A Moment from My Second Adventure

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures: 

A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach  [A Heartland Indie Bestseller]

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk   [Winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award] 

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure  [Long-listed for the Chautauqua Prize]

 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

On my Great Lakes Walk, I hiked the entire "sunrise side" of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. This included hiking the length of the Detroit River and the St. Clair River.

Here's a moment hiking along the St. Clair River:

Shipping on the Great Lakes

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures: 

A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach  [A Heartland Indie Bestseller]

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk   [Winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award] 

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure  [Long-listed for the Chautauqua Prize]

 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

There are around 200 lake freighters moving goods and raw materials around our Great Lakes. 

Here's a moment along the St. Clair River from my second adventure

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk.

A Moment on a Tall Ship on Lake Erie

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and Great Lakes speaker. She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has written three books about the Great Lakes [A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach *a Heartland Indie Bestseller*, A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk *winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award*, and A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure]. To learn more about her work, or to book her as a speaker, go to http://LakeTrek.com

Here is a moment during the reenactment of the Battle of Lake Erie. Fifteen tall ships gathered near the Lake Erie Islands to go through the motions of that fateful battle in 1813.

The American Navy was victorious. This was the first battle that the British Navy lost. All their ships were captured.

Oliver Hazard Perry reported the results of the battle to his commander with the famous line:

"We have met the enemy...

and they are ours."

I was honored to be part of this reenactment and my account of that day -- along with the historic account from 1813 -- can be found in my third book, A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure.

30 Seconds on Lake Michigan

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures: 

A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach  [A Heartland Indie Bestseller]

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk   [Winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award] 

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure  [Long-listed for the Chautauqua Prize]

 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

There is so much to explore in our Great Lakes region. Here is tonight's sunset as seen from the beach in Empire, Michigan.

Island Adventure Anniversary

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and Great Lakes speaker. She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has written three books about the Great Lakes [A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach *a Heartland Indie Bestseller*, A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk *winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award*, and A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure]. To learn more about her work, or to book her as a speaker, go to http://LakeTrek.com

The book about this adventure

 Today is the second anniversary of the completion of my Great Lakes Island Adventure.

Here are some highlights:

South Bass Island

Glacial grooves on Kelleys Island

Isle Royale

Kayaking the Apostle Islands

Hiking Grand Island with my niece and nephew

Belle Isle

Chain coral on Manitoulin Island

Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island

Final steps of my 1,000-Mile Great Lakes ISLAND Adventure

Great Lakes Walk Anniversary

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and Great Lakes speaker. She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has written three books about the Great Lakes [A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach *a Heartland Indie Bestseller*, A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk *winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award*, and A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure]. To learn more about her work, or to book her as a speaker, go to http://LakeTrek.com

This month marks the anniversary of the completion of my second Great Lakes Adventure.

On October 20, 2012, I completed a 1,000-mile hike that allowed me to explore all five 

Great Lakes.

Hiking along Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake Michigan

Relive some of my favorite moments with me:

Hiking into Toronto along Lake Ontario

Kettle formation near Lake Ontario

Hiking Lake Erie

Pictured Rocks on the edge of Lake Superior

Lake Superior

Clouds mimic wild Lake Huron

puddingstone

Laurel Sphinx moth

Blue Water Bridge

Hiking, hiking, hiking

40-mile point lighthouse along Lake Huron

At the Calcite limestone mine on the edge of Lake Huron

Finale at Niagara Falls

What an amazing adventure!

I am still captivated by these vast inland seas.

Rogers City Library

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and Great Lakes speaker. She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has written three books about the Great Lakes [A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach *a Heartland Indie Bestseller*, A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk *winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award*, and A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure]. To learn more about her work, or to book her as a speaker, go to http://LakeTrek.com

My speaking tour took me to the Lake Huron town of Rogers City.

Lakeside Park sculpture

Rogers City has an enormous limestone quarry that is over a century old.

Calcite mine is in the distance

I gave my Isle Royale talk at the community library.

Eager audience awaits...

National Museum of the Great Lakes

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures: 

A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach  [A Heartland Indie Bestseller]

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk   [Winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award] 

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure  [Long-listed for the Chautauqua Prize]

 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

I was thrilled to speak at the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo. 

Wonderful displays fill the museum

Life-saving boat from Kelleys Island

Lens from a lighthouse

Items from Great Lakes cruise ships 

Steam engine model

Wooden frame from the Niagara -- a ship that fought in the Battle of Lake Erie, 1813

This freighter is part of the museum!

The museum is on the banks of the Maumee River in Toledo

They have a series of speakers come to talk about our Great Lakes. 

Great audience for my Great Lakes ISLANDS talk

Night on the Maumee River

Lake Michigan Trek 7th Anniversary

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and Great Lakes speaker. She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has written three books about the Great Lakes [A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach *a Heartland Indie Bestseller*, A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk *winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award*, and A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure]. To learn more about her work, or to book her as a speaker, go to http://LakeTrek.com

 It's hard to believe, but today is the 7th anniversary of the completion of my first 
Great Lakes Adventure -- 
hiking all the way around Lake Michigan!

Here I am at the beginning. I wasn't even sure I could complete the journey at this point. Over a 1,000 miles stretched ahead of me!

Day 1 beginning on Navy Pier in Chicago

Here are a few photos from the 

adventure...

Hiking in a winter storm near Saugatuck

Hiking the Mackinac Bridge 

Hiking the southern edge of the U.P.

The finish line back in Chicago greeted by family and friends

And so much more has happened since then. I've completed a trilogy of adventures 
(and three books)...

and two audiobooks (the third will be released next year).

After exploring over 3,000 miles of our amazing Great Lakes, I am more captivated than ever. 
And there is so much more to explore.

Cherish our vast inland seas.

Connect with the Alliance for the Great Lakes to stay informed and to learn what actions you can take to keep our waters healthy.

Other organizations working to protect our lakes:

Great Lakes Echo

Healthy Lakes.org

Nature Conservancy