May 06, 2013 - I've been getting into trail design in recent years. It's a lotta work. But it occurs to me that hiking doesn't require a clear path. It's easy to *step over* stuff. It's the rolley and slidey stuff that makes me sweat over my chainsaw.
Heck, trail-running doesn't require a clear path, either.
So I've started adding both of t...
April 10, 2013 - Drew Mason created this nice video showing the diverse flavors of Michigan's only motorless outdoor trade show. (OYB cameo early on! :) )
January 28, 2013 - The caretaker of Stinchfield has made a great new map! Still no topography, but it's a nice map. The 5 new big hills Rad and I found are south of the Old Car.
In case you don't know, Stinch is U of M property on the biggest hill in SSE MI.
It has the biggest hills in the region in general. A good 15 miles of trails in an ar...
September 05, 2012 - I'm excited about fall training! It's my favorite training time of the year. ...Coz it means getting ready for the biggest fun season of the year! ...SKIING!
Here's my plan... Something different for every day, sometimes two-a-day: *rollerski; *trail run; *CATski; *yard weights; *calisthenics; *cyclocross; *dirt road rides;...
August 08, 2012 - Do bikers, downhill skiers, inline skaters, rollerskiers or whitewater kayakers have anything they can teach XC skiers?
It seems like there's one last bastion of glide-speed-type outdoor sport that races and has its fun without helmets!
Does anyone think we'll see a rule requiring helmets for XC ski racers in sanctioned even...
July 19, 2012 - What are yours?
I've seen a few that seem pretty cool. Here are a couple:
Jill Homer's: http://arcticglass.blogspot.com -- friendly, cheery reports
Dave C's: http://bedrockandparadox.com -- hardcore, gear reviews, introspection, critique, philosophy.
Cjell Money: http://cjellmoney.wordpress.com. ...The adventure-name of...
July 16, 2012 - ...I do.
Support vehicles seem far less savory and noble than self-supported anything.
Come to think of it, specialists seem less good than all-rounders -- and teammates seem less good than individuals simply cooperating. I'm thinking of the Tour de France with its sprinters, climbers and TT'ers...and coaches. And its team l...
July 15, 2012 - The name of this guy's blog comes from Ed Abbey's "Desert Solitaire," a fave book.
He's a hardcore outdoor adventurer in the diverse category: bikes, boats, skis!
He also does philosophy and product reviews. Cool!
I found him while googling for packrafting info.
It's a prize-winning blog. I like his discussion of blog c...
June 28, 2012 - The new Silent Sports issue has a cover story about the phenom of "Muddy Buddies." I'm thinkin' the concept has an OYB-ish vibe: a diverse, challenging event designed for fun not "results." Apparently finishing times aren't even kept in some. It shows desire to do more than mono-action -- where the usual is to show up, ride (or what...
June 13, 2012 - Spring goes so fast and/or I get so swamped that it's easy for me to miss visiting Waterloo each spring. I always like to go spend a day around there just rumpushing around. It's such a rich, lush, diverse place. --It's a park that really helps me stay sane around here! (Ingham County is the driest in the state, so I get pretty parc...
May 14, 2012 - A neighborhood Adventure Race -- that's what I'm talking about! 8 of us had a casual blast today thru 4 challenging stages within a mile of home. It was the 2nd annual one for our little gang of fellow-employees, etc.
A wide variety of action rewarded a range of skillsets. Comebacks and upsets! We didn't know until the party after...
April 11, 2012 - "Silent Sports" is the best local-style outdoor sports magazine out there. Well, maybe the ONLY one, too.
Their website is stepping up its game, with lots of content nowadays, but their paper issue is far more flavorful. $20/year. I highly recommend a subscription, but I'd even suggest pestering them -- and adding some extra cas...
March 01, 2012 - [BUMP FROM EXACTLY A YEAR AGO.] Whups, I'm late in putting up a notice for the QWS. (Except I did mention it on my Facebook page, yo.)
It's this Saturday, 3/3 [not 3/5 this time] -- a full day of fun indoors, if you can stand it. ...If it's sunny outside and there's still snow on the ground I will have a HARD time staying insid...
