Early Morning Campsite Grab

Thursday June 5, 2014
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Empire, Michigan

 

First, I want to answer some questions from past blogs.  Several people asked how we are liking the solar.  So far everything seems to be working or at least no problems are evident but we haven’t really had to use it since we have shore power.  So a real report will be coming up when we get into the UP and are boondocking.

You also asked about my toes.  What I have does not seem to be plantar fasciitis.  I have no problem at all when I wear shoes only when I am barefoot which is a real handicap for me since I hate wearing shoes and have been a barefoot girl all my life.  A few days of Aleve and wearing shoes even in the house….SIGH…seem to have knocked it out.  I haven’t noticed it in the past week or so.

David did get a lab appointment in Marquette for a couple of weeks from now when we are in the UP.   It’s a bit of a drive but that’s ok.

You guys are just the best to be so concerned about us.  

 

We’re living recklessly.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is next on our list of places to visit.  Problem: Four months ago when we decided to scrap our trip west for a Pennsylvania Solar install and then take on the Great Lakes for summer, there were no spots available at the National Seashore campground.   I’ve been checking back ever since and could only get Monday through Thursday.  No week-ends.   But we want to stay at least 6 nights.

 

So earlier in the week, we call them.  They have a no reservations campground D.H. Day but it is primarily for tents although she “thought” we could probably get in there.   Well that didn’t sound so good sight unseen.  Several helpful commenters suggest local campgrounds but before we call them, we call the Platte River campground just to see about walk ins.   Yes they have walk ins and you can stay up to two weeks if you get one but they won’t know if they have one available until they open at 8:00 on the day you want it and it’s best to be first in line.

 

Well OK then.

 

I get up at 5:30 this morning.   Ruby and I leave at 6am and buzz the 90 miles over Route 72, through Traverse City to Empire and south on Route 22.  David finishes packing up Winnona and follows after us.  If I can’t get a site in Platte, we’ll  look at D.H. Day and if that’s a no go, we’ll check out the much further away private campgrounds.  

Arriving at 7:50, I am the 2nd person in line after a guy who wants to renew his site for a few more days.  I actually have my pick of three that are large enough for Winnona and choose site 215 turns out to be great!   SWEET!!!  Problem solved.

 

 

David arrives about 11:00 and we get Winnona settled including the screened in room for mosquito defense. 

The site is very nice.  No neighbors on one side, no one directly in front of us and the other site  is distant and empty for now.  Too small for a 35’ RV though. 

The campsites are set up with a paved drive and then the picnic table is set on a pad big enough for a tent and the table. 

 

 

 

 

We relax after our hectic morning,

 

 

We have six nights here so we do some planning for what we what hiking, biking and kayaking we can fit in.  We get some dinner and decide to see about the sunset over Lake Michigan since there is a trail to the lake running behind all 4 loops of the Campground.  It’s just over a mile.  Sounds perfect

 

 

 

 

It is a lovely level trail for quite a way through a peaceful forest.
What a great hike this is and it’s right here. 

 

 

And then things change dramatically.

 

The trail comes out of the woods and onto the sand. That’s where the problems begin. It’s up hill which isn’t a real problem. The real problem is the mosquitoes greet us in swarms as I’m trying to take pictures of the wildflowers on the dunes as we come out of the woods.

What? I thought mosquitoes were worse in the woods. Not so here. I guess it’s cooler in the woods. It’s also dusk and perhaps that has something to do with it.

We pick up the pace. I’m not turning back now.  I’ve come far enough that I intend to see the lake mosquitoes or no.

 

 

 

 

 

What a beautiful late, vast and becoming covered in mist.

 

I am snapping pictures as fast as I can including ones of 2 loons here to greet us straight out in the water in front of us. I could have gotten stellar pictures if I could have held the camera still. But the mosquitoes are all over my hands and fingers.

Who thinks to bring gloves? How do you operate your camera with gloves?  Even my mosquito suit wouldn’t have helped me with this.   Dryer sheets in my collar have no effect at all.

But it’s gorgeous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hate it, we really can’t stay.

 

 

And so we learn another lesson about Michigan mosquitoes.  After 5pm you have 3 choices.  Either sit by a fire with smoke or sit in your screened room or go inside. 

Forget about any sunset pictures unless you are willing to douse yourself in 40% deet.

We practically run back to the wooded part of the path which has some but many fewer mosquitoes.

It really is a lovely trail and I’d like to walk the beach so close to us.  I think we’ll try early in the morning one day just after sunrise and see how that works.

 

The End