Michigan

Hanging out at camp I’ve been watching several videos about the National Forests in Northern Michigan – both the lands Upper Peninsula and Huron National Forest. Honestly, I am quite excited about the possibilities of that road trip next year.

While I do think I want a smaller, more reliable truck, there is a lot that excites me about dispersed camping in the National Forests of Northern Michigan. The miles and miles of dirt and gravel roads, the informal campsites with nothing more then a driveway and fire ring along the roads. The sweeping views of the Great Lakes, the great expanses of nothingness.

The places I most crave in travels are not those heavily promoted in the tourist brochures. I’d much rather travel along dirt roads – hopefully none too rough – to simple basic roadside campsites far away from anyone else. Where I can have a fire, relax, get out my mountain bike and ride. Listen to music, watch the stars at night. Far away from cities and developed areas.

It’s not that I would never stop at a designated park or tourist location – I’m sure there are some epic lakeshores and other must visit places. Maybe poke around a little town for a bit. But not necessarily dewell in such places for long, as I seek our remote, dirt roads in wilderness.

One of the nice things about Michigan – and the Midwest in general – is even in the great forests much of it is relatively flat so many of them most likely have cell service. Which is nice to be connected to the outside world at times, share my experiences and find out things nearby to explore. It’s always good to be able to stream audio and in case of an emergency summon help. But mostly because it’s something to pass time at night keep connected, especially in an unfamiliar land.

It will be quite the adventure – if I can pull it off next year – which I do have to consider work and timing for getting a new truck and truck cap, installing needed accessories and moving the solar power over to it. Getting a rack for my bike and kayak. But it also could be a real epic adventure. And who knows how many more years I’ll have an opportunity, with my parents getting old and some day probably soon settling down to a homestead with hogs and goats to feed.