Michiganers-wanna hike with me June 21-2 3?

“I'm in for this hike too. It's on my calendar. Shane want's to show you what a good dog he is getting to be, can he come? I'll watch for more details on meeting places and times as it get's closer. And if anyone wants to carpool, I can probably take 1 + gear. Crazy for an Explorer, but you know Shane needs his space!”

“cindy lu -”

“cindy lu -

Damn it! I hate it when i do that...


Did you get the map I emailed?

Looks like I'll be able to get up there during the early afternoon, depending how long it takes me to pack. I'm doing this trail the week before, so packing should not take long. I might see if I can just stay up there :)

What time is everyone else planning on getting there and how long is this trip running?”

“Dhutch, is it possible to make this a dog free trip? Most of us like 'em, but not all. No offense, btw.

Mike”

“Cool Dhutch, glad you're going to make this one! Birch and I don't have any problems with Shane coming along.

we'd probably be getting there around 8 or 9. Are we meeting at Seaton Creek camp, Friday night? What is it...campground Friday night, hike and camp Saturday and hike and camp Sunday then leave?

Hey, we could add 4.5-5 miles to the trip if we started at sawdust hole camp on the nct. We would still do the whole loop, just a few more miles...make it easier to spend three days hiking. We could then spend a night at seaton creek campground and or along the way. Or reverse. Does that make sense? lol. BTW, sawdust camp does not appear on the trail atlas map of the Manistee River trail. They cut it off but you can find it on the NCT segment A map in the atlas, page 238.”

“That itinerary sounds fine with me. I'll shoot for earlier so I don't have to worry when I get pulled over for speeding. So your staying Sunday night to return on Monday? Is that the plan? If so, I'll take Monday so let me know.

lurker, no offense taken at all. I will pack with my dog. But if bringing him means someone else won't go, I'll plan a different trip. No big deal.”

“There are a lot of ways to do this trail. I think that is why I like it so much.

Sass - That's 8 - 9 pm, right? As it stands, I can be up early in the day to sang camp spots. Anyone have any perferences on sites? Closer to the trail/water area or closer to the crapper? We'll be having a shing ding that night! I will be bringing surprises (do we have any vegans in the group?).

Are we thinking that we will keep a base camp at Seaton or just stay one night there and move cars to a trailhead?”

“Oh, I wanna go with you guys! I hope Pictured Rocks is as much fun as this sounds!”

“ya!!! Got the map!

I can be there fairly early on the 21st...

Seaton Creek Camp then?
I have to leave Sunday... I have to make the ferry by 7 pm.

Cindylu”

“OKay...so we'll be doing one night at seaton creek and one night on the trail, correct? Sounds fine to me.”

“This will be a cool trip. SuperB has to see if she can get the time off of work.”

“count me as a "most-likely, probably, yes."”

“close enough :)”

“Was there last weekend and I have to say the bugs will probably be horrendous. But it'll be as gorgeous as always and there're some great sites that should be better for bug avoidence.”

“I have a feeling that this is going to be a bad bug season too. I think the black flies will be bad. It's been cold and rainy lately. Real cold for May!

There's a map out there some place that shows all of the camping spots along the Mainstee river loop side. Anyone have one, by chance??”

“I don't have a map showing the campsites, but I did check some of them out last time I was there. Several options.

As Sass mentioned, we'll be fighting w/ the bugs, bring your bug nets!!”

“We can BS 'bout it (campsites) at Seaton on Friday, too. There are many spots to cache stuff. Depending on when I get up there (looking like early afternoon), some "forward intelligence gathering operations" can be excerised... :)”

“DHutch - I don't object to Shane coming along. I was considering taking Sadie, too. But, if it's warm, I'm going to leave her home - she has a pretty thick coat (shepherd/border collie mix).

If I decide for sure to do this trip, I will probably take a half-day so I can get up there pretty early. When we were at Seaton Creek a couple weeks ago, it was super busy at 8pm. There were only three sites available. So, the earlier the better in order to get a place to camp.

RL - you posted above about this trip... Does that mean you're coming?”

“Yup. And I don't mind dogs. I just know it's not a universal opinion. So, dogs are in I guess.”

“Thanks for the dog support. It's important to me also to keep the dog under control. My mother is terrified of dogs, so Shane goes in his crate when she comes over. Simple as that. I want everyone to be able to relax and enjoy. We'll plan on coming along. Also take 1/2 day to get there early. Anyone want to ride with? Let me know. With Shane in his crate I can take one extra with gear. Look forward to seeing you all again.”

“I don't mind poochies. It'll be cool to have one in the hiking party. I've never done that.

Once we get a tally of whose goin', we can decide how many site we'll need. I don't have to work, so like a lot of people here, I plan on getting up there nice and early.

BTW - I found the map I was looking for re: campsites along the river loop side. Ranger sez that we have to camp at those spots, but the last time I was there, the site we stayed at was not on the map. It had a food tree and fire pit, so we stayed anyway. I planned on going out Friday and doing a survey of possible camp spots on the NCT side. I have an idea.....”

