Turbo Claw

Tahquamenon Falls, MI

Last weekend, the boys and I re-enacted a Great Lakes Myth Society album, and headed up north, across the bridge and to the woods for a couple of days away from the city. We stayed at Tahquamenon Falls State Park (which actually ended up being a little too cushy - What?! Flush toilets?!) and spent an entire weekend asleep in lawn chars. The trip was originally planned around a 40 mile bike ride out to Whitefish Point, but laziness prevailed and we decided to just do some light sightseeing and some heavy eating. I can’t wait for that whole “being independently wealthy” thing to kick in so I can spend all my weekends like this.

Jeff and I drove up together and met Pat (along with about 300 other campers) at the campsite. We took a couple mile walk out to the Lower Falls and made fun of the way Pat walks. Pat grilled his signature marinated chicken on the tripod over the campfire and we all cooked potatoes down in the coals.

After a totally restful, quiet night with absolutely no snoring (or videotaping of people snoring), we had our main day of tourist-y sightseeing, taking a ton of photos of both the Lower and Upper Falls and Oswald’s Bear Ranch. Apparently, no one thought that it was weird to open a microbrewery in a state park, so we decided to have (totally overpriced and lackluster) lunch there.

By the time we got back to the campsite, most of the other campers had cleared out, giving us a little more room to pretend that we’re serious outdoorsmen, roughing it in the U.P. That night, we made fajitas in the campfire for the first time. They were delicious, and kicked seriously hard asses.

I always hate the drive home. I was definitely ready to come home and see Beth, but once I cross the bridge and continue South, I always start thinking about traffic, work, and the comparative grayness of Southeast Michigan. Once I’m here, I love being home, but I always wish the visit Up North was longer.

Have a look at my and Jeff’s flickr sets from the trip. It’s almost like you were invited! (Almost.)

UPDATE: Now including “short attention span” video recap!
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Posted on 8.30.07 at 9pm by Dan in Photos, Travelogue