How to build a fire in Michigan's UP

[Cowboy Billy]

Step 1


Gather up three small buckets of kindling wood from along side of the road



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Step 2

Carefully arrange it into a pile

Step 3
Pack it down so there are no big air gaps

Step 4

Light the fire and look for a good cold drink

Wish all my new Hearth com friends were UP for some fun in the woods


Highbeam this is the loader I want to put bucket teeth on. A grapple would be better but way out of my price range.

Billy

 

[Scrounger]

Hi Billy,

I grew up in Tecumseh, now live over north of Grand Rapids.

Luke

 

[smokinj]

sure beats the way i do it!

 

[mayhem]

UP = Upper Peninsula?

 

[Highbeam]

That loader might put a hurt on a toothbar designed for a skidsteer or a 45 HP tractor but call Markham and tell him what you've got. You'll just love talking to the southern girls that answer the phone. I sometimes call just to talk to them! The toothbar for my 60" loader bucket was only like 150$ and worth its weight in gold. Moving brush with a loader bucket is not ideal, lots of mud and junk gets in the brush and then your capacity is very limited.

My method for moving brush heaps is to push with the bucket rolled down to use the bucket teeth as a rake.

Yep, you need a cold drink when burning.

Oh, and don't forget the leaf blower. Your fires will be less smokey and burn down faster with the forced air.

 

[Todd]

Good taste in beer Highbeam.

 

[Cowboy Billy]

Cool Luke

I moved here in 2000. I hang out with the Wolford Clan. If you know them Dave's boy Eric is doing great in the roedo. He rode in Worlds Toughest Cowboys the last years coming 3rd both years. And is in 3rd place in both of this years rides this year.

Howdy Smokinj

As long as ya are having fun thats all that matters

Hi Mayhem

Thats right Its about 40 miles past the Mackinaw Bridge. My dad, brother and I have 120 acres to play on. But it adjoins my uncles and cousins property giving us 440 acres to get into trouble on.

Highbeam

I love Southern Girls and their accents Wish I could find one that like the outdoors and horses to move up here with me! But you sure are living the high life there!!


This is the worst pile I have ever burnt. I got too much dirt in it. And it was packed so tight it would not dry out. Each time I lit it 2-4 feet would burn off then it would just go out. I wish I would have thought to use a leaf blower on it! I could only burn it on the weekends I was up there and did get it going good I had to put it out as I was leaving.

I pushed out a pond with the dozer. And my brothers got a fire hose pump and hose in case the fire got away from us which it never did.

Billy

 

[bigoak9745]

Billy
it looks like a h - - - of alot of fun! I am in Clare right in the middle of the state. My relatives have a place between Seney and Grand Marias on M-77. So I get up to the great north every so often. We have a yearly brush burn, but do it each winter. I agree it takes beverages to properly monitor a brush pile burn. Your pics are awesome....Take care


Dave

 

[Hiram Maxim]

Where ya at in da yooper?


My buddy just bought 100 acres near Cedarville just East of the Bridge!

oh You betch yah! ;-P

 

[Cowboy Billy]

Hi Dave it sure is Thanks we have a lot of fun there. We are at a dead end county road. Then I had to make a 1/4 mile road through the woods on my Uncle's property just to get to ours. There are four rock ledges form 30 to 60 feet tall. And we are backed up to the quarry property which is about 10 square miles with no one on it. The main pit is about 1.5 miles from us so if I get turned around I can listen for it and find my way out! I have a bunch of friends and relatives around there. And there is never a problem with finding beverages!

I have not made it as far as Seney but back when I used to snowmobile I used to ride out to Newbeery.


Howdy Hiram

I stock up at the Cedarville Pantry all the time!! I am about 15 miles from Cedarville. I am in Stalwart I usually run up 129 to Swede Rd to Hanna and I am off of 29 mile Rd. I should be going UP a lot this summer.

Ya all keep in touch and if we make it UP at the same time you are welcome to come over.

Billy

 

[Hiram Maxim]

Billy,

My buddies place is right down the road from you!

Small world. Wasn't Swede rd that was washed out this summer?

Cheers,Hiram

 

[Cowboy Billy]

Cool Hiram

I heard that they were going to blacktop it. But with the down turn of the economy they may not right now. I do know they were replacing culverts on it. And there was a dozer set on the road next to a big hole through deer season.

Billy

 

[SlyFerret]

I keep trying to convince my wife to move to Northern Michigan. If I had my way, it would be to the UP.

She would prefer to be by the ocean. I keep telling her... Michigan has some great big lakes! They might as well be oceans!

She doesn't find it as amusing as I do, I guess. Maybe some day I'll get to live up there.

-SF