Photo from last year's Frostbite HomeGrown Saturday and Chili Crawl, taken at Port City Organics - courtesy Manistee Marketplace

The third annual Frostbite HomeGrown Saturday event is scheduled for this Saturday, Feb 18th in Downtown Manistee. The event – a fun, family-oriented way to beat those mid-winter blues and enjoy our community – will take place from 12 noon to 4:00pm throughout downtown.

Downtown Manistee’s beloved Street buskers are back for a winter encore. “These street musicians continue to be embraced by locals and visitors alike,” says Travis Alden, Director of Manistee’s Main Street DDA the organizer of the event. “We have about a dozen musicians lined up to perform at a bunch of locations downtown. It’s going to be awesome!”

The lineup includes:

Tim Krause, John Pomeroy, Tom Biggs, “Triple Shot”, “Doc” Ken Wroblewski, Ken Cooper, Monte & Monica Klein, Carol Voigts, Mike Beveridge and the “Taco Two” – Mark Kay and Ray.

The cornerstone of Frostbite HomeGrown Saturday is the Chili Crawl contest. Seventeen different batches of chili will be competing for the title of best chili and the $100 Downtown Dollars prize. Each entry will be located in a different downtown business, and scorecards detailing each will be available throughout downtown. The entries are (listed East to West):

1. Pineapple Ginger Chicken Chili by Shay’s Chop House at Port City Organics, LLC
2. Goody’s Cluckin’ Chili at Goody’s Juice and Java
3. Whoa Mamma! Chili by the Manistee Jaycees at Play Clothes
4. Simple White Chili at River Street Station
5. Noomies’ Three-Bean Chili at River Street Station
6. Black Magic Chili by Jean Krause at Northern Spirits Gift Shoppe
7. Hawaiian Chili by Kay Yates at The Bookstore/Manistee
8. Prime Rib Chili by Little River Casino Resort at Ticconi’s ATA Martial Arts
9. Hoosier Mama Chili by Portage Point Inn at Snyder’s Shoes
10. Jim & Jerry’s Pabst Blue Ribbon Taco Chili w/ cheese & chips at Reusch Jewelers
11. Nicholas’ Famous Chili by Nicholas Bauman at The Ramsdell Inn and TJs Pub
12. Big M “Red” Chili by Bob Kennedy at The Ideal Kitchen
13. Beer & Chocolate Chili at The Elks
14. Eddie D’s Famous Chili by Eddie D at Kellie’s Hallmark Shop
15. Shawn’s Peruvian Pork Chili at Boathouse Grill Manistee
16. Ed’s Buffalo Black Bean Chili at Boathouse Grill Manistee
17. Chris’ White Chicken Chili at Boathouse Grill Manistee

All entries are located in Downtown Manistee, with Port City Organics on Division Street and all others on River Street. Everything is within an easy walking distance.

Scorecards will be available at any of the above locations and can soon be downloaded at www.manisteedowntown.com. Everyone is invited to sample all of the chili entries, score them, and turn in the scorecard by 3:30pm at The Boathouse Grill. In order to be counted, a scorecard must have scores for at least ten chili entries. Each full scorecard will be entered into a drawing for $50 Downtown Dollars. The winners will be announced at approx. 4:00pm at The Boathouse Grill.

“The competition for the chili crawl has been getting more and more fierce,” says Alden. “I’ve seen some good-natured trash talking on Facebook between some of the chili cooks. It should be fun!”

In between listening to the music, tasting chili and shopping, be sure to watch the ice carving that will be going on in front of the Vogue Theatre Welcome Center on River Street – courtesy of the Little River Casino Resort Culinary Leadership Team.

Frostbite HomeGrown Saturday is brought to you by the Manistee Main Street DDA.

Port City Organics Real Food Market & Wellness Center, Manistee, Michigan

Hello, hikeaholics!  I know it’s been a while since we’ve posted about any of our adventures.  We spent a whole summer collecting fabulous photos for you, now the trick is finding the time to edit and post them all!  Sounds like a good project for when the weather turns blizzard-ish, no?

Meanwhile, we’ve been keeping super busy.  I’ve been writing my little fingers off, including one project you will (or should!) be excited to hear about.  Have you heard of a website called The Awesome Mitten?  It’s all Michigan, all the time.  And I’m now a Feature Writer there, sharing my favorite things about Northern Michigan on a weekly basis.  Most recently I featured Port City Organics Real Food Market & Wellness Center, one place I make a point of shopping every week.  It’s also one of our favorite places to stop and grab snacks for the trail!

