Saving Sailing

My friend, Phil Martin, sent me the latest book published by his imprint, Crickhollow Books. It is Saving Sailing by Nicholas D. Hayes.

Now, I'm not much of a sailor (though I've enjoyed the times I've been out on the lake on boats), but I found the approach of this book to be rather fascinating.

Hayes uses the lens of sailing to examine society in much the same way that Malcolm Gladwell has used case studies and statistics to dissect societal trends. Hayes looks at how the amount of time we invest in pastimes which have a learning curve and that may be shared with -- and skills passed on to -- friends and family (like sailing) are becoming less common as we fill our time with cable tv and individual pursuits.

If you love to sail it is a must read.

Even if you're not a sailor, it's a compelling read.

If you're wondering about the health of the American family, this book provides a unique perspective and suggests prescriptions to strengthen the family.

Grand Traverse Lighthouse

The 1,000 Mile Walk on the Beach may be complete, by my adventure with the lake continues. For one week in November, I'll be living at the Grand Traverse Lighthouse on the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula. They have a volunteer program there where you can stay and work at the lighthouse.

When I hiked this segment of the lake, I ran short on time and had to cut across the peninsula instead of walking to the top where the lighthouse keeps watch over the lake and bay. So, this is my time to explore some of these beautiful miles.

I'll be blogging about this experience and many more that I'll have over the upcoming months as I work on my book A 1,000 Mile Walk on the Beach: One Woman's Trek of the Perimeter of Lake Michigan.

So, check back, and check earlier posts for photos of my Lake Trek.

Tracks in the Sand

There were all sorts of tracks in the sand where I left the prints of my boots. Often, I stopped to take photos as evidence of who had been walking the shoreline ahead of me.

There were scads of deer tracks (below) and at least one bear prowling the shoreline (above).















This track puzzled me for awhile until I saw a crayfish walking the sand leaving these marks behind.





An occasional hoof print where people had ridden in the surf and sand.















There were raccoon tracks, especially near streams.

























And, of course, many types of birds left their marks as they wandered the shore.

Rock Hound

Most people are familiar with the petoskey stone, a fossilized ancient corral, hexigonaria percarinata, found along the shoreline of NW Michigan (first photo). There are many other fossils to be found on the lake, though. Check out the second photo. I found all of these on my Lake Trek.

There is also a wide variety of rock types and colors in Lake Michigan. Photos 3&4 are of rocks from SW Michigan shoreline. Photo 5 is from the final stretch from Milwaukee to Chicago. One even looks like a fossilized tooth (photo 6).









































































The final handful are not natural stones at all. This is cast-off slag (the impurities separated out during the refining process) from a steel mill that has been tumbled by the lake for decades.

Around the city of Leland, Michigan, these are called 'Leland Blues.' Local artisans there make earrings and other crafts using these intriguing 'stones.'

The colors of tumbled slag range from turquoise to milky blue and all shades in between.

Invasive Species: The Asian Carp

The Asian Carp has colonized the Mississippi River and devoured most of the other fish in that ecosystem. Boaters on the river are routinely whacked in the face by these fish when they leap out of the water as boats pass by.

These fish can grow up to four feet long and weigh 100 pounds (photo credit: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency).

The electric barriers in the Chicago Shipping and Sanitary Canal are in place and active, but there is still a risk that the carp could enter Lake Michigan if the Des Plaines River floods north of the electric gates. This could allow the carp to circumvent the barriers and gain access to Lake Michigan.

In fact, it was a flood that allowed the carp to get into the Mississippi River.

Carp are in the canal just 25 miles from Lake Michigan. If they get into the lake, it's game over for the other fish in the lakes.

Alert your representatives in Congress to this issue at:

http://bit.ly/4y6V6N

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

A House-Senate conference committee now has the funding level of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) in their hands. The House committee fully funded the initiative at $475 million, but the Senate committee slashed it by $75 million. Hopefully this final committee can restore the funding to its full amount.

