Walkindude is coming to Michigan

“Baume...We're all close to both of the above mentioned airports (closer to Detroit Metro) there'd be no problem picking you up and you're welcome to a couch or a spot on the living room floor until we leave (for up north).

Re: iced tea...you have to be very careful up here with that. Most times it's that instant crap or fruity or already sweetened. You must first ask what kind of tea they use.”

“BTW, the calendar is marked for October 4,5,6.”

“I had a born-and-bread yooper as an R.A. in the dorms my second year. She always addressed us as "youse guys". I've heard it out of a couple other yoopers as well.

Oh dammit, I can't believe this, that weekend is out for me. Friend's wedding. Anyone willing to reschedule??”

“Dang Smiley, can't you announce you have plans BEFORE everyone marks their calendars?! I used ink too! =)”

“I thought I checked all the weekends, then I just went to mark that date on my calendar. Now I'm bummed!”

“In Mi we say "you". Not "youse" or "ya'll". LOL, we speak english, eh?

I live 5 minutes from the MBS airport (midland/bay city/saginaw) and would gladly host any of "y'all".

I'll work with whatever dates you decide on, but let's stay away from rifle deer season.”

“Sooo, who's gonna pick up buddur????

I'm OK w/ Oct 11/12/13. Let's make sure everyone that agreed to the previous weekend, can make this one.

Then, we'll set it IN STONE.”

“In the Polish and a few rural parts of the state it is definitely "youse." My dad still uses it, and so do many of his old friends and business contacts. My favorite is still the "soda" vs. "pop" thing. God, the way people looked at me when I'd order a pop someplace other than Mi.”

“Oct 11/12/13 are ok for me. I've checked the calendar, TWICE.”

“Fine.”

“I marked the first weekend on the calendar but it's just a matter of scratching it off and marking the other dates.

I won't be flying in. I'm taking off Thursday through Monday and will be driving.

11 - 13 sounds good!
How about everyone else?”

“Cool, a new acronym for the list... right between LPTM (Late Paleocene Thermal Maximum) and MDMA(3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine).”

“11th through the 13 should work for me.

2nd the trail suggestion. NCT north of the Manistee River trail is a little higher and scenic. really, i'd be up for any trail!”

“"Gawd. Lookout, 'Dude. It sounds like the Trolls and Yoopers are already fired up, LOL "

Why don't you join us, Tilt?”

“I should be in. See youse'all guys soon.”

“New date is good for me but Shanedog will have to check his appointment book :) We're in. If anyone needs a carpool I can help.”

“Yea! I'm so glad that weekend works out. :)”

“OK, I need info on maps & guide books.
What do yall recommend?”

“For which areas/trails do you want the info? Tara & company are on the river for the next few days, can I help?”

“Have we decided what we're doing yet?”

“Hey Cow Patty, you joining us that weekend! Been a long time!

What about you Nigal???”

“It's official. I have off for the Oct 11 - 13.

As far as the place, are we looking at Manistee National Forest?

What about Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore? Is that place pretty cool?

While I'm up there I'd like to at least one of the Great Lakes.”

“SmileyGirl - Yes, it has been awhile since I've seen you! The first weekend (Oct.4,5,6) worked better for me, so I'm still looking at the 11-13th possibilities.

Walkindude - Sleeping Bear is very cool, and there are ways to make it worth a 3 day trip on the mainland. There are backcountry campsites surrounded by about 14 miles of trails and all that Lake Michigan beach to walk. Basecamp only there, tho. There are miles of other trails in the park highlighting scenic vistas, old farmsteads, the dunes, etc., that just aren't connected to the trails around the campsites & are a short drive away. That's too late in the year to get out to the islands, practically speaking, for just a couple days.

Scanning thru the posts, I see some of the North Country Tr. mentioned, and the High Country Path. Both are good hikes & would need vehicles shuttled to avoid backtracking. Neither would get you to a Great Lake, altho the NCT would put you about an hour from Lake Michigan and the HCP about an hour from Lake Huron. I don't know what you & Tarabull have already discussed. Can I mail you any info?”

“Tilt-- Sugar and Cinnamon (& butter) on grits!! The Best!!”

“Wow, is Tara going to lead a real trip instead of another drunkfest? I've got to see this.”

“nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...

SALT, pepperoni, cayenne pepper, cheddar and butter! {maybe some honeybaked ham(and the tiniest dab of sour scream)]

You must me thinking of CREAM O' WHEAT er somethin'.


Is Walkindude Really from Tennessee? Last time I heard that noise, the personage in question was actually born in Massachusetts!

HECK, people around here accuse me of being from SOUTH CAROLINA just because I sometimes use 'quick' grits!”

“Grits? Most often with butter, salt and pepper. When served by Alabama natives when I was a kid the best was with gravy.”

“For someone who probably won't make this trip, lemme butt in here. A little about Sleeping Bear Dunes:

The 460-foot Sleeping Bear Dunes tower over the northeastern shore of Lake Michigan like shifting pyramids of sand. The dunes are a popular launching pad for hang gliders and stretch for seven of the thirty-four miles of national lakeshore. The Sleeping Bear Dunes are the world's largest perched dunes, so named because the dunes sit atop high, limestone bluffs.

On the mainland, there are two walk-in campgrounds within Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. One is Valley View, a lightly used facility north of Glen Arbor. Those forested sites are at the end of a 1.5-mile trail, with neither dunes nor Lake Michigan nearby. The other is White Pine Campground, reached on foot from the Platte Plains Trail. This backcountry campground is a gem. Located in a ravine between two forested dunes, the facility is an escape from the noise and bustle of the park's busy tourist season in midsummer; yet the campground still lies near the three main attractions of Sleeping Bear Dunes. Within a short walk of your tent are wind-blown dunes, panoramas of the rugged shoreline and the Manitou Islands, and isolated stretches of Lake Michigan beach.

