It is official, well many things are official as of now. The first being that this is officially the longest period of times between successive blogs. (Totally sorry dudes.) Secondly, it is official that I am halfway done with law school. Thirdly, it is official that I have an internship with a law firm for the Summer. (I am very lucky and excited for the opportunity) Finally, it is official that rockwall construction is underway.

Regarding the latter, I have most of the cuts complete and once I pick up two more 9' boards the diagonal braces will be set. From there the rest should come together relatively quickly, as time allows that is. I am optimistic.

So what is it that kept me away from this thing for so long? Well, a number of things actually. School and final exams being the biggest. However, I still reserved a bit of time each week to do some me things. Usually that would involve blogging, but I chose to mountain bike instead. It is really growing on me. My bike still needs a few pieces to make it acceptable, but I will keep riding it as is until $$$ flows in to make the adjustments.

I have a load of reviews that need to be finished, edited and posted, but my time is getting kind of precious and I am trying to spend more of it doing things and not playing on the web. I have also been reading more. Not only do I have a pillar of outdoor themed books but my magazine subscriptions have been gathering in mogul sized heaps around the office. I do have a question for those who enjoy working with plants/ conservation/ green living: have you ever checked out Urban Farm Magazine? Since I like in the world of the urban right now I feel like a subscription may help me retain my sanity.

 Things will fall into rhythm and balance once school starts again. Only when I have the pressures of deadlines and commitment to others do I respect how precious my "me" time is.

Speaking of, it is time for me to get some stuff done. Due to my recent busy-ness many of my things have fallen by the wayside and need tending to. I hope you all have great weekends. Expect to hear from me soon.

-J

Gear Shop Review: Moosejaw!

Outdoor sports shops are places of serious things. They are filled with conversations of solo expeditions, technical specifications of gear and tales of epic adventures.

Enter Moosejaw, an awesome outdoor shop with all of the serious gear and a seriously fun attitude. Moosejaw is an outdoor store with a t-shirt problem; by this I mean that they have a great selection of t-shirts (all with one of their signature Moosejaw designs or slogans).

They opened their first store in 1992 with a goal of making the world of outdoor sports shops an inviting place with a fun atmosphere. One of the greatest things about Moosejaw is that when you walk in their store you will be greeted by an enthusiastic, “Mooooooooooosejaw!” greeting.

Their staff will go above and beyond what any other place is willing do to help you find whatever you need. Most of all they will make sure that you have a great time while you are doing it.

From camping gear to fashionable outerwear, from a nice t-shirt and a water bottle to crampons and ice axes for climbing, Moosejaw has all the gear that you could possibly need from all of the major outdoor sports companies. Not to mention that they have a staff that is as knowledgeable as they are enthusiastic! Unlike other outdoor shops, the people who work at Moosejaw use the gear that they sell. They can give you all of the ins and outs along with tricks of the trade to make any adventure more enjoyable for you.

The next time you need a new jacket, camping/ hiking gear or just want to meet a new friend check out your closest Moosejaw! You will leave with a smile and probably some sweet new gear.

Love The Madness!

Super Sweet Website: http://www.moosejaw.com/moosejaw/shop/home___

Where to find Moosejaw: Ann Arbor, Birmingham, East Lansing, Grosse Pointe, Partridge Creek and Rochester.

Day 4: Tuesday: Destination Mount Desert Island Maine

Day 4: Tuesday: Destination Mount Desert Island Maine

Thankfully I survived the night in bear country! I am not talking about small signs that say there might be a few bears around a 50 mile radius, I mean like this:

Bears are here, and they will eat your stuff, even your toothpaste! When they are done they will feast on you.

‘Nuff said of the bears. Stayed in Sugarloaf national park campground. Woke up and took a hike to the stream behind our site.

Tim and I decided that we were going to hop the rocks to the other side which turned out to be a foolish idea as the rocks were just far enough apart that it was too risky to make it. However, I was determined to at least give it a good attempt. My best was not enough in this case, I ended up taking a quick morning dip in the crisp mountain stream. Oh well. I guess 900 miles was enough for those socks!

Today we headed through the rest of New Hampshire and into Maine, with a final destination somewhere on Mount Desert Island and Acadia Park.

The terrain in Maine is not too much different from that of home; it has rolling hills, a few farms, as well as a good mix of deciduous and coniferous trees.

We made it to Mount Desert Island early, by our standards, and began the hunt for some genuine, fresh caught Maine Lobster. We walked to the dock where a portly fisherman with a tobacco filled lip greeted us and sold us four of the largest lobsters I have ever seen.

 The price was great and we tied them in the back of the truck.

We set up camp at the private campground at Bass Harbor. It felt really odd to set up in the daylight. With the tent up and the table set we began to boil the clams and lobster. Honestly we ate way too much and should have only gotten two lobster, live and learn.  Dinner was great fun as we smashed the lobster on the table with the hatchet! Hopefully we will be able to burn some of this off tomorrow in Acadia, I have heard that it has awesome trails.

I slept like a log knowing that we were free of bears and the like!

Time to discover some of Acadia.

-J

Day 1: Great Success

Hello all at home and abroad.

Sitting at the McDonald's in Lockport, NY, a little soggy but excited for the day ahead of us.

Yesterday brought us through Ohio, Pennsylvania and Niagra.

Days and trips that start out like this are the best! Look for new stuff from C. Bromley soon!

Ohio, oh how I do not miss things like this.

Pennsylvania, the bit that we went through was nothing to write home about, yet I still am...

Oh well,

We entered New York's Wine country, bypassing the toll road takes you through the vineyards and small towns. Very pretty, however it reminded me of the northern Michigan wine country of Traverse City and Leelanau.

We made it to Niagra, which is a very unique place. A very beautiful natural place, that is nearly ruined by the commercialism of both Canadians and Americans. Nevertheless, it was a very cool experience.

So far I do!

Reminds me of the Upper!

Tim, of the Hart motel out in the river at Niagra falls! See the mist? We are literally 200 ft from Horeshoe falls.

Loving me some Falls, Canadian powerhouse in the background. Horseshoe Falls are a happening where you see the mist!

Well there it is, Niagra in the foreground and Horseshoe in the back. Very pretty even at dusk.

Camping last night brought literal gale force winds and light rain. I slept in TNF Denali and let me tell you, I sweat my butt off!

Today we plan on hiking some of the Adirondacks!  Remember these are only travel blogs, so they are going to be short, expect a full trip recap upon our return!

I hope you are all enjoying yourselves. Stay warm and safe!

-J