Au Sable River & Mackinac Island | SouthernPaddler.com

Au Sable River & Mackinac Island

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
Saturday morning, Gwen and I started towards the Northwoods of Michigan. That afternoon, we paddled on the gorgeous Au Sable - truly the Gem Of The North. In olden times, back when Gershom and Piper San still walked the woods of Michigan's Upper Peninnsula, lumberjacks cut white pines and drifted them down rivers all over Michigan. The Au Sable was one of them.

Today, it is a paradise for trout fishermen, kayakers, and canoeists. We canoed E 'ly of Grayling. Fall colors - brilliant reds, vibrating oranges, fluorescent yellows, deeply shimmering greens - are all around. Mallards swim alongside and Canadian honkers wing overhead. Bluejays shock the wilds as only an uncouth bluejay can do. The day was capped with a friendly dinner at Bud Hart's cottage, which is familiar to some paddlers on here.

Yesterday, we drove from Grayling to Charlevoix. Gwen's friends have a condo there with a vista of Lake Michigan. WOW! Then, north by northeast through the tunnel of trees to Mackinac City at the historic Straits of Mackinac. (Pronounced MACK-in-naw). Big ferry boats carry people, luggage, and bicycles over to Mackinac Island. NO cars. Everything here is pedestrian, bike, or horse-drawn. The only motor vehicle allowed on the island is one ambulance. Horse carriages are clopping by me all the time as I write here.

Today, we rode our bikes around and across the island. Fort Mackinac is here, (from whence we fought the British, and from whence we also had to get them out after tha War of 1812.). There's history here arse deep to a tall giraffe.

This evening, I'll have to suffer through another steak dinner and micro-brewed beer. (Moaning, wailing, and gnashing of teeth follows subsequently). Tomorrow, it's back to the world of the unwashed and reality. sigh
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
Re: Audi Sable River & Mackinac Island

Jack...

I do enjoy reading your descriptive writings of the woods and waters up there , they are a very pleasant reprieve from the weather we have down here. They also give me something to look forward to later this year when the few deciduous trees we have that will change there leaves into vibrant colors so we can have a sampling of what you see all over the area. Living in a land where everything stays green ( for the most part ) it is something to look forward to.

It's like the kid in the little red wagon that is holding the hot dog , dangling from the line on the stick in front of the dogs nose ( teasing him ) to make him pull the wagon. YEP, Only us old timers know about that. :lol: :lol: :lol:
 

jdupre'

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2007
2,327
40
South Louisiana
The plant version of a rat :x Chinese tallow tree. Prolific, fast growing nuisance that will take over an area if it's not stopped. It produces tons of seeds that get washed down streams and sprout just about anywhere. I think you could get one to grow on damp concrete.

Joey
 

Wannabe

Well-Known Member
Apr 5, 2007
2,645
2
on the bank of Trinity Bay
jdupre' said:
The plant version of a rat :x Chinese tallow tree. Prolific, fast growing nuisance that will take over an area if it's not stopped. It produces tons of seeds that get washed down streams and sprout just about anywhere. I think you could get one to grow on damp concrete.

Joey
Panating instructions for Tallow trees is the same as for planting Kudzu. Throw some seed or a broke off branch on the ground. Water liberly with gasoline, mulch with a large concrete pad and that will insure a sturdy fast growing tree. After it is grown cut it off even with or below the ground and come back in six weeks and there will be eleventy eight hunnert trees where there was only one.
Bob