Lot going on up north - Where are the people?

Gymnastics in the canoe, outstanding people watching at the Flea Roast, great meals, and overall a darn good weekend up in Irons this weekend.

A friend and I paddled down the Big Manistee River on Saturday. I was expecting a big crowd with the fortuitous weather but besides maybe three human sightings, we had the river to ourselves for our three hour tour (....a three hour tour). With that and the calm current, it gave each of us a chance to show off our talents (pictured). Gymnastic canoeing is going to be an Olympic sport in 2010 I hear.

After the paddle and a bite to eat, we got to experience the world renowned Irons, Michigan tradition of the Flea Roast & Ox Market. I am kicking myself for not having the camera for this spectacle because it was quite a scene to behold. You had the trinkets and trash booths (I bought a back scratcher), the kiddie rides, the beer tent, the live music, and a people watching paradise! Almost everybody was smoking, the majority had some form of tatoo, and most I could hear breathing like Darth Vader. I overheard one large lady near the trinket booths, "where can someone get a seat around here?" Five minutes later, there I saw her slumped on a picnic table, taking a drag from her Pall Mall. She was in her happy place. I'll be sure to put the Flea Roast on my calendar for next year.

The weekend was capped with a mountain bike ride/roller blading (no roller blade for me) at the Big M mountain bike trail area this morning. As with the river, there was no one out in the area, which again was fine by me. It must be everyone gearing up for the holiday next weekend. Why not make every weekend like a holiday? No sense planning months ahead for just one weekend, eh? I enjoyed my "holiday" weekend and will enjoy the rest of them, regardless if the calendar says it's one or not.

Trail Head

Happy Weekend Before July 4th Weekend!

Mother Nature couldn't stop the celebration tonight at Pontiac Lake Recreation Area. The storms that hit the area in the afternoon thankfully stopped for the ride tonight. The slippery rocks were a bit on the scary side but fortunately there were no spills to report for our 40-something posse. It was good to see Macomb-ers Greg and Eddie out for the experience tonight. Some outstanding chicken on the grill; so good that even the local raccoon (pictured) had to have a taste. He took a nice piece of pizza on one dive into the trash can but on his second try, he went in the woods with a disposable diaper. His old lady I am sure gave him some crap when he came in with that smelly thing.

There will be no riding next week as everyone is either heading to the U.P., northern Michigan, or western Michigan (my destination) for the holiday. Enjoy your freedom wherever you go!

Trail Head

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day! In tribute of the day, I took the man who put the RRRR in Reeves to the Tiger game today. Kudos to dad for:

• putting three kids through college
• throwing the tightest spirals with the football I have ever seen
• creating the "dope" slap (as in, "you dope!") and also doing some damage with the ping pong paddle as well - ouch
• bringing Corvettes to our house for the night in my youth when I had no idea he was the repo man ("is that our car dad?" - "it is tonight son")
• leading poker night at the Reeves' household - no money gained or lost but a good time had by all
• throwing rakes or whatever lawn tool was available at Steve Kenfield urging him to slow down on his motorcycle
• calling me at the DeOrio party when I was supposed to be sleeping over at Jim's - "Tim, your dad's on the phone" (busted!)
• urging me to eat things even though there was no way in hell I was going to eat them - "good liver Tim, goooood liver"
• throwing other people's golf balls in the water - no, it was not intentional but quite funny when he thought he could clear the pond
• being the greatest AAA salesman that ever lived with a John Reeves' AAA pen or sleeve of AAA golf balls always available - if there is a heaven, you bet your ass that God is going to get a AAA pen

Happy Father's Day!

Trail Head

Trailhead Review

After tonight's ride at Highland Recreation Area, I was admiring the dirt parking lot (pictured) and how each trailhead has its own character. With that, here is my first ever tri-county trailhead review with rankings:

1) Highland Recreation Area

old school - dirt lot - horseback riders coming through the lot after the ride, packed with beers! - nice new crapper they have there according to Mark C. - limited traffic is a bonus

2)Island Lake Recreation Area

paved - nice central location - pink bike rack sighting there - good grilling space but bugs can be a nuisance

3)Pontiac Lake Recreation Area

the trailhead shares the lot with the beach folks so you see quite a mix out there - listening to the hardcore riders talk about their times is worth the price of admission ("dude, I clocked 23 minutes!!!")

4)Brighton Recreation Area
it's a long ride there but a beautiful area - trailhead water pump has been out of order for too long (who do I need to pay to get this fixed?)

