Why Northern Michigan is My Happy Place

I grew up in Michigan, spent 9 years in the hustle and bustle of New York City and now reside in the western metropolis of Denver and spend my days toiling at a computer in the center of 25 square miles surrounded by reality, otherwise known as Boulder.

My Grandparents and parents, instilled in me a sense of wanderlust. I remember sitting in my grandparents basement watching slide shows of their recent travels, attending travelogues and carefully inspecting their giant wall map covered in colored push-pins indicating the 90+ countries and countless cities they had explored. My absolute dream job would have me traveling the globe as a travel writer or photojournalist, meeting interesting people in far off locales, running through historic cities, hiking idyllic country sides, and digging for treasures in street markets.

While reality is far different from my dream, thankfully I had enough smarts to marry a man who also loves to travel and wants to explore the world. We balance our desire to travel with our need for financial stability, by taking only one week-long vacation a year supplemented with a few long-weekend trips. While I have loved exploring cities like Montreal, Seattle, Charleston and Basel, Switzerland, and our must-visit list is long, there’s one region that will never get crossed off no matter how many times we visit.

My happy place, the place we visit every other year, is our family cottage and Northern Michigan. I was 3 months old the first time I visited. It’s not the most modern of cottages, having been built in 1954 (yes, this year we celebrated the 60^th anniversary of Mill Point), but nevertheless, I know exactly how lucky I am to have this place.

We spend lazy days here – filled with kayak trips around the lake, walks in the woods, hours reading on the porch or by the water, and many games of scrabble. We also use it as our home base to explore other areas of the region. There are so many great places to visit and explore. Often, people who aren’t familiar with the area don’t realize how fantastic it is. So… I wanted to share with you a few pictures from our vacation and tips for creating a fantastic visit.

Traverse City is the largest city in Northern Michigan. There are plenty of flights in and out of the Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) every day on multiple airlines so it’s not that difficult to get here.

While I love Traverse City and can spend several hours perusing the shops along Front Street, enjoying ice cream from Moomers and running along the TART Trail or The Boardman Lake Trail, the region is dotted with charming little towns, all with their own reasons to visit – many situated along inland lakes or Lake Michigan. Here are a few of my favorites (from SW to NE along the coast):

• Glen Arbor
• Leland
• Suttons Bay
• Harbor Springs
• Petoskey
• Charlevoix

There are endless opportunities for outdoor adventures. Hiking, trail running, road biking, kayaking, boating (sail, pontoon, power, take your pick!), SUPing, whatever you like to do, you can do it Up North. Two years ago we did the Dune Hike in Sleeping Bear Dunes, which was hot and a bit tough, but rewarding. This year after the Running Bear 5k in Glen Arbor, we rented kayaks from Crystal River Outfitters right in town and went kayaking on the shallow, perfectly clear river for a relaxing, yet quality upper body workout.

While Woody went golfing twice (there are likely more than 200 golf courses in Northern Michigan), I went running – the Boardman Lake Trail in Traverse City and around Alden on the shore of Torch Lake with a few miles on the Coy Mountain Trail.

And beyond Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, Northern Michigan is dotted with one beautiful lake after another. A few favorites, beyond our own little lake:

• Crystal Lake
• Elk Lake
• Glen Lake
• Lake Leelanau
• Torch Lake

The fun isn’t relegated to the water and the woods though. The Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas are known for world-class wines. The diverse microclimates in the region allow for a variety of wine grapes. With more than 30 wineries on the Peninsulas alone (there are many others throughout the area) producing award winning varietals including Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc, the wine tasting party options are pretty much endless. There are several wine events each year but the tasting rooms, many with breathtaking views, are open no matter when you’re in town. You’ll find that most of the wineries have varietals incorporating the regions fruit beyond just grapes – mostly cherries. I personally find these to be a bit too sweet, but we recently found one from Cherry Republic – the Great Hall Riesling – that is 90% Riesling, 10% cherry wine, perfect for a hot summer day. Unfortunately, due to state regulations we can’t ship Michigan wines to Colorado. Which just means we have to enjoy them while we can! A few of our favorite wineries, plus one of many great breweries in Michigan:

• Black Star Farms
• Chateau Chantal
• Left Foot Charley
• Shady Lane Cellars
• Short’s Brewing Company

 

So, now you know a bit more about Northern Michigan and why I’ll forever be drawn to this little neck of the woods. If you’re ever interested in visiting, I’m happy to answer questions and help you create an unforgettable trip!

