This is part one in a nine-part travelogue devoted to a recent two-day trip to Boyne City. I jest, it’s two parts, and you are under no obligation to read a word. — Management.
Earlier this week, Wifey and I went on a mid-week “weekend excursion” to the Boyne City, Michigan area to do some hiking, some beaching, and some celebrating of our 25th wedding anniversary. We would also acknowledge my 51st birthday, which would be coming two days later and have me making the turn on to the back nine of life.
Since we couldn’t check into our rental until 4 PM, we planned a stop at the Jordan River Pathway’s Deadman’s Hill Overlook trailhead to hike the 3-mile Deadman’s Loop on our way.
The temps were only in the high sixties, and the sun was well hidden behind the midday clouds, and both of those things were appreciated because while the trail was only 3 miles long, it featured over 1,000 feet of climbing in those 3 miles, and it left us both sweaty messes at the end. Happy but sweaty.
The World Most Dangerous Overlook To Nothing.
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I didn’t even notice the spider until I got home.
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It’s your basic pile of scat being eaten by slugs.
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Sweaty end of hike selfie at Dead Man’s Hill.
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The sub that launched a new obsession.
After the hike, we headed on to Boyne City for some lunch and waited to check-in. Since we were still stinky sweaty messes, we opted to unleash that sweat and stink on the empty tables and fine employees of Subway™ rather than one of the quaint little crowded restaurants in town. I can’t tell you the last time I had a Subway™ sub (maybe 3 or 4 years ago?), but it was delicious and, in turn, sent me on a mission to perfect my version of the All-American Club® on our return a few days later1.
After checking into our VRBO-ed condo in town, we finally cleaned up, rested for a bit, and headed out for a couple beers at the Boyne City Taproom just around the corner before heading to dinner.
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Bench sittin’ by Lake Charlevoix waiting for a table.
For dinner, we headed to Cafe Santé right along Lake Charlevoix, where we had great food, and even better beers picked from a huge list that actually came in a full-size binder!
Dinner was good2, the beer was amazing, and spending one-on-one time with Wifey on our 25th Anniversary while sipping a Duvel was damn nice.
Being married for 25 years has been quite a ride, and it’s not always been easy (ask Wifey), but it has been worth it. I also take satisfaction in that 25 years ago to the week, we were hiking trails in Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. I guess we still dig doing the same stuff! At least this time, there were no rattlesnake encounters!! Or, ahem, STICKS that I THOUGHT were rattlesnakes, made me jump, hit my head on a fallen tree, nearly get knocked out, and almost shit my pants.
Next up: A “flat” trail and no swimming for you!
Later.
NOTE: Photos in this series were taken with the Nikon Z6, Apple iPhone, and a barely working but loved Canon s95.
- To be honest, my homemade sub is far superior in every way, including cost. Subway™ can be a bit pricey. I guess they are still paying for the wandering hands of Subway Jared as well as COVID’s economic damage to our already damaged society.
- The dinner at Cafe Santé was certainly “great,” not “good.” Admittedly, other than takeout pizza and apparently Subway™ subs now, I haven’t had a meal out that I have actually enjoyed in nearly 3 years. I’m not sure what my problem is or why it started, but there is something about eating out in a restaurant that prevents me from enjoying food. Of course, sometimes the food has actually been bad, but for the most part, it’s a big old case of “it’s not you, it’s me.” I don’t know if I cook so much that I don’t trust others or if there is some COVID-related anxiety that I can’t shake, or what. It’s pretty frustrating, especially for Wifey.