Wakeboarding: Shoes or Barefoot?

The question is shoes or no shoes in regard to wakebording?  I would not recommend leather tennis shoes as they would be ruined over te course of the ride.  Canvas tennis shoes, on the other hand, or should I say foot, would not only maintain a great grip on the board but also get a good washing at the same time.  It would save Mom having to wash those kinds of shoes peiodically.

Barefeet might be the best option and least expensive one over the course of time.  The youngster in question seems to prefer his tennis shoes over that of going barefoot.  If he hits the water, would not tennis shoes be harder to swim in over that of being barefoot?  Bare feet can also get a good grip on a board.  I wonder what the preference might be for he majority of  kids out there?  A good argument could be mde that canvas shoes would protect the feet more should an obstruction be hit but what are the chances of that in most cases?

Shoes or no shoes in regard to wakeboarding?  Hmm?

Tubing on Big Bass Lake Is Great Fun

Even better than water skiing is inner tubes being drawn by speedboats. More young people can enjoy what only water skiers had enjoyed before. Tubing is also safer as long as there is still a watcher that observes everything from the speedboat. Big Bass Lake is an ideal lake to enjoy tubing as it has many islands to travel around, great straight-a-ways, and large portions of open water. I think islands spice up any kind of activity of this nature.

But what say you? Do you prefer waters skiing or water tubing? Let us know. Ed Hawks provided this picture for your enjoyment.

We even used inner tubes on our beach just to float upon for our boys club trips. They enjoyed playing around on those a great deal.

The Frank Benish Pier

Before there was a public landing site at Big Bass Lake, the land belonged to Frank Benish who was our neighbor to the south,  He would often take the Norris kids for rides in his speed boat and especially to the north side of the lake which was a long haul by rowboat.  To get to his boat, there was a rather long walk on wooden planks through a marsh enroute to his pier. 

The pier itself was nothing fancy but enough to get the job done either for fishing off of it or boating.  It was not especially good for swimming as often his granddaughters used our wooded beach for swimming when they chose to swim.  Frank loved his boat and largely used it to get to fishing locations around the lake.  Yet on the day he took us for a ride, he reved up the boat to its full speed and off we went.  It was fun buzzing around the various islands around the lake and he informed us that there was a pattern he had to obey in that regard.  Failure to do so would result in a great many boating accidents.

His boat was rather fast for boats in that day.  Today he would probably get lost in the wakes of the majority of speedboats on that lake.  But in the 1950′s it was great fun on his speedboat as he showed up his lake.

Grandma’s Hat in the Distance

This patriotic Big Bass Lake resident affords a great look at the smallest iisland on the lake which you can make out in the distance. Hardly bigger than most people’s living rooms, this island is just off the Big Island’s bridge. It has an excellent sand swimming beach which many in the 50′s and 60′s used to utilize often.

This island is located on the southeast portion of the lake. It used to be a great view from the back of the Big Bass Lake store. Now that store is closed and is being resold as a residential property. The store at one time was the only place on the lake to fill up with gasoline for all the boaters on the lake and did a brisk business in the summer.

I understand this island is also known as Tiny Tim and I am sure that the five islands on the lake have been named and renamed many, many times.

On Golden Pond at Alice Lake by Russell

Not that long ago I happened across a friends little place on a lake known as Alice in Lake County, Michigan. I took a rowboat out on the lake in much the scene as you see above. The sunlight was near glaring and the moment was so special. Of course, I was also out there for some fishing but I do like beautiful scenes as well. The day was well spent as I also caught four fish but not the monster fish I had heard so much about. I understand it is an uncatchable fish.

For those that are fortunate enough to live on this small lake you should count yourself lucky.  I love fishing and I had a great time on this lake.  I also want to thank the moderators for this website for allowing me the time to briefly tell of my day out on Alice Lake.  Next I hope to do some ice fishing this year if my friend stays up here year round.  Have a great day!

New Property Next to Public Landing

This picture shows the last new home on our former property that is nearest to Big Bass Lake Road. Some of their small boats are anchored close to the swamp. From our old pier, there was a windy trails along the shore of Big Bass Lake heading south. Toward where you see those docks the trail angled upward toward Big Bass Lake Road and it was the course I often took to get the mail.

