NORTHOLOGY ADVENTURES JULY 2020 ISSUE 2
PADDLING SUPERIOR IF THE TRAIL RUNNING SHOE FITS A WEEKEND BETWEEN THE LAKES OVERLAND IN CHITOWN CAMPING AND COMMUNITY SERVICE WHAT IS OVERLANDING?
Custom built TC Teardrop Camping Trailers. Haul your boats, bikes and camping gear all in one eye-catching affordable package! www.tcteardrops.com
contents SPECIALS
FEATURES
EXCLUSIVES
06 SUP Surf Superior
26 Wisconsin Overland Community Service
4
14 Meandering Run - Trial shoes make the man 16
28 What is Overlanding
The Gear Bunker Joolca Shower System Review
24 Chitown 4x4 Open House 2020
Weekend Between the Lakes
Northology Adventures Magazine has made all efforts to make sure that content is accurate on the date of publication. The views expressed reflect the author(s) opinions and are not necessarily the views of the publisher or editor. All content is published in a good faith. Northology Adventures does not guarantee or accept liability for any loss or damage of any kind caused by this magazine or errors in the accuracy of claims made by the advertisers.All rights reserved and nothing can be partially or in whole be reprinted or reproduced without a written consent. By using links in this magazine, you acknowledge that and agree that Northology cannot be held responsible and shall not be liable for content of other websites and advertisements.
CINDY POPE Publisher
Thank you, thank you, at this point, we have had over 800 impressions and over 600 reads of the inaugural edition published a month ago. I am thrilled with the support and excitement that has been generated since work was started in earnest and have learned a lot along the way. Now that most of the country is relaxing covid restrictions, we are begining to roam again. Travel industry expert say that the adventure traveller would be the first segment to venture out and brisk sales of campers, RVs and camping gear are indications of pent up demand for domestic travel. And have you tried to buy a bike or kayak lately?
Personally, I am looking at the reopening and traveling in a Leave No Trace and Tread Lightly perspective. If we can abide by these principles when enjoying our outdoor activities, I think in these trying times we can extend those ideas to the communities and people we come in contact with. I feel like as travelers we are guests and should respect the comfort and wishes of the establishments and residents we encounter. Pay attention, be kind, be respectful. Thank you again to the contributors and advertisers, and mostly to all you fine people reading, posting, sharing and getting excited for the next issue. We have ad space avalable and we are looking for content so if you have a story to tell, pictures to share, or want to connect with this community, email info.northologyadventures@gmail.com and let us know what you are thinking. -Cindy
Hot on Tap
For the last two years, we’ve relied on the Road Shower for personal hygiene while traveling overland. But it has its limitations. ... On the other hand, the HOTTAP is a portable ondemand propane water heater. Utilizing a 12 volt pump and the ability to tap into any water source. Allowing us to have steaming hot water (120F+) at any time of day. Additionally, the ability to tap into a natural water source means you’ll have an unlimited supply of hot water.
READ FULL STORY ON THE GEAR BUNKER WEBSITE
CUSTOM ADVENTURE ITINERARIES OUTDOOR EVENTS & TRIPS CONTENT CREATION SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT THE ROAD NORTH STARTS HERE
What's your story? We are looking for articles & photographs *outdoor & outfitting gear & reviews *exploration & destinations *paddlesports & fishing *vehicle mods & outfitting *biking, hiking, backpacking *electronics & communications info.northologyadventures @gmail.com
Superior
surf
Gitche Gumee
Shining Big- Sea- Water
From Longfellow to Lightfoot we have been captivated by stories of the greatest of lakes. To paddle upon her waters is a joy and a priviledge. Cindy Pope shares thoughts and photos from her travels with friends. Mandy Buehler starts the day right while her dog Remi patrols the shore.
