We Sold The Property

As I pruse through these posts for our 20 acres in Northern Michigan I have mixed emotions.  I'm glad I made these posts because they bring me joy and it reminds me of the memories we've made here.  However, in September of 2017 we sold this property on a land contract and closed it this past summer of 2018.  We said fairwell.

Our reasons... Since we've moved to Jackson in 2013 our visits became less and less.  Curtis, my middle son, had only been up once or twice since we moved to Jackson.  Michael, our oldest, only a handful of times.  Joey, the youngest, was up often with us and it was always a joy to have there.  But, it wasn't bringing me the joy it once did.  Maybe it was because the boys are older and were visiting less.   As I thought about it, it simply wasn't worth paying a monthly payment, yearly taxes, owners fee, and spending serveal hundred dollors each visit for 3 or 4 visits a year.  So, I posted an add on Market Place and had multiple hits that week and sold it that very weekend.  I believe we had a hand shake on September 17, 2017 and signed a contract a week or so later.

I didn't know it was going to be my last visit and it was a beautiful weekend to be there.  Jen and I took the truck and trailer to clean out the cabin and shed to get it ready for viewings if it hadn't sold.  Our first visiters were excited, loved the place and wanted it.  As I closed the cabin up for the last time... I was closing the window by the sink and I cried.  I was alone.  Jen was in the car waiting as I was changing my cloths for the ride home.  This was a deep gut cry.  I hurt.  It felt like a death.  It had a bit of that same loss.  It was a loss of a dream.  It was time to let go and I was saying good by and farewell.

Getting that property was a miracle of God.  I could have never seen myself selling it back 2009.  But I felt like I was negelecting the place and my times up there without the boys weren't as much fun.

I'm thankful for the time we had there.  The weekends riding the trails, swiming in the lakes, deer hunting, making trails, shooting guns, bomb fires, cook outs and camping.  We've been caught in a snow storm and almost got stuck there.  We've seen black bear, elk and racoons.  I alwasy enjoyed the process of pumping water in our 55 gallon drums.  Hauling it all the way to the river and back.  I enjoyed the boys playing in the river.  Jen and I almost got lost hiking in the woods.  Hunts with friends and family.  I've stayed yearly by myself to pray and hear God.  Each visit had its own adventure.

Today I miss it.  I don't regret selling the property, but I miss it.  I miss the joy of the drive there.  The prayers on the highway and our well known stops on the way.  I miss most being there with my boys.  I used to want weekends there by myself, but looking back... the best moments was with my family.  I'm glad, thankful for our nine years there.

I still long for a place of my own.  A hide-a-way.  And place to get away.  I don't know if it has to be lots of land.  Maybe a lot on a lake where I can park a camper.  Maybe a small acre near stateland or trails.  Maybe...  If I do it again, I'd like it to be a place for family to be with me.  A place my daughter-in-laws, and future grandkids could enjoy.

For right now... I have my 1969 Shasta Starflyte.  I'll tow that around, camp and see what comes.  At the end of the day I don't really know what I want.  I know I desire a place to rest, an away place.  For this season I wait for what's next.  I trust God will reveal in His timing what's the next adventure.  That 20 acres was a God adventure.  It was a miracle in the buying and a blessing in the selling.  Thank you Father for my time at was a pleasant place.

12x12 Portable Cabin

It's been a long while since I've posted anything.  This was because we thought we were going to need to sale our property due to relocating and taking a significant pay decrease.  We were able to keep our property after all.  However, in the process of selling we ended up getting rid of the camper on site.  Now we had nothing to go up to except a tent.  Wanting to do still have a place to sleep and stay out of the elements I decided to build a 12x12 portable cabin.

I bought the plans online and spent most of July and August building this in my back yard.  Everything is built in 6' sections that bolt together.  It all was able to fit in the back of my 6x10 trailer.

The plans included 4 bunks.  I added windows to let in light.  It is built out of 2x2s, 12" on center.  There's a mono truss system, but because I'm going to leave it set up were going to add temporary support for snow build up from winter.

The floor is built out of treated 2x4s, and 3/4" plywood.  The walls and roof are out thin plywood that's sealed with outdoor paint and a special coating on the roof.

Top view before walls and the roof were added.

Fully framed, ready to add plywood for sides and roof.

