Everybody has things they like to do. No surprise there, right? For me, I got to knock off three of them in one day.
So today was my first of three days off in row, right? While there were certainly many things I could have been doing (or
should have been doing), I was, in any case, prepared to just to stay local. I found myself checking my email this morning, and saw a posting that changed my mind immediately. Within 10 minutes, I was out the door. Destination? Lake Michigan.
Late yesterday, a
Western Grebe was sighted at Douglas Beach near Saugatuck. As the name might suggest, the bird is from "out west" as in Utah, or Wyoming or the like; not the "Western Great Lakes". While certainly not the first time this bird has been to Michigan, they are so often too far away (often Lake Superior) for me to even consider going to see them. This one was just 3 1/2 hours out and was still there the following day(this morning).
By 12:45, after driving through a few rain squalls, I find myself looking at my 337th bird for Michigan. Oh, but it did not come easy; well, at least not as easy as I was expecting. Upon arriving, I walked a few hundreds up the beach to be closer to the location it was seen this morning. Nothing. Realizing I should have my camera with me (I left it in the car) I started to walk back to the car. I did one final look - POW! - there it was! What the...?! So I enjoyed it a for a minute or two when I opted to head back. It had started to rain and my rain coat was, at the moment, a blanket for the camera. By the time I actually got to the car, it was raining hard. No use in bringing the camera, right? On goes the raincoat and off I go back to the beach to see it again. This time I was joined by the Laylins, a couple from the Lansing area. There it was...right where I left it.
Now the rain has stopped, right? I should get my camera right? As I was walking back to the car (for the second time), I bumped in to Sean Bachman and Tex Wells (pictured at the left). I made sure they knew where the bird was as I continued to the car. Dump the scope. Grab the camera. Walk back down the beach (the third time). No grebe. Totally gone. Sean and Tex got it, but it evaporated soon thereafter. Poof. Gone. No photo op for me. We looked for it a few minutes longer, but it was not to be had. The swells were hardly big enough to hide a bird from multiple observers but that is
exactly what happened!
I had actually planned to turn around and head straight home but I thought about it a bit more and figured lunch in the area would be fine and rewarding. Sean, by the way, is a Beer God (notice the use of capitals). The man knows his beer. His knowledge of the craft makes me look like a chump. As is often the case when we cross paths, we started talking shop. Ultimately, he suggested the Saugatuck Brewing Company. He had NOT been there (no way!) and was interested in what I might think.
I guess, all in all, it was okay. The new home is a former warehouse so it is very large and very spacious. If you like smaller, darker, more comfy places, uhhhhh, I'm not sure you will like the feel here. It is not bad, just not my vision of a brewery. T
hat said, the bartender was very knowledgeable and even mentioned that the owner and the master brewer were
both in the building and he could introduce me to them. Very nice! I did not take him up on it. Instead, I had some hummus as an appetizer and sampled two beers (they had ten to choose from!) - the
Vienna Ale (#659) and the
Butler Street Brown (#660). Of the two, the brown ale was much better. Wonderful caramel tones throughout. Medium-light body. Very well done. The ale, while good for some I suspect, was just too hoppy for me. I have had hops beers I have liked, but this one was not my style.
So what could be cooler than seeing a tough state bird and then having some good beers? How about a walk through the antique mall that is
attached to the brewery! Same building! Sure, I'm atheist, but it was as close to heaven as I will ever get! Antiques and beer under the same roof? C
offee stuff was pretty limited, but I did manage a smaller vintage cardboard sign from Hulman and Company for my ongoing coffee collection. The day could have been a bit better if I had a travel partner but it was not to be given the spontaneity of it all. Otherwise? For the day, a new state bird, two new beers and more coffee crap. Awesome. Really.
So today was my first of three days off in row, right? While there were certainly many things I could have been doing (or should have been doing), I was, in any case, prepared to just to stay local. I found myself checking my email this morning, and saw a posting that changed my mind immediately. Within 10 minutes, I was out the door. Destination? Lake Michigan.
Now the rain has stopped, right? I should get my camera right? As I was walking back to the car (for the second time), I bumped in to Sean Bachman and Tex Wells (pictured at the left). I made sure they knew where the bird was as I continued to the car. Dump the scope. Grab the camera. Walk back down the beach (the third time). No grebe. Totally gone. Sean and Tex got it, but it evaporated soon thereafter. Poof. Gone. No photo op for me. We looked for it a few minutes longer, but it was not to be had. The swells were hardly big enough to hide a bird from multiple observers but that is exactly what happened!
hat said, the bartender was very knowledgeable and even mentioned that the owner and the master brewer were both in the building and he could introduce me to them. Very nice! I did not take him up on it. Instead, I had some hummus as an appetizer and sampled two beers (they had ten to choose from!) - the Vienna Ale (#659) and the Butler Street Brown (#660). Of the two, the brown ale was much better. Wonderful caramel tones throughout. Medium-light body. Very well done. The ale, while good for some I suspect, was just too hoppy for me. I have had hops beers I have liked, but this one was not my style.
One of the most eerie pictures I have ever seen is the one at the left. It is said to be the last known picture of the doomed passenger liner as she steamed away into the history books (via Davy Jones Locker). From a photography standpoint, I like it for the most part. The ship is left of center (following the Rule of Thirds) and the horizon (though not level) is not cutting the scene into a top half and bottom half. For me, the creepiest aspect of the photo is not what it shows, but we know happened afterwards.
A few nights back, I was catching the final minutes of an episode. They seemed to be showing some filler material before the next episode started. The scene? The Brooks Falls at Katmai National Park. Perhaps you have seen the films of Grizzly Bears catching the salmon in mid-air as they jump up the falls during the spawning season? If you have, it was shot here. Back in 2004, I was there with my sister. One bear in particular was very cool to watch. With what seemed a permanently "pouty" lip, she stood on the edge of the falls waiting for a salmon to jump. If she missed the fish, she did a very noticeable "head throw" after the failed attempt. You could almost hear her say "Ahhh, duck!" (except she wasn't saying "duck"). So guess which bear Burns highlights during his filming?
Tonight, a fellow was recounting his trip to many western parks with his family. He was highlighting an episode at Glacier National Park where he had driven to Logan Pass and took a walk with son to Hidden Lake. To their surprise, a Mountain Goat wandered within a few feet of them. The exact same thing happened to me when I was there in 2003. Logan Pass. Heading to Hidden Lake. Woah! Gotta stop and give the right-of-way to the goat!
In the off chance that you have a cooler in the trunk of your car, you might consider either removing it or at least emptying it of the contents. Just thinking out loud here, I suspect it would be possible that the cooler could tip and dump water into the trunk of one's car. Now, for many, who cares, right? But for others, it would suck because I know some of you in blogland keep miscellaneous books and such in your car. Wouldn't it be a drag if the cooler dumped and basically ruined...I don't know...50 bucks worth of books?
Unfortunately, while the tacos were awesome, the Post Road Pumpkin Beer (#648) was a bit rough. Brewed in Brooklyn, New York by the Brooklyn Brewery (no way!), you had better like spices if you are going to give this one a go. Cloves, allspice and cinnamon are all there and in big quantities. In the aroma, the body,or the finish, it doesn't matter - you can't escape it. I really like beer to be a journey of the senses (smell, taste, and feel). This beer is a journey of...cloves, allspice and cinnamon. Also, that small limbo between the swallow and the finish was cluttered with a weirdness that is hard to describe. You might think of it as acidic before it gives way to a bitter, somewhat icky completion. The color, body, and head are all great, but the spices were simply overdone. It is very unlikely you would want more than one. On the best day, I can't give this a three out of five.
