Even More Northern Lights!

 See also: Northern Lights and More Northern Lights!

Click on the pictures!

Early last week, I got word that we were expecting a solar storm on October 10 and 11. I had just started by staycation and I had the flexibility to travel north. First I checked the weather for places up north in Michigan and found out that clouds were expected to roll in on the evening of the 10th and rain on the 11th. Checks in Wisconsin and Minnesota didn't fare well. New England was slightly better but I wasn't sure I wanted to travel that far. So the 11th was a bust but I could roll the dice for the 10th. I was able to get a room in Mackinaw City that was near the park that looked upon the Mackinaw Bridge.

Once I got checked into my hotel, I went across the street to the park. There were already people there that had staked out positions. Photographers with fancy equipment. I talked with this guy that was taking pictures of the bridge. It seemed the northern lights were going to be the icing on his cake -- if they came out.

I grabbed some dinner at a local chippy and discovered that I'm not really a fan of whitefish. 

With dinner done and the sun setting, I grabbed my camera, tripod, and a folding chair to stake out my spot on the beach. When I got there, even more people were there and the one good spot that I was planning to claim--which had boulders--was taken. So I backed up a bit to a grassy part of the beach.

The wait for the darkness after sunset was long but eventually--with the aid of the camera--the lights started to appear.

At first, the lights were barely perceptible. Even with the camera's display, I wasn't sure I was seeing anything.

The plan was to use the Mackinaw Bridge and have the lights be the backdrop but most of the interesting views were to my north east, coming overhead and even behind me, and then going towards west south west. I wasn't looking north to an aurora, I was in it.

Greens and reds were the colors I have always seen. Only now, after viewing these photos, I can see the different colors that were shifting about. This guy here was pretty annoying. His cellphone was always shining back at me.

The lights are starting to intensify.

Streams of light would move along from the right to the left and pulsing in intensity.

A family decided to plant themselves in front of me. They were probably annoyed by my camera's timer light going off but oh well, I got there first.

The moon was still up and I can only imagine as I looked in back of me to the south and south west, how more bright these might have been.

For a few minutes, the lights really got bright and I could see the colors with my own eyes.

Looking above me. I like to imagine this being a phoenix.

The clouds are rolling in and becoming a problem.

Better take a moment as this is coming to an end!

Some evidence I was actually there!

They're going!

The last of the lights that I saw were dimmer and also thanks to the clouds, I had to stare straight up. I continued to watch the lights shimmer and dance. When I finally packed it in for the night, they were very dim but I had been out there in the cold for almost six hours. Nature was calling -- but back to the hotel. 

I was so fortunate that a series of circumstances came together to allow me to experience this. There is a tinge of regret however. There are many people I know that haven't experienced it. I know I would be deeply jealous.

Welcome James!

US Immigration sucks. It has taken a while but my cousin's stepson, James, has made it to America and has been reunited with his mother. He has been living in Las Vegas for a couple months but he was introduced to his dad's side of the family here in Michigan. 

He seems to be quite gifted. He's taking swimming lessons and training in martial arts. He likes geography and even knows the Russian alphabet. 

Bob's Back!

Bob, my Ford Escape had an unfortunate encounter with a deer over a month ago. It took a couple weeks to get an appointment with the body shop and then another three weeks before it was done. 

I can only imagine that my insurance company is plotting to drop me after two roofs and now this $10k bill. Yes, my auto and home insurance are with the same company. They haven't but after these three events, I've been quite happy with Progressive.

PTO for the Fair

I took the majority of this week off for the Berrien County Youth Fair. I saw a number of people that I knew from high school but only talked with a few of them.  My friend Kraig had his sons showing off their goat. My friend Season, her partner Sharon, and their daughter came as well and it was good to see them.

Relaxing in the Garden

Oddly enough, I didn't really each much at the fair. I had no interest in an elephant ear or a funnel cake. I have easy access to better and cheaper alternatives around here year-round. Gyros comes immediately to mind. I had sirloin tips, a corn dog, and those cinnamon nuts.

I never paid much attention to the midway but as Season's daughter wanted to ride, I made a discovery. Scannable wristband are now being used. Also, they have a fast past system. Gross. Thanks Disney.

More Northern Lights!

 See Also: Northern Lights

This year continues with the astronomical delights. Along with the Perseid meteor shower came another chance to see the aurora borealis. This place is just north of the Niles and has a good view to the north. Along with the few shooting stars, I got to gaze at these lights as well.

I stayed out until around 2:30 in the morning. Of course, I was dragging at work! It was so worth it, though.

Slowest Tree Removal Ever

 See this twitter post.

The city cut one of my trees in half over a year ago. Apparently it was a threat to electric lines. It looked ridiculous and they should have taken entire tree down. It stayed that way for the majority of summer. Then a storm came through and proved just how unstable a tree is with half of it removed. It started to lean and even cracked the sidewalk. I came home one day to find the rest of it chopped down.

There was a stump left. Like hell I was paying to have that removed. The city wants to remove a tree-fine- but it's not my fault that they didn't finish the job. It was left and a year later they have finally came around to grind the stump. Yet again, they didn't finish the job. Yay, a pile of mulch.

Local Festival

 

My little city had a little festival down by the river park. There are years where I miss this as it is only there for an extended weekend. I managed to spend a short time there with a couple of my friends. 

I love summer.