"Snowmobile" Trails of the UP

Okay, this happened in September, but I didn't post until now because I didn't have the pictures to post with it.

Anywho, there is this old growth forest in the Keweenaw peninsula and I wanted to see it and of course I DO have all sorts of free time so off I go. And I drive places I hadn't driven through yet 'cause they aren't the real touristy spots and stuff and the forest really isn't on many maps. But it is on this one crappy tourist map that doesn't show it having any roads to it, so I know generally where it is. Then I find a road, a real road with a road sign and everything, going in the general direction of the forest so I thought I'd give it a shot. After about twenty minutes of going 10 mph I don't think I'm on a "road" anymore. And then I see this sign and realize I'm on a "snowmobile" trail.

So I stop and dig around my car a bit and pull out an Upper Peninsula map that does have the snowmobile trails on it and find approximately where I am and how far to go to the forest. Yeah, well, the thing is, and I'm surprised more snowmobilers don't get lost and die up here, there is a lot of selective logging. And the logging companies make their own "trails" and do not mark them. Also, those nice tiny orange dimonds are only at some not all of the snowmobile trail crossroads. So yes, I missed my turn and spent and extra hour on the trail making a giant loop back to the old growth preserve. At which point I had to drive through this huge puddle and hit a large rock which dented my tow bar, thank you radiator protecting tow bar! Also in the mean time I believe I found the remnaints of someone who didn't make it.


Anyway, since turning onto the real road that turned into the snowmobile trail it took me two hours to travel about 22 miles. And then I finally found the wood, though their signs are hardly any better than the snowmobile trail signs.

If you can't find the sign it's close to the top of the picture. I took this photo while sitting in the car. The "E. Pines" stands for Escanaba Pines. So I made it there around 6pm and the sun was setting and I didn't have a flashlight so I didn't stay long for fear of getting lost.

After my little hike through the forest I made it out of the woods and ended up in Copper Harbor. I have an almost empty tank of gas and there are three gas stations in Copper Harbor, two went out of business and the third closes at 7pm, or earlier if he feels like it, like on this particular day.

To recap: I'm about 35 miles away from the nearest gas station and 45 miles away from home, running on empty and with spotty cell phone coverage. I decide to go for it 'cause frankly I didn't want to stay in copper harbor that night and then have to tell my boss why I was late for work Monday morning. Oh yes, this was a Sunday. In the mean time as I'm driving my mom calls and I talk to her as I drive a good clip and OF COURSE there happens to then be a road block of deer I have to break for and then my cell phone died. Oops. So after avoiding the deer my empty light comes on a little bit (20 minutes) after that I make it to a gas station. Hurray!

My lesson? Never EVER, go anywhere in the UP with out filling up the gas tank at every gas station you see. 'Cause who knows where the next one will be.

Oh My a Michigan Positive!

Yes, one good thing happened in Michigan. Michigan has barred discrimination against transgender state employees.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm has issued an order that bars discrimination against state workers based on their “gender identity or expression,” which protects the rights of those who behave, dress or identify as members of the opposite sex.

The order, which Granholm signed Wednesday, adds gender identity to a list of other prohibited grounds for discrimination that includes religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, height, weight, marital status, politics, disability or genetic information.

From Feminist Philosophers

Transgender Day of Remembrance

Oh, by the way. Columbus Day and Thanksgiving are bullshit holidays (not that getting a holiday off is bad ya know), but I think it important to point out that today is the Transgender Day of Remembrance. It's to take a moment to remember or reflect on all those who identify as trans and died because of it.

I know this isn't a happy post, but hate crimes are up by 8% this year in the USA and "sexual orientation bias" was identified for the motivation for 15.5 percent of hate crimes committed in 2006.

For more information on crimes against just the Transgender community you can read this interesting post on Feministing. Or visit Transgender Day of Remembrance homepage.

Travel back in time...

to where "old fashioned values" reigned supreme! And realize why they needed to be smashed to bits with a crowbar. Oh yeah, I live in the Upper Peninsula, and I've found that nothing gets my ass out of bed faster than having the radio on in the morning. Man do I HATE the area's radio DJs. They just spew old fashioned shit like someone left the hate valve wide open. Let me give you an example:

A few weeks ago they read on the air Maxim's article called "The Top Ten Un-Sexy Women" Which included Madonna, for being to opinionated, Brittany Spears, for having children, and Sarah Jessica Parker, for not being sexy. And the DJ's go on about how they agree or disagree and discuss these women's bodies on the air. They comment on how Brittany Spears may be un-sexy but she's still sexier than over nintey percent of the women around here are. BUT THEN!!! EVEN BETTER!!! They next go on to talk about women getting plastic surgery and they don't understand WHY women feel they need to get plastic surgery done. Not even five seconds after they discussed about how ugly the women around here are!!! AAARRRGH!!!

And it's not just the DJs it's the commercials on the air too. Just today I heard a commercial for a Honda generator to use at hunting camps. "But beware men! It might make your camp so cozy the ladies will want to join you!" Seriously, WTF.

Next Post: our scary scary right wing paper!

Work is fine, I'm glad I won't be there forever. Now I do Pharmacy callbacks as well. "hello? You got some antibiotics the other day. Do you feel better? Thats good. Thanks for shopping." I was told I can't end a call with RED PRIIIDE!!!! How disappointing.