What's Snoo?

What's Snoo?
Oh, I don't know, not much.
What's new with you?

Well, folks, I do not know about you, but I think it is high time to start the "Snow Dance."

Snowmobilers, skiers, ice fishermen - patience is starting to run thin. Not to mention students who have gone nearly nine months without a snow day. Perhaps they are the first ones we should ask for help.

A traditional "student" snow dance consists of

• Putting  your pajamas on inside out,
• brushing you teeth with the opposite hand,
• flushing a minimum of 6 ice cubes down the toilet, and
• sleeping with a spoon under your pillow.

What do you say Roscommon County students? Send a picture or you tube of your favorite snow dance to info@visithoughtonlake.com and we will post it on our Facebook page.

Stu Colie at the Cross Country Ski Headquarters gave it his best effort with a pair of skis in hand, jumping and jousting. They are ready to rock and roll and will keep hosting classes and seminars until they can make some of the white stuff and groom the trails.

The St. Helen Snowpackers Club is well aware December 1 is the opening of snowmobiling in Michigan. Do not be surprised if you catch them out and about singing The Heikki Lunta Snow Dance Song--Written by David Riutta (P) 1970 WMPL Radio--Hancock, Michigan

It’s Heikki Lunta’s snow dance song,

Heikki Lunta’s snow dance song.

Snow, snow, snow!

Now I’ll dance some more,

And I’ll really know the score

How to make it snow, 

Come on, man, go, go, go!

Don’t even slow down 

till the snow starts falling down

Check it out on you tube and sing along!

Whomever you want to implore - Jack Frost, Frosty the Snowman, Old Man Winter - let's get some real snow coming (and I am not referring to that pre-Thanksgiving slushy driving mess). The calendar says it is still fall, but next time someone asks you "What's Snoo?" wouldn't it be great to say "SNOW" before you ask them what's new with you?

For lots of winter fun ideas at Michigan's Other Great Lakes, check out  http://www.visithoughtonlake.com/winter.shtml.

Fleece

To listen to the political pundits, many in the country are feeling fleeced. Personally, right at this moment, I would love to be fleeced in a long, woolly yak, sheep or goatskin coat. The car temp registered 41, but it must be dropping because snow is falling as I write.

Sweater weather is soon changing into weather requiring a coat, hat and gloves. And boots. And shovels. Did someone flip the switch a little too soon?

On the other hand, what a beautiful fall we have experienced. Peak color took its time coming but what a show. You only needed to make a few short drives around our most beautiful state to be filled with awe. Pure Michigan.

Of course, this snow is fleecing us. It is not going to stick around just yet (fingers crossed). There is still time to enjoy more color, fall hikes on carpeted trails, a bit of fishing, apple cider - no wonder this is the favorite season of so many.

Why should you spend this close to the last autumn weekend in Roscommon County? Because you will be so warmly welcomed. Unplug from the tension-grabbing headlines. Shelve your worries for a couple of days and revive in fresh air brought to you with warm hearts.

Look at the large tree in the photo above. See what a kind person has left? A walking stick to use on the trails of Marl Lake. Yes, people are nice here in Roscommon County. And look at the picture below. This place is made for unwinding. Take a seat. Bring a book, your camera, your love. Enjoy Houghton Lake from Trestle Park.

Yes, come. We won't take "no" for an answer. There are some great places to stay, many with off season rates. Pack your sweater (and maybe your fleece). If you have spent any time in Michigan you know how quickly things change (the above pictures were taken yesterday). All that can be guaranteed is a very warm welcome, relaxation and beauty beyond compare. I'd love to share my bench (and fleece) with you.

Feeling it?

Fall...for those of us who loved this long, beautiful summer, it is hard to believe it is over so soon. But the effects are lingering. The warm weather has delayed our peak season by a couple of weeks - forecasts have it coming in mid-October. Good news is the lush, healthy trees should give us a spectacular splash of color this year.
But do not let the delay of peak color keep you inside waiting. It is a beautiful time of year for a visit to the lake or a hike on the trails. It is the time of year for leisurely walking - letting your senses absorb your surroundings.
For instance, on a delightful day like today you not only feel the crispness in the air, but the warmth of the sun.

Let the chipmunks and squirrels do the scurrying. Many of our trails provide benches to stop and enjoy the clear lakes, or listen to the call of the geese as they are forming up for their fall pilgrimage.

You may catch sight of lumbering bears or frisky fawns. A wide variety of mushrooms have popped up along the trails. The plop of acorns dropping from trees also alert us to this beautiful autumn season.

So, throw on the sweater, grab your walking stick, put a fresh apple in your pocket and visit one of the many trails of Roscommon County.

We would love to see pictures you capture along the way. Be sure to submit them to our photo contest.
Vacation Views @ Michigan's Other Great Lakes PHOTO CONTEST!
Submit your vacation/staycation photos to info@visithoughtonlake.com to win prizes - contest open to anyone (except watermarked material) until October 15.
Snap away! Call 989-676-5330 or email info@visithoughtonlake.com for details and complete set of rules.

All is quiet...but not for long!

What a difference a week makes! From my office on M55 in Houghton Lake the traffic is down, down, down. Of course, school began in many areas this week and it is the middle of the week. Should take me about half the time to run to the bank and post office today than it does during the summer.

