Leaving the thumb

I spent my last week in Michigan hunting for Big Foot at this time. It is important to be flexible in your adventure plans as Big Foot is a wily prey and the global cabal protecting the beast has tentacles everywhere. I had planned on heading north back to the upper peninsula but decided to divert my route and go south instead. The bulk of the past week was still at the same remote fortress of J & M. 

One last gratuitous sunset picture

We had an additional set of visitors that came, my son B and his fiancé L. It was great seeing them and hearing about the progress they are making on their new house. In addition to the plethora of J's I have mentioned (J & M, J & K, J, J & S, plus B & L), M's sibling was in the same region and we celebrated a dinner together at Dark Sky for some excellent smoked meats (try the ribs). It was M's brother J (it does appear that all brothers are still being identified as J), his wife K, and their boys A and E along with M & J's parents L & D. All in all it was a fun night but with so many people, Big Foot was too shy to make an appearance, I am convinced the ribs were good enough to draw the beast out so there may be a return trip to that establishment.

We enjoyed many sunsets and continued with several bike rides. I did have to skip one of the rides as my electric booster system (designed to make it possible to catch a fleeing Big Foot) was on the fritz. During testing, the throttle either opted to run at full power or not respond at all. While a completely unrestrained powered bike was fun, having to reach for the power button while careening down the side of a state highway was suboptimal. That was happening at the same as the supplemental water filtration system was leaking. Finally my screen on the camper decided to lock up at the same time and was frozen in that position. Clearly even when living a minimalistic adventure hunting lifestyle, one still has work to do. I made the required three trips to the hardware store to repair the plumbing and even asked for help from someone working there (which should be a sign of how desperate I was) and the leak was fixed. I read a few posts on a forum and was able to fix the screen system (cordless blinds are a misnomer as they have cords and they get stuck). Finally I heard back from the maker of the bike motor system and they want me to mail it back. That will have to wait until I am in a place for a few days as I have to disassemble everything and find a shipping store who can package and ship for me.

We made a final visit to Pak's Backyard to enjoy the view, food, and libations. The restaurant is prime Big Foot territory as it has craft beer, good food, kayak rentals, and cute stores nearby. Once again we were unable to locate Big Foot but much like the sister location, Dark Sky, I am sure that this is exactly the type of place Big Foot would patronize. We will have to return.

View at Pak's with cute MI shaped organizer

On one of the last nights with everyone around (basically the same crowd as at Dark Sky -J,M,J,K,J,J,S,B,L,J,K,A,E), we went back to the Thumb Brewery for an outdoor dinner and a "comedy" show. I also figured that since Big Foot has a sense of humor, this would be a prime opportunity to catch the elusive creature. We enjoyed a few of the other liquid products of the establishment as we all know how important hydration is to one's health. As we sat waiting on the patio at our tables for the aforementioned hydration, it started to lightly sprinkle. I didn't panic as I figure the hard stuff wouldn't come down for a while. Apparently that was taken as a challenge and the sky opened up. The staff quickly realized the importance on not watering down their special fortified hydration and moved everyone inside for dinner and to continue the libations. Eventually the rain stopped so the "comedy" show could go on. Since it had rained, the table we were at up front was assigned to someone else and thankfully we were in the back. At this point in time, I should mention that this was a free show and these "comedians" were performing for only practice and whatever people felt like giving. I should also mention that if one has not noticed, I have a sense of humor that may border on the juvenile or bawdy. After being treated for an hour and a half to their idea of "comedy" I have to say I was more offended than amused (although the third comedian was occasionally amusing).  When people would ask Amy for free legal advice, she would always say you get what you pay for. That was true with this comedy show. The concept was great (three comedians at a micro brewery) but the execution was off. Perhaps next time they could find someone actually funny as an opening act to properly set the mood. I understand they are honing their craft, but Sisyphus would have an easier time getting that rock up the hill than the first person ever being funny. But since the company we were with was awesome, the night was still fun, albeit free of Big Foot..

Random homeless man caught in the rain

All good things must come to an end and after catching up on chores (laundry waits for no one) and a final night out at the Farm Restaurant, my time in Michigan came to an end. J and M were gracious hosts and I appreciated their hospitality and putting up the hounds. As they are trained Big Foot hunters, Ozzy and Lucy are not used to the creature comforts that domesticated dogs appreciate. They managed to  survive and I appreciate J & M's accepting the vicious hunters at their fortress.

My next stop was in Shipshewana, Indiana, I felt this was a long shot at spotting Big Foot, but my friends M and S along with S's cousin C were going to be there and I figured I could give it a shot. The tour through the flea market confirmed my suspicions as I am sure Big Foot would never be there. There was some nice produce though and plants along with a clever inventor or two.  We checked out local stores and these were more interesting for Big Foot hunting but the creature was not located amongst the tourists or the Amish. We ate like kings and I appreciated the hospitality and liquid refreshments as it was quite hot. It was interesting comparing their RV with my off grid adventure trailer. I think my trailer could fit in their living room. I guess that means it is time for me to downsize again. It was time to move back north and I am making my way around to the Dakotas before heading towards the south this fall.

A few people have taken images like the one below indicating they have found Big Foot. Clearly this is a cutout figure and not the real Big Foot. Do not be fooled by these false images as there is no sign of a beer mug or charcuterie tray in Big Foot's hands. Clearly these are not accurate depictions. 

False sighting - DO NOT BE MISLED SHEEPLE

For those interested in the adventure vehicle, there are are still a few issues. Mostly with the truck side of the setup which is odd since it is only 12 years old. Perhaps it is just a sign of aging but it has started developing nonstandard quirks (like a clunking sound when downshifting while towing on occasion) so there may need to be an upgrade at some point. I went with  the trailer to start the adventure as the barrier to entry was low and it was easy. I might finally make the move to a van or a truck camper. Both have pros and cons but so does everything in life. Whichever way I go, I will still try to keep the smallest vehicle possible to remain off the grid and radar of the Big Foot protection conspiracy.

Thor

braxwood.com

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