Tell me a bit about your happy place.

Vacation Yoga

Woody loves to golf but he doesn’t get to do much of it in NYC. It’s something he’s been doing since he was young and one of the sacrifices he’s made since he moved out here. Michigan has a lot of fantastic golf courses, so whenever we go up north he brings his clubs and makes tee times for at least two rounds. I do not golf, but I’m not going to deny him this pleasure. I have watched a fair amount of golf tournaments on TV over the past several years and I can appreciate the beauty of the courses and the precision of the game, but given my horrible hand-eye coordination and miserable history trying to play most sports I’ve attempted, I don’t think it’s for me. I do have to find something to do though when he golfs on vacation.

Woody found a golf course overlooking the East Bay near Traverse City and a few weeks before our trip I did a Google search for yoga classes in the area. Yen Yoga & Fitness is located on the east end of Front Street in Downtown Traverse City. The entrance to the large space is inviting with windows all across the front, a lounge area and a retail area with yoga wear and accessories. After filling out the obligatory paperwork for all first-time students, I was informed my first class was free and given a quick tour.

Past the front desk are two yoga studios and a spinning studio, restrooms for men and women fitted with nice showers, lockers for anyone to use during class in the hall, free mats and towels to use, a cleaning station, filtered water station and tea. The entire place was clean and inviting. While a spinning class was in session, a few others were milling about in conversation. 

The class I was there for was Inspire YYF Yoga class, which is done in a warm room, usually around 90 degrees but the high humidity after a night of rare storms made the room much more warm than the regulars were apparently used to. I was early and when I first arrived in the room a staff member was busy cleaning the floor. Good sign!

I found a spot at the back of the room, but there was only enough space for three rows, at most. The room was comfortably full by the time class started at 10am; it seemed most of my fellow students were regulars, many of them knowing each other, at least by sight. The teacher was welcoming and friendly. Class started with what seemed like 5 minutes in child’s pose, which was perfectly fine for me because even two days later, I was still feeling the effects of the Dune Climb in my lower back! After some deep breathing, she turned on the music – an eclectic mix which I liked – and the pace quickened.

While I dripped sweat, I was more than happy and at peace to be in the room. I’m usually horrible at leaving everything at the door of the yoga studio, and I won’t pretend that my mind didn’t wander a few times to think about what shops I would visit before I picked up Woody from the golf course or the winery we were going to go to in the evening, but it was a great way to relax and stretch on vacation. We did a couple poses I hadn’t done since I took a week of Bikram yoga in 2010 and some of my favorites like tree and pigeon. Just what my body and mind needed.

My only regret is that I didn’t go to Yen Yoga & Fitness until Thursday and only had once chance to take a class there. Friday morning while sitting at a diner in town with Woody and my parents (who arrived the night before), my phone rang and a local 231 number was on the caller ID. It was someone from the studio calling to see how I enjoyed the class and let me know about their new student packages. Unfortunately I had to explain that I wasn’t from the area but let her know I’d be back for another class next time I’m in the area. It’s true – just wish it would be sooner rather than later. While I think the $17 drop-in price for a class is a bit on the expensive side, the facility is pretty nice, the staff welcoming and the class was great. If I lived in the area I would definitely be a regular. It just seems like a fantastic place to spend some time when you’re not out on the water or enjoying wine at a local winery.

