Say YES in Michigan!

Along the windswept shores and crystal blue waters of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, we sit here writing amongst hundreds of tiny “fairy flies” who float around our camp dancing and carrying on like guests at a cocktail party, only sped up by 4 times.  We call these little suckers fairies because they hover as much as fly and their abdomen is covered with 2 while fluffy chaps which flair off making it look like they are wearing some sort of fairy gown.  We reckon that these guys are in NC too, and we think they are probably considered to be some sort of aphid.  How's that for scientific?

These fairies help stage the scene where we sit.  The sun shines through the trees, with bright autumn leaves in their time prior to falling, scatter the ground with a painted light.  Color bursts through the canopy in a way that makes one think, “Hell yeah, I could do this every day…”  The ground is dry, sandy, and covered with pine needles which makes it both aromatic and crunchy, providing an excellent canvas for the sunlight.

We have been pretty busy over the last few days, setting up camp takes longer than we’d like, but we are sure to streamline it over the next few weeks.   We’ve walked to a beautiful lighthouse, Au Sable Light, a really amazing example of 19^th century technologies -- when form and function for a navigational aid meant something.  We climbed a 500 foot dune with sand so cold it made your hips and shoulders ache, but the 280 degree view of Lake Superior from the Great Sable Dunes was worth it!  The group of retired tourists who declined the climb when they saw its steepness, sarcastically said “goodbye and good luck” to us as we made our way down the sandy cliff.  Give us a break, it took a few minutes to get down and a heart pumping 15 minutes to get back up, including stopping to take pictures.  We’ve also biked a few miles along a beautiful tree-lined highway and paddled beneath the towering sand stone features of Lake Superior’s Pictured Rocks (a bucket list item for Hutch).  As the tour boat zoom by us near the Pictured Rocks, we reflected on the fact that we had all the time we wanted to stop and gaze in awe at these magnificent cliff faces which can only be really seen from the water.  (A note for paddlers:  Lake Superior is no joke!  With one-tenth of the world’s fresh water, nearly infinite fetch, and significant clapitus against the rock wall, one must respect this inland sea for what it is. We went out on a very calm day and still found the conditions to be “interesting.”  Needless to say, this experience taught Shari how to manage her new boat more effectively.  Sink or swim, as they say.) 

Yesterday we got a late start because we forgot the kayak paddles.  We backtracked about 20 miles each way to retrieve them – dangnabbit, where’s that OP checklist when you need it?  As we drove back toward our destination, we hit a deer.  Yep, in broad daylight, full on impact on the right passenger side front end.  Hutch was driving at about 50 mph and 2 deer bolted from the woods about 20 yards in front of us.  We knew immediately that we were going to hit one of them.  Hutch took his foot off the gas, lightly hit the brakes, and floated toward the other lane to give her some room to pass, not enough for the deer,  but we think it saved Buck’s radiator.   They both bolted off after the collision but we are pretty sure that the one we hit didn’t make it far.  Damn…Buck one, doe zero.  Ironic isn’t it, that we named our truck “Buck” when we bought him last February?

Once the initial shock passed, we pulled over expecting the worst -- dollar signs, tow trucks, and insurance hassles running through our minds, not to mention a severely injured mammal.  With the bumper smashed in, fenders hanging, deer hair in every crack, it was sad for everyone involved.  We just hate it, but at least neither of us were hurt.  For 13 years, we’ve lived in a heavy deer area and never hit a single one, but this doe rant out in mid-day from a tree-lined highway with miles of flat land on either side for her to gain some speed.   Minutes later, a couple driving a black truck with kayaks on top and bikes on the back (just like us!), stopped to see if we were okay.   “Yeah, we’re fine, we just hit a deer.“  Did she run off?”  “Yeah, she must not have made it far though.”  “How’s the car?”  “Looks like she pushed in this side pretty good.”  “Do you need some help?”

Here’s where the old Hutch would have not wanted to bother them and say, “It’s ok, thanks, but we got it.”  But he’s working on a new philosophy which says, “take what is offered with a free heart.”  So, he said, “Yeah, we could use a hand.”

As it turns out, Craig was pretty darn helpful!  He had a come-along and axle wraps which made pulling the bumper back into position a cinch.  As multiple logging trucks rumbled by us, he backed up his truck close to ours and hooked up the come-along.  After a few torques on the wench, we were back in business.  We were even able to reattach the fender pieces, so the tire won’t rub when it turns.  Just some broken lights and some dents, not bad given that the deer probably weighed in at 250+ pounds.  And, once we find a place to fix it in rural northern MI, the insurance will cover everything.  Whew!

Here’s the thing about saying “yes” to help freely given.  Craig had just purchased the come-along for a home project with a new wood stove.   Being a bit of a boy scout, he brought it along with them on their post-wedding trip…“just in case.”  Here, on the side of the road, in the middle of a densely forested wilderness, 20 miles from a city, and no cell phone service, he got a chance to use it – and it was the very thing that we needed to make it all work.  That always makes men happy when they knew that they threw that extra whatchmacallit tool in for a reason!   We suppose that we could have used our NRS straps to set up a 3 to 1 mechanical advantage off of a tree, but that would have taken a lot longer. And after OP staff training this fall, we know what putting those on cars can mean…right Melissa?   

So the lesson here is, always say yes to things even when your ego tells you otherwise – it makes friends and can really help!  A big shout out to Craig and Marty – y’all are awesome!  We learned as they were leaving that they were just married in Battle Creek, MI last Saturday.  Congrats you two, and thanks again!