If it were me, I would seriously consider this area for my Michigan trip.”

“Also try this site”

“Right-O Pathman!

Grits AIN'T Desert!

%^ )”

“Tilt OH MY GOD. Your recipe sounds more like some genetic experiment gone terribly wrong. I didn't have a grit until I moved south. Grits and Cream o Wheat are very similar!!

Pathman-that sounds more like mashed potatoes to me.

HeHeHe ;0”

“HERESY!!!


LOLOLOLOLOL...”

“Grits and Cream o Wheat are very similar!!


tango
07:01:34 AM
07/20/02

Say what!!! Grits is no where similar to Cream of Wheat

I like grits plain or with butter added. When I buy the instant brands I get the ones bacon, cheese & butter but that is it. I can't believe anyone would add sugar to grits, That is just as bad as putting sugar on grapefruit...yuck”

“I meant they are both from grains. Wheat, corn. Have you tried butter, sugar and cinnamon on them? ;)”

“is he in here??????????”

“Thanks Cow Patty & Steve Hiker for the info on Sleeping Bear Dunes!
Sounds like a pretty fun, scienic place.

What would the rest of yall think about it?”

“Sorry I missed your post in the fury of the Grits / Cream o' Wheat Controversy...

Would love to join you folks, but the wheels would prolly fall off of the Ford if I tried to drive it that far (and the big rubber band under the hood is looking a little raggedy, <G>).


Oct, 11? hmmm...”

“An alternative L. Michigan shoreline hike would be Ludington SP/Nordhouse Dunes. It could be a nice, slow two day hike with lots of beach fun.

I've also had my eye on the Udell Hills sections of the NCT nearby. I'll bet there is a nice three day hike within a half hour inland.

But that is way too far away for me to know if I'd be able to go. I won't take the Friday off.”

“Hey, everyone!

Just walked through the door. birch, Sass, Tara and le Subtil are having a blast. They've had great weather up to this point and are really enjoying there trip. There are some pretty good stories to be told (sorry, have to wait for the trip report, but it will be well worth the wait!). This morning, I left in the middle of rain (very impressive storm!) to get back home. It's too bad I couldn't do the whole trip, but enjoyed the time that I had with them.

As far as this trip,

WD - I wouldn't mind taking you to either one of the lakes after/before we start the trip, if we don't wind up at Sleeping Bear. Maybe we sould find a little extra time someplace.

trailbpacker - you gonna come with us ?”

“Cool!
I'll leave it up to yall to figure a place to go. Yall know the good places so don't plan the "where" around me.
I do wanna see a Great Lake sometime while I'm up there.”

“Walkindude, what Laqtis said: I'd be happy to give you a guided tour of some Lake Michigan shoreline if the decision is an inland hike on the west side. Can you take off an extra day or two?”

“Not to worry. Tara is a very good trip planner. You will be well hosted!

FYI - I don't know what route you'll be taking to get up here. If you're comng up I-75, before you hit Toledo, you could jot to the right for a bit and see Lake Erie.”

“Oh, yeah. Take the Luna Pier exit about 7 miles north of the Ohio/Michigan border on I-75. Pick up some ice cream bars from the gas station in town and take a walk along the pier. If it's windy, the waves crash over.

It's a bit industrial, but the coast of Monroe is underrated and unvisited.”

“From Tennessee, I'll be heading up I-65 to start with. I'll probably get on I-69 and come right through the middle of the state and turn offto where ever the trip is.

Cowpatty & Laqtis
I doubt I can take more time off. I got two other extended trips and so I gotta make sure I got vacation for them to. Thanks for the offer.”

“Some dunes sound good to me!

CP - sorry I screwed up the dates. Hope the other weekend works out!”

“AP Wire Reports
Berlin, Germany, May 1944

General Rommell has just finalized plans for a mojor amphibious assult in the United States, named Operation Wolverine. "After reviewing many potential invasion sites, including major cities and ports on the eastern seaboard, we have decided upon the beaches on Munroe, Michigan." "According to our intelligence reports, there will be very little resistance at this site, and we can then take Detroit and Toledo in one day, cutting of the USA's Crack supply. It also poses as a good site to land because of the potholed roads leading to Detroit will allow for the maximun traction for our panzers." Rommell believes that an invasion force of 100 troops can take detroit in about 2 hours. "They have Tigers and Wolverines, however, we have researched these fighting units and have found the Tigers couldn't beat a convent full of nuns, and the Wolverines talent comes from anywhere but Michigan." Furthermore, Rommell believes that the USA will not raise much of a fuss over loosing Michigan, just like Europe happily turned thiers heads when we invaded Poland a few years ago. "We don't expect much resistance, and, as a bonus, it puts us in a position, just by proximity, to demand Quebec's surrender."
Editors note: Two days after the plan was released, Quebec surrendured, eventhough Operation Wolverine was still months away.

Budza Von Baer”

“Hey, that's a pretty bad slam for Munroe!”

“Funny!

I grew up in Monroe and we always heard people make the claim that Monroe (was, Frenchtown, hehe) was the only US municipality ever to surrender to a foreign power - the British in the War of 1812. Then the Indians scalped everybody.

Of course, then our most famous resident was General Custer. He went west to get scalped.

And then we lost the Toledo War to Ohio and got the UP as consolation.

So, the Tigers certainly are living up to our image.

Of course, Detroit kicked everyone's ass during WWII.”

“Ohio got the short end of the deal, IMO.”

“I'm in for the dunes. Weather can be blustery off of Lake Michigan in October, but it should be a great hike for the fall weather. I vote for Nordhouse or Platte Plains. Good hiking and view of the lakes.”