I did so because it was a shady walk over the walk down our driveway in the hot sun. In the 1950′s there was no public landing as that area belonged to Frank Benish and he had his pier there through a section of that swamp. I often wonder how people got their speedboats out of the lake before the public landing. That must have been a lot harder.

Anyone care to let us know for those on the lake in the 50′s and 60′s?

Frisky

When I was growing up, as a lad of eight years old, my older sister and I had sort of adopted a backyard squirrel that we called Frisky for lack of a better name. He was overly friendly and would even eat right out of our hands. My mother drew the line when we both asked if it could come indoors in bad weather citing that they carried the rabies virus.

For nearly two months, Frisky would each day come right up our back stairs to get fed. Once, after a bad thunderstorm the night before, we found a dead squirrel in our backyard. It had to be Frisky because he never again mounted our backstairs in order to get fed.

My sister named him Frisky for how he frolicked throughout our backyard. He had ever so much energy to him. We both buried him in our backyard that afternoon and even my dad attended the funeral. I suppose you could call Frisky our first pet of any sort.

A few days later, our parents presented us with our first real pet, a cocker spaniel by the name of Waggles to help us overcome our loss. Yet Frisky was missed nevertheless.

Torch Club

Torch Clubs involve members ages 11-13 and my Hoffman Estates Boys Club chapter was very active. They sold popcorn on movie nights, conducted car washes, did flag ceremonies before our home football games, and also yearly had one large project. The big fund raiser they held was selling Fuller Brush products and they raised enough money to put a new roof on our club.

My Board of Directors felt that they should take the bids but I told them the kids raised the money and they would take the bids. They did take the cheap bid, as my board pobably also would have done, and so a new roof was placed on our building. That year our Torch Club out fund raised my Board of Directors to their dismay being upstaged by kids.

Danny Heisen was our Torch Club President and he took his position very seriously. He was probably the best president of that club that we ever had as a lot of projects got done under his administratio. His efforts led to his being named the Boy of the Year at our annual awards night. Torch Clubs do teach good leadership skills and all clubs should have one.

Easter Egg Hunts Are Getting Harder and Harder

I ran acoss an Easter Egg Hunt today that was anything but hard. Sheesh! In my day they made these eggs difficult to find. These were about as hard to find as a fisherman finding salmon when they’re running in the river. Yes, I know kids today hate to be outside favoring their computer games instead, but this is ridiculous.

Talk about easy pickings! I do suppose that there is a lot of bending involved which does help the tummy however I would think a couple of these colored eggs could have been hidden somewhat better? Maybe the parents thought the weather was too cold today and didn’t want to have to wait around while their kids hunted eggs.

My husband prefers eating eggs to hunting them but then he’s a little old to be involved in something like this. Wait a minute! Did I just see Mike over by that tree?

Spectacular Sunrise

One thing I’ve always enjoyed about Ludington and that is on how photographic the area has become. From the many pictures of its main attraction, the breakwater Lighthouse, to the prestine downtown area, Ludington is a photographers heaven. This scene is a classic as you find a sunrise over a nearby lake highlighting the snowpack and ice.

I could just sit in this locale all day with beauty like this. There should have been another shot at sunset. Have you ever wanted to just jump nto a photograph? If so, this is one that you would, that is, if you were propertly attired as in a parka. It may be beautiful but it is still cold.

Sometimes I wonder why Darlene and I never moved to Ludington itself. In the summer the population nearly doubles with all the tourists and that is probably why we have stayed near Scottville. It’s quaintness is what I enjoy about it not to mention that it’s also so close to the Manistee National Forest. But Ludington has Lake Michigan and so much more. If you’re ever in the area, take it all in as you won’t regret it.

The Snapping Turtle at ULBC Camp

A counselor friend was walking near the lagoon when a snapping turtle surprised him and he threw his towel up into the air and that turtle actually snapped that towel in half. Later that day several counselors hunted that turtle down and killed it. They took it into the nature cottage and separated the shell from the meat as they planned at first to eat their prize catch.

However as the afternoon progressed, and the flies descended on their catch, they chaged their mind about dining on their catch. Instead they took pride in displaying the shell of tha turtle for all to see, The only one who didn’t ever want to see any part of that turtle again was the counselor whose towel was snapped into by the monster. He had seen all of that turtle he desired to see already.

