Gratefulness

While out riding tonight I was listening to TED Radio Hour. The theme was happiness: what it means; how to achieve it; and the science behind it. All of the speakers made insightful points. However, Monk, David Steindl-Rast made the biggest impression on me. He posited that we cannot and should not strive to be happy, rather we should strive to be grateful for for each and every moment and opportunity. (Hear David's talk here: David Steindl-Rast: What Does It Take To Be Grateful? Thank you NPR).

That sentiment really resonated with me.

Be grateful for everything and every moment. Your gratefulness will birth happiness.

-J

Sugarloaf Mountain and some big news

Last weekend I found myself in Marquette; a delightful town on the southern shore of Lake Superior. 

I had the morning off so I took to the Subaru to roam about the area. I haven't been to the area in 12 or 13 years. While the town had changed a considerable amount, the natural surroundings remained exactly as I remembered them: beautiful, raw, and clean. 

Hogback Mountain sits in the distance just waiting to be explored and I can't wait. I figure that is a nice way of telling you all that I am moving to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It's not everyday that a dream job comes up in the perfect location but I guess it did for me. I cannot wait to be able work with a great group of people during the weekdays and then spend the whole weekend communing with nature and enjoying life finally. 

Outdoor Research's latest catalog had a section on living a Complete Life that talked about being able to spin your adventures alongside your everyday happenings. That advertisement really stuck with me, and that's how I am going to start living. 

Here's to our move up north and a new chapter in our lives. 

-J

Revival

To anyone who should stumble upon this:

I have neglected this blog because I have been very busy. Work has come before fun and honestly when I have time for fun I rarely have time to blog about it. It's time for this to change. I miss interacting with the types of people who choose to follow blogs; they're good people. Those who take time to read blogs are not as fickle as Facebook users; they play an active role in the blogosphere and largely shape that landscape with their comments. 

No more radio silence on my end. As part my personal resolutions following my birthday I am going to post more frequently, daily perhaps. 

Expect more content. Hold me accountable. 

J. 

ps the direction of the blog is changing for the better. 

Hard Water

Several years ago I blogged for Pure Michigan about the ice formations that are found on Lake Michigan. At the time it was no big deal. In fact the post did not receive too much traffic. However, this year it seems the Big Lake's ice features have been receiving rave reviews. 

When I was younger exploring the lake ice was a yearly occasion for me. I remember spending quite a bit of time out there the first winter that I had my driver's license. I thought that as I "grew up" the excitement of the ice on Lake Michigan would lose its majesty as most memories of youth tend to do; fortunately, that was not the case.

Every year I find an entrance to the icy playground, and every year it's just as much fun as the first time.

This is what a beach is supposed to look like; in 3-4 months there will be a few hundred people staggered along this section of beach.

While these are only about 1/2 to 2/3 the height of those in Leland I did not have to brave any sort of crowds or wait for parking to experience these.

The weather is quickly warming up and the season of playing on the ice is drawing to a close. If you haven't made it out there yet you probably have missed your chance. Better to play it safe and wait for next year than to wind up in the frigid drink.

I am eagerly looking forward to next year's ice season.

-J

Beavers Make a Dam Mess

A few weeks ago while on an overnight hike my brother and I stopped to admire the handiwork of some furry little engineers.

While we were initially amazed at the pond that the beavers had created we were more than a little bummed when we discovered that their calculations were just a little off in determining how much area they would flood with their project.

The next section of the North Country Trail was flooded as a result of their dam. What a mess. In order to keep our shoes dry for the rest of hte hike we had to "ford the river" barefooted. 

After drying our feet we stopped to check out the area below the dam that continued to flow. To our surprise there were fish making their way up to spawn. 

Once their business is done the fish expire and give themselves over to help sustain other creatures of the forest. It is such a beautiful little drama.

More on the remainder of our hike later.

-j

 

Ending 2012

Twenty-twelve was pretty jam-packed, so much so that this blog was mildly neglected. I was constantly running and trying to get as much out of each day as possible.

I built up a new mountain bike and a new commuter/ dirt road warrior, started brewing beer, survived another year of law school and built a rockwall.

