What it was like to spend a long weekend in Northern Michigan without a razor or cell phone service.

No cell phone service? No civilization? It was a weekend I needed.

I spent 3 vacation days in and around Wellston, Michigan, on M-55 between Cadillac and Manistee. Northern Michigan's geography allows much space to play including mountain biking at The Big M, the North Country Trail Run marathon and kayaking the mighty Pine River.

One doesn't need to keep up on personal grooming to enjoy any of these activities. In fact, clean-shaven trail runners and well-coiffed paddlers on the Pine often get the side eye.

It has become a Monday morning ritual of mine to acknowledge the hair in the sink before I rinse it down, taking one last look back at the weekend before it is back to business on Monday. There was much to see after a weekend filled with so much outdoor activity on foot, on 2 wheels and miles and miles of driving in the Jeep.

Not only did I leave the razor at home, I could have left my phone, as cell towers are as hard to find as a decent cup of coffee in that part of the state.

I usually listen to audiobooks when I run but rain in the forecast made me power down the phone and leave it behind. The prospect of 4-5 hours without any entertainment or distraction changes the experience. I met some devout athletes on the trails as we made our way through the woods together dodging the raindrops, carrying on conversations and counting the miles. I learned about the dedication it takes to compete in an Ironman or run a 50 mile ultra-marathon. I got and gave encouragement from fellow athletes while learning about what drives them and, ultimately, when I found myself alone, I had to dig inside myself and find my own drive and determination to finish.

Next up, the kayak trip! More rain on the river meant no cell phone camera pictures but I always leave my phone behind for this part of the weekend. No notification is more important to me than the peace of the river. Once a year I do this trip and always wonder why I don't get out on the water more often. Back at the cabin, after cooking a great meal together we spent time talking to each other and playing board games at the table instead of texting and playing on our phones.

Sure, I may have missed out on the final day drama at the Olympics and the latest Facebook rants about Hillary and Donald but I didn't really miss them. A long weekend without a razor and a phone was exactly what I needed.

I can't wait to do it again.

Bonus Video: 2015 NCTR