Night of the Swimming Snake

One evening at Big Bass Lake all the boys of the Marion Boys Club were playing around in the very shallow waters on our beach. Some were just sitting there splashing each other having a grand time as the sun was beginning to set. I was up at our campfire preparing a snack before we began our evening hike on our property. Just then I heard someone yell snake and all I saw were legs and feet leaping out of that water onto dry land. Eddie yelled for a flashlight and pointed the beam at the bottom of a tree.

The boys saw that innocent little snake cruise through the water to its destination as easy as pie. After all he had scarred the wits out of six boys all by itself. It must have been feeling pretty proud of itself that moment. At the same time, six little hearts were beating away at a clip almost faster than they had moved scant seconds before.

Two boys, Keith and Jay, eased back into the shallow water but keeping a wary eye on that tree. The rest felt they had enough of the refreshing waters of Big Bass Lake for that evening and retired to their tents to get ready for the campfire. And, as they emerged from their tents fully clothed to hang their bathing suits on our clothesline, Keith and Jay were just leaving the water.

When all had assembled together at the campfire, they sampled some sausage and thought it tasted better than usual. They asked what made it taste so good that evening. I told them they were munching on rattlesnake and immediately everything left their mouth toward the fire in unison. I laughed telling them they were eating plain old sausage. But that’s the second time in short order that they were “rattled” by a snake.

How To Observe That Extra Day in 2012

Welcome to the 2012 Leap Year Day! Since this day comes but every four years shall we make it a special one? What about a skinny dip into Big Bass Lake sometime today? Is it still too cold even though this has been a warmer than average winter? Well, then, why not instead explore our blogroll (on the sidebar)?

If you’re planning a wedding, Chrissy Benish’s website called “Field of Flowers Farm” might be in order for you. Chrissy is a native of Manistee, Michigan, and her grandparents farm was right across from my Grandmother Noreika’s property. Another wise choice might be Almost Anything Goes which is a game that I have created that is played weekly where I now live.

For former campers or counselors of Camp Martin Johnson, a great choice would be CMJ Memories. It is a great site for those that enjoyed that camp on the north side of Big Bass Lake. Then, if you’re looking for a great place to rent for that upcoming summer vacation why not read Harper Lake Resort or Leisure Time Campground (on Seaman Lake)? They might have just the accommodations that you’re looking for.

Or why not try Michigan Lakes for a sampler of nearly any lake in the State of Michigan? Or My Special Day which features local interests of nature and tourism by an author that lives in Scottville, Michigan? There are great photographs on that site?

But if all that is too dull for you, than the brisk waters of Big Bass Lake await your birthday suit this day. And, if even that is too tame for you, the waters of Lake Michigan are not all that far away in either Ludington or Manistee. So make this Leap Year a special one for you will not be able to enjoy it again for another four long years!

Our Farming Field From Two Directions

These two pictures, one from winter and the other from summer, provide you with the full length of our family field. In the picture from winter you are looking north along Big Bass Lake Road and the trees you see in the distance are just after Noreika Road which cuts through the middle of our property. The forest beyond for nearly another half mile was our property as well and it extended north along Big Bass Lake Road all the way to Matson Road and then even some along that road.

The summer picture looks at our field southward also along Big Bass Lake Road almost to the Public Landing. This was the field that my grandparents farmed. Although it looks quite large the majority of the property was forestland.

The winter photo was taken by Ed Hawks and the summer one by myself. The summer shot was taken from Noreika Road.

Trolling at Dusk on Big Bass Lake

One of the advantages of having a second adult on any given trip to our property was that I got to spend some specialized time with some of our kids. On one such occasion I borrowed our motor boat and took Keith and Kevin Hansel along with Jay Davis on a tour of the lake while the other boys went on a hike. I had specifically wanted to take them past Camp Martin Johnson for until that moment their only identification with the camp was their bugle blowing every day at 6 am.

From our docking area we proceeded across Big Bass Lake on the southwest corner and then past the Haunted Island on the east side into the Narrows of Big Bass Lake. The time was just past 7 pm and it afforded us about two hours of daylight before nightfall set in. As we approached the camp, there were many children down at the waterfront swimming as this was still at a time when the camp was operational in the early 1970’s.

