Saturday: September 10, 2016
Mackinaw City to M-81: 9.9 miles
Mackinaw State Forest along the Western side of French Farm Lake, Drop point via Cecil
Today started a four day experience of hiking the forested sand dunes of Emmet County. It was easy to walk on the soft soil covered with pine needles. For many miles we walked on a soft green moss carpets 
surrounded by White Spruce, Paper Birch, Balsam Fir, Red and White Pine. We walked along French Farm Lake, 802 acres in size, the Northern most lake in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. Lots of wet lands. We took a break on the shore and had a snack.
Today we discovered an abandoned camp site with a tent and cooking utensils still in camp. I wondered if there was a dispute and she said, “Enough” hopped in the car and drove away or maybe he saw a bear and took off. It made me wonder what markers of trash and debris I have left in my life.
It was a short hiking day because we were not sure our wives would be able to find where the trail crossed many unmarked old logging roads. M-81 was quite easy to find. We were back in Mackinac City by lunch. Jan and I went to see the new release called Sully. It is the story of Captain Chesley Sullenberger landing a US Airways flight with 155 passengers aboard in New York’s Hudson River in 2009. Great movie!
Ron carried back for Donna a very special gift from the forest. It was a two foot length of Paper Birch bark in tack. The wood inside had completely rotted out. It makes sense that the Indians used this same bark for their canoes. Now observant, on the fallen tree trunks we noticed this all along the trail, the bark was in tack but the wood was soft or gone all together. Wonder where we will see that bark again?