Where have all those Michigan people bee n?

“The Michigan folks (and some Michiganiac wannabes from Ohio) spent the weekend in White Cloud, MI.

We stayed at a one-room schoolhouse (100+ years old) owned by the North Country Trail Association. Talk about cozy, this is not a huge room. We had a large table for 12 set up and 11 cots. Extra space was hard to come by. We all know who the snorers are, who talks in their sleep, who has a weak bladder, who gets up too early, etc etc!

Q, Nigal and I arrived on Thursday PM. We spent an enjoyable night talking and night-hiking.

Friday is when the rest showed up...

Cow Patty
Birch & Sass
Dhutch
Smiley Girl
Reformed Lurker and his very awesome friend
le Subtil
Buddha Bear
wolfsister

Another evening of chatting and games.

Saturday, we hiked a section of the NCT about 7 or 8 (?) miles north of the schoolhouse and hiked back. Some of us played around on a frozen lake in the Loda Lake Wildflower Sanctuary. Buddha Bear, Sass and cow patty headed back out after dark for a night snowshoe/ski.

A few folks had to leave on Saturday evening. The fun and games kept on happening.

Sunday morning - Birch, Sass, Smiley Girl, BB, cow patty, and myself went back to play some tag and "monkey in the middle" wearing snow shoes (not easy, but tons of fun) on the lake. Q and dhutch cleaned up the schoolhouse. We all took off for home.

Fantastic weekend, as usual, with my favorite Michigan Mountaineers.

Sorry for the very boring report. So much happened that it's difficult to know where to begin, what to tell, what to leave out, etc. I'm hoping everyone else will chime in w/ their own little reports!

I'll have some pics on webshots in a day or so.”

“BB's Top Ten Memories of the "School House Rocks" Trip.....

10. Diane asking me "You're from Cleveland, have you ever heard of Southside Johnny?"

9. Meeting Kathy, RL's friend.

8. Far Wars, me v. Nigal (brought to you by..... Binra's Chili)

7. Hangin' w/Birch on the porch, smoking away.

6. Walking on a frozen lake, on newfallen snow with the crew.

5. Being able to get my team to say the word "Cabana" during a board game, using only TT referances.

4. Eating Q's Potato & Rice Cheese soup, ummmm, I need more.

3. Finding out what "Looby" really means.

2. Hiking full bore with no knee discomfort.

1. you guessed it............ Twister!


Thanks for inviring me for the second annual event y'all. I'm lucky to have friends like you. ..... not!”

“BB's Top Ten Memories of the "School House Rocks" Trip.....

10. DHutch asking me "You're from Cleveland, have you ever heard of Southside Johnny?"

9. Meeting Kathy, RL's friend.

8. Far Wars, me v. Nigal (brought to you by..... Binra's Chili)

7. Hangin' w/Birch on the porch, smoking away.

6. Walking on a frozen lake, on newfallen snow with the crew.

5. Being able to get my team to say the word "Cabana" during a board game, using only TT referances.

4. Eating Q's Potato & Rice Cheese soup, ummmm, I need more.

3. Finding out what "Looby" really means.

2. Hiking full bore with no knee discomfort.

1. you guessed it............ Twister!


Thanks for inviting me for the second annual event y'all. I'm lucky to have friends like you. ..... not!”

“Thanks, everyone, for planning this whole thing. It was great, great, great. I'm lucky to have such a good group of people to share adventures with.

Curiosity rules!”

“I had a GREAT time! It's always great getting together with you guys.

Some of the things I enjoyed:

Meeting (finally!) and day hiking with Nigal. Great guy!

Bob's Party Store

The Schoolhouse building and Sara

The togetherness (that's a word, right?) of everyone

Being assured that "Your package is in our hands"

Finding out that Amy is a grandma ;)

Meeting wolfsister and RL's friend!

Seeing that I'm not the only one with wild hair in the moring

Finding out just who this Southside Johnny really is

Tarabull and I both like to drive FAST

Cheese Curds = YUMMMMY

Group games can be real fun

and a bunch more. I'll post more later. I have to get back to playing with my wife and son....:)”

“I had a GREAT time! It's always great getting together with you guys.

Some of the things I enjoyed:

Meeting (finally!) and day hiking with Nigal. Great guy!

Bob's Party Store

The Schoolhouse building and Sara

The togetherness (that's a word, right?) of everyone

Being assured that "Your package is in our hands"

Finding out that Amy is a grandma ;)

Meeting wolfsister and RL's friend!

Seeing that I'm not the only one with wild hair in the moring

Finding out just who this Southside Johnny really is

Tarabull and I both like to drive FAST

Cheese Curds = YUMMMMY

Group games can be real fun

and a bunch more. I'll post more later. I have to get back to playing with my wife and son....:)”

“Sounds like it was a fun trip.. but....

Birch, aren't you supposed to be quitting smoking? Hmmmmm? Tsk, tsk tsk.”

