Summer Road Trip 2022

Juni - Juli 2022
  • Amy Packer
Family Road Trip: TN, VA, KS, NE, CO, UT, SD, MN, MI, IN Weiterlesen
  • Amy Packer

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  • Driving down into a valley in western Colorado from the La Sal Mountains.
    Not bad scenery -- even if we were sucked for construction traffic.Nothing says Road Trip like a classic roadside motel.Driving from Salida to The Royal Gorge.Curving along the Arkansas River.We made it to the gorge!View of the east side of the gorge.Midway across the bridge!Found our Tennessee flag!Everett conveniently covering up the NO on the sign.Looking down the west side of the gorge. Zoom in to see the red dots -- rafting through whitewaterThis was one creaky carousel .Nevermind the fact that they are way too big for these things.Big Horn Sheep! Finally!Gondola arriving.Coltrane's first gondola ride 🐾

    Travel Days: Moab to CO Springs

    1. Juli 2022 in den USA ⋅ 🌧 73 °F

    We left Moab late morning Thursday as one tired -- but happy -- crew, and headed east towards Colorado Springs for the wedding of one of Nate's college buddies. We made our way back to Ridgway to pick up Coltrane & the camper from TJ's, then drove east for a few hours and stayed the night in Salida in a very old school roadside motel.

    Friday morning we made a slight detour to stop at The Royal Gorge. It was a very beautiful spot for a bit of a tourist trap, but we made the most of it. The boys enjoyed the play area & Nate and I enjoyed a shady spot and a view of some very docile neighborhood Big Horn Sheep. Our journey back across the gorge was on a Gondola. Gotta say, I did not expect so much gondola riding on this trip.

    We made our way to Colorado Springs and the boys and I chilled at our Airbnb while Nate met up with buddies arriving Friday night for the wedding on Sunday.
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  • Congrats Stefan & Flavia!
    Hijinx at the park the day before the wedding.Nate and his buddies playing frisbee with Pikes Peak in the background.Attempting to wear Everett out before the wedding festivities later that day.Taylor college buddies and the beautiful Flavia!Rain kept coming so we huddled under our lone umbrella before the ceremony was supposed to start.At least Nate won't refuse a selfie with me even if the boys will.Puddy, The Instigator, The Wrangler & C$Party Time!E attempting to beat Chad at arm wrestling.Finally let Chad sit with the grownups at the table.Living his best life.Melee ensued with the garter belt toss.He waited all night for the right time to bust out his Worm moves.Recreated this same scene from our own wedding.Not a bad view from the top of Pikes Peak.This southern boy was stoked to finally find some snow he could touch.Tiny little snowballs were thrown.I got a chuckle that they were taking the temperature of brakes as folks descended the peak.

    Colorado: Colorado Springs

    3. Juli 2022 in den USA ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

    Our stay in Colorado Springs marked the halfway point of our trip, and provided a timely chance to rest and recoup as we gear of the the last few weeks of this amazing trek.

    We came to the Springs to celebrate the wedding of one of Nate's good buddies, Stefan. Saturday morning we met fellow wedding-goers at a local park for a few hours of laid back games and catching up. Stefan's fiance, Flavia, is from Brazil and many members of her family had traveled up for the wedding. Nate joined friends for lunch while the boys and I went back to the Airbnb for a much needed rest. That evening we met with other out of town guests for a dinner of Brazilian meats and treats. It was a delight getting to catch up with Nate's buddies and our boys quickly found other kids to play and explore with.

    Sunday morning we knew the boys would need to get some wiggles out before we headed to the 7-hour wedding & reception, so Nate found a local Ninja gym where the boys did a great job of wearing themselves out.

    We got home with enough time to eat, rest a bit, then get gussied up for the main event. The wedding was held at a beautiful ranch north of Colorado Springs with Pikes Peak and the rest of the Rockies in the background.

    The unpredictable weather of the Front Range toyed with the wedding plans a bit with a thunderstorm rolling through just before the ceremony was about to start. Eventually we moved down to a covered area and the beautiful couple exchanged their vows and many cheers were had.