But, wait....September weekends are still going to be full of activity.

I can hear the music now...the East Bay Music Fest from 1-8 p.m. Sept 10 will have you tapping your toes and humming along. Come down to Trestle Park on Houghton Lake this Saturday.

And if you prefer the sound of marching bands, the next weekend enjoy the Fireman's Memorial Parade in Roscommon, as well as all other festivities of the weekend event.

Cannons will be booming this weekend too at the Roscommon Co. Civil War encampment & Cannon Firing at the Roscommon Fireman's Training Grounds.

Nationally recognized painters, authors and musicians are converging on Wellington Farm Park this weekend to celebrate the end of summer.

The music of Carole King and the "You've Got a Friend" concert will fill the theater at Kirtland College Center of Performing Arts on Saturday evening.

Details and links to the events can be found on the event calendar.

Come enjoy the end of summer music, fun and festivities, and then stick around for the quiet as you enjoy the sounds of nature hiking through the beautiful fall foliage of colorful Roscommon County.

Sentimental Journey

Feeling nostalgic today. Another summer season is quickly winding down - our greatest treasures (our children) are soon returning to school, leaves have tinges of color and my personal favorite, apples are nearly ready for picking.
Quite a few requests come in from vacationers from the past wanting to know if they places they stayed at are still around. I do not have an answer for many of them - but a drive around the lakes indicates that they have been replaced by private homes/condos, upgraded and look somewhat different, or have been removed. Have some fun - come check them out for yourself. Make a Sentimental Journey to Higgins Lake, Houghton Lake and Lake St. Helen "to renew old memories."
A drive around the lakes also indicates how much has not changed. This has been a glorious summer - lots of time spent on the beaches, superb fishing, fabulous sunsets - everything that makes Michigan's Other Great Lakes a haven for vacationers.

When was your last Sentimental Journey to Roscommon County? Do not think of it as your "destination" but as your "landing point" - stay and enjoy the beauty, and then make a day trip to explore the rest of northern Michigan from here. 

Share your memories with us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hl.a.tourism/ or email me and I will share them for you - info@visithoughtonlake.com.

'Catch Us' catching on

Betty Bass, Wally Walleye and others of Michigan's Other Great Lakes fishing committee met recently to discuss the Houghton Lake Area Tourism Bureau "Catch Us If You Can" fishing contest.
BETTY: I am blown away by how many girls have caught tagged fish this year.
WALLY: Me too. And the first one was by a first-grade girl from Bridgeport.
BETTY: What are we up to now?
WALLY: NINE - on the way to beating last year's record of 10.
BETTY: That has to be because the HLATB has invested a lot into the 11th year of this contest. With the help of Master Fish Taggers, more and more fish are being tagged in Houghton Lake, Higgins Lake and Lake St. Helen.

WALLY: And there are more sponsors this year - Schmuckal Oil just came on. That's where the $50 gas card you get for catching a tagged fish comes from.
BETTY: And the second prize - a Mark Martin Ice Fishing School certificate. Our tagged friends are going to be caught during ice fishing season too.
WALLY: Major sponsors also include Lyman's on the Lake, H&H Fireworks, the HLATB and Spicer's Boat City.
BETTY: And we cannot forget our other supporters -
 Arnie’s Arts & Crafts    Lakeland Recreation     Poplars Resort    W. Higgins Lk Hardware 
Bart’s Fruit Market   Lakeside Resort/Conference Center    North Winds Lodge   Beachfront Hotel   Super 8 Motel        Chemical Bank       Way North Motel     Bauchan Law Offices      Best Choice Market                                                 
WALLY: I sure hope everyone comes out to the Fry-In at Blodgett Airport from 3:30 to 6:30 on August 13. Great fish, airplane rides, and the HLATB is having a drawing for a couple of us (large fish pillows) during the event.
BETTY: The contest is just getting bigger and better every year. Just imagine, someone could walk away with $100,000 and a new Lund boat from Spicer's Boat City.
WALLY: It has been wonderful to see multi-generation families pass on the love of fishing at Michigan's Other Great Lakes and to welcome new anglers to our area.
BETTY: Yes - it is really "catching on."

'The Road Less Traveled'

Whether you are planning a get away for a weekend, a week, or longer, by the time you are packed and on the road, you may really need a vacation.

Two of the first questions you want answers to are "what's the weather going to be like" and "how much traffic will we encounter."

Well, there are apps for the answers to both those questions, but here is a suggestion you may not have considered.

When coming to Roscommon County have you thought about taking "the road less traveled?" Maybe you will arrive at your destination a little later in the day, but in a much more relaxed frame of mind.




The road less traveled offers so much. If you see an eagle, it is okay to pull on the side of the road to observe it. Instead of guardrails and cement abutments between highways, you will be driving between shoulders of beautiful wildflowers that vary through the seasons.







Instead of the carcass of an unfortunate animal who was trying to cross six lanes of speeding traffic, you can observe the wildlife in its natural habitat and you have time to brake if it is crossing the road.







What else? Shorter lines and times at gas stations. There are often historical markers along the two lane highways that offer interesting insights to earlier times. Roadside markets for some fresh fruit and vegetables to take on your trip. Antique stores and garages sales.






Just think of all the things you enjoyed while taking that family vacation in your youth, perhaps when there were only the "roads less traveled."