Otter Creek aka Esch Road Beach

posted: July 11, 2008 – 7:33 am

Empire Bluff from Esch Road (Otter Creek)

Empire Bluff from Esch Road (Otter Creek) , photo by jsorbieus.

For my money, one of the world's best beaches is Otter Creek in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The park calls it Esch Road Beach and it's the site of the former logging village of Aral. (we'll tell you the story of Aral someday).

The photo is part of Jim's Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore set (slideshow) and like all his photos, it's available "biggie-sized" to grace your desktop!

Here's Otter Creek/Esch Rd Beach on the betsiebay.net map!

By betsiebay.net | Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Lodging & Travel, Map, Photo, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Sports & Recreation, Stories | Comments (0)
EVENT LISTING

Green Cuisine in Honor

posted: July 7, 2008 – 8:10 am

Food for Thought's Gren CuisineOn Wednesday, July 16th from 5-8 PM, the 3rd annual Green Cuisine takes place at Food for Thought (10704 Oviatt Rd in Honor). Green Cuisine features wine from a number of the wineries of the Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsulas along with food from some of the region's artisan food producers. Wine, chocolate, hummus, breads, cheeses, pastries, fresh fruits and more will be available foryour culinary delight. This year Shorts Brewery will even make the trip from Bellaire!

One of the neatest things about this event is that it's a "zero-waste" event. Organizers Tim & Kathy Young set a goal to have all the waste generated from the event to be either reusable, recyclable or compostable. It's been such a sucess that 800 attendees last year generated less than one ounce of waste!

Another great bonus is that the amazingly talented Seth Bernard & Daisy May Erlewine will be performing. Get all the details by calling 231-326-5444 or visiting foodforthought.net.

By betsiebay.net | Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Community, Events, Food & Dining, Honor, Stories | Comments (0)

Josh White Jr. at the Betsie Bay Inn

posted: July 1, 2008 – 7:01 am

On Friday July 11th the Betsie Bay Inn & Restaurant in Frankfort will host Josh White Jr. from 8-10 PM. Josh is the son of legendary folk & blues player Josh White and a fantastic musician in his own right. If you can, you should go. Visit their site or call the Betsie Bay Inn at (231) 352-8090 for details!

Here's a video of Josh playing a little song high above the Michigan countryside with fellow guitarist Mike Ball and pilot Scott Lorenz of Westwind Balloon Company:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2vCCc1Kr6w

By betsiebay.net | Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Frankfort, Media & Internet, Stories, Video | Comments (0)

The Betsie Valley Trail in Benzie County

posted: June 30, 2008 – 11:07 am

The Betsie Valley Trail is a 22 mile long, hard surfaced trail. The asphalt portion is six miles long and goes from Frankfort, through Elberta, along Crystal Lake to Beulah - perfect for biking, rollerblading and walking. From Beulah to Thompsonville the trail cuts through woods and farms. This portion is 13 miles long and is a compacted aggregate surface that is great for mountain biking and all kinds of pedestrian uses (it's. Friends of the Betsie Valley Trail's great trail tour page (with photos) begins:

The Betsie Valley Trail is built on the bed of the former Ann Arbor Railroad, which carried freight and passengers from Toledo through Ann Arbor, Owosso, Cadillac, Thompsonville and Beulah to Frankfort and Elberta. From 1892 until 1982 the freight cars were carried across Lake Michigan on car ferries to Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Passenger service was discontinued in 1951 and freight service in 1985. The railroad was abandoned in 1994 and, in 1998, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) bought the rail corridor. Benzie County and the Friends of the Betsie Valley Trail have been working with the DNR since 1992 to build the Trail.

You can even ride the trail one way if you make reservations with the Benzie Bus service who will take you, your friends and bikes to any spot on the trail for $2 ($1 for seniors). For info and reservations call 231-325-3000 or visit BenzieBus.com. Here's the Betsie Valley Trail map and you can also check it out on the betsiebay.net map!

By betsiebay.net | Posted in Beulah, Community, Elberta, Frankfort, Media & Internet, Sports & Recreation, Thompsonville | Comments (0)

Frankfort's Garden Theater - reopening July 5, 2008 (or so)

posted: June 25, 2008 – 10:41 pm

garden opening, photo by kenlake

The Garden Theater is under new ownership and said to be opening July 5th!

From the Garden Theater web site:

The Garden Theater located in downtown Frankfort Michigan was
built in 1924 and with a few small exceptions has been in continuous
operation since that time. In June this year, The Garden was
purchased by a group of community members with the intent of
renovating the building. The new ownership will continue to show
first run movies and also hopes to expand with independent films,
foreign cinema, live theater and live music.

