Spring Approaches

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. 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to 

http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

I love watching the ice recede in the spring. 

Today I walked along the shores of Lake Michigan in Leland, Michigan.

The shelf ice is stacked in places, eroding into strange shapes and bridges and icebergs.

There are places where a layer of thin ice has broken, revealing what lies beneath.

Spring approaches.

Where it All Began...

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. 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to 

http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

It was on this date 

TEN YEARS AGO

that I began my trek around Lake Michigan.

I am amazed that it has been a decade since this all began.

Standing on Chicago's Navy Pier for the beginning of this 1,000-mile hike, I didn't know if I could do it, had never done anything of this magnitude before. 

I would hike along the edge of my favorite place and get to know it completely...

all its many moods...

...the many creatures living along the edge of this Great Lake...

...the beauty along the way.

I arrived back in Chicago after 64 days of hiking (averaging 16 miles/day).

 And I got to celebrate with friends and family and followers of this amazing journey.

This adventure led to my first book:

It went on to be a Heartland Indie Bestseller!

[Available wherever books are sold -- support your local INDIE bookstore!]

Also available as an audiobook HERE.

This first adventure led to two more:

I have given over 200 presentations about my Great Lakes adventures! 

Learn more about me and my dynamic presentations about our magnificent Great Lakes HERE. 

The Break-Up

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: 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to 

http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

This time of year when the days warm above freezing, then the nights plunge back down to recrystallize the world, the effects on the icy cover on our world are evident.

Icebergs develop cracks...

and fissures.

Ducks in the water give scale to the 

stacks of Lake Michigan shelf ice.

Trapped bubbles long to be liberated.

Pancake ice bumps up against fracturing shelf ice. 

Spring 

is 

creeping.

Tedx Kalamazoo!

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: 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to 

http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

I was honored to be part of the 

Tedx Kalamazoo event late last year.

To hear my talk, go HERE.

A dozen speakers from different fields of expertise took the Tedx stage at Kalamazoo's Epic Center.

Stage Manager Kelly Short tries out the red circle

Event MC, Kyler Cook (in red shirt), leads speakers in exercises to loosen up before speaking

Speakers (L-R) Ed Roth, Troy Thrash, and Tim Hiller warm up before speaking

To hear my talk, go HERE.

Heartfelt thanks to Executive Organizer Lem Montero, Stage Manager Kelly Short, and the entire group of excellent professionals who helped to put on this event, and all the other speakers who made it a special night. 

Quiet Water Symposium

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile journeys exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures. 

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

I had a wonderful time at the 

Quiet Water Symposium

There was a great turnout this year, and my presentation about the islands of our Great Lakes had a standing room only crowd.

Hundreds of people visited my booth to buy my books, get information about engaging me as a speaker, and to get information on high-tech 

Advanced Elements kayaks.

 This kayak was a big part of my exploration of the islands in the Great Lakes basin. 

This high-tech inflatable kayak folds down into a duffle. This particular model (the advanced frame) weighs just 36 pounds.

ADVANCEDFRAME® KAYAK: AE1012

Length: 10’5″ Width: 32″
Product Weight: 36 lbs.
Max Capacity: 300 lbs.
Lakes, Bays, Inland Waters
Slow Moving Rivers (Class I-II)
Coastal/Open Waters

I love having this kayak with me on my travels. It's so easy to stow in the back of my car. I can stop anywhere, inflate it, and be paddling within 10 minutes.

It was a pleasure being part of the 

Quiet Water Symposium.

I look forward to being there next year!

 Learn more about Quiet Water Symposium HERE.

Learn more about Advanced Elements Kayaks HERE.