Day Two- Much Better!

 Day Two- yesterday- was much more pleasant. Although the sun never shone except for about 5 minutes, it was warmer (upper 40s maybe into the 50s), and the sky did not leak on us.

We enjoyed breakfast sitting outside in our little chairs. I have almost all cold-soak meals because it eliminates the need to carry a stove. But David had a stove, so I got to enjoy a hot cup of coffee. I wasn't about to turn that down!

We were on the trail at 9:10. The first part of the day was not hilly at all. The trail follows the Manistee River Bluffs, passing by many more oxbows. No sun to make the water blue, though. Most of this area is accessible by vehicles, and there are multiple campsites that are used not only by hikers but all sorts of campers. We passed through one encampment with a trailer and 3 tents with four guys standing around a campfire drinking beer for breakfast. They were friendly, but not our thing.

I've probably showed you a picture of every time I've passed it. This is the marker on the Cadillac-Traverse City Indian Trail. I've been to all the markers and wrote a newspaper column about it last year. This is where I completed my 100 miles last year. I'm not there yet this year.

One really nice trail picture with the ground covered with emerging Trout Lilies.

The final miles of the day were hilly again, and very muddy. But we got 'em done, although not very quickly. David's walking stick is a hollow tube, and he's a horn player. He celebrated our completion with a couple of good bugles!

We hiked 8 miles to the car, then grabbed some late lunch at a little restaurant. I was tired, but the whole trip was not as physically difficult as I thought it might be. My back is a little sore, so I have to work on carrying the weight, but the miles were no problem at all. We did a total of 15.5 for the two days. I know this is about what I was hiking in one day a couple of years ago, but I'm still working my way up again.

When he sends me the pictures he took, there may be one of me I'll share.

Also, the chapter had a hike today, which I'll probably tell you about tomorrow.

Miles hiked in 2025 (at the end of yesterday):160.2. Hike 100 Challenge: 68 miles

North Country Trail, campsite along the Manistee River to east end of 12 Road near Sherman, MI. 8.0 miles

I will show you one thing I had to do today... deal with a pile of wet gear. You can't ingore that or you'll have it all moldy.

See Who Wants to Be Dry?

Day One- Who Wants to Be Dry?

 Hmmm. Well, we sort of wanted to be dry, or even warm, but that didn't happen. It rained hard at first, then off and on the rest of the day and all night.

We started at Baxter Bridge and hiked west (NCT trail east). This is the section high above the Manistee River.

I was hiking with David Snoek who hiked quite a few miles with me on the NCT hike a couple of years ago.

The rain made all the views dull and gray and brown. But here is one of the many oxbows on that section of the river.

There wasn't a lot of joy in that hike. We were wet. The trail was wet, the sky was wet. We made it 7.5 miles and camped at one of the many sites that is accessible by vehicle along there. We huddled under a tarp to eat dinner. But we were cold and wet and just crawled in out tents and sleeping bags after that.

My tent:

Daves tent:

Not too exciting, right? We've had to move the dates of this little jaunt many times for various reasons, always hoping that we could catch some good weather. The joke is that we managed to pick one of the very worst weather days in the past couple of weeks to hike! But we got the miles in.

Stay tuned for day 2 tomorrow.

Miles hiked in 2025: 152.2. Hike 100 Challenge: 60.0

Baxter Bridge to campsite along Manistee River bluffs. 7.5 miles

See October at Highbanks

Leitch Bayou

 Cathy and I took a hike today. I'm trying to get in shape for the summer. We did 6.5 miles and I carried 18 pounds. I'm tired but not totally wiped out, so I think this is good.

We started at Sawdust Hole. Of course, it's the gray and brown season, so it's not super spectacular.

We dropped down into Leitch Bayou. This is the spot where I ate my first ever meal on the NCT in (I think) 1991.

This is just a little backwater that the beavers play in from time to time. But I always think it makes a somewhat attractive picture with the Manistee River showing.

We saw three different boats of anglers, but I have no idea what they were fishing for.

We crossed the bayou and climbed back up the bluff on the other side, about 200 feet. Of course, we descended about 100 feet at the beginning, so about 300 total feet of elevation change in each direction. When you get to the top of the climb at the west end of the bayou, you can see the river from the high vantage point. Actually, the low area is where we just climbed up from.

