Is spring actually here to stay? Or, is winter still lurking behind what we like to call "fake spring"? If you have lived in Michigan (particularly Northern Michigan) you'll know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, well, it basically means we are teased with warm temperatures and sunshine only…
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“If I get to see an Ansel Adams print in person, I always go right for the shadows. For me, that’s where his brilliance was.” It’s striking to hear those words coming from Kaz McCue, whom I know to be a jolly fellow with a laugh like, well, a bowl full of jelly. Kaz, an instructor of visual arts at…
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Arcadia is a tiny, charming gateway town at the edge of the Sleeping Bear Dunes – and there’s something endearing about the name of its most popular hiking trail, like a favorite uncle: Old Baldy. The trail is a bit of everything: shaded and sunny, challenging and relaxing, wide-open-windy wonder…
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It’s about 45 degrees on Lake Leelanau and I’m watching a man holding a Molson, explain to me the intricacies of an iceboating runner. “Feel that with your finger,” he says. “But don’t touch it too hard cause it’ll draw blood. This thing will get you across Lake Leelanau in fifteen minutes.” The…
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You’ve heard of skiing. You’ve heard of snowshoeing. But have you heard of…yaktracking? We’re familiar with Yaktrax — those criss-crossing coils that fit over our boots and protect us from slipping on ice. But I’d like to make the case that they’re more than just a safety accessory: they’re a…
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We start feeling it in late February, don’t we? The promise of spring and summer. Bashfully, furtively, we dare to fantasize about wildflowers, swimming, and beach bonfires to warm us post-swim. It’s coming. Sooner than you think. Are you ready? And yet, right now, we’re in the thick of it — though…
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The thought of sweet, sweet summertime always elicits a yearning for soft grass beneath your bare feet, the warmth of the sun on your shoulders, a perfectly chilled glass of Michigan crafted Pinot Grigio or cider—and if you can escape from the office for a trip up north—a blissful escape to the lake…
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There’s a phenomenon underway in the winter woods this year. There are bikes – fat ones – everywhere. Sure, they’ve been around for years but with the pandemic, everyone wants out… and Leelanau County is answering the call! TIPS If you’ve never been on a fat bike, get ready for what feels like a…
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This week I had the pleasure of speaking with John Piombo, Executive Chef of The Homestead restaurants, Nonna’s, Cavanaugh’s, and Café Manitou, located in Glen Arbor, MI. The winter months in Michigan can be arduous. And January, with its grey days and cold temperatures, is no picnic. And during…
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Here’s the question. If you’re blessed to be working from home these days, how do you get out of the house and go on a daily hike — especially this time of year, when the days are so short? There are two possible answers. You can go on an early morning hike, before work. Or…you can strap on a…
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