The fair and industrious Trudy has a special place in her heart for rocks.
Yearly Archives: 2025
Silent Sunday
Sun, 13 Jul 2025, 01:24 PM (-06:00)
I know I’ve posted a lot today. Not such a silent Sunday, it seems. But let’s pretend, shall we? #silentsunday
Arriving in the Porkies
Sun, 13 Jul 2025, 11:19 AM (-06:00)
We turned north, leaving Lake Gogebic behind us. Two years ago, David camped there, leaving Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State park for another trip. This was that trip. The temperatures got cooler and cooler. There were fewer and fewer cars on the road, which amazingly enough got smoother and smoother. The sun sank lower and lower […]
Two of a Kind
Sun, 13 Jul 2025, 10:36 AM (-06:00)
When we pulled up to the entrance of Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park at the western edge of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (where the sun lies to you about bedtime), the rangers said that they thought we had already arrived since there was someone in our campsite. One of them went dashing off in a pickup […]
The Blue Kayaks
Sun, 13 Jul 2025, 08:11 AM (-06:00)
1. It was a gray cloudy day. Dark skies hung over the forest on the western shore of the lake. There were two people in white shirts standing alone on the beach of the camp over there. They were taller than campers — must have been counselors. They stood on the sand without moving, then […]
Little Things
Sat, 12 Jul 2025, 06:47 PM (-06:00)
There is a strip of little stones along the walkway beside the cottage in the woods on the hill by the lake. Michigan stones with reds, grays, and blues; pinks, greens, and whites. The stuff of grinding glaciers and rushing streams. Stones smoothed by the years, gathered with care, intentionally set along the walk to […]
A Navigator Error
Mon, 7 Jul 2025, 05:32 PM (-06:00)
from Argyle Lake State Park, Illinois to Devil’s Lake State Park, Wisconsin … 1. Park Entry The day was sunny. The sky was a brilliant blue. There were white clouds floating by. We were arriving at the park early, but as we climbed the hills on the western boundary of the park, severe thunderstorm warnings […]
Collecting Kindling
Sat, 5 Jul 2025, 03:23 PM (-06:00)
When collecting kindling, it is important to properly calibrate the sticks.
A Down Day
Sat, 5 Jul 2025, 02:30 PM (-06:00)
Argyle Lake State Park, Illinois … There was the requisite morning coffee (full disclosure: coffee for us while camping is instant, which honestly does the job admirably). There were eggs and bacon. And unlike many mornings on these north-south treks, we had no need to immediately pack up for another day on the road, since […]
Life on the Mississippi
Fri, 4 Jul 2025, 11:30 AM (-06:00)
Traveling from Pomme de Terre State Park in Missouri to Argyle Lake State Park in Illinois … 1. En route to Illinois, we chose a “scenic route” along the western shore of the Mississippi River. There were green dots along the road in our (yes) paper atlas. The narrow road twisted and turned. It passed […]