Lake Michigan is Pup-Approved and a New Family Moochdock.

 

Lake Michigan sunset.

This is why we travel. We got tucked into our site under the trees at Lake Michigan Family Campground on Sunday, 7/5. We parked right next to Bob and Carole sharing a patio space, so dinners and happy hours together were super easy. We had no pressing agenda, so we could just kick back and relax. Cell service was nonexistent and with the trees Starlink wasn’t even an option, luckily the campground had a fairly robust wifi system and we were able to call and take care of the basics using that. And a huge plus – the weather was perfect! Between the more moderate temperatures, high 70’s, low 80’s during the day and shade, we didn't even had to run the air conditioner. We could sit outside without melting and actually enjoy a walkabout. Hurrah!!

Parked Jack and Jill, we happily share a patio with Bob and Carole.

 

Lake Michigan Family Campground, what a gem!

It was fairly short hike over the dunes to the beach and what a beach it is! Beautiful soft sand and hardly anybody around. From the beach, the lake is shallow (not even up to my waist) with a sandy bottom for 50 yards or more. We first took Raney to check out the trail and see if it was feasible for Riley. The campground has two incredible staircases that go up and over the dunes and down to the beach, but stairs (especially going down) can be hard on the big dogs.

Soft sandy beach on Lake Michigan.

Raney scouts the beach.

The campground built two of these amazing staircases over the dunes.

I thought it might be a bit of a trek for Riley since he’s been spending way too much time just hanging out in the RV and holding the couch in place. Well, he proved me wrong. He was like a new dog. He went up the trail, over the dunes, and headed straight to the water like he was a four-year-old, not looking in the rearview mirror at his ninth birthday. He was just so happy, it made my heart happy to watch him.

My superhero, leaping tall dunes in a single bound. Lol.

Raney tried to catch the waves. 

Lake Michigan is Riley approved. Lol.

Both of them had a blast.

Tired pups back at the campsite for a break.

On Monday we took the advice of camp staff and went to the Pentwater Farmer’s Market. What a great recommendation! It wasn’t a huge market, but had a fantastic selection of produce, baked goods, artisanal cheeses, coffee, and so much more. Of course, we brought home fresh picked cherries and blueberries, three kinds of cheese, *ahem* several baked goods, and a fun splurge. Goatmilk soaps are a farmer’s market staple, but one local gal was putting Lake Michigan stones inside the soaps. As you use the bar, you find a treasure.  She had one with a Petosky stone inside (my holy grail to find on this trip), and I thought that was just too fun to pass up. I’ll tell you more about the stones in just a bit. 

Pentwater Farmer's Market - Mondays and Thursdays, don't miss it!

In the evening we climbed the stairs to an observation deck that was perfect for catching the sun set over Lake Michigan. We were very impressed with the amenities at the campground. What a view!

Huge observation deck built into the stairs.

Sunset - you can never capture it in one picture. Lol.

We dedicated Tuesday as beach day. We took chairs, a small cooler with drinks, snacks, and some very excited pups over the dunes. There was absolutely no one else on the beach as far as we could see. Perfect weather, deserted beach, it felt like we’d won the lottery! Riley was again in his element, Raney and Ruby had a blast racing up and down the beach. We played in the water and then sat in the shade and then played in the water some more. We finally decided we didn’t want Riley to overdo it and headed back. He took a long nap and then ate every bit of his dinner. A little exercise was just what the doctor ordered.

Back on the beach! We only had to share it with the seagulls. 

The boys.
Bob, Rog, and Riley. 

Raney on the dunes.

Riley, Raney, and Ruby - soggy doggies.

The chase is on!
What goofballs. Dignity is highly overrated. Lol.

Riley goes after the ball, his version of bobbing for apples. Lol.

Sandy paws and sandy maws. 
Sister looks like the Joker! Lol.

The gang's all here!

On Wednesday, 7/8, we parted ways with Bob and Carole. Don’t worry, it’s just for a few days while we go and visit Rog’s uncle. Tevis is Rog’s Dad’s older brother, and it’s been decades since we’ve seen him and his lovely wife, Karon. We contacted them when we knew our route would bring us close to their home in Cheboygan, MI and they kindly offered to let us moochdock in their driveway. We planned a two day visit, little did we know that Karon is the tour guide extraordinaire! 

We now have a Michigan moochdock! 

Tevis and Karon were fabulous hosts.

We spent many pleasant hours sitting on their lovely patio looking through old yearbooks and reminiscing about family and friends both current and long departed. It was so fun to see Roger’s mom and dad as high school freshman. Lol. Rog mentioned that I was in pursuit of a Petosky stone, so Tevis and Karon gifted Rog a bolo tie made with a Petosky stone that had been his grandfather Lowell’s. Karon, who was born and raised in Michigan, had given two bolo ties with Petosky stones to Lowell many years ago and when he passed, they were returned to her and Tevis. It was so lovely to have a piece of Michigan and a remembrance from Rog’s grandfather. Now we just have to get Rog a cowboy shirt and hat so he can wear it! Lol. 

