More of the Thumb

I have been terribly busy in the thumb region of Michigan. Once again I am staying at the remote command center of J & M which is located between Caseville and Port Austin in the thumb region in Michigan. During this period there were several people coming to join the hunt. This started with the brother J who celebrated a birthday last post having some of his family come to join him. His wife K and his son J came to experience the hunt for Big Foot and I suppose enjoy some time off, the beach, and the sunsets.

Daily light show. Thanks God!

We decided to utilize bicycles several times to get around. This was thought to be a good idea to avoid detection since no one would expect an adventurer like Thor to arrive by bike. My riding companions and I have augmented bicycle technology so the ten mile ride to Port Austin was not so bad, particularly on the way back from "adventuring" as one gets thirsty and beer is on tap.

The first trip was with J & M along with J from last week's blog. We went to Pak's Backyard in Port Austin. The ride was uneventful but it was reported to me that my back tire had a "wobble". My fellow adventurer J seemed concerned and wanted to know how long it existed. I tried to point out that since it is my back tire I was unaware of it since I am usually riding the bike and looking forward and not utilizing astral projection. We had a lovely meal along with several cool beverages to ease any discomfort from the bike ride. Upon further investigation of the back wheel, it was also discovered the rear brake was positioned such that it was applied at all times. It did explain why the ride was so tiresome on the way to the restaurant. We unhooked the brakes and pedaling back was tremendously easier. Our search for Big Foot was not successful at that establishment but it was possible that Big Foot had rented a kayak and paddled out to Turnip Rock  

Another brother J and his girlfriend S came later and since J is a bike guru so I figured his assistance would be useful in addressing the wheel issue. He did his magic and realized that it needed to be replaced. He also discovered my profound stupidity when it comes to bicycle repair, maintenance, and operation. I think it was when he asked me a question about the wheel and all I could explain is that it is round and there are two of them. I took it to bike shop in Port Austin (Pak's Garage - yes same people who own the restaurant and kayak rental service). They quickly and cost effectively replaced the rim and I was back on the road. We followed this up with another ride to Port Austin, but this time to Bird Creek Farm to celebrate my nephew J's 28th birthday. It was an all male ride with brothers J, J, J, nephew J, and I. The ride was smooth and the food was excellent but again no Big Foot. Plus I noticed that the random letter generator seems to have an issue with some names and keeps assigning the letter J so I will need to reboot the supercomputer.

Another day we decided to investigate another establishment. It had plenty of craft beverages but it lacked the panache of the other establishments. This was Heck's Bar in Kinde. This was an interesting business but they did have an incredible selection craft brews.

A “classic” bar with an appropriate car

"Cozy" inside

My daughter C was able to visit for a few days which was great since we have been coming here since before she was born. She brought her puppy Sami who is a 5 month old German Shepard puppy. Sami was super happy to see Ozzy and Lucy again but my monster hunting hounds seemed to be less excited to play with a giant energy filled puppy. We were able to enjoy the lake and had a great time but it was too short. Her husband D was unable to come as he was doing his monthly duty with the reserves. Hopefully they are able to come again next year. This kept me from searching for Big Foot for a few days but I am confident that it will not impact my results.

Sami and C

Amy with C and B a couple of years ago

As I previously mentioned my brother J and his girlfriend S flew out to visit also. We now have J & M, J & S, J & K, along with their son J, and myself along with Ozzy and Lucy. There are a lot of J's being generated from the random letter generator but as I indicated I expect that to be fixed shortly. 

I was able to get a new mattress so I am more comfortable sleeping. The trailer has been great so far and I have been getting settled in. I anticipated pruning items from the trailer and truck, and I will be making a stop soon at the undisclosed storage facility to offload some gear. I installed a new under sink water filtration system with J’s help which should enable me to jettison my other water filter system for drinking water. I also upgraded my whole trailer external water filter so I feel comfortable there.

Kitchen area

Bedroom with new mattress

The trailer is like a small studio apartment. I have a bed, kitchen, dining area, and bathroom. Altogether it is about 85 sq ft so it’s plenty of room. Interestingly it is smaller than the closet in my old master bedroom and yet it feels quite spacious. I will post “a day in the life” of an adventurer along with more details of the adventure rig in the future.

Some have expressed concern on my progress in catching Big Foot. It would be ludicrous to believe I could find Big Foot so quickly when others have spent decades without success. I do believe my novel approach has a chance of success based upon the unsuccessful approach of searching in remote areas lacking quality beverages. They searched the untapped wilderness whilst I search the untapped keg. I do not believe they will find Big Foot before I do.

