Fast Forward

  This place is called the Northwoods by many even though we are still south of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Lake Superior. The area is unique in its own way. Over the course of the summer, I explored and fished many lakes. There are many good sized lakes here(see image below) but I chose to stick to the smaller waters.
    I have decided to post some photos that I have taken with my Iphone over the course of the seasons. Why? Why not.

Lake Tomahawk. Wisconsin

Kathleen Lake.

Hemlock Lake. 

Plum Lake.

Self Portrait.

Dinner.

Target Practice 

Black Raspberries.

Little Bass Lake.

Davenport with canoe. 

Tackle Box.

Wanderlust

It has been several months since my last post. A lot has happened since March. I do have some resolve to my last post and will get to that soon enough. My wife, Melissa, accepted a job offer from The Northern Highland- American State Forest.  So,on May 21st we moved about one hundred miles north from Stevens Point to Minocqua, Wisconsin.

Yesterday, we drove down to Stevens Point and collected the rest of our belongs that was in storage. Two months to the day, I am not sure why but it just worked out that way. It was an odd feeling going to a place that we used to live and called home for three years and know that it is no longer home. We loved our time there much like every place we have lived.  The task of moving is offset by wanderlust. 

On a cold march night, I set out one night to observe the Northern Lights. I came up empty that night like many times before. Last week, I finally got to witness the lights firsthand for the first time in my life. What a treat. I stood alone on a lake shore with a good view of the northern horizon. This time the aurora borealis was strong overall with spikes of light that looked like sun-rays that would increase in intensity, then decrease.

 

Unplugged 2011.

Summertime means camping, fishing, and unplugging from technology. We made a list of items and wrote them down on a  blue college essay test booklet.  These items would make roughing it more comfortable. When I was younger, all I needed was a Rambo knife. Everybody wanted to camp like a reluctant hero that was on the lam. The survival knife had a compass on the butt of the knife that unscrewed revealing the fishing line with hook and some waterproof matches. Our list was complete, we loaded the bed of the truck like that hollow handled Rambo knife.  The Wisconsin northwoods was our destination.

The campground was great. Only a handful of other campers were seen during our visit. No water, no electricity, and a couple of miles of gravel road ensured a quiet time.

The only sounds at night under the tall red pines were the calls of  loons, a crackling fire, and whippoorwills.

Starrett Lake, Wisconsin

Starrett Lake Campground.

Megan and I out in the canoe.

Starrett Lake, located within the Northern Highland American Legion State Forest is a small lake and is perfect for canoeing.

This Smallmouth Bass fell for a buzzbait. Catch and release.

Another Smallmouth. 

Megan, my daughter, working a Zara Spook.

Everything unpacked and set up to find the tragedy of not having any sugar for my coffee! How could it have been missed from being packed. I bet Rambo wished he had a sugar cube in his knife to wash down the worms he ate for breakfast. Our front-country car campground breakfast included fried potatoes with onions, bacon,eggs, and strong black coffee.
The time we spent and the things we experienced was well worth every ounce of effort put forth on our expedition and memories that will last a lifetime.