 

Plywood tacked up.  It didn't get nailed down until we disassembled it.

 

Everything packed up and Equinox pulled it fine.

 This was where the camper used to set.  The deck is a 12x12.  The plan was to set the portable cabin up next to the deck.  It went well.

We were excited to drive up since it had been almost a year since we went up.  We set the cabin up in a day and then slept in it that night.

 We laid down railroad ties to get the floor off of the ground.  You can see the 4 6' flooring sections.  Bolted up makes the center of the floor 4x4s.

 Once the floor was level and bolted together we started to bolt up the walls.  I wish I had more pictures of this but we were running out of day light.  I wasn't able to get a picture of the inside without the roof installed.

Going up fairly nice.

 Here it is erected.  It took about 4 hours to bolt up, install windows and wire up the electricity.  There was a thunderstorm the 1st night so we were unable to seal the roof with coating.  We made a 2nd trip up for that and we will be going back up for another coat to be added.  Even with out the coating there were no leaks.  It kept us dry.

 For electricity I simply wired up an outdoor receptacle and back fed it into the cabin.  Inside the cabin it's simply one box to plug into.  It works for now.  After we insulate it I'll install a few receptacles around the cabin.  For now were able to plug in a light, fan or heater.  I have a recreational electrical box with the ability to run 220 if I want.  Right now we have a 30 amp camper plug and a standard 20 amp receptacle that we can plug into.

 The inside of the cabin is pretty roomy.  It seems like it's tight but it's not.  There's a 6 foot center between the bunks and and 12x6 for the table and kitchen area.  For water we using a 5 gallon back for washing.  It drains in a bucket underneath the sink and we bring our own drinking water in one or more 5 gallon water containers.  I have an old 3 burner Colman camp stove, it works great.  I'd like to get a pro-pain stove though because I don't like the smell of white gas.  A simple card table is what were using with camping chairs.  We have a nice, small wooden table we thought would work but determined the card table would be best.  I have added some shelves but didn't get a picture.

 All in all I'm pretty happy with the set up.  A camper is easier.  It has everything you need.  The portable cabin I think will always be a work in progress, not look as elegant, but it's more fun.  I built this with my 3 boys and wife.  You can't get that kind of time together in a camper.  I'm sure we'll keep adding to it each trip we go up.  Little projects here and there.  We'll need to think about how to shower for extended stays, warm water, but for now... we have lights, a bed, heat.  I can't wait to see what kind of memories we are going to make. 

It's been awhile

It's been way to long since my last update.  Over this past year my family and I began a new adventure.  We decided to relocate and plant a church in Jackson, Michigan.  This transition has been our focus for the last year.  This is why we have not been up north for a while.  In fact we thought we were going to need to sell our property that we loved.  We even gave away our camper thinking we wouldn't be able to keep the place due to the income adjustment.

The good news is it looks like we are going to be able to keep the property.  So we drove up this last Saturday to check on the property.  All is well.  However with the camper being gone it inspired us.  It look so beautiful without it.  It got us thinking we should really build a tiny cabin.  A cabin would fit the woods better.  The camper was fun.  It got the job done... but it never felt cozy.  It was out of place, not natural looking in the woods.  I thought we would be bummed out not having the camper on our visit but it inspired us.  I took a few pictures of the fall colors while visiting.

Colors of fall.  Trail to the river.

We found out this year the bridge to get to our property has been closed.  

The river we own.  It's high for this time of year.

Another trail on our property.

Joey climb up to me tree stand.  Still good.

Notice the camper missing?  Looks like there needs to be a cabin.

This lake is on the state land near us.  We stopped at it before we went home.

We Built A Deck

This year has been quiet up north for us with only a few visits.  Our boys are getting older, which makes things a little busier for us.  We did get a few weeks up north this summer.  And in June, out of the blue, we decided to build a deck.  After breakfast we drove to the nearest big town, Gaylord, purchased the materials, came back and built a deck.  It's 12x12.

The "ghetto" part of me thought I could eventually put walls, a roof and make a three seasons room attached to my camper.  Just to create more gathering space on rainy days.  Our goal is to someday build a few small cabins, so I'm not sure that is the best idea in the long run.  But this is working for now. 

We spent about $300.00 in material.  It has helped cut down the amount of dirt we track into the camper.