I took a wide berth around both Four Winds and Turtle Island before proceeding due east toward the channel between Big and Little Bass Lake all the while still skirting the shoreline of Camp Martin Johnson. We even went by their canoe launching area and there was some activity in that area as we passed it by. Kevin spent the majority of his trip time dipping his hands in and out of the lake as we progressed while Jay just took it all in with glee.

Keith, on the other hand, took a turn at the motor every now and then to learn how to operate a motor boat. He took it to full throttle after we turned about just past the channel. He kept it at full throttle until we headed south just past the twin islands. He managed the turn south just brilliantly.

On the way back to our dock we passed our wooded beachfront area and the three boys had the chance to view our tents from Big Bass Lake. Our campsite was empty as the other boys were still off on their hike. And this trip would be repeated two more times over the next two nights to accommodate all the boys with the same voyage.

Our whole journey was on a lake that was still as I had ever seen it. There was no wind whatsoever which was not the case over the next two nights. The big thrill for all the boys was to see the “second camp” on the lake which was by far the larger of the two as our kids also considered our beachfront their camp albeit without a bugle. And, that was much to MY satisfaction.

The Camp Sauble Squirrel Speaks!

A few years ago, I was gathering in some nuts for the winter when a station wagon pulled into Camp Sauble near Free Soil,  Michigan,  and I saw two parents and two twin boys.  A parent asked one of the men that approachd their vehicle if  their twin boys could attend this woodland camp for two weeks.  The man in question told the parent that this particular camp was a prison and not a resident summer camp.

The surprised parent thought for a moment before responding, “How about four weeks then?”

Presently, I am about the only resident of this facility but I understand that the “Camp” has been sold to the nearby town of Free Soil.  For what, I am not sure?  Perhaps it might soon become a home for wayward squirrels?   After all, nuts never fall very far from the trees, you know?

Ward Hills Sledding Report

After our last snowfall this winter, I opted to go past the Ward Hill Lodge to see if there was anything going on. The Lodge itself closed up tighter than a drum but just as I was about to leave, I heard some hoops and hollers from one of the old ski runs hat had since been converted into a sledding hill.

As I approached that area, I saw a few people having the time of their life using that hill for what it was meant to be used for in that current day and that was sledding. I saw some unusual sleds and one strange-looking saucer.

One of the participants beckoned for me to join them but after just a few short moments, I opted to leave them to their fun for I had no sled.  I assumed it was some locals that were taking advantage of an area that had hills attached to it.  Some of those guys spent more time tumbling off their sleds than being on them but they were having fun and that was the name of their game that day. 

So the hllls of Ward Hills were being used but not by anyone associated with The Lodge so I still don’t know the fate of that place.  Thoughts?

Night of the Hunter’s Moon at Big Bass Lake

On a brisk July evening at Big Bass Lake I spoke of our indention on our farm field. The whole of that quarter-mile stretch of farm line was perfectly level with the exception of one area that was circular and about ten feet deep as each step took you down a notch. Why had that area also not remained level as the rest of our field?

Speculation had it that a flying saucer once landed in that very location.  When I took the boys of the Hoffman Estates Boys Club to that very spot under a Hunter’s Moon, the wind began to pick up almost on que.  Our farm field lies between Big Bass Lake Road to the west and our forest to the east.  The boys had picked various spots around that circular area to sit while I told of the options of how that had been created. 

Due to the chill the boys had worn wind-breakers that evening and as the wind began to increase, the boys moved lower and lower into the crater to escape its chill.  Soon they were all nearly at the bottom.  Another thing had happened as they retreated lower into the crater and that is the distance between themselves got shorter and shorter until they were all lined up in one line together.

Just then something blew across the crater and the boys hugged the ground for dear life.  It might have been some brush but on a Hunter’s Moon night, who really knows?  And right after that occurred the boys asked to return to our wooded beachfront.  One of the boys suggested that had experienced a ghostly specter that night.  Only the Hunter’s Moon knows for sure!  And it wasn’t saying a thing!

“Play Ball” At Big Bass Lake

This will be another post with more questions than anything else. This is an aerial photograph of the Big Bass Lake softball complex. I would gather this is a league for men but how many teams are comprised in this league? Do the women of that area also have teams and what about kids?

