Dunes trip

The College Group trip to the Warren Dunes in Michigan was definitely one of the highlights of my summer so far. The trip had been on the calendar since the beginning of the summer, and I made a point of requesting the day off many weeks in advance. We were blessed with great weather - but not without a scare. The trip was actually temporarily canceled when someone checked the weather in Warren, MI which is only the opposite side of the state from where the Warren Dunes are actually located in Sawyer, MI. . . It turned out to be a perfect day - warm enough to enjoy the water for a while but cool enough that the sand wasn't unbearably hot to walk on.

Lake Michigan is lovely, dark, and deep, but I'm still partial to the ocean where there are real waves. I know where my loyalties lie. The dunes however were like nothing I've ever seen at the Jersey shore. They rise, fairly steeply, many feet about the water level, and better yet, visitors are free to scramble up them and jump and run as they please. I did a lot of that.

Here are me, Donna, and Linnea before our first trek up the dune. Hannah was also climbing with us but seems to have escaped photography by being behind the camera. So far as I can tell from Wikipedia, this is Tower Hill Dune which rises 236 feet above the lake.


I was bounding with childlike enthusiasm and convinced Donna to scramble up the dune with me while Linnea and Hannah followed at a more genteel pace. We jumped off a few tree trunks that were lying in our way for quick breathers.

The view from the top is lovely. It's even possible to see Chicago on a clear day such as we had, though you can't tell from this picture.

The side of the dune that doesn't face the lake is even steeper, and it's great fun to jump off into the sand. Similar to my desire to own a shirt that says STAFF on the back, is my desire to have a cool picture of me jumping in some slightly exotic place. I am foiled again. Perhaps if I practice jumping in unexotic locations I'll have hope of looking less awkward when my next opportunity comes.

I am the tinkerbell-like figure on the far end. Perspective didn't help me here.

It is great fun to gallop down the dunes. Great fun.

Linnea, me, and Donna again.

That's my future roommate!

We left Wheaton early afternoon so we could stay for the sunset over the lake. It was definitely the right way to go.


I have much more respect for successful pyramid pictures now. That's a long way up and the distress of the unfortunate ones on the bottom makes it harder. I don't like to inflict pain.