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Dutchman Camp,
Manistique, MI
Friday, June 21, 1996
Melissa, Redwood and I arrived around midnight
to help open up the camp with Dad and Grandpa this year. On
the drive up, we went through a lot of rain. At the camp the
rain stopped so we could see the lightning and fireflies
light up the sky.
Saturday, June 22, 1996
Got up early with not much sleep thanks to
Grandpa snoring and such. The big project was to put in a
new skylight. Dad did most of the work, while I helped on
the final installation. I also mowed the lawn and trimmed
the bushes. Melissa washed all the windows, Grandpa helped
out where he could. In the afternoon, I built a firepit and
then stood in the river for a while enjoying the warm
sunshine.
Sunday, June 23, 1996
Again up early and we all took a walk to the
other cabins upstream of us. Two new ones since I had been
there last &emdash; about three years ago. Today was the
first time we were bothered by bugs &emdash; few mosquitoes
but lots of noseeums. We left for Grand Rapids around
noon.
Wednesday, July 3, 1996
Redwood and I arrived at camp with Shawn and
Lianne around 1 a.m. &emdash; I guess that would make it
Thursday. Melissa, Pam, Dale, Brett and Charlie, plus Tyler
the dog, showed up 15 minutes later. Most all of us stayed
up until 7 a.m. drinking around the fire and watched the
sunrise.
Thursday, July 4, 1996
We all awoke fairly early considering the late
night. We cooked up a big breakfast and Brett, Charlie and
Tyler took off to canoe further north.
Pam and I took a bike ride up to the 448 bridge
across the West Branch and then back down to Hough's. Lots
more cabins on that side of the river. I didn't even
recognize the road as it approached the old bridge since it
looks abandoned.
Did some target practice with the .22 rifle. Elaina
and Steve showed up around dinner time and stayed with us
for the night. We set off a lot of fireworks from the beach
and had a big bonfire.
Friday, July 5, 1996
Another fairly early morning and another big
breakfast. Melissa, Dale, Pam and myself drove to Seney
Wildlife Refuge and took a 15 mile bike ride in the
afternoon. We saw lots of wildlife in the refuge including
many deer, beavers, herons, osprey and turtles. Also got
swarmed by deer flies much of the time.
On the drive back on 448 north of the cabin, we saw a
black bear dash into the woods along with many
deer.
Back at camp, we called Shawn and Lianne who went to
visit cousin Chris at his cabin. They had showers, so we
decided to spend the night there.
Once there, we took a midnight pontoon boat ride
through a few of the lakes surrounding his cabin at the
channel that connects Corner and Deep lakes.
Saturday, July 6, 1996
After another big breakfast, we took showers and
another pontoon ride. We all regrouped and headed up to
Munising to see some waterfalls, Pictured Rocks and a bear
in a cage.
We spent quite a bit of time at Miner's beach where I
fished the creek that dumps into Lake Superior. I caught one
small brown and nice sized rainbow in a hole just below some
rapids/falling water.
Back at camp I made everyone a taco dinner and we
played cards for a few hours.
Sunday, July 7, 1996
Melissa and her friends took off right after a
big breakfast for a Hootie concert.
Shawn, Lianne and I cleaned up camp and spent a while
blowing up a half watermelon with firecrackers and the
gun.
On the drive back, we stopped at Big Buck Brewery in
Gaylord for a couple beers. Nice place, worth going to
again. We got back to Grand Rapids around midnight.
Saturday, August 31, 1996
Redwood and I came up to camp last night with
Sue and Sarge. We found 3 mice in the bucket and many
crickets everywhere &emdash; including some huge
spiders.
We spent the day hiking around to the other cabins
and then went swimming in the river. It was the only way to
avoid the bugs.
We saw and heard some sandhill cranes in the
clearing. We tried fishing in Stutts Creek, but the bugs
were again too bad. Drove around in my truck along some of
the back roads and talked with the Martini Bros.
Sunday, September 1, 1996
We all headed up to Pictured Rocks around noon.
We went to Miners Falls, Miners Beach and Miners Lake. The
Falls and the Lake were dissappointing, while the beach was
very nice. Had great sunny weather.
Shopped a bit and ate dinner in Munising. On the way
back to camp, a State Trooper pulled me over for speeding.
It turns out his name is Dan McDonohough (spelling?) and he
owns 11 or 12 acres upstream from the Dutchman. He
recognized my name from Grandpa and let me go with a
warning.
Monday, September 2, 1996
Tried to leave for home early but stopped at the
Seul Choix Lighthouse and Seney Wildlife Refuge (as well as
Big Buck Brewery in Gaylord). Had a great weekend of fun and
sun, but could have done without the bugs.
Back to Hiking and
Camping
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