August 23, 2020

While we made the best of a congested site area that had lake access, we both longed for a bit of privacy and a lake that wasn't choked with weeds. When morning rolled around, we headed for Chicago and hoped that traffic would be manageable. It was pretty easy as it was 9:00 on a Sunday and I enjoyed seeing all the street exits that I remembered from my V.I. Warshawski detective novels.

We decided to investigate Indiana Dunes National Park so we slide around the south side of Chicago into Gary Indiana. Not a very prosperous place from the looks of it. We hit the park as it was really starting to fill up and parked at the West Beach Park and took the Dune Succession Hike. The trail was very well maintained and the views were pretty interesting, especially seeing the city of Chicago across the water. The park was created when the steel industry was trying to place a large plant on 1200 acres on the banks of Lake Michigan. They wanted a port built and would trade land (national park) for a federally funded port. And thus, Indiana Dunes NP was created. Unfortunately, the hike ended on a very crowded beach. We took deep breaths, put on our masks and hustled through the beach goers. We started out on the next Dune Succession Hike, but the sand was too hot for the dogs, and we were pretty warm as well, so back to the van. We drove to the Visitor Center and picked up a Jr. Ranger program and headed out to Pokagon State Park in Indiana.

The van needed DEF so we stopped in a nearby town and decided to pick up some pipe insulation for the tandem to rest on. I finally got to stop by a Menards. It was like a Lowes and Tractor Supply all in one. I didn't have a whole lot of positive expectations regarding our site after last night, but our site was on a cul de sac with steps down to the James Upper Basin. It was still pretty warm so we rolled out the awning and went for a beach hike with the dogs. The lake bottom was a little muddy, but the dogs (and ourselves) enjoyed the cool breezes and water. What is it about water that speaks to my soul. Was I a fish in a past Life? The lake was pretty busy on one of the final days of summer, but that was expected. However, there was one boater that definitely had hearing issues, if not now...2 days from now. The lake finally got silent around dusk and the sunset took a slight edge off of the heat. Tomorrow we head home...yippee! Sometimes the best part of a vacation is realizing that home is a pretty spectacular place with some very special people.