WTF I went Camping again 5 days in Upper Michigan. picture heavy..

[Punknhed]

We have friends that campaign an off road race truck and his wife races a SxS. They are racing in Wisconsin over the holiday weekend. they have rented a big house for all of us to stay in. Then be at the track for most of the day each day. The worst thing about going to the races, is I will have to listen to my wife beg for a vehicle she can race for the next two or three months. I just got her to stop asking for a Ultra 4 car and a rock buggy.

We will be attending this event.

https://crandonoffroad.com/52nd-polaris-crandon-world-championship/

hahaha thats to funny. the race looks pretty cool too. i love anything that goes fast lol

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[wibornz]

Ted, thanks for sharing the story and pictures. Camping with friends and family is the best. My coworkers and families are planning a trip to Drummond Island next year. I am planning on towing my JLU behind my midsize RV (28 ft) to the island as basecamp. Any issues bringing my RV to Drummond Island? Obviously cannot take it off-road like you did with your trailer.

There is zero issues. It will fit on the ferry with no problems. If you want to boondock camp. I can mark a few locations for you that you can get a motorhome to with ease for a base camp or you can always put it in a camp ground. The other option is to rent a house. There are many houses on Drummond Island for rent.

 

[MaineBumpkin]

Thanks for sharing Ted, looks like a great time. We are leaving on our next trip on Saturday and I'm TOTALLY doing that pineapple upside down cake

 

[wibornz]

What system did you use to attache the two fuel canisters behind your spare? Can that be done on stock jlr. Or do you have to change bumper etc. great coverage on your trip. Outstanding photography.

That is a Stand Alone Ace Engineering tire carrier. So you do not need to buy a new bumper. The tire carrier has been trouble free and quiet. It comes with a place to mount Roto-pax, an antenna mount and a hi-lift jack mounting location.

https://aceengineeringandfab.com/collections/jl-products/products/jl-stand-alone-tire-carrier

 

[entropy]

Cougars up in drummond. Is this an accepted reality now?. last time I was there, which was maybe 6 years ago or so. My wife and I saw a small juvenile cougar and nobody believed us. It was a cougar not a cat! . Family has an old log cabin that was built by hand by my wifes great grandfather. It is in the middle of nowhere and packed with wildlife.

 

[wolf]

That is a Stand Alone Ace Engineering tire carrier. So you do not need to buy a new bumper. The tire carrier has been trouble free and quiet. It comes with a place to mount Roto-pax, an antenna mount and a hi-lift jack mounting location.

https://aceengineeringandfab.com/collections/jl-products/products/jl-stand-alone-tire-carrier

Thanks for quick response.

 

[DadJokes]

Thanks for sharing!

Any spots/regions you’d specifically recommend for exploring some trails and camping?

We went to the UP early January 2020 with plenty of snow on the back roads. It was fun going as far as we could. I remember wondering if I should be on this road but definitely stayed off the snowmobile routes that were marked. We were hitting a few lighthouses getting pics, doing our foodie thing, but couldn’t get to the shipwreck in the NE and it’s lighthouse. We did a big old circle following Lake MI up to Copper Harbor, and then the southern coastline of superior as far as the roads would allow during winter.

My wife and I are talking about heading back that way sooner than later. I’m looking forward to it. And…Cougars…now I know. Bears, Moose, …and Cougars…and predatory mosquitoes during certain months. lol

Drumming Island has my curiosity but it always looks sopping wet (stink?) in videos. Not sure about that.

We had to detour a few times during the winter using Gaia. I’m glad I had it!

 

[wibornz]

Thanks for sharing!

Any spots/regions you’d specifically recommend for exploring some trails and camping?

We went to the UP early January 2020 with plenty of snow on the back roads. It was fun going as far as we could. I remember wondering if I should be on this road but definitely stayed off the snowmobile routes that were marked. We were hitting a few lighthouses getting pics, doing our foodie thing, but couldn’t get to the shipwreck in the NE and it’s lighthouse. We did a big old circle following Lake MI up to Copper Harbor, and then the southern coastline of superior as far as the roads would allow during winter.

My wife and I are talking about heading back that way sooner than later. I’m looking forward to it. And…Cougars…now I know. Bears, Moose, …and Cougars…and predatory mosquitoes during certain months. lol

Drumming Island has my curiosity but it always looks sopping wet (stink?) in videos. Not sure about that.

