We’re almost to the weekend and it’s going to be a busy one as Munising plays host to two very unique events. They include the 2nd annual Pictured Rocks Kayak Quest and the annual Grand Island Trail Marathon. Here’s a little more information about them.

Pictured Rocks Kayak Quest – Saturday, July 31st
Hosted by the Munising Lions Club, this kayak challenge takes participates along the beautiful shore of Lake Superior. Encompassing Munising Bay, Grand Island and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, this event provides miles of spectacular shoreline to enjoy. The quest features two different courses, a 15-mile loop and a 30-mile-loop, with the start/finish at the Munising City Dock. The start times are 8:30am (long course) and 9:00am (short course) with a mandatory meeting at 8:00am. If you’re interest, there’s still time to register! Visit the Pictured Rocks Kayak Quest website for complete details!

Grand Island Trail Marathon – Sunday, August 1st
Labeled as “One of the Top 10 Marathons in North America” by Runner’s World magazine, the Grand Island Trail Marathon is a fan favorite. The marathon trail takes runners around the perimeter of Grand Island and features pristine forests and beautiful views of Lake Superior! Besides the actual marathon, there’s also a 10K race for those not looking to run the whole marathon distance and a 2K race for youth (held at Bay Furnace and registration is still open). If you want to enter this event you have to do it early – both races are usually full by April! For those lucky enough to be part of the race, good luck! For those looking to cheer on the runners, head to the Grand Island Ferry Dock and take a ride over to the island. The marathon race begins at 7:00am while the 10K race starts at 8:30am.

Besides these two great events, it is also the weekend of the Alger County Fair & Homecoming held in Chatham. The fair runs from Friday, July 30th thru Sunday, August 1st.

We hope to see you around!

High Finance and Corporate Pot California Style

SAN FRANCISCO — Jeff Wilcox, a middle-aged, clean-cut man who dresses in the Bay Area casual business attire of clean jeans, collared shirt and running shoes, may be the face of Marijuana, Inc, the corporatization of cannabis.

He has just persuaded Oakland to legalize industrial-sized marijuana farms, touting a study that promised millions in city taxes and hundreds of high-paying union jobs.

The long-struggling city, which has failed spectacularly to capitalize on the high-tech boom, could be the Silicon Valley of pot, Wilcox told the City Council this week before its historic vote to grant four permits for urban, industrial-size marijuana farms.

But as Wilcox points out, his business model — a nonprofit — will be less Google or Apple and more Trader Joe’s, a California cut rate gourmet grocery chain. The store’s best-known product is $2 per bottle Charles Shaw wine, known affectionately as Two Buck Chuck and considered a great glass of wine for the price.

“The new Two Buck Chuck will be $40 an ounce pot,” Wilcox said in an interview, looking forward to a day of full legalization. Boutique growers could produce the high-end stuff in their “gardens,” he explained, while he supplied the masses with a clean, controlled, great-value product.

If California legalizes marijuana, the rest of the nation may well follow. One way or the other, cut rate, highly potent California weed is unlikely to stop at the state’s borders.

The U.S. state that first allowed sales of medicinal marijuana, in 1996, may take away all restrictions on adult use of the drug in a November vote, giving local governments the option to regulate sales and growing of marijuana.

116th annual U.P. Firefighters Tournament – July 22-24, 2010

It’s another beautiful week here in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The temperature has been in the 70s and we’ve had a few scattered rain showers for a couple days. Besides the rain, it’s pretty awesome outside. With our early spring, it pushed everything way ahead of schedule and the wild blueberries have been plentiful for a couple weeks now. During an average year, they might not even be ready yet.

Tomorrow, a great event kicks off as Munising plays host to the 116th annual Upper Peninsula Volunteer Firefighters Tournament & Convention. The theme for this year’s tournaments is being labeled as the “Battle by the Bay.” This historic event brings firefighters from all over the Upper Peninsula and Northern Wisconsin to compete in a variety of skill challenges. Besides the skill challenges, there’s also street dances and parades. It is a great time and the firefighters would love to see you there to cheer them on!

The firefighters tournament runs from Thursday, July 22nd thru Saturday, July 24th. For a complete schedule of events, visit the City of Munising’s Firefighters webpage.

Come up north and experience the Upper Peninsula!

Senate Passes Unemployment Extension Bill

Democrats on Tuesday broke Republican-led opposition to a bill that would extend unemployment benefits to 2.5 million jobless Americans, but the vote only hardened the political divide and almost assured that any further domestic aid before November will be all but impossible.

Though the Senate reached the 60 votes needed to end a GOP filibuster and force a final vote on the legislation, prospects for the next spending bill — enabling states to avert teacher layoffs — appeared doomed.

A vote that would send the unemployment benefits legislation to the House could come as soon as Wednesday. The House is expected to pass the bill and send it to President Obama for swift approval.

Explore Munising went to visit the Tahquamenon Falls area (northeast of Newberry, Mich.) over the weekend and had a great time on the Toonerville Trolley Riverboat Tour.  The first part of the trip consisted of the trolley ride through the wilderness where we saw a bear, deer, eagle and several sand hill cranes.  The riverboat was waiting to take us along the Tahquamenon River to our final destination to see the spectacular falls.  Even though the climb was a bit challenging for some – once we reached the falls it was well worth it.  It was a great day and a nice road trip from Munising (93 miles, 2 hour drive).  Remember to bring along comfortable walking shoes, sunglasses and your camera.

The trail leading to the falls

Above the falls

Beautiful Tahquamenon Falls, 93 miles east of Munising

Why Can America Afford Tax Cuts for the Rich, But Not Aid to the Unemployed?

The unsavory task of explaining why America apparently can’t afford to help the unemployed but can afford tax cuts for the rich fell to Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) on Sunday.

“Republicans, me included, have supported numerous extensions of unemployment benefits and we’re anxious to do so again,” the Indiana Republican told interviewer Chris Wallace on “Fox News Sunday.” “The deficit this year is a trillion dollars for the second year in a row … The American people have had it with runaway federal spending, deficits and debt, and they want to see men and women in Washington, D.C. make the hard choices.”

Polls released last week showed that despite anxiety about spending, registered voters actually favor helping the unemployed even if it adds to the deficit.

Since extended benefits lapsed at the beginning of June, some 2.5 million people prematurely stopped receiving checks. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has called for another vote to reauthorize the benefits on Tuesday, after the replacement for the late Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) has been sworn in. He will presumably give Democrats the 60th vote they need to break the GOP’s filibuster. People who missed checks will be paid retroactively if the bill is approved.

Sand Point Beach in Munising

While visiting Munising make sure to take the short drive on Sand Point Beach Road (Washington Street). Simply follow the signs on H58 to the Munising Memorial Hospital. The road ends with a convenient turnaround. Along the way you will see the parking area for Munising Falls, The Alger County Heritage Center, Sand Point Beach, the Sand Point Marsh Trail and the Coast Guard Station.

With the great weather and warm temperatures, a visit to the Sand Point Beach is a must. This sandy and quiet beach was recently named one of “Top Five Summer Beaches in America” by The Weather Channel. This beach is also a great destination to end your day with a sunset over Munising Bay.

Located within the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, pets are permitted (must be on a leash) on the beaches of Sand Point and on Sand Point Road. Pets are not allowed on the Marsh Trail and all inland areas of Sand Point. Sand Point is well worth the trip.  Enjoy!

Check out the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore map to see where Sand Point is located. (Hint: Find Munising, then look up and to the right a bit.)