Back in July, I took a trip to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes. Wonderful day with a nice drive. Loving Michigan. Such a pretty state. Below is a gallery of some of those pictures.
Here are a couple of videos…shorts I think you call them.
This video is my favorite minus the wind noise. This slope is really steep, and it is located along the road to Sleeping Bear Dunes…on the scenic drive. I wish now I had taken a picture of the sign at the top of this slope. It says that if you go down the hill and can’t get back up…the fine is $3,000 for them to come and rescue you. It warns you of the risks. 😂
It looks like a serious workout. The person in the red shirt is actually a teenage boy. By the time I got back to the top of the slope, he was cresting the hill. Poor guy…took him forever to get up that hill. No way was I going to attempt it. Too out of shape at this point in time in my life. 🤨
My Dad
A couple of years ago, my dad passed away from cancer. While he was going through treatment and then finally placed into hospice, we spent a lot of time together. I went to all of his appointments with him and his wife…and then moved in with them through our hospice experience.
One of the things Dad shared with me was about a trip he took with two of his buddies after he graduated. They took an entire month and drove out West to visit many of the National Parks. While on the trip, they slept in tents at different campgrounds and along the road at times. He even had a breakdown on the trip…I think the transmission went out on him. He got the car fixed and the three young men finished their trip.
I was gob-smacked listening to him talk about the trip because that very same trip had been a LONG time dream of mine…and I had no clue my dad had taken the trip I had been dreaming about. It was fun to share that with my dad.
The Trip
After his passing, I needed a break from life…from people…from worldly obligations. One day shortly after his death, I was telling Vanessa…I need to get away and be alone in nature. My thoughts were to find someone who had some property locally with trees and a pond where I could pitch my tent and camp for a few weeks. I wanted the isolation.
Vanessa said to me…I don’t see you camping locally. I see you traveling and taking pictures camping along the way.
EUREKA!!! At that moment, I knew what Father wanted me to do…take my dream trip…just like my dad…a Father/daughter trip to visit the National Parks and work through the pain of my dad’s passing…healing through nature. Within just a few days, I rented a van, loaded that baby up, and set off on my dream trip. I drove 11,000 miles in 34 days visiting many of our National Parks. It was glorious! I didn’t want to come back.
This picture is one I took of Tonto and I on that trip while in my blue tent. I love the white balance of this picture because it is saturated in the blue color from the tent I grew to love so much. It was amazing to me how cold the mountain nights and mornings were even in July and August. I finally had to stop and buy a winter jacket while in Wyoming or Montana…can’t remember which. Such a wonderful experience for me.
Park Pass
I bought this annual National Park Pass while at Sleeping Bear Dunes. It is $80 and allows two people into any National Park for an entire year. While on my last trip, I purchased a pass and was so thankful I did. It paid for itself very quickly. Made me feel like SOMEbody as I drove up to that Park booth and whipped out my annual pass. The rangers always smiled at me while I was beaming with pride like I was some special lady carrying an annual park pass. 🤣
I looked like a crazy lady proudly displaying my pass. Nothing new though for me.
If you ever get a chance to do a National Park drive and see some of the parks in one trip…DO IT! So worth it!
My Dream
I have a dream…it is eating away at me.
I want to buy a van…like a Sprinter van and do the van life thing…for a full year. Along with the van, I want to get my new camera equipment. With the van and my new camera equipment…I want to spend a year traveling North America…and visit the National Parks. The main ones. After the last five years of my life, I need another jaunt into nature for healing. I can’t think of anything better than traveling this continent, doing the van life thing, and taking as many pictures as my little heart wants to take…and blogging and vlogging that journey on here.
Hoping that dream will come true. My Park Pass sits in my wallet as a token of a reminder of that dream. A beacon of hope…hoping Father will make it happen for me.
2 thoughts on “Sleeping Bear Dunes”
Great Pic! Follow your dream girl and spread his word with your gift!
Awe!!! Thanks!