Looking through albums and family history.

 

Tevis and Karon gifted Rog 
Grampa Lowell's bolo tie with a Petosky stone!

Rog and his Uncle Tevis.

Raney and Riley were very interested in the black squirrels.
Me too, I'd never seen one before. Apparently it's a mutation, they are actually Eastern gray squirrels, not a separate species.

We had dinner out Wednesday evening and Karon’s youngest daughter, Donna, joined us.  On Thursday, Karon and Tevis took us on quite the tour of the area. We started off driving through Mackinaw City and stopping at the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse built in 1889. The lighthouse was vital to ships navigating the Straits of Mackinac which separate Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse.

Mackinac Bridge. Cross it, and you are officially in the Upper Peninsula. 

Then we drove across the spectacular Mackinac Bridge. What a feat of engineering. The bridge, which opened in 1957, is the longest suspension span in the world. It is 8,614 feet across (almost 2000 feet longer than the Golden Gate Bridge!) and the main towers are 552 feet above the Strait. The massive foundations are anchored to bedrock more than 200 feet below the water’s surface. We stopped at The Straits State Park to get a great view of the bridge from the UP side. We learned later that Bob and Carole were camping at the same park and Carole shared her picture of the bridge at night. Wow!

Mackinac Bridge viewed from the Straits State Park.

Carole's shot of the bridge at night. Awesome!

We crossed back over the Mackinac Bridge and then drove south along Lake Michigan. Karon took us through Bayview, a very upscale residential area with lots of ornate Victorian style gingerbread architecture. Then she did me a solid, and stopped at a lakeside park about halfway between the towns of Petosky and Charlevoix so I could hunt for the towns' namesake rocks.

Lovely lakefront parks are a rockhound's dream.

The search is on!

So a little bit about these rocks. Petosky stones are Michigan's official state stone and are composed of fossilized prehistoric coral called Hexagonaria percarinata. Dating back over 350 million years, they have a unique, tightly packed, six-sided honeycomb pattern with a distinct "eye" in the center. Charlevoix stones are also fossilized coral (Favosites) from the same timeframe, but have a much smaller, tighter honeycomb pattern and lighter rays that usually do not attach to a central dot. I won’t say they are extremely rare, but they are highly sought after and finding one in the wild is on my rock bucket list. Rog and I spent about an hour combing the beach, I found one tiny Petosky stone and what I think is a Charlevoix. Now I just need to learn how to polish them. It was a super fun day!

Charlevoix (L) and Petosky (R) stones. 
(Photo: Google image)

Before we left on Friday, 7/10, Tevis and Karon took us out for breakfast at her daughter’s restaurant, the Step-Inn. It’s a family affair and we had a delicious send off.

We were treated to a yummy breakfast at the Step Inn.

Breakfast is served!

Our next stop is in Munising, MI and we have a special place to visit that you’re going to love.

Indiana Dunes National Park

Indiana Dunes National Park.

We pulled into Michigan City Campground on Thursday, 7/2. We’re here for three nights to meet up with Bob and Carole and Ruby and to add Indiana Dunes National Park to our map. We were excited about both the reunion and a new park. During check-in I asked the staff if Bob and Carole had arrived yet and they told me that they had cancelled their reservation. Huh? I had just talked to Carole the evening before and she was also looking forward to meeting up. I asked if they were sure and she checked the computer and said they had cancelled their reservation on May 22nd. I immediately got Carole on the phone and she said they hadn’t cancelled.

Oh no, this was the 4th of July weekend! The campground initially said they were completely full. Then another staff said, wait they’d had a cancellation just thirty minutes ago. I had Carole on the line, so handed my phone to the office staff so they could get them rebooked right away. Whew! That was nearly a disaster! (Mystery solved: Bob later figured out that he'd inadvertently canceled the reservation when he’d intended to cancel one at a different campground with a similar name. Oops!)

Michigan City Campground is a private park close to the north end of the Indiana Dunes National Park. The campground has some really lovely landscaping, several small ponds, a swimming pool, a great playground, and cute cabins. Lots of folks had decorated their spaces for the 4th of July holiday too.

Michigan City Campground.

Indiana Dunes National Park encompasses approximately 15,349 acres and stretches across 15 miles of the southern Lake Michigan shoreline and wraps around the 2,182-acre Indiana Dunes State Park. The park boasts an amazing variety of habitats within a relatively small footprint – lake, beach, dunes, ponds, marsh, oak savanna, prairie, river, and bogs. Each one with unique birds, wildlife, and plants. Unfortunately, between the holiday crowds and the daily afternoon thunderstorms we didn’t get to see as much of the park as we’d have liked.

Pond, wetland, oak trees, and dunes...in just one shot. Lol. 

Early efforts in 1916 to save Indiana Dunes from development were derailed by WWI. A state park was established in 1926 and then in 1966 Congress designated the surrounding area as a National Lakeshore. In 2019, it finally became a National Park. What surprised me most were the beautiful sand beaches. While there’s no tide, there were waves. Standing on the beach of Lake Michigan truly feels like being on the shore of a vast freshwater ocean.

