Sunday, August 6, 2017

I'd rather be Up North

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Michigan.  This great State has so much to offer and we have decided that this summer we are really going to take full advantage of living here.  So like any good Michigander should do in the Summer, the last two Saturdays we have headed "up North."


Usually up North for me means the Upper Peninsula, but we are really lucky here in Michigan to have so much more "North" to explore.  From my experience, once you are North of Clare, the Northern experience really begins.  And the bonus is that I can be there in less than two hours. With fewer people, more wildlife, and a pine forests lining the expressway, heading to the Northern Lower Peninsula offers a quick day trip or weekend get-away for me when I need to get into the woods for some peaceful reflection and don't have the time to get to the U.P.

Claire, Eddie and Shauna with Maddie, Imke, Wynona, Annie, Jesse, Dylan and Joey
Last weekend, we had a special visitor, my Aussie friend Claire came to town. So it was decided that we would head North to visit our friends Shauna and Eddie and their pack.  We met up with them at Hartwick Pines for a great hike with the dogs.  It was a really nice afternoon for a hike in the woods-not too hot, not too cold, and almost no bugs.   And I was even more excited to get out for a hike since, after suffering with knee issues for the last several months, I was finally feeling no knee pain and I was really going to be able to enjoy the hike.


We hiked the Ausable River Trail which has a good mixture of Red Pine and Cedar and crosses the path of the river.  It is amazingly beautiful and there isn't much that I love more than a river running through the woods.  Maddie was excited to see the water and jumped right in.  She was joined by Imke, Jesse and Joey.  I think Jesse would have stayed in there swimming all day, but we had more hiking to do.  


Claire and Wynona were having a great time enjoying the North woods!  Wynona is Shauna and Eddie's foster dog and she was an excellent hiker!  
Claire and Wynona enjoying the hike.
Annie was loving our hike too!  Annie is living with Degenerative Myelopathy which has caused her to lose usage of her hind legs, but she doesn't let that stop her from living life!  Annie has her own set of  wheels-it's a cart that works to allow her the freedom to roam around on her own and explore the world, but because this hike was so long, she got to ride in style like a princess instead.

Annie!
I think that Annie's smile really sums up  how we all felt after our day on the trail.  It's pretty amazing what a good day out on the trail with good friends can do for you!

After a great time in the woods last weekend, we were ready for some more time in the woods this weekend.  When my original plans for this weekend fell through, it gave us the opportunity to get out and explore a new area of Northern Michigan.  And I jumped at the opportunity.


After a quick look at the map and a short "planning" session, we jumped in the Jeep and we were off! This weekend, I was determined to get out on the North Country Trail and make some progress toward my 100 mile challenge.  I'd been wanting to explore the Jordan River Valley portion of the trail which is just South of Petoskey.  So we were off to explore.


We arrived at the parking area for the Pinney Bridge State Campground and we were off up the hill and into the woods.  The sun was shining and it was another beautiful Summer day in Northern Michigan.  My goal was to complete a four mile hike and to reach the 45th parallel.

Imke loves a good run in the woods
But as is the norm with my daily life, the girls reminded me that life isn't about meeting a goal or reaching a destination; it's about living in and enjoying the moment.


Life is about stopping to splash around in the water.  It's about enjoying the company of your best friend.

It's about stopping and standing still...alone in the forest and hearing nothing but the wind rustling through the leaves, the birds chirping in the distance, and your own heartbeat.


And when you do reach your destination or goal, you should take a moment to reflect on your journey and appreciate all that it brought to your life. And spend a little time basking in that moment too.


We should never be too busy to stop and enjoy the moment we are living right now.  Because when you aren't paying attention life is passing you by and you could miss something beautiful along the way.

And there is beauty all around us if we just open up our hearts and minds and take the time to notice.

Imke and Maddie on the NCT
As we returned to the Jeep, the girls were still enjoying every minute of our hike.  Because even though we had been down this path before, there is always something new to be discovered.

Taking a swim
We had a great time together in the woods, but I had promised Maddie a trip to the beach so it was time to head to the Jeep and do some more exploring.
Pinney Bridge
After a slight adjustment to our plans, we found our way to the Lake Michigan shoreline to end our perfect up North Summer day.  Because we all know that no Michigan adventure is complete without a trip to the beach! And it's even better if that beach touches a Great Lake.
Enjoying some time at Lake Michigan
As we prepared to head home, we were all happy for the moments we had spent together.  I'm always thankful for the life lessons these girls teach me every day and for every minute I am blessed to spend with them, no matter where we go!
My girls





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