I only saw the shell of that turtle but it was rather amazing to say the least as it was quite large.

Sunrise in Camping

Sunrise was my favorite time of the day while on camping trips with various boys clubs. There were always a few kids up before me and some were gathering wood or getting the morning fire started for breakfast. Some were even doing some fishing on the shore. As even more kids woke up they visited the clothesline to get their wet swimming suits back into their tents.

The Hoffman Estates Boys Club kids on one particular trip were making bacon and eggs using both fire pits. The aroma of the buttery scrambled eggs just filled the campsite and soon thereafter everyone was up. The bacon took a tad longer but soon the kids were gobbling down their hot breakfast ever so fast.

Sleep was rubbed from their eyes and a few boys went down to the lake to wash their faces in the cool water of Big Bass Lake. After mornng chores which basically consisted of cleaning out their tents, the boys took a short swim before leaving for a trip to the Pine River near Wellston.

Nearly every sunrise was treated differently but sleep was always broken up by reville from Camp Martin Johnson on the north side of the lake. The sounds of that bugle could be heard over the waters almost as clearly as they were heard by the campers at that facility. Even though some kids grumbled about it at our camp it still gave the feel that the boys were attending a real summer camp. I later learned that the bugle we thought we were hearing was just a recording.

An Endurance Test

All up and down the coast in Michigan alongside Lake Michigan there are many endurance tests by way of sand dunes. On those hot summer days, the endurance test not only involves your leg strength but how much heat your feet can endure. Going up takes a great deal of stanima on both the legs and feet, not to mention the heart. Your feet continually must combat the sifting sand as sometimes it seems the progess you make is not as great as it might seem as each step brings your feet somewhat down as well.

I prefer going down sand dunes especially if Lake Michigan is directly below them as my reward is a cool dip into the lake thus quenching my hot feet. But, if you’re in any kind of training, going up those sand dunes should be your option as it is a great strength enforcer.

Make sure you have an adequate supply of drinking water on you as well or designate a friend to carry it for you if you are the one in training. Football players can get a real good workout on their legs on these dunes.

For me, I enjoy going down them and then to go swimming for awhile. But, then, yes, I also have to endure the climb back up before jumping in my car to head home. Say, I wonder if I could talk the State of Michigan into sand dune lifts like they have at ski lodges?

The Farm in the 1930′s

This is an enhanced photograph of the old farm before the newer cottage was built. At the end of the farmhouse and in the background you can see the two bedroom cottage that had a screened in porch and was slightly closer to Big Bass Lake.

Behind the farmhouse you should be able to see the grainery and of course, the outhouse. Also pictured is the icehouse which was just across the driveway from the farmhouse. Out of sight is the old water pump.

The older part of the farmhouse housed my grandmother’s kitchen which should have been preserved. The two windows on the front and back of that kitchen looked out both on Big Bass Lake Road and then to our barn as well.

I hope you can take in what I have described here.

The Serene Sauble River

Next to the Ludington Lighthouse, this has to be the second most photographed scene in the entire area. I like it because it showcases the warmer waters of the Sauble River about to merge with the much colder waters of Lake Michigan in such a peaceful setting. Some of the sunrises and sunsets here are spectacular even in the coldness o winter.

An artist could sit just past the Hamlin Bridge and sketch these kinds of scenes for the rest of their life. Now and then children frolic in the water or you can some bird or animal taking a quick drink here. For my husband this is the end location for many of his runs and where we can meet. I usually drop him off about two or three miles toward Ludington and then head back here just to gaze or sketch.

I just wonder what amazing artwork will come from this locale next?

Not So Little Deer Blind In The Woods

This is a deer blind found in Michigan which very might make a deer blind just to look at it! Quite elaborate wouldn’t you say? Maybe the deer hunters in question make this their fall retreat? Then again, maybe for all other times of the year it serves as their kids tree house?

Maybe an elevator could be installed to really modernize the place.  t sure gives those deer hunters something other to do than to hunt deer while they’re waiting.  Perhaps a round of poker or two?  It looks big enough to warrant a few beds. 

On our property at Big Bass Lake, we also have deer blinds throughout our forest even if it was private land.  Deer hunters don’t seem to respect private land especially in hunting season.  Those found on our property were more of a wooden perch set among the branches and were nothing at all like this. 

