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

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.

Day 4: Tuesday: Destination Mount Desert Island Maine

Day 4: Tuesday: Destination Mount Desert Island Maine

Thankfully I survived the night in bear country! I am not talking about small signs that say there might be a few bears around a 50 mile radius, I mean like this:

Bears are here, and they will eat your stuff, even your toothpaste! When they are done they will feast on you.

‘Nuff said of the bears. Stayed in Sugarloaf national park campground. Woke up and took a hike to the stream behind our site.

Tim and I decided that we were going to hop the rocks to the other side which turned out to be a foolish idea as the rocks were just far enough apart that it was too risky to make it. However, I was determined to at least give it a good attempt. My best was not enough in this case, I ended up taking a quick morning dip in the crisp mountain stream. Oh well. I guess 900 miles was enough for those socks!

Today we headed through the rest of New Hampshire and into Maine, with a final destination somewhere on Mount Desert Island and Acadia Park.

The terrain in Maine is not too much different from that of home; it has rolling hills, a few farms, as well as a good mix of deciduous and coniferous trees.

We made it to Mount Desert Island early, by our standards, and began the hunt for some genuine, fresh caught Maine Lobster. We walked to the dock where a portly fisherman with a tobacco filled lip greeted us and sold us four of the largest lobsters I have ever seen.

 The price was great and we tied them in the back of the truck.

We set up camp at the private campground at Bass Harbor. It felt really odd to set up in the daylight. With the tent up and the table set we began to boil the clams and lobster. Honestly we ate way too much and should have only gotten two lobster, live and learn.  Dinner was great fun as we smashed the lobster on the table with the hatchet! Hopefully we will be able to burn some of this off tomorrow in Acadia, I have heard that it has awesome trails.

I slept like a log knowing that we were free of bears and the like!

Time to discover some of Acadia.

-J

Day 1: Great Success

Hello all at home and abroad.

Sitting at the McDonald's in Lockport, NY, a little soggy but excited for the day ahead of us.

Yesterday brought us through Ohio, Pennsylvania and Niagra.

Days and trips that start out like this are the best! Look for new stuff from C. Bromley soon!

Ohio, oh how I do not miss things like this.

Pennsylvania, the bit that we went through was nothing to write home about, yet I still am...

Oh well,

We entered New York's Wine country, bypassing the toll road takes you through the vineyards and small towns. Very pretty, however it reminded me of the northern Michigan wine country of Traverse City and Leelanau.

We made it to Niagra, which is a very unique place. A very beautiful natural place, that is nearly ruined by the commercialism of both Canadians and Americans. Nevertheless, it was a very cool experience.

So far I do!

Reminds me of the Upper!

Tim, of the Hart motel out in the river at Niagra falls! See the mist? We are literally 200 ft from Horeshoe falls.

Loving me some Falls, Canadian powerhouse in the background. Horseshoe Falls are a happening where you see the mist!

Well there it is, Niagra in the foreground and Horseshoe in the back. Very pretty even at dusk.

Camping last night brought literal gale force winds and light rain. I slept in TNF Denali and let me tell you, I sweat my butt off!

Today we plan on hiking some of the Adirondacks!  Remember these are only travel blogs, so they are going to be short, expect a full trip recap upon our return!

I hope you are all enjoying yourselves. Stay warm and safe!

-J

Old Baldy, Arcadian Beauty

I don't know about the rest of you but I am done with warm weather for the year. Truth be told I was done around mid-July. It is no fun to do things outside when you sweat through your clothing the second you cross the threshold.

However last weekend we caught a break from the heat and humidity and were able to take a relaxing hike to  Old Baldy, yet again.

Two weeks ago when we attempted the hike we were met in the parking lot by some poor tourists who had their car broken into and their personal belongings snatched, word to the wise; stash items in your trunk and make your car look unappealing to thieves.

Since we were robbed of our trip that day, and since it was Labor Day Weekend, we decided to bypass the tourists who just want to see the super nifty dunes, and take the longer trail to get the real one-two punch of single-track and dune-age that this hike bolsters/ offers.

The longer of the two trails offers a nice break from the sun with dense canopies of old growth deciduous trees and a path that climbs, drops and double-backs on itself a few times to give you a great feel for the terrain of the area, and also a great respect for the force of the glaciers that shaped this area.

Super Mario Bros. anyone?

We were nearly instantly rewarded by taking the trail less traveled by a faint rustling in the fallen leaves:

As Chelsea and I paused and scoured the ground and the trees our eyes stumbled upon this little guy on the doorstep to his tree-root mansion. He paused for a minute or two, allowing us to snap a few shots, and then entered his house for what I assume to be an afternoon nap; you know animals, all the time in the world to nap... and eat.

These two tall trees seemed to be in a seductive dance... nature is love.

