jimmar wrote on Apr 21^st, 2009 at 4:48pm:


  We backpacked the Porkies several times, nice hike, but the bears are numerous and aggressive. They tell you to hang your pack as the bears will come right into camp without hesitation. We ran into a young couple who decided that hanging there frame pack on a tree knot chest high outside their tent was a good idea. We heard their screams the night before, but didn't realize they were as close as they were. Next morning we passed their camp. The bears(s) had come in around midnight, tore up the food pack, tore up the gear pack, and ripped a hole in the side of their A-frame tent. The bear(s) took the food back with them, leaving two very scared campers huddled by a fire the rest of the night. When we passed by in the morning, they were leaving the park, probably never too return.
  I believe some of the biggest black bears ever taken in MI have come out of the park during the hunting season.
 

I've been to that same bar in the early 80's, on a bicycle trip around the Kewinaw Penninsula. I think the same old guy was still there.

Also went backpacking in the Porkies one long weekend while attending MTU. Got lost one afternoon for several hours, but just followed a stream to the Lake Superior trail. The most nerve racking thing was walking by myself down the trail amoungst chest high thimbleberry bushes, dodging huge piles of bear dung that seemed to be deposited about every 10 ft.

It's times like that It's good too be a MAN!
Another must have item is the handy P-Bottle, no more bug bites and wet bathroom excursions for this camper

Ah yes; the good old Porkies. My wife and I spent part of our honeymoon there. We stayed at the campground on the southern end; closest to Wakefield. We did make a few ventures up to the northern end; specifically to Lake Of The Clouds. No stories to compare to ST’s though. Best I can come up with (that can be shared here) is my wife asking me in the pitch black tent if it was the middle of the night. "Logic" was that if it was close to dawn, she would wait until then to go to the bathroom.

Quote:


I have too pass this story on about cola and whiskey
Back in the 70's, 4 of us had backpacked for a week in the Porcupine Mt's of MI upper peninsula. We had time to kill, so we decided to go over to Gay Mi, an old time lumber town, home of the Famous Gay Bar.
Its your classic Up North bar. The bartender was a little old white haired guy, who looked like he could of BEEN the original bartender from the 1900's. We got a table and some menu's, and Wild Bill our Redneck Kentucky born friend went to get some drinks, beer for us and a Double Jack Daniels and Coke for himself. A few minutes pass, and we hear a big uproar at the bar The old timer was half-way across the bar, one hand on Bills throat, the other hand swinging a broken pool cue!
Bill is trying to fend the old guy off, calling him every name in the book.
We rush over to pull them apart and find out what started the whole mess? Bill says " The old fool won't sell me a 2x Jack and Coke?" The old man looks at us TROLLS and says: " You can have a house whiskey and coke, you can have a coke, but NOBODY drinks good Jack Daniels whiskey unless its straight up, or on the rocks! IF you don't like it, get the HELL out of MY bar !
 WE stayed for some cold brews, great cheeseburgers, and Wild Bill settled for a 2x shot of Jack with a Coke on the side
 The old bartender was shaking his head the whole time
Yup, somethings you just don't mix, at least in THAT Gay Bar

TwistTieCollector wrote on Feb 12^th, 2009 at 12:35pm:


Blasphemer !!!! The group is always the last to know. Might expalin a few other things though.....

Any restrictions on taking tar across the border? (We’ll figure out the feather part once we get there; weight restrictions s and all you know.)

Actually, since this is a one portage trip, I think I’ll be taking along a plastic bottle or two of cola to go with the <whiskey of choice>. Get it to the bottom of the lake at the start of the day and have a chilled carbonated mixer at the end of the day.

NIDO?

Premixed Khulua Vodka, add 2 little coffee creamers stolen from Holiday Station in Grand Marais. Better grab 30 or 40 of them.

My husband and I have a nightly ritual of toasting the North Star, the Big Dipper, and occastionally, the Northern Lights with a mug of hot chocolate and a tot of Lamb's Navy Rum.

My brother in law is off the boat from Cork.  A few years ago he introduced us to Whiskey-Tea.  Barry's Irish Tea (Golden Blend), topped off with a finger or two of Jameson's is just what the doctor ordered on those crisp windy days.