Snowshoeing at Good Harbor Bay
“Surely
I have calmed and quieted my soul; like
a weaned child [resting] with his mother, my
soul is like a weaned child within me [composed and freed from
discontent].”*
A
few months after our 36th anniversary, Al and I planned a
short celebratory trip north to Glen Arbor, close to Lake Michigan.
He had heard that ski runs were open in that area and that the snow
was plentiful. It would be a good opportunity to use our snowshoes
again, after having stored them away for several years.
The
thermometer began to climb last Thursday, however. By the time we
left our home on Friday morning the temperature was heading toward
the 40’s—a heat wave for Michigan in January! There wasn’t much
snow left in our area. What was it going to be like up north? Oh
well, even if there wasn’t much snow, it would still be nice hiking
outdoors and milder weather would be great!
There
was a noticeable change in landscape as we drove further north, with
more snow on the ground. Roads were somewhat wet and icy,
necessitating driving at a slower speed. However the traffic thinned
out with long stretches through the woods where we didn’t see any
other vehicles on the road.
It only took about five hours to reach
our destination, a historic bed and breakfast inn at Glen Arbor. When
we reached the quiet little town, it was a surprise to see many
familiar places closed for the winter, including our favorite grill.
Because the economy is mainly based around tourists who flock to the
area in the summer, not many people stay or visit during the winter
months.
Saturday
morning dawned bright and sunny, with the temperature again in the
low 40’s. While driving to the trail, we saw tents pitched on the
surface of icy lakes with small figures standing close by. Some
people were dragging small sleds behind them. Others were using gas
powered augurs to drill through the ice.
Ice
fishing! It was a new sight for this California native. Going onto
the ice with the sun shining and the temperatures above freezing
seemed pretty risky; but Al assured me that the ice would often be a
foot to eighteen inches thick, enough to bear the weight of a
vehicle. Of course when it was too early in the season there was
always the danger of breaking through and sinking into the lake. The
first car to venture out would always be the test case, I guess.
He
reminisced about going fishing with his dad for lake perch in the
winter. Al’s father had to use a hand drill to poke a hole through
the ice. Then they would sit on stools and wait for the fish to start
biting.
At
that time, many people dragged little shanties out on the ice using
tractors. Fishing holes were dug inside the shanties. Some shelters
were even equipped with small heaters so that the fishermen could
keep warm. Al Sr. didn’t have a shanty or a heater and after a
time, young Al Jr. thought that his hands and feet were going to fall
off, they were so cold! Not a sport for me!
Once
we got to the trail head, it would have been possible to hike on the
trail without the snowshoes because skiers and others had packed down
the snow. However, we put them on anyway and crunched along for an
hour or two, with a side jaunt to the shore of Lake Michigan.
The
snow had melted off a thin stretch of beach and people were walking
along the sand, enjoying the sunshine. I felt kind of silly with my
body completely covered so that only my eyes showed, holding ski
poles and standing on snowshoes when they sauntered by! Only in
Michigan I guess!
The stillness of the forest, the beauty of Lake Michigan with snow
covered sand dunes along the shore and the peacefulness of the winter
landscape were a welcome breath of fresh air for my soul.
Praise
the Lord!
Dear
Lord, Thank you for those moments of quiet when we can drink deeply
of your beauty and rest in your presence. Please teach us how to find
times of refreshing no matter where we might be and even during the
daily routine of our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen
*Scripture
from Psalm 131:2 (Amplified Bible)
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