Rambling along...

I am posting this in a McDonalds (the only place I’ve found today with working wifi). I’m still not getting around to reading everyone blogs, except to congratulation Leni and her native land of Spain for winning the World Cup. When I get home, I’ll get around to catching up, but now I'm on the road. When I get home, I'll also take out my Guinness World Cup beer mug and offer a toast. Here is a post about where I spent last night—next to Pike Lake, way north in Michigan.

Yesterday I traded up my four star room in Minneapolis for one with four thousand stars. This far from the electrical grid, the stars really shine at night. Of course, my new room lacked things like hot and cold running water, but I didn’t hear a single siren all night. The only neighbors were a pair of loons across the lake. Their call is one of the most beautiful sounds given to any animal on the planet and that includes Grace Slick and Stevie Nicks. My new accommodation included a kitchenette where I could fix my morning coffee and oatmeal. Notice the mattress in the bed of the truck (I'd alrady stuff my sleeping bag).

Before bed, I waded out into bed with a fly rod and caught four bluegills in about 5 minutes. I’d brought my smallest fly rod thinking I’d be stream fishing for brook trout, but it worked okay in the lake. After tormenting the bluegills, I changed to a spinning rod with a jitterbug, hoping to hook up with one of the bass I kept hearing in the grass, but that wasn’t to be. I caught a few more bluegills in the morning.

Right before I left, one of the loons paid me a visit. They are beautiful birds.

In my last post, I forgot one restaurant I ate at one evening. It was Brit’s Pub and I had their Shephard’s Pie (with lamb, potatoes, carrots and some other stuff) along with a pint of Newcastle. Even though I’d forgotten about the place, it was good and so was the company as I was with about 15 friends and colleagues. The last photo is of Pike Lake this morning. Notice the building clouds. In about 15 minutes, I was driving out in a downpour. We’ve had numerous thunderstorms today. Catch everyone later!