Northology Adventures October 2022

cover & contents photo by Joshua Colegrove

Haul your boats, bikes and camping gear in one eye catching, affordable package.

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O M B U I L T T E A R D R O P C A M P I N G T R A I L

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Ch quamegon again and again

say it with me...

By Cindy Pope

Chequamegon Nicolet

Or, how locals say it sh

lei Scha wam again Nickle ay

is silent.)

You're going to have to trust me on this one. Listen to it, practice it and soon it will roll off your tongue like Lac Courte Oreilles or Ashwaubenon. Alright, those may be bad examples, and the fact that a fair number of Wisconsin place names are native, French or a combination thereof make it is easy to understand why they are so hard to pronounce I remember when the Packers played the superbowl in Dallas years ago, I caught a local reporter on TV asking folks to pronounce Wisconsin city names. As people (poorly) attempted to say Oconomowoc and Weywauwega, I silently screamed to myself "Make them say Chequamegon! Make them say Chequamegon!!!" They were not asked to say it to my disappointment but I was highly amused nonetheless

"The Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest is a 1,530,647acre U.S. National Forest in northern Wisconsin in the United States. Due to logging in the early part of the 20th century, very little old growth forest remains. Some of the trees that grow there today were planted by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. The national forest lands contain trees and vegetation corresponding to the North Woods Ecoregion that is prevalent throughout the upper Great Lakes region. Legally two separate national forests the Chequamegon National Forest and the Nicolet National Forest the areas were established by presidential proclamations in 1933 and have been managed as one unit since 1998." -WIKIPEDIA

Your weekend guide

A Chequamegon-Nicolet guide for newbies

Want to explore Wisconsin's national forest but do not have a clue where to begin? We are here for you!

BEFORE YOU GO 1 2

Start out at a National Forest Campground Save the dispersed camping for the next trip (more on that later ) Find a campground here

Download the free Avenza app and then install the free National Forest MVUM (Motor Vehicle Use Map ) If you are using Gaia, be sure to download the area before leaving, so you do not have to rely on cell service for the layers & info

Find a few National Forest roads on the MVUM near your chosen campground that you might want to explore Check the table on the map to confirm open dates for the routes you want to check out Make a loose plan for the trip

Call the local ranger office for recommendations on local points of interest, auto tours or recreation sites.

Be aware of hunting seasons if traveling in the fall, and consider alternate dates.

Research campfire safety and current fire conditions. Plan on getting your firewood locally. The Chequamegon Nicolet National Forest prohibits the possession, storage, or transport of uncertified firewood that originates more than 25 miles from your campsite.

Familiarize yourself with Leave No Trace and Tread Lightly camping and vehicle recreation principles

DURING YOUR TRIP

1. 2 3

5

6.

Stop at the local ranger station for a paper MVUM and other printed, local information You may find some cool stuff! Set up camp and check your agenda Remember to bring snacks, water and emergency supplies any time you leave camp Let's go for a drive! Your Avenza or Gaia app will let you know where you are, in real time Use it to explore your chosen roads and confirm your route's open dates as you enter a new road Pin sites on your Avenza or Gaia app and add pictures of places you want to return to, interesting features or dispersed camp sites you want to try next time Don't be afraid to change your plan, or adjust a route It is hard to judge beforehand how long a road will take to travel, how many times you stop to investigate or wander a riverside or how many snack stops will be needed. Take your time and enjoy. Return to camp and congratulate yourself. You just explored a portion of the more than 1.5 million acres of water and woodlands in the Chequamegon Nicolet National Forest! You used the MVUM and your navigation apps to open up a whole new world of recreation and fun. Now make a plan to explore the world of dispersed camping. More on that in an upcoming issue of Northology Adventures!

And if you are still having trouble pronouncing "Chequamegon Nicolet," just say "National Forest " Wisconsin only has one!

Do you want to join a community of like minded adventurers? Do you want access to our favorite spots in the Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota National Forests? Discounts on our events and exclusive and behind the scenes content? Join our Patreon community! You and have access to all that and more for as little as $5 per month! Find out more here.

A thoughtful, curated guide to overlanding in the Lake Superior region. We encourage responsible use, Tread Lightly! ethics and aim to raise awareness and foster stewardship efforts in these areas. Let us know if you'd like to get your business on the map.

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Northology

YEAR FIVE OF KOAR

It started out with the wish to invite vehicle assisted adventure travelers around the midwest to gather and create community Thank you, team, and friends, for making this a reality Thank you Rob, for being the driver behind this concept of the midwest overland family You are missed dearly and we will never forget

2022 KOAR PHOTOS BY JOSHUA COLEGROVE @MITTENTREK

THANK YOU

F O R F I V E Y E A R S O F S U P P O R T

KOAR TEAM THANKS YOU FOR SUPPORT OF THIS COMMUNITY AND EVENT.

f i v e y e a r s o f

FROM ATLANTIC MINE TO COPPER HARBOR OVER THE YEARS.

NEW TO THE PARTY

Joining a community of teardrop camper owners feels like coming home.