On another note, we picked up the local Traverse City Record-Eagle that day while we were in town and on the front page of the Sports section, below a story about another Tigers win (woot!), was a story about three new running races being planned for the Fall in the area! How often do you see running on the front page of the Sports section? I love how running, and outdoor sports in general, is such a part of the area culture.

• Do you take fitness classes when you’re on vacation?
• Did you know there are more than 90 wineries in Northern Michigan?

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Today’s workout -

• 40 min run
• 150 ab exercises
• 2x50sec plank
• 10 push-ups
• stretching

Running with Bears and Conquering the Dunes, Part II

To continue the story…

After the race and a visit to the farmer’s market, it was off to our next adventure of the day. Conquering the Dune Climb at Sleepy Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Most people head up the first massive dune, and maybe over a few of the next hills, but turn back way before making it to the end – Lake Michigan. This is what happened to us two years ago. We just weren’t prepared. This time we were determined to hike the full 3.5miles.

The woman at the gate warned us that we should take our shoes because a few weeks earlier some man had gotten 3rd degree burns on his feet from the sand. I was immediately convinced we had to take them but had to talk Woody into it. We didn’t want to carry them, but it was well worth it.

After applying copious amounts of sun block and filling up our water bottles, we headed up the massive 110-foot climb, which is just the start of what’s to come! For some reason I didn’t take a picture of this. Perhaps because pictures don’t really work for this thing its so massive. You might not be familiar with dunes, the guide describes the lakeshore as: a hilly region fringed with massive shoreline sand dunes and dotted with clear lakes. Because of the nature of the dunes being at the edge of Lake Michigan, the shifting topography changes the area on a constant basis. It was voted the most beautiful place in America on ABC’s Good Morning America last year. Something most Michiganders have known for generations!

So, the Dune Climb. This is one of many trails throughout the Lakeshore, but I think it may be the toughest. The trail description says this:

Strenuous – Hilly, all sand, and no shade. Travels over nine hills through the high dunes plateau to Lake Michigan. It can be a hot, exhausting, three to four hour trip, punctuated only by a cool dip in Lake Michigan. Plan ahead. Take water, sunscreen, hat shoes and a snack.

Nine hills is counting one way, and there’s no way back other than by foot, the way you got out to the lake. We saw kids along the trail and even at the lake. I really don’t know how they did it. We also saw plenty of people with no shoes (some with tears in their eyes, all complaining of the heat) and often with no water. I’m not sure if they’re super human or just crazy and unprepared. I hope they all made it back safely. My Dad told me after our excursion that there have been reports of people having to be airlifted off the trail because there’s no way to get someone back on foot if they get stuck out there, and you definitely can’t get a vehicle out on the dunes.

This is what it looked like….

A little less than half way out we were heading up a massive hill and the temperature of the sand became too much to bare. We found a tree half way up the hill, providing shade for a couple who had stopped to rest and used a sliver of the shade to stop and put our shoes on. Thankfully we did because it only got worse. As our shoes filled with sand, we made our way up and down the thick hills and finally reached the water. It was such a beautiful sight!

Woody took a dip in the water, but the rocks, which covered the beach and went well into the lake, were too rough on my sensitive feet (I had developed a blister by this time) for me to go more than a few steps into the water.

I was just thrilled to be off the dunes for a few minutes and to have made it to the lake!

Unfortunately though, there isn’t a boat ferry to take us to the closest town and we had to muster up the courage and energy to hike back. We definitely moved with a little less speed on the way back but were happy to let a few other hikers know they weren’t too far off from the lake as we came upon them. It was sad though, when we had to tell a little kid that he wasn’t even half way there as he asked with a tired voice if they were close. When hiking hills made of nothing but sand, you utilize muscles you never knew you had. Think running on a beach is hard? Add a never ending set of hills to that and the finest sand you’ve ever seen!

After stopping a few more times to empty out our shoes, we came upon the last flat expanse before the last final downhill to the parking lot.

I feel like we’ve accomplished some rite of passage that all Michiganders must pass through. True, we no longer live in Michigan, but it’s part of who we are and now we have to find another challenge to conquer next time!

After cleaning up with the help of a water fountain that wildly overshot and wet-ones, we got in the car and headed back to Glen Arbor. I used the public restroom in town to change into something a little less sweaty and we had a delicious lunch at Art’s Tavern – made complete with a Diet Vernors! Very rarely have I been so excited to sit down!

We couldn’t leave Glen Arbor without a proper visit to Cherry Republic so we stopped by for a few samples and to pick up some must-have items like dark chocolate covered cherries, cherry mustard and of course, a package of boomchunkas! The race festivities happened right outside the Republic and it was fun to see the time boards lined up along the fence when we got back there! Of course, we had to stop for pictures by our names!

• Do you know Sleepy Bear Dunes? Have you ever climbed the Dune Climb or any of the other trails?
• What adventure have you conquered or do you want to conquer?
• What are your thoughts on the NBC coverage of the Olympics?

Running with Bears and Conquering the Dunes, Part I

We are back in NYC from vacation. Just got in this evening and we’re currently trying to ignore the fact that we have to go back to work tomorrow morning. We had such a great week in Michigan and I was not ready for it to end.

Let’s see…where did I leave off?

Tuesday was a big day for us. By far the most activity we did in one day. We woke up bright and early at 6am, had a light breakfast and packed up the car. I was a ball of nerves and anxiousness. I get like this before every race I enter, and this time the fact that we had to drive more than an hour to the race made it a little worse. What if there was a detour we didn’t know about that takes us far out of our way? Or we got stuck behind a tractor that we couldn’t get around? These are very real problems in this part of Michigan. Thankfully, neither of these things happened and we made it to Glen Arbor in plenty of time.

The race was the Running Bear Run 5K (run/walk). All proceeds for this race, which is organized by the local women’s club, go towards scholarships for local high school students and other town projects like the community garden. It was really easy to find a parking spot and registration to pick-up our numbers. Pretty much the entire town came out for this event, along with others like us from around the area. A mix of families who walked the out and back course together and serious runners. We fell somewhere in the middle.

Unfortunately there was no bag check, apparently in the 6 years they’ve had this race, I was the first to ask about one. Maybe everyone just leaves their things at home! Thankfully the car was only a block away and I had plenty of time to take the camera and other oddities back to the car. I missed a picture with the running bear though. He had a great headband and is apparently joining the Army soon so they’ll have a new bear for next year’s race.

We stretched on the lawn of one of the local churches as everyone gathered and chatted with family and friends. Two local musicians were introduced to sing the national anthem and everyone lined up at the start line – a banner over the street, a blue chalk line drawn across the road and a guy in an Uncle Sam hat on a ladder. Woody and I made our way close to the start line so we wouldn’t get caught behind the walkers and after a brief description of the course – Run to the next corner, not this one right here, but the next one, then stay to the right of the cone and turn left, you’ll see where to go, then take the road all the way to the turnaround and come back – and we were off.

The music along the way was an interesting mix. Of course, this was the local women’s group hosting the event, so music at the first turn was religious music, then as I passed by the next group of volunteers playing music the U of M fight song was starting, thankfully to balance this, the MSU fight song was finishing up as I made the turn around and then more religious music at the last turn back to the finish. Not really the kind of music that gets you pumped up to run, but this is small town America! The course was actually a little boring. Given all the beautiful scenery in the area, both Woody and I were surprised that the course just took us past some homes along a street lined by tall trees. We were hoping for views of the lake, but we understand it was easiest to shut down this street rather than the main ones, plus, an out and back course is less volunteer intensive and easier to measure, so we get it. Aside from a small hill at the start and a few tiny rolling hills, the course was basically flat. I tried to stay towards the center of the road, where it was less slanted, but had to jostle around some people as I passed them. While I did pass some people, I was also passed by at least four runners pushing strollers! I contend though, that parents who often run with strollers are super human and are stronger than many ‘normal’ runners. We saw the lead man pass by as he headed to the finish, I think his time was around 17 minutes. The first woman to cross the finish line was a teenager and I think she was in the top 10 finishers overall.

