July 04th, 2008
By Arthur

By Kristine

I don’t really remember the first time I saw the Sleeping Bear Dunes.  I’m guessing that’s because I was still a baby when I originally encountered those mountainous sand hills.  I know we made a pilgrimage to the dunes every year for most of my childhood.  I can still remember fighting to climb through the slippery sand, and thinking the top of the dune looked much too far away.  I can also remember emptying my shoes, my pockets and generally my clothes of small piles of dune sand when we headed back to the car. 

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore lies in Benzie and Leelanau Counties in Northern Lower Michigan.  The Dunes themselves took their names from an Ojibwa legend about Mother Bear and her two cubs that were driven out into Lake Michigan by a fire.  The cubs swam bravely, but were too small, and finally slipped beneath the waves.  When Mother Bear reached shore she climbed to the top of a sand bluff and waited in vain for her cubs.  Finally, the Great Spirit took pity, and raised North and South Manitou islands to mark where Mother Bear’s cubs had been lost.  He also sent Mother Bear to sleep and gradually the dunes grew over her.

For those who’ve never visited, the Dunes can be quite an awesome site.  They look like some giant child has dumped buckets of sand everywhere.  Wind and water carve some of the dunes into fantastic shapes.  The odd tuft of grass gains a foothold here and there and sprouts bravely like the last few hairs on a balding man’s head.  There are trails to walk, and huge hills of sand to scramble up, and clear blue water in which to cool your feet when the sand gets too hot.

A day at the Dunes is also a fairly economical way to spend a vacation day. Up until 1998, the Park Service did not charge fees for walking the Dunes.  Today a Park Pass, good for seven days, is 10 dollars, and an Annual Park Pass, good for 12 months, is 20 dollars.  Fees for camping near the dunes are also quite economical.  You can learn more about the Dunes at the Official Sleeping Bear Dunes Website.  If you’re a rebel, you can also read about the Dunes at the Unofficial Sleeping Bear Dunes Homepage.

If you’re looking to add some water to the sand of your Dunes adventure, you might also want to canoe the Platte River.  We did this several times when I was a kid, and it was a lot of fun.  The Lower Platte, which we canoed most often, ends on a sandy beach in Lake Michigan.  The Upper Platte is not white water, but is a faster water trip.  The river also has a lot more twists and turns, so it is a trip for canoeists who are more experienced.

Finally, if you like music, you may want to consider attending the Sleeping Bear Dunegrass and Blues Festival at the end of July.  I’ve never been to this music festival but I’ve heard from people who have been that it’s a lot of fun.  The dates of the festival are July 31 - August 3, and there are already a lot of local and national artists scheduled to play. 

Popularity: 22% [?]

June 20th, 2008
By Arthur

The Grand River is the largest river in the state of Michigan. It runs for 260 miles and passes through many cities including Grand Haven, Lansing, Jackson, and Grand Rapids. The Grand also passes through 8 counties before emptying itself into Lake Michigan.

Since the Grand River covers so much of Michigan’s lower peninsula there are many places that this natural resource can be utilized. I have fished on the Grand in multiple locations, and have also fished for a variety of different species that reside in the river as well. It is truly a one-of-a-kind river that we are fortunate enough to have so close to us.

My whole family has fished the river, and we always visit it at least once during the year, if not more. I have fished it for salmon in Portland, seen carp caught out of it in Grand Ledge, and caught many a nice smallmouth bass out of it in Grand Ledge and Portland. You will also catch an occasional pike on the river. It even holds trout in certain stretches as well.

You can see why there is such an attraction to this river just because of the sure number of fish that are available to be caught as well as the variety of species available to catch. There is nothing I like better than to be running a #3 mepps spinner through its dark water just waiting for a nice smallie to be on the other end of the line.

I think the best part of the Grand is its sure accessibility. There are a variety of places where all you have to do is park your car along the bridge and walk a short trail to the river, as well as some places that are “secret” and allow for some prime fishing.

So if you’re in Lower Michigan and bored on a Saturday afternoon, grab a pole, a few mepps spinners, and try and catch yourself one of the variety of different fish species that call the Grand River home.

Popularity: 21% [?]

