Door County - Lake Michigan Side

I awoke, as usual, at about 7:00 AM. The light was increasing enough to see by. However, the campground was deathly silent. I decided that it was not necessary for me to get up quite so early, and I didn’t want to be the first person to start making noise. I just dozed in my sleeping bag. As time slowly passed, I began to hear the stirrings of my neighbors. Also, I needed to make a visit to the bathroom. You get very spoiled when your facilities are in the next room. Ah, the hardships of camping!! By 7:30 I went ahead and got up. I made ready to leave, with my destination to go back to visit with Darla. She promised me the use of the shower, so I took advantage of it! So, no need to stay upwind of me this weekend!

As I left the campground, and stopped to get gas, I saw the sun rise. I was on the wrong side of the peninsula to get a sunrise over water. Oh well! I got my coffee fuel there at the station, and tried out a new cream flavor, Pumpkin Pie. It was good! Another nice note, there was simply a drop can for purchasing coffee. No price was indicated, nor demanded. I paid 75 cents! After a visit, a shower and a good-bye to my bud Darla, I was off to explore the peninsula.

I set off on Hwy 42, which has Hwy 57 split off and going towards the east side. Door County is only about 60 miles from North to South, and only 15 or so East to West. You can see it pretty much in one day, if you don’t stop to linger too long. Also, the distance between the little towns is not great at all! The speed limit pretty much for most of the peninsula is 45 mph. It just doesn’t take much speed to get around.

My first stop was Whitefish Dunes State Park, on the Lake Michigan side. There is somewhat of a surreal impression upon exiting my car. All around are very tall pine trees, yet clearly there is the sound of “ocean surf”. In my life experience, ocean surf is exclusive to sandy South Texas beaches, where the tallest plants are grasses. Our great lakes are truly GREAT!! They are large enough that there are waves, and vast enough to appear as oceans! I walked the shore for awhile, and simply enjoyed the winds. A small flock of Canada geese and mallard ducks were lounging in moss covered rocks along the shore, more evidence that I was on the edge of a lake and not the ocean. They posed nicely for a picture! The shore structure here was exclusively sandstone, rugged and rocky.

A short jump up the road brought me to Cave Point County Park. The pounding of this ocean-like surf against the rocky sandstone erodes away the land, forming beautiful and interesting formations. My most profound observation of this geological formation was the raw power that was transferred up through the rock. Of course, the waves crashing into the cave can be heard, but more amazing, was that it was felt up through the rock. Prior to leaving, facing South, I took the picture that I feel was the best one of the entire weekend. You'll find that in a post below claiming it to be my preferred favorite!

I continued North and stopped at Ridges Sanctuary at Bailey’s Harbor. At this point my camera started to act up, and take really poor pictures. Fortunately, the landscape was nothing too impressive, so I’ve not posted any of the pics. Soon I think I’ll need to invest in a new, better, higher resolution camera. I passed on the opportunity to see the Cana Island Light House. It is actually out on Lake Michigan, and I’m not certain how you get to it. Maybe on some future trip I can look in on it.

(The above picture is from Newport State Park, on the Lake Michigan side, but I visited it after going to the tip. Some of my pics are a little out of order!)

I proceeded now to cut across the peninsula to the Green Bay side. Most of the touristy towns are along the western edge of Door County. I stopped halfway across at the Koepsel’s Farm Market (http://www.koepsels.com). There I purchased some preserved sweet cherries (as it is too late for fresh cherries), a blueberry scone, and a hot cup of apple cider. I would have liked to purchase a gallon of cider, but I had no place to keep it, as it should be refrigerated. I look a picture of my little morning snack!