Unfortunately, I did not get very many hikes in. Aside from the trip to Kentucky I think that I got 9 or 10 real hikes in. With that in mind I was determined to finish 2012 strong. That meant a trip to Old Baldy. 

In the spring I am going to bring my tripod out here to get a crisp shot of the dunes leading up to Elberta because none of my shots turned out satisfactorily.

Even though the picture quality is not perfect, the subject matter is second to none.

Osprey Daylite: C's new quick pack. Hopefully she gets to use it more in 2013!

As for goals in the new year, mine is very simple: More Everything, and make the most of everything.

Today: workout, juice, mountain bike, read for school... nap?

-J

My Etsy Shop

Hey all,

just thought I would let you know that I have opened up an Etsy shop to help fuel my habits! Give it a look. Let me know if you see anything that you would like, or if I should change something.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/107660529/drab-and-light-camo-survival-bracelet

I will have some pics of the sweatshop where these are made later.

Have a great day!

It is official, well many things are official as of now. The first being that this is officially the longest period of times between successive blogs. (Totally sorry dudes.) Secondly, it is official that I am halfway done with law school. Thirdly, it is official that I have an internship with a law firm for the Summer. (I am very lucky and excited for the opportunity) Finally, it is official that rockwall construction is underway.

Regarding the latter, I have most of the cuts complete and once I pick up two more 9' boards the diagonal braces will be set. From there the rest should come together relatively quickly, as time allows that is. I am optimistic.

So what is it that kept me away from this thing for so long? Well, a number of things actually. School and final exams being the biggest. However, I still reserved a bit of time each week to do some me things. Usually that would involve blogging, but I chose to mountain bike instead. It is really growing on me. My bike still needs a few pieces to make it acceptable, but I will keep riding it as is until $$$ flows in to make the adjustments.

I have a load of reviews that need to be finished, edited and posted, but my time is getting kind of precious and I am trying to spend more of it doing things and not playing on the web. I have also been reading more. Not only do I have a pillar of outdoor themed books but my magazine subscriptions have been gathering in mogul sized heaps around the office. I do have a question for those who enjoy working with plants/ conservation/ green living: have you ever checked out Urban Farm Magazine? Since I like in the world of the urban right now I feel like a subscription may help me retain my sanity.

 Things will fall into rhythm and balance once school starts again. Only when I have the pressures of deadlines and commitment to others do I respect how precious my "me" time is.

Speaking of, it is time for me to get some stuff done. Due to my recent busy-ness many of my things have fallen by the wayside and need tending to. I hope you all have great weekends. Expect to hear from me soon.

-J

If the snow sticks...

don't let it serve as an excuse to sit inside aimlessly sucked into the television. Get off your butt and go outside. Enjoy that sweet gift from above. There are sweating children in southern states that would kill for snow!

Personally, I think that winter is the best time to test the limits of your gear and yourself. Hiking, skiing, snowboarding, biking, snowshoeing or XC-Skiing; there is no wrong choice about what to do outside this time of year!

What is your favorite snowy weather activity?

Animal Engineering

I know, I know, NO NEW UPDATES! What's up with that hey?

Super busy catching up with the first week back at school. But the updates are coming, I promise. Just trying to finish up a piece for Grand Traverse Mountain Bike, and I have a horrible case of writer's block.

In regards to this picture. On our Christmas Eve Hike Chels and I found this cool little natural bridge that various critters were using. What was most interesting was that all of the tracks at the "base" of the bridge were very similar to the curvature that planners put into on/ off-ramps. More proof that nature has it right most of the time.

Time to keep plugging away at the school thing. Catching up this weekend. Quite a bit of new gear over the holidays, plus new stories and maybe even a new hobby or tow.

-J

New Toy

When my new toy gets muddy I just take it in the shower, rinse it off and it is ready to go. This thing is stain resistant as all get out. Look for a review in the next Grand Traverse Mountain Bike Association e-mag. (http://gtmtba.com/)

A day at the dunes

Old Baldy

Are you looking to combine a day at the dunes with a hike or quick trail ride?Look no further that the Old Baldy trail.

