August 30, 2020

If you get the chance to drive CR550 north out of Marquette to Big Bay, you should take it. Hopefully you’ll find yourself in a low, zoomy sports car like a Viper (‘93 Honda Del Sol, but really what’s the difference) when you find yourself presented with this opportunity. Axles Rose is a sufficient steed for the task, given a modern lack of Viper.

Phil’s 550 store is a Mecca for NMU students and many who have inherited the Yooper moniker. I was lucky enough to patronize Phil’s while Phil was still alive. I came in to purchases a couple refreshments and only had a credit card. He gruffly let me know that next time I should bring cash. Not that I shouldn’t buy things this time, but just be more considerate to a small business-owner in the future. Those credit card processing fees add up, ya know. Unfortunately Phil died in 2018 from brain cancer. The area is brighter from his presence and I’m glad to have crossed his path. If you visit, make sure to buy one of the infamous “Have you had your Phil today?” t-shirts. They’re an iconic conversation starter wherever you are, and are an easy way for Yoopers to identify each other in the wild. Drink Beer, Get Naked.

I got to watch Great Lake freighter, the Honorable Kaye E. Barker come into the still-in-operation ore dock at Presque Isle where she was filled with taconite pellets from local mines. You can find live updates on which ships are near Marquette here! Feel free to nerd out and start a new hobby like my old English professor! Her nerdy horizon shots of the freighters coming in and when there are “freighter parties” are a delight. Also, make sure to remember the old trick where you can hold your cell phone camera up to the binoculars you are obviously carrying.

September 1, 2020

Got some smoked whitefish at Thill’s, the family-owned fish house, prominently placed next to Lower Harbor in downtown. It’s a protein packed snack that will keep you satiated and topped up for adventure. Beautiful place to watch a sunrise come up, too.

Today was also laundry day; spending some time reading a book while waiting for the washing machines to finish with a couple of loads of clothes dirtied with road dust. While the rest of the nation apparently suffered from a coin-shortage due to COVID slowing down the migration of legal tender through coffers, the quarter machine at the King Koin was in generous and giving spirit. I made sure to load up on quarters for the rest of the trip, just in case.

September 2, 2020

My friend Kerry and I camped out overnight with meager sleeping bags and blankets at Wetmore Landing on Lake Superior. This was a bold move due to the poor cell signal and the 24/7 on-call nature of my job, but to make memories with great people, it’s worth it. Plus my job was a habitual line-stepper when it came to boundaries. One night wouldn’t kill them.

Second half of my week in Marquette coming soon-ish! (I’m getting better, I promise)

August 27, 2020

The following few days include the only day of PTO I took on this adventure. I mean, what is one to do when offered a paddle on the river Au Train with the best darn gang of rootin’ tootin’ outlaws this side of the Soo Locks?

The day started with a visit to Mama Superior, the greatest of lakes.

After a proper cleansing of the soul in Glitch Gumee, a cold water thermogenesist’s wet dream, we headed East to Au Train, where the wedding gang has rented “da Big House” for the weekend. If you haven’t had the opportunity to kayak the Au Train river, I highly recommend it. Several present/past Wildcats make it an annual event.

This wily crew was a beautiful mixture of friends and family celebrating the union of Chuls and Noelle, a group I was blessed to have befriended while learning the subtle art of beer pong in the basement at 540 West Ridge St. while attending NMU as an undergrad freshman year.

August 28, 2020

While Marquette is the biggest city in the upper peninsula with its own set of restaurants and attractions, smaller towns like Munising have just as much, if not more, color to soak up. The Falling Rock Cafe & Bookstore is a great spot to refuel, recover, and caffeinate for a day of hiking around Miner’s Castle Rock and trailhead.

As we all know, whitefish in its many forms is a staple of the Upper Peninsula diet. If you’re lucky, someone has fried some for you and your friends in the yard of a high school graduation party you crashed. If you aren’t quite so lucky, but lucky enough, one of the remaining local fish markets will be open for you to buy some smoked whitefish to enjoy at a scenic overlook during a light drizzle. Chef’s kiss.