“as Tarabull said: "count me as a "most-likely, probably, yes""”

“I haven't been following so I have yet to work out the details but this is how it looks to me... I have to work Friday. If my sister is back in town that day, I may be able to sneak out early but I won't be down there till VERY late. Wyatt is coming with me. I'll be bringing my small pack so I can carry him on my shoulders if he gets tired. Also, I don't mind hiking alone so you all can leave us behind and I'll catch up at the destination site.

So, someone please let me know what the details are. I need to decide whether to meet you there or spend the night somewhere near there and catch up.”

“I don't know if a hike plan has been worked out. So far, we are all meeting at the Seaton Creek Capmground, which is just east of the Manistee River Loop trail. I think you know where it is. I'm sure that things will firm up more soon. I hope to see you there. You are one of the TT'er's I've been waiting to meet!”

“Hey Laqtis I could not find any maps that have the camp sites.

The only one I know of is the one at the trailhead.

I am sorry I could not help.But I do know of a real cool site just before the Trail Bridge by the parking lot at S.Slagle Rd.Its to the left right by the right just before the bridge its a very nice spot.

8)”

“Thanks for looking, CM. I found that map that I was looking fer.”

“No problem dude!

8)”

“Sunshine,

Looks like I'll miss meeting you on this trip, but I'm vying for a free trip to Houghton in the fall (MTU job fair). I'll let you know if I actually go this year!”

“I wish we could do this every
weekend. Is there anything coming up sooner?”

“laqtis, I have a 7.5 min quadrangle map of the area that I have highlighted the trails on both sides and also jotted notes about designated campsites etc.. I would scan it and send it too ya BUT If I plug in my scanner the computer gets to go back to the shop to be fixed again...sorry man...”

“Hey Le Subtil the club has a trip to do the Manistee River Trail & North Country Trail loop on 6-8 to 6-9 and 9-28 to 9-29.You are always welcome to go with as with any other Michigan Backpackers.

8)”

“laqtis, I look forward to meeting you, also.

smiley girl, Give me a holler when you're in the area! Hopefully, we'll get to do a hike. If not, there's always time for a fish bowl. :o)”

“Guess who I visited with yesterday? Well, I saw Adventure Girl hard at work in her newest summer work adventure. She is close to many hiking opportunities and will have some weekends off to hit the trails, BUT she has no Internet access this summe, no phone, and no wheels to try to keep up with us.

AG would like to go on this hike and is within ~ 30 miles of the Seaton Creek trailhead. I gave her a trail map. She will soon have her schedule and know if she has the time off. She'll be trying to get a friend with a car to hit the trail with her so they can join in this hike. This hike won't work out for me, but I can get in contact with AG if any of you might be able to help her out or plans change. We'll see if she has the weekend off first.....”

“I would be more than happy to pick up and drop off AG if needed!!”

“Me too, Cow Patty. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help Adventure Girl.

I got some information on this trail in a couple of my Michigan hiking books. Are we started on the North or South side? Are we just doing the Manistee River trail or doing the loop that includes a section of the NCT?

Wyatt LOVES hiking now. "Pease, Momma, Pease! Waterbobbles!" Gotta love it!”

“Me too, Cow Patty. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help Adventure Girl.

I got some information on this trail in a couple of my Michigan hiking books. Are we started on the North or South side? Are we just doing the Manistee River trail or doing the loop that includes a section of the NCT?

Wyatt LOVES hiking now. "Pease, Momma, Pease! Waterbobbles!" Gotta love it!”

“Sunshine -

I think we are doing the whole trail, NCT and Manistee Loop back to what ever trail head we stay at. I don't think we've coe up witha hike plan as of yet. We just might decide at Seaton on Friday night.

It's really going to be good to see eveyone again. I feel like it's been years.......”

“I cant wait I always want to hike

8)

Not So Crazy Mike”

“Not so what?????

8|”

“Not so crazy

;-)”

“Oh I get it!!!!!

8)

I guess I need better glasses!”

“Sorry, all the Michigan threads were falling off....”

“Thanks for bringing this one back, laqtis.

How many confirmed hikers do we have for this one?”

“rl

confirmed - St. Mike's, Monroe

Didn't realize this was a Catholic thing.”

“BTW, this is records day at my school.

Schools out for the summer!”

“LOL, RL! What was your confirmation name? Mine is Anne. Oh, and I'm jealous that you're done with school. I can see you're getting a lot done, with all this posting on TT!

Looks like I won't be hiking with y'all this month.”

“I was very original.

My confirmation name was Michael.

:)”

“We're out Friday, next week. I might be done a little earlier this year due to construction at our building, so I might really get 8 weeks off instead of 6 ::))”

“You Catholics have to choose another name when you get confirmed? What a wacky bunch :-)

-a confirmed Lutheran”

“Yep, we drink and gamble a lot too!”