Old Baldy can be found just north of the quaint town of Arcadia, on scenic M22.The sign sits on the west side of the road 1,000 feet north of the state scenicoverlook. This hiking trail was developed and is maintained by the GrandTraverse Land Conservancy (GTLC) in an effort to protect significant natural,scenic and farm lands through advancing stewardship. Basically the GTLC is agroup of devoted people who love the natural resources that Northern Michiganhas to offer, and who wish to share it with everyone.

Once you step out of your car you immediately get the feeling that you are theonly person for miles around, a feeling that is often difficult to accomplishwith our ever-growing population.
The GTLC has put up a notice and map board at the head of the trail that givesdates and times of scheduled hikes and trail maintenance dates.

There are two options when you reach the actual trail. The longer of the twotrails is a little over 1 ½ miles one way and offers a nice break from the sunwith dense canopies of old growth deciduous trees and a path that climbs, dropsand double-backs on itself a few times to give you a great feel for the terrainof the area, and also a great respect for the force of the glaciers that shapedthis area.

                                                                     Thetrail is hard-packed single track the whole way.

The shorter trail is just 0.7 mile of very much the same landscape features as thelong trail.

        

At the end of the trailyou will come to a set of stairs that lead up to the dune area. If you broughtbikes find a tree to chain them to and head up.

Once you make it to thedune area you will be taken aback by the scenery.  

The dunes are surprisingin their size and the fact that they just sort of appear once you leave thewoods. Once you are in the dune area though, let loose! (But be sure to stay onthe paths so the dunes can be enjoyed by future guests) Take the time to explorethe unique landscape. (If you go to the Grand Traverse Land Conservancy websiteyou can download guides for the distinct plants that make their home in thedune environment.)

To truly get a feeling for how large Old Baldy is, run down the dune to LakeMichigan and look up, if you didn’t appreciate the size from the top you willdefinitely do so from the bottom. If you feel like a little more riding orbiking after your jaunt out to the dunes cross M22 and check out the othertrails that the GTLC has: Chestnut Trail/ Dry Hills Trail. That trail can be hiked, but itis best enjoyed on a bike.

The trip back up will mostcertainly stir up a hunger for some ice cream at the Ice Cream Parlor insideArcadia Marine or a beer at Riggers.

Old Baldy is a great place to take kids as it is an easy bike or hike that willnot tire them out. It is also the kind of place where one can go to embracesolitude if you feel like taking a solo trip.

We are truly lucky to have such an area like this, not only Old Baldy, but theentirety of the Lake Michigan Shoreline, and such a perfect path as M22 toguide us along the bays, dunes, peaks, beaches and little towns and villagesthat dot the landscape. Take some time out of your busy day/ week to exploreyour own little piece of Pure Michigan. I know that I sure do, and it keeps thebody healthy and the mind sane.

Old Baldy is open to hikers, joggers, mountain bikers, snow-shoers and cross-countryskiers.

How to get to the trail.

Gear Shop Review: Moosejaw!

Outdoor sports shops are places of serious things. They are filled with conversations of solo expeditions, technical specifications of gear and tales of epic adventures.

Enter Moosejaw, an awesome outdoor shop with all of the serious gear and a seriously fun attitude. Moosejaw is an outdoor store with a t-shirt problem; by this I mean that they have a great selection of t-shirts (all with one of their signature Moosejaw designs or slogans).

They opened their first store in 1992 with a goal of making the world of outdoor sports shops an inviting place with a fun atmosphere. One of the greatest things about Moosejaw is that when you walk in their store you will be greeted by an enthusiastic, “Mooooooooooosejaw!” greeting.

Their staff will go above and beyond what any other place is willing do to help you find whatever you need. Most of all they will make sure that you have a great time while you are doing it.

From camping gear to fashionable outerwear, from a nice t-shirt and a water bottle to crampons and ice axes for climbing, Moosejaw has all the gear that you could possibly need from all of the major outdoor sports companies. Not to mention that they have a staff that is as knowledgeable as they are enthusiastic! Unlike other outdoor shops, the people who work at Moosejaw use the gear that they sell. They can give you all of the ins and outs along with tricks of the trade to make any adventure more enjoyable for you.

The next time you need a new jacket, camping/ hiking gear or just want to meet a new friend check out your closest Moosejaw! You will leave with a smile and probably some sweet new gear.

Love The Madness!