By ken | Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Business, Community, Frankfort, Stories | Comments (1)
EVENT LISTING

Come to Vacationland … and the Elberta Summer Solstice Festival!

posted: June 13, 2008 – 7:49 am

~Vacationland

The Elberta Summer Solstice Festival takes place next Saturday (June 21st, 2008) from 2 PM - Midnight at Elberta Waterfront Park

Activities start at 2pm and include local food vendors, kids games, pony rides, bull-train. The beer tent is open from 4pm-Midnight and features brews from Shorts Brewery of Bellaire and music by "Rusty Blaides".

You can check out Waterfront Park on our betsiebay.net map and listen to some music from Rusty Blaides at their MySpace.

About the photo: Joy took this photo titled "~Vacationland" at Elberta's Trick Dog Gallery.

By betsiebay.net | Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Community, Elberta, Events, Food & Dining, Lodging & Travel, Photo, Stories | Comments (0)

Fun in the Sun: Early Season Surfing, Paddle-surfing, Kayaking & Kiteboarding in Frankfort

posted: June 10, 2008 – 2:12 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlgmE9abn9I

By betsiebay.net | Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Frankfort, Lodging & Travel, Media & Internet, Sports & Recreation, Video | Comments (0)

Manistee River Looking West by photoshoparama

posted: June 8, 2008 – 10:48 am

Manistee River Looking West, photo by photoshoparama

This is a 3-exposure HDR photo (High Dynamic Range).

Wikipedia's entry on the Manistee River says:

The river's name comes from the Ojibwa word Manistiqweita, meaning "Crooked River".[1] Historically, the upper river was renowned for its outstanding grayling fishery, among the finest in the world, as catches in excess of 1000 fish per weekend outing were commonly reported up until the 1880s, when extensive logging in the area ruined the habitat. Logging in the area commenced in earnest between 1880 and 1910, with peak production occurring in the 1890s. The rivers relatively large size, stable flows, and dearth of cataracts or other difficult passages made it ideal for the transportation of lumber. During this period huge numbers of white pine logs, some as large as six feet in diameter, were floated down the river to the port at Manistee and eventually on to the lumber markets of Grand Rapids, Milwaukee and Chicago where the wood was used to build the cities and towns of the Midwestern United States

Dan has a lot more photos from all across the region in his Up North Michigan set (slideshow)

By ken | Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Community, Lodging & Travel, Manistee, Photo, Sports & Recreation, Stories | Comments (0)

Benzie area golf course map

posted: June 4, 2008 – 7:17 am

the 18th green

the 18th green, photo by numstead.

Our region is blessed with some amazing terrain and golfers know that when terrain isn't making you hurl your clubs, it's creating a challenge that sharpens your game and enjoyment.

In addition to our sponsor Champion Hill Golf Course (map), we have listed many more of the region's great golf courses including Crystal Mountain (pictured above), Bear Lake County Highlands, the Dunes Golf Club and Arcadia Bluffs.

Check them all out on the betsiebay.net map ans also see the Golf Benzie from the Benzie County Visitor's Bureau.

By betsiebay.net | Posted in Lodging & Travel, Media & Internet, Photo, Sports & Recreation, Stories, Thompsonville | Comments (0)

Sleeping Bear Dunes General Management Plan meetings

posted: May 30, 2008 – 3:44 pm

From the current edition of the Glen Arbor Sun:

In early June, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (the local branch of the National Park Service) will hold three identical public meetings on consecutive days to present four action alternatives, including the Park's "preferred alternative," for a new General Management Plan (GMP), and solicit public comments in the process. The Park will hold meetings on June 3 at Platte River Elementary School in Honor; June 4 at the Hagerty Center in Traverse City; and June 5 at the Glen Arbor Township Hall — all from 5:30-8:30 p.m. The public can also comment on the alternatives at the Park's website until June 13.

Read the rest in Park unveils revamped General Management Plan to public from the Sun.

View the alternatives, make your comments and get all the details on the GMP from the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The proposed plans include options such as a bike path, a 30 mile bay-to-bay hiking path stretching from Platte Bay to Good Harbor Bay and some changes to recreational use (though not nearly as extreme as the last round).

Photo credit: Sleeping Bear Dunes - photo by Don Miller/Glen Arbor Sun

By betsiebay.net | Posted in Business, Community, Lodging & Travel, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Sports & Recreation, Stories | Comments (0)