    The reception was a blast and the boys REALLY got into it when the glow sticks came out. At one point Everett yelled out, "I LOVE WEDDINGS! EVERYTHING IS FREE!!"

    It was a great night with great people and we came home happy and completely exhausted.

    The next morning was July 4th and we gathered enough energy to drive to the top of Pikes Peak where Holden was stoked to get his first bit of Colorado snow. The drive down the peak made me very glad this was our last bit of mountain driving.

    We got back home, ate an early dinner and the boys put themselves to bed before 830p and didn't even ask about fireworks. We packed up the next morning and headed to South Dakota.
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  • Wind Cave. Everett wasn't thrilled when we started, but his mood improved.
    Beautiful formations inside the cave.These are boxwork formations that only exist in this cave.Had to duck low on some places as we toured through.Family cave selfie.Working for their Junior Ranger badges.Site of the natural entrance to Wind Cave. Notice the fabric in the trees.Proud Junior Ranger of Wind Cave.All smiles for best bud Kellan!

    South Dakota: Wind Cave

    6. Juli 2022 in den USA ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

    Last Thanksgiving some friends told us about their experience visiting Wind Cave National Park. They are big cavers and climbers and really enjoyed their time at Wind Cave, so we took that as a solid endorsement.

    Wind Cave is the 5th National Park we've visited so far on this trip. We went on the Fairgrounds Tour and our guide was so engaging and entertaining. We learned about boxwork, frostwork and a variety of other cave formations. The cave system is at least 160 miles and they are still exploring how far it goes.

    After the tour we made our way to the natural entrance that is just a small, unassuming hole in the ground. The Lakota people believed this was the location of their creation story and it's still a sacred site for them. There were multiple deaths of fabric tied in trees around the area, which I assume is a Lakota tradition.

    After the boys finished up work for their Jr. Ranger badges, we made our way up to the state park and set up camp. After dinner, we had a special treat and Everett got to see one of his best buddies from school. Kellan and his family were also traveling through the region and we had a one day overlap on our trips. The boys had a blast running around for a couple of hours.
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  • Tatanka!
    So kind of these huge beasts to let us in their territory.Burros!He wanted to let them so badly, but stayed back.Bison Olympics - long jump!E made it about 6' in standing long jump. Bison long jump about 10'.Pretty Prairie.Rainy Rushmore!Rushmore family selfie.Taking his Jr. Ranger oath.The faces close up.Clear skies as we entered back into Black Hills Nat'l Forest.Just one example of so many of the spires, many exceptionally larger than these.Tiny tunnels, ahoy!Nature's enormous playground in this forest.Stunning in size and shape.Winding our way into the Eye of the Needle.Through our first tunnel. Listen for our surprise when we see Rushmore.Eye of the Needle and me trying to keep E reaching out to touch the rocks & imploring H to look up.

    South Dakota: Custer, Rushmore & Needles

    7. Juli 2022 in den USA ⋅ 🌧 66 °F

    When we set out on Thursday morning, we had goal to see some wildlife and try to make it to Mt. Rushmore, but I had no idea how varied and unexpected the day would be. Even with a mid-day rain delay, it was a full, full day that left us all smiles.

    We started off the day with a drive down to the Wildlife Loop, one of the most recommended activities. It wasn't long before we understood why. First we came upon the prairie dog colonies, which charmed Holden to no end. A few minutes later we happened upon a herd of buffalo lazing in a meadow. Some were just laying around, others rolling in the dirt and some calves springing about because that's what kids of all species do.

    We meandered down the road a little further and noticed cars pulled over to one side. We hopped out to check it out and found a gaggle of wild burros lazing under some trees by a dry creekbed in the late morning heat. Holden was particularly interested, while E preferred to hang under a tree by himself. More folks came to see the burros and we stepped back so the animals wouldn't feel overwhelmed and went to hang with Everett under the tree. Not moments after we got there, one determined white burro made its way over. Evidently we were milling about by its favorite neck-scratching branch. It came over and we cleared out and got some good laughs as it unabashedly scratched and scratched to get relief.