Does the field have bleachers and a concession stand? And what is that facility just north of the diamond? Well, it happens to be a new church in the area that may call for the “In the big inning“. The field is located just east of where the Big Bass Lake store used to be. Also does this field have lights for evening games? How long is the season where the field is used?

I have a strong hunch that the Na-Tah-Ka Restaurant and Bar gets a good measure of business after the games.

If you have the answers to these questions, please leave a comment and let us know.

How Far Is It To Big Bass Lake?

I remember hearing that question of many boys club trips to our property about every twenty miles or so. But how many of you have seen a sign going west out of Peacock, Michigan, telling you exactly how far that distance is?  It also details a business just before Big Bass Lake, that being the Na-Tah-Ka where you can get a good meal anytime during the day or evening.  I wonder if Larry Bender will ever put in a drive-up window there?

All along M-37 one can see signs to White Cloud, Baldwin, and Traverse City, but since Big Bass Lake is not actually on M-37 it would be a stretch to find it there.  However, on the Peacock road?  Well, that’s another story.  There is  sign at the south end of Loon Lake that used to point to the Big Bass Lake Store and I have to wonder if it now directs one to Bender’s Corner Store? 

At any rate when you see a sign like this you’re almost at Big Bass Lake.  But don’t mistake either Sauble or Loon Lake for the real thing as they will be coming your way first.  After all, how many islands do those two lake have?

Hoffman Estates Boys Club Gym Events

Due to the fact that the Hoffman Estates Boys Club was about half the size of most gymnasiums, our programming had to reflect the size of our structure. The most popular game was Paddleball. At first we used a regulation paddleball with ping pong paddles but too many of those got broken in the course of a game. I then purchased some regulation Paddleball Racquets and the game took off like never before. Using the front wall, the basketball goal was in play and had to be worked around. The kids truly loved this game and it our gymnasium court was also in play for the two days we allowed strictly for that game.

We also had a weekly Floor Hockey Program with four teams that played every Saturday. Our Broadcasting Club announced the game to the rest of the club from their booth alongside the gymnasium. Our basketball team also used the gym for practice sessions even though it was only half the size of a regulation gymnasium. We did have basketball goals on both ends of the floor and the width was the same as a traditional basketball court.

Intramural 3 on 3 basketball games were the most popular during the week. Tire Endurance, Wrestling, Relay Races, and Tumbling were also held in the gymnasium. And, on overnights at the club, the gymnasium was converted into sleeping quarters for the night.

The Obstacle Course Quiz and Whiz program was also held in the gymnasium and this consisted of six stations. A basketball free throw had to be made, a front somersault had to be accomplished, and three laps of the gym completed as part of the physical events whereas a dictionary location, simple math problem, and phone book location of a name were part of the “Quiz” course. This event was held monthly and became very popular.

Even though our gymnasium was smaller than most it still served our club programming well.

Bridge to Nowhere

The bridge to Big Island was perfect for those who wanted to avoid going around that island to get to the Big Bass Lake store. I personally know that rowing our boat under that bridge was a massive time saving in contrast to having to row completely around Big Island to get to the store.

Now, however, there is no Big Bass Lake store to go to as it has been closed down for several years. For boats needing gasoline that has also made getting that fuel more difficult as there was always a pump just below the store.

One might call that bridge now a bridge to nowhere. I would say that the majority of boats that use that shortcut were heading to the Big Bass Lake store. I wonder if it still has high usage today?

What’s So Special About Big Bass Lake?

A new blogger friend of mine recently wrote on her blog that I had a website on “of all things” Big Bass Lake.  Yet this lake has me in its power so to speak.  It holds childhood memories of my grandparents, mid-age memories of the three Boys Clubs of America clubs that I took on camping trips to our forest, and now of rethinking on all those memories.

Big Bass Lake is a unique lake in that it has five islands in it.  Grandma’s Hat is te smallest followed by Turtle Island.  The next biggest was also once the home of Camp Martin Johnson, that being Four Winds Island.  Haunted Island was not far from our wooded beachfront and it was visited once at midnight on each of our camping trips.  It had a haunted house in the middle of that all forested island. 

