Michigan Lakes

Reigning kink Andy Triebold (bow) paddles in the lead with stern partner Steve Lajoie during the AuSable Canoe Marathon in Oscoda, MI.

7/24/10 -ALL - The 63rd annual AuSable River Canoe Marathon took place in Grayling, Michigan on July 24 and 25th, 2010. A record 94 teams began with a Lemans-style running start, portaging 6 dams and paddling 120 miles to the finish in Oscoda Sunday. Matt Meersman of South Bend, Indiana, left, and Josh Taylor of Grayling, Michigan paddle towards Cooke Dam as the sun comes up. The 63rd annual AuSable River Canoe Marathon took place in Grayling, Michigan on July 24 and 25th, 2010. A record 94 teams began with a Lemans-style running start, portaging 6 dams and paddling 120 miles to the finish in Oscoda Sunday. (Photo by Mark Bialek)

Jeff Kolka of Grayling (boat 16) powers his canoe with stern partner Serge Corbin of St. Boniface Quebec past bow paddler Andy Triebold of Spring Arbor (01) and Matt Rimer of Horton in the final seconds of the 58th AuSable Canoe Marathon Sunday in Oscoda. After a furious 100-yard sprint, capping nearly 15 hours of paddling, Kolka and Corbin took first place by a split second and captured their 9th championship together, regaining the title over Triebold who won in 2004. (Photo by Mark Bialek)

Mike Garon, right, of Washington Township and Bill Schmitz of Commerce Township paddle a racing canoe upstream in the Huron River at the Island Lake Recreation Area Saturday. With cold temperatures settling in, (21 degrees at noon Saturday) this is one part of the Huron river that never freezes. They are preparing for the AuSable Canoe Marathon, a 120-mile race that starts in Grayling and ends in Oscoda. (MARK BIALEK/Special to the Detroit News)

Mike Garon of Mt Clemens carries his frozen racing canoe back to his truck after training on the Huron River in the dead of winter. Paddlers train year round to compete in the AuSable Canoe Marathon in late July in Grayling every year.

7/24/10 -ALL - The 63rd annual AuSable River Canoe Marathon took place in Grayling, Michigan on July 24 and 25th, 2010. A record 94 teams began with a Lemans-style running start, portaging 6 dams and paddling 120 miles to the finish in Oscoda Sunday. Nick Walton of Grayling drags his 18.5-foot carbon fiber canoe down Cooke Dam. Nick and his partner Josh Sheldon finished 3rd with a time of 14 hours 39 minutes. (Photo by Mark Bialek)

7/24/10 -ALL - The 63rd annual AuSable River Canoe Marathon took place in Grayling, Michigan on July 24 and 25th, 2010. A record 94 teams began with a Lemans-style running start, portaging 6 dams and paddling 120 miles to the finish in Oscoda Sunday. A pack of canoes paddles across Mio Pond under the moonlight. (MARK BIALEK/Special to the Detroit News)

mjb_ColdHTWenterprise2.jpg

March 14, 2006 - Sam Hammond of Allegan and his sister Angelita Boettcher of Dayton, Ohio, photograph the setting sun in South Haven. (Mark Bialek / Special to the Gazette)

mjb_loc_chilly_2

8/11/04 - ALL -The weather has been chilly this summer, affecting tourism in all the not-so-hot spots of Michigan, including South Haven. Joseph White,5, left, and Lucie White,3, both of Portland Oregon, feed the seagulls on South Haven's North beach during windy, cool conditions Wednesday. (Mark Bialek / Special to the Gazette)

Siamese cat canoeing in Michigan

Ric Omans of Ann Arbor paddles down the Huron River with his 12-year-old Siamese Cat, Talula, in Ann Arbor, MI on March 13, 2011. Rick and Talula have been camping and canoeing buddies for many years.

Siamese cat canoeing in Michigan

Ric Omans of Ann Arbor, Michigan pauses for a picture while paddling down the Huron River with his 12-year-old Siamese Cat, Talula, in Ann Arbor, MI on March 13, 2011. Rick and Talula have been camping and canoeing buddies for many years.

Amateur Astronomers in Michigan

Tom Ryan of Ann Arbor looks through the 24" Cassegrain telescope at Peach Mountain near Dexter, Michigan in June of 2010. Ryan and the others in the photo are members of a club called "The Lowbrow Astronomers."

Amateur Astronomers near Ann Arbor. Michigan

Amy Cantu of Ann Arbor looks at a star chart next to her 8" telescope at Peach Mountain near Ann Arbor, Michigan in June of 2010.

Amateur Astronomers in Michigan

Krishna Rao, M.D. of Ann Arbor looks at the moon through his 8" newtonian reflector telescope at Peach Mountain near Ann Arbor, Michigan in June of 2010.

Barn Swallow on car antenna

A barn swallow perches on a car antenna in Whitmore Lake, MI on May 30, 2011.

Independence lake cloud reflection

A cloud reflects over reeds as the sun sets on Independence Lake in Whitmore Lake, MI on June, 16, 2010.

Beagle fishing

Maggielynn, a beagle owned by Ken Gardner of Bangor, MI stands on a table as people fish on a warm day at Maple Lake in Paw Paw, MI on March 9, 2006.

A Giant Swallowtail butterfly gets nectar from a flower at the University of Michigan Matthaei Botanical Gardens in Ann Arbor, Michigan on July 26, 2011.

A Giant Swallowtail butterfly gets nectar from a flower at the University of Michigan Matthaei Botanical Gardens in Ann Arbor, Michigan on July 26, 2011.

Tequila shot

A shot of tequila with salt and chili pepper garnish on Nov 2, 2011 in Whitmore Lake, MI.

Canned Tomatoes

A freshly canned quart of Celebrity tomatoes in Whitmore Lake, MI on Nov 2, 2011. For this particular canning process, the freshly picked tomatoes were de-skinned, stuffed in a one-quart container, and boiled for 30 minutes. The firm texture of this Celebrity tomato makes this an ideal one for canning.

Canned Tomatoes

A freshly canned quart of Celebrity tomatoes in Whitmore Lake, MI on Nov 2, 2011. For this particular canning process, the freshly picked tomatoes were de-skinned, stuffed in one-quart containers, and boiled for 30 minutes. The firm texture of this Celebrity tomato makes this an ideal one for canning.

Astronomy Club

Dave Snyder, a member of the Lowbrow Astronomy Club, looks through a 14-inch reflector telescope in Ann Arbor, MI on March 8, 2012. With the Aurora Borealis failing to make an appearance and despite a full moon, the Lowbrow's settled for viewing Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and Mars and some star clusters on a cold night. (Photo by Mark Bialek)

Warm Weather in Michigan

Two people walk in Bandemer Park in Ann Arbor, MI on March 18, 2012. Buds are just sprouting on trees but forecasters say Wednesday will hit 82 degrees Fahrenheit.

Warm Weather in Michigan

Two turtles bask in the warm weather in a pond in Bandemer Park in Ann Arbor, MI on March 18, 2012. Forecasters say Wednesday will hit 82 degrees Fahrenheit.

Earth Day 2012 - Ann Arbor

Zoltan Jung and his daughter, Kinga, 5 enjoy Earth Day at the Leslie Science Center in Ann Arbor, MI on April 22, 2012. (Photo by Mark Bialek)

Memorial Day in Whitmore Lake, MI

Boats gather on Whitmore Lake as people celebrate Memorial Day in Whitmore Lake, MI on May 28, 2012.

Memorial Day in Whitmore Lake, MI

A pontoon sits anchored to the bottom of Whitmore Lake as people celebrate Memorial Day in Whitmore Lake, MI on May 28, 2012.

The Fox Barn owners in Shelby, MI. (Photo by Mark Bialek)

The Fox Barn owners in Shelby, MI. (Photo by Mark Bialek)

House on Whitmore Lake as nightfall sets in.

Closeup of a ripe wild raspberry in Ionia Michigan.

Ripe wild raspberries in Ionia Michigan.

Stacy Schnarr watches a rainbow at sunset in Whitmore Lake, MI on June 21, 2012.