Pier fishing with "little" success

As a wrap up to last weekend's fun Chels and I made a trip to our favorite Lake Michigan beach: Portage Point.

This place holds many special memories and offers, what I believe to be, one of the most beautiful spots to access the big lake.

It was a blustery day for early June, but in an effort to do all that we wanted to do, nature be damned, we cast our lines regardless of conditions.

I was unsuccessful on the North Pier (we should have opted for the deeper water offered from the South Pier, next time) however Chelsea managed to reel in this whopper:

Tech Sweatshirts in June, Love Michigan!

Onekama's North and South Piers

Cryptic Messages on the porta-pottie walls.

-J

New Vehicle: All Decked Out.

I just wanted to share a few shots with you of my new commuter in all of its glory.

The bike is a Schwinn Trailway. The rack/ mounting system are Topeak MTX Series, and the Trunk/ Panniers are Topeak MTX Series DXP model.

So far I am very happy with the set-up. I have a few adjustments and reinforcements that I will be making to the panniers, and then everything will be set. I am still looking for some canvas thread for those though.

Slacking off this weekend

Weekdays are for serious things, meetings, studies, 9-5 commitments and things of that matter. Weekends however, are for fun, and doing whatever you want, or nothing at all!

Last weekend I decided to finally put my haberdashery of a slack-lining kit to the test.

It is nothing more than 40' or so of 1" orange webbing. It's not one of the professional kits, but I didn't really want to dump to much money into a kit before I found out if I liked it.

After watching videos of some guys just hopping on the line and spinning around I thought I was ready for action!

Boy was I wrong. This is a skill that will require some dedicated practice, but it is definitely an activity that I could really get into. The nice thing about it is that it is simple, gives your core a nice workout, does not take up too much space and keeps you outdoors!

We had it out at our bonfire and it was a great time, both for those who tried it and for those who watched us wipe out!

More practice is required, but I welcome it!

After I play around a little more I would like to get a real set up with a 4:1 mechanical advantage, some carpeting for the tree and anchors, but I am taking this one step at a time.

-J

The rain never kills a quality hike.

As you all know you can plan the perfect trip with all of the right stops and scenic overlooks, however one thing that you have no control over is the mood of Mother Nature.

We had been hiding in the shade and sitting in front of fans for two weeks trying to beat the heat that South East Michigan was dishing out when we planned our three day getaway to our hometown of Onekama Michigan. With current trends in the weather we thought that we would have the perfect day at the beach followed by a family gathering round the perfect beach bonfire.

Mother Nature, however had other plans. When we got out of the car at my mother's house I noticed that the temp had already fallen significantly and I could feel the cool breeze the comes from the big lake before all Summer rains.

Sure enough when we awoke in the morning the dusty ground was pocked with dimples, evidence of a good morning soaking.

Regardless of the weather Chelsea still wanted to steal away to one of our new favorite hiking spots; Old Baldy.

The rain subsided and actually quit altogether until we were midway through the hike. However the thick canopy that shields the trail afforded us a dry path to the dune-top overlook.

Chelsea with a Rain be Damned smile!

The thick forest and the lush ferns dampen any outside noise, it is great.

We were lucky enough to find a tree that had been struck by lightening. One of the two trunks was completely destroyed. The charred splinters are said to bring good luck so we picked a few up.

A foggy afternoon, all alone.

At the end of the trail I decided to lose the shoes for the return trip, paying homage to one of my new heroes: Cody Lundin of Dual Survival. Barefoot hiking/ living is not at easy as it looks, but it didn't kill me either!

Our mini basecamp for an hour or so. We had some coffee and tea and enjoyed the view of the lake, the oncoming storm and the gulls as they flew well below.

Cheers to an awesome place! Note the Outpost mug! If you need any gear while in the Manistee area you should check them out.

If I could have a desk right here my production level would be through the roof along with my moral!

 

A little caterpillar that we noticed on our way back.

Until next time old friend.

Proof of my barefoot trek back!

This will go down in the books as yet another relaxing afternoon trip to that high bluff overlooking the big lake. Though it was rainy the hike did not suffer one bit.

Thank you Michigan for your endless bounty.

-J

My Time Unplugged.

Currently I am a law student, so I spend a lot of time reading books, online articles and listening to pod-casted lectures.

What I do not get is much time where I am without some sort of information in front of me that I have to cram into my head.

This is one of the reasons that I really cherish my daily bike commute. I refrain from listening to music or answering texts or phone calls and just unplug for 20 minutes. Sometimes this is just what I need in order to not become over-saturated with substantive laws, procedural issues and "reasonableness" issues that I find myself knee deep in on a daily basis. 

If you find yourself overwhelmed with your day to day drudge try getting away from it all, even if only for a half hour. Get on your bike, or just put on some shoes, and get to where you need to go in a simpler way, your head will clear up and your moral will improve greatly.

-J

New Vehicle

I have upgraded my whips! Gone are the days of commuting to school and town on my dual suspension mtn bike (it has served me well) and the days of a quick easy commute by way of hybrid have come.

The dual suspension will be put to pasture, reserved for days of ruckus and tight single track, never again to be forced to endure the mundane jaunts to and fro school.

Ha, what I am trying to say is that I picked up the Schwinn Trailway on Friday evening.

Though I have only put about 25 miles on it this weekend, they have all been pretty sweet.

Though this is not a review I do have a few high and low points already:

• Highs: 
• Hardtail: no more losing mechanical advantage due to the inevitable bobbing of rear suspension.
• Shifting: ease in the Shimano rapid-fire shifters.
• Speed: the hybrid tires are great, so far they have been great on the roads and have even performed pretty well on some hard-packed dirt trails.
• Lows:
• Saddle: the stock saddle must be replaced ASAP. This one feels like it is shifting left and right with my legs, and makes me feel unsteady.
• Pedals: being a stock commuter the pedals are not as aggressive as I would like them. They are flat and do not offer much tread. I will replace them by the end of the summer.

All in all; a really nice bike so far. The best part is that the handlebars are positioned so that the rider does not have to hunch over, this gives my scoliosis a welcomed ride.

The rack and trunk are supposedly out for delivery as I write. So look for shots of them and a fully assembled blog in the coming week(s).

-J

PS- it is smart commute week, please tell me how you are commuting smartly! I would love to hear!

Pictures of Osprey Momentum 26

I have been receiving many requests for more pictures of the Osprey Momentum 26.

So readers I have not let your pleas fall on blind eyes. This morning I have taken a few pics of me with the bag loaded and on my back. I will also include some interior pics of my daily load (the weight of the daily load is about 24.6 pounds, and it does not feel like that much.)

Hopefully these clear up any questions that you all have had, and if they do not just let me know and I will take some more.

Loaded up like the medium-sized champ that it is!

The bag is comfortable when worn mid-back as well as when it is strung up higher on the shoulders. (I am 5'7" for a size reference)

A profile shot.

Contents: 1 property law book, 1 legal pad, some loose papers, 1 hp 13.1" laptop, charger, water bottle, lock/cable, and writing implements

If you would like some other angle or aspect showcased with this bag please let me know, I will try my hardest to get it for you.

In other news: I have ordered part of my new rig: the Topeak DXP trunk with expandable panniers! I am pretty pumped up about this. After I pick up my new bike (Schwinn Trailway) expect to see pictures of the entire set-up followed by some preliminary reviews, thoughts and then some full on reviews and follow-ups.

Happy Winds-day Eyeore!

-J