Traverse City Travels

After a long summer and a busy start to the fall, it was time to GETAWAY!  I was going to be going by myself and I decided to have a completely unplanned, alone, vacation.  All I did was decide on a destination and booked a hotel.  It was going to be 4 days of getting up when I wanted, deciding on what I was going to do that morning, and if I passed by something that looked interesting, I was going to stop.  Fun to go unscripted every once in a while.  After a busy weekend, I loaded up my truck with several bales of hay to go to Ben and Carrie's in South Bend (they have two of our horses) and make the first two hours of the trek.  A couple of good hours at the Modlin's and some dinner and I make the next 5 or so hours of the trek.  For as tired as I was, I was feeling pretty good about the drive.  Easy, good gas mileage.....until I start to get low on gas.  It appeared there were several big towns ahead and surely there were gas stations.  Of course there were....they just weren't open and they didn't leave their pumps on.  So the first town I got to I drove around a bit but didn't find any open station.  My light wasn't on yet so I decided to go for the next town.  Next town, station but pumps aren't on.  Bummer.  As I sat there, at midnight, trying to decide whether to keep going or try to find something open, I prayed and decided to keep going.  As I left the station, my light did come on (Come on!) but I felt like the only option was to keep going.  There was nothing inbetween the towns and the area kept looking desolate.  I accelerated slowly and coasted down the hills.  Still going....still going....then bam!  A bright, lit up, oasis in the middle of nowhere.  A huge Shell station.  Coasted in and filled up my next to empty tank.  Turns out, I was 7 miles from Traverse City.  Wouldn't have made it anyways though.  I pulled into the Travel Lodge around 1 am and was in bed by 2.  Slept in really late and then made my first plans of vacation.  Sleeping Bear Dune here I come.  Or so I thought.  Turns out it was closed due to the government shutdown.  :-P on the government.  However, I noticed a semi-full parking lot and the barricade had been moved.  I guess the public decided to take back the land.  :-)  I enjoyed a good 3 hours hiking the dunes with the other families-everyone from grandparents to kids, everyone was enjoying their time "trespassing"-and making the 3 mile trek to Lake Michigan.  

Next stop, Stocking Scenic Drive.  Also closed.  But never fear.  Why drive when you can walk it?  Once again, several folks were in the parking lot and I asked them what they did and they had walked around some.  Turns out, it was a very long walk and I ended up cutting off part of it.

Even the drive back to the hotel was gorgeous.  Fall colors were beautiful and the sun was just right.  I stopped at a gas station to pick up dinner (I brought all my breakfasts and lunches so I just had to get dinner-very economical).  Stopped a few times on the way back to snap some pictures of those beautiful colors.

That night I rested my very weary calves and looked up a few places to go for the next day.  The Yuba Creek Natural Area was first on my list.  I spent some time hiking in absolute quiet, lying on my back watching crazy cloud formations, and watching a hawk float through the sky.










Then on up to Old Mission Peninsula to see the light house up there.

 That night, I decided to look up a restaurant unique and well known to Traverse City and landed on Bubba's Bar and Restaurant.  Very good, very unhealthy, and, since it was down pouring, a wet excursion.  I sat at the bar next to an older local who loved to talk.  All in all, another great, unplanned day. :-)

Wednesday wasn't the most successful day as I couldn't find a few of the places I was wanting to visit but I did get to take a hike through parts of the Leelanau State Park as I waited for the lighthouse to open on Leelanau Peninsula.  It was a very rainy, windy day.

 After the park and lighthouse, my next stop didn't pan out so I headed on out to Grass River Natural Area, a good hours drive.  It was completely desolate as sundown was approaching.  Their trails weren't mapped out well and I didn't stray too far.  On my way back to the hotel, I stopped at a local diner for some food.  It was my last night in Traverse.

The drive home was very rainy and I went home through Holland.  As I got closer to South Bend, I made the very impromptu decision to try to stop and see some of my relatives.  I surprised two of my aunts and spent time talking to them.  Then two more hours and I'm home.  All in all, a good vacation.  :-)