On a clear day you can see the Chicago skyline across Lake Michigan.
It was hazy, but can you see it very faintly in the distance?

On Friday, we drove to the Visitor’s Center to start our exploration. We got great advice from the park staff and started with the West Beach Trail. The trail goes up and over the dunes, past ponds and ends at the very popular West Beach.  

Rog making friends at the Visitor's Center.

Together again!
Happy to be traveling with Bob and Carole and Ruby.

Beach grasses and trees anchor the dunes.

And of course there were stairs! Lol.

Wind scoops out a dune, if the bowl reaches the water table it may fill creating a pond.

The trail ended at the very popular West Beach.

In addition to the incredible nature, there was another interesting part of the park to explore – the 1933 Century of Progress Homes. Real estate developer Robert Bartlett purchased five demonstration houses from the 1933-34 Chicago World’s Fair and had them moved, four by barge and one by truck, to their current location. He hoped that the five houses – the Cypress Log Cabin, House of Tomorrow, Armco-Ferro, Florida Tropical, and Wiebolt-Rostone – would entice buyers to his new Beverly Shores resort community. I’m not sure if it worked, but today the houses are part of the National Park. The homes are leased to Indiana Landmarks and private funds are being used to restore them to their original condition. Some of them are sublet and occupied as private residences. I certainly wouldn’t want hordes of tourists strolling by and snapping pictures of my house every day. Lol.

The Cypress Log Cabin.

 

The House of Tomorrow (under construction today, lol).

The Armco-Ferro House.

The Florida House.

The Wiebolt-Rostone House.

As we were viewing the Century of Progress Homes we noticed that there were some serious thunderheads forming. As the wind picked up, folks were quickly leaving the beach. We beat feet back to the RV’s to pull in our awnings and check on the pups. Riley likes thunder about as much as he likes fireworks, which means not at all. Lol. And we had some crazy storms roll through with plenty of lightning, thunder, and rain. Then a few hours later it would clear off again. The next day – rinse, repeat. Lol.

Trouble brewing. Hope that paddleboarder made it in before the rains hit. 

On the 4th of July, we tried to visit Indiana Dunes State Park, which is a separate entity but located wholly within the National Park. We took one look at the backup to get in and decided to skip the beaches on the 4th of July. Lol. Instead we went to the Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education in the National Park. The Center has lots of excellent displays, including many kid-friendly activities, and we learned a lot there. The Great Lakes are fascinating. Did you know they hold 20% of the world’s surface fresh water? To give that some perspective, if you emptied Lake Superior alone it would fill a pool the size of the entire continental United States to a depth of nearly five feet! That is mindboggling. However, the highlight was a tiny fawn just outside the window. He waited patiently for mom to reappear and then happily dived under her for lunch.

Speaking of kid friendly activities, the big kids are plotting our route. 

Lake Superior is 1,333 deep!

Just loved this bird egg display. 

Before the dunes were protected, they carted off the largest 200' dune one railcar load at a time to make glass. The mineral composition of the sand created the famous, and collectible, blue glass.

So dang adorable.

Mom is back, lunchtime!

The 3.2-mile Miller Woods Trail trailhead was just outside the Center. The trail meanders through a unique wave-formed geological formation called swell and swale. Formed over 3,000 years ago, the swells are now covered in oak savanna and the swales are wetlands. It’s a beautiful trail, but we took a shortcut back as the afternoon clouds were threatening again!  We rushed home to make sure the awnings were in and the pups had their emotional support people on hand again. Lol. On the upside, the worst of storms tracked around us and we had no hail or damaging winds, so I’ll call it all good.

The trail wound through the oak savannah...

...and along the marshy swales.

A Six-Lined Racerunner. (I think.) 

Beaver dam, the local engineers were also hard at work.

Wildflowers along the ponds...

...and water lilies too.

Finally, we climbed a small dune and...

...made it to the lake.

Where we hung out with the locals for a bit. Lol.

We were hoping for a fun 4th of July BBQ and tried to beat the rain, but Rog had just taken the burgers off the Traeger when it started. We ended up rushing through dinner and scurrying indoors as the rain picked up and came at us sideways under the awning. All was not lost, as I introduced Bob and Carole to “dirty sodas” (Root beer and Maple Crème Liqueur from Vermont). They are now fans too. I’m either a caring, sharing person or a bad influence. Not sure which. Lol.

A new meaning to dine and dash. Lol.

We had wanted to get the pups to the water, but the accessible beaches were too crowded and Riley couldn’t hike to the more remote ones. He’s doing better and the swelling is down, but he’s still favoring that paw. We already have a vet appointment scheduled for when we get home and I’m just hoping we don’t have any more emergencies before then. No puppy pictures this post, but I promise to make up for it in the next one!

Our next stop looks like we’ll have easier water access, especially for the pups. Fingers crossed!