I love mostly unstructured rambling the best because it leaves you time to respond to signs for scenic turnouts and waterfalls. That’s how I came across Shoshone Falls in Idaho, literally the Niagara Falls of the West, when rambling through Idaho July of the same year. A small brown sign on the highway in the middle of the high desert said WATERFALL 2 →. “I’ve got time, let’s check it out”, I said to myself. Next thing you know, bam. Holy wah levels of waterfalls

Try to leave room for audibles. I know it can be trickier with families in tow, but it can be so worth it.

August 29, 2020

Wedding day, so it was a day about town, but oftentimes the best days don’t involve many miles. This was one such day. A quick stop at Black Rocks to wet the feet and awaken the sole, followed by a day-old donut from Huron Mountain Bakery and a cup of trunk-brewed coffee started the day. One pro-tip about vagabonding around Marquette is that certain university locker rooms aren’t behind a paywall and you can take a shower (and if you’re lucky, a sauna!) on the cheap. Don’t tell anyone! Their hours can be interesting if you’re traveling in the university offseason, so make sure to check ahead of time. The local YMCA is also a great spot to get a workout in and clean up, with reciprocity for other Y’s around the country if you’ve got a membership back home.

I’m not sure how to put the wedding and beautiful celebration of life, love, and friendship into words. I will say it did involve a fedora, dancing, and the best of 540 West Ridge from the twenty-aughts reunited, and those who were there know.

Until next time.

Alec

In late August, 2020, I was invited to the union of a pair of my beautiful friends in Marquette, MI, with a follow-up invitation to eat some local fried whitefish in Trout Lake, further east in da yoop. This was obviously the universe telling me that I should ramble further east and confirm my long-held suspicion that Maine is, in fact, real.

August 26, 2020

After continuing to add to my car-camping kit with mobile power, solar, and window blinds (I am the Batman), I head East to Marquette, preparing mentally and spiritually to celebrate the wedding of Noelle and Chelsea and to (wild)cats up with so many old friends.

As unsexy as it may appear, the back aisle of a Walmart parking lot is (almost, but we’ll come to that in a future story) always a safe and well-lit spot to catch some shut-eye. Just make sure you set yourself up for success with ear plugs, eye mask, and window blinds for security as well as light management. Strategic positioning under the lights is something to keep in mind, as you set up “camp”. I generally try to find a parking spot between lights or, if unavailable, point my windshield at the nearest light, as my windshield heat shade blocks out 99% of the light through the windshield. Another pro tip is to buy a gear net to both store things above your head, but also give you a place to drape a blanket to create a security wall/light block behind your front seats.

One of the nice things about Axles Rose, my VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI in Tornado Red, is that I can crack my panoramic sunroof while leaving the sunshade closed to get some ventilation and prevent humidity build-up overnight while keeping the bugs at bay. I also travel with window screens that stretch over the frames on every door where, weather permitting, you can crack your window and prevent mosquitoes from buzzing around. These tend to be unnecessary moves in Walmart parking lots though, as the bright overhead lights are generally more appealing to bugs than you are. Ventilation is important, even (especially) if you’re in cooler weather. You give off a lot of water, and a humid environment will feel much colder than a dry environment.

This ability to camp in the back of a Walmart parking lot is an incredible resource, as you can wake up in the morning, amble in with your Dopp kit, use the restroom and brush your teeth. Maybe even grab an apple or a protein bar for breakfast! Thankfully, Marquette is chock full of delightful coffee shops to caffeinate before taking on the day.

Next entry coming soon! Thanks for rambling along.

If it’s not obvious, the links to my first items for each section are in the headers.

Entry 1:

Wheels

If you’re going to adventure, you need mobility.

My first car camping-capable vehicle was my 2004 Subaru Forester XT, Hot Donna, seen here:

Not quite long enough to lay out flat in, but utilitarian, AWD, and zoomy with a little headroom to spare.