BY CINDY POPE

Everyone knows about the "Jeep wave" but do you know about the TC Teardrop wave? It's less of a wave than it is a two hands off the steering wheel, full on double flailing wave accompanied by a slack jawed, eye popping, head shaking "did you see it?!" exclamation outburst. And understand ably so. Yes, Todd and Carol build campers. But when you buy a TC Teardrop camper, you will soon realize you didn't just purchase a quality adventure home on wheels, you just joined a community of enthusiasts that will become lifelong friends. If it sounds like a cult, sorry, it is not, but it is safe to say that the TC Teardrop camper has a cult-like following. And how could it not? They offer a platform for everyone, from the casual, camp grounding family to the hardcore, off road and overland adventurer They fabricate a good portion of their optional modifications (racks, cabinets, LP & water can brackets) in-house and source the best additions from awnings to refrigerators and solar power systems to keep your family comfortable at camp and your mind on your vacation

We joined the TC Teardrop cult in June and had the oppportunity to attend the TC Teardrops Midwest Outing in September. As we gathered around the campfire, Todd and Carol talked about their new projects, answered questions about awnings and towing and their travels Listening to other owners rave about TC's customer service and how they have become not just customers but friends was heartwarming but not surprising. Todd and Carol put so much effort into making this out-ing fun with french fry cook offs and celebrating attendee's birthdays that fell on that weekend, you always know where their hearts are. It spills out into every aspect of their lives and is a huge reason for their success. We are so lucky to have a TC Teardrops camper of our own, but even more fortunate to call Todd and Carol friends.

Above, left, Matt filming some french frying action. Above, the McBride's McFrey entry. Below, left, partaking in birthday treats Below, right, french fries at camp, who would have believed it? Way to go, McBrides!!!

The "French Frey" cookoff was created by Todd and Carol, with the Frey family being the judges. Doug and Ebeth McBride won the honors with their McFreys entry and a little swagger to go along with it. We also celebrated Andrea Frey and Doug McBride's birthday that weekend. What a fun group. Watch Matt Frey's video about the weekend's adventure on his YouTube channel.

MARION LAKE CAMPGROUND

"Marion Lake Campground, located just 4 miles east of Watersmeet, MI, on the Watersmeet Ranger District, offers tranquility and beauty not often found in other high use campgrounds. Designed to take advantage of their location, lakeside spurs provide grand views of the south and west shores, making each sunset a memorable experience. "

USFS WEBSITE

A F L I G H T T O

T H E E N D S O F T H E E A R T H

"...the iconic de Havilland Beaver, a classic bush plane and overall workhorse..." -Isle Royale Seaplanes

Attendees of the Keweenaw Overland Adventure Retreat had the opportunity to book a tour of the end of the peninsula with the local float plane outfit that ferries adventurers to Isle Royale all summer. The outfit is doing fall color tours in October, reserve your spot here. Phots by Joshua Colegrove and Cindy Pope

Five year KOAR team members on the dock before the flight, above. Right, Joshua gets an enthusiastic greeting upon his return Below, the end of the earth

The de Havilland Canada DHC 2 Beaver is a single engined high wing propeller driven short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft developed and manufactured by de Havilland Canada. It has been primarily operated as a bush plane and has been used for a wide variety of utility roles, such as cargo and passenger hauling, aerial application (crop dusting and aerial topdressing), and civil aviation duties... The Beaver's versatility and performance led to it being the preferred aircraft of bush pilots servicing remote locations in the Canadian north, and it is considered by aviation historians to be a Canadian icon. In 1987, the Canadian Engineering Centennial Board named the DHC 2 one of the top ten Canadian engineering achievements of the 20th century. The Royal Canadian Mint honoured the aircraft on a special edition Canadian quarter in November 1999, and on a 50 cent commemorative gold coin in 2008. Large numbers continue to be operational into the 21st century " Wikipedia

WINTER IS COMING

BY ASA MEADOWS

Ah, the leaves have fallen and soon it will be winter. I never camped in the winter before moving to Michigan, I’m so bummed I wasted all those years not doing it. But it’s never too late. My wife thinks I’m crazy, but I think winter camping has some really big advantages over “normal” camping; my two favorite being less people around and less bugs Obviously, cold weather brings challenges in staying warm outside and dry inside your tent, vehicle or however you camp

This article originally appeared in the December 2020 edition of Northology Adventures.

The saying there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes applies to staying warm and dry while adventuring or doing camp things. And I am not one to offer fashion or clothing advice, so I’ll leave that to someone else. In fact, I’m sure there’s some cool flannel or something on the Northology website. Whether you plan on heating your tent or not, it’s always best to have a proper rated sleeping bag for the conditions. If you run out of fuel or in an emergency situation, staying warm is critical. I always have my 0* F mummy bag, wool blanket, some type of head covering and a normal sleeping bag.

Water, water, water, everywhere But what I have experienced is having it rain down on my head in a ground tent, inside my jeep and in my RTT. (I’m going to use “tent” for the rest of this, but it applies to any shelter.) This happens more frequently in the cooler times, as the warm humid air inside your shelter hits the wall or ceiling that has cold air on the outside. When that humid air reaches its dew point temperature, it condenses to liquid form and through cohesion and other cool nerdy hydrogen bonds, defies gravity and waits to drop down on your forehead to wake you up in an unpleasant manner. It gets really fun when it’s below freezing and your tent looks like you are inside an ice cave. The average human breathes out a pound of water overnight. In addition the air already has

"...there's no such thing as bad weather..."

some moisture in it, so just by the temperature differential of the inside vs outside air can rain on your parade.