The Plain Dealer in Cleveland recently ran an editorial about this topic.

The Hidden Cost of Coal Power

We all use electricity. You're using some right now to to read this. As I walked the lakeshore, I became much more in touch with just where we get our electricity. There are many power plants located on the lake. It makes sense since these facilities heat vast quantities of water to produce steam to turn massive turbines to generate the electricity we use in our homes.

Most of us don't question the power we use-- how is it generated? where is it generated? what impact on our environment does that power plant have?



















Each power plant along my hike diverted me from the shoreline--you can't walk on property owned by the power companies, and they are especially sensitive about trespassing around nuclear power plants (I walked around three of these on my Lake Trek). Most of our the power generated around Lake Michigan comes from coal-fired plants like the ones I photographed here (yes, even the last one is coal-fired, located in Michigan City, IN).









Each year in America, coal-fired power plants produce 130 million tons of waste, and most of this is coal ash which is filled with toxic metals such as mercury, arsenic and lead. This waste is stored in containment ponds near the plants and, since these plants are on the lake, the containment ponds are on the lake.

In this first satellite photo, the black area south of the Sheboygan, WI plant is the containment pond. And that pond is right up against Lake Michigan.


In the second photo, Port Sheldon, MI's containment pond snakes around a massive sand dune and ends near Lake Michigan. The black area south of the plant is an enormous mound of coal.

I walked past trains comprised of coal cars that stretched as far as I could see on my Lake Trek. It's time to 'green' our power production before we befoul the lake with a toxic spill.

60 Minutes recently did a piece on the toxicity of coal ash. Check it out HERE.

Segment 10 Complete

Segment 10 stretched from Milwaukee to Chicago, a distance of 102 miles.

This brought the total for the Lake Trek to 1,019 miles!

The Lake Trek came full circle, but the adventure continues. I have been writing the book of my journey on breaks between segments. I will now take time to complete and revise that book, A 1,000 Mile Walk on the Beach.

The entire adventure could not be conveyed in this blog format. There is so much more to tell, and my book will be filled with encounters and places and people that would not fit here. There is also an inner journey that took place and that is also best conveyed in the pages of a book.

In November, I will be a volunteer lighthouse keeper at the Grand Traverse Lighthouse north of Traverse City on the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula. I will post reports and photos of this experience.

I will also continue to blog about legislation that concerns the Great Lakes and about efforts to restore the lakes to full health. I'll also revisit the thousands of photos I took along the way and post more of them here. Of course, I'll post updates about the progress of my book and its own journey in the publishing world.

Lake Michigan continues to call me back to its shores and I'll continue to answer and report on 'my' lake. I am filled with an overwhelming sense of completion, and yet there is so much more to accomplish. The long days of walking may be complete, but the writing and reflecting still stretches before me.

So, check back here often. And thanks once again for coming along on my grand, Lake Trek adventure!

Lake Trek Celebration III

Guests of the Lake Trek Celebration stayed at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers located near Navy Pier on the Chicago River.

We had wonderful accommodations and a fabulous cake reception. I chose a chocolate cake with creme brulee filling and Godiva chocolate ganache frosting. BEST CAKE EVER.

I'd like to thank everyone who made the trip to Chicago to celebrate my '1,000 Mile Walk on the Beach.' I could not have completed this adventure without the support of family and friends.

Lake Trek Celebration I

Arrival on Navy Pier then the Lake Michigan cruise on the Kanan Cruise ship!

Thank you to friends, family and fans of Lake Michigan who gathered to celebrate with me!

Lake Trek Celebration II

Photos from the Lake Trek cruise and cake party.

Arrival on Navy Pier!

Here is a video of my arrival on Navy Pier!

Segment 10 Day 6 Evanston->Chicago! 11 miles

High of 66 degrees.

Saturday, September 26. The final day of the Lake Trek.

