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Started this discussion. Last reply by Diane Kolak Dec. 11, 2008.

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Jeff Smith

Jeff Smith's Blog

I’m a semi-regular bus rider—gone through a couple of bus punch-cards in the past six months or so traveling between Cedar and Traverse City on the BATA. There are lots of things I like about the bus, like being able to chat with friends on the way to work, or being able to just zone out in the seat in the early darkness, since I don’t have to drive. But the other day I discovered a new thing to like about the bus. This good thing has to do with the part of busing that involves walking to the bu… Continue

Posted on October 14th, 2009 at 8:39am —

Where Art Thou, Young Cyclists?

A Sunday ago I volunteered to help with the TART Trails Leelanau Harvest Tour, which is a recreational bicycle ride that attracts about 1,000 people every year. They get to pedal some of America’s most sublime bike terrain during the crisp, perfect-temperatured days of September. I had the important job of standing at an intersection where the long-distance riders went one way and the shorter-distance riders went another w… Continue

Posted on September 29th, 2009 at 8:30am — 2 Comments

Big Fish, Little Boat

Back in July I met Lucian Gizel in Harbor Springs during one of the Outfitter of Harbor Springs Saturday kayak symposiums. Gizel is a Michigan guru of fishing from kayaks, and he was there promoting his favorite pastime. Well, I had the opportunity to meet up with Gizel again on another Saturday recently when he was camped out on Sleeping Bear Bay for an annual salmon fishing get-together that… Continue

Posted on September 21st, 2009 at 8:54am — 1 Comment

Summer's Sunday

Labor Day can kind of seem like summer’s Sunday, a day when technically you don’t have to work, but the idea of work and school and the amping up of every possible thing is on everybody’s mind, no matter how hard you try to enjoy the moments of the day. Fortunately, Labor Day 2009 made enjoying the moment as easy as possible, with forever blue skies and a temperature that ranged between almost perfect and perfect. I have to admit that I did middle-aged man sorts of things for much of the day. I… Continue

Posted on September 8th, 2009 at 9:18am —

Northern Mettle and Beer

Have to say I’m so proud of the Northern spirit after seeing the big turnout at the Traverse City Microbrew and Music Festival Saturday evening. The day couldn’t have been worse for an August outdoor event. Rain began sometime early in the a.m. and came down hard and steady all day. Sure, occasionally there was some brief reprieve, but that only seemed to give the storm time to gather more water from somewhere, somehow. Truly, the day was one of the rainiest I’ve seen in years, and the sky neve… Continue

Posted on August 31st, 2009 at 8:30am —

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At 11:35am on February 28th, 2009, Len McDougall said…: Jeff, your posts are great. So much so that I don't believe I could add much, if anything, to most of the outdoor topics you've addressed. Still, I'll put in my two-cents when I can - right now this winter on Whitefish Point feels like it's killing me (and everyone else who lives here). We passed the two-hundred-inch mark, and the snowbanks are so high we can't see out of the windows. It's generally agreed that we've seen snowier winters, and that we've seen colder winters, but this is the snowiest and coldest winter that anyone can remember. The upside is that we're getting in plenty of snowshoeing and dogsledding (the U.P. 200 was just outstanding this year).

At 10:04am on February 20th, 2009, Kate said…: So I had to include a picture of my new obsession with "cold reads" just for you on Manifesto Day Six:) I'm gaining so many great new habits from this site!

At 11:11pm on February 17th, 2009, Kate said…: hey Jeff-- I'm doing this little post a day thing this week, but the blog roll on the mynorth homepage is not updating to reflect that. I'm linking the following days to day one...but is there a way to have it updated up front too?

At 9:45am on December 21st, 2008, Donna said…: "Not speaking of true violence, of course, but carnival violence, glorious, laugh-along-the-way,bumper-car road wildness..." I read the first 3 paragraphs of "Ode to a Joy Ride" and thought, "Hey...wait a minute....who wrote this story? This writing style seems familiar". Great comparison of snowplowing to a carny ride. Thanks for the chuckle.

At 5:34pm on December 1st, 2008, Donna said…: The true sign of talent, teamwork and comfort in ones skin is accepting a compliment, as you have done, but acknowledging ones posse as the ultimate reason for success. Indeed, your posse does good stuff.

At 10:54am on December 1st, 2008, Leslie Askwith said…: Jeff, The benefits seem to so greatly outweigh the disadvantages - at least until something better is found. I love that industry can be directed toward such good environmental policy - it has had such a bad rep. Thanks for the comment. Leslie

At 7:43pm on November 30th, 2008, Donna said…: The "D" is for Donna, although right now I'm feeling like it stands for "Duh". Hi Jeff. Now I completely understand why you have such wonderful blogs that make stories come alive for readers! I just received my December issue of Traverse and as I became glued to the pages, I noticed your key role in the magazine! Thanks for your great stories.

At 8:11am on November 23rd, 2008, Donna said…: Thanks for the comment, Jeff. I have to admit that the story/idea probably sounds a bit cheesy until I found myself watching a moving rainbow - which put things into a different perspective!

At 9:30am on November 21st, 2008, Leslie Askwith said…: Jeff, This is what Phil Huber had to say about an "occurrence" in the MNR report.
"Leslie - An occurrence is a confirmed report of a species. So an occurrence could be a nesting goshawk, or a goshawk observed foraging during the non-nesting season. The MNFI tracts occurrences of rare plants and animals in Michigan."

At 5:42am on November 10th, 2008, Tom Kramer said…: thanks for the titels.
I've read south and, I think, all of bryson's work... another I can't get enough of.
My grandfather should be sending me his copy of team of rivals soon - it was my gift to him last Christmas.
Have you read anything by Nathaniel Philbrick? If you liked South, you may like "In the Heart of the Sea." or "Mayflower."