Before I finished college, I held down several jobs; some in the Midwest and many others on the Left coast. One of the Midwest jobs was as a lawn care “expert” (before you think that I have an inflated ego because of my “expert” status, let me tell you my favorite definition of expert; “ex” = has-been, “spurt” = drip under pressure. Yes; a “has-been drip under pressure”).
This fifty-hour-a-week job was stationed in Chesterton, Indiana; just south of Lake Michigan. When I wasn’t measuring and assessing residential lawns for grub worm damage and trying to talk folks into an extra treatment of the all-important, pre-emergent crab grass inhibitor, I was driving along the Indiana Dunes longing for my west coast beach life.
One of the greatest assets of the ‘Dunes area is the Annual Lakeshore Century; a road bike run that offers up several different loops as described below.
Photo from duneacreswest.com
I had gratefully discovered this most awesome recreational and historic area while dating my wife (before she was my wife). I was thrilled to discover an actual beach; almost like a beach away from home. I had no idea that the Great Lakes had actual beaches; just like ocean beaches. Though the intensity of the wave cycles is obviously much less on a lake shore than at the ocean beach, lacking any noticeable tidal sequence, still; sand, water, sky, and even sea gulls; well, maybe trash gulls, but they cry the same and add the same necessary ambiance that is so beachy.
Photo from virtualtourist.com
The fond memories of this discovery that occurred well over twenty years ago are obviously wrapped up with more than just matters geographic as this was also the first time I got to feast my eyes on my wife in a swim suite; wowsers! One-piece, though it was, the effect was none the less quite spectacular, and still is. Yes, I’m a fortunate and very happily married, red-blooded, American male.
I digress…
If the weather wasn’t so nasty this coming weekend (April 12, 2008) we would certainly be hitching up the bikes to the Trail Blazer and heading north to Indiana Dunes State Park.
Here’s yer’ trail…
Stu Marks, Editor of Adventure-Space
Lakeshore Cruise; Indiana Dunes
The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is the destination of the annual Lakeshore Century. Held on the first Sunday after Labor Day, the tour offers four loops, ranging from 25 to 100 miles in length. The dunes are the product of lake and wind. Lake Michigan defines the basin of a great glacial lobe of ice that pushed down from Canada. As it receded, about 14,000 years ago, the lake it left behind was much higher than it is today. The gradual dropping of the lake level created the series of parallel dune ridges that you'll ride over. Your first opportunity for a close look at a dune comes at the visitor center. A ten-minute slide show will explain some of the features you are about to see, and a short hike on the Calumet Dune Trail outside the center will give you a feel for the character of an inland dune.
Dialogue by Phil Van Valkenburg; Trails.com
TRAIL GUIDE
Activity Type: Road Biking
Nearby City: Chesterton, IN
Length: 43.9 total miles
Trail Type: Loop
Skill Level: Intermediate
Local Contacts: Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore 219-926-7561
Local Maps: Lakeshore Cruise Topo Map
Source; Trails.com