My sister, Leslie, and cousin, Milene, joined me in Evanston for the evening before the last day of the Lake Trek. Then, in the morning, we were joined by my son Ben and his college friends (in first photo from left: Mary, Cristie, Ben, Leslie, Milene, Becca, and Ben). Then, when we were just a couple of miles from Navy Pier, my son, Lucas, and husband, Jim, joined our group.

We had a lovely stroll into Chicago, then onto Navy Pier for the end of the Lake Trek. The final photo here is from a web cam looking out onto Navy Pier. Our group is in the foreground between the brown, square fountain and the row of trees (captured by Stephanie Lyon).

This was a fantastic day to walk. The day was hazy, so the skyline revealed itself in increments as we drew near the city. I was happy to have this group of friends and family walking with me on this final day of my trek around Lake Michigan.

1,000 Miles!

On day five of this segment, I hit the 1,000 mile mark. Here's a short video of the moment.

Independent Bookstores Visited

I had the pleasure of visiting two more independent bookstores along this segment. The quaint Lake Forest Bookstore was closed by the time I arrived in town, so I had to press my nose against the glass and just wish I could go in (sorry for the nose print on your window).

Then, in Winnetka, I stopped in at the Bookstall at Chestnut Court. This is a lovely bookstore with a fine selection of books and cards. Both stores looked like they served their communities well.

Check out the links in the sidebar!

Segment 10 Day 5 Lake Forest->Evanston 19 miles

High of 70 degrees.

Friday, September 25




































Early in this day, I walked through the city of Fort Sheridan. This was an active military base for almost a century. Troops were mobilized from this base for the Spanish-American War in 1898 to Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the 1990s (and all wars in between). It is now a combination between a museum and a new development with plans to put a golf course in the open land to the north of the parade grounds. There is even a massive model of a red tail hawk's nest (see photo of me sitting on a very large egg).

Just south of Fort Sheridan, there is a fenced off area that was once a dumping site (photo through fence of grazing geese). There are signs along the way forbidding the disruption of topsoil, so there must be some pretty toxic stuff remaining there, and this land goes right up to the lake.

South of this area, I picked up the bike trail that parallels the Metra line for miles. It was nice to see so many kids riding their bikes to school in the morning. In Winnetka, I left the path and walked on Sheridan Road all the way into Evanston where I would spend the last night before finishing my Lake Trek. I was able to get down to the lake at some of the parks along the way. And, in Wilimette, the white, ornate Ba'hai Temple emerged from behind some trees, startling me with its imposing presence (last photo).

Segment 10 Day 4 Zion->Lake Forest 19 miles

High of 72 degrees.

Thursday, September 24

I began this day by hiking out to the Illinois Beach State Park. This park protects several different types of habitat including over six miles of lakeshore, and over 4,o00 acres of wetlands, prairie, dunes, and swale. I had hoped to hike the entire shoreline of this park, but the south end is a restricted nature preserve and wetland.

The beach is unique because it is bookended by the Zion Nuclear Power Plant on the north end, and a conventional coal power plant on the south. I walked through Waukegan in the middle of the day. This harbor has a toxic industrial history and is in the process of getting cleaned up.

I walked on a bike path from the Great Lakes Naval Station (an active naval base on the lakeshore), and walked it all the way into Lake Forest.

Segment 10 Day 3 Racine->Zion, IL 23 miles

High of 74 degrees.

Wednesday, September 23

This was the longest day of this segment, and one of the longest of the entire trek at 23 miles. I passed through the city of Kenosha at mid day and met up with Susan Remson and her dog Burlee (in third photo). They walked with me along the lovely Kenosha lakeshore for a bit and Susan filled me in on the recent history of the city. Then, I took a break at Susan's condo where we shared crackers and cheese and iced tea.

The shoreline was quite varied this day. I stayed near it and walked it whenever possible. I crossed into Illinois this day, where the Lake Trek began back in March.

East Park Inn, Racine

One of my favorite things about the Lake Trek was occasionally being able to stay at a historical inn along the way. In Racine, I stayed at the East Park Inn (formerly the Christmas House). Located just a block off the lake, this inn was built in 1893.

