How I got to Marquette MI

Dear Hannah

Sorry, I’ve been out of cell and web coverage for the past few days.  I’ll catch you up in just a second, lets talk about my guidence system.  Yes, I do have apps that do all sorts of leg work for me but below is what I use to get me where I’m going

This version of Atlas shows Forest service and BLM land and a few campgrounds.  I also us a few apps that I’ll tell you about later (when I figure them out).  I also use the nav system in my truck.

Truth be known, I’m not overly impressed with the Toyota Nav system.  It sucks to search and program, but it shows the roads and thats about all I use it for.  Oh, and yes satellite radio is great!!

So anyway,  the day before yesterday (today is 9/21) I left Temperance river Park MN and head south toward Duluth MN.  The weather forecast proved to be accurate and it pretty much rained, in one form or another, until I got well in to Michigan.  My trusty map lead me to a little campground near Sidhaw MI.  I stopped for a fishing license and some bait on the way… just in case.  Of course the weather didn’t even try to cooperate…

Wet camp and constant rain meant I wouldn’t have a fire so I roughed it and settled for a sandwich and a failed, half hearted attempt at fishing.  The awning keeps things dry for the most part, and it really was a nice evening.

Sometime in the middle of the night, the gale force winds I was promised showed up and this morning it was downright nasty.  I took shelter in a group camping shelter to get coffee going this morning, it was nice to be out of the wind and rain.   I’ve rearranged my stuff so that I can make coffee on the go, and really only have to unpack what I need for any of a variety of situations.  This really helps to get moving in the morning.

Coffee has become an almost ritualistic part of my day so lets talk about it.

Everything I need to make coffee lives in this crate, in the back seat of the truck.

Coffee, Coffee grinder perfectly adjusted, double walled insulated stainless steel coffee press, 1/2 cup measuring cup, stove, fuel and pot!

Lets face it, I’m living in a spam can, coffee is really the only luxury I have:)  The press makes just enough for my cup and little thermos.

So Anyway, sitting in the shelter, hunkered down out of the wind and rain, drinking my coffee got me thinking… I need an oil change for the truck, I need to get my glasses fixed (I’m using spares) and I need to find a regulator for the big stove.  Oh what the heck, I jumped in the truck and headed towards cell service, and promptly booked a room in Marquette MI.  My old job left me with about a bazillion IHG hotel points and I’m not afraid to use them!  Holiday Inn here I come:-)

Tomorrow I’m heading towards a group of lakes in the vicinity of a few forest service campgrounds.  I talked to a guy at the local bait shop who assured me they are all producing fish, so we will see how that goes…