bucket list "It was a bucket list thing, to paddle the big lake. Of course I planned to sneak out while she was sleeping." Cindy Pope
"...and always, of course, the vast glittering heaving lake, the world's largest inland sea, as treacherous and deceitful as a spurned woman, either caressing or raging at the shore, more often turbulent than not, but today on its best company manners, presenting the falsely placid aspect of a mill pond.” ― Robert Traver
beach digs
"Those who have never seen Superior get an inadequate idea by hearing it spoken of as a lake. Superior is a sea." — George Grant, 1872
TRAILS END CAMPGROUND 14203 M26 Copper Harbor, Michigan
IN OCTOBER, 1996, I RAN THE CHICAGO MARATHON ELWOOD TOAST
@CoffeeToastRunner
MEANDERING RUN
I was sucked in by the growth of the sport and for many that meant running a marathon. I’d been running area road races and along the mighty Rock River for years and thought I was up for it. Many of my running friends were doing marathons so I thought I should too. Mistake #1: following the crowd. While I was active in local 5k and 10k road races the closest to running a marathon distance that I had experienced was Syttende Mai, a killer, hilly twenty mile road race in Stoughton, Wisconsin and a handful of half marathons. Mistake #2: not training enough. So I joined the crowd (Mistake #3), hopped on a 4AM bus full of other club runners in late October and took off to run twenty six miles on the flat, hot streets of Chicago. The following week, tired and still having not recovered I went out for a run. After running a few blocks I stopped dead in my tracks, turned around and walked back home. My brain told me I did not want to do this anymore. I was done. Toast. Burned out. I didn’t run again until a year later. After returning to running and over training (Mistake #4) getting injured, recovering from inner knee issues, shin splints and ankle stress (this is when I learned the importance of running in the right shoes) I was invited to run trails with some locals. I had not heard of trail running and had no real interest in trying it. After all, I was a... road runner. Wink. Trail running seemed strange to me and people who hiked and ran trails were, um, different. Eventually I tried it and of course, loved it. Running trails is a completely different experience. I enjoyed nature, fresh air and the solitude but I quickly realized my Nike Structures just weren’t cutting it on the trails. My feet seemingly stepped on every rock in my path and felt beat up after a run. It didn’t take long before the swoosh on my brightly colored running shoes was hidden underneath dirt and mud. Others were running in trail specific brands I’d never heard of. Some with big lugs on the sole, some super light weight or clunky. Remember Vibram Five Fingers? Bad idea.
My search for the perfect trail shoe began (Mistake #5) and I purchased a pair of Salomon XA Pro, mainly because I was sucked in by their cool mountain running videos, the toughness of their shoes and Salomon runners Anna Frost and Rickey Gates. No local dealer so I found REI, tried the XA Pro on and bought them. Eight pairs later and I’m still running Salomon.
If you plan to hike or run rugged trails and want plenty of foot protection the XA Pro could be a wise choice. The tough sole and toe box protect your feet very well. I don’t know how many times I’ve stubbed my toe on a rock and barely felt it. Cool. Salomon’s trail shoes can run slightly narrow, which works for me, and I like that tight, cozy feel. These shoes don’t ‘move’ on your feet or feel sloppy. My heel remains solidly in place when traversing hilly and rugged terrain, something a traditional road or walking shoe simply can’t provide. In the photos below, the orange-soled XA Pro have 500+ miles on them with plenty of sole left. They are tough, solid and stable shoes. Another rugged option is Salomon’s Speedcross 5. While the XA Pro and Speedcross both share Salomon’s unique lacing system, similarities end there. Speedcross is built for speed and climbing fast. They are lightweight and offer less overall upper foot protection. The lugs on the bottom are huge and designed for climbing steeper, more rugged trails and they love the mud. The traction on these is spectacular with the lugs reaching all the way from the heel up to the toes they are well spaced and any mud that collects easily falls away with little need to stop mid-run to pry off dirt or mud. The pictured all black Speedcross have three hundred and fifty trail miles on them and are still good to go. I accumulated well over five hundred miles on my previous Speedcross 4. Happy trails indeed.
LAKE MICHIGAN // LAKE SUPERIOR
A
WEEKEND
BETWEEN LAKES ASA LEE MEADOWS
THE
My original plan for the weekend of June 12th, was to drive up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and camp each night on a different Great Lake. I have been wanting to go to Whitefish point for years, even before moving to Michigan in 2016. When I started dating my now wife, her being from Michigan, I was exposed to all things Michigan: Euchre, Vernors, Bronner’s, and most notably Gordon Lightfoot’s “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” This past year, I also discovered Venture4wd on youtube, when someone in the Michigan Overland group shared his episode where he explored around the UP, coming from his trip through Canada. In that episode, Chris ventured to Whitefish Point, Tahquamenon Falls, and checked out Kitch-itikipi all to himself. He even got stuck in some snow. The irony of a roaming Pennsylvanian exposing a transplanted Marylander, to things that are probably not surprising to a Michigander, is not lost on me.
...AS BURNS SAID, BEST LAID SCHEMES ‘GANG AFT A-GLEY.’