January 29, 2012 - The Long Lake Outdoor Center is a traditional CCC-built rustic resort located in the Yankee Springs Rec Area in Western Michigan. It rents on a scalable basis for about $6/head from 4 to 200 campers, summer and winter. Seems like a great secret getaway location, to me!
January 28, 2012 - "Tastes like chicken!"
Here's a link to a YT video that seems kind of cute from this distance.
I wonder how many times these skills were used in the war. I'd think only a few. I suppose parts of the training came in handy. It seems that reality would likely be a bit less tidy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyzF1PtwaXk&f...
January 20, 2012 - How to stay warm this time of year? It can be tough. But there seems to be a knack to it. The main feature of the knack, as far as I've learned it, is that the first 15 minutes can be real cold and painful ... and that's OK. The key being: don't give up! Don't think "I'm not cut out for this," or that you're dressed wrong.
If...
December 11, 2011 - Have you heard of them before? I hadn't. I'm glad Bob Yankus mentioned them to me in an email.
They're the Michigan Bush Rats and they run MiBSAR trips into the wintery woods north of the Soo about 15-20 times a winter, I hear.
This is the real rough stuff. They're getting ready and staying ready to go out and help find s...
November 19, 2011 - National Geographic has an annual "adventurer of the year" people's choice award. This year includes a guy who is, I gather, a bigtime adventurer, only he recently stopped spending all that money jetsetting around the globe to scare himself and instead explored around his home town -- and had a great time doing it. So he then st...
September 30, 2011 - How many do you know who on their day off would: jump up, drive 4 hrs, bike 4 hrs technical trail along river, bike shuttle dirt road back to canoe, canoe 4 hrs down river, go fetch bike, drive 4 hrs home. I guess I only know two who would, coz 2 just did! As for me, I'd be a bit tuckered after such a bout of 16 hrs of nonstop ...
August 15, 2011 - Upon reflection, an interesting angle of our up north working vacation is: only two times were we able to have a quiet hour with the kids.
We all did a drawing once and then we all sat down and showed the kids how to play Euchre.
So where does the time go with a month up north at the beaches? Is it moving the trailer 5 tim...
August 01, 2011 - I just love swimming open water with mask and snorkel. I go twice as fast, it seems, with a snorkel! I can go nice'n'far -- really travel.
I sometimes get a bit disoriented doing side-breathing and always seem to lose glide.
I've never tried fins really -- got instantly blistered when I did -- and I didn't seem to go any f...
July 31, 2011 - We've now been camped in the huge Traverse City State Park for a few days. It's quite a village. Not a mini one, either. Seems like several hundred sites and maybe 1000 vehicles. Yet no noise or obnoxiousness. No one running any loud generators. Praise be!
There's a long beach in front of the park. And a bikeway behind it leadin...
July 28, 2011 - To kick off our summer survey of the northwoods we first spent a week up at Petoskey State Park, where Martha did the Nub's Nob art fair with her http://LazyGal.com fabric art booth.
We met up with our 16 immediate Potter family for a few days at the campground.
Then we went home for me to catch up on shipping and Martha to ...
June 21, 2011 - I'm behind on all my usual reports for the Big Early Summer Races.
Tour de France is coming up in a couple weeks, but it's been kinda spoiled. Mostly, I'd say, by all the infrastructure and support-jive. Drugs, money and cars: c'mon, folks, you can do better!
(If you want to follow the Tour and the culture around it, there's ...
June 19, 2011 - A month ago, Layne, a local pal, put out the word that he was hosting an Adventure Race for 5 of his nuttier friends -- Kent, Greg, Carmen, my brother Tim and me. Of course, we were all in!
Here's what we ended up doing:
We rode mt-bikes from the MSU campus out about 10 miles to the Rose Lake State Game Area, riding a mile or ...
June 06, 2011 - How are you kicking off your summer?
Some pals and I pegged the fun-meter for more than a few hours yesterday. It was a savory combo of extreme and subtle that I think you'd appreciate.
The weather was perfect -- skies clear and warm but not too.
So RadNord, Dave, Gary, Mark and I all made the time.
First, we biked aro...
April 25, 2011 - The synergy rolls on!
