Another Side Trip Section: Picture Rocks National Lake Shore

 

    After checking out Whitefish Point, the shipwreck museum, and the lighthouse at Crisp Point, we headed to Munising, MI for the next couple nights. We stayed at the hotel related to the casino in Christmas, MI, which was directly across the street from Bay Furnace State Park, where my husband and I had stayed previously. Our first night, we walked over to the park, played Poohsticks, checked out the history of the place, and enjoyed the shores of Lake Superior as we attempted to catch the sunset. The next day, we took the boat tour of the Pictured Rocks and enjoyed Munising. The last day in the Upper Peninsula, we headed to the Pictured Rocks and did another section of the NCT.

    My father-in-law dropped my mother-in-law and I off at the Log Flume trailhead, where we started our walk along the NCT west with the intention of being picked up 7+ miles down the way at 11-mile beach. The walk passed along the shore of Lake Superior giving us beautiful views of her and her glorious shorelines. In the middle of the trail, we got to pass by a lighthouse, where we stopped to enjoy the power of nature and read the history of the location. In the last 2 miles, we crossed the scenic road and entered a pleasant walk through the woods. At the end, we reached the 11-mile beach, where we met up with my father-in-law, who was sitting, relaxing, and reading a book as he waited for us. 

    After spending a little bit of time exploring the beach for rocks and dipping our tired feet in the water, we headed back to the hotel for the night. The next day, we headed back south touring the shoreline of Lake Michigan along the way. We visited a couple of lighthouses along the way, and drove through the Tunnel of Trees through Hart, MI. Eventually, we made it back to my in-laws' house, where I was going to spend the next few nights with the intention of visiting friends in the area. Unfortunately, I learned those friends were up near my mom's house. So, the next day, we drove back up to Ludington, MI to meet my mom for lunch, once again, as the parentals again exchanged me. The whole trip reminding me of my roots and how much the U.P. is my home and my heart.

Side Trips - Little Pick Ups

 

    So, with another failure at backpacking, I spent a night at my mom's home before my brother-in-law and his wife contacted me about joining them on a trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with a side trip to Mackinac Island. Rather than sit around my mom's house for another 2 weeks or better, I agreed to join them. They picked me up the next day, and we headed to St Ignace for 2 nights. We spent a full day on Mackinac Island, where we rode bikes around the island, saw all the sites, learned about the history of the island, and enjoyed the brewery/distillery. It was a great day.

    The next day, we headed further north to meet up with my mother-in-law and father-in-law in Paradise, MI. Originally, they were supposed to be on this trip, while I was backpacking my way along the NCT to meet up with them in the areas where we would be visiting. We stayed in a wonderful location right on the shore of Whitefish Bay, and spent a day exploring Tahquamenon Falls, through which the NCT passes. My mother-in-law being the amazing supportive human being that she is joined me on the NCT from the upper to lower falls. A rugged trail with gorgeous views. We enjoyed the surroundings as we traversed the 5 miles. Eventually, we met up with the rest of the family and spent some time in the river before enjoying a lunch at the Brewery.

    It was a beautiful adventure visiting a place that feels like home to me; however, it still did not inspire me to put on my pack and head out by myself. I was enjoying the support and comfort of being with my in-laws even if it did make me feel a little like a weird incompetent child, who if given a chance would be 40 living in her parents' basement for the rest of their lives. The emotions reared up again, as we headed back to the cabins on Whitefish Bay/Paradise to settle in for the night and prepare for touring Whitefish Point and the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Back at it...Will THIS work?

 Birthday celebration over, time to head back out and try again to do a small portion of the NCT. If all goes well, maybe I'll make it to the western terminus in North Dakota. I didn't puke carrying my pack for the triple crown challenge, maybe i've got my problems licked!? I'm ready. I love my family, but I'm ready to get out in the woods and have some time to myself.

In the morning, we celebrate my sister's birthday with breakfast aboard a brigantine. It reminds me of sailing the brigantine from Killarney, Ontario to Detroit Michigan/Windsor, Ontario for Land/Sea at Kalamazoo College, although we don't have any wind, so we motor around the Grand Traverse bay. When our time is up and we head back to our cars, I am shuffled to my nephew's car with my backpack. They are planning to return to Colorado via the upper peninsula of Michigan, and will drop me off on the other side of the Mighty Mackinac Bridge. 

My nephew drives across the bridge, while my sister gasps and groans. Heights scare her, and this bridge is no exception. I'm amazed she let her middle son drive across. We get to the other side unscathed and pull into the rest stop just the other side. We get out, visit the restroom, stretch, and then I throw on my pack and say my goodbyes. I'm nervous, but excited and hopeful. They walk me to the trail and wave goodbye.

I enter the woods with excitement and hope. The trail winds around a bit before I meet a set of stairs. At first I look around to make sure that is indeed the way I am to go; nobody likes climbing stairs with a backpack on only to learn the trail turned at the bottom of the stairs. So, up I went, laughing internally at the fun challenge, while huffing and puffing externally from the challenge. The view from the top is of the Mighty Mackinac Bridge, over which we had just driven. I smiled at the view before ducking into a small section of wooded trail leading to a road walk into St Ignace, MI, where I traversed along the lakeshore before heading inland.