My plan was to leave after work on Friday, having mostly packed the Jeep the night before, and head to Whitefish point for the night, spend Saturday hiking to the Falls, then travel to Kitch-itikipi, spend the night on Lake Michigan, and drive home Sunday. Well, as the famous Scots poet Burns once said, best laid schemes ‘gang aft a-gley.’ And having just changed my oil that week, it was time to rotate my tires. Mind you, I normally do that myself when I change the oil, but the weights have been coming off, and all the ones on the spare, which was about to be rotated into the mix, had all of the sticky weights hanging down, barely holding on for dear life. My time at the local tire shop put me way behind schedule, but I was finally on the road by 6pm.
As I drove north on I-75, my ETA for a dispersed campsite that a fellow overlander shared with me near Whitefish point, was much later than expected. I stopped at a rest area and pulled up the sunset for Paradise, MI. It was going to be a good ½ hour before I would make it there. So now, all the planning I did, and sharing of my expected locations with the wife were invalid. But back to Chris at Venture4wd. This past winter, I was not working, I had binge watched all the previous volumes of his travels. When I started my new gig this year, I decided to be a Patreon for his channel. One of the perks of that, is you can download his way points, tracks, etc. I pulled up Gaia, and noticed that on the south side of the UP along Lake Michigan’s US Route 2, there was a primitive campsite on state land he tagged. I put that into the GPS and I could make it there a good ½ hour BEFORE sunset. I wouldn’t have to set up camp in the dark. I changed my course, texted my wife and said “I’ll be at tonight’s location tomorrow, I’ll let you know where I’ll be tonight when I get there.” I crossed the Mackinac Bridge and headed west on Route 2. It’s a beautiful drive on that road, especially at sunset, with the sun reflecting off the lake.
It’s also a bit blinding with the sun as low as it was getting. I drove right past the two-track where this primitive spot was. I made a u-turn and entered down an overgrown track, thick with trees and the setting sun peeking through.
Making my way down, I spooked a deer, squeezed past a downed tree, and arrived in a very tight spot right on the water filled with swarming flying insects and no room to open my RTT. Ah, gang aft a-gley again! The satellite view of this location looked much better. With the sun quickly sinking, I carefully backed out and got back on the road and headed west, hoping to find any campsite. A very short distance away I came up to Hog Island State Forest Campground. A quick trip though to find an open site and the $15 fee dropped into the payment slot and I was ready to set up. I opened the tent, put boys in PJs and was
able to get a few night shots with my camera. I also got to chat with a nice fellow in the spot next to me, who left me a bunch of firewood for my trip up north the next day.
After a quick breakfast, some walking around the campground, letting the boys climb a diagonal tree and jump down from it, repeatedly, burned off some of the energy to make the drive possible. It was only an hour and a half drive to Kitch-iti-kipi, and the boys did not seem interested in how I described it; until they saw the swing set. That occupied them long enough for me to make our lunch, and then we ventured down the path to the crystal clear spring fed lake. We got in line for the hand powered ferry that takes one over the source of the lake. The boys loved seeing the fish in the open bottom and giggled and screamed.
Now that Saturday had mostly drifted away, I didn’t think I’d have time to go up to Munising and take dirt tracks through the pictured rocks lakeshore area to Whitefish (That will have to wait for another trip). Instead I decided to
It was then time to go to the Lat Lon points my friend had sent me. It started off as a normal road, but we quickly got wet and a little muddy from some very big puddles. There are some houses near here, so I always get leery when I see the
backtrack a little and go north to Grand Marais, and then head eastward to Whitefish. I took some nice unmaintained roads along the
no trespassing and private property signs, but I had Gaia gps and I was on state land. The road suddenly turned to soft sand, and I
shore and toward Deer Park. From there, I went directly to Whitefish point on main roads, and even
wasn’t expecting that. A little fearful, as I had no idea what this track would be like, I was low on
though the shipwreck museum was closed, the beach access was still there. It was time to get some sand on our feet and collect some rocks and driftwood.
gas and hadn’t aired down. I was prepared with a shovel, deflator and a winch, but whenever I have one or both of my boys, my risk tolerance drops significantly.