The OYB message of all-one-world-outdoor-sport has recently appeared in: Messing About in Boats, Silent Sports and Canoe History. Now it has been two issues in a row of Backwoodsman! (Last month had 2 OYB stories, in fact: the crayfish report and a big letter about outdoor-themed wall displays.)
Coming ...
March 04, 2011 - Les Stroud is on the cover this month.
But *I* get to hog the cover on the next issue! : ) Yee-haw!
They're running my canoe poling and SUP paddling piece with pics inside.
Our neighbor boy Ben took the cover pic (at my direction) and our lad Henry was paddling stern to control the camera canoe -- so they'll both get the...
January 22, 2011 - I like the Outing Club concept.
Dartmouth had the first one and it's still the biggest.
They seem to be college/university based. But I'd think they'd be suitable for all ages.
So what is the concept, anyway?
Could there be a general OC motto or purpose?
I think so!
Let's see what we can come up with.
Firs...
January 17, 2011 - How about this: it's not just about the kids. If any generation, even old farts, starts heading out into a more creative situation more often, it'll pay off.
Life is life. Old life is as good as young. I'd be happy to see
more graybeards partying in the woods!
Quite a few old farts talk about going thru the cycle: a love...
January 17, 2011 - This time of year I'm thinking mostly of ski racing. But we can apply this across the range of sports, I bet. Anyway, I'm guessing wildly that it's:
*expense of entry fees, equipment and supplies
*few events -- lots of travel / driving
*boring courses
*complexity, mystery and uncertainty of prep
*endless hours in the wax r...
November 22, 2010 - The Champion has at least two faces.
One is just an image, created by the media for sales purposes. This same image is also used by people to reinforce or create their own picture of themselves.
The second face is reality. A champion is a person who comes from somewhere and has a whole life. Achievement, glory, victory, s...
November 18, 2010 - A Michigan friend of a friend is the USA importer for this new toy that I recently learned about.
OK, ya got yer windsurfer and your kite-board and your skis and snowboard and your skateboard. Is there any way to tie 'em all together?
Sure!
A Kite Wing is like a windsurfer sail without the mast. Thus you can use it on a...
November 07, 2010 - I didn't think I could fall in love with any other season after this year's autumn. It was so gorgeous. I was even unrequited, as I didn't get out nearly enough.
But then along comes November and my heart breaks again.
It's the light in the forest.
The leaves are down.
It's chilly and the sun was out.
I was m...
November 04, 2010 - Man, it's so much fun.
Henry and I and a neighbor boy made a quarter mile of informal singletrack trail today.
It brings back good memory-feelings of when I laid out similar
expert-loops in the same areas 15 years ago. It has since all gone back to the blowdowns, as I've been using other trails more. Now that the kids are...
August 11, 2010 - We've been gone over a month but now we're all home.
The grass is long.
I don't know much more than that yet.
***
Martha has always wanted to live in a fieldstone house. She just found this: http://www.cbgreatlakes.com/Property/100811314/Showcase
Too bad it just got fixed up--that's what we need to do to a place if ...
August 10, 2010 - Support crews for extended, complex events help create a party atmosphere, I know.
The Tour de France teams each have a large retinue of helpers taking care of their riders and equipment and everything else.
Then there are the event officials, media and security -- vehicles buzz everywhere.
In another favorite event of m...
August 08, 2010 - I keep wondering if this old trailer could be revived...
It's dry inside. All it needs is a little cleaning. Too bad there's no shade... We could erect a canvas post tent over it, fore'n'aft.
It has a swanky 70's style inside.
Solar cell, batteries... A propane pig... It has blue enamel appliances...
It's on our friend...
August 08, 2010 - I did triathlons back in the mid-80's -- before I really learned how to swim. Doh!
I've written about how to swim before. There's an essay up here at OYB somewhere. It's gotten quite a few hits over the years.
But every summer I re-learn the special secret inside tips on how to swim really good.
Maybe I can pass them on t...
August 07, 2010 - My favorite time at the beach so far was when I went out into the waves the other day to wash up. Of course, I used my biodegradable camp soap.
It was at the rocky Northport state park campground. I waded out into the pounding, huge waves with my water-booties on. It was in the evening. I was the only person out there. It's sh...
