Michigan seems like a dream to me now

We are tucked into a Motel 6 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  Here's our trip so far.

Now we are pushing to get home on Monday.  So each day we try to do a few things to make it interesting, and of course, we collect some specimens to reflect local ecosystems.  Not far from the hotel in Ipsheming we found this right of way.  As you can see, the great lake area is basically all sand dunes.  A guy was out with a dune buggy kind of ATV.

Daniel collected specimens as well as some berries for our mid morning snack.  These raspberries (Rubus) are soft like velvet.  They are a little tart and have a deep rich berry flavor.

 I collected some specimens and also made a tied arrangement.

Moving on, we needed some snack foods and stopped in Chatham, a very tiny town.  We went to the only food store, a co-op that is owned by the town.  The employees of the store are actually employees of the town.  We imagine that Chatham lost its only food store at some point and the town figured that without being able to offer essentials to people they would lose all.  So they stepped up and created a co-op.  We talked some to the people there but wish we had learned more.  I returned to bring the little bouquet I made earlier and they seemed to really appreciate it.  It was a very nice small town and this store is likely its heartbeat.

We drove on with no agenda but to put on some miles.  After a few hours, near the shore of Lake Michigan, we stopped at a roadside rest stop.  Classic blue Rest Area sign announced it.  We went in, walked on a boardwalk through a few yards of wooded area and came upon a spectacular beach.  We put our feet in the water quickly so we could say we did and went to leave.   Just before we got in the truck to go we decided that we just had to swim, that we would regret it all day if we did not.  The water was shallow and clean and clear.  The sand was soft and ripply.  We could walk out quite far before getting in deep enough to swim.  This beach is located at the northenmost part of Lake Michigan.  The whole stretch along the Upper Peninsula was surprisingly untacky.  It was mostly protected National or State forests.   No condos or highrises.  The beach is public and easily accessible all along the length of the Peninsula.  It was quite nice.

On the way to the beach

We left the UP (as the Upper Peninsula is called) and went over the famous Mackinack Bridge.  

After that is was a straight shot down the center of the state on the interstate.  We are at that point where we need to make tracks.  I'll leave you with a picture of fireweed, a quintessential Michigan wildflower.  You see stands of it all over upstate.