Isle Royale Boots

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 have hiked five Moosewatch Expeditions on Isle Royale. This island is rugged, rocky, and rugged.

My "Isle Royale boots" have served me well, but I have to retire them now. 

These KEEN boots have over 300 rocky miles on them. They're still comfortable and I'll take them on more gentle hikes.

 I have hiked over 3,000 miles in KEEN boots. 

One thing I know about long-distance hiking: you've got to keep your feet happy.

And KEENs keep my feet SOOOOO happy.

Check out their full line of footwear here:

https://www.keenfootwear.com/

Slate and Oil...

Shale on the shores of Lake Huron

The Great Lakes Basin has a bowl of shale underneath it, nested between other layers (sandstone, limestone, etc.).  

Sometimes the edge of this layer is exposed along the shoreline like near Alpena on Lake Huron and north of Traverse City on Lake Michigan. 

This stone naturally traps oil and natural gas within it, and there are places along the shoreline where oil is seeping out of these rock layers and into the lakes. 

This is a natural process that has been going on around the Great Lakes for thousands of years.

Oil seeps out from the shale layer

The patters are beautiful and colorful...

There are companies that want to frack this layer of shale in Michigan to extract the resources trapped there. 

The companies say that fracking is safe, but they will not disclose everything added to the fracking fluid. 

...as the oil/water mixture merges with the lake.

And the used fracking fluid is so toxic it is disposed of by pumping it deep underground, far underneath the water table.  

In this way, millions of gallons of fresh water are poisoned and removed from use forever.

Walking, Walking...and more Walking

I've been working on the manuscript for my book as the year comes to a close. 

And I've been reliving my time walking the edges of our Great Lakes.

Taking a break!

I covered 1,004 miles total in 76 days!

Wow...I wore that gray shirt a LOT...

Through all sorts of terrain, 

and in all sorts of weather.

This was a little tough on the ankles!

Walking in the rain

Sunrise on Lake Huron

The book about my adventure 

will be released in 2013, 

so watch for

A 1000-MILE GREAT LAKES WALK

at your favorite bookstore soon!

The Finale in Niagara.

The End of the hike is near!

(check out the details by clicking link above)

I'll hike the final 15 miles this Friday and Saturday (October 19 & 20) along the Niagara River Recreational Trail from 

Niagara-on-the-Lake 

to 

Niagara Falls!

Some Like it Hot...I Don't!

While hiking in April with the cold, windy weather, I looked forward to the warmer weather ahead.  When it gets much above 80 degrees, though, I tend to overheat and have to take precautions against heat exhaustion.

This is my old "wet bandana over the ears " trick

With many days above 85 degrees, I had to improve on the first method of cooling off.  I began rolling ice in my bandana at the beginning of the day and securing it around my neck.  Ahhhhhhh..... 

Hydration is always key to keeping cool, and I went through many gallons of water and sports drinks on this hike so far.

Even Ben used the wet bandana trick

"Florence of Arabia" look

On ultra-sunny days, I would wet my bandana and put it under my hat to cool me and protect me from the sun's rays.

"Little Red Riding Nerd" look 

 I found that tying the wet bandana underneath my chin was even more effective in cooling me off. Not a great look, but it beat passing out on the shores of Lake Ontario!

Of course a dip in Lake Superior was the best way 
to get out of the heat.  
Go Ben!!