August 22, 2024 – St. Ignace, Michigan
Yay! I am in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. After a long and winding road trip from Vermont, I have reached my destination for the third phase of my summer tour. I am at the Little Bear Sports Center in St. Ignace, Michigan, the hub of activities for the North Country Trail Association Annual (NCTA) Celebration. If you have read my blogs in the past, you have learned that I represent the State of Vermont on the Board of Directors of the NCTA. This is my second year attending the annual Celebration. Last year, it was held in the eastern Adirondack Park in New York State. This year, the trail celebration is held in the birth state of the trail, the Great Trail State of Michigan.
Phase one of my annual auto tour to chronicle Drum Corps International (DCI) competitions began on August 1. Following the world championships in Indianapolis on August 10, I returned to Michigan, where I whiled away some time before the NCTA Celebration this week. I stayed with friends and enjoyed the good nature of Michigan from west to east and south to north. I will quantify the mileage when I return home next week. But now, it is time to immerse myself into the community of the North Country Trail. Several hundred dedicated and passionate people are gathering to Celebrate the hard work of building and maintaining a 4,800-mile hiking trail linking eight northern border states. Michigan is the Anchor of the Union and the anchor of the North Country Trail.
Yesterday, this phase officially started with a hike on the NCT in Petoskey, MI, another awesome harbor town with a wealth of community attributes, including miles of trails and bike paths. My host, Duane, is a big deal with the local Jordan Valley Chapter of the NCTA. We spotted my car to make a one-way hike from downtown out along a winding path through the urban area along the Bear River, then out to the Michigan countryside for an idyllic walk on the soft soil of Michigan. We stopped frequently for Duane to describe the projects, trail successes, and challenges. We observed the interpretive and wayfinding signs. Hundreds of feet of boardwalk kept us high and dry. My feet were glad, my heart was exercised, and my soul was refreshed. This was a perfect start to the day before heading up over the Mackinac Bridge to St. Ignace on the Upper Peninsula for the Celebration.
I texted my daughters to let them know I was leaving the Mitten and to check my location. Upon arriving at the bridge, I was struck by its immensity and height. It dwarfs the Champlain Bridge that links New York State and Vermont. There, NCT hikers can walk across the lake on the pedestrian friendly bridge. There is no regular pedestrian access on the Mackinac Bridge. Through-hikers who want to check off that stretch of the trail need to come on Labor Day when it is closed to traffic when thousands of people walk over the bridge. Driving in the Volvo, I felt a little queasy but made it over without falling into the lake.
I was now at our base camp for the next few days at the local State Park campground. Given that I did not register for the site, I was sharing it with others. But, alas, there were no trees appropriate for my hammock. A short walk up the shoreline, I found the Lakeside Cemetery. The Krause family was happy to host me near their plot and gently rocked me to sleep in my catenary cocoon hanging between their cedar trees. I know that stealth camping is frowned upon. Tonight, I will move to another site with friends where the trees are better. Please respect private land while long-distance hiking on the NCT.
Today, I was signed up for one of the group hikes. I chose the Upper Falls hike. Our bus driver dropped us off out into the wilderness of the UP, where we hiked 7 miles back toward Tahquamanon Falls and the local brew pub. Again, my feet were happy with the springy tread, and I was engaged with the eight other hikers who thoroughly enjoyed the hike and each other. These are the people that I would not have otherwise met if it had not been for that fateful day back in 2019 in Western Pennsylvania, where I first discovered the NCT and learned from trail keeper David Galbreath that it was extended into Vermont.
8:00 PM
It is after dinner. The National Park Service and the North Country Trail Association are presenting awards to those who have provided extraordinary service to the NCT. This is taking forever, but I am not bored. After all, there are eight states involved. What a cast of incredible characters. Their bios and achievements are worthy of our attention and acknowledgment. Some of the awardees I have met. I look forward to shaking more hands and offering my congratulations to the others. It is an honor to be among them all and to serve the organization. Their histories and accomplishments shared during the presentations were inspiring and heartwarming, and yes, for me, tear-jerking.
Before the awards, a roll call was conducted for members of each state to stand and cheer. It was a blast to be able to stand and shout as the sole participating member from the brave little State of Vermont. I was accompanied by a shout-out from the entire arena. To be correct, I was also joined by two staff members of the NCTA: Stephanie, the VT/NY Trail Coordinator, and Paul, the Trail Protection Coordinator, who also reside in the eastern most state. Other notables in the large arena that I was glad to reunite with were Joan Young, author and heart and sole of the trail, and Dave Galbreath, the first person that I met that fateful day when I discovered the trail. I have had a whirlwind of new friends made. This is another one of my passions that allows for such great meetings.
August 23, 2024 – Wild Blueberry Restaurant
8:00 AM
The universe provides. After a restful night’s sleep at the Krauses, I decamped and headed out for breakfast. My hope was a nice table with power and WIFI. Bingo! The Wild Blueberry Restaurant served up a nice omelet while I am plugging away here at the keyboard. Today, I will walk the local section of the NCT through St. Ignace. But first, I will attend a workshop on hammock camping and do some more networking and relationship-building. Reflecting on the dinner last night, I was glad that I decided to add the Celebration to my summer tour this year simply because someone was there to represent Vermont. The trail length in the easternmost state is the shortest of all the states at approximately 75 miles, but it has the highest and the lowest elevation of the entire 4,800 miles. The elevation changes provide a diversity of terrain, from the flat grassland type of the Champlain Valley to the rugged terrain of the Green Mountains. I look forward to my return to the Green Mountains. My friends will ask me to tell them all about my tour, and I will say, “Read my blog.”
