Dunes and Dinos - Sawyer, Michigan 7.30.24

 

Why, you ask, are we such a short distance from Chicago, and in the opposite direction from our “planned” route?  Some new equipment that was installed on the trailer, enabling solar power, does not work properly.  Since it is under warranty, we have to stay fairly close to Chicago where it was originally installed, to get it replaced.  So we are staying at Warren Dunes State Park in Sawyer, Michigan.  Though this stay was not planned, it has turned out to be just what we needed.  It seems selling and cleaning out a house and hitting the road is a stressful, draining experience, even though it is done voluntarily.  Also, for every task involved there are at least two methods of execution, his and mine … and much discussion!

Warren Dunes is beautiful and we took some time off from this much-needed rest to walk in the dunes and along the beach.  We also attended a story-telling program and, later in the evening, a star-gazing program during which we saw constellations, the Milky Way, satellites and the International Space Station.  Volunteers with telescopes pointed out a two-color, double star, clearly visible in blue and yellow. 

On Sunday, we took in the Indiana Dinosaur Museum near South Bend.  It is a huge building that also houses a chocolate museum and store.  The young guides are very knowledgeable, self-described dinosaur nerds.  There are fossils and replicas of dinosaurs large and small, including some I’d never heard of.  There is an exhibit of props from the “Jurassic Park” movies, and the majestic theme music from the first movie sounds through the building.  I will have that theme in my head for days!  The grounds of the museum are extensive, with walking trails leading to the north/south Continental Divide, a view of Notre Dame, and a small herd of bison.  We ended the day at a local Mexican restaurant that was tucked into a nondescript strip mall, such that we nearly missed it.  Inside we found huge portions of delicious fajitas and quesadillas, featuring sizzling, fragrant grilled shrimp and seafood.  It seems wherever we go, we find that Mexicans really know how to eat!   

I found a friend at the campsite next door, a vivacious 10-year-old girl who wore a fluffy golden brown fox tail clipped to the back of her shorts. It matched her luxuriant ponytail, and the effect was one of a new, wondrous species from a sci-fi movie.   I gave her a foldable bike I had brought, which is too heavy for me to use as a travel bike.  Getting to know her and her family was a highlight of the past few days, and we were sorry to see them leave.