The biggest island is called The Big Island and since 1954 has had a bridge leading to this heavily populated island.  The lake also has Sunken Island just to the east of both Four Winds and Turtle Islands which is in the middle of the lake yet only three feet deep.  Many times pontoon boats are seen surrounding that island with their children enjoying the shallow water found there.  And, just to the east of Sunken Island is the channel between Big and Little Bass Lake which is about a quarter of a mile in length.

All these things makes Big Bass Lake special to me.  If you read many of the comments of people who use this lake either as a vacation place or residence you will find great stories of why this lake is held so dear to them as well.  Yes, it is a special place that will always find a place in my heart for it. 

Mid-Day Laziness at Big Bass Lake

The previous night had taken the Marion YMCA boys down the Bloody Antler Trail and our hike terminated at about 3 am back at our campsite. So the boys slept in the following morning even ignoring the bugle call at 6 am over at Camp Martin Johnson. The earliest any of my boys woke up was around 10 am and they struggled over to the campfire for an late breakfast of bacon and eggs. The aroma of that meal brought the remainder of the boys out of their sleeping bags and to breakfast as well.

The boys then just drifted about for the rest of that day. Some took one of the rowboats fishing by the swamp while others opted to rest their bare feet in Big Bass Lake at the Pointe. After about an hour some drifted back to their tents for an afternoon nap. The remainder spent some time with our land line rope tire swing down at the Pointe. It seemed that after nearly every hike down the Bloody Antler’s Trail on each trip the same thing happened the next day just as I have described here. That hike is probably the most intense and long hike that we take at any point on the trip.

By supper time energy had begun to be restored and after supper we played a game of keep-a-way between the Pointe and our campsite area amongst the many birch trees. Then we took a short hike on the eastern half of our forest including going past Lost Lake before returning to our campsite for an evening campfire of conversation and marshmallows. That lasted until just short of midnight when the boys hit the sack. Not a bad lazy day at Big Bass Lake.

The Quagmire Creature Encounters Mark O’Brien

Once on a trip with the Marion Boys Club one of our boys was using the commode late at night and said he heard bushes moving about behind him near the quagmire swamp and thought he had encountered The Quagmire Creature.

This monster is said to have inhabited the quagmire swamp behind our wooded beachfront.  This is one thing that I have never mentioned before about our property because only two boys from separate clubs ever related to experiencing it. 

We could never find any evidence of any sort of tracks the next morning following that incident.  Jay reported hearing low growling sounds behind him.  He finished his business quickly and ran back to the tents but told no one until morning.

On a trip with the Hoffman Estates Boys Club, Mark O’Brien also reported seeing the Quagmire Creature.  Whereas the first boy only heard the creature, Mark said he actually saw it.  He was collecting wood behind our campsite a good fifty yards away from the main site when he saw this creature emerge from the bog and advance toward him.  He must have been observing Mark from the swamp for some time.

Mark himself was a troublesome youth and was always getting into mischeif.  He appeared angelic but within him were many devils.  I can only speculate that Mark may well have seen him and maybe even encountered him.  But when the Quagmire Creature came face to face with Mark it was probably more than it bargained for.  When the boys heard his accounting of the incident many believed that it was the creature that fled for his life and was never to be seen or heard again. 

You’d have to know Mark to really appreciate this accounting.  But never again on any boys club trip was there any sighting of The Quagmire Creature.  Once with Mark was more than enough for it I am certain.  I can almost visualize it jumping headfirst into that swamp never to be heard from again.  What a pity for it made for great campfire stories.

My Pool Room

Let me que you in on something. I love my pool room in my home. I do some of my best thinking over a game of pool. But not just any game mind you. I enjoy 6-Ball Pool the most. I play this with the eight ball squarely in the middle of the table and this ball cannot be touched whatsoever over the course of the game.

Before each pocket is a ball and the object of this game is to get every ball in its pocket on six shots.  However if a ball is moved even slightly without dropping into the pocket one loses their turn.  If more than one ball drops into a pocket on one turn than any extra shot is afforded them to place the eight ball in a pocket at the end of the game.

