MAGICAL MICHIGAN - SLEEPING BEAR TREASURES

SEPTEMBER 17TH ... LAKE LEELANAU

For our first night the temperatures dipped down into the 30’s.  I got up around 5AM to look at the outside thermostat and it registered 39 degrees and our heater had not turned off.  However, the sun came up and the air warmed up into the 60’s.  Guess any heat they get after this will be officially Indian Summer because surrounding areas got their first frost!

Ron & Joanie, friends of ours from New Smyrna, have a home in Sutton’s Bay and are actually the reason why we fell in love with Northern Michigan.  We are about five miles from their place, so they came over in the afternoon with plans of hiking Empire Bluff Trail. 

We decided to have a “luner” (lunch/dinner) before setting out and combined our food which, of course, could have fed an army.  Joanie is the person you want to get stranded with.  She pulls miracles out of her bag and prepares for the apocalypse whenever she leaves her house!

We got started around 4:00 heading up to Sleeping Bear Dunes.  Ron is so much fun to travel with.  He just loves showing places off, is a photo fanatic like me, and possesses the gift of wonderment.  All combine to make any trip Ron & Joanie plan, to be a very special occasion.

As we headed into the National Seashore we passed a bright red school house.  Ron pulled off the side of the road and wanted to take our pictures.  I asked if someone lived in this building and he said it had been renovated to be a private residence. I noticed it was on the National Register of Historic Sites.  

We were positioning for the group shot, when a gentleman, our age, came out of the house and asked if we’d like him to take our pictures.  He was the owner of the home.

So………incredibly he asked if we would like to see the interior of the building!  This building was a one-room school house built in 1871.  His mother and father purchased the building and restored it and renovated it into their home.  The rear of the house is the kitchen and it was added on.

Off the back deck were two red outhouses.  He said the right one was the original outhouse and they built the left one to match!  The interior of the building was absolutely charming. 

He was delighted to show us every nook and cranny!  

Original interior walls.  

He now owns it with his brother and he lives just a few miles down the road!  

A loft was built for the bedroom and bath and other architectural alterations were made to accommodate insulation and modern living.

Ron & Joanie have been by this house for years and years and never saw the inside, so this was an incredible experience for all of us!

We left the school house and drove into the National Seashore.  Ron took a quick left and down a road looking for salmon in a secluded river.  We hiked into the woods along a river that emptied into Lake Michigan at Good Harbor Bay.  We didn't see any salmon yet.

This is a protected bay and large boats / freighters come into the bay if they need protection from the Lake.

Our next stop was a beautiful overlook called Inspiration Point. 

Not realizing where we actually were, I looked down and saw a familiar scene.  Inspiration Point overlooks Glen Lake and the bridge that leads into Glen Arbor where we attended the wedding in August.  

Interesting perspective from this point.

We continued on to Empire MI to find the Empire Bluff Trail.  Ron and Joanie had never walked this trail, which amazed me because I can’t imagine an inch of this area they haven’t been to.  Ron has been coming here since kindergarten and I won’t mention how many years ago that was (it wasn’t all that many!).

EMPIRE BLUFF FROM SLEEPING BEAR DUNE

Anyway, Ron asked Joanie whether she brought a flashlight and I was beginning to wonder just how long this hike was going to be as it was only 5PM.  Soon we came to the trail head.  

Joanie pulled out their backpack cooler filled with wine and beer and water and then her bright, bright, bright orange jacket.  She offered one to Ron but he declined the orange.

As we walked up the trail, on the bulletin board was a notice about walking in groups because of hunting season and cougars!  So, we hung very close to Joanie’s orange jacket as she was the MOST visible with Dave’s and my red jackets being second.  Ron with this grey vest over a black sweatshirt was sure to blend into the woods!  We also decided that cougars were shy (we hoped) and would stay in the trees (we hoped).

It wasn't all stairs!

Up the trail we went.  It’s a 1.5 mile R/T through the woods climbing up and over a few dunes to get to the final spot.  We started out at a pretty good clip but soon slowed down.  Ron was bringing up the rear with his camera on video recording our hike.  Joanie said the only sound he would record was our huffing and gasping for breath!

Soon, after a rather arduous climb, we came to a spot where we could see Lake Michigan.  We were hopeful our spot was just beyond the trees but it was another good climb up and then flat and then climb up again!  Finally we reached the overlook and it was well worth the climb.

Off came our jackets, out came the wine and beer and we sat down on the benches and surveyed our view.  

CHEERS!

Now....that was really funny!!!!!

They're lovin' their Oberon!

The views were beautiful 

South Bear Lake is to the right of the Lake Michigan shoreline. 

Off in the distance we could see the lighthouse on South Manitou Island. 

The walk down was slower with Ron recording the entire event.  The sun was beginning its final descent when we came upon D. H. Day Farm.

D.H. DAY FARM - Port Oneida Historic Farm District

 This district is over 3,400 acres of farming area preserved as it was in the late 19^th century to the mid-20^th century.  It is the largest historic agricultural community in the United States under government ownership that is fully protected by the government.  It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Drove down to Glen Haven Village but unfortunately the “ghost town” was closed down for the night.

Glen Haven existed as a company town from 1865-1931 becoming a fuel supply point for ships traveling Lake Michigan.  The General Store was established to supply the workers.  The workers were paid in company coupons redeemable only at the company store.

Circling around to Leelanau dusk was setting in.  Ron was driving slowly because this is the time of day the deer are on the move.  Sure enough Dave spotted a deer alongside the road.

I hopped out to take his picture and he just stood there.  Then Ron moved the car off the road and he ran into the field a short ways, stood and posed for another picture!

Further up the road, three deer ran across to the field on the opposite side.  They were deep into the field eating when Ron yelled, “Hey”.  They all looked up.  Then they went back to eating, Ron yelled “Hey” and they all looked up again.  Really a sweet scene.

Happy and tired we returned to the RV park around 8:30.  

A beautiful day at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore.