Pure Michigan

Those Michigan advertisements were not exaggerating when they said Michigan was pure!! Every view is stunning. A true hidden gem in the Midwest. I cannot believe these amazing sights are in Indiana’s (my home state) backyard!

We first stayed in Grand Rapids and visited Matt’s old buddies. Then, headed along the west coast of Michigan and drove through small adorable cities. We also stopped at Sleeping Bear Dunes, Traverse City, and Mackinac Island. My two former patients live and work on Mackinac Island for half the year, and they always invited me to visit them. Finally, I was able to! It was great to see them and get a local perspective of the island.

Eventually, we headed up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where the scenery is lush and remote. We camped in two state parks: Tahquamenon Falls and Lake Gogebic. We went on one hike in Porcupine Mountains Wildness State Park. At the trail head, when we realized we forgot to bring insect repellent, we looked at one another and shrugged nonchalantly. We confidently reassured ourselves it wouldn’t be a big deal. We then hiked to Mirror Lake where the mosquitoes rallied together and almost ate us alive. So, folks, always wear your bug spray on hikes especially in Michigan where the whole state is surrounded by water.

Initially, we were very ambitious by only staying at campsites for one night, then packing up and traveling again. This was working well until we hit a wall and exhaustion set it. As you can predict, exhaustion plus travel is the fastest way for any couple to begin to bicker. We now have a new rule that we must stay at a campsite for a minimum of two nights. Currently, we are staying our third night on Lake Gogebic and it’s been great! Looking forward to getting a fresh start tomorrow and head to Minneapolis to visit some family.