When all six balls are in their respective pockets, then a player must call the pocket for where the eight ball will be going.  Any other pocket gets him a single point but if he calls the pocket he gets two extra points.   But during the course of the game that eight ball must remain unmoved from its center perch until the other six balls are in their pockets. 

I don’t play Darlene very often because she likes to bet and she usually wins so she takes too much out of my personal pocket and then goes shopping with her winnings.  I think she practices this game when I’m not home.  Is that fair?

More Tubing at ULBC Camp

When I was at ULBC Camp in 1970 tubing wAS not even thought of yet as the only activity behind a boat were skiers. However, tubing does look like great fun as the course is around the shoreline of League Lake. I wonder what speeds can be attained at their highest around that lake?  Not a bad wipeout here either!

Has Water Boarding started at camp yet? And, aside from skiing and tubing, are there any other things that are drawn behind a speed boat these days? How big a part of the waterfront activities are skiing and tubing? And, what is the extent of the waterfront activities at camp now? Do they still have rowboat races around the lake? I would think paddleboats could do likewise not that they also have them at camp now.

Who will be the Waterfront Director at camp in 2012? A lot of questions here and I hope some comments will contain some answers. Happy camping all!

Belly Buster Award at Big Bass Lake

Take a gander at the fellow at the top of this picture! Then check out th kids in the lake below! The water doesn’t look too deep where they are and the extent of his dive doesn’t appear to be too far from them. I can just envision the belly buster dive this guy is going to have and I wouldn’t want to be his stomach afterwards! Ouch!

Can you imagine the big red mark that will soon be appearing on his belly? Wow! Talk about a belly smacker! It will take several jars of lotion to offset that red mark. And when he hits the water, they’re sure won’t be a lot of depth for him to deal with. Maybe he’s a member of the Red Chest Tribe? If not, he soon WILL be!

Even if he’s attempting a cannonball, there isn’t much water below for that cannonball to land in! I just hope that this fellow has all his affairs in order and has his life insurance up to date!

Sketching a Sunset

I ever so much enjoy doing pencil sketches of Lake Michigan. I just take my pad of paper and a chair out onto the sands of Lake Michigan and began whatever project fits my fancy. Depending on my location I either sketch the Ludington Lighthouse or the outlet into Lake Michigan of the Big Sauble River. Sometimes I pick a location between the two and sketch out the skyline against the waters of Lake Michigan.

Mike usually goes with me and does a few jogs of a thousand years in the general area I sketch as he does not like me to be there alone as I am almost oblivious to whatever’s around me while composing. In my mind I visualize the colors that I see however they do not go onto my canvas. I have a camera to capture those effects. The simplest work that I do are where the water meets the skyline. Yet I ever so much putting in the wave action of the lake.

It takes me about an hour to finish a general outline of what I want to do and then I fill in the gaps later at home. I prefer sketching on non-wavy days as it is hard to capture the Lighthouse, for example, when it continually is pounded by waves during high winds. Plus the sand is sent flying through the air and it stings making artwork impossible to handle.

I’ve always wanted to work with pastels but so far I haven’t tried that. There’s something so innocent and perfect about pencil sketching. I have several canvases of my work and I always try to top my previous work. My favorite times to sketch are early summer and early fall. And, I would recommend this form of artwork to anyone.

The Manistee National Forest From Lake Michigan

I took this picture with my feet in Lake Michigan feeling the cold water lap around them with wave after wave. This picture probably best describes the closeness of the Manistee National Forest to the shores of Lake Michigan as only that small sand dune separates the two. Just over that sand dune is a camping area with picnic tables galore and the road that takes one back out to US 31, and then a short jog over to the Freesoil Road and then back to Big Bass Lake.

Hiking trails also abound in this area. This area also has two multi-step lookout towers that provide you with an excellent panorama of both the Manistee National Forest and Lake Michigan.

Night of the Thunderstorm at Big Bass Lake

On a camping trip permeated by rainfall you’d think a thunderstorm would not have unnerved the boys from the Salesian Boys Club one night. The storm swept over the Big Bass Lake area after 2am and the wind was howling. All of us stayed in the tents as the rain just poured down from the sky. Yet all we felt was drips and drabs as the canopy of trees overhead took away the majority of the heavy rainfall.