When I got to the turn for the home stretch I picked up my pace a little, which was pretty solid the whole way, but I misjudged exactly where the finish line was and didn’t pick up my speed soon enough. I came in at 27:03 by my watch (this was not chip timed) but could have easily come in under 27 if I had picked up my pace earlier. Oh well, I’m really happy with my race over all. While I still struggled with my breathing because of my sinus issues, I do think that running in fresh air, as opposed to the smoggy air of NYC helped a bit. My ENT said I’ll never breathe like I did before I had my surgery, but I started taking Nasonex which helped and the fresh air was a good mix and I did feel better running than I have for a long time. Definitely a great feeling.

After I crossed the finish line I went through the mister (an older gentleman with a garden hose) then met up with Woody, who finished almost 5 minutes before me. We stretched and found our way to the amazingly bountiful tables covered with fresh fruit, bagels, and homemade muffins, cookies and brownies. Seriously amazing spread. We stuck around for the raffle drawing but weren’t any of the lucky 84 people who won prizes donated by local merchants. Still, it was fun to experience the small town fun. Afterwards we stopped by the weekly Farmers Market. It was great to see so many local farmers and people picking up fresh fruits and veggies, baked goods, jewelry and soaps.

I started writing this post and it became much to long to put in just one post, so I’ve split it into two. I’ll post the second part soon! Stay tuned.

• Do you prefer out and back courses or loops when you race?
• Are you one of the runners who passes me while running with a stroller?
• What’s your favorite thing to pick up at a Farmers Market?
• How was your weekend?

Living It Up, Up North

Well, getting a driver who didn’t know his way around Downtown, a 3hr delay at LaGuardia and the rental car company being short staffed, we finally made it to Michigan on Saturday! As we were starving, we made our way to downtown Traverse City (quite different from the downtown where we started the day) for a late lunch at 7 Monks Taproom on Union Street, a new place since we were last here serving a huge variety of microbrews on tap and a really inventive menu. I wish I had taken pictures of the wall of taps and the flat bread pizzas we devoured, but I was too hungry at that point to even think about it! Seriously delicious though and the bar tender was really knowledgeable about all the beers Woody asked about and they offer tastes to make sure you’re going to like what you order.

After a stop at the grocery store to load up on provisions, we headed to the cottage! I was like a little kid every time we went by another landmark as we got closer to Mill Point. As soon as we turned onto the drive, we rolled down the windows and both took in deep breaths of Up North Air. You know, pine needles, ferns, dirt and fresh air. It was amazing.

My sister and her family had been at the cottage for two weeks and we were overlapping with their stay by one night. When we pulled up to the house I saw a little boy standing at the top of the stoop with a huge smile on his face. Then a little girl popped out. What a welcome!! For the next 5 hours (which seemed like 12 for us since we’re not used to this) we played with our nephew and niece and let them show us all that they’d been doing. It was so great to see them running out of the house and around the yard, to the beach just living it up. They were so comfortable and so easy about it. I loved seeing them there, really enjoying the place. I remember growing up at the cottage and now that my generation is grown, getting to see these two little ones explore is so great.

The four of us piled onto the bench at the beach and tried to get a self-portrait, but apparently it was a little difficult to get everyone smiling at the same time and the camera at the right angle!

It was a fun night hanging with these two. They are growing up so fast!

Early Sunday morning we had to say goodbye as they piled into their car for the long ride home. It was still pretty early but already getting hot. We put on our running shoes and headed out for a short run. We have a race tomorrow, after all!

Our cottage is on a lake that’s basically in the middle of nowhere. It’s on a road that gets some traffic, but not a ton, so during our 30 minute run we saw a total of 11 cars. The road has some pretty serious hills and is lined with woods and farm fields. A pretty drastic change from our typical surroundings when we run in the city!

