StringGrrl sees the World

  Rocky Shoreline along the Licking River StringGrrl 5.0 & 4.3 On occasion, when work needs me someplace other than home or local office a road trio is necessary. Generally, any distance i can drive in 5 hours is just as convenient to drive to as it is to fly. Flying requires following someone else's timetable, getting to the airport, getting from airport to customer site, dealing with "airport people" (who are the worst), and is generally a soul-sucking endevor.  Driving is my preference with driving early or late enough that camping on the way just makes sense. A visit to Toyota in KY opened up the opportunity for some dispersed camping in the Daniel Boone National Forest. phone photography fails to capture just how magic the sky actually appeared Pulling into the riverside dispersed campsite by headlamp is pretty awesome After dropping of critical and delicate equipment with my host at Toyota, I drove about an hour east from Georgetown to Morehead Kentucky, where I...

  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...

  Central Falls, Rhode Island StringGrrrl's siblings live in Rhode Island, presumably to maximize distance from the 'rents in Michigan. Just outside of Providence we found Central Falls and the Blackstone river, providing a nice morning paddle with the opportunity to visit some local breweries.  Below Central Falls, no idea how to access the water here Graffitti artists have some game around here :-) A quiet spot to pause and brew coffee Just below the reservoir dam, riffles and current halted attainment Many old industrial sites pepper the riverbank Blackstone River Greenway Alternate Continuum (Barrel Aged Saison) & Greenway (NE IPA session) Mordax (NE IPA) & Coarse Woody Debris (Saison)   Oops! I accidentally brought some home

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