We continued past and over the esker.

Our goal was to hike 3 NCT miles out (plus the spur from the parking) before we turned around. We accomplished that. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to carry the 18 pounds the whole distance, but it all went fine.

Miles hiked in 2025: 90. Hike 100 Challenge: 28.5

North Country Trail, Sawdust Hole, Manistee Co, MI. 3 miles plus spur west and back

See Loren Gets Her 100 Miles

A Nice Hike at WSCC

 I left early for bell choir practice so I could take a walk at West Shore Community College. They have a nice trail, although it's short. But then I walked part of the Cross Country course and some service roads. I took some beautiful pictures. Unfortuneately, the SD card wasn't in the camera. Haha!

So you get some more pictures from Manistee that I took yesterday. I tried to get a little artsy. This is my favorite. It would be a good companion for the one below it that I took in 2014 if they were cropped the same.

This panel is part of an art installation. I tried to make the boat go sailing on the water.

And this is probably the lamest one. I do like repeating patterns, but there's nothing too special about this.

I worked on various necessary projects and editing. Walked, bell choir practice, got groceries. Maybe I'll go back to the college if the sun shines tomorrow. The colors were starting to look good.

Miles walked in 2024: 477.1

See Manistee Riverwalk Reopens

Manistee Riverwalk Reopens

 The Manistee Riverwalk is one of the nicest urban, water-side pathways anywhere. It's almost like a gamescape with varying surfaces, levels, views, etc. A part of it has been closed for repairs, but for once, my luck was fantastic. I had to go to Manistee today, and they just re-opened that section.

A lot of it is in sun, with pavement and flower beds. Lots of flower beds. You may see more of that tomorrow. Even this late, there were still nice things to see

Other parts are like shaded secret entrances to other worlds.

The primary business street, River Street, is a level above the walk. Many of the buildings are old. I love this section near the Cypress St Bridge. With the shadow of a railing from the upper level and the old stone and brick, it looks like a castle.

When you get out at the west end, the Manistee River empties into Lake Michigan. This is the Manistee Lighthouse.

On the walk back, there is this really nice view of the river. This is also a shipping channel as boats come in to Manistee Lake, so it has to be kept open and clear. In fact, it was a dredging operation that caused part of the walk to be closed for most of the summer. But this shows how there is a great variety of landscapes along the route.

Almost back to the beginning. This is the Cypress Street Bridge. It's a drawbridge and has been closed for repairs most of the last two years. I know everyone is happy to see it open again. You can just barely see the railroad swing bridge beyond in its open position. I know I did a post on that, but I can't find it to link. Another time.

Finally for today, another artsy shot. This is nothing but the reflection of a post. But I like it a lot.

Most of the day was spent finishing up the necessary stuff I've been working on and then getting it delivered. This walk was my reward.

Miles hiked in 2024: 473.9 Manistee Riverwalk, both directions. 3.5 miles

See Manistee Riverwalk

To Blacksmith Bayou and Beyond

 I took a little NCT hike today with a side walk down into Blacksmith Bayou. The bayou itself is a backwater of the Manistee River. Someone was actually fishing there today.

But you can see the actual river from a bit deeper into the campground.

The piece of NCT I hiked is mostly along the bank on the south side of the river. Today, these tall pines looked nice in the late afternoon light.

This blue-stemmed goldenrod, Solidago caesia, grows along the trail. Most of the time, the stems are darker purpleish, thus the name. Gray goldenrod also has flowers along the stem like this, but the leaves are different.

This is fun. It's the fruit of a mapleleaf viburnum, Viburnum acerifolium. Supposedly you can eat these, but they are better (like many fall berries) after the first frost. I guess I need to find some then and try them. But since they are popular with wildlife, I may have a hard time finding any!

Here's another nice picture of the Manistee River. You can tell that fall is on the way.

The reason I was up that way was to meet with a fellow Michigan Outdoor Writer Association member, Dave Foley and his wife Cyndy. He's doing a feature on me for the Cadillac paper before I speak at the Cadillac Area Land Conservancy in October.

In other news: I managed a little editing in the morning before leaving for this adventure.

