Michigan Hikers

“Daffers did really well this last trip with Ivygal when we went to Wakeley Lake. She knows her turns well and has a few of her own...tree climbs, gopher chasing(or whatever was in that huge hole she was deep down inside), and water with black muck...she loves to walk right in that black muck. Damn dog...”

“So, you're saying that dogs sense I'm a mean b!tch, Nigal?????”

“Nah, smiley. My dog is actually the happiest, goofiest, friendliest dog I know. You just came over at a time when he was getting used to his new, better way of life and probably overprotecting it. He's awesome about people coming over now.”

“I'm kidding, don't worry! I was just trying to irritate Nigal. :))”

“Troll!!

Now I have to make me up a dummy in the back yard that looks like Smiley and train HoneyDog to attack it on sight. First time you meet her you're gonna think your a prisoner at Aubu Grabe prison! LOL!”

“Was there licking at Aubu GraBe?”

“So, what Sass is saying is that HoneyDog is incapable of attack by any means other than licking. Correct? ;)”

“LOL! Surprisingly she's not a big licker but she will chew and mouth your hands until you play with her. HoneyDog has one goal in life, to meet and spend every waking moment with good happy peoples.”

“Nigal you are a worthless piece of krap! Too good to hike with your friends. Next time I hike with you, you are carrying the beer AND a big old rock hidden in your pack. You'll beg for a group hike.”

“So Manistee it is then? When?

Come on, Nigal. Pretty please with a cherry on top? You begged off my Morgan-Monroe trip. You owe me.”

“By dint of driving on Crosstown Parkway, Nigal? Perhaps my love of canoeing came from living in Portage and traveling on Portage Road a lot.

Whenever you come for the Porkies and Sylvania, stop on in while you are in the neighborhood. You can even bring HoneyDog.”

“If you're into fishing and yakkin then you'll love Sylvania...I was talkin to one of the adult leaders of a youth group (8-10 teenages) when I was up there last weekend, said one day they caught like 40 smallmouth in app. 2 hrs!
Plus the scenery is awesome!”

“UPluver, did you take pics?”

“Yesh I did, birch, unfortunately they're all 35 mm (some of us poo folk don't have a digital camera, yet....lol) and I haven't got them developed yet.
Believe me as soon as I get them back I'll gettem posted!”

“UP, I dont have a digi either. I dont like the poor quality (unless you lay out BIG coin) of the photos, to pixilated.”

“"Nigal you are a worthless piece of krap! Too good to hike with your friends. Next time I hike with you, you are carrying the beer AND a big old rock hidden in your pack. You'll beg for a group hike."

Oh I have no doubt about that birch! How many miles did I go that one time before I realized you were on top of my pack?”

“we should try to get a group hike together in the kalamazoo area some time (even if its a day hike) I am getting excited about Pictured rocks do you guys have any suggestions for me?”

“I'd be all for a trip to the MRT or maybe even just some car camping/day hiking somewhere around Yankee Springs sometime in Aug.”

“My forays from the Wisconsin North Woods to the Kazoo area are infrequent and usually revolve around family issues (elderly parents and kids in college), though that doesn't completely rule out TT activities -- that's how I managed to squeeze in the Waterloo-Pinckney hike where I first met most of the Michigan Mountaineers, and it was a deliver-daughters-to-college trip that let me sneek in a day hike with tarabull and laqtis last January, as well as meet a batch of SW Mich. TTers (including dhutch) for dinner. So one never knows.

As for the Pictured Rocks, I lived in Marquette for 15 years and never got around to hiking it! Took something like 4 or 5 years there before I even went over for the boat tour along the shore. Duh. Always seemed to head off to da Copper Country (Keweenaw Peninsula) and Porkies areas to camp/hike.”

“Hey Smiley, I can't imagine what you did to get Shane Dog to bite you. While I was up there he and I got along great. I took him (or he took me) for a nice long walk/jog.

He also likes to pose for pictures
http://community.webshots.com/photo/109154708/109156455TypUVe”

“Nice dog, but lots of energy.

I remember camping on the MRT. Every time I walked past, Shane would go crazy. I walked by at like 5:30AM with my trowel and she woke everyone up.

But I'm not a dog person. I'm always nervous when dogs go past.”

“Which is best, hiking there or a boat tour? (How much can you see while hiking?)”

“I've never taken the boat ride, but the hike around the top of the Pictured Rocks is one of the best Michigan hikes. Lots of good views.”

“Thanks, reformed lurker.”

“Nowslimmer - Both the trail sections where the "pictured rocks" can be seen, and the boat tour are worthwhile. As the shoreline forms points and coves, a surprising amount of the rock formations and colors can be seen from the trail. A lot of the trail is close to the edge of the bluffs. I once went on the boat ride after thru-hiking the trail! Different perspectives of the scenery.

