GLH Gathering 2015

A group of people, obviously including me, have spent a couple of days at the Birch Grove one-room schoolhouse located near White Cloud, Michigan. We spend our days out on the North Country Trail doing a variety of day hikes. Our evenings are spent at the schoolhouse eating wonderful, plentiful food; enjoying time around a campfire; sometimes playing games; and, generally having a grand old time. This year, our 17th annual Great Lakes Hikes Gathering, was a little smaller than some but we still had a very good time.

You can learn more about the Gathering by joining our email group over on Yahoo. We also have a FAcebook page.

Break heart Pond

Check out this episode!

8 Days After Cataract Surgery

It has been 8 days since my cataract surgery. For most people this is a straightforward operation and they can count on their vision improving pretty quickly. Of course most people have two eyes so even if the vision in the eye that was operated on is acting up those people can rely on their other eye. Having just one eye removes this ability for me. Over the past week I have felt all the symptoms that you are expected to feel while recovering from the operation. I am definitely more sensitive to light  (and that was likely made worse by issues with my cornea). My eye continues to feel irritated and is still a bit bloodshot. It certainly feels better to keep it closed a lot. Reading a computer screen is pretty much out of the question (in fact I am writing this “blind” and will get someone to find my errors later on). Reading a book, magazine, menu, or most anything really is almost as hard - effectively speaking I cannot read. Over the next few weeks things should improve. They’d better. If I have to wear reading glasses that will be fine. It’s even possible I may have to get some type of prescription glasses though that strikes me as unlikely.  

Perhaps I had an unreasonable expectation of how well and quickly I would recover. I knew it would take time but should have downgraded my thinking because while everyone I talked to who has had cataract surgery was very pleased with their results they certainly could ease into having a second eye to rely upon.  I remain hopeful that everything will settle into a better view soon. My surgeon was quite pleased with the operation and since my eye is somewhat out of the ordinary that is very good news. I’ve not experienced any issues with flashes of light or floaters which is good news. I just wish my life wasn’t being affected as much as it is. How do people who can’t read in a world of words get by? At least I am quite comfortable with audiobooks and podcasts. I’m zipping through quite a lot of material right now. As long as things continue to improve I guess I will have to be satisfied by that.

#44: 42nd Annual Wheatland Music Festival

This year I attended the 42nd annual Wheatland Musci Festival. I am not sure how many I have been too; less than 10 but certainly at least 8. That may seem like alot but compared to many I'm a piker. Paul Haan has probably attended 25 and I know people who have attended nearly every festival. People return year after year not only for the generally excellent muscial variety but to renew friendships. Wheatland Music Festival is more than just dozens of concerts it is a thriving community. I hope you enjoy this audio program and get a good sense of what a wonderful festival Wheatland is. Natually enough I have included a sampling of some of the music played at the festival. You'll hear music by Bill Kirchen, Dervish, California Feetwarmers, some open mich music, Balsam Range, Rapetipitam, and Jerron "Blind Boy" Paxton.

You can learn more about the Wheatland Musci Festival, held the weekend after Labor Day, on Wheatland Music Organization's property just outside of Remus, Michigan at their webiste (www.wheatlandmusic.org)

42nd Wheatland Music Festival Day 1

Enjoy this episode.

#43: Jordan River Pathway Loop Backpacking Trip

Who is happier about this hike? I think Jim probably is. Kip though would enjoy himself though scampering through the woods when Jim was sure no one else was about.

The Jordan River Pathway and North Country Trail form an 18-mile loop. Located in the northwestern part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula the Jordan River valley is perhaps a bit less well known than some other areas. I’ve actually not done this loop hike before. On May 31 and June 1, 2015 I joined Jim Walke and his dog Kip to backpack the loop. Like most people we decided to do the hike in the traditional counter-clockwise fashion starting at the overnight parking lot at Deadman’s Hill. But, I am getting ahead of myself - let’s start at the beginning….

 

There is a fair bit of information available about the Jordan River Pathway Loop. The JRP is maintained by the Jordan Valley 45° North North Country Trail Association Chapter. While some maps exist online for the area they are pretty meager affairs. You can get a rough sense of the area from this overall trail map (PDF file, page 2) and of the detour from this map. The map in Jim DuFresne’s Backpacking in  Michigan book is decent and I expect the NCT map isn’t bad.

 

We were stirring by 07:00 and it was a chilly morning. I suspect the nighttime low was closer to freezing than either Jim or I expected. In fact, I learned Jim had a chilly night. But with the sun shining down upon us we warmd up as we crossed the Jordan River expecting another fine day of hiking.

 

 Jordan River Pathway Overview Map page 1 of 2.

Jordan River Pathway Overview Map page 2 of 2.

The complete photo album for the hike can be found here on Flickr.

 

Check out this episode!

#42: Play Ball

It has been a very long time since I went to a major league baseball game. Since Andy had to work on Thursday, just before we would head up north for our backpacking weekend at Pictuted Rocks National Lakeshore, I was able to go to a Detroit Tigers baseball game at Comerica Park.

Check out this episode!