Some of the boys slept right through that storm even though the thundering was ferocious at times. I looked out my tent flap and could observe white caps on the lake. It was a good thing that we brought our two rowboats well onto land that night as the signs of a storm were telling late in the day by the cumulous clouds overhead.

One of the boys in my tent drew in close to me with every passing thunderclap. As I tucked him back into his sleeping bag I told him that storms make for great sleeping but he said, “How, with all that noise?” I replied that they must be bowling in heaven that night and there were a great many strikes to be had. I don’t think that convinced him that all was well.

After about a grueling hour, the storm passed by and all we heard till morning was the dripping from the trees that consumed most of that water. In the morning one boy groaned that our clotheslines had not done their job as all the clothes were wet. I reassured him that they would be dry by the end of the day which they were. All bad things do pass you know. All in all it was an interesting night at Big Bass Lake. By the way that day after the storm was our only completely dry day of our trip.

Winter at Brookwood by Dawn

Many of the Michigan folk I know warn me that I would probably not enjoy an Irons. Michigan, winter. Heavy snowfall. Cold weather. Getting snowed in unless you have snowshoes, ski or snowmobile. Well, to be honest I don’t mind snow or cold weather. We don’t get that much snow here in the Chicago area, but we used to get a fair amount and with my 4 wheel drive it doesn’t bother me. If I didn’t have to worry about getting in and out of the house to get to work it probably wouldn’t be too bad. They do make snow blowers and plows. And I don’t mind hefting a snow shovel.

I love the soft, clean beauty of the woods clad in snow. The blanket of peace it covers me with is a warmth I truly savor. The way every thing seems so quiet and serene; and yet the way the sound travels better, more crisply without the interference of stereos and horns and televisions, without the hustle and bustle of urban life. The eerie and yet hauntingly beautiful hoot of an owl or the call of a coyote become things of audible joy.

I imagine being at Brookwood in the winter, with a mantle of snow and the dizzying spectacle of sun or moon reflecting from icicle. In my minds eye I am looking out on the clearing to see the ice crystals in the snow reflecting the light of the sun like so many jewels on a bed of white sable. Enjoying the deep prints of wildlife tracking here and there….the slender hoof of the deer that pierce the crust and cluster around the salt lick and the corn I have put out for them, and the tiny scratching on the surface of squirrel and birds, the large pads of a coyote with claw tips apparent, and the other miscellany footprints in the snow.

I look out to the creek and there I can see the spots along the bank where the rushing of the creek has undercut the snow bridges at the edge.

I feel the chill in the air on sleeping porch as I gather kindling from the wood bin to stoke the wood stove and percolate my morning coffee. Then I take my Kindle and travel to Grandmother’s chintz couch in front of the fireplace with mug, Kindle and a piece of homemade Johnny cake fresh from the oven slathered with jam. Tucking my feet beneath me I curl up in the cozy warmth and thank Heaven for another day enjoying the beauty of nature and life.

With a start I realize this was a trip in my imagination, a dream of what might have been, what could be; with a sigh I turn back to my day’s work in the suburbs tucking away my vivid dreams for another time I seek solace, peace and beauty.

What Has Singer Ted Nugent Got To Do With Big Bass Lake?

At one time, this shoreline of Big Bass Lake was owned by the Professional Singer Ted Nugent. He reportedly purchased it from the Hyde Park YMCA when they put Camp Martin Johnson up for sale after closing the camp in te late 1970′s. It was said that Nugent then redeveloped the land for its next usage that being the Heritage Bay Development.  And that company has since constructed many large homes where Camp Martin Johnson once stood.

Regrettably, the founder of that camp, Martin Johnson, sold his beloved property to the Hyde Park YMCA to be used perpetually as a place where children could enjoy.  The Hyde Park YMCA broke that sacred trust when they sold the land to Nugent.  Yet he himself, having suffered a troubled youth, could have made it into another summer camp.  He opted not to go that way.

I have said before that there are any numbers of Michigan Boys Clubs of America that would have loved to be able to own Camp Martin Johnson.  Were they ever contacted by the Hyde Park YMCA much less any other youth service group?  Did Nugent try that or even consider supporting a summer camp for  kids himself?  Natalie Cole and Bryant Gumbel once attended CMJ in their youth.  Perhaps former campers could have purchased the camp much like the Green Bay Packers are owned by the general public. 

