2008 summer bug camp in the UP

I've typed some things about bug camp, but haven't blogged about it.

The name of the place is not really bug camp; it's the Page Center in Little Lake, MI:

Our peaceful, natural setting on Little Lake is the perfect place for your next retreat, reunion, wedding, reception or workshop. Located 3 miles East of M-35/553, approximately 24 miles south of Marquette.

It's a nice spot, a former church camp, with a lovely main house, a dining hall and kitchen, and eight bunk cabins. We had 25 there for a family reunion and everything worked out well.

There are bugs there - quite a few dragon flies, one alder beetle that had a nickname ("Mango"), and a bunch of little non-biting flies that swarmed the night time lights. As bugs go very tame, no ticks, no black flies, no deer flies, no horse flies, no sand flies (I could go on and on with biting insects that weren't there). The woods had blueberries (not yet ripe) and wintergreen.

Little Lake is just outside of Gwinn, and we were there for the 4th of July (amazing parade). I went into town with my older son one afternoon and we hung out at the Forsyth Township Public Library for a while and shopped at the Gwinn St. Vincent de Paul store (easily the biggest store in town).

I owe a certain special someone a night in a swanky hotel in exchange for all of the bugs - but it really was nice.

(There is another "bug camp" - the U of Michigan Bio Station in Pellston has the same nickname and some of the same bugs and general camp architecture.)

(Here's the 2003 blueberry picking report with several locations near the Page Center mentioned.)

Complementary "Road to Gwinn" tabulature, get the real thing from Da Yoopers:

            E
Where's the road to Gwinn
                               G#7
We just can't seem to find the road to Gwinn
             F#m
This happens everytime I'm drinking with my friends
   A                  B7               E
We just can't seem to find the road to Gwinn

Comments

[Mom]

"On the Road to Gwinn" is to the Willie Nelson tune "On the Road Again", for those that don't recognize it. "The Second Week of Deer Camp" is still my favorite.