    After that we headed back down the road and stopped by the newly built Bison Center. Our timing was perfect, as we pulled in a few minutes before the Rangers started their morning activity: Bison Olympics. We all learned lots of facts about bison, but more importantly the boys got to compete in things like long & high jump, sprints, etc. to see how they compare to the local buffalo.

    With the boys slightly worn out (or at least not as crazed), we ate a picnic lunch, then started making our way to Mount Rushmore, 50 miles away. Nate suggested taking the Iron Highway. I did not realize what a great choice that would be. This is a legendary road that loops and curves and has tiny, crazy tunnels blasted through enormous rock walls and pigtail loops that made me very grateful for Kid's Dramamine. The design of the road is a love song to America's love affair with cars and was full of unexpected views.

    One of Nate's favorite moments was when we pulled over to an overlook. He mainly pulled over to let a group of motorcycle riders pass us by. Since we were pulled over we took a moment to scope out the hills in the distance. Much to our surprise, the distant mountain had teeny tiny face on it. We laughed with delight that Mount Rushmore appeared for us out of nowhere. Or at least 3/4 of us did. For the life of him, Holden couldn't find the distant faces on the rock and began to whip himself into a minor panic. He was moments from tears when we gave him the binoculars and he FINALLY could see the faces. He was ELATED. We all celebrated with him. It was such a sweet moment and one of Nate's favorite memories.

    Another favorite moment of Nate's was as we cautiously made our way through the first one-lane tunnel. We were all amused by how small and rough the tunnel was, then surprised again as we emerged to another, more prominent view of Mount Rushmore appearing in a clearing right in front of us. We looped and tunneled our way along the rest of the Iron Highway until we arrived at Mount Rushmore.

    We pulled in as the rain started coming down in earnest. This did little to deter the boys. They had been amped up to see Mount Rushmore ever since watching National Treasure 2 a couple of years ago. In that movie there's a City of Gold behind Rushmore and it's taken multiple conversations with them to make sure they knew we wouldn't also be hunting for gold when we went to Rushmore.

    They happily made their way up to the viewing platform in the rain. After a few pics, they agreed to move out of the rain and into the cafe, which conveniently was serving ice cream. We snacked and waited out the rain inside while they worked on their Mount Rushmore Junior Ranger workbooks. It was a good time killer. Finally the rain subsided and we found the museum and visitor's center and learned more about the Rushmore creation process. After securing their Jr. Ranger badges, we hiked around a bit to get closer views then made our way back to the car.

    It seemed like that would be the end of our adventures for the day. But as we made our way back to the campsite, Nate suggested we take the Needles Highway. Again, I didn't know what I was in for.

    The skies had cleared again and it was so incredibly scenic to see these huge granite fins burst through the forest canopy. The size and shape against the evergreen was so surprising, especially as we came to the lakes, which we're supremely picturesque. We pulled off to one spot and hiked around a bit. In many ways it made me think of the Fiery Furnace landscape at Arches. Lots of rock scrambling and meandering. We quickly made a mental note to add this hiking spot to our itinerary for the next day.

    We loaded back into the car and wound our way up the highway and through more crazy small tunnels. My favorite was the Eye of the Needle, a truly bonkers example of road engineering that was a delight to drive through.

    Eventually we made it back to camp and fixed a quick dinner. We arrived at a very drenched campsite from the afternoon showers while we were at Rushmore. Once things were sort of dry, we ate dinner and went quickly into chill mode. The boys watched a movie while Nate and I enjoyed a few moments of quiet and made plans for the next day and reveled in how varied, surprising and fun-filled the day had been.
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  • This railing was crazy.Hail from the day before still around all over this part of the trail.It was hot. He enjoyed the cave AC.Nate's view from the top of the climb, looking onto the lake behind us.Up he goes!I asked E to take a pic of Nate climbing. Instead he discovered panorama mode & didn't look up much.Just desserts. Spidey version.Once he started jumping, he didn't want to stop.Celebrating the milestone of not having to swim w/the kids if we don't want to.It's all fun & games until the breeze kicks up. Chilly wet boys!Happy guy with his plate of wild boar.Nate liked the motto of this glass.They both jumped - eventually. (They landed farther from the rock than this angle shows)Holden made this video while E was climbing. Love his narration.

