Meeting the #hike100NCT Challenge
I am into year two writing the Remote Workforce Keweenaw Newsletter. My objective has been to give my readers a good feel for what day-to-day life in the Keweenaw is all about. My hope has been to show those not familiar with the area how amazing this place is and for those who are already here I hope I am inspiring you to discover new places and activities!
Coming out of the Labor Day holiday, I focused on preparing for the remote worker networking event that Shannon Vairo at Michigan Technological University and I are collaborating on to hold Wednesday, October 12, 2022, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Rozsa. Shannon and I met on Tuesday morning to discuss progress. I spent the early part of the week reaching out to employers and organizations about participating in the event as well as remote workers I have learned about but had not contacted up to that point. This involved a lot of email correspondence as well as in-mail communication on LinkedIn. One of the big reasons I maintain a platinum account with LinkedIn has been the benefit of messaging individuals I have not yet personally established a connection with. This has been a valuable tool for establishing important connections with both remote workers and employers.
Tuesday was also spent knocking out minutes for the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club’s annual meeting in preparation for the evening’s regular board meeting. I am the Secretary for this board of directors. I would encourage you to learn more about this organization focused on cross country skiing, mountain biking, and hiking at Maasto Hiihto and Churning Rapids to the north of Hancock at https://keweenawnordic.org.
Wednesday started out much the same way as Tuesday in preparation for the remote worker networking event, but we broke up the day by going for a hike along Bocco Creek. This geologically interesting place has a number of waterfalls strewn over interesting slabs and boulders. The flow of the stream was limited, but the environment for the hike was quite pleasing to the senses.
You can see my GoPro video from the hike on the Remote Workforce Keweenaw YouTube channel at this link:
After stopping to pick up a couple outdoor chairs in L’Anse for our Airbnb guests to better enjoy our lakeside deck, I was off to Houghton to run with the Keweenaw Running Group. With the temperature being in the mid-70s, the group decided to run down by way of the Nara Trailhead to pick up the rail-trail and to run along the lake to Prince’s Point where we enjoyed a dip in the lake!
Thursday turned out to be a very busy day. In addition to my role as Vice-Chair of the Chassell Township Planning Commission, I have been pinch hitting for our Secretary Ericka who has been out on maternity leave. I knocked out the minutes for our previous meeting and prepared my reports for the evening’s meeting at 7:00. We also needed to flip the cabin for our next Airbnb guests and I needed to cut the grass as well. Julie had a commitment in Houghton so my sister gave me a lift over to the Heritage Center so I could pick up the tri-folds I put together on our many Chassell projects (the off-leash dog park, the fitness trail, the canoe/kayak launch, the trail signage project, the new playground, the disc golf course, and the upcoming historic interpretive trail) to share at the Master Plan Open House we were hosting at the Fire Hall from 5 to 7 p.m. ahead of our planning commission meeting. The attendance was good at the open house where we had a lot of good discussion with township residents who dropped in. Among many discussions, I had the opportunity to meet a remote worker I had not known of previously. He turned out to be the second chemical engineer we have working remotely from here in Chassell and his wife teaches piano remotely.
Friday I spent nearly the entire day making more preparatory contacts for the remote worker networking event and making follow up contacts related to the historic interpretive trail project. Remote Workforce Keweenaw also put the spotlight on Erin Barnett who works remotely from the Keweenaw. You can learn Erin’s remote work story on the Remote Workforce Keweenaw Facebook page at this link.
Saturday I squeezed in a 5-mile rail-trail run ahead of going to the Rock House in Houghton with my sister and my fraternity brother Mark in order to watch the Michigan State/Akron football game over an early dinner. Mark is a retired veterinarian who gets up here on an almost annual basis in pursuit of waterfalls. He has documented hundreds that he has been to here in the U.P.!
Sunday we headed out with our hiking group for an adventure on the North Country Trail across the West Branch of the Ontonagon River to the Mike Dempsey Preserve. Representatives from the Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy were along on the hike to install signage for this new preserve through which the trail passes.
This 5-mile hike also put Mark, Julie, and me over 100 miles on the North Country Trail in 2022, thus meeting the #hike100NCT challenge for the seventh consecutive year!
You can see my GoPro video from this hike on the Remote Workforce Keweenaw YouTube channel at this link:
Do you embrace winter and have the ability to work remotely? Would you value living in a place with ubiquitous natural beauty that has NO congestion and lower crime? Consider locating in the Keweenaw where you will be surrounded by amazing places! Visit Remote Workforce Keweenaw at https://remoteworkforcekeweenaw.com.