Miles hiked in 2024: 436.5. NCT miles in 2024: 130.8

North Country Trail, Manistee Co, MI, from Highbridge to Chicago Rd and back with a side trip to Blacksmith Bayou. 3.6 miles NCT, + 1.2 side trip miles

See Old Trail Section, New Season

Working Our Way Home

  It's a well-known fact that I can make any 4 hour trip take 8 hours. Today I managed to make it 10 hours!

First we stopped at the one location on the NCT in the Lower Peninsula where you get a wide open view of Lake Michigan. It's at the southern edge of Wilderness State Park. The trail follows the lake for a ways in Petoskey, but that is technically Little Traverse Bay. Here you can look out to the horizon, but to the north the farthest bit of land to the left is Waugoshance Island, then Temperance Island, then Waugoshance Point. These form the point of land that dribbles out into the lake from Wilderness SP.

Then we went to the Skyline Overlook where I ended my first E2E hike (see link below).

Depending on your direction of travel it's either your first or last look at Lake Michigan. You can see a sliver of Little Traverse Bay in the distant right.

Then Marie and I walked up to see the Skyline Shelter. It's one of the nicest along the trail. Enclosed on all sides. (And not a hostel- this one is free)

There are bunks inside for eight people. There have been a couple of complaints that there is no water at the shelter, but there is a clearly marked side trail to a spring that is about 0.2 miles away. Seriously, lots of shelters are about that distace from water access at a creek.

Then we just had to pop in to Deadman's Hill. The hill and overlook itself is on the non-NCT side of the Jordan Valley Pathway, but you get this wonderful view of the whole valley (much more spectacular in fall, but one of the nicest vistas in Lower Michigan). The NCT is down at the bottom of the near valley.

Next we did a stop at the Highbanks Rollway on the Manistee River so Diane could see one of the big oxbows. You can see the water on the left as well as the right, but you'll have to squint.

Finally, we did a drive by of the Highbridge crossing of the Manistee River. Sorry, I did not take a picture there. I have a lot. You can see the Manistee River crossing in the same place by following this link.

Seems I tired out my friends. But we have new adventures planned for tomorrow.

Diane's fitbit says she walked 5 miles, so Marie and I walked a little farther. Doesn't seem like we did that much, but who am I to argue with technology? We are back at my house, and have unloaded some of the stuff. We ate an ice cream dinner, which was perfect on a hot day.

The Celebration was wonderful. Old and new friends, great momemtum for the Association, great hikes, great weather.

Miles hiked so far in 2024: 371.8. North Country Trail miles in 2024: 124.6

North Country Trail, various small pieces. The app said 5.0 miles total

See Celebration 2024- Saturday See The Party's Over But It's OK

Got My 100 with Randall and Tanya

  Randall gets around, as many of you know. He's working on the NCT in NY and MI now, having finished OH and PA. Today, Tanya and I hiked with him along the Manistee River. Here we are at the one marker on the Cadillac-Traverse City Old Indian Trail that is also on the NCT.

Most of the hike is on the high bluffs above the Manistee River with great views of the river oxbows. I guess the last few times I've hiked this were in spring or fall when there were fewer leaves and you could see more of the river. Very lush today!

However, the trail also dipped down to some places of deeper woods, like the crossing of Anderson Creek.

Nice little bridge for a dry passage.

The big news of the day for me is that I completed my Hike 100 Challenge for the year. I forgot to check what my actual mileage was before leaving home, but was sure that I'd have passed 100 miles after doing 8. That took us to the Indian Trail marker, which seemed like a perfect place. Now that I'm home and have checked, I actually completed it two miles before this, so closer to Anderson Creek, but who cares? I got it. Year 9 for me (and anyone else who's done it since the challenge began).

New plant sighting for this year is Maple-Leaf Viburnum, a shrub. This is a very tiny one.

We hiked 10.1 miles. Not the longest since last year, but only the 3rd time I've done more than 10 miles in a day. I wasn't sure I'd be able to work up to 10-mile days again. It doesn't feel great, but I'm not incapacitated. I'm sure I'll be fine tomorrow.

Miles hiked so far in 2024: 259.3. NCT miles hiked 104.4.

North Country Trail, Wexford County, MI. Highbanks Rollway to Harvey Bridge. 10.1 miles

See Still Along the Manistee