After our run and breakfast on the porch, we headed into town to Cherry Street Market for fresh fruits and veggies. This place wasn’t around when I was really young but has been open for a while now. It’s such a great addition to the food options in the area. There are so many small farms around growing fresh produce like tomatoes, zucchini, potatoes, watermelon, cherries, blueberries. Unfortunately though, the cherry crop took a huge beating this year because of the crazy warm weather during the winter and spring. They’re hurting up here but making due. It’s still the National Cherry Capital!

The rest of our day was literally spent reading, kayaking, playing scrabble and eating. Oh yeah, we have a TV that gets about 3 channels if the weather is right and no internet connection. I read 5 magazines my Mom had left for me and have almost finished my book and that was on our first full day at the cottage!

Now, Woody is off golfing…

And I’m hanging out in Harbor Springs, a cute little resort town with beautiful houses and little shops right on the water for the morning then we’ll spend the afternoon down the road in Petoskey. 

Unfortunately we have to get up pretty early tomorrow morning because we have about an 1.5hr drive to get to the Glen Arbor for the Running Bear 5K which starts at 9am, but it’ll be a fun time, so it’s all right. Thankfully the humidity is supposed to break a little so it won’t be too bad running and hiking Sleepy Bear Dunes!

Well, that’s all from here for now! Hope your week is off to a great start!

• What was the highlight of your weekend?
• When you go out for a run, what do you run by? Are you in a city, neighborhood, farm lands, water?
• I’m watching a kid walk down the street eating an ice cream cone – it’s not even noon. Is it ever too early in the day for ice cream?

Gearing Up

74 days until the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon!

The 10-week training plan I chose to use (from Runner's World) officially starts Monday, but I'm getting a head start. I have to be cautious with my training since things didn't go to well when I was training for the Broad Street 10 Miler, which I took a DNS for due to my stress fracture, and my heightened risk of injury due to osteopenia. While an injury can happen in the blink of an eye, I'm going to do my best to pay attention to aches and pains and push myself, but not to the extreme. I think this plan is conservative enough to get me to the start line but flexible enough that I can push myself. While I wish I could run every day, I've found out the hard way that if I want to run for many years to come, that's just not something I can do. I love having the structure of a training plan to keep me on track and focused, so it's exciting to get started ticking off the workouts.

I'm looking forward to this race for several reasons. 1) It's in Michigan and my parents will be there, 2) the route goes to Canada and back, 3) we also get to go to the Michigan State/U of M at Spartan Stadium the day before, 4) we get to celebrate my Dad's birthday with him, 5) I just found out a college friend is running the full! The fact that we'll be at a Big Ten Football game the day before is also somewhat nerve wracking, it's not really a restful way to spend the day before a half marathon that starts at 7am, but it'll be a great weekend.

• Do you prefer training plans or going with the flow?
• What was the most interesting race route you've run?

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Yesterday's workout -

3mile run

2x20 leg press

2x18 resistance band woodchop

2x18 seated row

2x15 weighted back extension

125 ab exercises

1mile stationary bike

stretching

Today's workout -

36min elliptical
125 ab exercises
2x40sec plank
2x18 cable push-down
2x18 squats
foam roller
stretching

Going Local, cont: Wine Edition

After Woody and I visited the Sarah Hardy Farmers Market in Traverse City and the Suttons Bay Farmers Market, we kept heading north for our main destination of the day: The Leland Wine & Food Festival!

Leland is another cute little Northern Michigan town on the Lelanau Peninsula. When you think of wine in the US, you probably think of Sonoma or maybe the Finger Lakes region in New York, but let me tell you, Michigan has a really successful, and growing, wine industry. As of March of this year, there were 14,600 acres of vineyards in Michigan and 71 commercial wineries producing "cool climate" wines.

