9 minute read
To the AuSable and back
Across County Lines
By Mark Constance
Years ago my parents used to bring us north from Detroit for two weeks every summer. We always stayed at the family cottage in Baldwin Township, north of Tawas.
My grandfather, Bud Holland, and my Uncle Tommy had built it from the ground up in the summers of 1956 and 1957. My brother and sisters developed many of our lifelong memories there.
Although we spent most of the summer in the waters of Lake Huron, one of the regular places my parents took us to visit was Lumberman’s Monument.
The monument today is very nice. Historical displays, interactive presentations, paved roads, walking paths and a visitor center. A convenient walkway to get down to the river. It’s a great place to visit with some amazing vistas of the AuSable River.
But back when we were kids it used to be a hand-hewn path from the top of the ridge, straight to the AuSable, a few hundred feet below.
But the path did have a few curves and “steps” if you want to call them that. They were a series of cedar logs stacked 4-5 high and anchored into the side of the hill. The space behind the logs was backfilled with sand to create the appearance of a step that was not quite two feet high.
Well, one day my sister, Kelley and I, decided to have a race to the bottom. My mom stood at the top (she always said if she went down she’d never get back up) telling us not to run down the hill. But who listens on vacation in the summer right?
At “GO” we started down. The steps were wide enough that we could just make it side by side in places. And they were close enough together that you could hit the top log every two steps and didn’t have to climb down.
As we got close to the bottom I was ahead by a bit and started to push a little harder. I could almost see the water about 50 feet away when I hit a wet spot on one of the logs. I lost my balance and started to tumble the rest of the way down, bouncing over sand and wood, yelling the whole time.
At the bottom there was a
See TO THE AUSABLE on page 5
FARMERS' MARKETS:
Wed: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.- Northeast
Michigan Regional Farm Market4440 US-23, Oscoda
Wed: 1:30- 5:30 p.m.- Ogemaw
East Branch Library Farmers Market- 220 Washington St, Prescott
Thurs: 2 – 6 p.m.- Grayling
Farmers Market- 213 N. James Street, Grayling
Fri: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.- Houghton
Lake Farmers Market- 1681 W. Houghton Lake Dr, Prudenville
Fri: 2 – 6 p.m.- Standish
Farmers Market- 107 N Main St,
Standish
Sat: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.- West
Branch Farmers Market- S 3rd
Street, West Branch
Sat: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.- Sunrise Side
Family Market- AuSable Township
Parking Lot
Sat: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.- Gladwin
Farmers Market- 200 N State St, Gladwin
Sat: 10 a.m.- 3 p.m.- Roscommon
Village Market- AuSable River Center, 211 South Main, Roscommon
Sat: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.- Plainfield
Township Farmers Market- 220
West Washington, Hale
Sat: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. -Arenac
Conservation District Farmers Market- 107 N Main Street, Standish
Sat: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.- Northeast Michigan Regional Farm Market815 W. Lake Street, Tawas City
Out & About - July 2023
CRAWFORD COUNTY: Grayling, Frederic, Lovells
1- Sunrise Side Family Market8 a.m. – 1 p.m.- A Visit from Bigfoot and Live music from The String Beans-AuSable Township Parking Lot
3- Patriotic Sing Along- 11 a.m.Council on Aging
4- Grayling Parade-Line up at 10 a.m.- Parade at 11 a.m.
5- Project Fresh-10 a.m.Crawford County Residents
60+- Council on Aging
11- Project Fresh-1 p.m and 2:30 p.m.. -Crawford County Residents
60+- Council on Aging
12- Mindfulness Class: Begins with a Breath-10 - 11 a.m.. - Council on Aging
14- Memorabilia and History Team Organizing Friday-9:30 a.m.-
1 p.m.
15- Sunrise Side Family Market- 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.-Live
Music Brad Corpus & Son-AuSable Township Parking Lot
17- CPR/AED Class-1 -5 p.m.Council on Aging- Must Register by Calling- 989-348-7123
19- Project Fresh-10 a.m.-
Crawford County Residents
60+- Council on Aging
20- BBQ Chicken and Ice Cream Social- 4:30 p.m.-6 p.m.Council on Aging
22- Sunrise Side Family Market- 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.- Live
Music- Kristine Goodwin-AuSable Township Parking Lot
25-Birthday Lunch- 11:30 a.m.-
12:30 p.m.- Council on Aging
29- Sunrise Side Family Market- 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.- Live
Music Brad Corpus & Son-AuSable Township Parking Lot
Crawford County Extras
Mon-Fri- Council on Aging
Lunch- 11a.m.-12 p.m.
Mon-Fri- Council on Aging
Dinner- 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Tues- Bible Study – 10 a.m.
