Hiking the Dunes
Before we get to the dunes, you have to check out the amazing fall color of northern Michigan, it's incredible!

While Colorado beats Michigan hands down in many aspects, there are two things that it just doesn't compete in: fall color and water. I hate to admit it but Michigan owns them.

Onto the sand dunes. When you grow up in Michigan, it is tradition to go "up north" on vacation every summer with your family. And when you are up north, it is neccessary to hike the sand dunes. With time and amazing weather at my disposal, I set out on Monday to hike the legendary Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes...they are just as incredible as I remember...well actually better because I was basically the only person on them!

This is overlooking Big Glen and Little Glen on the east side of the dunes...the lakes that Beth's family vacationed on when she was a kid.

At the other end of the "trail" is Lake Michigan...water on both sides! It's about a 45 minute barefoot hike out to the lake and then I wandered up the shoreline for awhile, too beautiful of a day to head home early!

And while I was out walking along the shore I saw some tracks that looked like dog tracks...only there where no human tracks anywhere to be found besides my own. I was thinking it might have been a cougar (aka: mountain lion) but decided not to think any further since I was out there all alone. When I got back down off the dunes, my suspicion was confirmed by the posting on this sign warning visitors of recent cougar sightings in the area...I am glad I did not read that until after my hike as it would have been a long run back over the dunes!

In case you are wondering about the name "Sleeping Bear", here's the legend:

"Sleeping Bear took its name from an Ojibway legend about its formation. According to the story, a mother bear and her two cubs were driven by forest fires from what is now Wisconsin and forced to swim across Lake Michigan. When the mother bear reached the Michigan shore, she turned to discover that her cubs had vanished. The Great Spirit was so touched by her plight that he had her fall off to sleep there, creating Sleeping Bear Dune, and marked the place where her cubs disappeared by creating the Manitou Islands."