“Let's just say Tara and Nigal are winning the war against cigs and I am very proud of them. To the rest -never give up-fight on!
"What I did(learn) on my Winter Vacation"
I learned that walking in deep snow is allot like walking in soft sand.I got the sore thighs to prove it.
Nigal is a cool dude with a stinkin' butt.
BB really does wish he had his own harem.
CP is an excellent tour guide.
Tara's not afraid to play Twister with a guy that didn't take a shower.
DHutch proved you really can fall asleep before your head hits the pillow.
Amy is the sweetest girl but I will never be able to read her writing.
The Mich highway patrol are merciful.
It's 423 miles from my house to the school house. My ex informed me I could have went to N Car. to the beach at my sister's in less miles(he doesn't understand TT).
Mich is so devine that even I could walk on water there.
"GREAT TIMES" Love yous guys.”

“Birch and Buddha Bear SUCK!!!!

So... RL... ya got your sweetie to meet the Michigan Morons?? Is she still with you??

lol”

“Thank goodness for the opportunity to get away this weekend with some of my favorite people! I think I had a smile plastered on my face while hiking on Saturday, I couldn't have been any happier. Certainly offset the hours leading up to the weekend - signing up for the wrong class at school, having the 2nd set of furniture I ordered still not fit up my stairs, and the all-too excited dog chomping on my arm. (BTW, D, its healing nicely! LOL!)

Have we mentioned the food? Yummy! And CHEAP!! :)”

“Good times.

I can't wait to see the pictures.

Smiley, did you get the message that we had your boots?”

“Yep, waiting on y'all to get those pics up! I won't have mine developed for a while. :(

I'm sore from running around yesterday on the lake. Even have a bruised knee from when I tackled Tarabull. :)”

“I'll try to work on my pictures tonight or tomorrow evening. Smiley - you are a disaster magnet!”

“I'm just grateful I'm a magnet for something. LOL!


WS - Did you get stopped on the way home?”

“Yes-I did. Who was saying I was a granny behind the wheel? Thems my boots I left up there-far,far away.
Whaaa I left my boots. My beautiful almost new booooots.”

“wolfsister - 3 things

1) Q is also winning the "war against cigs." He's been my rock! 2) It was I that said you were a granny behind the wheel (although, I believe "pokey driver" were the words I used). A slow driver in Michigan is anyone going less than 10 over the speed limit. Glad they let ya go. I think they're kinder to out-of-staters.
3) I was gonna ship your boots today but couldn't find an appropriate box. I'm sure I'll find one tomorrow. Hope you can survive a couple more days.

lizs - Michigan Morons? That's not playing nice. :-)

SG - I have a bruise on my knee, too. Although it was not from your tackle. It was from Q and I playing football in the schoolhouse w/out the lights. I belive the quote usually attributed to everyone's favorite bear can be applied to me in this situation: Stupid Should Hurt!

Note to anyone wanting to tackle someone on snow shoes... Step on the back of one of the shoes. That's what SG did (inadvertantly, I think?) and it stopped me in my tracks! LOL

Anyway... On to more important stuff. Enjoy!!”

“Nice pictures Tarabull! Thanks for getting them up so fast. I should get mine back on Wens. I have no idea what's on the film though, Birch had the camera all weekend pretty much.”

“WOW!!! those turned out great! that was real quick. Digital IS the way to go. I don't know when mine will be ready. I still have to get my Jordan River pics developed.........GGGGGEZZZZZZZZZ......”

“Yea, they got me for 81 in a 70 zone. So I guess I missed pokey driver by 1 mile? Take your time on the boots-I've got others. Oh, and that's right Q is a winner too!
I'm still fightin' my own fight-my wish for the new year- we all overcome,and why not, I've done things harder than this.”

“Niiiiiice pics Tara.”

“Ha! I didn't even show up in the twister picture! LOL!

Nice pics, Tara, especially of those snowshoe shots on the lake. ;)”

“I'm real impressed with that camera tarabull has/borrowed. How much was that, about a million bucks or so?

SG - that's a cool pic of you in the back of the birch mobile!”

“yeah, at least a million!

Q, no one would give me a ride, so that's where i snuck in!”

“What do you mean, "no one would give you a ride"?! We gave you a ride didn't we? Geez, sorry the seat wasn't very comfortable, it was either the hatch or my lap. ;)”

“

Ahhhhhhhh Twister!”

“Holy Toledo, didn't think it would be that big..... sorry.”

“I can't see it Buddha”

“Apparently Buddha really likes that picture. :)

Sass, you know I'm kidding!”

“I can't see it either Binks. maybe it's a case of the HMWHC founder's new picture, kinda like the emporer's new clothes?

I know you were SG, me too.”

“Great pics T-bone! Had a super wknd. I think I am still tired...”

“I think I am still tired..."
birch
07:43:20 PM
01/14/03


Getting old Birch?????????”

“30 = old”

“I dont think I am gettin old, I just played hard.”

“Just kidding man. Happy birthday by the way.”

“Yea, that's the way it goes...Playing gets harder and harder.”

“Gosh, I just thought I was still tired from listening to Buddha and Nigal snoring all night. Now I find out its because I'm old and I played too hard. :)”