6:00 PM
While I wait for a fellow board member to join me for dinner, I will try to catch up. Day three of the NCTA Celebration was filled with workshops. The first was Joan Young presenting her Mandate for the North Country Trail. No one has walked the talk like Joan. She emphasized the values of our National Trails, including the scenic, historic, natural, and cultural values. The NCT traverses through several ecological zones, making the trail the most diverse trail in the National Trails System. From the grasslands of the North Dakota prairie to the northern hardwood forests of Vermont, the NCT provides a wide range of trail surfaces, scenic qualities, historical context, natural communities, and cultural heritage across the eight northern border states, east to west. Later, I attended a presentation by Jo Oostveen titled Comedy on the North Country Trail. I laughed and cried throughout the presentation as she recounted the humorous and scary experiences of her 1,250-mile hike through Michigan on the NCT.
After three-plus weeks on the road with my four-part summer tour, I am becoming a little emotional. My drum corps tour writings focus on the hope for the future that the young performers give me. My NCT Celebration experience has given me even more hope, as many of us seniors in America are engaged in such socially positive activities. These are not the old fuddy-duddies sitting on their porches yelling at those walking by. They are out there doing the work and walking the talk. The collective spirit in the arena during dinner, awards, and speeches, and around the informal campfires, is an overwhelming experience, causing me to constantly reach for my hanky. This is the America that I love.
9:00 PM
Another fine dinner was shared with two fellow board members and dedicated trail folks at our table. The Keynote Address was delivered by Stacy Bare, a serious outdoorsman. His experience is vast, including serving in the Army in harm’s way. He is now Executive Director of the Grand Rapids Parks Department. Stacy spoke about the attributes of our National Scenic Trail, including the restorative and therapeutic effects on the human spirit and soul. He cited statistics that show how hiking in nature can significantly lower stress levels and mitigate PTSD in veterans and the mental health challenges of youth. Speaking to the choir, Stacy’s words were validated with laughter and applause throughout his presentation.
August 24, 2024 – Little Bear Arena
8:00 AM
Hikers are preparing to leave for various destinations on the chartered busses. I chose to take my own adventure more locally again rather than ride on a bus for hours. Nearby Rabbit Back Point is my destination. I have been told the view is outstanding. Tonight, after dinner, is game night. I have signed up with Duane to play Euchre, a Michigan card game. Wish us luck. Tomorrow, I will head over the border into Canada for the long slog back to Vermont. It is two hours shorter than the US route. I will try to keep you posted.
August 27, 2024 – Along the Mill Brook
Never in my life have I appreciated the service of a machine more than the Silver Bullet, my 2016 Volvo XC70. After transporting me on a long, strange trip across the North American countryside, you might say that it is more like a Titanium Titan. It proved its metal along the Trans Canada Highway on Sunday, the route that Siri and I chose to return from St. Ignace, Michigan, back to my humble home along the Mill Brook. Intermittent passing lanes required a heavy foot when needed to get by the trucks and slower-moving vehicles. Since I did not reset the speedometer to show kilometers, I was guessing the speed in miles per hour. 90km/h probably equals 75m/h, right? I was motivated to get home after being on the road for 25 days, the longest away from my home since college many years ago.
After a day or so of unpacking and getting caught up on the necessary tasks put off since being away, I finally have time to reflect on the great adventure I had with the North Country Trail Association. The annual Celebration was a complete success, except for losing the Euchre tournament in the second round. My partner Duane, an experienced player, was patient with my novice skill level. I suggested a Cribbage tournament for next year. The final night was for socializing and games. Others played cornhole. As the evening wore on, the attendance thinned out. Hugs, goodbyes, and see you next year in North Dakota were exchanged, and I repaired to my final night in the hammock. The entire way home was filled with thoughts and ideas as I replayed the events of the week in my mind. There were several takeaways from the experience that will guide me in my coming years on the board of the NCTA. The most profound and rewarding part of the experience is the sense of belonging that I feel to be part of this incredible trail community spread out across eight northern border states. I discovered the great trail state of Michigan and intend to return often to explore more of that NCT there. I also look forward to exploring the trail in the western reaches beginning next year at the Celebration planned at the Western Terminus in North Dakota.
I am happy with my decision to extend my annual summer tour of DCI shows to lark-about for a week between the World Championships in Indianapolis and the NCTA Celebration on the UP of Michigan. The weather was astoundingly good, with only three welcome days of rain since I began my travels on August 1, none during the Celebration. I relied heavily on the Silver Bullet and the generosity of many good Michigander friends. I cried when I pulled into my driveway after 15:45 hours of driving, thankful to be home and grateful for the goodwill of so many and the good luck along the way. The odometer showed 3,166 miles more miles. Now, it is time to settle into my fall routine here in the Mad River Valley. Golf coach, guest teaching, hiking in the Green Mountains, and preparing for the following season – ski season. After all, I am simply a ski bum who has to find fun things to do in the warm months. Thank you, North Country Trail.
Peace out for now.