I’ve always loved station wagons. The utility and space are just perfect. Finding a crossover wagon/rocket was too good to be true. (I know there’s some controversy over whether these are an SUV, crossover, or wagon)

Story time: I was looking for cars to replace my ‘93 Honda Del Sol, lovingly referred to as The Viper for many years, and found myself standing in a shoddy used car dealership in Shakopee, MN with my mother (it was my birthday weekend). Mom asked, what kind of car are you looking for again? “An early 2000s Subaru Forester XT would be perfect.” Mom: “Oh like this?” *holds up phone*. She had hopped on the website she saw on the adjacent small dealership’s sign and found the exact car in a sweet sweet gold. What are the odds?

Kitchen

A man’s gotta eat.

Being a camper, I already had a decent quiver of gear to draw from, but I’ll keep it light here, as this is the entry-point post and isn’t meant to scare people away. You can also skip a lot of this stuff if you’ve got money coming in to eat out or stick to dollar menu deals. Nonperishables are also an option. There’s something about freebasing a cold, but shaken, Campbell’s chicken noodle soup in a truck stop parking lot that really makes you feel alive.

Stove (seen above)

I’ll be honest, this stove is a little over the top. The Gigapower 2.0 Stove from Snow Peak will go just as far for a solo camper, is much cheaper, and will be more portable for hike-in mini adventures.

This kit does come with a pot and a pan that the stove stows into, which is incredibly convenient. The non-stick surface is still going incredibly strong several years in. The Sea to Summit Alpha Pan is a great standalone pan if you do go with a minimalist stove.

Whatever stove you go with, if you opt for prepping warm meals, you’ll also need to remember fuel and remember to keep spares available.

Tea Kettle

If you’re a coffee guy like me, hot water is a must. This ultralight kettle has a big enough lid you can store a couple things inside when not in use, like a pocket rocket stove and maybe even a fuel canister if you’re lucky.

Utensil Kit

Super lightweight and collapsible, these guys are a no-brainer for scrambling eggs, flipping pancakes, or just getting calories to your face hole in general.

Mug

For when you want to keep hot liquids hot or cold liquids cold, a double wall insulated mug is hard to beat. The lid does double duty keeping the internal temp stable while also minimizing splashing while driving or walking. Highly recommended.

Coffee Pour Over

Super cheap, pretty indestructible, super cheap. Great combo. I paired this with a permanent coffee filter to save on having to keep up with paper pour-over filters. I also already had this one for my apartment, so definite crossover application. Early adventures included already ground covfefe, while a very nice handheld grinder was eventually added to the kit.

Orikaso Dinner Set

This is a cool camp dinner set I found unopened in the gear section of my parent's basement. To my knowledge it's been discontinued, but you may be able to find sets on eBay. Cool concept, easy to clean, but as you adventure further into your journey, you come to realize the importance of convenience, which likely includes using the pot/pan as your bowl/plate and having a dedicated mug like the MiiR Camp Cup isn't the end of the world, especially considering the heat savings and splash-resistant lid.

Water Jug

Potable water on the road is of the utmost importance, whether it’s to wash dishes or fill up your water bottle or take a quick sponge bath. This collapsible jug was a great starting point because it shrinks as you empty it, but I came to find rigidity is worthwhile and quickly upgraded to a hard plastic jug.

Cooler

Don’t buy this cooler. It’s insanely expensive because they don’t make it anymore. There are plenty of cheaper options now. It did its job well, keeping ice for a couple of days and not taking up too much space. You do get tired of refreshing the ice and soggy foodstuffs, but this is where I started.

Cleaning

Whether it’s cleaning you, or your dishes, don’t forget about hygiene. Just because you’re a vagabond doesn’t mean you have to smell like it.

Shower/Pressurized Water

Nemo’s Helio shower is a foot-pump pressurized system that doubles as a shower and a way to quickly rinse off dishes. Paired with a bottle of Dawn dish soap, a Scotch Brite Dobie pad, shampoo/body wash, and a wash cloth, you’ve got an all-in-one solution.

I went for at least a year keeping it full while traveling, but that took up too much space. It does collapse down nicely when empty, and it clicked one day with a suggestion from a friend (here’s looking at you, Julie), that I could easily just put a little water in from my big jug for each use and pressurize the rest with air, leaving it empty and storable when finished. Learn from my mistakes.

