June 11, 2021 - Friday morning

59 degrees/partly cloudy skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

I love the above banner. Sargie gave it to me sometime ago and it now proudly hangs by the front stoop. 

Before I get into yesterday's nonevents, I have a few family/friend photos.

Nikki sent this one of Squirt and Kylie taken for Squirt's first birthday. Both granddaughters, sisters, are beautiful.

Taken on her second birthday, I received this picture of great niece, Aria's, new set of wheels. Sasha and Aria are now sporting matching cars.

And lastly, our friend, Hanna, a fellow long distance hiker, just returned from a four day trek through the Porcupine Mountains and along the shores of Lake Superior. It was her friend's first overnight hiking experience and I'm told that despite an over abundance of both mud and mosquitoes, Hannah and her buddy persevered and their journey was pronounced a success.

Closer to home, Sargie and I spent much of Thursday in Iron Mountain purchasing supplies for Macrea's and my upcoming section hike on the Superior Trail in Minnesota.

Seems my bride has become a supply specialist and by the time we arrived back on Pentoga Road, we had enough food to feed the starving third world countries. 

The biggest problem now is pack weight. Last night, mine was weighing over twenty pounds that included four days of food and two liters of water. There are still a few items to be added, which means some that are packed will be left behind. It's a weight game all hikers play.

The storms once again flew around us yesterday afternoon with no precipitation dropping on Pentoga Road. At least the temperature has fallen considerably making life much more bearable.

Time to head out the door for my morning stroll. I made a "down and dirty" video yesterday and quickly edited it this morning. Assuming cell/data reception permit, I'll do the same on a daily basis next week.

After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

After first trying it out, Macrea decided to use my old, trusty, L.L. Bean tent for next week's hike.

June 10, 2021 - Thursday morning

63 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Supposedly, today's to be the last of the record setting days in this current heat wave. Tomorrow's temperature is to drop to a mere 80 degrees with lower, more normal days ahead. I hope so. Just the mere act of living has been a real slog this week.

I'm a northerner, from northern Maine and northern Alaska, a real northerner, and don't take heat easily. I don't like to sweat, hate the feeling of closeness that heat causes, don't want to be touched or touch anyone, and most of all, detest the constant sweat that runs into my eyes. 

These high temperatures have a way of wearing on one's personality. On day one of this heat wave, Sargie and I, both, made reference to the coldest days of last winter when temperatures were hovering between -30 and -40. We laughed and commented how nice it would have been to have slipped in a good old-fashioned summer day during that record setting cold.

Day two saw almost normal activity. We retired to the house by early afternoon only to emerge later to water the flowers and garden and enjoy the cooler evening temperatures.

Day three brought more than a few groans from my bride and me. 

"How long's this heat going to last? Will it ever rain again?" 

Those questions and more were asked throughout the day.

We enjoyed a long drive and soaked up the air conditioning in the car, knowing that once the ride ended, we'd be confined to the house. We don't have air conditioning, but by keeping the house closed produces a basement-like effect of cooler temperatures. 

The fourth day of heat began to wear on our personalities. Confined inside, I told her I couldn't hear her when she spoke and to please, speak up. She told me to listen. We were both edgy. When hugging, something we normally do quite often, we found our skin had turned to velcro. Separating produced an unpleasant tearing sound and a feeling that we'd left part of our skin on the other person.

Giving each other the stink eye began on day five. If looks could talk... well, let's not go there.  

Thankfully, temperatures are to return to normal beginning tomorrow and there's little doubt the world on Pentoga Road will become a better place. We can once again go outside during the daylight hours, my hearing will improve and Sargie will speak louder. Laughing, dancing, acting crazy, and snuggling, will once again become the rule, not the exception.

C'mon, Carl the Weatherman. For just one lousy time in your life, be right, would you? Bring on the cooler weather.

After all, a man's work, even that of a weatherman, is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

PS - I spent much of yesterday sorting out my old hiking equipment for Macrea to go through in preparation of next week's 57 mile trek in Minnesota.

He arrived mid afternoon and we had a good visit while sorting through backpacking goodies.