We had to detour a few times during the winter using Gaia. I’m glad I had it!

If you are coming this way, I can point you in the right direction. It is something that I would message you as some of the places that we camp at, I would not want to be published on the web for millions of people to know about.

 

[DadJokes]

If you are coming this way, I can point you in the right direction. It is something that I would message you as some of the places that we camp at, I would not want to be published on the web for millions of people to know about.

Will do and I understand. I’d want to do my own looking around but it’s nice to have a couple of “sure thing” destinations mixed in, especially with family in tow.

 

[donmontalvo]

So I spend time looking for cool places to camp. I use Gaia and look specifically for trails that end at a river, or a lake. I look for places that are accessible by only one trail. and dead end at said lake or river. So I was following the coast of Lake Michigan in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and found a spot that I though warranted driving for 6+ hours to get to. We were going to go to Drummond Island, with a group of our friends. 4 of them came down with covid, (they are all good now and are over it. two were un-vaccinated, two were vaccinated) Another couple had the front axle seals go out in there JKUR so they and their two friends were out. With our group down from 12 people to 4 people and only two Jeeps, it was the perfect time to go look for that spot. So last week on Wednesday we loaded up and took off.

There was an added bonus. My bud Bill that if you follow any of my other Jeep traveling post you will know as the driver of the Punk'N JLUR brought his girlfriend with him..... I know it doesn't sound like a big deal, but I have known Bill for almost 30 years, He was divorced about 15 years ago and while he has had some fuck buddies, and girls that he would hang out with, this is the first time we have ever met one of the girls and this is the first one that he has ever called a girlfriend.

SO we left the Lansing area and headed north. We stopped off at a small lake up by Grayling for the first night of camping as we got a late start. Wanted to have time to enjoy the camping and cook a good meal.

Get there just in time to catch sun set through the trees.

In the morning we are greeted by some fog over the lake and it made for a pleasant morning.

Off we go to the UP of Michigan crossing the Mighty Mac

We stop along the trail for lunch on the hood of JLUR. Is there a better way to have lunch then on the hood of JLUR along side a trail while in the shade about 40 yards from the shore of Lake Michigan?

So we start scoping out scoping out some of the places that I though looked like a great place to camp. My first choice was open, It is about 10 miles by trail off the main road. Back in the woods of the UP with no one around..... No one.

This is our first look at it.

Yes that is the shore of Lake Michigan in the background. We are right on the lake just in the woods and out of the wind. There are zero bugs. Winning we are.

The water is beautiful and there are rocks sticking out of the water. Note the T-shirt says it all.

I think it was a trap.

Set up camp and start cooking. The dinner meal is shredded beef and shrimp tacos with cheese, onion and mushrooms topped with Chipotle sauce.

My wife baked, yes baked a pineapple upside down cake at camp. The smell was incredible, as I slide my Glock onto my waist. There is a lot of bear and cougar activity in the area.

It was incredible and even more so as it was baked while we were camping on the shore of Lake Michigan. This is living. We were all excited to try it and it was amazing. It was a wonder that I was able to get a picture before they cut into it.

After dinner, I flew the drone and we took a walk on the beach to burn off some of the calories from dinner. It was so nice to finally meet Bill's official girlfriend. She fit in well, she loves drag racing, Jeeping (she owns a 2019 white JLUR) and loves to camp plus she is low drama. So big win for all of us.

We watched the moon come up through the trees.

Then stepped out to watch the moon rise over the lake.

The next morning we headed out to run trails for about 6 hours.

Found another cool camping spot on a inland lake. It was big enough to fit abut 10 to 15 campers on the site. Had a nice fire ring, good view of the lake and a rock to flex on.

The trails were easy for the most part, just trails through the woods. There was some mud here and there, but mainly just a relaxing trail run with good sights along the Lake and in the woods.

This would be another sweet camp site next to an inland lake too.

A few more drone shots from our main camp spot.

You can see the camp spot with the Jeeps at the bottom of the pic and the shore of Lake Michigan at the top of the pic.

We walked out on the sand bar. It is nice not having to worry about sharks and having fresh water.

As the light faded behind the trees.

Up early and caught these shots.