Also as a helpful reminder, you can sign up to be notified of when I get around to posting these updates. Unfortunately that is only available on the web version of the site. Also the blog is easily accessible at braxwood.com

Thor

Moving on - no more house and to the thumb of Michigan

After finishing up my extensive search in the Keweenaw peninsula, I knew it was time to try the search elsewhere. The drive on US 41 is very scenic and I highly recommend it if one is in the area. I meandered my way to Marquette, MI. There was a lovely waterfront area and we searched for Big Foot near the grounds of a former power plant. In addition, the downtown waterfront was truly beautiful and worthy of a further look for the mighty beast. I made a mental note that I should pass through this area again and explore the wonders that the tranquil shores of Lake Superior had to offer. The mental note did indicate to explore this area in the summer only so perhaps this year or next.

During my drive this day (actually just as I was emptying my black and grey tanks) the sale of my house closed. This was bittersweet as Amy and I designed and built the house and it held some really wonderful positive memories. Of course it also was the place of the saddest day of my life. In the end I was happy that property was sold and in the hands of new people who can breathe new life in the house and enjoy it.

The old homestead - digitally enhanced

My next stop was at the former K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base in the UP. This was the home base of a bomber squadron and refueling wing until the mid 1990's base closures had this on the chopping block. I spent the night in the parking lot of the museum as part of the Harvest Host program. This allows free camping at various locations with the expectation that you would patronize their establishment. The museum was closed so I was unable to tour it but the grounds of the base were still there (more or less) and it was interesting. The area lost about 14,000 residents when the base closed in an area that has about 100,000 people. This was devastating as one could imagine. The abandoned buildings are in a continuous state of decomposition while the occupied ones are holding their ground. The apartments buildings are in really bad shape as are nearby hotels which are all abandoned. I could have taken dozens of pictures of the decay but it seemed too easy. I prefer to think of the men and women of the Air Force and their families who were stationed there for years. It is a base in the middle of forests amidst a generally undeveloped peninsula. Nevertheless, they did their duty and served for a mission that thankfully never really came. It made me think of all those who work doing their part for a functioning society that just do their duty without any real recognition and without fanfare. All of these jobs make our society hum and I appreciate those who contribute towards that. However, Big Foot didn't seem to be there as there was a distinctive lack of cafes and breweries at the base so I moved on.

Sign at the museum

Static display of a bomber

The next stop on the hunt was in Indian River, MI. There was a microbrewery that is part of the Harvest Host network so I decided to search for Big Foot there. Northland Brewing has a large patio and yard for the people visiting their establishment and space in the back for parking your rig. In addition there are food trucks that are out front so I was sure this would be the place for Big Foot. I took the beast hunters for a small walk and waited for everything to open. Shortly after 4 pm, I purchased my first beverage of the night and bought three tacos from the food truck. I patiently sipped my beer and waited for the beast while enjoying some excellent tacos (pastor, carnitas, and pollo). I even had to have a second brew as the beast was no where to be seen. Just then another camper arrived with their dog and my beasts were sent into a tizzy. I suspect that this "dog" was secretly an agent of Big Foot and was sent to distract the animals. I was forced to lock the dogs up and was able to only hang around the brewery for another frosty beverage and then head back to the trailer. I suspect that this was a plot by the secret society protecting Big Foot intended to confound and confuse us so we decided to call it a night. Global cabals are not easily defeated.

Northland Brewery

Taking advantage of the Harvest Host

We then made the drive down to the thumb of Michigan. The beasts were tired from the previous day and decided to avail themselves of the road time to rest.

Lucy avoiding the light

Ozzy and Lucy enjoying some together time

I arrived at the tip of the thumb at the remote base station of J & M. Yes, the same ones from Ireland so I knew that I needed to be prepared for some late nights and adult beverages. We met up with another brother, who shall be named J in accordance with this blog's policy. This will soon prove to be confusing as the pseudo random name generator keeps coming up with the same letter for my brothers which is odd. This J was celebrating his birthday so we took a night off from the hunt.

I was able to convince J & M and J to join in the hunt for Big Foot which was very valuable to have additional people to be on the lookout. The next search spot was at local BBQ establishment, Dark Sky, which has recently opened. Big Foot is a fan of small local eateries that have quality food and good beers so I was sure this was a good choice. I enjoyed the brisket and the beverages but alas, no Big Foot. We will need to return as this is definitely his/her type of place.

Dark Sky - good BBQ and Beer

We also checked out several other locations which will likely need additional investigations. One of these was Thumb Brewery. The porter was excellent, and I know Big Foot loves a quality porter so I kept a keen eye for the beast.. We hung out for a a little while but there was no sighting of the creature during our visit. We will have to return again to see if the wild being makes a visit.