In other news, there's a new batch of frog tadpoles in the pond. Where's Hambone when we need him? 

And last but not least, despite the heat and lack of rain, the daisies are beginning to bloom in mass along Pentoga Road making my early morning walks not only pleasant, but beautiful. They truly are a gift from God.

Okay, let's see. Sargie and I snuggled earlier this morning while the temperature was still cool.

Check.

I've had my coffee and written my emails and texts.

Check.

Some semblance of a blog has been written and about to be uploaded.

Check.

I guess the only thing left is to strap on the hikers and get to walking.

NOW I'll say it.

After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

June 9, 2021 - Wednesday morning

64 degrees/ clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Sometimes life's not fair. Dark storm clouds surrounded us yesterday afternoon. It was all but guaranteed that rain would fall, not a few drops, but real rain. It's been six weeks or more since we've seen a significant shower.

I was excited. After a long, hot, day, that at one point, saw the thermometer reading 94 degrees, we were finally going get some relief. Late in the afternoon and almost giggly, I hurried and took a shower before sitting on the front porch waiting for the nearby storm clouds to move overhead.

Lightening was zig zagging across the sky to the southwest, rain falling to the west. The lucky people to the north were already getting soaked. The storms couldn't miss us. According the radar, we were smack dab in the middle of the bullseye.

After arriving home from a seven and a half mile slog earlier in the day, I'd mowed the immediate yard. Sargie was busy in the house and gave me permission to groom what has become her lawn.

Hot, dry, and dusty, streams of sweat pouring down my face quickly became miniature mud slides. 

It was brutal, but in the end, our normally dark green yard, the one that is rapidly showing shades of brown, was mowed.

Sargie and I watered the flowers and garden later in the afternoon. Hearing thunder in the distance, we continued. To stop might jinx any chance of receiving rain.

Yeah, well, it didn't make any difference. Yooper Brother Mark recorded .8 of an inch, Ross almost half an inch to the east. 

Though the rest of the area may have enjoyed a thorough soaking, the few drops that fell on Pentoga Road quickly evaporated. Next chance of rain is Friday evening. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

I'm heading out the door for my morning walk before it gets too hot. Today's hike will be a relatively short three mile jaunt.

Speaking of hike, Macrea's to come this afternoon to sort through my old hiking paraphernalia and pick out what he wants to use/take with us on next week's fifty seven mile section hike on the Superior Trail. Other than that, I may try to talk Sargie into doing a Pentoga Road rain dance.

After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

Mama and baby

I saw three pairs on yesterday's walk

Lake Superior

 Redridge, Michigan

June 8, 2021 - Tuesday morning

64 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Monday was one of the most fun days either Sargie or I have had in some time. I can best describe it in a simple equation:

perfect hostess + perfect weather + pristine lake = perfect day

... and indeed it was.

Sargie and I pointed the car north as soon as I arrived home from my morning walk. The day was hot and humid early on and with highs forecast to be near 90, we were eager to get to the cooling shores of Lake Superior in Redridge, about two hours drive straight north.

Debbie was, indeed, the perfect hostess. We enjoyed a picnic lunch soon after arriving. Sargie's brother, Pat, Debbie, Sargie, and I, sat around the kitchen table talking and laughing where we could hear the lapping of the waves along the shore as we ate. A simple ham sandwich never tasted so good. 

The remainder of the day was spent being lazy. If we weren't sitting in the yard that overlooked the lake, we were on the beach wading, looking for precious rocks in the water, or in my case, swimming and fishing.

As is usual for these special times, I'll simply post the pictures. It's not difficult to fill in the blanks.

I was happy to see that Mother Nature has made an initial attempt at repairing the shoreline by filling in several feet of sandy beach. Where we stood on bare sandstone last year, we were able to walk on beautiful sugar sand yesterday.

After thank you's, hugs, kisses, and I love you's, all round, we arrived home last evening sunburned, tired, and very happy. The mini summer break had been exactly what we needed during this late spring heatwave. Sargie and I toured the yard and garden and unless we get some meaningful rain, harvested the last of this spring's asparagus.

