Revisiting the Lake Trek: Segment 4

This segment spanned the 75 miles between Grand Haven and Ludington, Michigan.

I was joined along the way by my friend, Mary, and for the last two days by Leslie and Milene (my sister and cousin).

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Walk with me:

Segment 4 Complete!

Segment 4 took me from Grand Haven to Ludington, May 6-10. It mapped out at 75 miles and took 5 days. I broke my record for the longest day on the trek. It now stands at 24 miles.

I reached the 250 mile mark during this trek. I had some great company along the way and a wide range of weather and scenery.

I visited one more bookstore in this segment. Check out the link for the Book Nook & Java Shop in Montague.

Segment 4, Day 4 Mears->Pentwater 12 miles

High of 44 degrees, 20+mph winds.



The weather was wild this day, wet and windy. Les and Milene were envisioning more of a stroll
on a sunny beach, but they geared up for the challenge.

Once we got out to the lake, the wind picked up and the waves were rushing up the beach. The rain had turned little streams into obstacles that we had to carefully cross.

Milene got caught by a couple of huge waves and had to change socks. Good thing she'd painted her toenails! The garbage bag method of crossing worked pretty well for us, but the streams were growing larger as we walked, so we went inland to get out of the wind and away from the reach of the waves. We were delighted to reach Pentwater (and the spacious Channel Lane Inn).

Segment 4, Day 3 Montague->Mears 24 miles

High of 64 degrees.

It was finally warm enough on the lake to wear shorts!

This day's trek was supposed to be around 18 miles, but when I reached Flower Creek, I had to go inland. The creek opened up to a wide wetlands. There is good and bad about wetlands. The good: they are great for the lake because they filter water and give wildlife a haven. The bad? You have to walk miles to get around them.







It was a gorgeous day and I passed farms and flowering orchards in the miles I walked away from the lake. I even passed some woods filled with flowering trillium.









Back on the beach, the ladybugs were all over the shoreline. My stopping point for the day was in Mears on the shore of Silver Lake. Little Sable is one of my favorite lighthouses on Lake Michigan and I was glad to see it emerge as I walked.

My sister and cousin, Les and Milene, drove up to meet me in Mears and to walk with me the last two days of this segment, and they met me at the lighthouse.