5)Lakeshore Park
this trailhead gets points for allowing us to watch a pack of Asians grab a huge blanket and throw a fellow brother up in the air on said blanket (wacky traditions) - did witness a can collector lady out there also - nice park overall

6)Maybury Recreation Area
nice history (crazy history) of the place documented in the trailhead parking lot - picnic table access in lot is a plus


7)Pinckney Recreation Area
not much glamor at the trailhead except the beach access - it's all about the trail there

8)Bald Mountain Recreation Area (North Trailhead)
similar to Highland with the dirt but not much there - you pretty much ride and get the heck out of there - dirt road getting there can be a bitch sometimes

9)Holdridge/Holly Recreation Area
have only been here a few times but similar to Highland - a bit off the tour's boundaries but a nice area just the same - serious dirt road ride to get to trailhead

10 - tie)Milford Trail and Hickory Glen
these two are lumped together because they both share the trailhead with the baseball/softball fields - needless to say, when Mr. Natural has to change clothes after the ride, it's not pretty - these trailheads get losing grades

Trail Head

Mass-a-cree at the Mother Cup

On the ride home with the fellas this afternoon, I had time to digest what I had just experienced over the weekend. The SOL's (Son's of Liberty) had just manhandled the Seadogs in the annual Mother Cup at Lake Skegemog in Williamsburg and I was grasping for answers. What went wrong? After a few beverages, I had finally come to grasp the fact that the SOL's just fished their asses off and there wasn't much we could do about it. They took every piece of hardware and every penny that was on the wager table.

The first session on Friday evening started similar to last year with Tommy working his leech magic with boat captain Keith. The two helped the SOL group get off to a hefty 14 pound lead at 32-18. The Seadogs were a bit concerned but also trailed early last year so there wasn't much alarm, yet. In attendance when we got back to the Crouse residence after the session was none other than Jim Johnson. I am here to report that the Johnson laugh still can be heard from a mile away. After a great meal and some laughs around the fire pit, it was time to call it an evening to prepare for the 6 AM fish.

There was no looking back for the SOL's during the Saturday AM session as Keith and Champ kicked it up a notch (must be that "5 hour energy" drink) and pushed the lead to 35 pounds. Keith got the big fish of the weekend in the session with a 5 pound, 15 ounce pike pictured above. The SOL's now had 80 pounds total to the Seadogs' 45. Looking back at last year's totals, the SOL's had 39 pounds for the ENTIRE weekend. The fat lady was warming up after that display.

The mid day cruise on the Crouse pontoon boat onto Elk Lake gave the Seadog contingent a chance to catch their breath on what they were witnessing and enjoy a few beverages in the process. We must have been enjoying one too many beverages on the boat stroll because the afternoon/evening session had us pulling in a measly nine pound effort to the SOL's 33. It was now 113-54 and the fat lady had sung. Tommy again took the session victory, this time with Mitchell as the captain.

The only thing left to be determined on the final day was if Tommy would be caught on his weekend fish total accumulation by the one Seadog holding his own this weekend, Doke. Doke made a charge but couldn't catch Tommy's 38 pounds. Tommy just about equaled his entire team's totals from last year all by himself. It was the year of the leech for sure.

The final totals:

Son's of Liberty - 133 pounds
Seadogs - 80 pounds

Biggest Fish - Keith - 5 pound, 15 ounce pike

Most Fish Weight (weekend) - Tommy - 38 pounds

Golf Outing Champs - Brian and Tom

While we did get our rear ends kicked by the SOL group, the 80 pounds is still more than last year's total. We just ran into a freight train this year. Congratulations to the Class of '84 on their victory. We'll be ready again next year. Same place, same time, same good time.

Lastly, thanks again to Dave and Judy Crouse for putting up with a group of forty-somethings with adolescent minds.

Trail Head

Johnny B. Sighting - Milford Bike Path/Trail

The lead story tonight I thought was going to be the review of the new Milford bike path but there was a Johnny B. sighting tonight in Highland. That, and a Joe Maples sighting, take precendence over any other news. The elusive JB was at the Comeback Inn (get the play on words?) watching the Wings with Matt. That is the toughest playoff beard ever!

In regards to the new Milford bike path (milfordtrail.com), my colleague Jim rode it today and gives it a seven. I caught part of it on the dirt trails and think it has some great potential once the landscape surrounds it. It has a trailhead at the Commerce Rd. YMCA and another across the street from the McDonald's on GM Rd. Once it completely connects with the Kensington/Island Lake paths, look out! That is going to be one long ass trail and that is a good thing.

Trail Head