We got to enjoy the best of Great Lakes scenery today! I woke up at 0630 and got us started. Leaving the Walmart parking lot, we drove north on US-31. Mollie continued to sleep in the back. We stopped at a rest area and cleaned up for the morning and then ate breakfast (snacks) on the way. Arrived at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore at 1000. We explored the park south of Empire and then drove up to the northern section. We also looked around at the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive (hiking on bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan). Then drove a bit farther to climb a big dune. In order to park, we had to buy a new annual park pass (1050). Take it from Mollie: nothing cures the long car ride blues quicker than "moon sand" between your toes... We relaxed in the cool September air while atop high bluffs that overlook the eastern shore of Lake Michigan and marveled at how far our travels have taken us... We drove into areas near Glen Haven and Glen Arbor before heading back to Empire on MI-22. Mollie got a NPS Passport stamp at the (very busy) Visitors Center. Before leaving the area, we ate lunch (grilled chicken sandwich, club sandwich and tater tots) at Joe's Friendly Tavern (finished at 1300). We drove east on MI-72 and enjoyed lake views in Traverse City. Continued to I-75, stopping for gas near Bear Lair in Kalkaska, MI (1420), and then drove south towards Detroit. I contacted my cousins, Leslie and Lynne, to see if we could stop by for a visit. Leslie said "yes", so we got off the interstate south of Flint and went to her home in Rochester Hills (arriving at around 1645). We visited for a while, enjoying her dog (Samson) and talking about family. She asked us to stay for dinner and overnight. Before deciding, I talked to Mollie about our plans for the following day and she reminded me that she wanted to visit a National Park. She also called her mother to ask if we could be late getting home on Monday (Nicky agreed). We decided to stay with Leslie, who took us to dinner (Panda Express). We sat and chatted until around 2100 and then read books until bedtime (2200).
