I have returned from the wilderness...

...Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park that is. I was there from Monday until today around noon and must admit it was a great week. The campground is right on the edge of Lake Superior, which is more like an ocean than a lake in my opinion, so you could hear the waves crashing on the rocks throughout the campground. The weather was outstanding all week, mid seventies during the day and around sixty at night. Perfect to be out and about during the day and then perfect for a campfire and sleeping at night. I had a very active week so I guess the best way to catch you all up is to just go in order. Tuesday I spent the better part of the day hiking. The trail I hiked wound down through a valley then up a pretty good piece to Mirror Lake. On one end of the lake I found what I think was an old beaver damn and in the little pond behind it was a family of otters. I sat and watched them swim and play for about thirty minutes which was really neat. Had lunch out there and just really enjoyed a beautiful day. I hiked a couple of small loop trails that day as well so all together about 12 miles. That night the park naturalist, Bob, had a program at 10:15 pm to star gaze. It was on top of a mountain and was amazing! The night was so clear and there were just tons of stars out. Bob had star charts for all of us and red lense flashlights and we all laid on our backs and looked at the stars and constellations. He also had a visible light laser that could go to 20,000 feet so as we looked at the charts he could point out exactly where we should be looking. It really helped make sense of it all. Another thing he did was tell the stories behind the stars names and what they meant to different cultures throughout history. As I said the night was amazingly clear and we also got to see many many satelites go over as well as the space station and about 12 shooting stars. After that he had a telescope set up and we got to see a double star, a nebula and some other stuff I can't remember the name to. What can I say it was almost midnight and I knew there was no test. Or you could say I "spaced" out---sorry couldn't resist. Anyway it was a very cool experience. Wednesday I slept in a little and woke up pretty sore so I decided to just do a little easy hiking. I went to the other end of the wilderness area to a place called Presque Isle River. Did a couple miles all around a bunch of waterfalls and rocks and just gorgeous scenery. It was one of those places where just when I thought it couldn't get prettier I would climb over a rock or go around a corner and be wrong. Just spectacular beauty. Got back to the campground and had dinner then the family on the site next to mine, who I had talked with a little and seen out by the falls that day, invited me over for smores! Nice way to end a day for sure. We sat and watched the fire and talked till it was time for the kids to go to bed then I went back to my fire and sat up pretty late just enjoying the night. Thursday I decided to do another pretty good hike. All together I managed to combine three trails and part of a fourth to make a nice loop of about 11 miles. It went out and around a pond then up to a lake, then came down around a mountain and finally up the mountain. It turned out to be a very nice hike and very isolated. I spotted a doe and her fawn at one point and spent some time stalking them trying to get a picture but after playing hide and seek with each other for about 45 minutes they took off and I never got a picture but it was fun just the same. Spent Thusday night burning up the rest of my woodpile then about midnight did my laundry. Campground trick-wait till everybody goes to bed then voilla laundry room empty. Woke up today to rain and clouds but by the time I finished my second cup of coffee it had stopped. Of course it was almost eleven when I had my first cup so not exactly the crack of dawn. I loaded the camper back on the truck and hit the road and now I am in Wisconsin. It's funny how I knew when I had phone service again because the voicemail alert went off and I had a bunch. Thanks everyone who was worried because I had not posted in a few days but I was/am fine just got lost for a few days. I'm going to wander Wisconsin this week and I have reservations at a state park over on the Mississippi River for Labor Day weekend so that should be fun. Oh yeah wanted to let everyone know that I will be up in North Dakota for a job at the end of September. I had applied a while back and heard from the folks Monday before I left civilization so I will fill in more of the detail on that later, but I will be up there into October. Well I tried to pick some good pictures so I hope they all come up and that they load so you can click on them and view them full screen, that's how they are best. Thanks again to Randy, Deb, Jacob, Hanna and Lucky from Grand Rapids. I enjoyed meeting you all glad you enjoyed the tour. Truck campers are the way to go. Thanks to everbody who was worried I hope you enjoy. Take care, Jim