Body Wipes

You will not always find yourself in a place where you can take a full-on pressurized shower. These body wipes paired with a gas station or rest stop bathroom will have you feeling fresh in no-time and are well worth keeping around. Believe me.

Towel

A quick-drying towel like the linked Matador NanoDry is, to my knowledge, the optimal answer to drying things, yourself included, quickly and with minimal space. This guy soaks up tons of water, is wringable, and dries incredibly quickly afterwards, leaving little time for the fun bacteria that cause stink to grow. Most have a clasp at one corner to attach to a branch or roof rail to flutter in the wind, amplifying its already impressive drying prowess.

Dopp Kit

This is just a fancy name for a bag to keep all of your toiletries in. Flossing doesn’t take a back seat just because you’re on the road.

Quarters

You will find yourself needing to do laundry at the King Koin. Keep a stash of quarters. Use this time to update blog posts or social media with whatever majestic pics you snapped that week.

Sleeping

You’re nothing without 8 hours of beauty sleep. Nothing.

I found that waking up early was much easier when surrounded by new and exciting venues and experiences.

Sleeping Pad

Lay your back seats down and pick a side to sleep on. That’s where the sleeping air pad goes. I already had mine from my camping kit, so I had a head start. To really bouge it up, I bought a trifold memory foam layer to put on top and hunted down a fitted sheet that fit over bolth, but those came later.

Pillows

Uh, just grab your pillows from your bed. EZ. You’ll want these as comforting reminders that you, too, will find a roof one day. When you’re ready, and if you want to. I’m a huge flannel proponent when it comes to pillow cases. The skin feel is unmatched.

Sleep Mask

Starting off, I didn’t have any blackout window shades, so I tended to stick to the back of 24 hour grocery store/Walmart parking lots overnight for safety. The stadium lights kept the bugs up high so you can crack windows easily and get a breeze, but with those stadium lights came glaring light. A sleep mask will let you block that out easily. They take some time to get used to, but are worth it.

Comforter

I had recently gotten into adventure blankets, finding the traditional sleeping bags to be too restrictive for a side sleeper like myself. Rumpl is the obvious choice here. I started with an Original Puffy with synthetic fill and that checked a lot of boxes for a long time. Being able to kick a leg out to regulate body temp is yooge.

Wool Socks

I don’t think I will ever stop beating the wool socks drum. Keeping your feet warm at night allows the rest of your body to down-regulate its temperature, allowing for a more restful deep sleep. Plus, since they’re wool, they’ll take a few days to start picking up any kind of scent. Plus plus, they pair beautifully with some Chacos Chillos slides.

Power

You’ll find that you have more electronics to keep charged than you realize. I’m going to assume that you’ve got a cigarette lighter cell phone charger and leave that at the door. Solar upgrades in posts of future

Inverter

To charge laptops and cameras, you’ll need a wall plug-type port to plug your chargers into. That’s where inverters come along. Amazon carries cheap 12V inverters that plug into your cigarette lighter and offer various wattages of AC current. Find a cheap one to get rolling and make sure your electronics are plugged in while driving.

Portable Lithium “Generator”

The term “generator” for lithium ion battery packs bothers me, because they don’t generate anything, but I guess it’s the easiest way to get across that you can get electricity from them. This specific model (linked in header) was a very budget entry point to the space that checked the box I needed it to check at the time. Would recommend going up to a 500W generator out of the gate, if possible. The number of outputs goes way up and the amount of time between needing recharging is also much more convenient. This guy will charge off of the above inverter while driving.

Even though laptop and cellphone battery life has gotten to the point that you can get all-day use out of a charge, it’s nice to be able to grab electricity by the handle and bring it to whichever city park picnic table you’re using to work that day.

Hopefully these notes and suggestions find purchase in your mind and spark some sense of how close adventure really is. I started car camping with small weekend trips up the North Shore from Minneapolis up to Grand Marais, communing with Lake Superior and taking regular dips, even completing a “dispersed” 5k one time, running a mile in different towns, earning my fresh off the tap cream ale at Castle Danger Brewery in Two Harbors.

This is just the beginning.

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