Crawford County Commission on Aging & Senior Center
Tues- Euchre – 1-4 p.m.
Crawford County Commission on Aging & Senior Center
Tues- Diamond Dancers – 6 p.m.
Crawford County Commission on Aging & Senior Center
Wed- Mahjong – 1-3 p.m.
Crawford County Commission on Aging & Senior Center
Wed - Bike Night, at 7 p.m., Gallagher's Sports Bar & Grill, 3997
E. M-72
Thurs- Craft & Chat – 10 a.m.
Crawford County Commission on Aging & Senior Center
Thurs- Penny Bingo – 1-3 p.m.
Crawford County Commission on Aging & Senior Center
Fri- Pantry Bingo – 1-3 p.m.
Crawford County Commission on Aging & Senior Center
Fri. - Trivia, at 7:30 pm, MI Brew
Tues- Diamond Dancers – 6 p.m.
Crawford County Commission on Aging & Senior Center
Mon & Wed- Pickleball 9-11 a.m. Crawford County Commission on Aging & Senior Center
Mon & Wed- SilverSneakers – 10-11 a.m. Crawford County Commission on Aging & Senior Center
Tues & Thurs – Pickleball, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Crawford County Commission on Aging & Senior Center
Tues & Thurs- Zumba Gold – 10-11 a.m., Crawford County Commission on Aging & Senior Center
Tues & Thurs- Walk off the Winter Blues- Crawford County Commission on Aging & Senior Center
Fri. - Trivia, at 7:30 p.m., MI
▪ See OUT & ABOUT on page 5
Up North Voice
A Division of AuSable Media, LLC
A veteran-owned business located at 709 Lake Street, PO Box 113, Roscommon MI 48653
“Friend, guide and companion of all good people”
Up North Voice is published monthly and distributed in Roscommon, St. Helen, Houghton Lake, Higgins Lake, Grayling, Lovells, Waters, Gaylord, Johannesburg, Lewiston, Comins, Atlanta, Mio, Fairview, McKinley, Rose City, Luzerne, Lupton, West Branch, Skidway Lake, Hale, Glennie, Curran, Tawas City, East Tawas, National City, Whittemore, Prescott, AuSable and Oscoda. It is available at newsstands or annually for $40.
Stories, advertisements and photos are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the publisher. UpNorthVoice.com is updated daily with breaking news and photos.
989-275-1170
Out & About
8- Roscommon Art FestivalDowntown Roscommon- For more info call 989-275-8760
Mon- Zumba Class- 4:45- 5:45 p.m.
Brew
1st Sun. - American Legion Breakfast Buffet, at 9 a.m., American Legion Post 106
1st Tue.- Friends of a Feather- 9 a.m. Crawford County Commission on Aging
2nd Mon. - Post meeting, 7 p.m., American Legion Post 106
2nd Tues - Grayling American Legion Aux Post meeting, at 5:30 p.m., Grayling
2nd Thurs- Veterans Coffee hour, 10 a.m., Grayling American Legion
2nd Thurs - Families against Narcotics, 6:30 p.m., St. Francis Episcopal Church
2nd Sat. - Euchre Tournament, 6 p.m., American Legion
To the AuSable
Continued from page 2 overlooking the river. I rolled to the end of the cliff and my momentum carried me over the edge and into the river, where I landed face down in about two inches of water, my face hitting the stones on the river bottom.
I can still recall the sting.
I could hear Kelley yelling as I started to roll over on my back to get up. She was peeking over the cliff edge and asked if I was OK. Sitting up and picking the pebbles out of my cheek, I yelled back at her, “BEAT
ROSCOMMON COUNTY: Roscommon, Higgins Lake, Prudenville, Houghton Lake, St. Helen
1- St. Helen FireworksRichfield Twp. Park
2- Kirtland Warbler Festival Home Opener – 7 a.m.-9 a.m. and 5 p.m.- 8 p.m.- Marguerite Gahagan Nature Preserve, 585 Southline Road, Roscommon- Donations Welcomed
6-9-St. Helen Bluegill Festival
6-Thursday Concert-Risque' 7-9 p.m.-Trestle Park
7-American Legion Hot Boats! -American Legion Post 416, 10062 Ford Drive
8-Fireworks on The Lake- 2 locations at once- Trestle Park- Food and Entertainment
YA!”
We took a drink from the spring coming out of the side of the hill, then helped each other back to the top where our family was waiting.
I was pretty bruised and battered, and Kelley had cut her neck pretty bad running through a tree branch. My mom chewed us out then took us back to the cottage where she patched us up before we started on our next adventure.
But what a great race we had. To the AuSable and back.
