Equinox Fun in Newaygo Sept 19

Loda Lake (photo by John Winkleman)

based on information from Newaygo County Tourism

Do you like hiking, biking, kayaking, geocaching, star gazing, or even some bluegrass music? If so, the place to be on September 19, 2009 is Newaygo!

A kid's camp will run all day, from 8am to 5:30 pm. Kids can be signed in and picked up at any time, and will include basic camp activities.

Hikes will include a 9-mile guided trek around Loda Lake, well known for its wildflowers. Paddling events will begin both morning and afternoon. Bicyclists can enjoy a road ride, or choose from several trail rides. A geocache event is scheduled for the afternoon.

40 lucky participants will get to try a high ropes course, 20 in the morning, and 20 in the afternoon.

In the evening, everyone can enjoy the Green Sky Bluegrass concert at the Dogwood Center, Fremont, followed by stargazing at the Stephen Wessling Observatory.

All proceeds will benefit polio research and the Camp Henry Scholarship Fund.

See Newaygo County Tourism
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AuSable Outdoor Recreation Expo this Weekend

from AuSable Outdoor Recreation Expo

The AuSable Outdoor Recreation Expo already got underway Friday evening with a "Trout Opener," but there are plenty of activities left for the weekend. The events are being held in Grayling, centered at the conference rooms at Ramada Inn.

Saturday April 25th: Expo hours 9 am – 6 pm

Mike Ridley, a folk/country singer from Indian River, Michigan

10:15 am – 10:45 am: An Introduction to GeoCaching - how you can use your GPS unit to enjoy this outdoor treasure hunting activity.

11:00 am – 11:30 am: An Introduction to Adventure Racing - learn about this non-stop, multi-hour, multi-sport, team or solo event.

11:30 am -12:15 pm Wild Game/Fish Preparation Demonstration Courtesy of Grayling Country Club

12:30 am – 1:15 pm The Historic Lumber Legacy of the AuSable River - a historical perspective on the area

1:15 pm – 2:00 pm Wild Game/Fish Preparation Demonstration Courtesy of Grayling Country Club

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Nature Photography: Images of Northern Michigan by Photographer Thomas Haxby - The session will also include a “how to improve your photography” presentation.

3:15 pm – 3:30 pm Evening Music Concert Preview of modern folk singers Breathe Owl Breathe and opening band SYZYGY

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm Black Bear - Can they live in our world? Can we live in theirs? -

4:30 – 5:30 pm: Presentation by John Dietsch, author of “Shadowcasting” and fly fishing consultant on the movie “A River Runs Through It”.

6:30 – 8:30 pm: Music concert by Breathe Owl Breathe with pre-show performance by Syzygy

Sunday April 26th: Expo Hours 10 am – 4 pm

10:30 am – 11:00 am: Invasive Species Impacts on Northeastern Michigan Resources

11:00 am – 11:30 am: Aquatic Entomology for Fishermen - learn how insects are related to water quality and the success of fly fishing

11:30 – 12:30 p.m. GeoCache Event Finale Lunch

11:30 am – 12:30 pm Presentation by John Dietsch, author of “Shadowcasting” and fly fishing consultant on the movie “A River Runs Through It”.

12:30 – 2:00 pm Lunch with the Legends - Join us for lunch and a fireside chat with some of the legendary residents and fishermen from along the AuSable River.

2:15 pm – 3:00 pm Bird Watching in Crawford County -

3:00 pm – 3:45 pm Landscaping and Managing Your Property for Wildlife - an introduction on how to make your private property more wildlife friendly.

Throughout the Expo: Children’s Activity Table

See AuSable Outdoor Recreation Expo
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Cache In Trash Out

information from Geocaching.com

Cache In Trash Out is an ongoing environmental initiative supported by the worldwide geocaching community. Since 2002, geocachers have been dedicated to cleaning up parks and other cache-friendly places around the world. Through these volunteer efforts, we help preserve the natural beauty of our outdoor resources!

Annually, we celebrate International Cache In Trash Out events where geocachers have an opportunity to participate in coordinated worldwide clean-up efforts. Geocachers host clean-up events in their local area on the same day or weekend as other geocachers around the world. Together, we make an enormous positive impact. Did we mention that we also have a bit of fun while we are at it?

The 7th Annual Cache In Trash Out Events are on various dates in April and May, 2009. In Michigan, on April 25 a Flash CITO event will be held west of Jenison. May 2, at Duck Lake State Park near White Lake, clean-up activities will occur from 9:00am on Saturday through noon. A hotdog and hamburg lunch will be provided from noon-1:00 at the parks pavillion. And May 9, three Ann Arbor parks will be cleaned by geocachers.

See Geocaching.com
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Michiganders Track Treasure

The following is an excerpt from a story which we believe is worthy of reading, but would lose too much of its charm if it were re-written for presentation on this blog. Please link through for the rest of the story, but hurry back! ... Editor

by Frank Witsil

"On a cold morning, Gary Scramling and Jeff Touchtone went on a hunt for treasure.

The men, both 51 and Roseville neighbors, sought a trove hidden in a Madison Heights park among snow-covered beeches and oaks. They knew the coordinates, just not an exact location.

"Follow the arrow," Scramling said, focusing on the digital direction finder on his handheld Global Positioning System device.

Scramling called out the distance to the coordinates: "Seventy feet, 62 feet, 51 feet, 30, 11 feet, 7 feet to the right."

Then, he looked up and saw something: a fallen tree and pile of branches, a possible hiding place.

Geocaching, the high-tech game the men were playing, is full of secrets, code names and sometimes even valuable prizes... "

finish the story at the Detroit Free Press, Jan 12, 2008
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