Of U.P. Fall and Fans- a short photo essay

[taco2go]

The Sun returned this weekend, in one of it’s final flares of farewell tours
Grudgingly giving way, to the way cooler, waywardly cooler winter.
Finally I made the push to attend this late autumn concert of colors with my son.

The chorus of leaves may have lacked their usual pep and sparkle this year,
The spark though, was still there
The encores kept us wanting to stay for more…

We took our first backcountry trip together.
We packed warm for the weekend.
We traced the tried and true, yet routinely rewarding route

Running east of the teeming Tahquamenon, to the whispering pines of whitefish point.
We brought back a few precious memories from the arena that is the Upper Peninsula…

Disclaimer: Look kindly on the kid-friendly nerfs

 

[taco2go]

Things the boy gazes at:

Things this boy gazes at:

And always at:

 

[taco2go]

From the weekend throngs at the falls to the solitude of the Gichigami each night.

 

[taco2go]

And always the magic wells eternal..

There'll always be another tour. Thanks for looking.

 

[ywen]

awesome pics! I guess by this time, all the leafs up in the UP would have fallen?

 

[Sexy6Chick]

And always the magic wells eternal..

Man I love these!

 

[Tucson T4R]

Joash,

Great set, all of them. Very cool that you have the boy "gazing" at them.:wings:

Father and son - Life is good. :sombrero:

 

[taco2go]

Thanks Natalie- the colors get my heart racing too!

awesome pics! I guess by this time, all the leafs up in the UP would have fallen?

Thanks! - Ya the ground is getting littered. I saw more ochre and browns, but I could not pass up the warmer weather.

 

[taco2go]

Father and son - Life is good. :sombrero:

You know it Brad.

 

[Tucson T4R]

You know it Brad.

Careful...if you keep feeding him he will turn into this:

 

[Wander]

Great shots Joash-but even better fathering!

Trips like this last a lifetime in memories. Don't let anyone give you flak for the nerf bars-if the family can't easily get into the rig than it's not surving its function.

Your pictures always take me back to when I was young and we went to Mackinac and Manistee-which was also my first time in a 4x4 riding on the dunes that started this whole crazy obsession.

 

[TJDIV]

Great shots bud. Where did you go?

 

[mtnbike28]

x2 Great pics

Man I love these!

x2 Great pictures!

 

[Mr. Leary]

Great pictures. Good on you for letting your boy grow up around the outdoors. Thanks for sharing.

 

[taco2go]

Thanks guys; Benjamin enjoyed every minute- I was surprised he even got up early for some dawn photography. (after the compulsory pee time of course)

Great shots bud. Where did you go?

Went towards Brevort on Highway 2 from St Ignace. About 2 miles out of town we caught a dirt road and pretty much followed anything going north. Stayed West of 123 and crossed it at Newberry and got on the Charcoal grade road- camped in the State forest the first night. Then took 123 to the lower Taq falls- I had never been. LOTS OF PEOPLE, but well worth the visit.
Headed north west on FS roads to the mouth of the 2 hearted and then east to Whitefish Point (UPO 2009 route). Sand seemed much softer and I had to air down to 15 to get through that last stretch.
back down to St Ignace on FS roads east of 123.