THIS SPOT WAS A MILLION TIMES MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN THE STATE CAMPGROUND. GITCHE GUMEE WAS CALM AND THE SKIES WERE NOT GLOOMY. I didn’t have to do much sand driving as I was at the site within a ¼-½ mile. I walked up the trail a bit to see if I should continue to a more wooded section, but there was a couple already camped there. Coincidentally, they also had a Jeep Rubicon, but a yellow 2 door. Later in the day another 2 door Jeep Rubicon, this time in red like mine, would drive past us, and back, and set up camp at a spot before ours. In my head, I’ll think of this spot as Rubicon point, but that’s just me being a Rubicon snob. Having capable rigs nearby also removed any doubts I had about being in a remote spot like this. The spot was a million times more beautiful than the state campground. Gitchie Gume was calm and the skies were not gloomy. I set up the Jeep with the front of the tent facing the lake. I wanted the boys to see the sunset over the water, and wake up and see a lake like they did the
previous morning. The boys really enjoyed putting their toes in some still frigid water and rolling down sand hills. I dug a hole in the sand and had a nice fire going very quickly. I was able to put the boys to sleep and have some time for myself to enough a little Scotch and do some astrophotography. Unfortunately, I was a bit overzealous with my camp fire, and the light it put out did not work out well for long exposures. Sleeping with small waves crashing is very relaxing, and even though my trip was rushed a bit, it was well worth it. The next day I packed up camp and took the boys to Tahquamenon Falls. They were ready to go home, and the oldest (5) didn’t want to hike anywhere. But once he got on the path, and could run, both boys were off to the races. He even made a friend and said he’d see him next week. I love how little kids become best friends in minutes. We had ice cream for lunch and on the ride home I took the St. Ignace - Trout Lake ORV route. It’s a nice flat path, and I was trying to stretch out the most time I could to be off pavement. The trip didn’t go as planned, but that was only in the order of places I wanted to go. The plan was to have some adventures with my boys, enjoy the beauty of the UP and just slow down. That plan didn’t “gang oft a-gley.”
Great Life Brand 1615 Ludington Street Suite B
Escanaba, Michigan greatlifebrand.co
Vehicle mods Consultations Overland gear Visit us on facebook
COMMUNITY SERVICE WISCONSIN OVERLAND LENDS A HAND BY CINDY POPE
Please
do
not
think
disrespectful
when
time
the
i
shrine like
saw statue,
I
The red
L'Anse
&
reach
say
it
looked
a
comic
rock
of
sits
bluff
wood
skyward
tentacles.
first
Baraga
out
Keweenaw
of
being
the
Bishop
monument
striking
arches
I
am
thought
something
book.
I
like
resident,
involved
Nancy
with
Haun,
the
is
Barga
Foundation and care taking of the grounds.
She
mentioned
that
they
had acquired land adjacent to the shrine
and
needed
volunteers
to
clear some campsites for drop-in,
Bay. in
Doctor on
a
local
overlooking
clad
Resting
atop
A
a
Large
by
metal
Wisconsin Overland members set a
Octo
date to help out and do a little PR
stainless
donation
camping,
and
for the overland cause.
steel cloud, the Bishop holds a 26' pair
of
and
a
snowshoes 7'
crucifix
in in
one the
hand other.
We
arrived
camping
at
at
the
the
after
Sturgeon
River
Maybe my impression is due to an
Gorge.
overactive
work of the two campsites and we
imagination
andÂ
the
Many
shrine
fact that I have not been exposed
spent
to
chasing
much
imagery,
Catholic being
religious
raised
in
a
wilds
the
of
hands
rest
the
Huron
camping
on
shrine
Superior.
Thanks
is
impressive
and
the
views
to help!
the
waterfalls,
Swedish Covenant church, but the
from the bluff are amazing.
of
the
made
quick
weekend
roaming
Mountains shore
to
all
the and
of
Lake
who
came
COMMUNITY SERVICE
L-R
Dan
Gollnick,
Jeff,
Michael
Potter,
Cindy
Pope,
Katie
Taylor, Mark Cocco, Adam Collins, not pictured, Colton James
Bishop Baraga Shrine Address: 17570 US-41, L'Anse, MI Directions: On US Hwy 41 west of town. Look for the "Bishop Baraga Shrine" teepees on the south side of the road, which mark the turnoff. The statue is inland, atop a bluff among the birch trees, looking out over US Hwy 41 to Keweenaw Bay. The campsites are just past the shrine parking lot off of Lambert Road. Hours: Shrine 24/7. Gift Shop Th-M 11-5 (Call to verify) Phone:906-353-7779
WHAT IS OVERLANDING? JASON FLETCHER @allthingsoverlanding
Definition: Overlanding is self-reliant overland travel to remote destinations where the journey is the principal goal. Typically, but not exclusively, it is accomplished wit mechanized off-road capable transport (from bicycles to trucks) where the principal form of lodging is camping, often lasting for extended lengths of time (months to years) and spanning international boundaries. Overlanding is a term that is becoming more and more popular. However, it's still something that most people aren't even aware of. What is it? Where did it originate? Has the definition changed over the years? What's so special about it? The goal of this article is to answer those questions and to get you interested in giving it a try if you haven’t already!