The day was very overcast and scattered thunderstorms were possible, but people Up North don't let a little rain scare them away from a good party with great wine! We weren't sure what to expect, so we were thrilled as we drove into town and saw cars parked everywhere and lines of people streaming towards Fishtown (the historic area where the festival was held)! Two types of tickets were available - $12 for a wine glass and two wine tickets, $7 for non-drinkers who wanted to try the food and enjoy the music. You could tell who had been there before, they brought chairs and staked out spots to sit with their friends and family for the afternoon.

16 wineries (and one microbrewery) from the area were on hand, including a few of our favorites: Black Star Farms, Bel Lago, Cherry Republic, Gill's Pier Winery, and Bowers Harbor. One of Woody's favorite wines of the day was Just Unleashed from Gill's Pier.

In addition to all the wineries, 12 area restaurants were on hand to fill our stomachs! Let me just say, the grills were hard at work!

We had a great time enjoying the wine, music, food, and the great location on the Leland Bay! If you ever have the opportunity to try a Michigan wine, I highly recommend that you do!

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workout stats -

13mi bike

10minutes rowing machine

3x12 cable pull twists

3x10 hammer curls

3x10 bicep curls

3x10 lateral raise

stretching

Those Are Some Big Dunes

One of my favorite parts of our trip last week was our visit to Sleepy Bear Dunes National Lakeshore - 35 miles of beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline in north-western Michigan. This was part of our day to celebrate our 3 year anniversary. We decided to make a day out of it and do a few active and tourist things to enjoy the area! It's an absolutely gorgeous place, perfect for anyone who loves (or even mildly likes) the outdoors. The bluffs are 450 feet above Lake Michigan, providing for amazing views and pictures!

Within the vicinity of Sleepy Bear are several small Northern Michigan towns too, including Empire (where the visitors center is), Glen Haven (a restored logging village with two historical museums), and Glen Arbor (a super cute resort town, home to Cherry Republic and the Great Lakes Tea & Spice Company, and a great place to rent a kayak for a lazy day on the river).

Since it is a National Park, a park pass must be purchased at the visitors center, but it is well worth the cost of admission. Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive takes visitors through the park via their car, with many turnouts to see incredible views and take short 'walks' through the bluffs and dunes. Since we've done the drive several times in our lives, we decided to head off the well worn path and head to a hike a little north of Glen Arbor and on the outskirts of the park - Pyramid Point. The description lists the trail as an advanced 2.7 mile trail including forest, bluffs, and a meadow plus a bit of two track road at the end. There were also included a few very steep hills! It turned out to be the perfect length hike we were looking for and led to an amazing view! Another great thing about it was that since it wasn't directly on Pierce Stocking, there weren't as many families and tourists, and we only shared the view from the bluff with a few other people, and one super athletic dog!

After our hike, we made our way to the Dune Climb! This is one of the biggest attractions of the park and we were going to do it. I think I tried to climb it once or twice when I was young, and probably got to the top of the hill, but not much farther. We had somehow missed the fact that the trail is 3.5miles round trip. Might not sound bad at first, but then take into account that it is all sand and starts with a pretty steep climb. When we first arrived, we were sharing it with families and local school groups:

(that's Woody running down)

It was a great morning and like I told Woody, if we lived there, or were going to be there longer than a week, I'd be at Sleepy Bear a lot! It's a great place to get a good workout and enjoy the beautiful outdoors. I loved seeing so many families, school groups and groups of friends climbing the dunes and taking advantage of the park.

Afterwards, we stopped by Cherry Republic for lunch and dessert! We split a pulled pork sandwich (with cherry bbq sauce, of course) and a salad. Their ice cream is delicious, if you're not full from sampling their wine and cherry products in the store.

All I have to say is: delicious!

And that was only half of our day!!

Do you have a favorite State or National park?

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workout stats -

15.5mi bike

3x12 cable pull twists

3x12 overhead tricep extension

3x10 tricep kickback

3x10 tricep dips

100 crunches

stretching