Back In the Van

After taking a month out of the van to road trip with a friend through Minnesota and see family in Alabama and Texas, I am back in the van and heading north. Off to Michigan to see what the hype is all about.

First stop is Grand Rapids to see some friends. Grand Rapids has so much to do and see - no wonder people don’t leave Michigan. Then I was off to start my trek up through Traverse City and into the Upper Peninsula. I was there right in the middle of summer which was just about the perfect time to explore Michigan. The weather was absolutely perfect with zero humidity. Warm enough for the beach but not too warm that you felt like you were melting. I swam almost every day while in Michigan and explored the different small towns along the lakes. Then I ventured into the UP. 

Going onto the Upper Peninsula was like going into another country. There are not too many people up there and there were signs advertising things I have never heard of, most notably the pasties. When you first cross into the UP from Mackinac, Lake Michigan is on the left and Lake Hudson is on the right and then when you make it to the top of the peninsula, there is Lake Superior. The great lakes are WILD - they look and act like oceans. Most of the time you can’t even see land on the other side of the horizon once you get out to the Great Lakes. I had the best time exploring all the small towns in the UP and was astounded by how many great trails and beaches there are throughout! 

Favorite highlights include: vegan ice cream in Sutton’s Bay (I think about this ice cream so often, it's a bit of an issue) and swimming in the Great Lakes.