Super Sweet Website: http://www.moosejaw.com/moosejaw/shop/home___

Where to find Moosejaw: Ann Arbor, Birmingham, East Lansing, Grosse Pointe, Partridge Creek and Rochester.

The Holiday List

Are you looking of the right gift for that person on your list who kind of has everything? Or the person that does outdoorsy things? Those type of people hard to buy for, I should know.

Fear not gift givers, I have a solution; I will amass a list for you to peruse and select the perfect gift that that type of person. The monetary range varies so you will be able to find just what you are looking for.

Let's start with some gear: I suggest a pair of snowshoes if you live in a snowy clime. They are a great way to get out and see things that most other people don't get to. Trails are difficult to walk in when the powder is up to your knee, strap some of these on and that will be no problem. One of the best things about snowshoes is that there is little to no learning curve: open the present, strap them on and start exploring. Great gift to keep families active during the winter. This is the pair that I have, and I really enjoy them:



A good jacket: You cannot go wrong when you get someone a jacket. I prefer versatility and function, that is why I that buying a combo jacket is the best way to go. I am talking about a shell and some sort of fleece/ vest that zips inside. This one is a good place to start looking:  

Jackets like this are great because they offer the perfect solution to whatever mother nature decides to throw at you.

Base layer, base layer, base layer: There are many brands that make an equal amount of claims about the superiority of their base layering. However, I prefer a base layer that has a bit of a compression factor to it. I feel that the compression feature makes me feel like I am performing better. It rarely bunches up and feels like it wicks moisture very well.

The first set that I got were Under Armour, and I still use them. Great produce and fairly easy to find in the run-of-the-mill sports shop: 

Gloves/ Mittens: Let's lump these together because you are looking for the same qualities in either. Gloves are a great gift because, like socks, everyone could always use another pair.

You want gloves that are waterproof and well insulated without inhibiting the mobility of the hands. (I am picturing the younger brother from Christmas Story)

This is a nice pair of heavy-duty gloves: 

                                Waterproof and insulated without being too bulky.

                              Good pair of waterproof softshells: more dexterity, less insulation.

Here we have a great pair of mittens, nothing fancy to look at, but they will definitely keep your fingers warm:

Hats: I personally prefer a headband, it helps to keep your body temp from getting too high while doing things. For activities that don't require a lot of movement something like this is just perfect:

Great concept, nice protection around the ears and a thin layer to keep the top of the head protected from the elements.

Goggles: The type of activities that your gift receiver does will have a great bearing on what kind of goggles they will like.

For the avid skier/ snowboarder a nice high-end pair with wide panoramic lenses are the best.


For the snowshoer/ cross-country skier/ hiker: 




Daybag: Everyone on your shopping list could use a daybag. Photographers, hikers, students, bikers, anyone. When looking for a daybag, I suggest a capacity of 35 liters or less, stretchy, mesh side pockets to carry drinks, wide array of compartments and pockets, a chest strap and a bright color for visibility.

A few suitable pics: 

Stove: A light, backpacking style stove is a nice addition to any collection. They are great to make a nice cup of coffee or tea when you need a break, or to heat up some ramen.

Cup: A stove will not do you too much good without something to heat the water in. A simple aluminum cup will do the trick. If you can find one with a looped handle that is best as you can hang it off your pack to cool when you are done.

Well, this should get you started thinking about the kinds of things to buy the outdoorsy type. Of course, if they are into something specific like biking, climbing, kayaking or some other sport where components are hard to gauge and choose, it may be just at nice to get them a gift card or cash to pick out their own stuff.

Have a happy holiday season!

-J

Fall at Sleeping Bear

Named America's Most Beautiful Place (something that Michiganders have known for a long time) by Good Morning America, Sleeping Bear Dunes is one of Michigan's most unique assets.

In beauty, I think that it is only rivaled by Pictured Rocks in the UP.

Though the park offers a seemingly endless amount of hiking trails, most people catch glimpses of its beauty wile on the Pierce-Stocking drive. This is a great way to see a good portion of the area and economize your time. I have amassed some pictures from the Pierce-Stocking drive as well as the surrounding area.

You can clearly see the beauty of the park even on a gloomy fall day.

Enjoy: