Category Archives: Ruminations

Respecting bears and the Northern Rockies.

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Hi. There’s been a lot of bear content in the news lately, especially in the Northern Rockies. A bear attack (sadly), and video of curious bears “following” people. I’ve noticed that it’s occurring more frequently this year. And that’s because a lot of people are moving to the Northern Rockies…people who think their new backyard is just like their backyard in Texas.

It’s not.

Unlike Texas, which has almost no public land or wilderness (and which most people sadly confuse as a wild place), the Northern Rockies are still very wild, with incredibly vibrant ecosystems and a full array of native fauna.

I’ve been filming grizzly and black bears in Montana and NW Wyoming since 2004.

How many times have I followed a bear into the woods? Zero.

How many times have I gone for a jog or bike in grizzly habitat? Zero.

How many times have I not paid attention to the woods in grizzly habitat? Zero.

More and more, I’m seeing people that think the Northern Rockies are some kind of paradise playground, a tame personal backyard.

They are not.

The moment you step into that national forest, you better give those woods 100% of your attention…not your music app on your phone as you jog or bike. Or that random text.

The national forests and parks of the Northern Rockies are the real deal. They are the home of the wildest and rarest animals in the world.

And for those continuing to consider a move there, here’s the reality. Check out the frost-free days of these Montana towns:

97 frost-free days in Bozeman
102 in Whitefish
110 in Missoula.

Can you handle 250+ days of cold? Think about it. For real.

The truth is, Montana is a place best visited. It’s home to a unique brand of hearty people who’ve developed a tolerance to the harsh winters and abundant wildlife.

Growing up, I used to want a cabin on a lake. Then I realized that’s how you ruin the place you love. I saw it happen to the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Soon, trees were cut down for a “better view”. Pine needle and sandy forest floors were replaced with chem-lawns that depleted oxygen levels in the lakes.

And if enough people keep building homes next to places like Glacier, they’ll deplete grizzly bear habitat like the oxygen in the Northwoods lakes.

To capture the essence of Glacier, tent for a few days in a campground. Or take a boat tour, or hike, or just drive. You won’t capture the essence by building a home there . You’ll only ruin it.

The Northern Rockies are more than your outdoor clothing catalogue dreams. More than your desire to “invest in a vacation home”. They are more than your personal goals. They go beyond you…beyond me.

They are the last of the best.
-Michael


Why Instagram is dying, and how to fix it.

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Why Instagram is dying, and how to fix it.

Instagram used to be a social media app, but has now slowly devolved into a shopping and private chat room app.

What went wrong? It’s very simple. The elements and features that made it a social media app were removed, effectively destroying organic discovery and interaction.

1. The feature where you could see what friends liked was removed.

This feature had its pros and cons, but mostly they were pros. Sure, it had some elements that might seem creepy (seeing the exact posts your friends liked, which might not always be flattering). BUT, that’s what makes “social”, SOCIAL. If you put something embarrassing out in your lawn, or say something in public, PEOPLE SEE IT. This is what makes it social.

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Writing update, travel, etc.

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Whew. It’s been a minute since I’ve posted a substantiative update to this page.

I left Missoula in January to house shop in the Pacific Northwest, camp, photo journal, and wrap up a writing deadline. While Montana will always be my #1, The long winters have started to wear on me. However, the summers are impossible to beat.

I checked out the Oregon coast, Portland, and several other areas. In the process I lost my whisper-quiet photography drone, which was capable of filming at 4k resolution with a 3-way gimbal head. The drone went berserk
fifteen yards from me and crashed into a remote salmon stream. I searched for the drone for two days in the wilderness ravine, but no luck. BUT, luckily DJI stands by their products, and they shipped me a new drone for free. So that’s cool.

On the writing front, my debut novel THE PULLER has a new publishing home. I’m hoping to announce specifics any day now. In addition, I’m 1/3rd of the way finished with what I consider to be a novel on the level of THE PULLER called, LOST PLANES, LOST RIVER. It falls into the category of “upmarket thriller” and I’m excited about the project. I really wanted to come at the page hard and not filter myself. I wanted it to be art, not product in the way TH PULLER is experimental. It’s turning out well.

And on the house shopping front, things are getting interesting. In March of 2019, I left Missoula with my adventure cat Wrigley to attend a couple business meetings in LA. After the meetings, Wrigley and I ended up visiting various national parks and forests. And sadly, he died on December 27th, 2019. This had a profound impact on me…the kind of tectonic shift to where it felt like I’d become someone else. Less brighter, less smiles. Despite a myriad of distractions.

I honestly haven’t been able to stay between four walls for longer than a week. I feel compelled to move at all times, whether that constitutes gym, hiking, photography, different hotels, etc. This feeling, this change, doesn’t seem to be fading, but rather intensifying as time passes. So I’ve been rolling with it. The freedom is intoxicating. We’ll see how much longer it lasts.

The only thing I’ve ever learned in all this, is that nothing lasts forever. Not drones, not careers, not friends, nor beloved cats that liked Redwood National Park. But we try to make it last, don’t we?

Best,
– Michael

A remote section of the Oregon coast where my drone disappeared.

A place to call home.

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Back when I first moved to Missoula, my dad asked me what kind of place I was looking for. I told him I wanted to be able to walk to the gym, and to groceries. He asked me why I wouldn’t want a cabin. I said there was no need, that the Lolo National Forest was the real backyard. It’s been an honor and privilege to live in the Lolo for as long as I have.

The 2.2 million acre Lolo National Forest.