(Hi R.L.!!)

And, Buddhamtnsmasher - if by not having time to make campsite reservations at Pic. Rocks, you mean you intend to camp without a permit, I don't recommend it. Permits are required and are specific to each backcountry campsite, and there is a small camping fee. Get busted and you can pay a lot more. There are backcountry rangers at Pic. ROcks and they do patrol, especially this time of the season. It's worthwhile to check the park website for your camping options.”

“Nowslimmer!

You might also look into the Grand Island National Forest Recreation Area. I have not hiked there, but it supposedly has cliffs similar to those in the national lakeshore. The rules seem to be more lenient there in terms of camping. It also has bears.”

“Oh what a pretty boy ShameDog is! RL, I for one think you ARE a dog person but ya just don't know it. I know Honey really liked ya and got excited around you too.”

“I've done both the hike and the boat tour. Both very worthwhile!”

“RL - I had only adopted the boy a month prior to that hike, and I think it was Hoist Lakes. He's much better now. Promise.

I think at first he was just ultra protective of his new owner.

buddhamtnsmasher (we need to find an abbereviation) do you ever to out to Yankee Springs? They have a cool orienteering course set up out there.”

“Has anyone ever done any kayaking up at the 'Rocks? I've always thought it would be a pretty cool place to go yakkin!
dhutch - where in YS is that orienteering course? We used to go car camping at Deep Lake quite a bit but I don't remember that....course that could have something to do with my lack of memory!! lol”

“They just put it up last fall. It's on the west side of the park. They have maps at the ranger stations is what I'm told. I got one from an outing last winter. It's really fun, but I recommend waiting til well into fall. The vegetation is pretty thick right now.”

“i've never kayaked there, but i've seen lots of people do it. if you are experienced, i think its a great idea. i don't think yaking on the Big Lake is a good idea if you're not experienced.”

“UPluver, as soon as Birch and I learn self-rescue moves we'll be headed up there. We got to watch some kayakers who didn't really know their stuff almost drown there once. It's definately someplace you want to kayak but you should know rescues. Superior has three foot waves when it's in a good mood, lol.
I think just before we head there we'll be camping at Nordhouse or sleeping bear dunes for kayaking in Lake Michigan (just a little bit warmer and gentler). Want us to holler when we go?”

“Thanks lady, I'll have to check that out :)
Do you go out there a lot?
I've been thinkin about maybe going up there for a weekend soon....just car campin and maybe some dayhiking (if the mtn bikes aren't to bad...lol).”

“Didn't gojo "yak" at pictured rocks? LOL!”

“Sass & Smiley - I couldn't agree more about needing exp. before goin yakkin in the 'Gitch :)
I definitely need a LOT more practice before I'd try it!
I wouldn't mind trying Lake MI tho sometime if you guys wanna put up with me :)”

“I’d like to pack at the Lake Michigan Rec Area up the coast from Nordhouse and then paddle down and camp there. I need a spray skirt (Maybe a nice knee length number with a nice spring pattern?) before I’d try the big waters though.”

“I think there is an orienteering course at the Kellogg Forest to the west of Battle Creek as well. Lots of great hills in that place. But they had some big storm damage a few years ago.”

“cow patty-
We do plan on getting our permitts, but they also alow a certin number of backcountry camp sites to be reserved no later than 2 weeks in advance.

dhutch1- I've never been to yankee springs but we should set up a trip sometime this fall.

also i know that a group of friends and i are going to copper harbor on the 20th of august if anyone is interested.

we are leaving tomrrow for Pic Rocks. i think i might go get one more day hike in before we go!”

“I'd do a trip to Yankee Springs. It's not a backpacking place, but you could bike, hike, kayak there. Multi-sport weekend with car camping. Sounds Nice.”

“That sounds fun Dhutch!”

“I am definatly down with that.”

“Well it seems we have several trips to coordinate, let's see:

Paddling trip
MRT trip
Yankee Springs car camping meet the neighbors :-)”

“... too late... :) but what is MRT?”

“Manitstee River Trail. You don't sound like an idiot, were you trying?

Reminder, we need an abbreviation for your name buddhamountainmastersmasher.”

“BM? lol BS? ;)”

“lol @ Sass. BMS?”

“I've mountain-biked Grand Island -- lots of fun. It's a multi-use area, so different rules on things like camping than Pictured Rocks.”

“I don't think my kayak trip is going to go off this weekend guys. :(

Stay tuned though!”

“Manistee river trail. that makes sense. so if you wanna you can just call me mike. but BMS works too.
you folks just let me know when and where we're going and i'll be there. :) I am hooked on this forum now you people are super nice. thanks for making a new guy feel welcome!”