    South Dakota: Sylvan Lake

    8. Juli 2022 in den USA ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    Sylvan Lake was like a one-stop-shop destination for us on this Friday. We parked the car and hiked, climbed and swam all day long in an incredibly picturesque locale.

    We started the day off on the Sunday Gulch Trail, a 4 mile trek along the valley behind Sylvan Lake. Parts of it go fairly near the Needles Highway, so there was road noise from time to time, but the most annoying sound was the Thump, Thump, Thump from sightseeing helicopters flying by way more often than I thought necessary.

    Eventually most of the noise faded and the trail took us through boulder fields, into the forest and then scrambling back up boulders as we followed a creek back up to the trailhead. It was hot from time to time, but overall a really enjoyable couple of hours in the woods. Maybe the craziest thing was coming upon multiple swaths of hail that had fallen the day before.

    After we made it back to the trailhead, we had a picnic lunch with a perfect view of the lake and the throngs of people who were boating and swimming in this beautiful spot.

    Once we rested up a bit, Nate pulled out the climbing gear and we made our way to some climbing spots just on the other side of the lake. Eventually we settled on a spot next to a small waterfall that fell from between two giant slabs of granite that bordered the lake.

    This climbing spot was along a very popular trail, so there were lots of onlookers, especially when they saw E up on the wall. A few groups of kids cheered for him and one older man and his companion stopped and chatted with us for a while as they watched Everett climb.

    As the guys were climbing, we heard thunder in the distance and the skies started to cloud up a bit. I was afraid a downpour would start at any moment, but the storm stayed far enough away. We packed up the climbing gear and headed back to the lake. We had promised the boys swimming at the end of the day, but wanted to wait a bit longer to make sure the storm wasn't headed our way. This was also a good excuse to get some more ice cream.

    The perk of the threatening weather was that folks really cleared out of the lake, so by the time the weather calmed and we were ready to swim, only a fraction of the people were there than when we arrived earlier in the day. Nate and I were pretty worn out from the rest of the day, so we stayed on the shore while the boys suited up in their life vests. Holden's first move was to jump off a big rock from a popular spot. Much to our surprise, Everett was really hesitant to jump. But as Holden launched himself off the top a second time, E gathered his courage and made the leap. The boys swam for almost an hour, then we headed back to Custer to grab dinner.

    After a full day of hiking, climbing and swimming, we all turned in early that night. Tired and happy.
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  • Our 5th National Park stop!
    Our first overlook stop. This place is wild and so, so vast.E getting us in for free with his Every Kid in a Park Pass. Saved us $150 so far!Badlands family selfie.The stature and creation process of these formations is so interesting. Volcanoes, oceans, rain...This reminded us of a smaller & more crumbly scale of the mountain ranges in the Rockies.The yellow hues were so unexpected.I was most surprised by all the green prairie grassland in the midst of these pillars, mountains.I asked them to get together for a pic. This is all they would give me.These reddish stripes as far as you can see.The geology of this place is fascinating.Like landing on another planetThe boys' favorite stop, fossil investigation and scrambling.It was so unbelievably hot, but even Holden was willing to get out and explore the fossil history.Swearing in for their Jr. Ranger badges.So. Very. Hot.Dino mini golf.Our dinosaur/mini golf stop. Coltrane was happy to hang int he shade with the brachiosaurus.A mirror maze inside a dinosaur museum. Why not?!

