Leaving Michigan

It's been a great summer here in Michigan, I'm really glad I decided to spend so much time here.  However the nights are starting to venture into the upper-40's here in the Upper Peninsula which is Michigan's way of telling me it's time to start south.  I've got one more night here in Wakefield Park, which I reviewed here:  Wakefield Park Review then I cross south into Wisconsin on the way to my niece Carly's wedding this Saturday in Illinois.

I got the best site in the park, right on Sunday Lake!

The wedding concludes all my midwestern commitments for this year and then I will start meandering south with the eventual goal of arriving in Livingston, TX for voting in November.  No big rush to get there, obviously!

Thanks for reading!

Return of Football Season

In the six summers I've been full-timing I've never spent a whole one in Michigan until this year.  It's been kind of nice, Michigan has (mostly) great weather and temperatures in the summer and I hope I've documented all the great places there are to camp in the state. 

One thing I do each summer before ending my Michigan stay is attend one of my alma mater's (Michigan State) football games.  This year it was the season opener versus Utah State.

My friends Gary (left) and Steve (seated) at one of the tailgates we attended.

The game was played under perfect weather conditions and ended up being a lot more exciting for Spartan fans than it was supposed to be!

We went to the game hungry but the multiple tailgate parties cured that.

Sometimes early in the season we get up so far ahead of our opponents many fans leave early.  Not this year, Michigan State trailed by one point with time running out in the 4th quarter!

Getting ready for the winning score, right in front of our seats!

We scored to go up 38-31 but there were still two minutes left in the game and Utah State had moved the ball on us all night.  Fortunately, a Michigan State linebacker intercepted a Utah State pass with a minute left and we held on to a hard fought victory!  One of the most exciting MSU games I've seen in years!

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"Glamping"on Lake Charlevoix

The term "glamping" refers to glamorous hi-end camping and readers of this blog know I've never come close to glamping, usually pretty much the polar opposite.  Until last week that is.  My college buddy Scott has a friend and business acquaintance who owns what is probably best described as a "compound" on Lake Charlevoix and the friend graciously offered it to Scott and friends to use for five days in the middle of August--we graciously accepted!

The main house in the compound we stayed at.

Not only did we get a beautiful house to base out of there were also "toys" that came with the site!

Waverunners and a Boston Whaler!

I only got my Waverunner up to 36 mph, Scott's wife Ann got her's up to 51!

I parked the Mini in front of the compound's barn where it fit nicely.

Spartans:  Me, Gary, Steve, Scott (L to R)

It was a real blast cooking meals together although we hit some of Charlevoix' great restaurants for wonderful whitefish dinners too.

Too many cooks?  Nah!

To gas up the water craft we had to go clear to the other end of Lake Charlevoix but nobody complained!

Gassing up the Boston Whaler.

It was really generous of Scott's friend to let us use his place for five days.  We had perfect weather and everyone had a great time.  We spent the last morning cleaning the house and the water craft to get them into pristine condition like when we arrived and also left a couple of nice house gifts for the owner to show our gratitude for a great five day stay.  I'd go back in a minute!

Thanks for reading!