Revisiting the Lake Trek: Segment 8

This segment spanned the 155 miles Escanaba, Michigan, south to the city of Green Bay, then across the Door Peninsula to Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

This was the seccond longest segment of the Lake Trek in both days (9) and miles (155).

I walked this segment alone, but was shadowed by my friend Vickie around the city of Green Bay.

I camped the first few days of this segment as I made my way south along Green Bay. I had some of the warmest days of the trek along this stretch. After reaching the city of Green Bay I made my way across the base of the Door Peninsula over two days. Part of the time I was on the 'rails to trails' hiking trail called the Devil's River Trail.

After hiking for days along shallow Green Bay then across land for two more days while crossing the lovely Door Peninsula, I was ecstatic to finally get back to the expansive Lake Michigan.

The longest day of the Lake Trek was on the last day of this segment from Denmark, Wisconsin to the lakefront in Manitowoc. It was a hike of 25 miles in one day. Whew!

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You can find all videos from the Lake Trek on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/lniewenhuis

Segment 8 Complete!

Segment 8 took me south from Escanaba along the edge of Green Bay to the city of Green Bay. From there I took two days cutting across land on the Door Peninsula to the city of Manitowoc. I took the Badger car ferry across Lake Michigan on the midnight crossing. It was foggy and the lake was calm, so it was like moving in a liquid dream through the night.

This segment was 155 miles total. The total for the trek now stands at 818 miles!

WKZO's morning host, Lori Moore, had me on her show today. It's always great to speak with the woman who puts the broad in broadcasting!

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Thanks for following my adventure.

Segment 8 Day 9 Denmark->Manitowoc 25 miles

High of 74 degrees. July 22

This final day of this segment I said goodbye (and a huge thank you) to Vickie. She dropped me back in the town of Denmark and I walked the trail, then country roads all the way to Manitowoc.

It was fantastic to finally be back on the shores of Lake Michigan. I walked my longest day this day, 25 miles, then took the midnight ferry across the lake to Ludington, Michigan. It's a 4-hour passage and the lake was calm and foggy.

A father and son were on the ferry making their way from the city of Green Bay to (of all places) Battle Creek for a baseball tournament. They gave me a lift to my home town. Thanks, guys [and if you e-mail me your mailing address, I'll send you two hats!].

Segment 8 Day 8 Green Bay->Denmark 20 miles

High of 78 degrees. July 21

The entire perimeter of Lake Michigan is around 1,400 miles (higher estimates include the distance around each of the lake's many islands). My Lake Trek route is 1,000 miles and cuts across the Door Peninsula from Green Bay to the city of Manitowoc.

This day took me halfway across the peninsula to the city of Denmark, Wisconsin. Actually, it was easier to be dropped off by Vickie in Denmark, then walk my way back to Green Bay.

There is a 'rails to trails' project in Denmark where many miles of an unused railroad have been converted into a biking/hiking trail.

The country is beautiful along this route with rolling hills and rich farmland (and at least one 'Snow White' fan).

The last photo is of one of the many paper mills along the Fox River in Green Bay. White pelicans swam in the river in this area, and they were the first I had seen around the bay or lake.

Segment 8 Day 7 Suamico->Green Bay 17 miles

High of 68 degrees. July 20

For a few days toward the end of this segment, I stayed in Green Bay and my good friend, Vickie (in second to last photo), drove me to and from my daily trekking. This meant I could carry less gear on my back and allowed me to cover more miles.

This day, I walked from the town of Suamico all the way to Green Bay. Just 4 miles into this day I reached the milestone of 750 miles total (see video below).

Segment 8 Day 6 Oconto->Suamico 22 miles

High of 70 degrees. July 19

Between the towns of Oconto and Suamico is the town of Pensaukee. There is a wildlife preserve there that I hiked through hoping to see the bay. Along the way there was much evidence of wildlife (tracks, places where deer had bedded down, snakeskins, ducks, and tiny toads). I got close to the bay, but never saw it because it was hidden by an eight-foot wall of marsh grasses.