This perch would seem to give the hunters an undue advantage over the deer.  With trees barren of leaves one could spot deer from quite a ways off and till get in a poker hand or two before having to shoot their prey. 

It also serves as a great place to escape from any nearby bear!  What will people think of next?  Maybe a swooping glider to reign down terror on deer?  And just pity the poor hunter without all these advantages!

Ever Desolate Michigan 116

In summer this stretch of M-116 is busting with activity be it campers on their way to the Hamlin Dam Park (Ludington State Park) or with swimmers wanting their own section of Lake Michigan beach to call their own for a day. Yet today, this same seven mile stretch of roadway is ever so desolate.

The winds off Lake Michigan are nearly unbearable and to venture over that one dune to the shores of Lake Michigan are nothing that I would desire for today. Instead the comfort of my warm car are more than enough for me. After all spring is just a month away and then this area will become alive again.

I rolled down my window for a moment only to capture the breeze at full force which quickly stirred me back to the reality of the moment. I did manage to stop my car and for a brief moment I walked to the top of that dune. The frozen tundra of Lake Michigan was immediately taken in and then open water farther out. Soon it would be all open water again and then a few months later summer would come and I would be taking dips in that very water and maybe even at this location. Yes, I hope very soon!

Away All Boats!

Being a tent counselor, we never had our own batch of boys like the other counselors had since we had their cabins on their days off.  However, I used to enjoy watching the boat races between various cabins following the shoreline of League Lake as it was called in the 1960′s.  Skillful rowers always kept on course but those that chose to over row their boats either headed into the middle of the lake or toward shore.  The latter was the worse of the two especially so if they touched land for they would then have to push off and head back toward the course again.

I supervised one race aboard a dingy which was my boat of choice as it could be moved about quite easily.  I wonder if those types of boats are still available at camp today? 

The boys seemed to enjoy the races if not moreso for the fun they had splashing each other along the route.  Does the camp still have boat races today?  Let us know by way of a comment.

The Treachery of Ice

Ice fishing is in for a lot of year round residents of the Big Bass Lake area. Yet if not for a miracle of sorts this author would not be here today due to the treachery of ice.

My father was carrying a Christmas tree across the lake in the dead of winter, while a boy, when the ice gave way. He plummented into the icy waters of Big Bass Lake. He was ever so fortunate to find the same place that he caved through. Many don’t and are unable to break through the ice from underwater. The two kids with him carefully helped him out and all scrambled for land as soon as possible and to the nearest cabin so that my dad didn’t freeze to death.

My dad from that time on never went onto Big Bass Lake in the winter again opting instead to use the local roads. As for me, I’ve only been to Big Bass Lake a couple of times in the dead of winter and never chose to walk on the lake. Instead I spent the majority of my time hiking the family forested acres.

North Island View Lane

This is Big Bass Lake Road taking in North Island View Lane which is a fancy name for our old driveway. Earlier today, I displayed my grandmother tending to his crops along that same then gravel road. This lane is now paved. Another difference is that there are a lot more driveways upon it as you can plainly see in this next photograph.

One thing that these new homes have with our old cottage, now painted yellow, is that they seem to all display propane tanks. More wells have to be established for drinking water for one sure doesn’t want to consume the water from Big Bass Lake. By the way, our old driveway is now called North Island View Lane because the island it views is that of the Haunted Island.

How many of these folks are using their new homes for year round living at the lake? It sure would be easier to plow this new lane over that of our driveway. However, since the field remains virtually unchanged, the prevailing winds tend to drift that driveway over quite easily which would necessitate plowing that lane nearly every day the snow flies.
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Here is how this lane and the properties would look from the air-

Here you can take in the individual properties including that of the red barn home as well as the tree in the midst of the field which is also shown in one of the other photographs. Now that tree seems to have a series of bushes around it. My thanks to Ed Hawks who took the surface pictures and who will be taking more of this area just behind our garage leading into Noreika Road.  Thanks Ed for all the work you do for Big Bass Lake and Beyond!

The Pounding Surf of Lake Michigan

Both these photographs prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was not safe to walk upon the Ludington breakwater that day. High waves were pouring over it with a ferocity all its own. Yet I am amazed as to how many people try to brave that area despite the high waves. I have even seen parents take their young children out into that peril. At times people are swept over that breakwater and into Lake Michigan where survival seems remote. I have even seen boats pushed onto this breakwater and if that kind of weather can move a large boat onto the breakwater, how much more serious is it for people to be out there in high surf?

