Over the summer we visited the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and stopped at the covered bridge for pictures because that’s what you do on this drive. You stop, take pictures then continue on. In the middle of summer there are hundreds of other people doing the same thing. When you pause for a picture like this one there are often times groups of people waiting to do the same. This time not so much.
This vacation was the second of two trips north with just the kids, this time with the girls. It was late in the year, the weather wasn’t great, cloudy and windy for most of the trip, but the air was warm enough. The rain pretty much held off too so there was plenty of outdoor activity.
Our idea to visit the scenic drive on this day actually worked out quite well. In years past we hiked in this area and the heat made it hard especially when the kids were younger. We woke up to a cloudy day and a little cooler so this seemed like the obvious day to visit the area.
The kids are all big enough now to handle the walk across the dunes to the Dune Climb but there was a time when I had to carry my youngest back to the car. I can still remember her wearing a green hat, red-faced, walking slowly like she was about to faint. The memory is not hard because of course I took a picture of her. She’s always been so dramatic but in truth it was a hot walk. I put her on my shoulders and walked on. Carrying my little princess to her chariot aka mini-van.
It’s only around two or so miles from the place we always park but when you look out at all the sand, dune grass and hills it seems like the walk is forever. Sometimes you run into people on the trail who ask how to get to Lake Michigan from the trial. It’s about a four mile walk across the sand and not hard to miss but I’ve never tried it.
When we arrived the girls quickly took off down the hill where most people park. I sat up at the top and took pictures because that’s what I always do on vacations. I’m the one who always takes the pictures. For me the pictures always take me back to the time. I swear if we didn’t have two feet of show and the whole polar vortex thing going on, I’d plan a trip north. This was the last vacation before winter when I decided I just couldn’t let go of summer. I also knew there were significant changes about to take place in the home so I thought this might be my last chance for a while to take the kids north.
The Mystery Meat 