Thank you, AP

It's Monday and I'm back at work after a weekend backpacking adventure in the Huron National Forest near Glennie, Mich. Scott and I had a wonderful time, but hiking nine miles of very hilly terrain (1,300 feet at the highest points) has left me feeling quite sore. We saw a crane, hundreds of toads, woodpeckers, butterflies and  chipmunks but what we heard was more exciting - coyotes at night, an elk and possibly a black bear.

The story I wrote about Camp Grayling is finally done, as are the accompanying videos produced by Ryan Loew and Cody Hinze.

I have some very exciting news! The story I wrote about L.L. Johnson Lumber Manufacturing Co. was picked up by the AP and is now on the Chicago Tribune's Web site!

County fairs

The Ingham County Fair ends Saturday so I went out there this afternoon to talk to some fair-goers/vendors - or, in one instance, to be totally ignored by the guy operating a game booth. 

County fairs are not as fun as I remeber them being.

My military experience

I went to Camp Grayling Tuesday to report for the LSJ on a new GPS-based military training program used to prepare soldiers for deployment. I went with Ryan Loew, our multimedia reporter, who shot lots of photos and videos of the whole day. Two reporters from a Grand Rapids news station also went.
We drove to Grand Ledge and took a Blackhawk to the camp. It was about an hour and ten minute ride. They gave us foam earplugs to protect our ears but it was so loud and windy they didn't help much.
Having never rode in a helicopter and only having flown in an airplane twice that I can remember, I was unpleasantly surprised to learn that they often fly Blackhawks with the doors open.

They tipped the helicopter sideways so we could see straight down to the forests, farms and lakes of northern Michigan. The view was really beautiful. But about half way through our adventure I was feeling sick (hence my funny facial expression in the photo (above) taken right after we landed. I spent the remaining half an hour with my eyes closed and my mind pleading with my body not to vomit.
It was a long but exciting day. I, of course, forgot to wear sunscreen. I joked with Scott that if I had a military name it would be Maj. Sunburn. It hurts even
more when I think of all the days this summer I
religiously wore sunscreen, only to sit in the newsroom.

Shorter summer and risky business

I visited Holt's Horizon Elementary today - the students' first day back from an abreviated summer vacation. The school is the only year-round school in the district and perhaps in the county.
I talked with a few of the kids and they seem to like having a six-week summer vacation and shorter breaks about every month. I can see how the alternative schedule may be a better option than the traditional school calendar I grew up with.

Also, a Portland township woman found an old pipe bomb while cleaning out her garage, put it in the trunk of her car and drove with it to the police department today. Talk about risky!

Interactive

Check out my new audio slideshow about a family-owned lumber company in Charlotte, Mich., celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

Bath tub race

It's not everyday you see bath tubs roll down Main Street.
I saw 13 of them racing today at Bath Township's Bath Days Festival.