Confidence Camp

This is today's big news for sure.

First, the photo. This is from 1996 in the Adirondacks. Do I look wet? I was soaked. We (Marie, Mathilda, and I) had hiked (more like crawled) over Lower Wolf Jaw that day in the aftermath of Hurricane Bertha. Marie was beyond miserable, and poor Mathilda was just hanging in there. I got our stove lit and made dinner. It was quite an "interesting" day. I wrote all about it in North Country Cache. This is at our "Falling Waters" campsite!

I used this picture today to promote what I've named Confidence Camp. This is a huge committment on my part, and as it turns out, on Cathy's part too since she has agreed to be my assistant.

I'll be leading a week-long session in May called Confidence Camp. The purpose is to help give participants confidence that if they misplace the trail or lose some important part of their gear, they will have the skills and confidence to find their way back to the trail or to some known feature such as a road, or, if this is not possible, to survive for at least 24 hours, and possibly more if necessary. This is not the course one needs to be turned loose in the wilds for a month with nothing but a knife. This is NOT designed to be a hardcore survival skills workshop.

I've been working on the curriculum since last summer. Marie and I cooked up the idea after reading When You Find My Body, the story of Geraldine Largay who lost her way on the Appalachian Trail and died, only 1/2 mile from the trail.

And today, I pushed the "post" button to promote it on Facebook. Response has been overwhelming.

It will be May 10-16. Contact me if you want the info packet.

In other news: I edited, I did errands and shopped, I went to bell choir, I walked. I may be tired!

Miles walked in 2026: 22

Ludington School Forest, various trails, 2.7 miles

See Electronic Maps Training

Creeks and Gullies

Sort of sounds like Chutes and Ladders. Well, I thought of something brand new I could do today that would give me a decent road walk, and I could also do Scottville errands on the way. Perfect.

Here is the Cemetery Creek where it crosses 1st Street south of me. It's attractive right there. I followed it to the river once, but I know I was on a lot of private property. There is state land all along the river, but from where this picture is it's about a half mile along the creek until you get to state land. Everything north of here is private. I probably shouldn't do that again without permission.

Farther along on that walk, where 1st Street bends north and east to head into Scottville, there is another creek. It almost always has water in it, but had I ever paid attention to where it comes from or goes? NO, except to say it goes to the river. Look hard and you can see there's water in there.

I decided I should figure this out. Starting with looking at maps. This is a relief map. Scottville is just above center, and the Pere Marquette River is in dark blue. You can see multiple fingers of valleys heading to the river in and near town.

Those are all gullies. I labeled one on the map, and here is its picture. These are fairly deep and steep. They are dry most of the year although this one had a little water in it today.

But which gully is my unknown creek? Look at the map again. I labeled it unknown. After I looked at this map, I checked an imagery map. Nice that the photos were from autumn. It's easy to follow the line of the creek from its source (another day's adventure perhaps. It has to start behind the Paddlesports store. There must be a spring or something there) to the broad open area near the river. I added a blue line to trace the obvious part. But where is it after that? By looking at the roads I could see it has to come out at the public access to the river south of Scottville.

Talk about unobservant! I could not remember a creek in that area. In my defense, I don't go to that location very often. Still...

So I walked to the access. Edge of the gully- check. Followed along the bottom of the bluff and found where the creek comes down into a wetland area.

But I still couldn't picture where it actually flows into the river. Aha! Here is the beginning of the Bruce Krieger Nature Trail which goes across Scottville Road and into Riverside Park (I think. I used to walk there a lot, but the trails haven't been maintained). And guess what creek is under the bridge. You get one guess.

And just a very few feet below the bridge, the creek flows into...

... the Pere Marquette River.

A nice calm adventure. And- bonus- the sun was shining.

I edited and did errands.

Miles walked in 2026: 19.3

Mostly roadwalk with some exploring around the public access: 5.1 miles

See Familiar Places

These Are Me

I have stolen two cartoons to share here. The first one is by Nathan Pyle. It characterizes my attitude perfectly.

This one is, I'm afraid, a bit too true. I do occasionally simply bust out in song while hiking, and it's often this one, "The Happy Wanderer." In fact, I want this sung at my funeral.

It was a gray day. It was still so dark at 8 am, I wasn't sure it was time to get up.

I FINISHED one editing project a couple of days ago, and I FINISHED another one today!

See 2.5 Sloppy Ones

Blue Bonsai, Plus

The news of today is all about the return of the snow. I think we only got about 4 inches, but it's super fluffy.

The best picture goes in the "moods of my backyard" series, and it's pretty nice.

What started the post was a picture I took when I went shopping. Just trees in the parking lot, but I like how they looked.

But just before I took the first picture, a look out the kitchen door showed blue sky behind the white "apple bonsai." Cool!

I did the usual things and went shopping. Not very energetic. My insides are a little jumpy. I don't think it's anything serious, but I may go lie down with a book.

Got news that a friend from college days has passed. More and more of the people my age are fading. It feels weird.

See Three Tales of a Tree

Patterns on a Loop

I wanted to get in a decent walk today. Was planning to go to the trail, but it was raining fairly hard in the morning. Then I decided that the trail might be just total slop if the snow wasn't completely melted, and I would need to drive 26 miles round trip just to find out. So after lunch, I opted for a road loop. The only way I'll be able to take my hoped-for hike this fall is to keep moving. One aspect of ageing is that you get really stiff if you stop.

Pre-determined that I WOULD find something to take pictures of. So... here are some more patterns that I think are interesting.

This is my favorite: moss growing between pavers.

Can you tell what this is? Guy lines for a utility pole against a field

OK, so this one maybe isn't too exciting, but the wire fence wasn't all bent up, so the squares are very regular.

This one isn't bad. Can you figure it out? This is looking up through the edge of the railroad overpass.

I did all the usual things. Life in the not-very-exciting lane.

Miles walked in 2026: 14.2

Road walk loop, 4 miles.

See Patterns