Segment 8 Day 5 Peshtigo->Oconto 11 miles

High of 75 degrees. July 18

Near Peshtigo, they are expanding route 41. In the process they are draining or filling in thousands of acres of wetlands. This is bad news for the bay and the lake. Wetlands are a natural cleansing area for the water entering the lake. They also serve as habitat for wildlife.

The gentleman on the bike is Karl, and I met him along the way to Oconto. He knew much of the history of the area and it was fascinating to listen to him.

Segment 8 Day 3 Kleinke Park camping->Menominee 18 miles

High of 72 degrees. July 16

I continued south this day and found Baily Park along the bay where I could walk along the overgrown shoreline for a nice stretch. Route 35 hugged the water for a long stretch, too. I even cooled my feet in the bay at a boat launch.

Public boat launches have been an important part of my trek around Lake Michigan. They are constant access points to and from the lake. Often I have begun my day at a launch and hiked the shore to another launch many miles away.

I made it all the way to Menominee this day, covering the last miles of Michigan along the bay.

Segment 8 Day 2 Fox Park->Kleinke Park camping 13 miles

High of 81 degrees. July 15

After breaking camp this morning (that's my hammock/tent in the trees), I continued south along Green Bay. Since I walked through some tall weeds, I made sure I wore my tan colored pants so that I could get rid of any ticks that tried to catch a ride.

The day was hot and my pack heavy, so I took my time along route 35 to the next campground.

Kleinke Park is really set up for those house-size campers that people park for the summer at campgrounds. It was comical to string up my hammock tent in between these structures, and I got a lot of questions from fellow campers about my adventure and choice of shelter.

My nearest neighbors, Doug and Julie (along with Doug's parents, Ron and Sue) invited me to join them for a grilled dinner complete with steak, roasted potatoes, stuffed squash, and salad. These Wisconsinites were very kind. They had been coming to Kleinke Park for years and told me how they used to catch their limit of perch just offshore in the bay, but now the perch were mostly gone. The invasive species, the round goby, had replaced them.

The bay and the lake are under many pressures: pollution, invasive species, habitat destruction, wetland destruction, building on the shoreline (among many others). It looks like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative will probably pass both houses of Congress and next year over $400 million dollars will be put toward making the lakes healthier, their ecosystems more balanced.

Pictured Rocks

Since I had two days off, Phil and I drove up to Munising and caught the Pictured Rocks cruise on Lake Superior. This was the first national lakeshore designated in the nation.

The next segment begins on Tuesday, July 14. I will hike and camp my way down the shore of Green Bay into Wisconsin. Then, for the middle part of this segment, my friend Vickie will drive me to and from the city of Green Bay to the trek.

I'll finish this segment in Manitowoc and will take the Badger ferry across the lake back home to Michigan.

I can't wait to begin the next segment.

Segment 7 Complete!

Segment 7 took me from St. Ignace in Michigan's Upper Peninsula all the way to Escanaba, June 2-11. It mapped out at 161 miles and took 10 days. This was the longest segment of the trek. I'm taking two days off in Escanaba before I head south into Wisconsin.

The total now stands at 663 miles. My Lake Trek hat is showing the miles!

Thanks for following my adventure.

Where's the Beach?

When I decided to walk around Lake Michigan, I envisioned miles of sandy beach stretching before me. There have been beaches, but I have been surprised at the diversity of the terrain along the way. The shoreline has varied from rocky to wetlands and bogs to lush forests. Sometimes, a road ran right up against the lakeshore.

























I head north to Michigan's Upper Peninsula this week. Segments 7&8 cover the distance from St. Ignace, Michigan, across the southern edge of the UP, around the west side of Green Bay, then across Wisconsin's Door Peninsula. These segments will total over 350 miles, and I'll hike all of it in July (taking breaks in Escanaba and Green Bay).




I have a feeling that the 502 miles that I've walked so far are merely a warm-up for these next two segments. July will find me passing through the most remote parts of the trek, camping part of the way, and enjoying the wildlife and wild terrain that stretches out before me.