May 20th, 2008
By Arthur

My brother and I were shooting the bows last weekend and we got to talking about doing an activity that I really do miss. We realized that we hadn’t shot an archery 3-d course in quite some time.

When I first got into archery, we used to shoot these courses all the time. We would start around May, and then just make our rounds through the local courses. Honestly, at the time, it made for a great Saturday morning ritual for myself and a buddy of mine. I can’t think of a better way to spend 3 hours on a weekend then shooting the bow. It was awesome.

While we will have our 3-d course set up on my cousin’s property again this year, it is just not the same as getting out and shooting a true 3-d course. It is much easier, and closer to my house, but it doesn’t provide for the different scenarios that you can experience while shooting a 3-d course for the first time. It is a great experience, and I think the closest representation of actually shooting at an animal, that you can find. Sure there are video shoots and such, but they don’t provide the feeling of realism that being outside, deciding the yardage, and taking the shot does. It is great practice and a great time.

So my first outdoor intention for this year is to get out and shoot a couple archery 3-d courses. It might be hard, with the newborn on the way, but I’m sure the wife will be nice enough to let me work it in.

I’m looking forward to it.

Author’s note: That is not one of us in the picture. It was just a very good representation of the activity I am talking about.

Popularity: 32% [?]

April 21st, 2008
By kristine

When I was a kid, my family lived downstate, or more like midstate. Every summer, without fail we’d come up North to vacation about an hour away from the area where I now live. Every year the Shreve family would have a family reunion in the small Northern town where the old family farmhouse still stood. We’d come up for a week, and most of it would be deadly dull. Let’s face it, you can only swim and sun so much.

While most of the vacation was relatively placid, we did usually take a few trips. One of those trips was always to Fishtown. Even back then, when I was a kid, I loved the weathered boards of the buildings, and the neat little trinkets that were sold in the shops. I also remember, strangely enough, getting salt water taffy in Fishtown, which, even then, seemed odd as Fishtown was on a freshwater river and lake.

Fishtown is the historical district of Leland, Michigan. Once, about a hundred and forty years ago, it really was a fish town; a place where people who fished on the Great Lakes, and those who worked to can those fish, lived. Today, it is a series of shops and art galleries, where tourists can browse for a unique souvenir or gift. Fishtown is also the site of the only public ferry offering rides to the Manitou Islands.

Fishtown was first stettled in 1854. The area was a great one for fishing and more families came to get in on the catch. Fishing wasn’t an easy life, but a family could support themselves doing it and many families did until the 1930s. In that decade, catches declined do to overfishing and the introduction of non-native species. The fishing settlement needed another reason to be, since commercial fishing couldn’t support it anymore. Eventually the area was developed as a tourist destination and Fishtown was born.

Today there are still two active fisheries in Fishtown and an active charter fishing business. Most of Fishtown, however, is now a shopping district with art galleries, souvenir shops and candy stores. The quaint shacks which used to house the fishermen and the cannery workers have become quaint stores where tourists search for a unique piece of art or something to take home as a remembrance of their trip.

Some of the standout galleries and stores in Fishtown include Fishtown Pottery where you can get high-fire porcelain and glazed ceramics. Reflections is Leland’s oldest art gallery and nautical store, and a famous tourist destination. If you’re in the mood for food, stop by Carlson’s for smoked fish and beef or turkey jerky. You can also stop by the Village Cheese Shanty for wine, cheese and local specialties. If you want a truly unique souvenir, visit TUG Stuff, which features clothing and accessories which carry the TUG logo. This log was designed in the early 1970’s by a local artist and reflects the history of fishing on the Great Lakes.

Fishtown is also a great place from which to go fishing. The Fishtown Charter Service will take you out to fish the waters of the Manitou Islands. If you love lake trout, brown trout, or steelhead, booking a charter trip could be for you.

When I was small, Fishtown was a place we went to break up a week long family reunion. I remember it as a place with cool little shops where some indulgent aunt or uncle always let me purchase some cool little trinket. Today, I don’t get back to Fishtown as often as I should, but after writing this, I think I’ll put it on the list of places to go this summer. After all, I’m an adult with a wallet of my own now, and I’m betting I could still find a trinket or two worth buying.

Popularity: 28% [?]