J along with M & J

I will be in this general region for a while so there will be plenty of opportunity to revisit these and other hot spots of Big Foot activity. 


Thor

braxwood.com

Keweenaw Pennisula - The Cowlick of Michigan's Upper Pennisula

I headed further north in an attempt to outrun the heat, but I overshot. I found a municipal campground near Houghton, Michigan and the day I arrived it was 55 degrees. Thankfully it warmed up to the pleasant 70s making this a beautiful area but I have seen pictures that imply that it is a bit colder in winter.

C'mon - you see it too. It’s a cowlick

Based upon the advice of the previously mentioned co-worker, L, I headed to Quincy Mine, I don't believe that Big Foot was hiding out there but based upon my extensive scientific research, Big Foot does enjoy a nice tour and visitor center . It was a fascinating tour of the mine and hearing the history of the area. For thousands of years, copper mining has been going on in this region when the native peoples would find chunks on the ground. Ancient smelting areas have been discovered in the region and when explorers were in the St Laurence River, the native peoples told of the copper found in this region so it was a big deal. The mine is no longer profitable to operate since apparently there are now safety concerns and care for human life which was nonexistent back in the day. The mine tour was definitely worth it but mining back in the day really sucked. Plus there was no Big Foot.

Steam powered lift. This thing is f#$ing huge

I headed to Houghton for a closer look at the downtown area and possibly catch up with elusive prey. First stop was the Ambassador restaurant. Following Amy's ever sage advice I ordered a vegetarian pizza and added sausage. It was delicious and the restaurant was an interesting place to hang out. The downtown Houghton area has a really fun vibe and it reminded me a bit of the mountain towns in Colorado. Having Michigan Tech in town really helps to make the place very livable (again I have heard rumors of snow but I saw no evidence in mid July). Next stop was very much in Big Foot's line of thinking, The Keweenaw Brewing Company (KBC) was a micro-brewery with many fine selections on tap. The place was pretty big with both inside and outside opportunities to partake in their product. Alas no Big Foot but some very fine brews.

Ambassador Restaurant - nice gnomes

KBC beer board

Knowing Big Foot's penchant for cutesy places, jams, breads, and monasteries, I headed to Jampot. This is a little shop that sells the products made by a local monastery. It was an interesting history of their struggle to develop their community and having to fight against various bureaucratic nonsense - both secular and religious. The place is right next to a waterfall and located on the road and next to Lake Superior so it is a convenient place to visit if you find yourself near the tip of the top of Michigan.

Jampot. Support their mission

Right next door, like it was planned

Next based upon my former coworker C's advice, I went to Copper Harbor. If Keweenaw peninsula is the cowlick, this is the split end at the top. It was a beautiful town with many cute little shops which apparently was appealing to women, but not Big Foot. I decided to head over to the northern most microbrewery in Michigan, Brickside Brewery. I had the dogs with me on this trip so we couldn't sit inside so we instead sat outside on their patio and had to suffer under the sunny skies and pleasant temperatures. They did a good job relaxing but they were unable to locate Big Foot. I may have had several sips of their product and I may have taken a growler to go. In any event, you weren't there so you really don't know for sure. Since Big Foot was not to be seen, I decided that my time there was done (it had been a few hours and no sign of the beast) so I moved on.

Sitting on the patio. Would have a great picture of me with the dogs on my lap.

My new life guidance. Love taking advice from signs outside bars.

We decided to take advantage of the natural beauty of the area and went on several hikes. The dogs were tuckered out after the 3 mile hike so I had to carry one of then for part of it and over the next few days. Her legs are short so I suppose that it is not unreasonable but I did try to point out to her that she is a dog and descended from wolves. She countered that as a Yorkie she had limited utility so I should just carry her. It was a persuasive argument. 

Standing on top of waterfall

Extremely lazy Lucy

Moderately lazy Ozzy

Here is a video attempt going over the Hungarian Falls. If you can read this, it means it worked. 

I decided to try a different approach in my hunt for Big Foot. After doing my laundry (even adventurers have chores), I had a pasty which is apparently a local tradition. The pasty from Amy J's was very good but quite large so I split it with dogs who appreciated the treat. I also tried a local establishment several times in Lake Linden walking distance from the campground - Loading Zone 2. I had the ribs (fall off the bone) and a turkey sandwich made with real turkey and not pressed, both excellent. Unfortunately I arrived during some sort of “happy hour” and every time I ordered another KBC amber; I was served two. I suffered through the double drinks, it wasn’t easy but I knew that I was up for the challenge. I could have stopped ordering but that seemed like giving up and mama didn't raise a quitter. It was a homey, friendly establishment but there was no sightings of the beast. 

