Been Taking a Break from the Rest of the World

Friday I decided to head up to my uncle's cabin on the shore of Lake Michigan, north of Traverse, for the weekend. That night I borrowed logangrey's nighthawk again and got it outfitted with a faring (windshield) that Phil had and Dave wants to buy, then got earplugs and some chain spray and good advice from elizilla. In the morning Saturday I picked up a camelback and a bungie net and a magnetic tank bag from shadowriderhope. thatguychuck loaned me his waterproof armored pants and drove the first 110 miles with me, which was the first leg of his long trip out to whoknowswhere. We parted ways near Bay City - he to meet his parents in Midland, and I to continue on to Uncle Tom's Cabin.

It was a lovely drive. Some rain, but I was prepared for that, and no rain after I turned left at Grayling. I've come this way many times - Uncle Tom has had the place up here since I was a kid. Tom and Karen live here in the summers now, though they winter in Arizona.

I'm pretty comfortable on the bike and it really warmed my heart with a sense of comraderie the first time another biker returned my wave on 72. Chuck expected me to be sore, I think, But I felt fine and eager enough to ride more that yesterday I took the bike up to Charlevoix to hang out with my Aunt at her booth at the art fair there for the afternoon Sunday (about 25 miles north of here).

I've got more to write about thoughts from up here, but for now I'm going to go for a last walk on the beach and then strike out for Ann Arbor. I'm restless to get home, get the rest of the fish given away, and continue with settling stuff and figuring out who I am going to be as an adult (which is a theme of Territory, by Emma Bull, which I read while I was up here and was glad I'd brought along).

There and Back Again

Arrived home 15 minutes ago. Had a decent trip home barring one false start (note: if you are trying to determine whether or not you are forgetting something, instead of checking in your brain, look around you, especially if you are wearing a helmet and looking around you is something you must purposefully do), and one minor scare when I misjudged a curve on Elk Lake Rd, partly because I was scared away from the inside of the curve by oncoming traffic, and I had to straighten up and go off onto the shoulder for 30 feet or so. There was a little bit of rain, but very sparse. A couple slowdowns for construction. After the first one I went on to Grayling for a hot dog and a slice of pie at Goodale's Bakery, after which I felt much more forgiving. I routed around the northernmost lane merge slowdown on 75/23 (second note: Bennett lake Rd, north of White lake road is a nice drive).

And now I am home. Safely there, safely back again. Feels like a successful trip. Oh, and I had a good time, too. :)

How was everyone else's weekend? (and Monday)

Trip to Traverse - in pictures

still life 4
Originally uploaded by netmouse.

I am too tired to go into the thoughtful aspects of my trip yet tonight, but I did get the pictures posted. This one here is my favorite in a series I took while thinking about something fredcritter posted recently about "working" a picture - trying different approaches, angles, frames, etc. I won't say that it's high art, but I'm pleased with it. Other pictures show the cabin, the view from the deck, which is about the height of a second-story balcony over the water, the stairs down to the beach, and a few views from the beach. My uncle's cabin is next to a public access road, so I drove the bike down there to pose it in front of the water. My aunt and her cat helped.