Michigan Hikers! (and Ohio friends)

“Aw you guys, I jealous - you'll be hiking, and the rest of us will be working.

CP - I had the same thought. :)

Do we know where we're hiking on Saturday?”

“I think its time to form a second wing of the MICHIGAN MOUNTAIEERS. The polar bear club...we got a lake and cold weather. I say bring your suits and lets do it!”

“BTW to prevent any of MY clothing from being frozen if I fall asleep first, I will NOT be bringing ANY. I may be tolerable when dressed but am NOT eye-candy when nekkid LOL!”

“Dude, I'm in! Let's polar bear it! Boxers only! Damn, now I CAN"T WAIT to get there!”

“Cow Patty/Smiley Girl - there will be no show here. These guns stay in their holsters!

I may be up for the Polar Bear challenge. It all depends on whether or not Le Subtil is bringing the Jagermeister. I doubt I'll jump in if I'm sober!!”

“If there's a dock to jump off of it wouldn't be too bad. I'm not sure if I could wade in sober!!!

I've never had my bra frozen. I'll bring a spare. Toothpaste on my forehead, no frozen bras though.

Once when Birch and my little bro hunted with a club they froze a guy's dentures in a ziplock full of water.”

“I will jump in! I have always wanted to try polar bear.”

“Holy smoly . . . all this talk bout frozen bras and frozen butt . . . think I might try talkn to the boss bout getin off work a bit earlier on fri. He's a frightful one ta speak to though. There is a hike scheduled sometime this weekend . . . isn't there? lol!

BB & CP - so that's what y'all been carryin in those water bottles . . . and ta think I always thought it twas gatorade. Just a bit partial to zinfandale myself! ;-) (can someone get tea to check on that spellin for me)”

“SB, you can always stay for Saturday night if the boss won't let you go! Were you already planning on that? It's a long way from Indiana just to hike and go home. Saturday is taco night!”

“Sass - need to be home late sat night to stuff the turkey and throw er in the oven . . . my late t-day fest on Sun. I know its a long day . . . but i've certaily done crazier things!

BTW, I do plan on stayin for just a bit after the hike just in case the lurker dosen't permit any talkin on the trail! LOL! clue me in iffn ya need me to bring anything.”

“Just yourself.”

“Hmm...colder temps will be here by the weekend, be a bit nipply in that lake & out of it.

Oops, did I really just say that......”

“Hey guys!

Did some recon tonight of SOLAR. Interesting group. Kind of like a MENSA meeting, Greatful Dead concert and ski club gathering all in one. God only knows how a group like that survives.

The cool thing is that they have a trip to the local curling club scheduled. So, reformed lurker is going curling on Dec. 29.

Hey, has anyone posted directions to the cabin?

Parent teacher conferences tomorrow. Arrrrghhhh.

rl

BTW, I'm keeping my clothes on.”

“Reformed Lurker - Sass/Birch emailed location & directions earlier; maybe you didn't get that email?

There's a story about that SOLAR club I'll tell ya....remind me this weekend.”

“RL, I too will remain fully clad (except for swim trunks). I can embarass myself just fine without revealing all that G-d gave me. I just wanted to drop the idea about a swim...perhaps I shoulda mentioned a CLOTHED swim. I forget how things deteriorate here LOL!”

“Reformed do you need another copy of the map?”

“I found it. Thanks.”

“Hey, who's been posting their bagnights on the backpacker magazine website?

I was just wisely using my planning period to surf the net and, suddenly, the Michigan Mountaineers show up in the bagnight challenge.

So, currently, we have 14 bagnights. That puts us behind the Fat Paddlers, the Stinky Seven and - god forbid - the French Louie's Bushwackers. Thankfully, we are ahead of the Snobros, the Bad Mojo Fish Adventure Society and that great bastion of outdoor culture, Enterprise Rent a Car.

BTW, Greatlakeshikes ranks fairly high - almost 200. And SOLAR is in 3rd place nationally with about 1800.”

“What is a "bag night"?”

“I think you have to own a goretex hat to belong to SOLAR.”

“Laqtis , a bag night is how many nights you spend "half-in-the-bag" drunk.”

“If that's the case, then Birch - You win!!!!!”

“Friday night - bag night!”

“I'm willing to make both nights "half-in-the-bag" nights!”

“Are you in the bag or out of the bag? How can you be half in the bag? Who are you all in the bag with? How many TT'ers can be in the bag at one time?

OK, I'll join you.”

“This is gonne be ONE BIG BAG!”

“Hi my name is Mike and I backpack all over the midwest and I ave a free hiking and backpacking club.I like to meet and make new friends whenever I can.If you would like to go check out my web site my address is:www.geocities.com/iluvbackpacking/index.html
Also I am going on a backpacking trip this weekend to hoosier national forest so if anyone one would like to meet up with me I am going to Charles C.Deam Wildreness.Send me email if you would like more info.Also my favorte place to backpack in the midwest is Manistee National Forest becuase The North Country Trail is my favoret.