[Check out the article!][See all of my Awesome Mitten features.]

Make sure you bookmark or subscribe to The Awesome Mitten for more Michigan goodness on a daily basis!

There are a lot of great place to hike in Northern Michigan, but what if you want to see more?  If you could go hiking anywhere in the world, where would it be?  Would you spend a summer on the Appalachian Trail?  Go hiking through the temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest?  Follow the Inca trail to Machu Picchu?  Take in the amazing sights of the southeast Asian wilderness?  Maybe even climb Mt. Everest?

One lucky person will have all of thee options and more, thanks to the TravelPro sweepstakes, where the grand prize winner will walk away with 500,000 frequent flyer miles through Delta SkyMiles.  Yes, that’s 6 digits!  The winner will also win 2 TravelPro Rollaboard bags to pack up for their trip around the world!

Just think of the possibilities.  Send yourself anywhere in the world you’ve ever wanted to go.  Take your spouse or significant other on a romantic getaway.  Or load up the whole family and head out on a grand adventure.  With that many miles to burn through, the possibilities are endless!

To enter, stop by the TravelPro sweepstakes website.  It’s quick and easy to enter, and when you’re hiking your way around the world, you’ll be glad you did!

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We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially if you intend to spend the day out on the trail. On a recent trip to go camping and hiking in the Leelanau Peninsula, we found ourselves in Maple City just in time for breakfast. That’s how we ended up eating at Pegtown Station, a delightful little restaurant in the teeny-tiny town. If you happen to find yourself in Maple City, it’s definitely worth stopping by. Want to know more about Pegtown Station? [read the full review at Northern Michigan Foodie]

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First Impression

I bought these boots online, which is something I rarely do with footwear. I’m always wary of purchasing a shoe or boot that I haven’t actually put on my foot, especially when it comes to high-end items with bigger price tags. (The MSRP of these boots is $240.) Happily, they fit my foot perfectly. They even leave just the right amount of space for a nice pair of wool socks while still being comfy in thin socks.

The first thing I noticed the first time I put the boots on is how supportive they are. Not only do they have good arch support and ankle support, they also feel like they correct my step. The day they arrived in the mail my knee was bothering me, and walking in them made my knee feel properly aligned when I took a step. They are a little heavy, but overly so.

Testing

If ever a boot has been torture tested, a summer on my feet does the trick! These boots were tested in all kinds of terrain, including sand, woods, swamp, aggregate, and even a some walking on pavement. Pretty much every photo on this blog taken from May through September of 2011 was taken while wearing these boots, and if you follow the blog, you know that’s a lot of different places!

I was amazed at how comfortable the boots were consistently. They needed no “breaking in” period, fitting my feet perfectly from the very first moment. One day we even walked over 15 miles, and my feet, though tired, were blister-free with very minimal aching. Not bad for an epic, 15-mile hike!

While walking through swamps and other wetland areas, I have stepped directly in water many times in these boots. Every time, my feet have stayed completely dry. Additionally, they have awesome traction, keeping me steady even on slippery surfaces like wet rocks.

The Verdict

I love, love, LOVE my Kayland contact hiking boots. I got mine at a heavily discounted price, but even at full retail price they are worth every penny. The boots are comfortable, even after wearing them for extended periods, offering superior support and waterproofing. They are also durable; after several months of wear and many, many miles hiked, they still look in brand-new condition. (Well, when they aren’t covered in mud from tromping through the forest!) The only downside of these boots is their weight, which is a few ounces more than what I would ideally like a boot to weigh.

Click here to purchase Kayland Contact Womens Backpacking Boots. Your feet will thank you!

(Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post. Post does include affiliate links.)

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The road into Magoon Creek Natural Area, Manistee, Michigan.

Yellow leaves along the road into Magoon Creek Natural Area, Manistee, Michigan.

Spectacular fall colors at Magoon Creek Natural Area, Manistee, Michigan.

Fall leaves at Magoon Creek Natural Area, Manistee, Michigan.

Fall foliage at Magoon Creek Natural Area, Manistee, Michigan.

A large wasp hive along the trail, Magoon Creek Natural Area, Manistee, Michigan.

The creek delta is dead right now; it doesn't even reach the lake! Magoon Creek Natural Area, Manistee, Michigan.