I had a beautiful view of the sunset from my third floor suite.

This grand house has had a complex history, beginning as a family home built for Emily Baker, widow of Robert Hall Baker who was one of the founders of the Case Company (manufacturer of construction and farming equipment). It was also the family home for the Horlicks, founder of the Horlick's Malted Milk Company. After that, it was used for over 30 years as a dormitory for nursing students.

Today it is a grand inn. What a wonderful way to preserve history in such an accessible way.

Segment 10 Day 2 Oak Creek->Racine 16 miles

High of 73 degrees.

Tuesday, September 22

I was able to walk the lakeshore for part of this day. The shore was rocky in areas, and there were many stone jetties that I had to climb over before I reached the Wind Point Lighthouse. South of the lighthouse, the shoreline was once again inaccessible, so I walked the roads for the rest of the day. Racine has a lovely zoo located on the lake, so I took a little time to visit the animals before finishing my day on the south side of town.

Segment 10 Day 1 Milwaukee->Oak Creek 14 miles

High of 70 degrees.

Monday, September 21






I took the Lake Express ferry from Muskegon to Milwaukee to begin the final segment of my Lake Trek.









I was joined for the first few miles by Phil Martin (in last photo), a friend (and writer/consultant/publisher) who lives in Milwaukee. He showed me Wisconsin's oldest copper beech tree, a massive specimen planted in the mid-1800s.

Milwaukee has lovely parks and paths along its waterfront, so the hiking was easy this first day of the last segment. The leaves were beginning to change and to fall this last full day of summer.

Lake Trek to come full circle September 26

I leave home on Monday (September 21) to begin the tenth and final segment of my adventure. From the 21st to the 26th, I'll walk the shoreline between Milwaukee and Chicago.

I'm taking the ferry across the lake one last time to begin this segment.

It will be strange to see the Chicago skyline growing larger as I approach from the north. When I began this adventure back in March, there was still ice in the harbors and on the east side of the lake. As I walked those first miles -- south from Chicago, then east across the bottom of the lake -- I watched the Chicago skyline get smaller and then reduce to toy-size across the water. It was a very visual way to know how far I had gone over the five days of walking that first segment. This time, the skyline will begin as a hazy suggestion of buildings on the horizon and grow to towering skyscrapers as I enter the city.

I have always loved Lake Michigan, and this year has been my time to fully explore this amazing body of water and the communities along its edges. This last segment will bring me full circle in my adventure. I will not have a computer with me as I cover these final miles, so I will post photos when I return home after completing my '1,000 Mile Walk on the Beach.'

Thank you for coming along on my adventure.

Lake Trek Celebration

My Lake Trek will come full circle on Saturday, September 26. I will arrive on Chicago's Navy Pier at 2pm. A celebratory lake cruise with catered lunch on Kanan Cruises will take place immediately after my arrival. The boat docks on the south side of Navy Pier.

Join me and Lake Trek followers to celebrate my 1.000 mile walk around Lake Michigan!

Bring your friends!

Sign up for cruise (and also access hotel discount) HERE.

I hope to meet many of you at the finish line!

Annual Labor Day Mackinac Bridge Walk!

There is only one day each year when pedestrians are allowed to cross the Mackinac Bridge: Labor Day. So, I backtracked to connect Segments 6&7 by walking the 5 mile bridge which spans the Straits of Mackinac between Michigan's two peninsulas.

My husband, Jim, and youngest son, Lucas joined me on this warm, foggy morning's walk. This is an elegant bridge and an engineering marvel when it was built. It was completed in 1957 and, at that time, was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Two bridges have surpassed it in length, but (in my opinion) not in grace.

While the Brooklyn bridge is all macho and stayed, the Mackinac Bridge -- the Mighty Mac -- is all lightness, elegance and style.

We walked 6 miles which brings my Lake Trek total to 917 miles.

Editorial

Here is an editorial in the NYTimes about the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.