August 02, 2010 - We've had a good dozen coincidences so far during our month abroad, up north living in our trailer.
We've also moved about 6 times now.
(A lovely wooden daysailor just drove past me as I type at a sidewalk cafe -- the Silvertree Deli, home of free wifi -- in Sutton's Bay.)
Yesterday I biked twice, swam twice, went sailin...
July 23, 2010 - We recently moved the Team OYB Vintage Travel Trailer over to near Lake Leelenau at our friends Sue and Gary's house. It's our fourth stop on the Summer Art Fair Tour. 3 more to go!
They have a buncha acres and down near the end of their long dirt driveway is an old abandoned trailer home. I explored it the other day. It's dry in...
July 13, 2010 - Well, we've been up north how long now? I can't remember! I guess it's been a week.
We've done two art fairs. Martha is having a great time selling her LazyGal fabric art goodies.
Our trailer life has been perfect so far. We arrived on Day One late at night in a crowded, quiet Petoskey State Park...and I backed the trailer in...
June 24, 2010 - [$4 mailed sample. SOLD!]
"Silent Sports" is a dandy magazine of outdoor enthusiams -- mostly of the fitness, aerobic, human-powered kind.
I sell samples to let a wider audience know about this fine magazine. It's not available on many newstands outside its main WI/MN markets.
This issue offers Part 3 of a "How to R...
May 24, 2010 - The Quietwater Symposium at MSU is Michigan's neatest -- and onliest -- general "quiet-type" outdoor sports event. It's also in March and is a fun cabin-fever prevention day. The next weekend always sees Madison, WI, host its mammoth biz-oriented Canoecopia. The MSU event is also unique in that it's the only university-hosted outdoor...
May 16, 2010 - So how do you carry your stuff when you're out and about?
I use a shoulderbag most days for casual erranding. For a modest step up in outings I use a med.-lg. fannypack with drink-holders. For all day I use yer standard backpack/bookbag-ish thing. Nothing fancy. For better on-trail access to stuff I'll strap my fannypack on under ...
April 05, 2010 - We're visiting cousins in St. Louis over the holiday.
The 3 older boys are inside playing screenies on the couch, lightly moving their thumbs, staring. (I'm putting the kybosh on it in a moment.)
Last night after it got dark the 2 girls sprang into action with inflatable mattress, lamps, lanterns, a fan, bedding and headed ...
March 29, 2010 - I'm sure there are plenty of great primitive skills instructors everywhere, but my hunch is that we're lucky here in Michigan to have the people we do.
I've just been impressed whenever I encounter them.
Their calling is a noble one. Kids and people's lives are surely changed.
Helpful contact with the Wild and with the Her...
March 23, 2010 - All winter long some pals and I planned on going up north to ski the challenging Jordan River Pathway come springtime conditions. It's usually an ideal time, with a big snow base yet a sunny corn topping, to make the technical hills enjoyable on the long Big Day trail.
Then the snow all melted.
And rain was forecast for our ...
March 05, 2010 - It's tomorrow!
The 15th annual QWS will be a great way to spend the day learning new things, making new friends. Bust up that cabin fever!
(Spending the day XC skiing in a prime locale up north would have to come second to this, I'm afraid. Well, it might be a tie.)
The QWS sounds like it might be just boating, but it's no...
February 23, 2010 - Here's a simple video, shot from the side in slow motion of the Vikingarannet Ice Skating Marathon. It has an atmospheric guitar soundtrack.
It's all about the skaters. So many kinds and styles!
Young and old, fast and slow. Solo and pack. With poles, or rucksacks, or tidy and aero.
To me it shows a diverse culture. ...
February 23, 2010 - Here's a place that seems onto something. They're not just a specialized ski club. It starts out first as a family-friendly place encouraging fresh air activities. Skiing is included.
This seems based on the nordic ideas of friluftliv and idraet, though they don't spell it out.
They do say that something new needs to be do...
February 23, 2010 - Here's a YouTube showing a family Nordic tour-skating on the biggest lake in Sweden, which had great ice in February. It's ethereal. Nice soundtrack. There's a park of huge power-windmills in the center of the lake. That's how they roll over there.