Take care and happy hiking.

Mike”

“nice pictures iluvbackpacking. do you write trip reports?”

“No I don't but I hv a new page on my site that has my favorte trails on it.Do you like backpacking in Manistee???I do the Manistee river trail is just great..

Keep in touch and happy hiking.

by the way my offer is still open to anyone to go with me this weekend..

Mike”

“i've never been anywhere in the midwest. i live near richmond virginia. someday though......”

“Well someday maby you can come out here.You live in a great place.Y must get to backpaking all the time.I need to get out east more.

Happy hiking

Mike”

“Hey, iluvbackpacking!

What, exactly, do you love about the Manistee River Trail? Specific details will help me plan future trips.

Thanks,
rl”

“That trail was my first serious backpacking trip. I really would like to do it again in the up coming year. I enjoyed the trail, it's just that there were a lot of mistakes that our party made that turned into a "deathmarch". It's a great loop!

There are some real neat established sites on the Manistee side. The North Country Trail (west side of the river) is high and dry, but also has it's charm as far as sites go. The east side (Manistee Trail) really has some cool sites. Some are high on the bluffs over looking the river, some are close to the river so you can swim. Early spring, or fall would be great for the views. Maybe this could be added to the trip list for the Mountaineers for next year?”

“I specifically luv taking a nice sharp axe to the heads of the people I invite backbacking with me. Good hiking!

Mike”

“I too made the loop out of that it's about 22 miles.Well anyway the trail is just great becuase of the river I like rivers and here in the midwest we have lots of them but the one in manistee is one of my favorites.He's right there are camp sites all along the trail to use and water is never a problem.Go to my web site I have pictures of it there.

Take care and happy hiking.

Mike”

“I knew it Buddha, you are an axe murdurer! :)”

“We are our own screening process. If you can survive the welcome...”

“Are you sure you've been there iluvbackpacking? Seems to me water is a problem on part of the trail! I seem to recall that you have to carry all your water on the NCT side. What's the name of that little bridge again?”

“Where is your website Mr.iluvbackpacking?”

“Damn, missing another TT get together. I'm jealous, again. Should be able to make 'em from January on out. Be extra nice to Tarabull this weekend, she's having a rough week. Be mean to Binra/Trailburner. No mercy for the camp tramp!
Hope everyone has a good time.”

“Buddur, he posted it on another thread.”

“Sass, you're right. The west side is very dry. ON the Bridge name - on the south side of the loop, that's the Red Bridge Trailhead. The north part of the loop, Hodenpyl Damn Trailhead. Or are you thinking of the Eddington creek bridge that is the first water you see when hiking the NCT side goin north? I think that hiking that loop staring with the Manistee side first and go north would be the call. That way, you hit Eddington Creek after the damn (going south on NCT side) load up on water, and hike the 6-8 miles back to Red Bridge.”

“I'm sure there will be plenty of hikes to come, Max.

I'll do my best to be nice to Tarabull this weekend, but only if she leaves me alone in the morning. I've never met Binra, so I'll have to be nice for the first few hours after I meet him, but no promises after that. :)”

“Laqtis I know what the bridges are named! I wanted to see if iluvbackpacking did. I was refering to the little bridge you cross the manistee on. It has a special name that reflects it's construction. Don't give away the answer!!! :o)”

“Damn! Sorry, didn't know it was a trick question. I need to get some sleep so I can back to being "frosty". Show week will do that to a person. Did take a look at his site, it was a little bare.

Any hooo....... you guys have a blast this weekend. Please let me know how everything went and how ya like the cabins!”

“Thanks L, we'll fill ya in on all the details and tease Binra alittle bit in your honor. Hope the show goes well!”

“I wish I could play here all day but I have to go back to work ohhh ya if you do the 10.6 mile manistee river trail you can get water right out of the river.....

Later

Then cross over to the NTC and over there it has very little water and lots of MT.Bikers..”

“I woke up out of a dead sleep in complete panic this morning - I had a meeting at 8:30 out of my office, which I had not prepared for, and obviously forgot about. Whoops. Good thing I only live 3 miles from work, and got here to pick up my stuff in plenty of time and got to the meeting.

Where was my brain? I'll be so happy to get to tomorrow...

Sass and Birch - 1:30, right?

Laqtis, what's the show about?”

“SG - Musical - Hello, Dolly.”

“I love Hello Dolly! It is a good one. But you show me just about any musical and I will fall in love with it :)

I am tring so hard to write papers today. I just cant concentrate. I need to write them today there is no way that I will be able to focus tomorow!”