it out without. After dropping my scarf, neck-warmer and hat and having to backtrack to find them, the majority of the rest of the afternoon was spent with the pack on. <br />
<br />
Once in Curtisville, I hid the sled and went into 'town' again, to a little country store cleverly called the 'Curtisville Trading Post'. Log cabin facade, half convenience store, half pizza/sub shop. I got something from both and sat down to charge some stuff. The cashier an pizza lady were really nice and it seemed that everyone knew each other, all wearing their 'Curtisville Trading Post' caps. Country music on the radio next to me, a warm pizza and a Chelada outside. I was very happy.<br />
<br />
Made the walk, leftovers in hand, to the trail and walked another hour to the bluff on Alcona Pond. I'd been here last year by canoe (got lost just down in the bay from where I'm sleeping at tonight, however now it is frozen). Clear sky again tonight; got the fire started with plenty of wood around. Tonight, let the ones you love around you know how irreplaceable they are. You never know when you will find yourself by yourself, without the chance to tell them in person. <br />
<br />
(Ps. pics coming-I got signal for once!)miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-73296422454021540512011-04-04T14:37:00.002-04:002011-05-27T01:48:26.589-04:00Day 3/4: Pond Rd to Rollaways:I'm at a restaurant now off the trail on hwy 65, about 5 or so miles from the south-branch camp. Slept in a sweet shelter last night at Rollaways and made a raging fire to dry my stuff..had soaking boots, melted one of them. Yesterday was a long day; merged onto the main trail a little after noon: not as well marked as the 'old trail' that I was on and really narrow..more like a rut filled in with snow. Towed the sled/pack behind me again on snowshoes..heavy snow in the afternoon made the path hard to see; lost the trail a couple of times, especially in one section where nearly all the trees in the forest were marked with blue dots that up to that point had only represented the trail markers. Found my stride late afternoon and charged it to the shelter, chopped some wood and went to work in the stone fireplace. Cozy night on a picnic table. Hoping to make it to the south-branch camp today..short day today, it's damp out and the trail looks very slushy from the melting last night. Sketchy signal the past couple of days, I'll try to upload photos when I get to somewhere that has better service.miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-41247803006544858752011-04-03T08:29:00.002-04:002011-05-27T01:47:57.316-04:00Day 2: Two Lefts-CorsairSpilled Gatorade and zigzags: <br />
Tough going today. Towed the sled behind me all day. Didn't get very far; the trail was not maintained, and zigzaged through thick forest, sometimes away from the direction I needed to go. Got frustrated and took a 2 mile detour on why turned out to be a cros-country ski loop. Many lost miles today.afternoon was better. Lunch cheered me up and I hiked with the pack on for the rest of the day, just towing the sled..it felt comforting to have it on my back for the first time. Refilled on water at silver creek and hiked the rest of the trail which followed some Corsair's paths. Camping in a clearing with only a few trees, off the trail somewhere in between Corsair and Pond Rd. Almost to the Monument. Made a fire and cooked a good dinner; stars are still as visible as last night, but I'm tarping it tonight. Hope tomorrow brings more success...<br />
Ps. saw some cool cougar/bobcat prints , owls talking around me tonight and some coyote barks.miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-60243052597025181432011-04-01T23:46:00.003-04:002011-05-27T01:47:07.176-04:00Day 1: Tawas Harbor to 'Two Lefts'At camp for the first night. all good. nice day today, *warm with lots of snow still in the woods (anywhere between 4-8 inches). It's colder(20's) here now but I'm chilling like a mummy in the dessert. The nice thing with it being this cold out, is that you can see all the stars..some that don't even exist in other countries....miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194231445114182822.post-76793224790628960372011-03-31T22:53:00.001-04:002011-03-31T22:53:54.630-04:00<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtrVsc5D3AbMOnIpbr2NgaL6M5tGRG6FSvP7qq5dcj_Ku2mmDnUOqM9F7XIxnmpa-A3r4POlYbzWTJbu6cdRH5AmAMkSk7PhsqFpgDKIoIb5l5nwMyDxYjUYkbRS_zDmPUK4jIrLJzV3h/s1600/IMG_5474-734631.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtrVsc5D3AbMOnIpbr2NgaL6M5tGRG6FSvP7qq5dcj_Ku2mmDnUOqM9F7XIxnmpa-A3r4POlYbzWTJbu6cdRH5AmAMkSk7PhsqFpgDKIoIb5l5nwMyDxYjUYkbRS_zDmPUK4jIrLJzV3h/s320/IMG_5474-734631.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590442972323908754" /></a></p>The packing list,<br>The night before<br>Contains these,<br>And a few more...miciganshore2shorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18357931391067201041noreply@blogger.com0