After sunrise, we hiked about 2 miles north on the beach to the mouth of a river that spilled into Lake Michigan. We were told that it was common to eagles catching fish there in the morning.

Sadly there were no eagles, but we saw many signs of bear and cougars.

apparently bears also shit on the beach. This is about 100 yards from our camp.

We did head out and do run some trails at night.

The moon on Friday
night was bright coming through the trees.

Saturday we broke camp and headed back to the lower peninsula to one of my other favorite camp spots.

I was up early, cut some more wood, built a fire before the rest of the crew got up. Of course I put coffee on even before you ask. Duh...

She looks innocent and sweet, but she will full send your Jeep and twist axle shaft, jump the Jeep, get it suck in the mud and dam near flip it over backwards. I would suggest you NOT let her drive your Jeep. She drives mine and it cost me and it makes me have to wash it often. Just saying.

Breakfast at camp, we are roughing if. Eggs, cheese, bacon, sausage, sour cream, tomatoes and onions with flat bread, or a croissant. Then of course my wife baked up some raspberry type breakfast pastry.

Then back to reality Sunday as we packed up and headed home. We were home just long enough to drop the camper and then meet up with our local Jeep peeps for some ice cream.

It was a nice way to end 5 days of camping.

Wow beautiful pictures and drone shots!

 

[ASMSAS]

I gotta ask for your wife's pineapple upside down cake recipe and did she do it in the camper oven or some other how? Looks amazing!

 

[wibornz]

I gotta ask for your wife's pineapple upside down cake recipe and did she do it in the camper oven or some other how? Looks amazing!

I will get that for you when she gets home from work. She cooked it over a one burner propane burner on an omni oven.

We use this as an oven.

This is a link to amazon were we bought it.

Omnia Oven

We cook tater tots, cakes, biscuits basically anything that requires and oven in it. It has been a nice addition to our cooking gear. She did buy a silicone liner that makes it so stuff does not stick to the inside of it.

https://www.amazon.com/OMNIA-103-Si...df240&pd_rd_wg=43HTD&pd_rd_i=B07KGJRQ3M&psc=1

 

[JudgeKnot]

Great post. I was trying to figure out where you were camping, as I've lived in Michigan my entire life, and spent a lot of time in the UP. Following through your posts, it made more sense.

Michigan is a great state for living, and visiting. I'm a troll, living in Grand Traverse County. We have a lot of old logging trails in the area that I love exploring in my JLU Sport. I plan to check out the camper you have. I enjoy tent camping with my kids and grandkids, but my wife isn't into that at all. As for Jeeping, the trails in the Lower Peninsula are pretty much dirt, gravel, and mud. If you get into the Upper Peninsula, and Drummond Island, you could get into more rock trails. I've only had my Jeep since February, and haven't had the chance to explore the UP with it yet. We did some camping on Bois Blanc Island (Boblo) this summer, before the skeeters were out, and it was a great time.

Someone asked about living in Michigan. Summers can be wonderful, winters can be miserable. We can go months at a time without seeing the sun because of the clouds. I never liked those winter days when I'd drive to work before sunrise, and drive home after sunset. If you want to find a home in one of the more popular areas, expect to pay for the privilege. We had to move downstate because of work, so we sold the house where we raised our kids. We were blessed three years later with a chance to move back home, but we were shocked by the prices. They've just soared over the past four years.

Thanks for taking the time to share your adventures. Sometimes I need more inspiration.

 

[wibornz]

I gotta ask for your wife's pineapple upside down cake recipe and did she do it in the camper oven or some other how? Looks amazing!

She said, buy a cake mix and follow the instructions. We were buying food stuff prior to heading into the woods, she looked up a recipe on google, bought the stuff and made it. She said cook it with a low flame as it needs to bake for a while and you don't want to burn it.

The picture, does not do it justice. It was firkin amazing.

It smelled so dam good, I am surprised that we didn't have 15 bears come into our camp site. It must of been my farting all over the camp site that kept them away.

 

[toddfranc]

Thanks for all the great info Ted! Been thinking about getting a camper I could pull behind the Jeep and this was the final piece to make this happen (picking up my E Pro tomorrow). What is your battery setup? Planning to use this camper primarily for long weekends back in the woods (similar to your trip in this thread).

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