History of Overlanding The term "Overlanding" was coined in Australia in the early 1900's. One of the early people to inspire this term was Len Beadell. In the 1940's and 50's, he was responsible for constructing about 3,700 miles of road through the Australian bush which finally made some of the more remote parts of Australia accessible. Some of these roads are still used by Overlanders today. Originally, the purpose of these roads was to access remote sites from cattle farms to secret atomic bomb testing facilities to air strips. He and his crew would often spend extended periods of time in the bush and he depended on his trusty Land Rover to get him where he needed to go. Later on, the term for Overlanding took on a different meaning with the running of the Camel Trophy events. This Overlanding race ran from 1980 until 2000. It was best known for the Land Rovers that traversed extremely challenging terrain during the race. These Land Rovers were heavily modified in order to succeed in such challenging conditions. The modifications included winches, roll cages, modified electrical systems, transmission breathers, snorkels, upgraded transmissions and suspension, larger mud terrain tires, lighting, bull bars, and more.
Modern Definition of Overlanding Since those earlier days of Overlanding, the definition has changed pretty dramatically. Overlanding has become quite popular and as a result, there are some tropes that have become almost comical. For example, people with Trasharoos (heavy duty trashbags that often hang on the outside of the vehicle) sometimes have to endure some ribbing about them being "true overlanders" due to the omnipresence of the stigmatized trash bag. There is also another stereotype that most Overlanders are hipsters. There definitely are some people who can ascribe that stereotype to themselves and there are also people who spend tons of money on their rigs and mods. However, in my opinion, the key is that they get out and actually take it off road and on trips. Whether you spend thousands or just go with what you’ve already got laying around, taking trips and exploring is what makes someone a real Overlander. Despite my Trasharoo and my tendency to love gear (and patches, don't forget the patches), I do get out as frequently as possible to try to hit the most challenging trails to push my rig and my skills as a driver. So, while we Overlanders may not be forging into the great Outback of Australia to craft roads where no one has been before, we are getting out there, getting away from the grind of normal life, and enjoying nature!
Flexibility and Options for Overlanding Lastly, the best thing about Overlanding is the sheer number of different options for the way you can do it. There are numerous vehicles that would work great for Overlanding trips. There are literally thousands of options for different gear that can make life easier or help you do more while away from home. Some of the most popular options for Overlanding rigs are Jeeps, Toyotas, Land Rovers, and I personally drive a Nissan Xterra. Choosing your rig is a lot of fun and allows you to show your personality and to differentiate you from everyone else that may be into Overlanding. Once your rig is selected, you get to decide how you want to modify it. Do you want to go with a 6 inch lift and 40" tires? Are you more about the way your truck looks or the way it functions? Do you want a
full sliding drawer system in the back that gives you easy access to your fridge/freezer? Or, do you just want to throw a couple of Plano crates in the back and take off for the weekend? With so many choices, the hobby never gets boring! Some people spend thousands of dollars and some people spend very little, if any. This is yet another way for you to make your vehicle, gear, and experience what you want through either spending money or using your skills and ingenuity. Once more, it doesn’t matter what your budget, as long as you’re learning from each trip and improving your setup to make the most of each future trip! If you want to learn more about Overlanding, starting with the basics, feel free to check out my YouTube channel where there are a number of useful resources! Thanks for reading and get out to live, learn, and discover!
THE LOWDOWN IN CHITOWN
Toyota
enthusiasts
gathered
once
again
at
Staff
greeted
Chitown 4x4 for their annual open house. Groups
social
in attendance included Chicago Tacoma Group,
Truck
kept
Chitown
gave
a
Toyotas,
Overlanders, Overland,
Chicago
Illinois
Chicago
Fj
4runner,
Overlanders, Cruisers,
Midwest Wisconsin
Chicago
Tundra
attendees
distancing
with
guidelines.
everyone mobile
fed
&
comms
raffle Bricks
tickets
and
Oven
Pizza
Jack
Flood
presentation
and
hydrated,
giveaways included items from Total Collision & PDR, G3 Fabrication, TC Teardrops,
Oztent, Baja
Group, Chicago Landcruiser Group, Toyota Land
Designs, Redilft, & KOAR. It was awesome to see
Cruiser
all
Association,
Overland
Bound,
Keweenaw Overland Retreat (KOAR.)
and
the
rigs
set
up,
see
old
friends
&
make
ones. Thanks again Joe & co for a great day!
new
PHOTO BY CINDY POPE
