Jim Travels The World

Continuing my hard-hitting journalism series of Michigan travel listicles, I recently travelled back to the mitten to gain new knowledge. Having fully immersed myself in Michiganity for 9 straight days, I'm prepared to announce that I have learned all there is to know about it, and I now present to you, 8 more things to know about Michigan: Lots of different meals come in casserole form Nothing but humongous trees exist between towns. In Michigan, if it's not towns, it's trees. Or, sometimes, it's lakes. Everyone tailgates - merging is high stakes and everyone is out to kill you. Excessive morning dew means people don't do much lawn watering DO NOT crush cans before recycling them You're just as likely to encounter a Packers fan as a Lions fan Doesn't matter if you know the difference between effect and affect . If you don't have any friends, buy a cottage at the lake

Catch up on the first part of the adventure  here . 5.21.14 Drive through windy roads for what feels like forever, stuck behind a houseboat clogging the road. Beautiful views of green valleys and peaks, but taking twisty turns on tiny mountain roads behind  A FRIGGIN HOUSEBOAT is kinda stressful. Finally made it through dirty and disappointing Eureka (the tv show grossly lied to us) to coastal redwoods and beaches. Drive to Kalamath cliff overlook at crashing waves against rock. it's just like that scene in that one movie. You know the one I'm talking about. Then drive to ladybird Johnson meadow, a forest walk though a bunch of redwoods. The late afternoon light is perfect. you didn't believe me. I'm hurt. Saw a bear sprint across the road, first non-human non-deer animal we've seen. Bummer that I've never witnessed a bear in Colorado, but have seen them every time I come to California. Where y'at, bears? 5.22.14 Continenta...

5.17.14 We're off on vacation! No kitty, you can't go. No kitty, that's a bad kitty. We arrive in Reno, the littlest big city in America. Wait, that's not right. Biggest little city? I dunno, neither way makes much sense. Anyway, we're just here to get the rental car to drive to Lake Tahoe.  As Reno fades and we drive into California, the surroundings look just like any Colorado mountain town. Feels like home. 5.18.14 Hanging out with Lisa's cousin's family at the lake house, bumming around Tahoe. Great views, and we take a small hike down to the lake. 5.19.14 Drive across the middle of California to get to Lassen Volcanic National Park. Since it's still pre-Memorial Day, we're not sure how much of the park is going to be open. That's just the price you pay to avoid the summer crowds. I much prefer early and late season... always-crowded places like Yosemite and Grand Canyon almost don't feel like national...

Builders in New Mexico use adobe like it grows on trees. The eye of Sauron watches over this window grate If the blue meth made its way up from Albuquerque, it's not in Taos. At least not in any of the convenience stores I went into. Everything here is "historic," which is code for janky. I took a historic poop, because I'm a patriot The skies are cloudless and gigantic Lake Williams, near Taos Valley Ski Area On every street corner is a coffee shop, and each is filled with anti-Monsanto bumper stickers and quinoa no-bake cookies The ratio of people to dogs rivals Telluride, the most doggiest city in America* At least thrice per day, a fire truck or ambulance went screaming down the street. Taos is a tiny little tourist town, I can't imagine what all the fuss is about. Rest...

Faygo is a real thing, and not just Juggalos drink it. Dee licious Most houses in neighborhoods have no fences around them. It's like some giant urban planner took a handful of dwellings and tossed them across a field. Also, many of these houses have plastic mailboxes with front and back hatches. Because who has time to walk all the way around to the front of a mailbox? This is America . I want my mail now . These neighborhoods do not have sidewalks The Michigan definition of "condo" is different than the rest of the civilized world. Apparently, a one story house is a condo. The lakes up north have real beaches. I had to see to believe And on these lakes, there are some wicked awesome sunsets Also there are boats and fishermen and stuff.  In Grand Haven, there's a surf shop called the Wet Mitten  (I know, right?), so apparently people surf on these lakes. I did not witness this. Around the lakes, there's 99% humidity, ...

I know the title makes it sound like some kind of charitable environmental movement. Not so much. One of my life goals is to hike every trail in Rocky Mountain National Park. I've been at this since about 2006, and since that time, I've documented every trail hiked on a map of RMNP. It's a combination of day hikes, snowshoeing , overnights and multi-day backpacking . I have no idea how many total miles I have done, but their website  (if you believe their slanted, liberal media opinion) says that there are over 300 miles of trails in the park. I've hiked somewhere around 200 of those miles in the last 7 years. This summer, I completed another 50 miles in 2 separate three-day backpacking weekends: (arrows added in case you're an idiot) 1. From Cache le poudre trailhead up to mirror lake, 29 miles out and back (unless you're Australian , then it's return ) 2. CO river trailhead to poudre pass, then to lake of the clouds, then loop ...

ERMAGERD BERNUS PERST! On the return trip from North Dakota to Colorado, we made a swing into Wyoming (as one usually does, of course) to see Devil's Tower National Monument. From far away, you get a view of the nubbin of this 800-foot rock that was the setting of the alien landing scene from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. nubbin The bittersweet joy of National Monuments– as opposed to National Parks– is that they contain an equal amount of natural beauty, but there's just not that much to do there. Devil's Tower, if you're not a rock climber (and I am one, but not that day), has little appeal outside of the 30-minute paved trail that encircles the base. I think we spent more time in the gift shop. Still, that's a damn big rock. And pointy, too. Follow my blog with Bloglovin HV9JQHH3U4G7