StringGrrl sees the World

  Shady Stage 3 My first Blissfest experience was in the late 1900's on my way back from Michigan Tech, downstate. That was the 13th or 14th annual festival back then. This year marks the 44th Blissfest -- 2020 & 2021 were paused for global pandemic.  Taste of Bliss - Beer and Wine tasting Stonehound Brewing shared a  Local Winery who kept dumping their rinse water over StringGrrrl's head before paying us in wine Stage 1 viewed from a shady spot  Early morning calm on Mishigaami (Lake Michigan) Brewed Fresh just for us Brought a few beers up north from GPW Hiding out in the shade Deployed for second year in the same spot between stages 1, 2, and 3 Disc Golf Camp, new favorite spot, let's see if i can grab it next year Last beer before wildcat camping on the shores of Lake Michigan and Sturgeon Bay Dunes Theo Katzmann or Galactic, I forget which night was which. Edit: not until a week or two after returning home, did I and many others learn that Saturday night (or...

Sign marking Entrance to Pond, sign on island accessible floating downstream from Alcona  In the Huron National Forest, the Au Sable River runs from Grayling east to Lake Huron. On the river there are over a hundred designated campsites, many are boat-in access only. Unlike trying to camp "dispersed" which prohibits camping within 200 ft from streams, rivers, ponds, lakes or other bodies of water, the Au Sable River Campsites have been established and maintained by the US Forest Service and Parks staff.  recreation.gov to reserve a site The Au Sable River camps span 55 miles of the Au Sable River and are separated into several segments: Alcona Pond, the AuSable Semi-Primitive Non-Motorized Area, Loud Pond, Five Channels Pond, Cooke Pond, Foote Pond and the Lower Au Sable. Loud Pond, is one of the easiest places to put in and get to campsites without long stretches of paddling or having to car spot to have a nice weekend or overnight trip. Which is why it has become my def...

Foote Pond, first thing in the morning attaining toward the dam Campsite 084C, Island Camping Dunes below site 082D (D = Driveable) not a trivial climb up Hardly getting started Is it much farther now? Up top the Sand Dune Cooke Pond, one dam upstream of Foote Pond What a night, what a view

Early Access to Camp for Volunteers, makes set-up easy peasy Back in the late 1900's I attended my first Blissfest. I was coming down from MTU where i was near completing my BS in Mechanical Engineering. My friends convinced me to stop in Bliss, MI for a multi-day music festival. And since it was end of term, i have most of my worldly possessions with me, so camping was pretty easy.  Chilling in the free standing hammock from Republic of Durable goods and a beer from Ascension Fast forward 28 years and I returned to Blissfest for the first time in 2022. I learned that Volunteering gets you in for nearly free. And since my neurospicy brain likes music festivals, but FREE Music festivals even more, i signed up to volunteer for 2 4 hour shifts to get the 3 day festival ticket for $170, with $160 coming back after i finish my shifts. Headliners the Wood Brothers take the stage Blissfest Stage 1    The line up Saturday to return to Bliss Stretching far behind, guess i should n...