    South Dakota: Badlands National Park

    9. Juli 2022 in den USA ⋅ ☀️ 95 °F

    Our original plan was to stop by Badlands National Park on our way to Minneapolis. But as we were planning out our final day in Custer, we realized that we'd probably have time to head out to Badlands in addition to our other stops. And, man, I'm so glad we didn't try to squeeze Badlands into one very long travel day. It was fascinating and I'm glad we got to enjoy it properly, even if we may have melted in the process.

    Before we got to Badlands, our first stop was the Crazy Horse Memorial. It's been under construction for decades and will take decades to finish, but it was interesting to visit the site and learn about the history and plans. The tribal members who are leading this project have also established a university for tribal members and this location is part of the university system. When they finish the memorial it will be stunning and such a pointed response to Rushmore. My only disappointment is I forgot to take pics while we were there.

    Our next stop was a dog-friendly dinosaur museum/mini golf course outside of Rapid City. A few of the exhibits we're interesting, but the whole place felt like it may fall down sometime soon. Definitely past it's hayday, but the mini golf made it a worthwhile stop. And the boys loved the very random mirror maze.

    After that stop, we grabbed lunch and started the 60-min drive to Badlands NP. I thought Badlands would be interesting, but it didn't have particularly high hopes for it. Needless to say I was blown away. Part of that may have been the way we entered the park. Coming in from the west, we saw a few formations in the distance, but for the most part it was like any drive through the high plains. Full of grasses and a few hills here and there and that continued as we formally entered the park at the Pinnacles Overlook entrance. We were amused by the prairie dog colonies and continued along until, much like at Canyonlands, the bottom just dropped out and the Badlands appeared.

    All the pictures I'd seen of it before made it look completely unhabitable, which it generally is, but in the valleys and waterways, I was blown away to see so much vegetation and green prairie lands and even flowers here and there.

    Nate and I ate up the geological history of the area and on one of the stops he casually mentioned he had considered switching majors in college to study geology instead of comp sci. I didn't expect this trip to a national park to learn something new about my husband, so double bonus.

    The other thing that must be noted about this visit is that it was BRUTALLY hot. At many stops Holden happily declined getting out of the car because of the heat, so we kept the AC on for him and the dog. We didn't even bother letting Coltrane out because I figured the heat off the asphalt might injure his feet.

    What an adventure and unexpected time we had at Badlands. So glad we were able to make the stop.
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  • Walking across the Stone Arch Bridge over the Mississippi River.
    Dan and Katie!Everett in action at the bike park.Cutest entrance ever to a kids' bookstore.Our neighborhood pool!In their element.Dinner out one night -- sushi!Cousins!A perfect morning at the park with Tiffany & Heath's kids.Rest time at the pool = snacks & trying to patiently wait to get back in that water.Our other main activity this week: lounging.MN Nice Ice Cream is a kid's dream.The Fun Cone is aptly named.

    Minnesota: Minneapolis

    13. Juli 2022 in den USA ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

    When we started planning this trip, I suggested stopping in Minneapolis for a week while on our way up to Michigan. We figured it would be a good week for Nate to work and the boys and I could explore the city. It wound up being the perfect stop, a chance to rest and recharge before our final adventures up north.

    We pulled into town late Sunday night after a long drive from Custer State Park. Stepping out of the car we were smacked by an unwelcome nemesis: humidity. It was grossly humid, but fortunately when we woke up the next morning we were greeted by unbelievably pleasant weather. The boys and I explored the playground near our apartment while Nate worked and later I did really glamorous errands like schlepping to the grocery store and laundromat. We were all tired from our Custer & Badlands adventures and took it easy the rest of the day.

    Monday evening was a special treat for me. We drove out to the house of my good friends from college, Dan & Katie Kuyper. They hosted us for dinner and it was such a joy to see thm for the first time in we'll over a decade. We laughed a lot and left with warm hearts and full bellies.

