Nomad Life - Day 313

Once again, it was time for another Nomad Life reposition.  Sadly, my night was interrupted several times (I woke up twice) and didn't feel completely rested by the time I started teleworking (0515) this morning.  Since the Standish Motel (Standish) offered no breakfast, I skipped the morning meal and stayed online until my (late) checkout at 1200.  On the way out of Standish, I stopped at the Burger King to get some lunch - I ate in the restaurant.  By 1215, I was on my way towards the northeast.  Initially, I got on US-23 and headed into Iosco County.  Since I'd researched several birding locations to visit prior to my drive beginning, I was quite excited for new species observations.  My first stop was in Tawas City, where I parked to watch birds in Gateway Park (1300).  The weather conditions were good again (sunny, breezy, low 70s) - nice!  Beyond this stop, I continued on US-23 and checked out several nearby beaches.  Before long (1340), I arrived in the town of Harrisville (Alcona County) and made another stop at a beach near the Springport Inn.  Like before, I mainly saw seagulls.  Moving on, I used US-23 to reach MI-72 and turned towards the west.  Google AI had made several suggestions for stops in the interior counties nearby but I decided to avoid getting too far away from the coast.  As the two lane road I was on increased speed limits up to 65 miles per hour (!!!), I entered the Huron National Forest.  The weather conditions seemed to be conducive to insects - my window was soon covered with bug guts...  At one point, I passed through the little town of Curran, which claimed to be the "Black Bear Capital of Michigan" (I never saw any, though).  By 1425, I reached Fairview (Oscoda County) and stopped for some more bird observations (nothing exciting).  Switching to MI-33, I entered the Mackinaw State Forest - very pretty.  The sky was clear and the mainly flat (some low hills) terrain was pretty easy on my gas mileage (I stayed very close to 30 mph).  Soon, I was traveling through Montmorency County and made my last planned stop for birding.  Eventually, I reached the intersection with MI-32 and had smooth sailing into Alpena County.  My destination was the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) and I arrived there by 1520.  Once I was on Post, I got help to find the billeting office.  Due to lots of other check-ins (big groups), it took a little while for me to get my key and instructions.  Everyone was very nice and the price for my "Rustic Campsite" was unbeatable.  After leaving the Services Building, I drove around to find amenities (Fitness Center, River Club, etc.).  I found the RV Park by 1545 and was pleased to see that I had a nice site overlooking the Thunder Bay River.  After parking, I immediately set up my work computer and finished up my telework day on a picnic table (the base provided WiFi).  Nearby, I noticed some kayaks but I later learned they had all been checked out by other people - oh well...  About an hour after I'd arrived, other campers started arriving.  Before long, I met the camp neighbors (some were locals from the base but others were guests).  During this timeframe, I completely forgot that I was on an Air Force Base - the 1700 evening colors was a bit of a surprise.  One of my new friends, Bill, offered me a (Stroh’s) beer and I chatted with him and another guy (Sam) for about an hour.  Nearby, I saw several young men fishing - I later learned they were from the Netherlands.  As my new camp friends started to depart (to spend time with their families), Sam asked if I would like to use the kayak he'd checked out for the weekend!  Of course, I said yes...  Starting at 1900, I went paddling upriver.  There were so many birds - at one point, I saw five egrets in one tree.  There were beavers and other birds and I was so glad to have had a chance to get on the river.  I made it almost as far as MI-32 before I turned around (the sun was setting).  By the time I reached my campsite again (2015), I had logged three miles of kayaking - sweet!  Once the kayak was stowed, I thanked my camp friends and got my car ready for an evening of sleeping with the folded down seat (first time I've done that since I was hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2023).  I spent more time with Sam until the sun had completely set - he was nearing retirement and it was interesting to hear his plans for the future.  Next, I grabbed my workout bag and walked (about half a mile) to the Fitness Center so I could squeeze in a workout.  On the way, I heard my first Whippoorwill in years!  Between 2110 and 2130, I logged four miles (20 min) on what I thought was the only stationary bike in the gym (I found another one after I'd finished).  With my workout complete, I walked back to campsite and reached two miles of walking for the day.  Meanwhile, a small party had begun at the River Club (nearby) - I hoped they wouldn't keep me awake...  Once I had sequestered myself in my car, I used my tablet for a little while before switching to Duolingo and reading.  Bedtime was at 2330.  With my car reorganization completed before I departed from New Hampshire, it feels great to be able to "car camp" without much effort!