Loading Zone 2. Apparently Packer country

As our time on the cowlick ran down, we started wondering if we would ever catch our elusive prey. Just as hope started fading, we heard through a back channel contact hat Big Foot may be making his/her way to southern Michigan. The hunt was back on and the hounds were excited to be back in the chase. To celebrate they took a nice nap; I suppose they were resting for the adventure ahead. 

Two small editorial comments. 

• I am unable to change the layout on the mobile device. If you have not read the welcome message, do that now. It is a thorough explanation of the adventures and is updated as people ask questions offline. I could add a FAQ, but I am not going to for various reasons. Mostly I don't feel like it. Also I have a new way to access the blog - simply go to braxwood.com.
• Astute readers may have noticed I have stopped at yet another place named Amy's. This one with my Amy's legitimate middle initial. I assure you this is purely coincidental as it was a highly rated pasty place and it was right near the Wash Tub Laundromat in Hancock. Simply just another coincidence and this is not going to turn into a "finding Amy named eateries" blog. 

Green Bay and reflections on six weeks a nomad

Knowing Big Foot's desire to avoid excessive heat and humidity I decided to head north towards Green Bay. I planned on spending a few days at a campground as the hunting hounds prefer cooler temperatures and it allowed me to meet with some former coworkers. After that I was headed to an off grid location to further test out my systems to be sure I could keep up the Sasquatch. Again in keeping with the policy of this blog, all individuals are assigned random letters for their names.

On my first night in Green Bay I met up with a former coworker, T, and her husband R. We had heard there had been potential sightings of Big Foot in the downtown Green Bay area. We stopped at a wine bar to investigate (https://www.aardvarkwinelounge.com/). After several hours of deep surveillance where we appeared to be drinking many glasses of wine, we had no luck catching the elusive prey. It was nice catching up with T and R but they told a fantastical tale of a cruise ship in Green Bay. They even attempted to prove it with "news" reports but you know these things can be faked. I decided to pay close attention to this development, not because Big Foot would take a cruise but rather because the idea of a cruise ship on Lake Michigan sounded outrageously funny. 

The next day I met with two other former coworkers, hereafter referred to as C and L. We staked out a table at a craft brewery place (https://www.copperstate.beer/) which would allow us to continue the hunt for Big Foot and verify the alleged cruise ship. We had a nice time catching up but there was no further sighting of Big Foot, but both C and L did provide some possible leads in the Upper Peninsula. Unbelievably the cruise ship was real and was docked in downtown Green Bay. I guess it just proves that no matter how unbelievable something is, it still can be true. Perhaps I was too harsh on Nessie.

Sunset over Green Bay.

I then relocated to my off-grid testing facility. This is property that is owned by my daughter's in-laws. I was able to verify that my external and on board solar charging facilities were sufficient and the shower capabilities of the adventure trailer were capable of doing their job. I had previously tested the other features and found them to be excellent. 

I was able to have dinner that night with my daughter C at the testing facility. It was great to see her and she is doing very well. I met with C and her husband D the next day and hung out at their house for awhile and again on the 4th. They have done a great job making it a comfortable home. The monster hunting hounds were able to play with their little puppy, Sami. We then headed over to the in-laws, M and W, for a Fourth of July picnic. I was too polite to point out that it was only the second of July but perhaps they do things different in the north lands. I was able to check out a cheese facility (https://www.renardscheese.com/) earlier that day and while Big Foot was not seen, the cheese curds were freshly made and squeaked perfectly. If you haven't had squeaky cheese curds, you have not experienced life fully.

I explored the area for other potential Big Foot locations but he was nowhere to be seen. I knew it was time to head further north.

It has been six weeks of nomadic living. Three of those in hotels and three on the road. Here are a few items to share. 

• The travel on vacation (like in Europe) is far different from road travel. 
• I take more breaks here since I have unlimited time and I can sleep anywhere and I am not paying for a room. 
• The hounds have adapted well to the road and the hunt. 
• There is a lot of dirt out there, A LOT. I sweep twice a day but there is just a lot. The hounds likely are the cause of some of it but the screens let in a lot too. You just have to live with more dirt. And bugs.
• I need a new mattress. This was not a surprise but it is a fact. My current arraignment is not going to work longer term. I have one on order.
• I love my coffee and I have two methods of making it. I have dedicated a whole cabinet to coffee and tea. But I have made room for Bushmills and a little food. 
• I have no idea how long I will be able to do the full time travel. It may be months or it may be years. In the end it doesn't matter as long as the adventures continue.
• I can see the appeal of a fancy van but the trailer is handling it well. Perhaps a truck camper. As always I am open to possibilities of what could be and I am trying to not be held back by what is.

The fearless canines honing their tracking skills

Off grid testing grounds