first glimpse ...

It's only mid-May, but almost all of our volunteer activities over at church have come to an end ~ not to resume until Fall. There are opportunities to serve this summer, but there is a little space in between ... so I decided to "vacation" this week and that almost always means heading over to Lake Michigan ...

Dylan had mentioned to me, about a year ago actually, that the dunes at Saugatuck State Park were really incredible and that you could get an amazing view of the lake from way up high. That sounded like fun to me; so since Mr. Jones was happily occupied working on trains over at various friend's yesterday, I decided to drive over to Saugatuck and see this view Dylan had been telling me about.

It's only a 40-minute drive to Saugatuck from my house! However, I've never really hung around Saugatuck at all, so I am very unfamilar with it. I should have read the signs that were posted on the fringes of the parking area there at the park, but no ... I lifted my heavy beach bag (stuffed with a packed lunch, many books, and even some pails and shovels) and started down the first trail I saw that looked like it was going to the beach. BIG MISTAKE ... but oh, so typical!

I was wearing a rather old, uncomfortable pair of beach flip-flips, some capris, a summer shirt, and a lightweight jacket (hoping it would be warm on the beach) and the trail was pretty steep and kind of rough ... but I plodded ahead ... just over that next big hill would surely be the lake! Perhaps over that next big dune? How about around that winding pathway? Another HUGE dune?! I kept wishing there were more directional signs (not that it would have helped!) and before I got myself terribly lost in the woods, I came across a couple (smartly dressed in hiking boots, warm jackets, and back packs) heading my way. I casually asked, "Does a person EVER get to Lake Michigan on this path?" To which they replied, "Yes, about 2.5 miles further!" And then they mentioned how the wind was really gusting down there and I would surely freeze dressed as I was. I let them walk on by me and then did an abrupt turnaround! A twig had cut my toe quite a few pathways ago, so my foot was bleeding and I couldn't quite press on another few miles to see the lake!

I got back to my car, cleaned my wound, and decided to drive to a place that required less walking to actually SEE the lake. It would take me a really long time to tell you how LOST I got on all of the back roads out there and after stopping THREE times to ask HOW to get myself FOUND ... I actually (and miraculously) reached 31 and headed north to Grand Haven ... where at least I know my way around.

My first glimpse of the year of Lake Michigan is always a momentous occasion for me ... something happens that dispels all other thoughts and I just immediately relax and escape to the magic that is there! Ahhh ... that's better!

"The LORD is my light and my salvation ~
so WHY should I be afraid?
The LORD protects me from danger ~
so WHY should I tremble?" Psalm 27:1

I climbed way up a dune (below) to see if I could get a different perspective on my favorite lighthouse in all the world ... if the roof on an obnoxious apartment building hadn't been in the way, I might have had a chance at a decent picture!

It was very windy and NOT warm down by the water ... but so amazingly beautiful. There were not many folk out and about, which made for a nice photo opportunity. There were small craft warnings up on the lake, though, so no pretty boats were going in and out of the channel.
I don't think I've ever been to Grand Haven and not walked to the end of the pier, and thankfully, I brought extra clothes (warmer ones) with me ... so I put them on and walked. Usually, this pier is lined with fishermen and lots of people. I really enjoy it more when it's like this ...

I did drive around to the Ferrysburg side (north) because it's so pretty over there too. Actually, there are two beaches that I need to check out on that side. One is the Coast Guard beach and the other is even smaller ... but I think the lighthouse is visible from either one. The State Park is usually really really crowded all summer long. Perhaps these smaller beaches would be less populated. I'm just thinking this out for when Sabrina and the children come home a few weeks from now.

I took 160 pictures yesterday ... it's going to take awhile to go through them, but I got some nice angles that I didn't have before.

I LOVE this place. I think it is appropriately named GRAND HAVEN, although GRAND HEAVEN would be a good name as well!