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Backpacking Trip Fall Weekend Packing
Vince and Stacie discuss fall backpacking gear – what to pack and what to expect when rain is in the forecast!
Product Review: BigBlue 28W Solar Charger
Yes we really camp for two weeks at a time! One question we get asked frequently is how we keep our phones charged. We use a BigBlue28W Solar Charger, with two Xtreme 20,000mAh Power Packs. This is more than enough for our devices. We use our phones to navigate, record videos, take lots of pictures,…
Historic Presevation at Home: The Lochinvar Waterheater
If you know anything about us, you know how much we love historic preservation and old stories. When we had the need to replace our vintage waterheater, original to our home, we reached out to the manufacturer to see if they were interested in having this relic. They were! Company representatives came to our home…
The Invitation
The trees, rocks, shoreline passing by from the kayak on the river. The rise and fall of the canoe paddle in the lake to a four count rhythm, catching the beat of the universe, as old as time. The feel of the soft sticky mud as I get out of my boat and step into…
Product Review and Demo: Jetboil Flash Stove with Java Edition Kit
Camping is a game of continuous improvement for us – we are always learning and adjusting! We love finding new ways to be comfortable, happy, and enjoy things that we love.Every camper has some luxury item they take on the trail. For us it is coffee! We make fresh ground French press coffee every morning…
DIY Hammock Camping Gear
Hammock camping is our go-to! We get a lot of questions about our hammock set up for camping. It is extremely comfortable, even with two people in it! Yes, we really both sleep in the same hammock for our long trips. While it’s not ultralight, splitting up the gear in our backpacks works for us.…
Product Review and Demo: Batiste Dry Shampoo
Product Review: Batiste Dry Shampoo On our recent trip to North Manitou Island for two weeks in our hammock, I tried out dry shampoo for the first time. With long thick hair, I was skeptical but hoped for the best!
Pilgrimage to Pilgrim Haven
Visiting Pilgrim Haven Last week, I visited Pilgrim Haven Natural Area near South Haven for a day hike. The Pilgrim Haven Natural Area is part of the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy (SWMLC), having been set aside through a generous donation by a local philanthropist Suzanne Upjohn Parish. After decades of sitting idle, this special property…
Hammock Camping in the News
Back in 2014, our annual Winter Hang camping trip to Ludington State Park was featured in the Ludington Daily News. Vince was interviewed and photographed as part of the feature story. In an earlier feature, in 2012, Vince’s hammock was featured in a photo at the end of the article.
Time Stands Still on North Manitou
Stacie Longwell Sadowski First Published in the Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear Fall 2020 Newsletter. This is the time of year when we would normally be celebrating progress on the Katie Shepard Hotel Project on North Manitou Island, sharing images and stories from what would have been our 12th consecutive year on the project. Past years…