Vacation 2011

Warren Dunes State Park, Michigan

Sunday, July 10

We started our journey to the south west corner of Michigan on Sunday at 1:00. Three hours later we were here. Hollace wanted to go to the Dunes. We have been to the Indiana Dunes before but I know she really wanted to go to some sandy campground in Michigan where she would just wander around by herself. I couldn’t remember where that was so I compromised and went to Warren Dunes. Never been before so I didn’t know what we would find.

Going online to reserve a spot only gave me a choice of 2 spots in the entire campground so we went with site 135.

After we asked the camp store lady where some sand she laughed and said, I like to see you climb it twice, it is over there. After a short walk we seen it, the tallest hill of sand I have ever seen. And a ton of people climbing up. Hollace and RAW started up. It was so hot and sticky, there was no way I was even going to attempt. They only got 25% up when Hollace said there are too many people, she wanted to be alone. She didn’t appear to like the place much. She wanted to climb in the sand alone.

Back in the camper, we cranked the AC up and got it nice and cold.

Monday, July 11

The next day I woke a second time and noticed it wasn’t sunny anymore. It was kind of dark and rumbly. My ear was clogged so I couldn’t hear very well but over the campground loud speaker was a severe thunderstorm warning, seek shelter now. I fired up the mifi and looked at the weather radar and sure enough, a scary storm was about to hit. RAW was out walking, I called him and told him to get back home and then woke Hollace up but stayed in the camper. I put the computer, iPad and my purse next to me on the couch just in case we needed to make a run for it. It rained pretty hard but there was no wind that rocked the camper which was good. When the storm hit the Chicago area and our area, it was another story. Over 850,000 people were without power. On FB, Deb had a tree hit her patio room and others were sitting in the dark. We called Barb who watches the cat and she reported that the lights flickered but never did go out by us (once we got home it looked like we may have lost power for 1.5 hours according to the blinking clocks). I am glad I am not going to work this week, bet it is a bitch with traffic lights out. I guess Deb’s power isn’t suppose to be back on until Friday! [it came back on by Wednesday but there are a few others in the area still waiting by Friday] She is trying to get ready for her vacation next week so it will be extra challenging.

Because of the rain, it was cooler then the forecasted 91 with high humidity. RAW was already out walking so Hollace and I ventured in the rain. And kept venturing until we found ourselves out in the dunes. There was no one else out so Hollace was happy. I wasn’t too thrilled climbing up through all that sand. We eventually made it to the beach and called RAW to come pick us up with the truck. Later Hollace and RAW went out walking the sand again while I stayed back at camp on hold with Virgin Mobile trying to get my Mifi internet working again. I sat there on hold for over 40 minutes thinking how pathetic I am. I did have it on speaker phone while reading a book and listening to music so I tried to minimize how outrageous the situation was.

Before that however, we went out shopping at Meijers where I picked up a groovy blue crystal battery powered light and some gnomes. We must go back tomorrow before we leave and get another.

Tuesday, July 12

Today was a beautiful sunny day. Cooler with much lower humidity. We went to Benton Harbor for some shopping. We are looking for a new grill for camping as our little table top unit is on its last legs literally. We didn’t get one but are right now (Tuesday midnight) are talking about it.

We had to get back at 3:00 for the beach walk and talk. The talk was with a HS math teacher who was enthusiastic and a fun talk. There were probably 4 other families on the walk with us.

Once we got back to our site, Hollace got her bathing suit on and me and her headed out to the beach. Enough with the long sand hike, we had RAW takes us up there. The waves on this side of the lake are choppy and at first Hollace didn’t like it and was ready to leave within 30 minutes but I told her to have fun with it and she eventually didn’t want to leave. I sat in a beach chair with my little clip-on umbrella. I kept shooting Hipstamatic photos from my iPod of people walking by framed by that umbrella. I was a bit paranoid trying to keep a look out on Hollace. All those little heads in the sun looked the same and I had a hard time picking her out making sure she didn’t drown. Every now and then I would wave and she would wave back reassuring me that all was ok for now.

It was movie night which was Forest Gump.

Wednesday, July 13

Check out time for Michigan. First we stop at Meijer’s again so I could get another blue light and we stopped at a winery (Lemon something or other). Finally at 2:00 we pull out and start our trek to Raccoon State Rec Area for the next two nights of camping. It is about a 4 hour drive straight south, all back road, no highway.

Raccoon State Recreation Area, Rockville Indiana

We didn’t have a reservation to Raccoon SRA but since it was the middle of the week we didn’t have any trouble finding a nice site. Back in Michigan our site number was 135 and here it was almost 135 but we finally settled for 138. Across the road is a playground and just like at home, Hollace goes off to swing in the dark.

Thursday, July 14

Right now I sit here alone after I sent my family off for some hiking at Turkey Run. I have absolutely no desire to go there but I know Hollace would love it and I thought it would be good if daddy and daughter would have some specially hiking bond time. I believe they are going out for pancakes first.

For me, after I finish up my entry here, I will get back to my book A Visit from the Goon Squad—good read. No service here for my mifi so now I am really roughing it. So much for uploading my Polaroids for ‘roid week. At least I got a couple in.

I eventually take a break from reading and pull out our new travel gnome Hank and set him up with a photo shoot.

The family finally came back from Turkey Run. They hit most of the trails looking for what I remembered as the Devil’s Ice Box. There was an Ice Box on the map but they couldn’t find it.

Of course they are now shot for any more walking right when I am ready to do some. Hollace and I head out to the beach. I should of brought my map because I took a wrong turn and couldn’t find my way out of the camping section. Also the map would of told me that the beach wasn’t as close as I thought. We walk and walked and then heard the familiar rumbling of RAW’s truck. He remembered how far.

The sand on the beach was more like gravel, worst sand ever. While I didn’t go in the lake I heard the water was really nice though not very deep. We stayed for an hour or so then went back to camp where we had grilled salmon, steamed brocolli and mac and cheese–a good dinner.

RAW was going to try his hand at fishing but he isn’t that patient. He messed around with his fishing line for a while, went down for a shorter while and then declared he was done.

Friday, June 15

Check out day, time to go home. We tore down camp and was on the road by noon. We were home by 5:30.

All in all, it was a perfect vacation. You definitely couldn’t of beaten the weather with the exception of the severe thunderstorm scare on Monday morning (which put 850,000 homes without power back at home) and the muggy stuff when we got there. The rest of the week was 80 and low humidity, like I said, perfect. Next week however will be hell with the heat and humidity as it is foretasted now. Hollace has farm camp all of next week and I have a Ravinia concert (Five for Fighting) with Sherry. Not looking forward to the heat for Hollace’s sake at least. Thank goodness our vacation was this week.