Hogback Mountain

Saturday morning, my roommates, Sarah's sister and I went out to hike Hogback mountain. or we would have, we never got there. Instead, I drove everyone around in my tiny Passat, on roads that I really should not have taken it on. If living out in Nevada had taught me anything, it was how to drive a non-four-wheel-drive car on off roads. (I know, ill advised.)

Walking out to the car, I had assumed that Kate knew the way to Hogback, seeing as she suggested a hike out there in the first place. I was wrong. I called out "Shotgun has heated seat and also has to navigate!" Kate claimed the heated seat and pulled up google maps.
We were almost out of the parking lot before she had to borrow someone's phone because her's was at 3%.
But that's okay because google had no clue where we were going anyway.
Let the adventure begin.

The first fork in the dirt road that I followed for way to long was the wrong way. I had been that way for my biology field labs before, so I wasn't quite lost. We went almost all the way back to the main road, where there was a couple people with Nerf Guns and filming equipment. Kate decided this was an excellent time to ask for help. She jumped out (so glad I'm not the only one who's father taught them to jump from a slow moving vehicle) and asked for directions. They didn't know where we could hike to Hogback either, and apparently they were filming Nerf gun and sword fights for a YouTube channel they have. Kate came back and we took another look at google, I first wanted to get back on the main road, but we decided that going back and taking the opposite fork in the road that we had previously come across would be the shorter route. It wasn't. (spoilers)

The second dirt path was, at first, much easier on my car though got more difficult as we went along. And the private property we passed by was much more concerning. The one that unsettled us the most had a simple camping trailer that was surrounded by off-putting painted scrap metal and attached to one tree was a satellite dish with the words "WE CAN SEE YOU EVERYWHERE YOU GO" painted on it, a massive traffic cam pointed at us just above.
This was the point at which we all thought we were going to be murdered.
I made sure that everyone knew that if they were locked in my trunk, there's a convenient glow-in-the-dark release handle they can pull to escape. Because that's what friends do.

So we were, at this point very high strung and pretty sure there was an ambush waiting for us up ahead on the road because the camera saw us coming. Kate was formatting a plan, I don't remember who she said would team up with who and run in what direction, its not important. As I was coming up a hill that curved down, creating a blind spot, a dog ran up the hill towards me and I screamed, stopping the car. Kate then saw the truck come up the hill behind the dog and screamed, followed by Sarah, Emily and Alyssa in the back seat all screaming at the top of their lungs. (later they confessed that they didn't know why and couldn't see what was going on, it just seemed like the thing to do in that moment).

The Truck casually stopped and backed up down the hill so we could slide past, and on the way I rolled down the window to ask the older gentleman for directions to Hogback.
What he said, a summery;
"Got matches and camping gear? it's a tough trail and many people accidentally wind up staying the night on the mountain. The trail head is about two miles further down near the main road, but if you want you can pull into my campsite and look at the mountain from my yard. I'm just going out for some beer and lunch, but I'll be back to watch the wolverines play tonight. you ladies make sure you're all prepared for that kinda trail before you go up, your not far from the trail head, but like I said feel free to pull into my camp and take a look at the mountain before you go climbing."
When he finished, Kate leaned over and asked, "Hey, do you know whats up with the traffic cam guy back down the road?"
He replied, "Oh, he's completely harmless, just an eccentric artist who specialized in Junk Art, and thought that people might come to steal his work, so he put up cameras. but yeah, he's harmless, but don't go drinking over there."
We weren't quite sure what he meant by that last bit, maybe we looked like the sort of girls that went drinking on random, scary looking private property in the middle of the woods. Regardless, I thanked him politely for his help, then rolled up my window and as soon as we passed, I declared, "Yeah we are not going on that guy's property."
Kate said, "Thank You! was that weird or what?"

We continued on our way, passing the man's camp. We felt more confident now that we were close to our destination, and firm in our belief that we probably wouldn't get murdered. My car only had to be pushed out of the sand one time and by this point we had been wandering around for nearly two hours. We found a trail head map, none of which leading up Hogback, but one expert level trail named Jedi trail. eventually things started to look familiar as we reached the harrow lake area which is spotted with lots of trails, one of which presumably leading to Hogback.
Unfortunately, we had to go back to campus without being able to stop and truly find it, I promise there will be a sequel adventure another day.

