What are friends for?

I got a call from my friend Don yesterday. He brought up something I had thought of last fall but had basically forgotten about since. He said that I should go to Michigan's Porcupine Mountains in the Upper Penninsula to do a dry run for my trip. When I visited the Lake of the Clouds last fall I thought the same thing, but really hadn't given any thought to it since. It doesn't have the elevations of the Rockies, but the hills are there and could provide a great workout and an awesome shakedown hike to expose any flaws in my thinking and preparation before I get out west. Suddenly I find myself getting excited again! This could be what I needed...thanks Don!