Bedtime came soon after showers and a bowl of ice cream. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day.

It's back to reality today. I'm going for my walk at first light. Macrea and I are supposed to do a 57 mile section hike next week on the Superior Trail in Minnesota, so I need to begin some preparation, although, other than a three to four day supply of food, my pack is ready to go. 

Time to get this uploaded and think about getting the day started.

Debbie might be the reincarnation the famous WWII pin up girl, Betty Grable.

After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

June 7, 2021 - Monday morning

68 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Sunday has to go down as one of the laziest days we've had in a long time. With the wind gusting to over 30 mph and the thermometer reading into the 90's, doing nothing seemed like a great idea.

My morning walk was shortened due to the high temperature. I thought I'd put seven miles under my feet, but cut it short to four miles. At one point, not far from the house, I came across a mama deer that let me walk fairly close. That told me she had a fawn nearby, but I never did see the baby.

The hike into the national forest on the Wisconsin side of the Brule River was enjoyable.

Sargie and I left later in the morning for a long ride. We visited several lakes and found a new road or two that we'd never traveled.

What was left of the day was spent binge watching the old medical series, ER, on Hulu. It's as captivating now as it was almost twenty five years ago and equate it to the medical/hospital equivalent to the old mini series, Lonesome Dove. Once you start watching, it's hard to quit.

Sargie and I sneaked out of the house last evening to water the flowers and garden. With the extreme wind and heat, I'm not sure watering's doing anything other than keeping the greenery alive. I noticed several plants in the garden have died, the result of the strong, dry, wind, twisting them off at ground level. 

It appears, there's little chance of rain, even in the extended forecast. About all we can hope for is a stray thunderstorm to drift overhead and drop some much needed precipitation. 

Sargie and I are heading to the ghost town of  Redridge on Lake Superior today. Sister-in-law, Debbie, invited us to come visit their family camp. Initially, we thought Hambone would be with us, but later learned there's a snag with his daycare and a scheduled kindergarten/first grade soccer game. 

Times, they are a changin'.

Time to get in a quick walk to the river and back.

After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

It was hot and dusty while mowing the back meadows and trails on Saturday

June 6, 2021 - Sunday morning

70 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

It's so warm and dry already this morning that there's no dew, something that's almost unheard of. It appears we're in for a few more days of heat before Mother Nature regains her sanity and temperatures begin to drop to more seasonal norms.

Arriving home from Saturday morning's walk, I kissed Sargie goodbye as she departed for a funeral in Foster City. My attentions immediately turned to  the front flower planter.

Repairs were made before hauling dirt from the pile of top soil. 

I continue to be surprised at just how handy that little trailer is. Its height was perfect to clear the top of the planter to unload the dirt.

One thing's for certain. I'm going to have to build a new planter this fall and set it in place for Sargie to plant next spring. This old one, made from treated dog eared fencing material, is about all done in. 

The sign, which seems to be well known, needs to be redone. The Upper Peninsula has lost the Keweenaw Penninsula to the north and Southeast Alaska disappeared into the north Pacific sometime ago. It's time for a new design and a fresh look.

 With geraniums, pansies, spikes, nasturtiums, and a Teddy bear sunflower planted, the container should be full of color in another week or two. There are marigolds yet to be added as a deer deterrent when they are large enough.

The rest of the day was spent mowing the front, middle and back meadows, and all the trails that wind through the woods. It was mid afternoon before I finished, just about the same time that Sargie arrived home. Perfect timing.

The remainder of the day was spent either taking a slow ride in the air conditioned car, stopping to see Sheri and Mark, or sitting inside. Thankfully, even without air conditioning, with the house closed during the day, the temperature remained pleasant and cool.

Josh sent a few pictures of the kidlings during their latest fishing expedition. I've said it before and I know I'm bragging, but I'm proud of all four of my sons for being so involved and active with their families. Seems each has his priorities in exactly the right places.

It's time to hit the road and get my walk out of the way before the temperatures rise too much further. It's to be a seven and half mile walk this morning, so I better get going.

As son, Andy, says, "They aren't going to do it by themselves."

You're right, little buddy. They aren't.

After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...