Where Pine is King

Once upon a time, Michigan was covered in white pine forests.  There were 10 million acres of pines here.  Now, there is a 49 acre stand near Grayling: Hartwick Pines.  Imagine the whole state of Michigan once looked like this.  When the logging industry cleared the state of its white pine forests, lumber became the state's first profitable industry.  Growing up in Bay City, home to several saw mills and the huge homes that once belonged to the lumber barons, I have always had an interest in logging and lumberjacks.  And I love the forest.

Here is one Sequoia Niece and one Redwood Nephew in the forest of virgin white pine.

And here they are with the famous Monarch.  This tree is 325 years old and 155 feet tall.  I took the kids to Hartwick Pines to experience some of Michigan's history.  But, wouldn't you know that the most memorable thing from the day was the man with his pants hanging down and Niece 3 laughing until his wife pulled them up for him.  Don't do crack!

Normal (lumberjack wannabe) Girl