Van style camping in northern MI
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:59 pm
Two weekends ago i met up with some college friends up in northern Michigan (Big Rapids area) for some camping, off-roading, go-carting, 4-wheeling, etc. Camped in the Manistee National Forest and is only about 5 miles away from where we spent our college days at Ferris State. I tried to get the most out of Big Blue - the Sport Utility Van! Wish I would have taken more pictures of the action and scenery but how about a few...
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/DSCF0078.jpg)
My camping quarters. High and dry!
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/DSCF0079.jpg)
Part of the campsite. Gotta love the use of the van bench!
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/n40001735_32681489_876.jpg)
The tents and friend Amanda in the background.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/DSCF0077.jpg)
The toy! Only about 2 inches of ground clearance! The bottom side got pretty banged up from hitting rocks and rutts.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/DSCF0076.jpg)
One tire fire baby!
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/DSCF0082.jpg)
Friend Keith tearing it up.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/n40001735_32681512_7715.jpg)
Me trying to fly through the soft sand!
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/n40001735_32681498_3442.jpg)
Back from towing/rescueing friend Justin from a rough 1 mile trail ride of death!
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/n40001735_32681560_1685.jpg)
Out riding the trails. (Justin and Julie in their Jeep) This was a pretty steep hill and had some deep rutts.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/n40001735_32681574_5954.jpg)
Keith and Nicole in their Ranger making the climb.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/n40001735_32681554_9931.jpg)
An old car we found back in the woods. It was stripped down and had some human-looking bones in the trunk......kidding, haha.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/n40001735_32681555_223.jpg)
Kevin had to get inside and pose.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/n40001735_32681490_1145.jpg)
Boxing in the quad and go-cart here when we headed to town.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/DSCF0089.jpg)
Packed up and heading home here. Smelled a bit like gas all the way home with all the gas gone and burned through, but the few brain cells lost from the fumes was all worth it!
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/DSCF0091.jpg)
Was hoping to have some mud on the van for the pictures but it was pretty dry up there. Just a lot of pollen and dust covering the cars.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/DSCF0093.jpg)
Getting the tunes ready for the 3.5 hour ride home.
Here's the muddiest i've ever gotten the van a couple years ago...
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/100_1263.jpg)
Nothing like camping out in the van! haha.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/DSCF0078.jpg)
My camping quarters. High and dry!
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/DSCF0079.jpg)
Part of the campsite. Gotta love the use of the van bench!
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/n40001735_32681489_876.jpg)
The tents and friend Amanda in the background.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/DSCF0077.jpg)
The toy! Only about 2 inches of ground clearance! The bottom side got pretty banged up from hitting rocks and rutts.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/DSCF0076.jpg)
One tire fire baby!
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/DSCF0082.jpg)
Friend Keith tearing it up.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/n40001735_32681512_7715.jpg)
Me trying to fly through the soft sand!
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/n40001735_32681498_3442.jpg)
Back from towing/rescueing friend Justin from a rough 1 mile trail ride of death!
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/n40001735_32681560_1685.jpg)
Out riding the trails. (Justin and Julie in their Jeep) This was a pretty steep hill and had some deep rutts.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/n40001735_32681574_5954.jpg)
Keith and Nicole in their Ranger making the climb.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/n40001735_32681554_9931.jpg)
An old car we found back in the woods. It was stripped down and had some human-looking bones in the trunk......kidding, haha.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/n40001735_32681555_223.jpg)
Kevin had to get inside and pose.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/n40001735_32681490_1145.jpg)
Boxing in the quad and go-cart here when we headed to town.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/DSCF0089.jpg)
Packed up and heading home here. Smelled a bit like gas all the way home with all the gas gone and burned through, but the few brain cells lost from the fumes was all worth it!
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/DSCF0091.jpg)
Was hoping to have some mud on the van for the pictures but it was pretty dry up there. Just a lot of pollen and dust covering the cars.
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/DSCF0093.jpg)
Getting the tunes ready for the 3.5 hour ride home.
Here's the muddiest i've ever gotten the van a couple years ago...
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/trebor85/100_1263.jpg)
Nothing like camping out in the van! haha.