14-15- Blues Festival featuring Larry McCray
15-Helping Hands 5k Run & Auction- For more info call Roberta Kary 989-632-3300
20- Thursday Concert-Stone Street Revival-7-9 p.m.- Trestle Park
21- Gazebo Summer Concert Series-Neil Diamond Tribute- 7 p.m.- CRAF Center 606 Lake Street Roscommon- Free
22- Lake Association Family Fun Fest-Boat Launch Area W. Airport Road
22- The Kirtland Garden Club's 27th Annual Garden Tour- 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Rain or Shine- $10 Tickets can be purchased at Clarabella Flowers, Claire, Tip'n the Mitten, White Pine & Petals, Grayling, Bart's Fruit Market, R&J's Best Choice Marketplace, Houghton Lake, and Roscommon Floral/Growing Up Greenhouse, White Pine & Petals, Roscommon.
22-23-Dirty Bluegill Girls Softball Tourney-Richfield Twp Park- Game starts at 9 a.m.
23-Boat Wash-Boat Launch Area- W. Airport Road- Starts at 10 a.m.
27- Good Shepherd UMC Community Dinner-5-6:30 p.m.149 W. Robinson Lake Road, Roscommon
Continued from page 4 ▪
Roscommon County Extras: Mon - Reserve tech HelpHoughton Lake Public Library
Mon, Thurs, Fri- St. Helen Baptist Church Food Closet, 12-3 p.m.
Mon, Thurs, Fri- AA Meeting, St Helen Baptist Church, 10-11a.m.
Tues – AA Meeting, St Helen Baptist Church 7-8 p.m.
Weds- Make Shop at Made Up North- Craft workshops during the day- call for more information 989281-1250
Thurs – Roscommon Ukes Strum and Sing, 1 p.m., Roscommon Area District Library
Thurs - Sit & Get Fit, 2:30 p.m., Roscommon Area District Library
Fri - Story-time Fridays, 10:30 a.m., Houghton Lake Public Library
Fri- C.A.I.R (Christians Associated in Recovery), 7 p.m. St Helen Baptist Church
Sat- Zumba Class- 10-11 a.m. CRAF Center $20
1st Thurs- Veteran's Coffee Hour- 9 a.m., Blogett Airport Houghton Lake
2nd Sun. – VFW Country Breakfast, 8 a.m., VFW Post 4159
2nd Thurs. – B2B Breakfast, 8 a.m., Village of Roscommon
3rd Wed. – Michigan Fireman’s Memorial Festival Meeting 6:30 p.m.
Check the MSU Extension Webpage for their list of upcoming classes at http://bit.ly/MSUEevents or call 989-275-5043
Legendary Grayling
Continued from page 1
River. It has a catch and release pond for children with two docks and more than a few turtles including a massive snapper. There are also two ponds that wild trout come and go freely from, and a newly developed bug station to learn about what the fish eat.
The hatchery is experiencing a new lease on life as a non-profit with the generous support of community members’ involvement and donations. Local conservation groups such as the Anglers of the AuSable, and educational groups such as the AuSable Institute, bring educational opportunities to local school children and visitors from near and far.
It is the intention of the hatchery to be accessible for all and is a great place for residents to step into their backyard to experience a slice of the peace that the AuSable offers without having to leave town.
The hatchery hopes that visitors will be captivated and become inspired to get involved with our rivers and to realize that they can create a lasting impression on future generations.
The concept that everyone is a public landowner and has responsibility in such, and that we can learn about and contribute to a better river future, is embodied at the Grayling Fish Hatchery.
You can see and feed the historic Grayling, sit and watch the trout swim by and enjoy the call of the birds while fishing with your children for free every weekend through the summer before the fish (with the exception of the Grayling) are dispersed to Howe's Lake in the fall.
Learn more about the hatchery in person, on their Facebook page, on Instagram, or their website www. graylingfishhatchery.org
Truly an understated gem of Crawford County and Northern Michigan, the Grayling Fish Hatchery's progress in creating a space and future for outdoor education and in creating a viable habitat for the storied Grayling fish are not to be missed.
A visit to the hatchery this summer holds the promise of a once in a lifetime, or at least once in 100 years, experience that you won't soon forget.
Out & About
Continued from page 5
IOSCO COUNTY: Hale, Whittemore, Tawas
Iosco County Extras:
Mon - BINGO, 6:30 p.m., Whittemore Chamber of Commerce
3rd Tues. - Whittemore Chamber Meeting, 7 p.m., 405 E. Sherman Street
3rd Thurs- Veteran's Coffee Hour- 9 a.m. American Legion Post 211 900 E. Lincoln, East Tawas
