Thursday morning, August 23, I set out in a southerly direction toward Lansing, Michigan, only to have to turn back to get the phone charger I had left behind at Dick and Patty's. Since that phone is an essential piece of gear, it was good that Dick called before I had gone too far. Saved me the bucks and time to have to stop and buy another. It was a bonehead move on my part that I am sure to repeat again, but it was pretty nice of them to meet me half way back to their house to save me time. Thanks yet again Dick and Patty.

Back on track and headed in the right direction again, I was struck by what diversity there is in Michigan. From the Forests in the north to the farmland I was now passing through and the cities I was heading toward, Michigan is a beautiful and industrious state.

I made my first stop for the day in Lansing to meet up with Christine Jordain from the American Council of Snowmobile Associations for a cup of coffee and a chat. Thanks for meeting with me Christine.

From Lansing, my mission for the rest of the day was to get close to Troy, Michigan (just north of Detroit) so I could meet up with one of BRC's older clubs, the Mudchuggers on Friday and get there in time to play catch up on my other work. I set up camp in Holly, Michigan, which left me only a short jaunt into Troy the next day. The place I camped also just happened to have WiFi and a laundry so I guess it really wasn't roughing it too bad. I did discover the next morning that I am just not as spry as I used to be. Sleeping on the hard ole ground was definitely not the same as the bed at Dick and Patty's house. (Note to self: Get yourself one of those compact bedroll thingys.)

It was the perfect evening to sit at the picnic table and slog through the 250 or so emails that I had gotten over the last two days, catch up on the blog, avail myself of the laundering facility and cogitate on some of what I had been hearing over the last several days from our folks.