When we reached the dorms I made it all the way to my third floor destination before realizing that I had forgotten my muffin in the car and would have to go back for it.
Muffin in hand, two crows landed on the tree outside the door and, hoping they would remember my face and become the beginnings of a crow army I could summon at will to do my bidding on campus (my bidding being mostly to make me look like a bad ass on campus by having a crow army), I tossed some crumbs on the ground for them to enjoy.
Upon entering I climbed the flights of stairs all the way to what I thought was the third floor (it was the second), and took note of the interesting new display that the RA had apparently set up. after inspecting the change, I proceeded to my room, opened the door and was slapped in the face with pink. This is NOT RIGHT I thought alarmingly to myself. No one was in the room, but someone was showering and what really hit me as it not being my room was the fact that 'my bed' wasn't lofted. I stepped out of the room as quietly as I could and looked up at the name card on the left of the door. "Alyssa." Just like always, though it was a different shape and color; on the right was a different name where mine should have been. Is this my room? It's not, it can't be. My mind fuzzed over with the familiar dream fog of nothing being quite right. Is Alyssa even my roommate? My name isn't on the other side of the door, so who is my roommate? Where is my room? has everything for the past four weeks been naught but a deception? It was at this point that I noticed the room plaque had a 2 not a 3 on it and I mentally slapped myself for being a dumbass. I was on on the wrong floor and had apparently caused Sarah and Alyssa some concern with how long I'd been gone to get my muffin.

It had been a long morning.

Northern MIchigan University

    The First Week...(sorry its a month late, its been crazy)

Sunday

     Today I felt so welcomed into the dorms as I got to get to know my suitemates and roommate a little better. One of my suitemates Kate had spent the previous summer learning Brazilian Jujitzu and demonstrated on her less inclined but good sport roommate Sarah. We joked about wasp spray as apposed to pepper spray because apparently wasp spray has 20ft distance spray and would be better if an intruder came in and you didn't feel like getting up from your bean bag chair.
     The hilarity was followed by a really long house meeting on policies and how we can go to our RA if we need help with anything.  
     For the first time since I can remember, I feel extroverted and like I want to connect with the people around me. I want to open my dorm door and see who walks in with interesting stories to tell. Somehow I have found a collection of equally weird and out of place people who all love life and nature and being away from the big city. I am so happy to be here, I feel like I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I was to excited to sleep. I didn't feel anxious at all, I felt confident, at home, and at peace.

Monday

        This morning I woke up a little more nervous, now I'm just crossing my fingers that my classes don't screw me over. Today is my first day of classes, starting with organic chemistry, followed by Physics and Biology. I am hoping that I have chill teachers who are as passionate about teaching as the ones at WCC.
     Slightly nervous for my Orgo class, though it is taught by a fabulous gay Frenchman so at the very least it should be interesting. More nervous for my Physics class that is taught by A Japanese professor with a very heavy accent. It's much harder to understand him as I am much less familiar with eastern accents than I am European. overall seems like an alright day.

Tuesday

     For those of you who have read Douglas Adams Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy, you may recall him describing a small parasitic fish that lives in your ear that translates unintelligible languages and translates them. for purely selfish reasons of course, and I'm paraphrasing but the experience was described as you can still hear the scratching/gurgling of the unintelligible language, but through it, you were able to understand. well that's what it's like having my French instructor teaching the class.

     Not much happened today, only had the one organic chemistry lecture though my professor while talking about Lewis Structures said, "you cannot do this that would be crazy!!" in the exact accent of Lumiere from beauty and the beast  and it was pretty great.

     oh I also went to the fall fest which was just a bunch of advertising for clubs and local business, it was cool and also I got caffeinated Chapstick.

Wednesday

     I cried. a lot. holy fuck physics is hard. with a teacher I only half understand. After my three hour physics lab I cried in the bathroom and then went to physics lecture. and then I cried and went to my bio lecture which is very relaxing and I love the professor, every lecture he seems like he is going to pee from the excitement of teaching and that is exactly the kind of teacher everyone should have. he is a rather adorable old man who on the first day of classes talked to us about sponges for half an hour. Biology seems so far to be my refreshingly easy class.

     Later that evening I tried to tackle physics again and wound up having a complete breakdown. I ran into my suitemates room and Sarah turned from her homework asking me "what's wrong?"
"Physics" I squeaked out in a tiny voice. she gave me a hug and I felt a little better, then taking advantage of the gym by my dorm to get some exercise. this was followed by a two hour skype session with my boyfriend to help me through my homework.

