A Visceral Life

This video is of my backpacking trip in September to Isle Royale National Park in Michigan which is a remote island only fifteen miles from the north coast of Lake Superior. This travel log is a collection of about 300…

This photo from the East Branch of the Fox River State Forest Campground was selected as the overall winner of Michigan Nature Association's 2023 Annual Photo Contest. If you aren't familiar with the Michigan Nature Association, you should check them…

I have been backpacking three times to Isle Royale and spent a week working around the island as a common loon bander. My last trip was just a few weeks ago and my first was more than three decades ago…

Springfield, Illinois, is a city rich in history and the natural beauty of the midwest. During our journey across the United States, we stopped in Springfield to explore some of the Illinois Capital City’s history and spend a night camping…

Preservation of our nation’s farmlands is a topic dear to my heart. My grandfather delivered milk and ice with a horse and buggy in upstate New York and owned a dairy farm. Some of my favorite memories are helping out…

When I first saw the email from our neighborhood that there was a proposal to build a 1,700-acre utility-scale solar plant in our rural township, I immediately had mixed feelings. I support green power and fighting global warming, but this…

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For the second half of our July UP expedition with my son Bryce and his friend Matt, we explored the Garden Peninsula on the north shore of Lake Michigan. It is said that the Garden Peninsula got its name…

In early July, we headed to Michigan's western Upper Peninsula to The Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. My son Bryce had missed our last expedition into this area, so we planned this trip to visit The Porkies and invited his…

Boston is the birthplace of the American Revolution. The city has preserved many of their historic places that we visited during our camping trip to Boston MA. My wife Stephanie, our dog Banjo and I explored the area while our…

This Nashville camping trip video is of our expedition to Nashville Tennessee. My daughter Aspen is thinking of attending Belmont University as part of their singer-songwriting program. We camped at the Nashville KOA which was convenient. The KOA is on…

With more than 59,000 acres, Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park is Michigan’s largest state park. Having “wilderness” in the park’s title is appropriate because about 75% of the park has been officially designated as a primitive area. Containing 35,000 acres…

This video of Michigan's Upper Peninsula Hiking Hogback Mountain is a short film of one of my favorite hikes in Michigan's Upper Peninsula is Hogback Mountain. The trailhead we like to use is across the street from the Michigan DNR's…

Tahquamenon Falls State Park is Michigan's second largest state park with more than 48,000 acres of wild lands. The centerpiece of this park is the Tahquamenon River and its Upper and Lower falls. The Upper Falls is actually the second…

When camping at Interlochen State Park, you are entering a piece of Michigan History. The park was established during the Conservation Movement that occurred from 1890 to 1920 during which the nature writings of Henry David Thoreau, John Muir and…

This Straits of Mackinac camping video with music by Aspen Jacobsen was shoot during summer, spring and fall camping trips. We camped at Straits State Park, St Ignace KOA, Mackinaw City KOA and Mackinaw Mill Creek campgrounds. In this video,…

I have a hard time deciding which I liked more about our weekend camping trip to Warren Dunes State Park Michigan. The spectacular spring woodland wildflower display that was all around us as we hiked and camped in this state…

Michigan Spring Weather, Birds and Flowers shares the recent transition of winter to spring and features Aspen's song "Thank You" from the album 'Love Each Other Right.' 

Video Transcript

Spring officially starts in Michigan between March 19th and the 21st,…

Traverse City State Park in Michigan offers a campground with a natural setting and the convenience of being on the outskirts of a vibrant town. While you are camping here under the pines and enjoying the beach, you are also…

This video was filmed at Proud Lake Recreation Area in Oakland County Michigan. 

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The snow is gone in Southern Michigan, and I am not sure why but I seem drawn to the water's edge. The air around me is…

I loved snowshoeing at the Highland Recreation Area in this video. Highland Rec is in the northwest suburbs of Detroit in this video and contains about 6,000 acres of forest, marshes and lakes. It has trails for mountain biking, hiking,…

Come visit Interlochen State Park in winter virtually with us. 

Interlochen is Michigan's first state park and was acquired in 1917 to preserve a 200 acre virgin white pine forest between Duck Lake and Green Lake. This is why I…

Birding in winter can be a fun way to pass the colder months of the year. The leaves have dropped, so it is easier to see the birds and many species have headed south to warmer climates making it easier…

Merry Christmas! This Americana Christmas song video was shot over the last week, with the final footage of the snow captured this morning. We were super excited to awaken to a fresh Christmas snow! The video's sound track is Aspen's…

The third weekend of October we headed to the tip of Michigan's Thumb to Port Crescent State Park on Lake Huron for some fall camping, hiking and filming for a new camping video with music by Aspen.

The park is…