 The walk through St Ignace is interesting with beautiful views of Mackinaw Island and visits with people along the boardwalk. I thought about buying some ice cream, but really just wanted to keep going. My plan was only to get through town and then setup camp for the night. I didn't plan to go very far, since I had just been dropped off at like 1pm. 

Once through town, I found myself walking along what appeared to be a rails to trails road or a winter snowmobile route. There were a few houses scattered along the route; just enough to make setting up camp more challenging. Finally, I reached the Castlerock trailhead, where I could leave the road and look for a camping spot. I stopped briefly at the trailhead trying to decide whether to cook dinner there or just continue on and cook near my camp. I didn't really want to unpack my pack twice, so I continued along the trail after chatting with a few day use folks on bikes.

Maybe a mile or so up the trail, I was scanning side to side for a place to hang my hammock, when all of a sudden a thought entered my head and would not leave...I'm alone...I'm all alone...I'm tired of being alone...I can't do this anymore...I don't want to be alone...I don't want to do this...and the tears began to fall uncontrollably down my face as I turned around and headed back towards St Ignace. 

As I got back on the road to town, I called my mom and worried her with my thoughts and tears. She listened and was as supportive as she could be from her home 2 hours away. I told her I had reached out to my aunts, who were camping just the other side of the bridge, and asked them to meet me in St Ignace to rescue me. My mom encouraged me along the way and got me back to St Ignace safe and sound. The walk was gorgeous with the setting sun, but I still felt foolish. 

When I finally made it back to St Ignace, I took refuge at the Father Marquette garden and visitor center while I waited, humiliated for my aunts to rescue me. 

Upon pick up, they took me to their amazing campground setup in Mackinaw City, offered me food and drink, and a place in my aunt's trailer for the night. Once it was dark, my aunts and their extended families made their way to the lakeshore for the nightly fireworks display over the Mackinac Bridge. I joined them in the festivities and then excused myself to head to bed, as I was exhausted from all the emotions of the day.

The next day, my aunt and uncle were leaving the campground to head back to Cadillac, and they live only a couple miles from my mom's house. So, back to her place with my tail between my legs I went; thankful for the love and support of my family. 

Triple Crown of Michigan: Day 3, Fife Lake Loop

 The final day of the challenge. My aunt and cousin had come in the night before, and we set up plans for them and my mom to meet me for lunch in Fife Lake, MI, and then maybe join me for the last few miles. The trailhead for this loop was the easiest to access and my mom had hiked along this loop on National Trails Day back in June. So, I knew what the end of the day would look like, since I was heading the opposite direction from that to start. 

A good portion of this loop I was very familiar with as I had canoed from the roadside area to the campground around the corner and many other portions of this loop. It was probably my biggest playground area growing up. The memories just kept coming. Within the first 5 miles, I had passed through the campground where I think our family camped with the extended family, my dad's high school friends and their families, and just our immediate family. We had driven and canoed into this campground many times. So many great memories.

From there, I headed into unknown territory as it traversed through the woods and fields towards Fife Lake, MI. It was pretty flat and easy going for the most part. There were neat tree tunnels, views of ponds, a cool campsite along a creek that feeds into the Manistee river, and a bridge over some train tracks, where I rescued a toad from between the rails. 

As I approached Fife Lake and my lunch meet up, I realized that the loop doesn't actually go through Fife Lake as much as it goes near Fife Lake. So, I worked on contacting my mom and having her, my cousin, and my aunt meet me at a campground off highway 131, where they could pick me up and take me to Fife Lake for lunch. Then we could take off from there to the finish. Before getting to the meeting point, I passed a few more ponds and a dog training area that made me thankful I had not brought my dog back with me for this trip. Also, I crossed the very highway my family would be driving up to meet me.

 

Upon arriving to the meeting spot, I realized I had about 10-15minutes of waiting. So, I sat at a picnic table and sorted through my pack for some snacks and a book. It was during this time that I found a tick on my leg. I promptly pulled him off, fully intact, placed him on the picnic table, and proceeded to light that guy on fire. That was tick #2 of the summer. Yikes! The sound of them popping when burned is always music to my ears. I know that sounds cruel, but that is the only way to get rid of the disease carrying critters...unless you are an opossum, then you eat them.

After a delicious lunch in Fife Lake, we all returned to the campground/trailhead parking area, and prepared to leave for the final 6miles (or so I thought that was how many miles were left). My family was worried they would slow me down, so they took off at break neck speed. I ambled along behind them with my 40lb pack and 16miles already under my belt for the day, not to mention a full stomach. I enjoyed the conversation and the energy they brought to my final miles of the challenge. We made many stops to rest because I was in need of them, but I think they were thankful for those stops as well. Along the route, there were spots where we found little seats/benches that we trusted to sit on, while others we passed by. I was very thankful to have them with me for such a momentous finish to the triple crown challenge. I completed the challenge without puking once. I had high hopes of being able to continue that success as I looked towards completing the Upper Peninsula of Michigan after my sister's birthday celebrations. Fingers crossed, all would go well. 

When we finally made the 131 Roadside park, we packed into my mom's car and returned to my aunt and cousin's rental car at the campground. From there, we headed back to Cadillac and a drink at the Elks with my step-dad, followed by a drink at the Amvets after that. It was a great night to celebrate, and I was surrounded by wonderful people.