SLEEPING BEAR DUNES

 

Aren't these eggs from their chickens beautiful?

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Farm and enjoyed a Sunday breakfast using their beautiful eggs.  They had visitors (Amish or Mennonite, I think) and we visited the herd of Scottish Highland cows and the pigs in the woods. 

Beau and I took a long walk through their woods - a beautiful property

The farm was inland, away from the coast on this busy Fourth of July weekend, and on Monday we returned to the west coast of Michigan where we were lucky to get a campsite at Silver Lake State Park for two nights - a small lake with massive sand dunes across from us. 

View out our window

 

Took a dune buggy ride on the Sandsquatch - great fun and we learned a lot about how the dunes were formed.  Lake Michigan is a glacial lake and the sand dunes formed from wind, but they were forested over the eons.  When the Great Chicago Fire wiped out the city, the need for lumber for rebuilding was huge and they essentially clear cut most of Michigan, exposing the hills to erosion of the topsoil and revealing the massive sand dunes underneath.  The sand dunes are growing in one direction and literally are taking out lake cottages every few years, with folks having to simply abandon their property to the sand.  

Lake Michigan - windy with waves

Spring Lake - we are camped on the other side of the lake

Usually windy here and the dune buggy driver likes to fast.  These are some of the hats and caps that have been "donated"  I added a visor!

Jack managed to hang onto his hat for the whole ride

We managed to return with everyone - a fun ride, a bit like a roller coaster thru the dunes

Leaving Silver Lake, we headed north to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore for two nights.  Spectacularly large campsites in the woods - perfect except for extremely poor phone service.  

We toured the scenic Pierce Stocking Drive through beautiful pristine forests and views of Glen Lake and Lake Michigan.  They had 12 pullovers for scenic views, info about the forest, and the famous (infamous) Dune Climb.  Kids and adults love running down the dunes, but if you overestimate your ability to climb back up in the soft sand, they charge a fine for having to get help to get you back up.  We stopped at the Visitor Center to see their informative video and view their exhibits in the small museum.  

Covered bridge on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive

Beau at the top of the Dune Climb

The entrance to the dune climb where folks shed their shoes for easier walking barefoot in the deep, soft sand.

The name Sleeping Bear came from an old Indian legend about a mama bear and her two cubs attempting to swim across Lake Michigan from Wisconsin to escape the drought and famine that had plagued their homeland.  The two cubs died within sight of the Michigan mainland, and Mama Bear slept after her long journey, but the cubs were resurrected and lived on as two islands (North and South Manitou) just off the coast.