We've only been able to make it up 2 or 3 times since we built this.  It was wonderful sitting out on the deck in the cool fall morning, staring off into the woods.  We are heading up this coming week for deer season and looking forward to hanging out by the fire pit.  Hopeful one of my sons or myself will get a deer.  Until next time.  

A Winter Visit

Jennifer and I went up for a winters visit back in February.   We took a short weekend, getaway trip.  Winter is a beautiful season in Northern Michigan.  We enjoy seeing the trees draped in snow just like Narnia.  The snow was really breath taking.  Pictures don't do justice.












The trip ended up being an adventure due to our rear wheel drive going out on our all wheel Equinox.  We were going through about 6 inches down our easement and I heard the axle snap.   I wasn't sure if we would be able to make it back to the property the rest of the way but we did.  However is was a bit of a challenge to get out.  Snow fell during the night and we ended up needing to dig our way out.











As you can see we spent more then an hour digging.  Once we made it to the road we kept the Equinox parked at the gate.  Our road is a seasonal two track about a mile into the wood before we get to the gate.  Thank God our neighbor had plowed.

We ended up hiking everything back to the car a 1/4 mile to in about 9 inches of snow.










We did get a chance to go out to hike our property.  We made it back to the river.  Quiet, peaceful.

Fire pit covered in snow.  It's like the land is asleep, resting, waiting for the spring sun to wake it up.  I loved spending the weekend up in the winter.















Jennifer all loaded up for the hike back to the car.  The walk was beautiful.

We made the weekend an adventure.  Enjoying the snow storm the 1st night, shoveling our way out, hiking to the river, playing cribbage and watching movies in the evening.  Love it and can't wait to go back up again.

Siding The Outhouse

We were up at our property the last weekend in September to take Joey on the Youth Deer Hunt.  (He did get a shot off, but we lost the blood trail.)  Since we were going to be up there I decided to haul up some reclaimed hickory lumber to side the outhouse.  The goal was to reside it with old lumber after it was built.  I didn't get around to it until now because I never had the free space in the trailer to haul the lumber.  It took me about 4 or 5 hours to do three sides.  The door took the longest.  I still need to do the back side.  That won't take long because there are no angle cuts.  It gave it a rustic look, which, we love!

Our gas furnace died on us while after the 1st night.  It won't ignite.  I'm not great at working on furnaces so, we made a fast trip to Walmart and picked up a nice electric heater.  I'm hoping it's something I can repair easily.  I'm gonna need to google it and see if what the issue is. 

Last Visit For the Summer

The family and I spent 4 days at the property this last week.  We mostly rode trails but I did get a chance to work on driving my well.  It is froze up solid and won't drive another inch.  I tried jetting it with water and it still won't drive down.  I'm not sure if I hit clay or hit a rock.  My father-in-law, a retired well-man, thinks it's clay.  His suggestion is to pick a new spot and start over.  He gave me some ideas on how to have more success next time.  Right now I've given up on a well until next year.

My wife and I discovered a new trail to the  north, east side of Tomahawk flooding area while out riding dirt bikes.  I took this picture next to the boat launch.  There was an old abandon state campground there that is no longer in use.  That was kind of cool, a ghost camp ground.  We drove back to our camp and then me and the boys rode back to go swimming in the lake. 

My three sons with their riding gear back on after our swim.  The swim was short and sweet.  They are not used to swimming in a lake and didn't enjoy seaweed or the mushy dirt in the toes.  My oldest, Mikey, only went ankle deep.  Curt and Joe at least manage to dive in once.  This was our last ride of the week.  We rode everyday for three days and still were discovering new trails to ride on. 

Every morning I would get up before the family to read, pray and enjoy the beauty of northern Michigan.  On this particular morning I walked out to a potential cabin site on our property.  I'm trying to get a feel for each spot before we begin to build.  I like the openness of this location.  It was a rainy morning so it had a cloudy feeling but still I sensed a lot peace just sitting, watching and listening to nature.

I grabbed a picture of this sunset on our last ride of the week.  Curtis pointed it out on our way back to camp.

This was taken on our ride back too.  I think Michigan produce beautiful sky pictures as good as any other place in the world.

Our last night we roasted marsh mellows and talked into the evening.   I honestly could have stay a few more days but the boys were starting to get home sick.  We had a great vacation.  Can't wait to go back up.