    On Tuesday we had more energy and got the bikes out to explore our neighborhood. Our neighborhood in NE Minneapolis was STACKED with playgrounds and parks every few blocks. They've done a tremendous job with creating inviting community spaces with bicycling-friendly streets. And the Minnesota public pool game is STRONG. This Minneapolis neighborhood was just one big playground for us and made our stay here very easy and relaxed.

    The other special event we did during the week was on Thursday when the boys and I drove about an hour south of town to meet our Renfro cousins. The boys got to hang with their extended cousins at a local park then we ventured to another killer Minnesota public pool/water park.

    The rest of the week was filled with lounging, park-going & ice cream hunting. My favorite parts of the week were seeing Dan, Katie & the Renfros. Everett's favorite thing was the bike park by the pool and Holden declared the pool his favorite, but I also suspect he would also say riding his bike everywhere was a special treat. That kid is fast on a set of wheels -- I feel like he may have a future as a bike messenger.

    Next stop: Upper Peninsula of Michigan
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  • Ready for our maritime adventure.
    Shipwreck tour selfie.Peering into the lake floor below at remnants from a wreck in the 1860s.It is crazy how clear this water is. The green glow adds to the eerie feeling.We could even see wreckage from the top of the boat. So eerie.A retired lighthouse on Grand Island.Guess the Dramamine isn't always non-drowsy.He conked out multiple times.The coastline is dotted with trees above the cliff side.I can't get over the clarity of the water. The landscape is so beautiful.Sea caves, ahoy!Our captain steered the boat into this cave. She was a heck of a boat driver!He rallied (sort of) to see some of the sights.Beautiful cove that we got to see up close.More detail of the sea cave.This clarity & color is just unreal.Shadow selfie.

    Michigan: Munising & Grand Island

    17. Juli 2022 in den USA ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    When I began researching the Pictured Rocks area, one of the suggested things to do with kids was a shipwreck tour. Since Lake Superior is so cold, things don't decay they do in regular waters and the visibility is very clear. And since Lake Superior can be incredibly treacherous at times, there are lots of shipwrecks.

    So, I signed us up for a glass bottom shipwreck tour the morning after we arrived in Munising, figuring if the weather was too rough we could reschedule for the next day. But man, we really nailed the weather these days in Munising. The water was calm & the skies were clear as we set sail on our 2 hour tour.

    To be honest, I didn't have terribly high hopes and figured this might just be kind of a kitschy outing, but I do love to explore a new place via water, so if nothing else we could do that. Much to my delight, it turned out to be incredibly cool.

    The captain steered us over a variety of shipwrecks -- including pointing out a Captain's toilet that remains easy to see at the bottom of the lake floor. Surprisingly I laughed about that more than the boys. The Captain gave more details about the history of the area and we also got close-up views of the cliffs.

    One of the more amusing things was the unexpected drowsiness that hit Everett after I gave him some Dramamine in case the waters were rough. About 20 minutes into the trip he started getting really snuggly, which these days almost always means he's tired. Then he started leaning really hard. Finally we found a quiet spot on the front of the ship and he snuggled up and took a series of catnaps. He rallied and picked himself up when the captain announced something of note, then immediately found a new spot to semi-doze. The worst of the fatigue diminished before the trip was over, but it did give me some laughs remembering a time when my mom conked out on a boat tour we took of Lake Superior outside of Duluth decades ago.

    We spent the rest of the day exploring Pictures Rocks area.
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  • Michigan: Pictured Rocks

    17. Juli 2022 in den USA ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    Pictures Rocks has been on my must-sees list for several years. Sheepishly I will admit that I didn't really know anything about it until a few years ago when actress Kristen Bell posted pics from a trip they took to the area and I was dumbfounded that this was in Michigan.

    So when we started planning the trip, I planned this stop for purely selfish reasons. Yes, I figured Nate and the boys would enjoy it, but of all the stops this is the one I was most excited about. It did not disappoint.

    After the shipwreck tour, we drove out to the visitors center and then out to Miners Castle overlook. The view is incredible. The green-blue of the water against the light-colored sandstone tipped by trees is supremely beautiful. I didn't even mind seeing the boats along the coast below, except that I was jealous that we didn't have that vantage point. After taking in the view, we hiked out to beautiful Miners Falls then headed back to the campsite.