The canopy of the deciduous trees provides a great shelter from the unbearable heat of the sun on the dunes.

When we reached the dune area I was intrigued by a high point to the west:

The view was remarkable, literally I remarked this to someone later...

This peak provides a panorama of the entire dune area, complete with views of the bluest water. I could feel the cool water even from this high peak. If I were an early pioneer, or in a true survival situation, searching for an area ripe with accommodations I would have been overjoyed to find a peak like this to gain any advantage possible over mother nature.

When I had my fill of the view I decided to make an abrupt exit:

Hopping from the safety of the sturdy ground around the dunegrass I pondered doing one of those barrel rolls when I hit the soft sand like Bear Grylls, but decided against it as he is kind of silly.

As we marched towards the azure lake and its cool breezes, I spotted yet another, even higher peak to the north:

Naturally I ascended it to gain a proper vantage of the area.

A good choice on my part:

It afforded me a beautiful southern view complete with rolling waves and mid-altitude clouds.

On the other side of this tuft of grass is a 35 foot drop, thank you to the tiny, strong grassroots for holding my weight as I took a peak.

The water looks much closer than it actually is. Though we have not made the trek to the bottom yet I can feel it coming. Soon we will be walking the beach from Arcadia to Frankfort, that should be a great adventure!

From the highest northern peak you gain a beautiful view of the Frankfort shoreline with a view dunes or its own. One of my favorite places in Frankfort is the Point Betsie lighthouse. I will be taking Chels there shortly on her maiden voyage to the lighthouse. 

We are truly lucky to have such an area like this, not only old baldy, but the entirety of the Lake Michigan Shoreline, and such a perfect path as M22 to guide us along the bays, dunes, peaks, beaches and little towns and villages that dot the landscape. Take some time out of your busy day/ week to explore your own little piece of Pure Michigan, I know that I sure do, keeps the body healthy and the mind sane.

-J

(All photos of J. Edward are taken by the brilliant Chelsea Bromley check her stuff out please)

Eton Emergency Self-Powered: Radio, weatherband, flashlight, cellphone/ ipod charger

Wow, that was a confusing thing to type, but what is not confusing is the operation of this little thing.

I purchased mine on a whim when a shop was having a sale. It just seemed to make sense; I like to do things outside where there is no power, and I am sometimes too forgetful to check the batteries in things before I do so. There it was, my solution, it is a radio/ flashlight/ cellphone charger..... all in one, no batteries required, perfect for someone like me.

To date I have used the Eton for fishing, camping, picnics, work and as a conversation piece at parties. We also used the radio feature during the many tornado watches and warnings that we had in the beginning of the summer. The reception is usually pretty good, the LED flashlight is bright enough for any situation and the volume knob goes way past eleven.

One feature that is a little of a disappointment is the cellphone/ ipod charger. It simply takes too long to charge the phone, I think that if you were in a dire situation where you needed to raise your battery level to a usable amount for an emergency call that this would come in handy. However with its slow charging time this is not a feature worth bragging about.

Overall, this is a great radio for both casual occasions and emergencies. The solar strip on the top of the unit is especially nice when you are setting up a tent, or just playing some Frisbee. Without solar backup, like in a tent at night, expect 1-2 minutes of cranking to get you about 20 minutes of steady radio reception at a moderate volume/ flashlight use. Not too bad to play cards by.

It is light, it is self-powered and works like a charm, my recommendation; buy one. Put it in your car, backpack, bedroom garage, anywhere really. 

-J

Totally forgot about this trip!

Well, I didn't really forget about it, but I just skipped over it you see.

So last year we took a trip to the UP. I do not want to get too wordy with this post. But, anyway, we went north with the final destination of tahquamenon falls.

With the sultan of the trip in the back of the mighty stagecoach hanging in the back we trekked noth:

When we got there we were so excited one of us did a cute dance:

The Upper Peninsula, even if it does not contribute to the propulsion of the state's economic status, is one of Michigan's greatest assets. With such picturesque attractions as the many falls, the limestone shoreline and the numerous mountains that dot the landscape it is hard to not think that land is best not when it is touched by human hand, but when it is left the way our creator forged it and the way he wants the land to evolve.

     

I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you glaciers for the carving this state into the beautiful land that it is! Without glaciers..... we would be like one of those nasty middle-America states... eww.

I love trips to the UP. If you have never been, you should go. If you have been, you should go again, they could use the tourist dollars.

One of my favorite sightings from the trip was of this little guy:

Chelsea and her dad were determined that it was a 6 foot viper. However if you look closely you can see that he is no bigger than the leaves to his right. I wish that I could have gotten a picture of the Michigan rattlesnake that we saw on our recent trip to Wilderness State Park.

Oh the things you see when you get out and do things.

So on that note, get outside, do something, and as always remember to check up on this thing from time to time. I am updating all of the time for now.

-J