The trickle of the creek delta, Magoon Creek Natural Area, Manistee, Michigan.

Path through the dunes to the beach, Magoon Creek Natural Area, Manistee, Michigan.

Adam walking along the trail from the beach to the picnic area, Magoon Creek Natural Area, Manistee, Michigan.

Want to see more pictures of Magoon Creek Natural Area in Manistee, Michigan? [View the photo gallery]

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On this particular day at the Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary, we got a couple of surprises. The first thing we noticed was that they got a brand-new sign at the entrance. Isn’t it pretty and eye-catching?

The new sign at the entrance to Lake Bluff.

Another recent development at Lake Bluff is that the Manor, located at the heart of the spectacular grounds, is now open as a bed and breakfast! Talk about picture-perfect accommodations!

The Manor at Lake Bluff, now open as a bed and breakfast!

Many of the wildflowers along the trails were starting to bloom!

Wildflowers in bloom at Lake Bluff.

We got another surprise when we decided to walk the trail to the beach. Recent heavy rains had caused massive erosion, watching entire patches of trees from the face of the high bluffs and onto the beach, some even as far as the water line.

Bluffs eroded from heavy rains, causing trees to slide from the hillside to the beach.

Bluff erosion caused by heavy rains at Lake Bluff.

Trees from the face of the bluffs eroded by rainfall at Lake Bluff.

You can see more of the erosion in this stretch of beach in a video we made that day. [Go to the video]

Want to see more photos from the Lake Bluff Audubon Society Bird Sanctuary in Manistee, Michigan? [View the photo gallery]

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Welcome to the new Foodie Friday segment here at Hiking Northern Michigan, where we step off of the trail and into some of our favorite local eating establishments. Look for reviews of restaurants throughout the area, featuring a different location each week!

It’s 3:00 in the morning. You’re starving, and there is very little green in your wallet. If you’re in Manistee, you’re in luck! Head to the Little River Casino Resort, where their buffet restaurant (The Willows) has an unbeatable deal on a late-night meal.

From midnight until 4:00 AM each day, The Willows offers steak and eggs for $1.99. That’s right, a full, sit-down meal for under $2! [UPDATE 10/8/2011: The price of steak and eggs has been increased to $2.99.] (The fine print states that you must be a member of the casino’s Player’s Club to get the special pricing. Joining the Player’s Club is free, so it’s not a big deal, but I wouldn’t worry too much about it; we’ve gone dozens of times and they’ve never asked to see our membership cards!)

What do you get for $1.99 $2.99? You’ll get a plate with a small piece of steak, 2 eggs, hash browns, and 2 slices of toast. It’s not the best meal you’ll ever have, but for under 2 3 bucks, it’s pretty freakin’ awesome! (Unlike other meals at The Willows, drinks are not included in the price.)

The kitchen does seem to have their own interpretation of how you order your meat; it consistently come out 1 to 2 steps more rare than ordered. So if you like your steak medium rare, it’s better to order it medium or medium well. (The steak pictured above was ordered as medium!)

So, it’s not the best meal you’ll ever eat. However, options are limited in Manistee, especially in the middle of the night. Despite the downfalls of the casino’s steak and eggs, it’s the best $2 $3 meal in town!

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Just north of Frankfort, Michigan off of M-22 is the historic Point Betsie Lighthouse. The lighthouse is open seasonally for tours, including a trip up into the light tower. Following the decommissioning of the light by the United States Coast Guard, the community rallied together to raise the funds to restore and maintain the lighthouse, its surrounding buildings, and the grounds.

Point Betsie Lighthouse, Frankfort

Lighthouse, fog signal building, and oil house, Point Betsie Lighthouse, Frankfort

Looking down the beach from the Point Betsie Lighthouse, Frankfort

Oil house, Point Betsie Lighthouse, Frankfort

Point Betsie Lighthouse, Frankfort

Inside the fog signal building, Point Betsie Lighthouse, Frankfort

Inside the fog signal building, Point Betsie Lighthouse, Frankfort

Point Bestie Lighthouse, Frankfort

Point Betsie Lighthouse, Frankfort

Point Betsie Lighthouse, Frankfort

Point Betsie Lighthouse, Frankfort

Point Betsie Lighthouse, Frankfort

Point Betsie Lighthouse, Frankfort

A bench on the beach, Point Betsie Lighthouse, Frankfort

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