    We didn't have any firm plans the rest of the day and I couldn't get those Pictured Rocks views out of my head. We looked into renting kayaks, but that was going to cost $500 for all four of us and neither of us could stomach that price tag, so instead Nate booked us a sunset cruise to Pictures Rocks.

    We didn't have the freedom to roam about as easily on this boat as the one earlier in the morning, but we still enjoyed stunning views. The Captain did a great job of sharing about the history and geology of how the shoreline was formed. Pictured Rocks is best seen from the water and I'm so glad we were able to get out and see it on such a perfect weather day. Watching the sunset on one side of the boat and seeing the cliffs and rock formations on the other as we floated along was beautiful.
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  • Michigan: Marquette

    18. Juli 2022 in den USA ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    Monday was the day that Nate planned out during our stint in Munising. During his climbing research he found a place up the road in Marquette that looked to be a promising spot where we could also take a nice hike for a good view of Lake Superior.

    We drove about an hour to Sugar Loaf Mountain just west of Marquette. We didn't get there until about lunch time, so grabbed a quick picnic lunch before hitting the trail. It was nice to be back to the land of shaded trails. Holden was not thrilled with the uphill portions -- which was the entire first half of the trail, but with enough bribery & good spirited challenges ("Holden, there's no way you can scramble up those rocks faster than I can climb up those stairs!") and encouragement from hikers on their way down who promised the view was worth it, he begrudgingly soldiered on. The hike was maybe 3 miles roundtrip.

    And even our reluctant hiker acknowledged that the view at the top was worth the effort to get there. The view to the north at the top was Lake Superior and several beaches. The blue waters of the lake blended to blue-green and eventually bright green pockets against the limestone bluffs. If I didn't know better, I would've assumed this shoreline belonged to a place in the tropics. To the other direction were forested hills for miles.

    Once we got back to the parking lot, we loaded up with climbing gear and headed to the climbing spot Nate had researched. It was a nice little spot that gave us all a lot of Tennessee vibes, minus the prolific poison ivy. Everett led a couple of climbs and even Holden got into the spirit, making his way up a 5.4 and a 5.7 route. Nate also really enjoyed the routes he got on and led.

    Before heading back, Nate suggested one more stop so we could cool off. While it wasn't hot by Tennessee standards, we all worked up a pretty good sweat hiking. So off we headed to Black Rocks. As we walked along the black rocks along the waterside, I had flashes back to my trip to the black sand beaches and the coastline of Big Island in Hawaii. I never thought a trip to Michigan would remind me of Hawaii, but if anything, this trip has reminded me that surprises will always await if you venture out far enough.

    Our final destination wasn't a beach, but a gorgeous green-blue cove with amazing cliffs to jump from. The boys were game to jump and intellectually we all knew the water would be cold, but holy smokes, the absolute full-body shock that hit me when I landed in the 58° Lake Superior is unlike anything I've ever experienced. I could barely breathe even after surfacing. Even writing this now, my breathing stops just thinking about it. To be honest I can't believe the boys didn't sink when they jumped in -- although Holden might have if Nate hadn't already been in the water waiting for him.

    Despite that FRIGID shock, we all went back for more. None of the subsequent jumps were as arresting as the first, but it certainly never got warm. Although, this was one of those rare times when it felt warmer to be out of the water than within it.

    We each ended the day with a handful of jumps in our back pocket and the memory of the absolute thrill of those jumps. Once they were done jumping, the boys played on the rocks and found tiny tide pools to warm their feet in.

    We ended the day with a prolonged hunt for dinner -- who knew Marquette's restaurants would be so packed? But eventually found a spot where Nate and I got delicious battered whitefish - the local catch - and the boys were happy with nachos.

    It was a very, very good day for our last full day in the area.

    Next stop: Tahquahoma Falls State Park.
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