Thursday

     things went a little better today, it started with a field lab for biology where we unsuccessfully caught dragonflies, followed by the three lectures and the a night chemistry lab. bahumbug.

Friday

      Today started with meeting people for lunch. It was really nice to socialize, something that comes a little more naturally here. I had two quizzes/three lectures, and in the evening Kate, Sarah, Alyssa and I went out to unnamed Morgan falls to hike. Kate and I climbed up the water fall, and after the hike Kate and sarah got in a huge mud fight in the dirt road. It was awesome and an excellent reminder that I need to get myself off campus every now and then to maintain my sanity. 

Ps. Sorry for the tardiness of this post, but been swamped with classes and such. Physics is a little better now, but still stuggling, Yahoo answers is teaching me way better than the book.

Random thoughts I have

     I MAY be hyped up on caffeine and lack of sleep for most of these, and I MAY be saying this disclaimer as an excuse for my odd mind.

     1. I'm really glad that between my dad and my neighbors tastes in fancy high quality beer, when I take 6 months worth of bottle returns back to the store I at least look like a classy alcoholic. Unlike your grocery cart of bud light cans.

     2. I love how when we need to isolate something in a reaction via knocking off a hydroxide(in my chem 2 class) we just fling some HCL at it and we're like there, take the hydrogen. Be water, be free. Pure Michigan.

     3. If my life ever gets made into a movie, I want the opening scene to be of an elderly lady with a cane going into a church confessional and saying, "I've never been in one of these before. How does it work? Well I'll get started, we've got a lot of ground to cover." And then it'll launch into the movie, starting with my childhood ect.

     4. Sometimes I wish I could take a break from being pulled in every direction. I just want to be a group 1 metal every now and then, you know, a spectator ion.

     5. Im really struggling with my homework/study load for chemistry so I decided to try to find a crucifix to see if my homework would Sizzle and burn and I wouldn't have to worry about it anymore. But there are no crucifixes in my house, I put a statue of Buddha on top of my homework instead and nothing is happening because he wants me to come to inner peace with my troubles. God dammit Buddha.

Germany - Schwatzwald!

Flashback Friday! - (Black Forest)

     For one weekend, Emma, her mother, and I went down to the Black Forest, called Schwarzwald in German, in Bavaria. Bavaria is the magical place of Germany that actually looks like the German tourist towns of America (cough, cough, Frankenmuth), and is filled with people who have such a thick accent over their German that Emma had to speak in English with them to understand them. The town areas were neat, but a little creepy as they were obviously for tourists and again my mind went straight to Frankenmuth. 

     The towns all had at least one enormously beautiful catholic church, and while I have never followed in any faith of that sort, I do love and enjoy the architecture and stained glass windows. Often, as a result of the lack of a religious upbringing, I would marvel at strange fountain podiums that I didn't know were for baptisms and beautiful impressionistic stained glass artwork that I called a wonderful collaboration of interesting colors, shaped vaguely like a lion, and that someone else called Jesus. I think my favorite part of the churches were the massive piano organs that had their pipes on walls and ledges. 

     We visited Freiburg for a little bit, half a day at most, and I loved the bright colors, hidden ally passages between streets and pretty architecture. I wish we had had more time to explore the city. Everything was so wonderfully brightly colored everywhere we went.
     I'm not sure where exactly in the area it was, but at some point, we found a lovely lake with a rocky shore that was fun to walk along, there was a present town on the other shore of it that had a lot of co-co clocks. we rented a rowboat and went out on the lake.
      I greatly enjoyed seeing the largest waterfall in Germany and all the trails Emma and I found winding through the forest. One evening we went out and found one such trail on the outskirts of the town we were staying in, that in short order led us to a very old beer cellar. We couldn't see much inside except for some movement at which point Emma ran away down the trail. This trail was by far one of the most amazing trails I have ever hiked. It truly seemed like we were in an enchanted forest, following the mossy creek and small wooden bridges that crossed it. I could tell why this was where fairy tails happened, even if the originals were more gruesome than the Disney versions. Just walking over fallen logs and on paths cut through the rock of the mountain, I felt something truly magical about the place. Even the clovers glowed a little brighter.