I must confess that I enjoy watching this type of storm hit the Lighthouse for monstrous waves crash against it sending water high into the air.  But I enjoy that display from the safety of shore where you can still gain a wonderful glimpse of all that’s happening out there.  With a good camera lens you can capture all those moments as well without venturing out there in person.  Oh, for the return of reason for some folks! 

If you desire a good shower do so in the safety of your home and NOT on the breakwater!

Mike Reynolds on Lake Michigan

Early last summer I predicted that my kayaking days on Lake Michigan would commence and I finally made it out there late last summer. The reason you can’t see my face is that I didn’t want you to see the terror on it. For a moment, I wss scared to death.

My good friend, Ben, took this picture from his kayak as he is a seasoned veteran. My wife, Darlene, watched from shore as she wouldn’t get on one of these things to save her life. She almost had to save mine. Lake Michigan is much trickier than the Pere Marquette River I can tell you that!

This was a one time experience for me on Lake Michigan and once was enough. Still there was a certain thrill to it all. Just after this photograph was taken a big wave nearly swamped me. After that I headed into shore and kissed the ground. From this point on, my kayaking days will be limited to the nice safe Pere Marquette River.

There’s Always A Refreshing on Big Bass Lake

Even after severe storms have hit the Big Bass Lake area, a rainbow appears signifying the end of the bad weather and the return of wonderful skies and warm temperatures. I remember one storm in particular at Big Bass Lake in the 1980′s where the wind was blowing so hard that some of our trees came down. The rain pounded the area so much so that in the morning our rowboat was filled to the brim with rainwater.

I was awakened the next day by the sounds of a dispatcher from a fire truck on the opposite side of the lake. I glanced out the window and noticed one of the cottages having been burned down and the local fire department was mopping up. The night before that storm was so severe that I had retired to the basement to sleep.

Yet in the morning there was a rainbow in the sky letting me know that the bad weather was behind us and that better weather awaited. There is always a renewal at Big Bass Lake following a storm.

Remembering Richard Barkley of the Joplin Boys Club

Here you can observe some fence cleaning at the Joplin Boys Club. When I was the Executive Director at the club I had three janitors and one was a very colorful one known as Richard Barkely who also just happened to serve as our night watchman. He had a small apartment within the facility. As for his watchman status, well, he wasn’t the best. On my second day at the club I came in at 5:00 am to clean up the storage room which was right next to Barkley’s apartment.

I probably made quite a bit of noise as I separated the junk from the material I wanted saved and through all that noise, Barkley slept right through it all.  When he finally woke up at 8:30 am, I said, “Some watchman we have here.  A crook could have cleaned out the whole place and you wouldn’t have heard a thing“.  

Now Barkley was also probably the only person I ever met who ate spagetti and ice cream at the same time.  As I looked in amazement as he took bites out of each in turn, he said, “Well it all winds up in your stomach at the same time doesn’t it?“

He had a few other choice expressions such as, “Give me a long enough broom and a long enough mop and I”ll clean and sweep up the whole world”.   He once was a boxer with Golden Gloves and he had this beaut of a saying-  “I have a machine gun right and a bazooka left and if I hit you, you’ll sleep through the night“.  Yes, Richard Barkely was indeed a character.  He did happen to be an excellent custodian though always wanting to do things his way. 

We once went to a movie together that was called “Who is Killing the Great Chef’s of Europe?”  In the middle of the picture he stood up in the middle of the movie saying, “This is a filthy movie“, and then departed.  I thought he went out for popcorn but he actually left the theatre and walked three miles home.  The movie, by the way, was a classic comedy starring George Segal and Robert Morley. 

Yes, Richard Barkley broke the mold when he was born as there can’t be another like him in the entire world!

Ludington Public Showers

Ludington just hates to be upstaged by Manistee so when they heard about the Manistee Car and People Washer they just had to go and come up with their own version of a public showers. The people involved seemed to be taking it all in stride. If the waves were any larger they might also get the opportunity to swim in the lake.

In fact, I figure they did so because of their “drench” coats that came with the territory. Again, like Manistee, Ludington does not cover the cost of towels or soap so bring your own.