Any thoughts on this issue?  There is sure not much information about what Nugent did with the land once he purchased it.  Leave us  comment about what you might know about all this.

Driving Through the Manistee National Forest

It was to be the first off-site trip for the Marion Boys Club and our destination was to the Lake Michigan Recreation Area.  From Noreika Road we hung a right at Big Bas Lake Road and skirted the north portion of our property before making a long turn from it. About a mile later we turned westward onto the Free Soil Road.

On both sides of the road for almost two miles was Bear Swamp (now known to locals as Duck Marsh).  Here the forest was very thick and dark.  The road was also very narrow.  We passed alongside the Big Sauble River twice and son thereafter went by Camp Sauble on the right.  I told the boys that Camp Sauble was not for kids but was part of the State of Michigan Correctional Center.

As we went down a hill the forest gave way to meadows and fields for a time as we approached Free Soil.  There were no stop lights in that community although we did slow down to cross over some very bumpy railroad tracks.  We then went around a long curve before finding ourselves in orchard country and this lasted until we met US 31. 

At that point we tuned left onto that highway and proceeded another mile going north until we met the Recreation Area Road on the left.  At that point, and for the remainder of our trip, the Manistee National Forest was again our companion on both sides of that seven mile stretch.  The road ended at the parking lot right next to a dune that once crossed led us to Lake Michigan. 

The boys always liked this off-site trip as at times we stopped at the Orchard Market on the way home on US 31 for snacks.  They had great doughnuts there and jars of honey with the honeycomb found within the jar.  This was but one, of several, off-site excursions that I took with the various boys clubs that came to our property at Big Bass Lake and nearly all of them were through the Manistee National Forest.

Ludington Lake Effect Snow

At this time of year Ludington, Michigan, receives large amounts of snow from what is called lake effect weather. Sometimes it nearly paralizes the city when it comes down at the rate of over one inch per hour. Roads become nearly impassible and with the winds blowing all that snow around coming off Lake Michigan it makes travel nearly impossible.

The Michigan Highway Department, in my opinion, is second to none as they do an excellent job in removing the snow but lake effect snow keeps the snow coming and drifting always becomes a problem. This winter wonderland is great to view but with a snowmobile as cars can quickly become stuck in the deep snow.

Soon though winter will be a thing of the past and Ludington will again flourish fully as the great tourist town that it is as the town nearly doubles in size. But until then lake effect snow is what occurs here and nothing can be done about it but to grin and bear it.

Dark Skies Coming on Big Bass Lake

I always find it interesting after a hard first days work in setting up camp how any boys club group took to their first evening. As darkness set itself over Big Bass Lake, the Haunted Island in the distance took on a whole new identity for the boys. During the daylight hours it appeared rather tame but now it looked most foreboding to te kids.

The Salesian Boys Club kids had set up camp in a drizzle that day.  The rain had ceased about 7pm that night and the boys found themselves huddled around their first campfire.  With the fire making their vision even less tha before it made that first campfire almost unreal.  Even the commode, perched some fifty yards from camp, seemed to be a most perilous walk.

What the boys would realize is that once they left the campfire area to ready themselves for bed, their vision would be better suited to see much better.  Timmy still said that the island looked spooky and that the commode walk would be somewhat difficult for him at night.  Jughead thought it was more peaceable at night without all the boats roaring about the lake. 

Some of the boys took a brief night swim before retiring to bed.  But you could feel fear in all of them as darkness covered the area.  At the same time, the longer they embraced their circumstances the better it got.  Those that went to bed right after the campfire never gave their eyes time to adjust to the darkness.  The plain fact is that those boys couldn’t wait to get to the safety of their tents. 

Half the boys, though, spent some time away from the campfire either by swimming or walking about the area getting used to their new environment.  The longer they did that the more comfortable the night became to them.  I’ve always found that first night a most enjoyable character study of the boys.  And these kids would help the more fearful adjust during the second night of darkness. 

For me, evening was always most pleasant as it was the only time I had to myself once the kids were all in their tents.  Yes, night-time was a great time at Big Bass Lake.