It’s getting hot in here The next part of a comfortable camping trip is keeping warm overnight and that can play an effect on the tent as it relates to the battle to keep that humid air from condensing. When it’s not too cold outside, I prefer to just have my sleeping bag and a wool blanket and leave the windows open. I do have a battery powered fan to circulate the air, but it's not foolproof. The heat from my body can still create an air temperature differential that leads to condensation. Last year I purchased a tent insulator for my Tepui tent. That creates a buffer from the cold outside tent layer and the warm air that’s inside. With that, and leaving the windows open some, I stayed warm and dry when it was 9*F outside. When I’m going somewhere that has electricity, I take a small space heater, which produces a dry heat.

Another tool I picked up last year was a Mr. Buddy heater. I only use this for warming up the tent before I go to bed, and when I wake up to take the chill off. I’ll also use it in the Annex room if I’m having breakfast or getting dressed in there. Besides the risk of death by CO2 poisoning or fire, burning propane also creates water. The basic equation is c3h8 + 5o2⟶3co2 + 4h2o + Heat. Sorry for geeking out, but if you were to burn a full 1lb bottle of propane overnight in that heater, you would produce about .2 gallons of water (or equivalent of a 750ml bottle of Scotch Neat).

And, just this last week, I ordered from Amazon an all in one diesel heater. I have yet to open the box and try it out, but I’m hoping to before the end of November. The basic premise of this is it’s a dry heat like my electric space heater. The combustion of diesel generates heat (and this is run outside the tent) but there’s a heat exchange so cool air passes by and gets heated up. So no additional water vapor is introduced to the air warming your tent. And this isn’t the super expensive Webasto, it was only about $150, or twice what I paid for my Mr. Buddy.

"

...if you were to burn a full 1lb bottle of propane overnight in that heater, you would produce about .2 gallons of water (or equivalent of a 750ml bottle of Scotch—Neat.)"

What you absolutely need to have Ok, so what do you have to have to have the pe camping experience when it comes to sleeping comfort? It’s the same answer I say to “what’s whisky and how to drink it?” Whatever you hav you like and however you like it And at the en they are just tools.

I might find that I don’t need that diesel heate it will make it easier with controlling condens tent, but honestly, I sleep best when it’s really and I’m warm (not hot) in my sleeping bag. I li options. And even if I do get condensation insi it’s not the worst thing in the world. I usually the best I can, and keep the tent up and wait fo come out and dry it off. I have the hardest tim the spring and fall, so bundle up, get outside t and try it if you haven’t done it before.

It’s the same answer I say to “what’s the best whisky and how to drink it?

WELCOME TO THE CABIN

ABOUT THIS FEATURE

Rustic Retreat Reviews

We don't always camp and we definitely have standards when it comes to non camp lodging Chain hotels? No Haunted houses? No Never remodeled or upgraded in 60 years? No We do love the rustic, the quirky, the historic, the off the beaten path stays In this monthly feature we plan to review some of the places we have stayed and give you an honest opinion

We are compiling a listing of our favorite Hipcamps, Air bnbs, cabins, lodges, yurts, whatever if its fun, fresh or funky, we will let you know

If you are an establishment owner, please reach out and let us know about your place, we want to find the unique and share it with other adventurous travelers!

If you are a traveler who wishes to submit review, please email us immediately!

Ahmeek Copper mine Camp

NearCopperHarborandlocatedonthe groundsofahistoricCoppermine It hastrailheadaccesstotheKeweenaw PeninsulaATV & Snowmobiletrails andisrightoffofUSHwy41

rustic,pittoilets,wateronsite camping&rusticcabins ampleparkingfortrailers

mohawk, mi

Bear Paw Outdoor Resort

Moderncabins&rusticcampingnear theWolfRiver&NicoletNationalForest Pubonsitewithpizza,sandwiches, weeklyspecials&goodbeer

cabins&chaletsfor1 8guests climatecontrolledunits kitchenswithappliances single&groupcampsites rustic&modernbathroomsonsite

White lake, wi

Fresh Coast Cabins

FreshCoastCabinsofferstheultimate rusticKeweenawcabinexperience withthesmalldetailsyouwouldexpect fromaboutiquehotel

fullyequippedkitchensand bathroomswithshowers communitybonfirearea Charcoalgrills sleepupto6dependingonselection

Eagle Harbor, MIchigan

Trails End Campground

EnjoyallthattheKeweenawhasto offerfromtheserusticmoderncabins &beautifulcampsites Openyear roundandclosetoCopperHarbor,Eagle Harbor&LacLaBelle

solarlighting& 12v&USB chargingstationspluswoodstove heatincabins pittoiletsnearcabins&campsites

Copper Harbor, Michigan

photo by Joshua Colegrove

photo by Cindy Pope